Team CSC show superiority

In yesterday’s second edition of the Eindhoven ProTour Team Time Trial, Team CSC beat arch rivals Discovery Channel by 42 seconds and last year’s champions Gerolsteiner by 55 seconds. Bjarne Riis was clearly delighted with the win:

“Our riders were top motivated today, and everything worked out for us. We had some very experienced riders on the team as well as some of the younger ones, and it was great to see them working together so well. The team time trial is an important discipline for us, because it calls for some of the skills, which we value a great deal: To be able to work together as a team, to be able to communicate and approach a task with one common goal in mind. We were the favorites today and it was a pleasure to live up to this honour.” said Bjarne Riis, on the team’s website www.team-csc.com

Eindhoven Pro Tour Team Time Trial – Results – 48 km

1. Team CSC (Lars Bak, Michael Blaudzun, Bobby Julich, Christian Müller, Stuart O’Grady, Brian Vandborg, Jens Voigt and David Zabriskie) 52.28
2. Discovery Channel @ 0.42
3. Gerolsteiner 0.55
4. Phonak 1.25
5. Davitamon-Lotto 1.31
6. Rabobank 1.34
7. Liquigas 1.56
8. Team T-Mobile 2.09
9. Cofidis 2.18
10. Ag2R 2.24

Ullrich TT’s to victory

Koldo Gil (Saunier Duval-Prodir) had led the GC after the final mountain stage as Jan Ullrich had matched him for pace over the Swiss Alps. The climber couldn’t do much to prevent the overhaul of 50 seconds during the Time Trial as Ullrich gave it full gas and looked mighty impressive in the process. His form seems to be coming together ready for the Tour and it makes it an exciting prospect to see perhaps a CSC/T-Mobile showdown for once with no particular clear favourite.

Good to see RCUK favourite Vladimir Karpets up in the GC and fit for the Tour! Charly Wegelius pulled out on the final mountain stage after having a few good days in the hills and showing he has good form, he must be tired following a hard fought Giro.

Stage 9 – Kerzers – Bern ITT – 30.7 km – Results

1. Jan Ullrich (Ger) T-Mobile Team 38.45.21 (47.531 km/h)
2. Cadel Evans (Aus) Davitamon-Lotto 0.22.85
3. Angel Vicioso Arcos (Spa) Würth 0.31.32
4. Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 0.46.97
5. Linus Gerdemann (Ger) T-Mobile Team 0.51.58
6. Christian Vandevelde (USA) Team CSC 0.52.99
7. Kim Kirchen (Lux) T-Mobile Team 1.01.63
8. Vladimir Karpets (Rus) Caisse d’Epargne-Illes Balears 1.02.35
9. Koldo Gil Perez (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 1.14.69
10. Jorg Jaksche (Ger) Würth 1.22.95

Final General classification

1. Jan Ullrich (Ger) T-Mobile Team 38.21.36
2. Koldo Gil Perez (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 0.24
3. Jorg Jaksche (Ger) Würth 1.03
4. Angel Vicioso Arcos (Spa) Würth 1.44
5. Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 2.33
6. Frank Schleck (Lux) Team CSC 2.56
7. Linus Gerdemann (Ger) T-Mobile Team 3.31
8. Giampaolo Caruso (Ita) Würth 4.20
9. Vladimir Karpets (Rus) Caisse d’Epargne-Illes Balears 4.27
10. Cadel Evans (Aus) Davitamon-Lotto 5.01

Men’s National Crit championships

PCA came away with the win after a domination of the National Crit champs yesterday. A 1-2 was always on the cards with fast finishers James Taylor, Malcolm Elliott and Tony Gibb in support.

Results – Men’s Crit Championship

1. James Taylor, Plowman Craven RT 1.28.51
2. Tony Gibb, Plowman Craven RT
3. Adam Blythe, Pinarello RT
4. Karl Freeman, Team Milton Keynes
5. Peter Kennaugh, Glendene CC
6. Ben Hallam, Glendene CC
7. Ross Muir, Evans Cycles
8. Ian Wilkinson,Science in Sport
9. Paul Oldham, Hope Factory Racing
10. Matthew Stephens, Sigma Sport
11. Nick Craig, Scott UK
12. Tom White, Kuota-Biemme
13. James Stewart, Lecoq
14. Neil Coleman, Agisko Dart
15. Shaun Snodden, recycling.co.uk @ 5 secs
16. Rob Hayles, Team KLR
17. Phil Dixon, SIS
18. Malcolm Elliot, Plowman Craven
19. Duncan Urquhart, Agisko Dart @14 secs
20. Tim Lawson, SIS @1.23

Women’s National Crit championships

Talented Track rider, and with her first senior win on the road, 19 year old Lizzy Armitstead (EVR Raleigh) won the women’s crit champs on Saturday from a strong field with a tough final sprint.

Results

1. Lizzy Armitstead (EVR Raleigh)
2. Tanja Slater (Scienceinsport.com)
3. Helen Gutteridge (Team Lucanio Kuota)
4. Janet Birkmyer (Planet-X)
5. Louise Mahe (Sutton CC) @ 2secs
6. Jenny Copnall (Subaru,Gary Fisher)
7. Heather Summers Team Lucanio Kuota)
8. Katie Curtis (Cardiff Ajax)
9. Sara Burling (CC Giro)
10. Lindsay Margar Clarke (Fenland Clarion)

More Tour teams – Phonak and Rabobank

Phonak’s Tour team:
Floyd Landis (team leader)
Miguel Angel Perdiguero
Axel Merckx
Bert Grabsch
Koos Moerenhout
Nicolas Jalabert
Robert Hunter
Alexandre Moos
Victor Hugo Peña

Rabobank’s Tour team:
Michael Boogerd (Holland)
Erik Dekker (Holland)
Thomas Dekker (Holland)
Joost Posthuma (Holland)
Pieter Weening (Holland)
Juan Antonio Flecha (Spain)
Oscar Freire (Spain)
Denis Menchov (Russia)
Michael Rasmussen (Denmark)

There’s no clear leader for Rabobank although Rasmussen will be the obvious GC contender. Denis Menchov could also surprise a few teams as he’s super aggressive and very talented.