Dauphiné 19h

[Alkworld]

As you could already find out, Team Alkworld is taking part in the big clash of Giro winners. We seem to have gotten an excellent group here with the three Spanish Giro winners Don Quijote (Alkworld), Alberto Velasco (stevens) and Carmelo Portillo (escartinos). As strong additions, there are also Harsh Bahuguna (ATB - Racing), who only lost the Giro to Hans "the cannibal" Blocher and Pascal Noel (ACBBoulogne) who was beaten by Carmelo Portillo. Still, there's an obvious favorite which the favorite check shows:

General classification
***** Carmelo Portillo (escartinos)
**** Pascal Noel (ACBBoulogne)
*** Alberto Velasco (stevens), Don Quijote (Alkworld)
** Harsh Bahuguna (ATB - Racing), Sjaak Hemerlink (escartinos), Niklas Björkman (GUDE LAUNE)
* Sancho Panza (Alkworld), Rodica Manea (Girl Power), Gian Feuz (PhoenixBerlin), Giusyanna Cazzorla (Abarth Spartans)
Portillo as the best TT rider among the climbers and having the best helper seems to be an obvious favorite. Manea who seemed to have a chance already wasted his yesterday when losing already one minute.

Points classification
*** Don Quijote (Alkworld)
** Alberto Velasco (stevens)
* Pascal Noel (ACBBoulogne), Carmelo Portillo (escartinos)
Don Quijote, the best sprinter among the climbers, already had a good start and has good chances to score consistently. The strong climbers of course also have chances here.

Climbers' classification
*** Rodica Manea (Girl Power)
** Alberto Velasco (stevens)
* Carmelo Portillo (escartinos)
Girl Power seems very dedicated here, but still could lose loads of points on the mountainous stages.

Young riders' classification
*** Niklas Björkman (GUDE LAUNE)
**
* Joke Rauch (Freudenfeuer)
Looks pretty clear.

Team classification
*** escartinos
** Alkworld
* Freudenfeuer
escartinos got it all, two climbers, a classic rider and the best TT riders. However, some escapers could change this classification.

[ATB - Racing]

nice favo check, BUT bad bad Alk accuses Harsh beeing a Multi with his ** - rating. Grrrrr.
See you on the road.

[Pirkio]

For now, DQ win all, and Giusyanna always 4° place

[ATB - Racing]

3 stages so far. one time connection between riders and manager broke during the laste km ....
second stage, everything went well and Harsh finished 2nd. 3rd stage was a complete desaster.
group didnt make it, oda was siebed and in the sprint .... this time we couldnt use the excuse that we lost
connection like we did before ....

summarize: 3 stages, burned a lot money, stevens gave a present to alk (still we dont know why)
we had fun.

so we have to use our "joker", we will bring another manager for thursdays mountain stage.

[Alkworld]

The whole race seems to be a bit more open than it first seemed to me:
- Carmelo Portillo only has 39 reg. So he either has to go slow tonight or risks to lose time tomorrow
- Pascal Noel has the reg and even trained last night and now reached 89
- Don Quijote gained lots of bonus seconds
- Niklas Björklund should also not be underestimated with 60 TT and a few bonus seconds
- Rodico Manea already wasted his big chances in the GC by riding for the climbers jersey

In the GC it looks like a fight between Portillo and Noel with quite a few other guys still not completely out of the race.