2014 Criterium International, 3/29-3/30 (2.HC)

[roundabout]

Dumoulin was 3s faster than Porte in the TT, that's funny. Where was Haas today?

15th today

 

[trevim]

Is it funny really?

Dumoulin looks to more more of a prologue / short TT's specialist than Porte is.

Of course he is but I still find it funny

 

[saneguy]

Schleck was good. I think the climb wasnt hard enough for him to drop the others. And of course the last km was flat enough for the rest of the guys to take it. You cant expect him to win the sprint. I dont know why would you call that dumb tactics. His strength is not to sprint through but to drop others. Obviously this climb wasnt hard enough to do that. All the while he attacked he was simply trying to drop the others on the hardest parts. That didnt happen. I dont think there was any other way for him to win this.

 

[trevim]

15th today

Not bad, I was expecting to see him more upfront though.

 

[dlwssonic]

Frank had many good results last year too, not surprising he is doing well now.

 

[roundabout]

Schleck was good. I think the climb wasnt hard enough for him to drop the others. And of course the last km was flat enough for the rest of the guys to take it. You cant expect him to win the sprint. I dont know why would you call that dumb tactics. His strength is not to sprint through but to drop others. Obviously this climb wasnt hard enough to do that. All the while he attacked he was simply trying to drop the others on the hardest parts. That didnt happen. I dont think there was any other way for him to win this.

1 big attack on the steep bit through the village. That's where Fedrigo won it in 2010, Schleck himself dropped the rest in 2011 and Porte dropped the rest last year.

And certainly not giving everyone a leadout on the flat last km.

 

[trevim]

Stage results:
1 FRANK Mathias [www.procyclingstats.com] IAM Cycling 30 4:43:59
2 PERAUD Jean-Christophe AG2R La Mondiale 18 ,,
3 MACHADO Tiago Team NetApp – Endura 12 0:02
4 SCHLECK Fränk Trek Factory Racing 7 0:03
5 MAJKA Rafal [www.procyclingstats.com] Tinkoff-Saxo 4 ,,
6 SEPúLVEDA Eduardo Bretagne - Séché Environnement 3 0:13
7 VUILLERMOZ Alexis AG2R La Mondiale 2 0:20
8 DUARTE Fabio Team Colombia 1 0:36
9 DI GRéGORIO Rémy Team La Pomme Marseille 13 ,,
10 SIMON Julien [www.procyclingstats.com] Cofidis, Solutions Crédits ,,
11 CARDOSO André Garmin Sharp ,,
12 ROSSETTO Stephane BigMat - Auber 93 0:46
13 JUNGELS Bob Trek Factory Racing 0:54
14 REICHENBACH Sebastien IAM Cycling 1:06
15 HAAS Nathan [www.procyclingstats.com] Garmin Sharp 1:10
16 MOUREY Francis FDJ.fr 1:56
17 SICARD Romain Team Europcar ,,
18 FUMEAUX Jonathan IAM Cycling 2:07
19 DUMOULIN Tom Team Giant-Shimano 2:12
20 BRAJKOVIč Janez [www.procyclingstats.com] Astana Pro Team 2:34

Final GC:
1 PERAUD Jean-Christophe [www.procyclingstats.com] AG2R La Mondiale 150 7:00:12
2 FRANK Mathias IAM Cycling 110 0:01
3 MACHADO Tiago Team NetApp – Endura 90 0:19
4 MAJKA Rafal Tinkoff-Saxo 80 0:25
5 SEPúLVEDA Eduardo [www.procyclingstats.com] Bretagne - Séché Environnement 70 0:26
6 SCHLECK Fränk Trek Factory Racing 60 0:28
7 SIMON Julien Cofidis, Solutions Crédits 55 0:47
8 VUILLERMOZ Alexis AG2R La Mondiale 50 0:48
9 JUNGELS Bob Trek Factory Racing 45 0:57
10 DUARTE Fabio [www.procyclingstats.com] Team Colombia 40 1:07
11 ROSSETTO Stephane BigMat - Auber 93 36 1:14
12 HAAS Nathan Garmin Sharp 32 1:21
13 DI GRéGORIO Rémy Team La Pomme Marseille 13 28 1:25
14 CARDOSO André Garmin Sharp 24 1:38
15 REICHENBACH Sebastien [www.procyclingstats.com] IAM Cycling 20 1:39
16 DUMOULIN Tom Team Giant-Shimano 16 2:07
17 SICARD Romain Team Europcar 14 2:23
18 FUMEAUX Jonathan IAM Cycling 12 2:53
19 BRAJKOVIč Janez Astana Pro Team 10 3:10
20 BUSCHE Matthew [www.procyclingstats.com] Trek Factory Racing 8 3:43

 

[Christian]

1 big attack on the steep bit through the village. That's where Fedrigo won it in 2010, Schleck himself dropped the rest in 2011 and Porte dropped the rest last year.

And certainly not giving everyone a leadout on the flat last km.

On the last km, it didn't really matter what he could do, Frank and Peraud were going to gap him either way

 

[roundabout]

When he could not gap them on the 10% bit, it's a bit optimistic to expect to get away on the flat.

 

[pastronef]

Machado surprisingly good.

happy for him, his form is on the rise

 

[Arredondo]

Mourey already good, i can see him winning a stage at the Giro.

Beltran did well too, 27th and working for Majka.

 

[More Strides than Rides]

AG2R have really been tearing it up this spring.

 

[Parrulo]

happy for him, his form is on the rise

Ya is good to see he seems to be a bit better these days.

It's sad when you are 28 and your CQ graph looks like this:

 

[Cance > TheRest]

Schleck was good. I think the climb wasnt hard enough for him to drop the others. And of course the last km was flat enough for the rest of the guys to take it. You cant expect him to win the sprint. I dont know why would you call that dumb tactics. His strength is not to sprint through but to drop others. Obviously this climb wasnt hard enough to do that. All the while he attacked he was simply trying to drop the others on the hardest parts. That didnt happen. I dont think there was any other way for him to win this.

Agreed. But I do think he will improve much more compared to the guys like Peraud and MFrank, who are definitely in better shape. Schleck is aiming for the Ardennes, whereas Peraud is topping his form right now.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Pity riders aren't a bit more ambitious these days.
In any case congrats to Frank and JCP.

 

[More Strides than Rides]

Pity riders aren't a bit more ambitious these days.
In any case congrats to Frank and JCP.

Don't think it had to do with ambition. Had more to do with not having enough to get away.

 

[CraZyCaLL]

Vuillermoz looks very strong as a domestique. Ag2R doing great so far this year

 

[phanatic]

Frank Schleck is super aggressive this Spring. He seems to be missing that top level acceleration, but he should get some solid results this year. Would be great if Andy could show himself soon as well.

 

[Escarabajo]

Maybe Duarte coming to form. Just in time for the Giro.

 

[SafeBet]

Maybe Duarte coming to form. Just in time for the Giro.

Just in time to disappoint once again.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Nice to see Machado continuing his good early season form. Ambitious second tier team plus a rider with something to prove can be a useful combination. This contract seems like do or die for him.

 

[VeloHuman]

Would have thought Dumoulin would have improved his climbing this offseason, even at the risk of taking his very good ITT down a notch, so that he might place better in stage races. Looks like he did the opposite. Maybe he really wants to win the Eneco Tour that he was 2nd in last year.

 

[saneguy]

Agreed. But I do think he will improve much more compared to the guys like Peraud and MFrank, who are definitely in better shape. Schleck is aiming for the Ardennes, whereas Peraud is topping his form right now.

If thats the case then I think this was indeed a good result for Schleck. And I do think he tried to put in a 1 big attack as someone mentioned earlier. Its just that Maijka caught him well when Schleck tried it. Dont think he could have done anything else.

But things looking good. I am just hoping Andy takes some lessons from his brother and shows up there sometime soon!

 

[Kokoso]

Nice to see Machado continuing his good early season form. Ambitious second tier team plus a rider with something to prove can be a useful combination. This contract seems like do or die for him.

Is he doing TdF? He'd be useful helper for König.

 

[manafana]

Nice to see Machado continuing his good early season form. Ambitious second tier team plus a rider with something to prove can be a useful combination. This contract seems like do or die for him.

he is frustarting however, when hes bad hes bad doesn't fight for lower places, yesterday he rode really well would love see him do it more often.