Lesser known races results 2014

[christopherrowe]

Anyway, it'd be very nice if Teunissen wins. Almost as nice as Van Der Poel ftw.

At this point he's got as good a shot as anybody else in the top thirty or so riders on GC, at least if the racing is as dynamic and uncontrolled over the next two days as it was today.

I'm personally pulling for Florian Senechal, who put in such a great prologue yesterday (losing by half a second! heartbreaker!).

 

[Dazed and Confused]

A 3 minute clip (FF) of Engoulvent's prologue win:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5mtXBAq4yA

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Stage 2:

There are some Grimpeur spots along the route, but no idea about the difficulty.

 

[theyoungest]

Note that Teunissen is a guy from CX. Former u23 world champion.

He started getting some decent results on the road last year and it looks like he stepped up quite a bit this year. He had a horrible CX season this winter, which was mostly due to a string of bad luck. But if he keeps on performing like this, I wonder if he'd want to switch to the road. I hope he can also get some succes in CX again though.

Anyway, it'd be very nice if Teunissen wins. Almost as nice as Van Der Poel ftw.

Teunissen is technically quite a poor CXer, a bit like Lars Boom was. They're both basically road racers in CX.

 

[Maaaaaaaarten]

Teunissen does want to go pro on the road, he has said that in a few interviews (already last year).

Teunissen is technically quite a poor CXer, a bit like Lars Boom was. They're both basically road racers in CX.

Ah alright, I didn't know that. Thank for the info!

Makes sense I guess, he was always going to play second fiddle to Van Der Haar and Van Der Poel anyway and he's been going quite well on the road.

 

[christopherrowe]

There's a good article about today's stage of the Boucles de la Mayenne up at CyclingQuotes right now. In addition to details on today's action, there's a brief preview of tomorrow's stage. According to reporter Emil Axelgaard, it's the hardest stage of the race, and the four finishing circuits include "the Montaigu climb" with the finishing line at the top.

I had an email this morning from the race's administrator, Jean-Luc Savary, in which he told me that the Montaigu climb averages a 10% gradient (though he didn't indicate how long it is.) I suppose one might be able to use google street view and the stage map Dazed and Confused posted to figure it out. Anyway, I wish this race was televised, as it's been more exciting so far than some World Tour races I've followed this year!

 

[Dazed and Confused]

There's a good article about today's stage of the Boucles de la Mayenne up at CyclingQuotes right now. In addition to details on today's action, there's a brief preview of tomorrow's stage. According to reporter Emil Axelgaard, it's the hardest stage of the race, and the four finishing circuits include "the Montaigu climb" with the finishing line at the top.

I had an email this morning from the race's administrator, Jean-Luc Savary, in which he told me that the Montaigu climb averages a 10% gradient (though he didn't indicate how long it is.) I suppose one might be able to use google street view and the stage map Dazed and Confused posted to figure it out. Anyway, I wish this race was televised, as it's been more exciting so far than some World Tour races I've followed this year!

ah ok, a tough route today. Thanks.
Many of these lower ranked races offers excellent action imo. The question is: will it be much more controlled if the big stars arrives?

 

[christopherrowe]

They just finished up today's stage of the Grand Prix Cycliste Saguenae, a 2.2 race on the Continental Americas tour schedule. Seventy riders were together for the sprint at the end, and, according to the organizer's tweet stream, the stage 2 podium is:

Eric Young | Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
Pierrick Naud | Garneau - Quebecor
Jure Kocjan | Team SmartStop

Young also won yesterday's opening stage, where Naud went third and Kocjan fourth, so there'll be little change up in the overall, with Young still in the leader's jersey for tomorrow's curiously short (74.2 K) circuit race in Quebec.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Stage 2:

There are some Grimpeur spots along the route, but no idea about the difficulty.

Race in progress......

After 50km or so, peleton together.

Speed about 49 km/h avg.

Ticker: http://direct.directvelo.com/live-course/2001/boucles-la-mayenne-etape-2-.html

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Race in progress......

After 50km or so, peleton together.

Speed about 49 km/h avg.

Ticker: http://direct.directvelo.com/live-course/2001/boucles-la-mayenne-etape-2-.html

with 97km to go we have a break:

Nicolas Baldo (Vorarlberg), Thomas Vaubourzeix (La Pomme Marseille), Bryan Nauleau (Europcar), Nico Sijmens (Wanty -Gobert), Jos

 

[Dazed and Confused]

with 97km to go we have a break:

Nicolas Baldo (Vorarlberg), Thomas Vaubourzeix (La Pomme Marseille), Bryan Nauleau (Europcar), Nico Sijmens (Wanty -Gobert), Jos

Stage result:

1 LIETAER EliotTopsport Vlaanderen – Baloise1620
2 VAN ASBROECK TomTopsport Vlaanderen – Baloise1112
3 ROSSETTO StephaneBigMat - Auber 9367
4 FEILLU BriceBretagne -
5 LARRINAGA MUGURUZA JonEuskadi44
6 GERARD ArnaudBretagne -
7 BACKAERT FrederikWanty - Groupe Gobert2
8 LE BON JohanFDJ.fr 1
9 NAULEAU BryanTeam Europcar
10 VAUBOURZEIX ThomasTeam La Pomme Marseille 13

Very dynamic race again. Awaiting gaps and GC.

Topsport dominates.

 

[Kazistuta]

Crazy stage it seems like indeed. Stephane Rossetto new leader, Feillu and Theunissen close by.

http://www.directvelo.com/actualite/34588-boucles-de-la-mayenne-et-2-classements.html

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Crazy stage it seems like indeed. Stephane Rossetto new leader, Feillu and Theunissen close by.

http://www.directvelo.com/actualite/34588-boucles-de-la-mayenne-et-2-classements.html

yep, good action.

So three riders from Bretagne in top 5 (GC). Lets hope they are not burned out when the Tour starts.

Anyway all to play for in this race still.

 

[Maaaaaaaarten]

Yeah was following directvelo a bit; seemed like some very serious racing.

Mathieu not so well it seems. I hoped he would do better seeing how he rode in the Ardennes in Tour of Belgium in a much better field.

 

[Wallenquist]

Boucles de la Mayenne today (Mont du Feu, 22%):

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Yeah was following directvelo a bit; seemed like some very serious racing.

Mathieu not so well it seems. I hoped he would do better seeing how he rode in the Ardennes in Tour of Belgium in a much better field.

4 minutes of action from today's stage: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uH6W3VE4wnU

There are riders walking up one of the climbs in the clip (about 1:50 in).

edit: a bit late to the party....

 

[christopherrowe]

Another bunch sprint in today's circuit race stage of the Grand Prix Cycliste Saguenary (2.2) in Quebec. Looks like Jamis - Hagens Berman's JJ Haedo took the win ahead of Team SmartStop's Shane Kline and Garneau - Quebecor's Pierrick Naud. With the bonus seconds that might be enough for Naud to unseat Eric Young from the overall leader's spot depending on where Young finished and in-race sprint bonuses and so on.

Edit to add: Nope, Young still in front on GC, with Naud five seconds back, then SmartStop's Jure Kocjan at ten seconds.

 

[Rajna31]

Currently the most important multi-day race held in Hungary, the Gemenc GP is happening this weekend. The prologue was held this morning, and on the extremely short (1,450 meters) course, the Romanian youngster Grosu won (he recently won the Tour of Estonia).

Stage 1 was held on a slightly hilly, 123 km long course this afternoon. A breakaway made it to the finish and Marko Danilovic soloed to win 30 s ahead his companions. Tomorrow Stage 2 will be held on another hilly course, which will be 92,5 km long.

 

[De Snelle Duif]

Currently the most important multi-day race held in Hungary, the Gemenc GP is happening this weekend. The prologue was held this morning, and on the extremely short (1,450 meters) course, the Romanian youngster Grosu won (he recently won the Tour of Estonia).

Stage 1 was held on a slightly hilly, 123 km long course this afternoon. A breakaway made it to the finish and Marko Danilovic soloed to win 30 s ahead his companions. Tomorrow Stage 2 will be held on another hilly course, which will be 92,5 km long.

Sounds interesting (but there is nothing up to date I can find on the net), Grosu has been doing really well this season.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Boucles de la Mayenne today (Mont du Feu, 22%):

Last stage, no. 3:

Deep into the race now with 63 km to go, gap 1:50

Anthony Delaplace, Florian Vachon (Bretagne-Seche Environnement), Jimmy Engoulvent (Europcar), Evaldas Siskevicius (La Pomme Marseille 13), Florian Senechal (Cofidis) et Simone Antonini (Marchiol Emisfero

Ticker: http://direct.directvelo.com/live-course/2002/boucles-la-mayenne-etape-3-.html

Business end with some hills coming up.

 

[christopherrowe]

They're all together entering the final circuits now.

I love literal translations of cycling idioms. "Yauheni Hutarovich (AG2R La Mondiale) has burst."

 

[christopherrowe]

10K to go and Anthony Geslin is feeling frisky today. He attacked with 30K to go and is now attacking out of a mostly together peloton again.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

10K to go and Anthony Geslin is feeling frisky today. He attacked with 30K to go and is now attacking out of a mostly together peloton again.

Brown power wants the win today.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Brown power wants the win today.

Green monsters instead:

Yohann Gene (EUC) wins stage

Awaiting details.

 

[christopherrowe]

Brown power wants the win today.

But the green gets it! Europcar's Yohann Gene takes the stage. Stephane Rossetto wins the overall.

Edit: I was nicked at the line!