There was no surprise when it all ended with a bunch sprint but with several of the top riders also still feeling the effects of the Ronde in their legs, it was a sprint that could have gone anywhere right up until the last second and a number of less-well-known riders were battling it out with the big guns right to the line. In the end, a group of thirteen crossed the line as a group, but nobody could top the sheer power of Monia Baccaille (MCipollini) when she launched herself from the group and crossed the line like a luminous green rocket to take a stunning victory. Emma Johansson (Hitec-Mistral) was just behind her for second place, followed by Alona Andruk (Diadora-Pasta Zara) for third. (
1. Monia Baccaile MCipollini-Giambenini-Gauss 03:29:49
2. Emma Johansson Hitec Products-Mistral Home ST
3. Alona Andruk Diadora-Pasta Zara ST
4. Christine Majerus Team GSD Gestion ST
5. Rasa Leleivyte Vaiana-Tepso ST
6. Valentina Scandolara S.C. Michela Fanini Rox ST
7. Carmen Mcnellis Small ST
8. Isabelle Soderberg AA Drink - Leontien.nl ST
9. Nathalie Lamborelle Kleo Ladies Team ST
10. Nicole Cooke Faren-Honda Team ST (Best British rider)
GP de Dottignies photographs and video by Sebastien Tytgat: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4
Vuelta Ciclista al Pais Vasco
Vuelta Ciclista al Pais Vasco, the Tour of the Basque Country, began today after surviving a touch-and-go period in which it was uncertain whether the race could go ahead at all this year, the event's future for the next two years having been guaranteed by the bank Sabadell Guipuzcoano.
This being Euskal Herria, the Greater Basque Country, the races crosses the border from Spain into France to visit Iparralde (the northern parts of the Basque region) and Spanish Navarre, as well as autonomous Euskadi itself - and with the Basque people's legendary adoration for
bizikleta, it's become a hugely important race in which the world's top teams will be cheered through stunning countryside by vast, passionate crowds of fans. With that in mind, it seems odd that Eurosport won't be showing the race - it seems a perfect way to promote both the region and the sport, after all. Thankfully, there is
Euskal Irrati Telebista, who provide a free and legal stream of the race each day from 14:15 (BST - add 1h for CEST).
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Stage 1 profile (click to enlarge)
(image credit: Diario Vasco) |
As might be expected in a Basque race, there are climbs aplenty throughout; with 153km Stage 1 featuring seven categorised summits that included Cat 1 Alto de Ubal and plenty more seeded right through the parcours. While the rest of the climbs were tough, they were not super-tough and the stage could best be described as rolling rather than hilly. Note that the final 35km, meanwhile, was almost flat with the exception of Cat 3 Alto de San Cosme, after which it was completely flat for the final 6.2km: sprinter's territory, so a sprint was fully expected.
Davide Mucelli (Utensilnord Named) and David De La Fuente (Caja Rural) got themselves into their sponsors' good books with a fine and long-lived breakaway, getting their lead up to five minutes for a while before Euskaltel-Euskadi demonstrated their knowledge of these hills and shaved off a big chunk. The wildcard pair made it into the last 50km, however; but once the big teams started picking up the pace with a view to getting their sprinters into position it was all over. A crash on the last climb then shook up the formations and left several sprinters far from where they wanted to be, creating a bit of a flap and creating opportunity for a few hopefuls to make unsuccessful attempts to escape the pack.
A sprint took place, too, but it wasn't the sort we all thought it would be - the climbs had taken their toll and several of the real sprint specialists were nowhere to be seen as the line approached, their places taken by all-rounders such as Wout Poels (Vacansoleil-DCM), Fabian Wegmann (Garmin-Barracuda), Arthur Vichot (FDJ-Bigmat), Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Barracuda) and even a sprinkling of lesser-known faces such as Daniele Ratto (Liquigas-Cannondale). Of course, if there was a sprinter who'd also made a bit of a name for himself in the mountains, then that sprinter would have an obvious advantage in this stage. A sprinter rather like José Joaquín Rojas (Movistar), perhaps, who won with his brain as much as his brawn. Keeping cool all the way to the last 500m as he patiently waited for Poels to move over from crowd barriers (patently and bravely - after all, Poels might not), he then shot through the gap as soon as it appeared. Poels realised what was happening, but he had no chance against a specialist.
1. Jose Joaquin Rojas Gil Movistar 03:57:44
2. Wout Poels Vacansoleil-DCM ST
3. Fabian Wegmann Garmin-Barracuda ST
4. Daniele Ratto Liquigas-Cannondale ST
5. Arthur Vichot FDJ-BigMat ST
6. Ryder Hesjedal Garmin-Barracuda ST
7. Gianni Meersman Lotto-Belisol ST
8. Gorka Izagirre Insausti Euskaltel-Euskadi ST
9. Francesco Gavazzi Astana
10. Paolo Bailetti Utensilnord-Named ST
Best Brit: 12. Luke Rowe (Sky)
