Tour de l'Avenir -***gâcher la surprise***

stage 1 completed to Veauche
sprint finsih ? but only 42 in front group
which nations will be strong?
so far Italian Albanese takes the top step he's with Bardiani next year and is 19!
Tao Hart 4th
Germany looked strong - Nico Denz already done over 8K of racing for Ag2R so far this year
Spain still seem weak in the u 23 area ??
Two Norwegians in the top 10 today - early days but are they stronger than Spain ?
Two new FdJ stagiares could do well - but no little about them apart form Gaudu is 19 and won the u23 Peace race and is a Breton ?
sprint finsih ? but only 42 in front group
which nations will be strong?
so far Italian Albanese takes the top step he's with Bardiani next year and is 19!
Tao Hart 4th
Germany looked strong - Nico Denz already done over 8K of racing for Ag2R so far this year
Spain still seem weak in the u 23 area ??
Two Norwegians in the top 10 today - early days but are they stronger than Spain ?
Two new FdJ stagiares could do well - but no little about them apart form Gaudu is 19 and won the u23 Peace race and is a Breton ?
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Most of the favourites lost 50 seconds, Costa lost a minute.
I'm sure inner ring, or somebody said some of the stages will have live video this year.
http://youtu.be/rIEp3rRCJ9E
The usual thin gruel. Ah well at least this year ES are showing coverage Fri onwards, which I'll take happily
(Scott's potential is known, but keep an eye on Knox for the future. Went to Team Wiggins from Zappi, and he's had some decent results this year. Developing nicely.)
Le Puy en Velay? Some hard cycling country around there. Roads like velcro.
A good start for TGH.
Aye. Really good route, this edition
Directvelo do a ticker every day:
http://www.directvelo.com/direct/3012/t ... ir-etape-2
stage 5 tt lumpy 10 mile ish tt Costa takes it in 21.14 team mate powless second Dibben third
GC Costa and powless jump into top 10 but overall not much change - Van Hooydonk now 4th behind
Grondahl, Denz, Dibben
then........
and
and finall a HC finish
Probably wise, but he's going to be a very big rider very quickly.
Davies was there (according to the ticker at least) with the final 30 riders. Presumably he sat up once his work for Tao was done.
Not too certain of Scott Davies's form. He did a decent but unspectacular TT. Could have been told to save his legs as much as possible to help Tao in the mountain stages coming up.
Know a bit more about Gaudu now!
Still not on. Should have started 20 minutes ago.
15kms left.
Schultz from the breakaway takes it.
Tao dropped like a sack of spuds but grinds out a top 10 finish.
Aussies climbing like Colombians and Colombians climbing like Aussies.
Rodriguez completely MIA.
Costa into 3rd on GC, but Gaudu looks to be a cut above them all.
Ravasi (22) Italy Lampre second
Costa third
TG Hart 6th
Teams :
Australia
France
Colombia