2010 Tour de Pologne

[Cruiser23]

Tour of Poland gets underway tonight. Starts on the 1st and ends on the 7th of August.

Previews here and here.

Squad lists are here.

Ballan is back to try and defend his title, though the young Peter Sagan is favourite to take the 7 day Tour out.

Stage 1: Aug 1 Sochaczew - Warszawa 175.1 km
Stage 2: Aug 2 Rawa Mazowiecka - Dabrowa Górnicza 240 km
Stage 3: Aug 3 Sosnowiec - Katowice 122.1 km
Stage 4: Aug 4 Tychy - Cieszyn 177.9 km
Stage 5: Aug 5 Astrzebie Zdrój - Ustron 149 km
Stage 6: Aug 6 Oswiecim - Terma Bukowina Tatrz 228.5 km
Stage 7: Aug 7 Nowy Targ - Kraków 163.9 km

 

[Cruiser23]

The Aussies involved are...

Graeme Brown - Rabobank (Leader infact)
Cameron Meyer - Garmin
Matthew Wilson - Garmin
Baden Cooke - Saxo Bank
Matthew Haymen - Sky
Chris Sutton - Sky
Allan Davis - Astana
Mitchell Docker - Skil Shimano

 

[monty1104]

Only really seriously started following cycling recently. Ive always watched the Tour, but now I want more!

From the start list, Kiryienka is quite obviously in decent form. What do you think of his chances?

 

[Sasquatch]

Don't know why Sagan is favourite - the climbs are too hard for him.

Likewise Ballan - they are harder this year than last year. Much harder.

 

[Cruiser23]

Don't know why Sagan is favourite - the climbs are too hard for him.

Likewise Ballan - they are harder this year than last year. Much harder.

So Sylvester is the man?

 

[Cruiser23]

From the start list, Kiryienka is quite obviously in decent form. What do you think of his chances?

Looked really good in the TDF, showed fight and the ability to climb with the best. Fatigue may play a bit of a factor though as you've said rightly, he's in very good form, should be right up there.

 

[Sasquatch]

So Sylvester is the man?

Yeah. He didn't use up too much energy in the Tour so he probably rested a bit.

I've narrowed it to him, Devolder who is in good form, Machado - who said he was looking at this race and Rutikiewitz. Perhaps Tondo.

 

[mattys123]

OMG, Tour of Poland on EuroSport on Foxtel, currently showing highlights of the first stage, then advertised is 1.30 hours of Stage 2 (1.30 - 3.00).

Thank you, will record and watch tommorrow.

 

[Cruiser23]

Griepel too good in Stage 2. Davis looked to be in a good position but Andre just blew past him. Sutton finished 4th, 2 Aussies in the first 4 and Allan Davis takes the lead in the GC.

 

[Cruiser23]

This is the official website here.

Gives you the route maps unlike cyclingnews, not bad.

 

[Cruiser23]

Hutarovich wins Stage 3 ahead of JJ Haedo and Allan Davis who keeps his yellow jersey for now.

 

[mattys123]

Mountain stage tonight, and it's on Eurosport, so I will record it and watch it.

This should be the stage where the real challengers for GC stand up and deliver, I'm expecting some early attacks, but it's not till the first climb, although with over 50kms between the last summit and the finish line, we could get most of the GC contenders crossing the line together.

Will be worth watching though.

 

[Wahooti Fandango]

What happened overnight, matty?

 

[Cruiser23]

Ballan put a bit of a gap into a few of his rivals overall, not much 10 seconds or so but he's sitting nicely in third. He finished third behind two Lampre riders Bole and Lorenzetto who took out the win.

 

[Cruiser23]

Great ride Daniel Martin.

 

[mattys123]

That was a shock, I don't think anyone expected Martin to break out of the pack and win.

The tour will be decided tonight though, although the way Martin rode last night, if he has any "legs" left, I can't see them getting any time on him.

Will be a great stage tonight though, will decide the tour.

 

[Sasquatch]

The good thing about Poland is the race is decided nearly all the time by a couple of seconds.

It always goes down to the wire. The climbs are not big enough for people to make a substantial break on.

 

[Cruiser23]

Bauke Mollema wins stage 6 by 7 seconds. Daniel Martin still retains the leaad overall by 8 seconds over Bole and 10 over Mollema.

 

[Sasquatch]

All Bole needs to do is win this stage and he's won. Unfortunately for him, it's a dead flat finish. Needs it elevated a bit.

 

[Wahooti Fandango]

You guys were right about it being close.

 

[Cruiser23]

Griepel was too good again in the sprint, Daniel Martin held on and took out the GC title, first ProTour title.

Top 10

1. Daniel Martin (Irl) Garmin - Transitions 30:38:48
2. Grega Bole (Slo) Lampre - Farnese Vini + 0:00:08
3. Bauke Mollema (Ned) Rabobank + 0:00:10
4. Michael Albasini (Swi) Team HTC - Columbia +0:00:20
5. Alessandro Ballan (Ita) BMC Racing Team +0:00:21
6. Sylvester Szmyd (Pol) Liquigas-Doimo +0:00:26
7. Marek Rutkiewicz (Pol) Poland BGZ +0:00:30
8. Diego Ulissi (Ita) Lampre-Farnese Vini
9. Thomas Danielson (USA) Garmin - Transitions +0:00:33
10. Tiago Machado (Por) Team Radioshack +0:00:41