Tour de L'Ain - Aug 10-14 (2.1)-SAUR WINS STAGE 1!

[sandranian]

Saur start list:

81 Cyril Bessy (Fra)
82 J?r?me Coppel (Fra)
83 Jonathan Hivert (Fra)
84 Fabrice Jeandesboz (Fra)
85 Laurent Mangel (Fra)
86 St?phane Poulhies (Fra)
Reserve C?dric Coutouly (Fra)
Reserve Anthony Delaplace (Fra)
Reserve S?bastien Joly (Fra)


Official Website:
http://www.tourdelain.com/

[sandranian]

Well...we JUST missed out on another prologue win. Laurent Mangel arrived just tenths of a second behind the eventual winner (0.42 seconds, to be exact). What a bummer. Amazingly, this was only good enough for THIRD!!!

Unfortunately, Jonathan Hivert is out of the race...he crashed coming around a corner, and missed the time cut-off. Looked fairly violent: As he was entering a corner, his front wheel caught an edge. His TT bike lurched the in other direction, lifting his rear wheel off the ground and launching his bike into a curb.

Prologue Results:
1 Haimar Zubeldia (Spa) Team Radioshack 0:03:38
3 Laurent Mangel (Fra) Saur - Sojasun 0:00:00.42
17 J?r?me Coppel (Fra) Saur - Sojasun 0:00:06
34 Cyril Bessy (Fra) Saur - Sojasun 0:00:09
40 Fabrice Jeandesboz (Fra) Saur - Sojasun 0:00:10
55 St?phane Poulhies (Fra) Saur - Sojasun 0:00:12
HD Jonathan Hivert (Fra) Saur - Sojasun 0:02:59

General Classification:
1 Haimar Zubeldia (Spa) Team Radioshack 0:03:38
3 Laurent Mangel (Fra) Saur - Sojasun
17 J?r?me Coppel (Fra) Saur - Sojasun 0:00:06
34 Cyril Bessy (Fra) Saur - Sojasun 0:00:09
40 Fabrice Jeandesboz (Fra) Saur - Sojasun 0:00:10
55 St?phane Poulhies (Fra) Saur - Sojasun 0:00:12

[Wisey]

Cool pic of Mangel on his Bianchi Chrono........... uh, ...... I mean Gitane Definitive ....... of course.

[sandranian]

St?phane Poulhies won today's stage, winning a field sprint! He now leads in the points classification. Saur has been kicking some arse lately, eh?



That is Laurent Mangel in the green jersey, celebrating the win!

Stage 1 Results:
1 St?phane Poulhies (Fra) Saur - Sojasun 3:22:09
6 Laurent Mangel (Fra) Saur - Sojasun
51 J?r?me Coppel (Fra) Saur - Sojasun
60 Fabrice Jeandesboz (Fra) Saur - Sojasun
65 Cyril Bessy (Fra) Saur - Sojasun
105 Jonathan Hivert (Fra) Saur - Sojasun 0:13:56

General Classification:
1 Romain Feillu (Fra) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team 3:25:43
4 Laurent Mangel (Fra) Saur - Sojasun 0:00:04
9 St?phane Poulhies (Fra) Saur - Sojasun 0:00:06
16 J?r?me Coppel (Fra) Saur - Sojasun 0:00:10
28 Cyril Bessy (Fra) Saur - Sojasun 0:00:13
31 Fabrice Jeandesboz (Fra) Saur - Sojasun 0:00:14
105 Jonathan Hivert (Fra) Saur - Sojasun 0:16:59 (Lanterne Rouge)

[Wisey]

Their success this season should go a long way towards getting invited to some big races in 2011.

[sandranian]

I am hoping to see them in the Tour de France next year. The Tour will not be obligated to invite ProTour teams next year...it is all by invite only. Being all French, they should stand a good chance. Astana better hope they have someone big coming over there, or they may not get an invite. Same goes for RadioShack. I don't know about the others, but those are just two right off the top of my head that may have problems....or at least no "guarantee".

Funny: Cyclingnews.com says that this was Saur's 19th win of the season. I only count 17...I wonder what I am missing??? Also, I wonder how that compares to other Continental Pro teams.

I want to see a Gitane racing in the Tour de France!!!

[Wisey]

I want to see a Gitane racing in the Tour de France!!!

I want to see a Gitane WINNING in the Tour de France. (a stage will do)

[sandranian]

The race leader won the stage, extending his lead with the 10 second time bonus. Wow. Nothing better than that! We also lost the green jersey: Although he will wear it tomorrow, Poulhies now sits second in the points competition.

Stage 2 Results:
1 Romain Feillu (Fra) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team 3:02:10
7 St?phane Poulhies (Fra) Saur - Sojasun 0:00:01
58 J?r?me Coppel (Fra) Saur - Sojasun
68 Fabrice Jeandesboz (Fra) Saur - Sojasun
98 Laurent Mangel (Fra) Saur - Sojasun 0:00:39
100 Cyril Bessy (Fra) Saur - Sojasun 0:01:27
104 Jonathan Hivert (Fra) Saur - Sojasun 0:04:00

General Classification:
1 Romain Feillu (Fra) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team 6:27:43
8 St?phane Poulhies (Fra) Saur - Sojasun 0:00:17
15 J?r?me Coppel (Fra) Saur - Sojasun 0:00:21
28 Fabrice Jeandesboz (Fra) Saur - Sojasun 0:00:25
65 Laurent Mangel (Fra) Saur - Sojasun 0:00:53
87 Cyril Bessy (Fra) Saur - Sojasun 0:01:50
105 Jonathan Hivert (Fra) Saur - Sojasun 0:21:09 (Lanterne Rouge)

[sandranian]

Jonathan Hivert is now Lanterne Rouge!

Stage 3 Results:
1 Maxime Bouet (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 4:00:55
8 Fabrice Jeandesboz (Fra) Saur - Sojasun
29 J?r?me Coppel (Fra) Saur - Sojasun
58 Cyril Bessy (Fra) Saur - Sojasun 0:03:30
76 Laurent Mangel (Fra) Saur - Sojasun 0:07:21
77 Jonathan Hivert (Fra) Saur - Sojasun
100 St?phane Poulhies (Fra) Saur - Sojasun 0:14:49

General Classification:
1 Tony Gallopin (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne 10:28:46
11 J?r?me Coppel (Fra) Saur - Sojasun 0:00:13
17 Fabrice Jeandesboz (Fra) Saur - Sojasun 0:00:17
54 Cyril Bessy (Fra) Saur - Sojasun 0:05:12
68 Laurent Mangel (Fra) Saur - Sojasun 0:08:06
82 St?phane Poulhies (Fra) Saur - Sojasun 0:14:58
102 Jonathan Hivert (Fra) Saur - Sojasun 0:28:22