2011 Volta a Catalunya

[DJ Sprtsch]

It's so early in the race...
See what happens at 128 Km Alt de Sant Grau (1ª): 6,3 kms / 6%

Still. 13 minutes in 85 kms...
Btw Pimienta and Ramirez were 1 and 2 in the mountains classification in last year's Catalunya.

 

[Parrulo]

Kilómetro 86. La diferencia comienza a bajar, 11:55.

k 86 11:15 of advantage

my bad i thought the stage was 128k long but thats just a mountain lul

how long is the climb anyway?

 

[DJ Sprtsch]

It's 6.3 km, 6% average

 

[Parrulo]

i meant the stage. seriously whats wrong with me today <_<

 

[stefrees]

i meant the stage. seriously whats wrong with me today <_<

Stage is 167k. They'll get caught

 

[Parrulo]

Stage is 167k. They'll get caught

ya you are right

 

[TourOfSardinia]

km 106: gap down to 8:40

km 110: gap down to 7:30

km 115 gap down to 6:40

(dropping like a stone)

 

[Christian]

Gerdemann 1.0 might have held his own on that climb in Andorra, but the current Gerdemann will be more like 15-20th.

I'm hoping he gets a 10-15th spot and then make up some spots on the other days

Km 49 - 13 mins ahead is a 3 man break:
Gastauer (AG2R), Smukulis (HTC-Highroad) y Julián Sánchez Pimienta (Caja Rural).

Wow nice to hear that! I'm excited to see how he'll do in the Giro this year

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

so far gastauer has been very disapointing, what's the cause?? he was pretty big talent in u23

 

[Christian]

so far gastauer has been very disapointing, what's the cause?? he was pretty big talent in u23

I wouldn't say disappointing necessarily ... he certainly was nowhere near Van Garderen (whom he beat in Tour des Pays de Savoie in U23) though, that's for sure.

One key factor is though that he only did very few races that actually suit his abilities. He did Down Under, Qatar, Omloop, Kuurne, Flanders ... to work for his team mates, adjust to the speed of the pro peloton, learn how to place himself in the peloton and so on. But the profiles did not suit him, they were too long for him at that point, and he had to work for his team mates, so he didn't get any results. His best result was 6th at Paris-Corrèze, but apparently Vincent Lavenu & Co were happy with his performances though, and this year he already has a better program. I don't think he has any expectations for the Giro except finishing, which would already be a good achievement IMO

 

[TourOfSardinia]

25km to go: Gap now holding at 2:30

 

[cineteq]

Les than 15Km to go, Gastauer (AG2R) y Smukulis (HTC-Highroad) holding with 1:30.

 

[Escarabajo]

12 kms para el final.

Gastauer (AG2R) y Smukulis (HTC) aguantan en cabeza, 1:30.

My source is spanish

 

[Christian]

I wonder how big the peloton still is? Is there still a climb to come? From what it looks like the last one was at km 128.

Will it be a sprint arrival then?

/edit: Petacchi in the peloton

 

[Escarabajo]

I wonder how big the peloton still is? Is there still a climb to come? From what it looks like the last one was at km 128.

Will it be a sprint arrival then?

/edit: Petacchi in the peloton

El Lampre-ISD de Petacchi tira en cabeza del pelotón.

Petachis's team pulling hard, so I take from this that the climb is invisible.

 

[search]

Petachis's team pulling hard, so I take from this that the climb is invisible.

from the roadbook the bigger one of those 2 climbs in the finish had ~2% average - I did not even bother to have a deeper look at the second one

 

[cineteq]

Less than 5Km to go, less than 50 sec.

 

[TourOfSardinia]

-5km 50s left for the break ....

(Edit: oops cineteq beat me to it!)

 

[Christian]

what the heck bici stopped working

 

[boomcie]

Smukulis took it.

 

[Jamsque]

HTC keep winning! The gap must have been pretty close by the finish.

 

[Parrulo]

Smukulis took it.

that

seems like prediction of the brake holding the lead wasn't that far off. . .

 

[Christian]

Gastauer 2nd.

Ugh stupid Smukulis keeps f*cking things up for us Luxembourgians.

Nah just kidding

Still best result for Gastauer so far and he has the sprinters jersey if I understood correctly

 

[Cobblestoned]

Congrats Smukulis !
Seems kind of ****ty - Pro race without livecoverage.

Any reasons for that ? Money ? I mean, they cover it anyway....

 

[Parrulo]

Etapa 1 y General:
1. Gatis Smukulis (HTC-Highroad) 4:08:48
2. Alessandro Petacchi (Lampre-ISD) a 28
3. J. Joaquín Rojas (Movistar) m.t.
4. Rigoberto Urán (Sky) m.t.
5. Jan Bakelants (Omega Pharma-Lotto) m.t.
6. Maxime Bouet (AG2R) m.t.
7. Paolo Tiralongo (Astana) m.t.
8. Cadel Evans (BMC) m.t.
9. Bauke Mollema (Rabobank) m.t.
10. Alberto Contador (Saxo Bank) m.t.

now thats a weird top 10