Tour de Wallonie 2014 (2.HC), 26 - 30 July

[Bye Bye Bicycle]

How could you **** up a final so badly. Horrible route, while it's got so much potential.

It's a rentrée race for a lot of riders. Useful to get some race kilometers after usually quiet weeks in July. The race never had a lot of mountains or any killer stages, and doesn't have to. Historically it was often won by guys who were in a lucky breakaway and never won anything else of significance in their career (see Thomas Fleischer, Thierry Marichal, Glenn d'Hollander or Luca Celli).

Of course I know you guys here want always action...

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Stage 5:
1. Gianni Meersman (Omega Pharma Quick-Step)
2. Yves Lampaert (Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise)
3. Jasper Stuyven (Trek Factory)
4. Lloyd Mondory (Ag2r-La Mondiale)
5. Christophe Laporte (Cofidis)
6. Silvian Dillier (BMC Racing Team)
7. Anthony Roux (FDJ.fr)
8. Garcia Lastras (Movistar Team)
9. Viacheslav Kuznetsov (Team Katusha)
10. Zdenek Stybar (Omega Pharma Quick-Step)

Poor Kuznetsov with a gear problem in the sprint.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Final GC:
1 MEERSMAN GianniOmega Pharma - Quick-Step
2 DILLIER SilvanBMC Racing Team
3 LOBATO Juan JoséMovistar Team
4 VAN ASBROECK TomTopsport Vlaanderen - Baloise
5 KUZNETSOV ViacheslavTeam Katusha
6 MONDORY LloydAG2R La Mondiale
7 LASTRAS PabloMovistar Team
8 LAPORTE ChristopheCofidis, Solutions Crédits
9 ŠTYBAR ZdeněkOmega Pharma - Quick-Step
10 ROUX AnthonyFDJ.fr

 

[roundabout]

It's a rentrée race for a lot of riders. Useful to get some race kilometers after usually quiet weeks in July. The race never had a lot of mountains or any killer stages, and doesn't have to. Historically it was often won by guys who were in a lucky breakaway and never won anything else of significance in their career (see Thomas Fleischer, Thierry Marichal, Glenn d'Hollander or Luca Celli).

Of course I know you guys here want always action...

This forum badly needs straw man tags

 

[ciranda]

Adjusted final gc

1 Meersman Gianni Omega Pharma - Quick-Step 22:17:11
2 Lobato Juan José Movistar Team 00:30
3 Dillier Silvan BMC Racing Team 00:33
4 Van Asbroeck Tom Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise
5 Waeytens Zico Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise 00:34
6 Juul-Jensen Christopher Tinkoff-Saxo 00:38
7 Kuznetsov Viacheslav Team Katusha 0:40
8 Mondory Lloyd AG2R La Mondiale 0:41
9 Ligthart Pim Lotto Belisol
10 Kochetkov Pavel Team Katusha

 

[Christian]

Nice third place for Stuyven, and impressive performance by Dillier

 

[asdfgh101]

I'm sorry but no time gaps on the final stage is a ridiculous decision; looked like very clear splits to me.

 

[trevim]

Dillier is a really handy rider, throw in some cobbles, belgian roads or hills and the kid will find a way to perform. BMC hit the jackpot here, he's no superstar but he's so useful for them, better than their overpaid star classics riders.

 

[vladimir]

Dillier is a really handy rider, throw in some cobbles, belgian roads or hills and the kid will find a way to perform. BMC hit the jackpot here, he's no superstar but he's so useful for them, better than their overpaid star classics riders.

He is no superstar yet, but still only 23 I will not be surprised if this guy can win a monument or two in the coming years. Felt sorry for Kuznetzov yesterday BTW. Looked to sit confident on the wheels of Meersman when he had som gear problems and started to soft-pedal. Will hopefully get his frst real pro victory soon (slightly influenced by the fact that he is a unique pick for me on the CQ game)