Photo credit: (c) Tim De Waele



Alexander Kristoff si è imposto al GP Ouest France - Plouay

France 30.08.2015
Team Katusha’s Alexander Kristoff obtained another WorldTour victory by winning the one-day classic Grand Prix Ouest France - Plouay in France. In a sprint of some 50 riders, Kristoff was the fastest rider beating Simone Ponzi (Southeast) and Ramunas Navardauskas (Cannondale-Garmin). For Kristoff it is his 20th victory of the 2015 season. The GP Ouest France - Plouay and Paris-Roubaix are the only two WorldTour one-day races in France.

- Everything went how we planned it. Of course we had to gamble a bit. We could not do all the work to catch back the three guys in the front, but we were present and saved forces for the last kilometer. In the sprint we really had control over the situation. I need to thank all my teammates. In the end we started here with three guys coming back from an injury but they did a marvelous job for me. No need to say that I am very happy with this prestigious win, - said Alexander Kristoff.

On the 9th and last ascent of the Côte de Ty Marrec (1500 m, 5,5 % average gradient), with 4 km to go, the break of three riders - with Alexey Lutsenko, Tim Wellens and Silvan Dillier – was caught. Greg Van Avermaet and Matti Breschel launched at searing attack, but Team Katusha chased them down too. And then it was time for Jacopo Guarnieri to start his sprint for team leader Alexander Kristoff.

- It was amazing how the six teammates of Kristoff worked all day. And then in the last lap Marco Haller and Jacopo Guarnieri did the perfect job. For them it is also nice when the leader finishes the job. I am impressed by them, but most by Alexander Kristoff himself. It is amazing what a big engine Kristoff has. His training intensity is exemplary. He is so focused. His season is not over yet, - said team director Torsten Schmidt.

The long 217 km classic consisted of eight laps of 26,9 kilometer and one extra lap of 13,9 km. Five riders were able to stay in front most of the race but when the real final began, there story was over. Then Team Katusha, with Sky and Etixx – Quick Step controlled the race. Only Lutsenko, Wellens and Dillier caused some panic in the main group, but in the end all turned out well for Team Katusha.

Alexander Kristoff will now head to Canada for the WorldTour races in Quebec and Montreal before heading to Richmond, US, for the World Championships.

- The Canadian races are a bit too hard for me, but it will be the perfect last preparation for Richmond, - concluded Alexander Kristoff.

After GP Ouest France – Plouay Team Katusha moved into lead in the UCI WorldTour team ranking with 1270 points.

Jürgen Roelandts fifth in Plouay, update about Kris Boeckmans one day after his crash

Jürgen Roelandts did it again, for the fourth consecutive year the Belgian finished in the top ten at the Grand Prix Plouay. It was an attractive finale, with attacks of Tim Wellens and Tiesj Benoot, but still it ended with a sprint.

Backaert, Beppu, Delaplace, Jaurégui and Pichot all chose to join the early breakaway. The peloton gave them a lead of up to eleven minutes, but they didn’t stand a chance. In the seventh lap, 44.4 kilometres from the end, it was over for them. After Stig Broeckx had a go chasing down the escapees, Tim Wellens attacked at the start of the last lap of 26.9 kilometres. Six others joined him: Bono, Clarke, Deignan, Dillier, Lutsenko and Rogers. They didn’t get much space, maximally half a minute. Uphill Wellens, Dillier and Lutsenko left their companions behind and the trio entered the final lap together, that was a smaller one of 13.9 kilometres.

During the last ascent of the Côte de Ty-Marrec, when the riders only had five kilometres left to cover, Tiesj Benoot bridged to the front. The Lotto Soudal rider got ahead with Breschel, Dillier, Lutsenko and Van Avermaet. Van Avermaet did an ultimate jump, but with one kilometre to go the reduced peloton had reeled them all in. Alexander Kristoff crossed the finish line first, ahead of Simone Ponzi and Ramunas Navardauskas. Jürgen Roelandts sprinted to the fifth place and reached the goal he had set for himself.

Jürgen Roelandts: “I am satisfied with this result. I started the sprint on the wheel of Ponzi, who got second. I possibly started sprinting too early, that was with three hundred metres to go, because I wanted to anticipate the jump of Kristoff. On the other hand I could have gotten boxed in if I hadn’t begun my sprint already. Anyway, Kristoff was the fastest of the pack. It’s a nice performance to end up in the top ten here for the fourth time in a row, although I gladly would have changed these results for one victory.”

“There was a headwind after the Côte de Ty-Marrec, so the escapees hardly had any chance to make it to the finish line. I decided to wait for the sprint. I was on the wheel of Jens Debusschere towards the corner at one and a half kilometres of the finish. The sprint in Plouay is always hectic and it’s difficult to stay together. But I managed to maintain a good position.”

“Of course I would love to be part of the Belgian selection for the road race at the World Championships. This is a good sign, my condition keeps going upwards and I hope the coach notices that. My next races are the WorldTour races in Canada: Québec and Montréal (on 11 and 13 September respectively, LTS). In theory Québec should suit me better, but I set the best results in Montréal where I already finished in top ten twice. I don’t know the reason, it might be the jetlag. I hope to be close to the victory in at least one of the two races.”
 

Aggiornamento sulle condizioni di salute di Kris Boeckmans caduto nell'8a tappa della Vuelta

Update Kris Boeckmans
More than 24 hours after the severe crash of Kris Boeckmans in yesterday’s Vuelta stage, further tests showed that the serious injuries are under control and that there is a small positive evolution. 
 

Più di 24 ore dopo il grave incidente di Kris Boeckmans nella tappa di ieri, ulteriori esami hanno dimostrato che le gravi lesioni sono sotto controllo e che non vi è una leggera evoluzione positiva .

Team doctor Servaas Bingé: “A new CT scan showed that Kris didn’t have any brain injuries other than the severe concussion he incurred yesterday. Further tests showed that apart from a lung bleeding Kris also had a pneumothorax, next to the facial fractures and three rib fractures that already were reported yesterday. To keep the lung injury under control a drain was introduced in the thorax yesterday evening. At the moment Kris is still in an induced coma. From now on the sedative medication will be reduced gradually, so we can expect he’ll wake up within 24 to 48 hours. It’s too early to predict anything regarding the repatriation or any surgery. We assess the situation day by day.”

Il Medico della squadra Servaas Binge: "Una nuova TAC ha dimostrato che Kris non ha avuto lesioni cerebrali diverse dalla grave commozione cerebrale subita ieri nell'incidente. Ulteriori esami hanno dimostrato che, a parte un polmone sanguinante Kris, ha subito un pneumotorace, assieme alle fratture facciali e tre fratture costali, già diagnosticate ieri . Per mantenere il danno polmonare sotto controllo è stato introdotto ieri sera un drenaggio nel torace. Al momento Kris è ancora in coma farmacologico. Da questo momento il farmaco sedativo sarà ridotto gradualmente, quindi possiamo aspettarci che si sveglierà da 24 a 48 ore. E' troppo presto per prevedere sia il suo  rimpatrio che qualsiasi intervento chirurgico . Valutiamo la situazione giorno per giorno . "  
Auguri Kris da tutta la redazione e lettori di BIKENEWS.IT
 

Rui Costa 26° in Francia, con segnali di crescita Rui Costam 26th in France with an improving form 30 agosto 2015

In Francia si è corso il Gp Plouay sulla distanza di 229,1 km, risultato di un circuito di 26,9 km da percorrere 8 volte e di un altro anello finale più corto (13,9 km) con in sequenza ravvicinata le due asperità del tracciato, ovvero la Cote du Lezot e la Cote de Ty Marrec. Lunga fuga di 5 corridori a condurre la gara dopo pochi chilometri dal via, controllata e neutralizzata da gruppo a 44 km dall'arrivo, nonostante avesse potuto contare su un vantaggio massimo di 11'. Annullata la fuga, dal plotone ridotto a una cinquantina di atleti sono partiti al contrattacco 7 corridori, tra i quali Matteo Bono. Il drappello di fuggitivi non è riuscito a toccare il minuto di vantaggio sugli inseguitore, di conseguenza cinque atleti si sono rialzati dopo una decina di chilometri in avanscoperta, lasciando al comando della gara Lutsenko e Dillier fino a 3 km dal traguardo, quando sono stati raggiunti da altri corridori fuoriusciti dal gruppo. Nessuno sforzo o spirito combattivo ha potuto però prevalere sulla voglia di volata delle ruote veloci rimaste in gruppo, tanto che non è stato possibile evitare la soluzione allo sprint con vittoria di Kristoff. Per la LAMPRE-MERIDA, un Rui Costa in crescita di condizione ha raggiunto il traguardo con il gruppo di testa, cogliendo la 26^posizione. "I segnali migliori sono quelli che arrivano da un Rui Costa sulla strada giusta verso la condizione ottimale - ha spiegato il ds Mauduit (nella foto Bettini, assieme al campione portoghese) - Rui ha scollinato nelle prime posizioni, assieme a Ulissi, sull'ultimo strappo della gara, ma non c'è stata l'occasione per movimentare in maniera decisa il finale.  Era stato molto bravo in precedenza Bono a inserirsi in un'azione interessante che, però, non ha avuto fortuna. Per la soluzione in volata, Cimolai sembrava poterci dare buone garanzie, purtroppo non era in una delle giornate migliori e, con l'altissima velocità tenuta per tutta la corsa, ha sofferto: pur provando a tenere duro, ha dovuto alzare bandiera bianca nell'ultimo giro". ORDINE D'ARRIVO 1- Kristoff 5h31'32" 2- Ponzi s.t. 3- Navardauskas s.t. 4- Bole s.t. 5- Roelandts 26- Rui Costa s.t. 70- Ulissi 12", 77- Mori 28", 78- Pibernik s.t., 124- Bono 9', 125- Ferrari s.t,, 126- Cimolai s.t., Polanc dnf   In France it was the day of the Gp Plouay, which was held on the distance of 229,1 km as total amount of the 8 passages on a 26,9 km circuit and the final lap of 13,9 km with, in close sequence, the two hills of the race, namely the Cote du Lezot and the Cote de Ty Marrec. Long breakaway for five riders who led the stage since few kilometers in the stage, having a maximum advantage of 11'. The bunch controlled the breakaway and reacted in time to neutralize this action at 44 km to the arrival, just before 7 other riders counter-attacked. The new leading group, in which there was also the blue-fuchsia-green jersey of Matteo Bono, could not obtain more than 1' of advantage on the chasing peloton, which was selected at 50 riders: Bono and other 4 riders were dropped from the breakaway to the main group, while Lutsenko and Dillier led the race until 3 km to go, when they were joined by other riders who had attacked from the bunch. Despite these efforts, it was not possible to avoid the massive sprint solution: the gap from the head of the race was closed and Kristoff crossed for first the finish line. For LAMPRE-MERIDA, Rui Costa demonstrated his improving condition by reaching the arrival in the head group, obtaining the 26th place. "The best feedbacks are the ones that came from Rui Costa, who shown a quite good form which is going to be improved soon - sport director Mauduit (in photo Bettini, with Rui Costa) explained - Rui reched the summit of the last climb of the race, together with Ulissi, in the front of the bunch, but there was no opportunity to select the peloton. Previously, Bono had been great in joining an interesting attack, which howere could not avoid to be reached by the chasing group. For the sprint solution, our captain was Cimolai, but he had not a very good day: he tried hard to be in the head group, but the very high pace was not suitable for him". RACE RESULTS 1- Kristoff 5h31'32" 2- Ponzi s.t. 3- Navardauskas s.t. 4- Bole s.t. 5- Roelandts 26- Rui Costa s.t. 70- Ulissi 12", 77- Mori 28", 78- Pibernik s.t., 124- Bono 9', 125- Ferrari s.t,, 126- Cimolai s.t., Polanc dnf

sito internet: www.teamlampremerida.com