Skoda - Tour of Luxembourg **Spoiler**

frenchfighter

Yesterday there was a 2.6km evening prologue with the following results:

1 Jimmy Engoulvent (Fra) Saur - Sojasun 0:03:41.990
2 Cyril Lemoine (Fra) Saur - Sojasun 0:00:08.140
3 Grégory Rast (Swi) Team Radioshack 0:00:08.230
4 Jimmy Casper (Fra) Saur - Sojasun 0:00:09.410
5 Lance Armstrong (USA) Team Radioshack 0:00:09.110
6 Daryl Impey (RSA) Team Radioshack 0:00:10.490
7 Borut Bozic (Slo) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team 0:00:10.680
8 Aitor Galdos (Spa) Euskatel - Euskadi 0:00:10.810
9 Jempy Drucker (Lux) CT Differdange 0:00:12.380
10 Andreas Klöden (Ger) Team Radioshack
11 Giovanni Visconti (Ita) ISD - Neri 0:00:13.810
12 Kevin Ista (Bel) Cofidis, Le Credit en Ligne 0:00:13.500
13 Juan Antonio Flecha (Spa) Sky Professionel Cycling Team 0:00:14.710
14 Gorka Izaguirre (Spa) Euskatel - Euskadi 0:00:14.120
15 Sandy Casar (Fra) Francaise des Jeux 0:00:14.170


Highlights:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEB9pRhDyaQ

Today's 180km stage ended in a sprint win for Visconti, showing once again that it was a big mistake to leave them out of the Giro:
1 Giovanni Visconti (Ita) ISD - Neri 4:29:55
2 Yauheni Hutarovich (Blr) Francaise des Jeux
3 Borut Bozic (Slo) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team



Highlights:
http://www.youtube.com/user/worldcyclin ... _MsWqfVSoA

2009 winner was Frank Schleck. 3 more stages to go.

Official site with startlist:
http://www.aotdl.com/

afx237vi

What is Visconti doing in that picture?

DaveyL

Looks like the beginning of an Ali G-type celebration

andylav

Today's 180km stage ended in a sprint win for Visconti, showing once again that it was a big mistake to leave them out of the Giro

On what basis? Who did he scalp on that one stage that would make you believe that he had the beating of anyone that was up there in the Giro sprint stages ?

Apples and oranges

Kléber

Visconti is a good rider but RCS had to draw the line somewhere. If Visconti is ambitious, he'd sign for a team that allows him to race bigger events.

frenchfighter

andylav wrote:

Today's 180km stage ended in a sprint win for Visconti, showing once again that it was a big mistake to leave them out of the Giro

On what basis? Who did he scalp on that one stage that would make you believe that he had the beating of anyone that was up there in the Giro sprint stages ?

Apples and oranges

Firstly, Visconti is an exciting, attacking Italian rider.

Secondly, although Visconti has a very good sprint, he is more of a breakaway type rider. Ie/. you read my point wrong - I don't think he should be racing simply because he won this sprint.

Thirdly, ISD also have Rujano which who could have provided some excting viewing.

Fourthly, Footon were selected over ISD and they did nothing.

Fifthly, Visconti is a former wearer of the Maglia Rosa.

In short, in my opinion, ISD should have raced.

disgruntledgoat

I'm struggling to think of any of that Giro that needed enlivening. But you're entitled to your opinion.

I think the wildcard teams that were invited did themselves proud.

redddraggon

frenchfighter wrote:

Fourthly, Footon were selected over ISD and they did nothing.

I agree, and we all knew it was going to go that way before the race even started.

frenchfighter

I never said that it needed livening up did I. I simply said that I think ISD would have provided some good viewing...so in addition to whatever happened.

Profiles:
Today's stage:

Saturday

Sunday

jimmythecuckoo

Maybe the usual ISD attire was deemed too garish for the Giro?

chriskempton

jimmythecuckoo wrote:

Maybe the usual ISD attire was deemed too garish for the Giro?

So, Footon selection was an aesthetic one, on the strength of their kit?

csp

I also think ISD would have been a better team for the Giro. The only time I realized Footon-Servetto were taking part in the Giro was during the "Strade Bianche" stage, because everybody looked like they were wearing the Footon-Servetto kit.

takethehighroad

How can anyone complain about that Giro? It's like people moaning it's too hot...

prawny

TakeTheHighRoad wrote:

How can anyone complain about that Giro? It's like people moaning it's too hot...

It's far too hot today.

RichN95.

frenchfighter wrote:

Fourthly, Footon were selected over ISD and they did nothing.

Footon had guaranteed entry, same as with the Tour. Of the eight wildcard teams, seven won stages - only Cervelo didn't

blazing_saddles

I moaned at the time that ISD should have had a Giro slot, so, I'm entitled to carry on moaning.
Colnago's great white hype DNF and other than their stage win, they were utterly invisible.

It would have been nice to see if Jose R could have mixed it up with the big boys on the climbs and I reckon although he's tiny, he would have got out of Holland in better shape than the CSFs.

This thread is summing up the Tour of Lux, nicely.

takethehighroad

prawny wrote:

TakeTheHighRoad wrote:

How can anyone complain about that Giro? It's like people moaning it's too hot...

It's far too hot today.

To quote Peter Kay - "Shut the f**k up and have a Solero!"

frenchfighter

Armstrong, Klöden, Lagutin, Leukemans, Sinkewitz, Geniez, Sprick, Roy and Flecha have formed a chasing group. #skodatour
1 minute ago via HootSuite .
Frank Schleck (SAX) and Carrara (VAC) have jumped from the peloton and have 30s at the start of the last local loop. #skodatour
4 minutes ago via HootSuite .
Sorry we can't bring you the normal updates but we rely on race radio updates and mobile internet which had a major hiccup. #skodatour
5 minutes ago via HootSuite .
2nd GPM Col de l’Europe: 1. Schleck (SAX) 2. Carrara (VAC) 3. Armstrong (RSH) #skodatour
6 minutes ago via HootSuite .
Visconti (ISD) tried to jump but got caught. Bichot (BTL) tried but got countered. #skodatour
6 minutes ago via HootSuite .
Complete peloton in the 1st of the 3 local 9,5km loops. GPM: 1. Lofkvist (SKY) 2. Vicioso (ACA) 3. Ivanov (KAT) #skodatour
6 minutes ago via HootSuite .
The last 2km are downhill. At 300m before the finish there is a sharp 90 degree turn, taking the speed out of the descent. #skodatour
7 minutes ago via HootSuite

frenchfighter

2nd stage: 1. F. Schleck (SAX) 2. Carrara (VAC) 3. Flecha (SKY) 4. Ivanov (KAT) 5. Leukemans (VAC) 6. Armstrong (RSH)

GC: 1. Carrara (VAC) 2. F. Schleck (SAX) +1 / 3. Armstrong (RSH) +30 / 4. Flecha (SKY) +34 / 5. Ivanov (KAT) +34

moray_gub

Blazing Saddles wrote:

I moaned at the time that ISD should have had a Giro slot, so, I'm entitled to carry on moaning.
Colnago's great white hype DNF and other than their stage win, they were utterly invisible.

It would have been nice to see if Jose R could have mixed it up with the big boys on the climbs and I reckon although he's tiny, he would have got out of Holland in better shape than the CSFs.

This thread is summing up the Tour of Lux, nicely.

Very harsh on Colnago that as winning a stage made their Giro a succesful one and a few of their riders were in breaks from what i can recall.

mididoctors

Moray Gub wrote:

Blazing Saddles wrote:

I moaned at the time that ISD should have had a Giro slot, so, I'm entitled to carry on moaning.
Colnago's great white hype DNF and other than their stage win, they were utterly invisible.

It would have been nice to see if Jose R could have mixed it up with the big boys on the climbs and I reckon although he's tiny, he would have got out of Holland in better shape than the CSFs.

This thread is summing up the Tour of Lux, nicely.

Very harsh on Colnago that as winning a stage made their Giro a succesful one and a few of their riders were in breaks from what i can recall.

yeah a stage win is a stage win... bit harsh and they had plenty of guys down the road on occasion

Footon OTOH

genki

I can't wait for Sunday's stage 8). The finishing loop goes round round my house (and a few others) five times. That means if I pedal fast enough up the hill on a short-cut I'll get to see the race 10 times, maybe 11 if I can beat them to the top for the finish when they have to take a longer route. The Prologue on Wed night was good to watch. The cobbled street they were sent up is stupidly steep and I couldn't believe the speed they went up it.

deltadawn

Cyclingfans put up some nice photos of the prologue.

http://www.cyclingfans.com/node/840

paulcuthbert

I don't think Andy Schleck likes to time trial...





Nice to see he's giving it a go though!

afx237vi

That's Frank

paulcuthbert

afx237vi wrote:

That's Frank

I didn't say it was Andy...

Obviously, what I meant was Andy doesn't like to because his brother (the one I posted the photos of) doesn't like it. Brothers of a feather and aw that...

Ok, bye! :?

afx237vi

OK, I believe you... let's just say they're both as bad as each other.

paulcuthbert

afx237vi wrote:

OK, I believe you... let's just say they're both as bad as each other.

Wonder if they've improved on last year. Would make the Tour this year and in the future more exciting!

frenchfighter

genki wrote:

if I pedal fast enough up the hill on a short-cut I'll get to see the race 10 times, maybe 11

Good luck!

frenchfighter

Stage 3 bunch sprint from a group of about 40
1 Tony Gallopin (Fra) Cofidis, le Credit en Ligne
2 Giovanni Visconti (Ita) ISD - Neri
3 Alexandre Geniez (Fra) Skil - Shimano

No change in overall leader.

Cumulonimbus

Final stage is over already with severe thunderstorms causing all kinds of problems and resulting in the last two circuits not being done. Izaguirre of Euskatel took the stage win in a late breakaway which also contained the overall leader Carrara. Carrara therefore took the overall win ahead of Franck Schleck while third place overall went to Ivanov who finished second on the stage.