Ruta del Sol 9h

[team fl]

First race and first tour for Gaudenz Taverna at the Ruta del Sol 9 o'clock. Team FL with no goals but full of good intentions, riding with the following riders:

x1 Nathaniel Biedermann, GC-Leader, trying to reach a Top10 result
x1 Fred Colon, happy not to ride for a sprinter for once
x3 Harry Hole, probably just drunk the most time
x4 Niels Hörnö, danish dynamite with shiny white teeth
x5 Wesley Lichtenkiesel, the monster
x6 Hugo Marxer, still misses Luigi Mastrangelo
x7 Gaudenz Taverna, guy for the TT and for the white jersey during the first days.
x8 Xaver Unsinn, our young hope for... well... dies at last, or something.

Will be fun to see what we can achieve with this mix, leaving the leaders for Omloop, Küng and Hassler at home for special training, even if we are still not sure if Team FL can ride the most important race in February.

[team fl]

Favorite check:

General classement:

***** Philipp Seilbach (Team Ruhrgebiet)
**** Fortunato Vanni (Poggio al vento Si)
*** Alina Spitta (Radlerinnen), Abraham Olano (Astana)
** Enzo Reale (OLcycle)
* another rider

Points classement:

*** Leonis Hamdidis (Eifelrider)
** Enrique Gostura (OLcycle)
* another rider (sprinter, climber)

Mountain classement:

*** the one who wants it
** another rider
* a surprise

Youth classement:

*** Manolis Diamantis (Eifelriders)
** Jan Mutzke (rastullah)
* Joe Hill (SV Furpach), Björn Mutzke (rastullah)

Team classement:

*** Astana
** Ream Ruhrgebiet
* OLcycle

[team fl]

Exciting second stage. Unfortunately, I had to leave because of an urgent call and could only get back for the finish while missing all the important action at the end. Glorious winner was Landrin (SV Furpach) who obviously was underestimated because nobody trying to follow him. Eifelrider was not able to close the gap himself, but jeopardized an MS himself with a late attack. Anyway, when doing the favorite check, I didn't look at his team, so for me Hamdidis is out for that one. GC stays almost the same, green is now possible for OL's Andreu Fontana, or even a climber. Mountain classement favorite is now Club Lavella with any rider.

[team fl]

Stage three, thanks to flocke for sitting me and keeping the chance more than alive that Nate will achieve a top10 GC-placement. GW to Ruhrgebiet for yellow and to Astana for the stage win. Tomorrow, FL will be there in person again, hopefully without having to leave surprisingly.

[Astana]

so...fl wants me to write something.ok

for the gc:
i say ruhr will make it.he didn't lose too much at the 11, so he won't lose yellow tomorrow.poggio is out of the gc and will only be able to get a place on the podium.the third rider there could be from radlerinnen (whos guy seems really strong), eifelriders or perhaps olano (but i won't be here tomorrow, and i havn't found a sitter until now).we will see.lets see what will happen today.

[team fl]

After this stage, Abraham is the clear favorite, also because of the stage tomorrow with the 10 and then downhill while Ruhrgebiet does not have a decent downhill classic rider. I also don't know why everybody should have helped you for that . Anyway, I had the hope that Nate could follow Thomas somehow. But then also this sprint before the finish, grrr.. At the end, at least Nate is closer to a Top10 GC placement.

Mountain jersey should be save now, although it is not sealed yet. Green might go to Abraham too after his stage win today. Diamantis should be able too keep white against Joe Hill. So, the classements are pretty clear in my opinion. Stage should also go to Abraham tomorrow, lazy stage for FL.

[olmania]

I went in the escape to take some points for the red jersey. Rastullah (x2), Lavella(x2) and Muenchen (x1) were also in the group with my two riders.The group did not have more than 4' because of rurh' job, saving his yellow.
On the last 2x6%, many attacks, not enough blocks in the back (also my mistake). Astana goes for the win then.
In the back, rurh had some difficulty to lead the main group due to a lack of downhill skill.
Fonta attacked for sprints points, followed by few guys, such as the good classics like Valls and Biedermann. Landrin great come back after the hill makes the fight for green not over yet. Fonta and Landrin have both 38points ! But Olano, Astana's climber might win it tomorrow because he's 35points. Olano is definitely a danger for rurh, he's my main favo for tomorrow, a third stage in a row + gk + green +team classification. Ruta del Sol might be Vegas for Astana ! A lot of work from him is wainting tomorrow !

ps: I want to see a big escape tomorrow to force the weak Astana's team to work hard !

[Astana]

i didn't think that this plan work, because i thought a climber would be in tempo at the first 6...so the end of the stage went another way then i thought

[flockmastoR]

br dont be that mean to me, i have to sitt astana so please be nice to me

[team fl]

br dont be that mean to me, i have to sitt astana so please be nice to me

[team fl]

Final stage, the obvious happend, Astana won the stage, the general and the points classement with Abraham as well as the team classement, sitted by EM (who was easily offended today...). Youth classement for Eifelriders who was off and the mountain classement for OLcycle. Not much more to say but Nate achieved his Top10 GC placement (9th).

[flockmastoR]

was not offended, just busy and was just not in mood for chit chating. So dont get me wrong, was not meant any harm.

[team fl]

was not offended, just busy and was just not in mood for chit chating. So dont get me wrong, was not meant any harm.

No no , but I had to use your invitation:

]br dont be that mean to me, i have to sitt astana so please be nice to me