Giro Dell Emilia

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Why not a thread for this 1.HC race, same category Paris Tours, and a much better profile, 5x the San Luca climb in Bologna.

The results just came in...
1) Robert Gesink (Rabobank) in 4h49'31" alla media di 41,240 km/h; 2) Jakob Fuglsang (Team Saxo Bank) st;
3) Thomas Lovkvist (Team Columbia Htc) st;
4) Cadel Evans (Silence Lotto) a 25";
5) Alexandre Vinokourov (Astana) a 31";
6) Fredrik Kessiakoff (Fuji Servetto) a 35";
7) Alexandr Kolobnev (Team Saxo Bank) a 43";
8) Chris Sorensen (Team Saxo Bank) a 45";
9) Alberto Fernandez (Fuji Servetto) a 46";
10) Paolo Tiralongo (Lampre NGC) a 53"

The four escaped 3 rounds before the finish at the San Luca climb. Vinokourov was dropped on the final ascent, and then Gesink was the best in the steep ramps of the last 200m. Evans also caught Vino, but couldn't answer the initial attack 3 laps before on the climb.

 

[Swingtop]

That's nice, to see Gesink win after such a disastrous year!

 

[Aapjes]

That's nice, to see Gesink win after such a disastrous year!

He certainly deserved that one.

 

[Moondance]

Yes absolutely. Fantastic for the lad, he's had injuries pretty much wreck most of his season, so it's good too see him get to winning. First victory of the year for him, i'm pretty sure.

Kind of funny. He said he'd only ride in Lombardy if he felt that Emilia went well. I guess we know where Bobby is going to be next week.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Why not a thread for this 1.HC race, same category Paris Tours, and a much better profile, 5x the San Luca climb in Bologna.

The results just came in...
1) Robert Gesink (Rabobank) in 4h49'31" alla media di 41,240 km/h; 2) Jakob Fuglsang (Team Saxo Bank) st;
3) Thomas Lovkvist (Team Columbia Htc) st;
4) Cadel Evans (Silence Lotto) a 25";
5) Alexandre Vinokourov (Astana) a 31";
6) Fredrik Kessiakoff (Fuji Servetto) a 35";
7) Alexandr Kolobnev (Team Saxo Bank) a 43";
8) Chris Sorensen (Team Saxo Bank) a 45";
9) Alberto Fernandez (Fuji Servetto) a 46";
10) Paolo Tiralongo (Lampre NGC) a 53"

The four escaped 3 rounds before the finish at the San Luca climb. Vinokourov was dropped on the final ascent, and then Gesink was the best in the steep ramps of the last 200m. Evans also caught Vino, but couldn't answer the initial attack 3 laps before on the climb.

Just to let you know that on CN it says Evans came in at 20" and Vino 30" and then it says that Evans came in at 25" and Vino 31". Evans attacked the group with Cunego in it and gained on the final 3 but couldn't bridge the full gap. I do agree that this should be 1.HC as it has great parcours.

 

[powderpuff]

It's amazing you had every opportunity to start a thread any time in the last twelve months but it's only after Gesink won that you were interested in the race.
Pretty good result for Cadel too after doing so much work for Gilbert 2 days ago; Of course winning or being on podium would have been more satifying but Lombardia is the goal here and it is going to be a very competitive race.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

@auscyclefan: I know I am biased and you are too, but I saw the last 30 min of the race on RAI at 18:10 (it was a re-live).
Evans was in the chasing group the whole time, doing no work and Liquigas had plenty of guys, they couldn't come closer than 10/15 seconds. Evans had every opportunity to close the gap back then, but remained in the group.
And even though the 4 at the front had worked for 15km without pause, taking relays, and all Evans did was sit in the pack, he barely came any closer on the final climb.
The result after the race on RAI said 25 seconds, I counted from the video, 24 seconds. The difference at the start of the climb was 15 seconds, so all in all, Evans LOST time on the final climb, even though he could hide in the pack were Fugslang, Gesink, Vino and Lovkvist already attacked two ascents before...

Sorry mate, but this time, Evans was definately not the strongest up the road.

 

[blaxland]

congratulations mr gesink you have finally been rewarded for agressive riding.........bring on the tour next year.......and also evans rode very strongly

 

[auscyclefan94]

It's amazing you had every opportunity to start a thread any time in the last twelve months but it's only after Gesink won that you were interested in the race.
Pretty good result for Cadel too after doing so much work for Gilbert 2 days ago; Of course winning or being on podium would have been more satifying but Lombardia is the goal here and it is going to be a very competitive race.

From the bottom San Luca ascent he was at 39" and at the top he was 25". I think he will do well in Lombardia. I was actually a little dissapointed in Cunego's performance. i thought a finish like this would suit him perfectly but he came in 1"03 beind in 13th place. I think Evans, Cunego and Rodriguez will be racing at the GP Beghelli.

 

[auscyclefan94]

@auscyclefan: I know I am biased and you are too, but I saw the last 30 min of the race on RAI at 18:10 (it was a re-live).
Evans was in the chasing group the whole time, doing no work and Liquigas had plenty of guys, they couldn't come closer than 10/15 seconds. Evans had every opportunity to close the gap back then, but remained in the group.
And even though the 4 at the front had worked for 15km without pause, taking relays, and all Evans did was sit in the pack, he barely came any closer on the final climb.
The result after the race on RAI said 25 seconds, I counted from the video, 24 seconds. The difference at the start of the climb was 15 seconds, so all in all, Evans LOST time on the final climb, even though he could hide in the pack were Fugslang, Gesink, Vino and Lovkvist already attacked two ascents before...

Sorry mate, but this time, Evans was definately not the strongest up the road.

Never said he was the strongest. Kessiakoff was at 15" at the start of the climb and the group with evans was at 39". Gesink was the strongest

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

I don't want to ***** about it, but Kessiakoff was at 15 halfway the climb, not at the foot of the climb.

Midway the climb the gaps had grown seriously because of Fugslang's attack at the base of the climb. I'm talking about the gaps at the base... not midway At the base the gaps were really small. Kessiakoff at '10 and group at '15
Evans also started his attack midway btw. On the final 900m.

 

[auscyclefan94]

I don't want to ***** about it, but Kessiakoff was at 15 halfway the climb, not at the foot of the climb.

Midway the climb the gaps had grown seriously because of Fugslang's attack at the base of the climb. I'm talking about the gaps at the base... not midway At the base the gaps were really small. Kessiakoff at '10 and group at '15
Evans also started his attack midway btw. On the final 900m.

I watched a replay on italian TV and it said before that steep ramp on the climb that kessiakoff was at the 15" and the main group was at 39"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mro6N6DO9oo

Look at 2:17 and they say when they start its trenta nove which is 39 in my book

 

[Moondance]

I watched a replay on italian TV and it said before that steep ramp on the climb that kessiakoff was at the 15" and the main group was at 39"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mro6N6DO9oo

Look at 2:17 and they say when they start its trenta nove which is 39 in my book

Thanks for the link.

By the way, the Italian commentator sort of muttering "Fuglesland," completly unsure of the pronounciation is gold.

 

[aarnold517]

congratulations mr gesink you have finally been rewarded for agressive riding.........bring on the tour next year.......and also evans rode very strongly

i have to agree that evans looks like he is riding with a ton of confidence after the world champs, he's really starting to be an animator in these races

when i was watching this, i thought of the stage in the dauphine where fuglsang attacked a few times, got a gap, and yet gesink was able to use his experience to pull him back and finish ahead of him

gesink, fuglsang, lovkvist top three, should be seeing a lot of those three in the coming years in these races

 

[craig1985]

Good on Cadel to keep on racing after his Worlds win (I still can't believe he is the World Champion) and supporting the smaller Italian races. Can't wait for Lombardy next week, should be a ripper.

 

[Angliru]

I thought that Evans would be on such a high with the WC stripes that he'd take it easy for the rest of year. I was sure wrong. He's representing the stripes well. Obviously making the most of his continued good form.

Gesink is really a gamer. Love his aggressiveness. Same with Fuglsang. The three Scandinavians (Are they all Scandinavians?) really battled it out for an exciting climax. I'd never seen this race before and seeing the difficulty of the course I'd say that final slope makes for a seriously competitive and challenging ending. I agree this race should have a higher classification.

Vino seemed to be cramping, I saw him shaking his legs to loosen them up prior to his failed attack. He's showing excellent form considering his time off and of course has that uncontrollable inclination to attack. I'm almost hoping that he rides at least for one more season. He would really animate the hilly one day and week long stage races and some of the grand tour stages. Looking at him now its almost as if he never left.

Aus, thanks for the link by the way. Great race footage!

 

[ingsve]

The three Scandinavians (Are they all Scandinavians?)

No, Gesink is not scandinavian. Scandinavia is made up of Sweden, Norway and Denmark.

 

[craig1985]

No, Gesink is not scandinavian. Scandinavia is made up of Sweden, Norway and Denmark.

Out of ignorance once, I asked if Finland is part of Scandinavia and I got an abrupt 'no'

 

[flicker]

Gesink

Deserves what he wins helluva rider. Best to him and Cadel. E.Selle in results?HMMH I don't feel right with him.

 

[Cerberus]

Out of ignorance once, I asked if Finland is part of Scandinavia and I got an abrupt 'no'

Actually you weren't necessarily wrong. There's no official definition of exactly what countries are included in Scandinavia. Denmark, Norway and Sweden are always included, but Finland and even Iceland or sometimes counted part of Scandinavia as well. Probably best to use Nordic countries if you want to include them all though. It avoids confusion and pointless arguments, but Scandinavia isn't really wrong.

 

[Mellow Velo]

Great race. I recorded it and watched the last 3 laps, last night, from RAI.
My Take:
Fuglsang started the break, on the first ascent of "the bump".
Gesink on Lovkvist went after him, while Vino sat in the bunch.
Then, Boom! He went up the climb like a motorbike.

So, these four had the gap. Down the descent, Liquigas chased, but the lead went out. Kessiakoff came out of the pack on the descent and tried to bridge.
Szymd almost roped them in, on the next ascent, by himself, but blew.

Final climb, Fugslang attacks and gets away. Vino bridges, Fuglsang again attacks, at the steepest point, Vino blows up, big time.
Gesink and Lovkvist slowly close in. Kessiakoff stuck in no man's land.
Out of the bunch comes.......Evans!

Lovkvist attacks early, gaps, then closed down. Gesink starts the sprint off the back of the three, only Fuglsang can respond.
Gesink's win.

Evans takes 25" out of the field in the last km or so, but maybe not the first 3.

Gesink interviewed in English. Looking toward Lombardy.
RAI do close up of his knee. Still looks ghastly. Like something picked up in trench warfare, not from the roadside pile up.

 

[ingsve]

Actually you weren't necessarily wrong. There's no official definition of exactly what countries are included in Scandinavia. Denmark, Norway and Sweden are always included, but Finland and even Iceland or sometimes counted part of Scandinavia as well. Probably best to use Nordic countries if you want to include them all though. It avoids confusion and pointless arguments, but Scandinavia isn't really wrong.

It's true that there is no official definition but you'll never hear anyone from those 5 countries refer to Finland and Iceland as part of Scandinavia. That's just misconceptions.

Part of the problem is there is a term for all five countries in each language (In swedish it's "Norden" meaning The North) which is an official definition and has for a long time had various treaties between the included countries. But since the english equivalent term "Nordic Countries" hasn't really caught on, english speakers have instead mistakenly used the term Scandinavia to refer to Finland and Iceland as well.

 

[craig1985]

OT but I found it pretty amusing:

Cadel speaking in Italian

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

excellent win. didnt get to watch the race (havent been on th enet in days, in sydney to watch neth vs aus in soccer.. sniejder is even more awesome in real life ) but boy was i happy to see him rewarded for all his hard riding this year.

 

[Rominger]

A good conidence booster for Gensink.... not that he needs one given that half the world are telling him that he is the next big thing. Its interesting to see how much Evans is attacking now after so many years of being criticised for never attacking, he is never going to be the most prolific winner but he has come a long way since hislegs melted on Passo Coe.