View Full Version : Eneco Tour du Benelux
I guess no one has been interested in this Pro Tour race. Hmmm...
But the inverted types will be now, as Allan Davis of LS-W just won the third stage. Rik Verbrugge retook the leader's jersey,
Laggard
08-06-05, 08:34 AM
Davis is in fine form. I look forward to his future. Also nice to see Van Heeswijk get a win.
It's great to see Van Heeswijk's name in the win column- I thought he did well last season. I haven't seen much of him this time around. :-/
Koffee
Alessandro Ballan of L-C wins stage 4, and Verbrugge retains the lead by six seconds over Allan Davis.
Rather bizarre happenings with about 45 Km to go. There apparently was an accident on the route - car and moto, but not sure if it was race related - just after a summit. They detoured the route with a three man break, one follower, and the peloton. Then they stopped everyone at about 42.5 Km. When they all arrived, they were restarted, supposedly keeping the gaps intact. However, just prior, I thought I saw a 12 minute or so gap to the peloton, and after the restart it was less than four. I can't wait for the real scoop.
Oh, and the organizers said the other day that they wanted to make this the best race in the Pro Tour. How? By providing better organization than the TdF (their example). :rolleyes:
Oh, there was a detour? The way the Daily Peloton reported in their live coverage, the peloton simply took a wrong turn and managed to lose 6-7 minutes because of it. This, of course, made the decision to stop the breakaway and respect the time differences seem utterly ridiculous. If there was an accident/detour, though, it doesn't seem quite so bad.
Still, it sounds like it was a wild stage--when told to stop and wait for the breakaway, the riders KEPT GOING at the urging of their team cars and finally had to be physically blocked before they finally stopped to wait!
I sure wish it were possible to get Eurosport or perhaps streaming video of the ProTour in the US.
Well, I saw what looked like a blockade (at least one official's car), and an official standing there waving them off to the left on the other road. And the commentators - French, so not understanding everything they heard on the feed I suppose - described it that way as well. I must say that it looked like the proper explanation. And, they never backtracked as if to get back on the right course again.
Still, it sounds like it was a wild stage--when told to stop and wait for the breakaway, the riders KEPT GOING at the urging of their team cars and finally had to be physically blocked before they finally stopped to wait!
In fact, the young Belgian in the lead group, when finally convinced to stop, dropped his bike in the middle of the road and sat down there in protest.
The way the Daily Peloton reported in their live coverage, the peloton simply took a wrong turn and managed to lose 6-7 minutes because of it.
Cyclingnews verifies this as the correct scenario. Inept, but correct. :)
Stage 5 to Van Heeswijk, and overall stays with Verbrugge. But the gap to Davis is down to 2 seconds.
I tried to verify the overall data - Eurosport cuts before the official is shown - with Daily Peloton and Cyclingnews, but neither seems to have anything from stage 5. Perhaps they were banned for reporting the cockup yesterday. :p
A win to save his job at Quick Step for Verbrugge?
But the gap to Davis is down to 2 seconds.
The gap actually stayed at six seconds because of Davis' sixth place and the way the time bonuses played out.
Van Dijck of Mr. Bookmaker wins stage 6. Verbrugge is still in the lead. Yet again the commentators were saying two seconds, and yet again the news sites have nothing yet. That probably means that it is actually six seconds. :)
Tomorrow's final stage is a 26 Km+ ITT. That is what everything I see says. The commentators - for days - have been saying that it is a TTT. Oh well, they are better than nothing I suppose.
Yet again the commentators were saying two seconds ... That probably means that it is actually six seconds. :)
I hereby offer my apologies to the commentators. The gap is five seconds. :D
Bobby Julich wins the ITT and overall!
Laggard
08-10-05, 08:36 AM
Cyclingnews is way behind on this coverage. Thanks for the update.
Rode trui/ Maillot rouge (ENECO leiderstrui)
1. Bobby Julich in 29u8'01"
2. Erik Dekker op 21"
3. Leif Hoste op 41
Blauwe trui/ Maillot bleu (MrBookmaker.com puntenklassement)
1. Allan Davis (Aus/Liberty Seguros) 132 ptn
2. Max Van Heeswijk (Ned) 90
3. Stefan Van Dijk (Ned) 69
4. Marco Zanotti (Ita) 67
5. Daniele Bennati (Ita) 66;
Wit-rode trui/ Maillot blanc-rouge (Lotto bergklassement)
1. Christian Vandevelde (VSt/Team CSC) 68 ptn
2. Jason McCartney (VSt) 66
3. Bart Dockx 32
4. Koos Moerenhout (Ned) 27
5. Staf Scheirlinckx
Gele trui/ Maillot jaune (Topsport Vlaanderen jongerenklassement)
1. Allan Davis (Aus - Liberty Seguros) in 24u25:40
2. Carlos Barredo (Spa) op 0:10
3. Jurgen Van Den Broeck 0:12
4. Thomas Dekker (Ned) 0:19
5. Pieter Mertens 0:30.
I really enjoyed following (wish I could say watching) this race. Props to Julich, he's had an amazing season so far.
Can't wait for next year's race.
Can't wait for next year's race.
As much as I love this stuff, I have to say that this was a very dull race in many ways. When I lived there, I used to find it (or at least its predecessor races) very exciting. I guess I like more and bigger hills. :)
As much as I love this stuff, I have to say that this was a very dull race in many ways. When I lived there, I used to find it (or at least its predecessor races) very exciting. I guess I like more and bigger hills. :)
I can understand where you're coming from. People tend to say the same thing about Tirreno-Adriatico, but I enjoy that race as well.
Uwe Peschel...stone motherless in the final stage at +10 minutes.
Been doing TT training with The Chicken?
vBulletin® v3.7.3, Copyright ©2000-2008, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.