La Tropicale Amissa Bongo (2.1, Gabon)

[SetonHallPirate]

http://www.tropicaleamissabongo.com/

The first ProTour-eligible race of the 2013 season!

Startlist: http://www.webaoo.net/trop2012/www/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/LISTE-DES-PARTANTS-2013.pdf

Stage 1: http://www.tropicaleamissabongo.com/etapes.php?post=30
Stage 2: http://www.tropicaleamissabongo.com/etapes.php?post=33
Stage 3: http://www.tropicaleamissabongo.com/etapes.php?post=53
Stage 4: http://www.tropicaleamissabongo.com/etapes.php?post=59
Stage 5: http://www.tropicaleamissabongo.com/etapes.php?post=63
Stage 6: http://www.tropicaleamissabongo.com/etapes.php?post=1883
Stage 7: http://www.tropicaleamissabongo.com/etapes.php?post=1890

 

[will10]

First win of the season for the mighty Europcar train coming up.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

http://www.tropicaleamissabongo.com/

The first ProTour-eligible race of the 2013 season!

Startlist: http://www.webaoo.net/trop2012/www/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/LISTE-DES-PARTANTS-2013.pdf

Stage 1: http://www.tropicaleamissabongo.com/etapes.php?post=30
Stage 2: http://www.tropicaleamissabongo.com/etapes.php?post=33
Stage 3: http://www.tropicaleamissabongo.com/etapes.php?post=53
Stage 4: http://www.tropicaleamissabongo.com/etapes.php?post=59
Stage 5: http://www.tropicaleamissabongo.com/etapes.php?post=63
Stage 6: http://www.tropicaleamissabongo.com/etapes.php?post=1883
Stage 7: http://www.tropicaleamissabongo.com/etapes.php?post=1890

Not familiar with the topographic situation in the region, but this looks like 7 flat stages. Petit for the GC win.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Frederique Robert of Lotto-Belisol wins stage 1.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Frederique Robert of Lotto-Belisol wins stage 1.

Top 5 stage 1:

1 Frédéric Robert (Lotto-Belisol)
2 Yohann Gène (Team Europcar)
3 Andrea Palini (Lampre-Merida)
4 Massimo Graziato (Lampre-Merida)
5 Adrien Petit (Cofidis)

Still another 6 opportunities for Petit.

 

[will10]

Not familiar with the topographic situation in the region, but this looks like 7 flat stages. Petit for the GC win.

Check the gaps in previous years. Unlikely to be seven bunch sprints.

 

[Pentacycle]

Check the gaps in previous years. Unlikely to be seven bunch sprints.

Yup, too small teams means lack of control, so the breakaways will get their opportunities for the GC and stages. It's indeed very unlikely that the break will get caught seven times in a row.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Yup, too small teams means lack of control, so the breakaways will get their opportunities for the GC and stages. It's indeed very unlikely that the break will get caught seven times in a row.

Fair enough, but have previous editions involved similar flat stages?

 

[Grzdylu]

Andrea Palini (Lampre) wins second stage.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Andrea Palini (Lampre) wins second stage.

Stage 2 result:
1 Andrea Palini (Lampre – Merida)
2 Vicente Reynes (Lotto – Beisol)
3 Adrien Petit (Cofidis)
4 Yohann Gène (Europcar)
5 Meron Amanuel (Eritrea)

GC headed by Palini

 

[Christian]

Video of stage 2:

http://www.cyclismactu.net/news-tropicale-amissa-bongo-video-du-succes-de-palini-29868.html

 

[trevim]

Wow better crowds then Qatar, Oman and Beijing. They just lack the money apparently otherwise this would be HC or WT already

 

[Bye Bye Bicycle]

Stage 3:

1 Gert Dockx (Bel) Lotto - Belisol
2 Abdelbaset Hannachi (Alg) Groupement Sportif Petrolier Algérie
3 Gaetan Bille (Bel) Lotto - Belisol
4 Soufiane Haddi (Mar)
5 Kudus Merhawi (Eri)

First pro win for Dockx!

 

[EvansIsTheBest]

Stage 3:

1 Gert Dockx (Bel) Lotto - Belisol
2 Abdelbaset Hannachi (Alg) Groupement Sportif Petrolier Algérie
3 Gaetan Bille (Bel) Lotto - Belisol
4 Soufiane Haddi (Mar)
5 Kudus Merhawi (Eri)

First pro win for Dockx!

Wow, check out Merhawi, born in 94 and already top 5 in a .1 stage perhaps not the strongest field for a .1 race but still impressive.

 

[Ruudz0r]

Wow, check out Merhawi, born in 94 and already top 5 in a .1 stage perhaps not the strongest field for a .1 race but still impressive.

If im not mistaking he was in the breakaway on stage 1 aswell (+ on stage 2 aswell?).

 

[EvansIsTheBest]

If im not mistaking he was in the breakaway on stage 1 aswell (+ on stage 2 aswell?).

He was in stage 1 not sure about stage 2.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Stage 4:
1. PETIT Adrien COF
2. PALINI Andrea LAM
3. REYNES MIMO Vicente LTB
4. BILLE Gaëtan LTB
5. AMANUEL MENGSTAB Meron MTC

Pesky Palini holds the lead GC wise.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Robert takes his 2nd stage win.

Stage 5 result:
1 Frederique Robert (Bel) Lotto - Belisol
2 Andrea Palini (Ita) Lampre - Merida
3 Gert Dockx (Bel) Lotto - Belisol
4 Adrien Petit (Fra) Cofidis Solutions Crédits
5 Yohann Gene (Fra) Team Europcar

Palini hangs on to leaders jersey.

 

[El Pistolero]

Lol, seems like a good race for "small" cyclists to get a victory. Thank God they didn't send any super star riders here or it would be domination.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Lol, seems like a good race for "small" cyclists to get a victory. Thank God they didn't send any super star riders here or it would be domination.

Chateau will be *****ing about all these semi sprinters.

 

[taiwan]

Wow, check out Merhawi, born in 94 and already top 5 in a .1 stage perhaps not the strongest field for a .1 race but still impressive.

Kudus to him.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

it's amazing how much african cyclign has gone up in level in recent years. also because of cleaner peloton, but also many more talents that keep getting better

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Wow better crowds then Qatar, Oman and Beijing. They just lack the money apparently otherwise this would be HC or WT already

why would they want to be wt and not have any african team being allowed in there

 

[jens_attacks]

you've been europcared !


Yohann Gène (@TeamEuropcar_fr) remporte la 6e étape de la @tropicale2013 et prend la tête du classement général.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Kudus to him.

Well played