Eneco Tour - 8th to 14th August

[wirral]

Rasmussen should be off.

 

[Mellow Velo]

Millar will win or crash. He rides ITTs like a maniac.

According to Dave Harmon, that goes for Taylor Phinney, as well.
Apparently, he rides the same, wet or dry. Though how Mr Harmon
would know this, I know not.
How many wet road ITTs has young Mr P taken part in?

(nevertheless, I suspect as a young gun, he will take mucho risks.)

Jesse Sergent looks likely to lead.

 

[Ferminal]

Sergent better than Ras?

 

[AussieGoddess]

G Thomas time not so good

On the plus side - its completely dry now


ETA - spole too soon. Raining again

 

[movingtarget]

As good as Gilbert was yesterday, I can't see him winning the overall. Time trialling has always been his weakness and the last two stages don't look hilly enough to make a difference. Phinney should make up good time but I think Millar will win the overall. He definitely looked stronger than EBH yesterday. Not sure what Gerdemann was doing yesterday but I have gotten used to it. Some things never change. If he actually managed to synchronise strength and brain, he might win something one day.

 

[sublimit]

Not sure what Gerdemann was doing yesterday but I have gotten used to it. Some things never change. If he actually managed to synchronise strength and brain, he might win something one day.

He likes to get the front to show himself off but cant follow it up. Got the hairstyle but the brain is not quite there definatley.

 

[Parrulo]

As good as Gilbert was yesterday, I can't see him winning the overall. Time trialling has always been his weakness and the last two stages don't look hilly enough to make a difference. Phinney should make up good time but I think Millar will win the overall. He definitely looked stronger than EBH yesterday. Not sure what Gerdemann was doing yesterday but I have gotten used to it. Some things never change. If he actually managed to synchronise strength and brain, he might win something one day.

1 Peter Velits (Svk) Team HTC-Columbia 0:52:43
2 Denis Menchov (Rus) Rabobank 0:00:12
3 Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Team Saxo Bank 0:00:37
4 Gustav Larsson (Swe) Team Saxo Bank 0:00:50
5 Luis-Leon Sanchez (Spa) Caisse d’Epargne 0:01:03
6 Leif Hoste (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto 0:01:07
7 David Zabriskie (USA) Garmin-Transitions 0:01:10
8 Carlos Barredo (Spa) Quick Step 0:01:14
9 Philippe Gilbert (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto 0:01:24

i wouldn't really call this a weakness. top 10 on a itt on the third week of a GT its an amazing result if we take into account that gilbert isn't really the best in his recovery. i reckon he will lose yellow but not by much and will be able to take enough time over the next couple of days.

btw that was a 46k long ITT not a 15k one like today. i honestly don't know how big his advantage is on GC cus i haven't really been following eneco that closely but if he has over 30 secs he may actually keep his yellow

 

[VeloMaster]

Agreed. Gerdemann does seem to squander his talent indiscriminately. Pity, he seemed so promising just a few years ago.

 

[afpm90]

It started to rain again.

 

[sTTevie]

Boom only 3 seconds slower at the 6.6k mark than Sergent .... in the rain!!

 

[Ferminal]

Tough luck for Boom, looked to be going well but ended up 26s down.

 

[Fetisoff]

Tough luck for Boom, looked to be going well.

What was his time, i missed it

 

[Michielveedeebee]

What was his time, i missed it

He got fifth I think

 

[Tuarts]

So far:

1 J. Sergeant 0:17 '55 "
2 A. Rasmussen 0:18 '09 "
3 J. Roelandts 0:18 '15 "
4 V. Isaichev 0:18 '22 "
5 L. Boom 0:18 '22 "
6 J. Mouris 0:18 '25 "
7 Tjallingii M. 0:18 '25 "
8 B. Grabsch 0:18 '29 "
9 B. Lancaster 0:18 '32 "
10 S. Devolder 0:18 '32 "

About 40 riders to go?

 

[Michielveedeebee]

Ghyselinck to Cofidis apparently

 

[Ferminal]

So far:

1 J. Sergeant 0:17 '55 "
2 A. Rasmussen 0:18 '09 "
3 J. Roelandts 0:18 '15 "
4 V. Isaichev 0:18 '22 "
5 L. Boom 0:18 '22 "
6 J. Mouris 0:18 '25 "
7 Tjallingii M. 0:18 '25 "
8 B. Grabsch 0:18 '29 "
9 B. Lancaster 0:18 '32 "
10 S. Devolder 0:18 '32 "

About 40 riders to go?

1 Philippe Gilbert (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto
2 Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Sky Procycling
3 David Millar (GBr) Team Garmin-Cervelo
4 Dominique Cornu (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator
5 Ben Hermans (Bel) Team RadioShack
6 Grega Bole (Slo) Lampre - ISD
7 Lars Ytting Bak (Den) HTC-Highroad
8 Taylor Phinney (USA) BMC Racing Team
9 Dries Devenyns (Bel) Quickstep Cycling Team
10 Joost Van Leijen (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team
----------------------------ON THE ROAD-------------------------------
11 Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing Team
12 Koen De Kort (Ned) Skil - Shimano
13 Linus Gerdemann (Ger) Leopard Trek
14 Vladimir Gusev (Rus) Katusha Team
15 Jos Van Emden (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
16 Zdenek Stybar (Cze) Quickstep Cycling Team
17 Nick Nuyens (Bel) Saxo Bank Sungard
18 Damiano Caruso (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale
19 Aleksejs Saramotins (Lat) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne
20 Bram Tankink (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
21 Simone Ponzi (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale
22 Jan Ghyselinck (Bel) HTC-Highroad
23 Tom Stamsnijder (Ned) Leopard Trek
24 Jonathan Castroviejo Nicolas (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
25 Danilo Hondo (Ger) Lampre - ISD
26 Juan Antonio Flecha Giannoni (Spa) Sky Procycling
27 Baden Cooke (Aus) Saxo Bank Sungard
28 Christian Knees (Ger) Sky Procycling
29 Maarten Wynants (Bel) Rabobank Cycling Team
30 Jelle Vanendert (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto

 

[Mellow Velo]

Drying up again.
Phinney nowhere at the split.
Must say, I'm surprised.
(having picked him to win.)

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

Pretty weak from Phinney really, when compared with BOOM at that point.

I expect Millar and/or Eddy to get much closer to Jesse.

 

[Ferminal]

Van Emden with the best time for ages, only 38s down.

 

[Ferminal]

The Goose drops 1'02", not bad.

 

[hrotha]

Aren't Phinney's bike-handling skills rather shaky? This might be too technical for him, with the rain and all.

 

[Ferminal]

Gerdemann 1'01" down, so no change between those two on GC.

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

Boasson looking very smooth over that treacherous first 50m. I have good vibes.

 

[Mellow Velo]

Now, this is what gets me.
Harmon commentary: Phinney this, Phinney that, Phinney this, again.
Fact is, he's doing no better than a lot of other riders.
He hardly mentioned Jesse Sergent.

 

[Ferminal]

De Kort +1'20"
Van Avermaet +1'16"