Skoda-Tour de Luxembourg 2014 (2.HC), 04.06 - 08.06

[christopherrowe]

Luxembourgers go one two three in their home tour then, is that right? Nice to see. And Van Poppel and Kirsch are so young, too!

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Van Poppel
Drucker
Kirsch
Lemoine
Petit
Herklotz
Sieberg
Morkov
Boaro
Solomennikov

This sets up the race rather nicely.

Petit FTW.

 

[Christian]

Luxembourgers go one two three in their home tour then, is that right? Nice to see. And Van Poppel and Kirsch are so young, too!

Van Poppel is dutch unfortunately

 

[christopherrowe]

Van Poppel is dutch unfortunately

Oops, sorry all. I was just going by tiny little flags and I guess my ability to distinguish colors in the cooler part of the spectrum is going along with everything else about my eyesight!

 

[trevim]

Van Poppel is a very interesting sprinter, no doubt. I wonder how his career will evolve in the next few years. I like the fact that Trek got rid of the majority of the old garbage and went for new blood like Danny, Stuyven, Alafaci, Silvestre, Jungels. I think it's going well so far and I hope they take full benefit in the future.

Although this was a very short TT, I'm disappointed with Boaro, I thought he would do better in this field. He seems to have lost a bit from the sparkle he had on the first years. A bit like Sergent as well. Maybe they are just one dimension riders, struggling to become more complete.

 

[roundabout]

Van Poppel was 2nd or 3rd in the prologue last year so he seems to like the route.

results

http://www.aotdl.com/app/download/9685128860/Proloque_Tageseinzelwertung-3.pdf?t=1401910238

 

[webvan]

So Andy lost 27 seconds in 2.55km? Sounds like a lot...

 

[mihhint]

Always wondered why they don't do more of those short cobbled prologues in medieval old town sections. Could be awesome for the spectators plus exciting to watch on TV also. Actually you could really spice up a short tricky prologue for TV if u wanted to. I mean you could have multiple split time sections, maybe some gadgets to show riders speed in that straight or exiting that corner etc, to make sort of (alpine skiing) downhill-like watching, instead of the classic ITT format.

 

[trevim]

So Andy lost 27 seconds in 2.55km? Sounds like a lot...

Nah it's not bad. Andy's prologues are awful regardless of the shape he's in. I think in the 2010 Tour he lost more to Contador in the prologue than in the actual 50km TT.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

About half way into the 172km distance.

Break with 4:50

Juan Pablo Valencia (COL/Colombia), Boris Dron (B/Wallonie-Bruxelles) und Giuseppe Fonzi (I/Neri Sottoli/ v. r. n. l.)

Ticker: http://www.wort.lu/de/sport/skodato...er-der-ersten-etappe-5390422db9b3988708031271

 

[Maaaaaaaarten]

Nice for Van Poppel!

It will be interesting to see how he develops. I think he's a very talented rider, but I hope he doesn't become too much of a one dimensional pure sprinter.

 

[christopherrowe]

Looks like the bunch is timing the catch for right before the line. The gap is 57 seconds with a little less than 15 kilometers to go.

 

[christopherrowe]

Looks like the bunch is timing the catch for right before the line. The gap is 57 seconds with a little less than 15 kilometers to go.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

8km left, 29s...

Bunch sprint coming up.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

8km left, 29s...

Bunch sprint coming up.

 

[christopherrowe]

Bunch catches the breakaway in the closing kilometers, Matti Breschel launches a suicide attack with 3 kilometers to go and gains 10 seconds but is caught, all together by 2 km, bunch sprint...aaaand obvious Greipel win is obvious. Still waiting on the minor placings.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Gorilla takes it.

 

[christopherrowe]

Gotta love the hometown feel of the ticker. Drucker's "probably fourth" is reported before second and third. Anybody know if there are time bonuses on the finishes for this race?

 

[christopherrowe]

Shoot, they ended lived coverage before reporting who got second and third. But they did say van Poppel is still in yellow so I guess he finished with the bunch and neither of yesterday's podium finishers got any bonus seconds if they figured in the finale.

 

[shalgo]

PCS is giving the top four as:

1 Greipel Andre
2. Morkov, Michael
3. Van Poppel, Danny
4. Drucker, Jean-Pierre

 

[christopherrowe]

I've found reports that these are the top four on Stage One, all on the same time as the bunch finished with a mass sprint.

(1) Andre Greipel, the Champion of Germany | Lotto Belisol
(2) Michael Morkov, the Champion of Denmark | Tinkoff - Saxo
(3) Danny van Poppel | Trek Factory Racing
(4) Jean-Pierre Drucker | Wanty - Groupe Gobert

van Poppel retains his leader's jersey. Jempy Drucker was second in yesterday's prologue and presumably remains second in the overall.

 

[ILovecycling]

Looks like Morkov is in decent form,hopefuly it will help him to be a part of Tour team

 

[Butterhead]

Looks like Morkov is in decent form,hopefuly it will help him to be a part of Tour team

He says he is in excellent form and is looking forward to the coming challenges. So his tour rooster looks promising, I am pretty confident he will have a seat in the bus.

Btw, I suggest you read his comment about todays stage on the Tinkoff website, interesting details about the sprint today. Its almost like he felt he could have beaten the gorilla today.
http://www.tinkoffsaxo.com/news/morkov-beaten-greipel-luxembourg/

 

[ILovecycling]

He says he is in excellent form and is looking forward to the coming challenges. So his tour rooster looks promising, I am pretty confident he will have a seat in the bus.

Btw, I suggest you read his comment about todays stage on the Tinkoff website, interesting details about the sprint today. Its almost like he felt he could have beaten the gorilla today.
http://www.tinkoffsaxo.com/news/morkov-beaten-greipel-luxembourg/

Thanks,very nice reading.Feel happy for him

 

[Butterhead]

Thanks,very nice reading.Feel happy for him

If anybody deserves it, its Morkov, and I am sure he also have the nationals in his clear sight later this month, but it will be a very tough race, but he would love to be in the tour with dannebrog on.

I think Magnus Cort will be his biggest rival, but unless of course the Saxo boys makes an alliance and rides for Morkov then also Valgren is in shape to win it, but I want to see Morkov in the tour with the jersey, he will wear it with pride.

(sorry, I think we went a bit off topic here )