June
Schleck
Schleck
Kirchen
Tour de Luxembourg (02.-05.06.05)
Tour de Suisse (11.-19.06.05)
News from our riders:
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Tour de Luxembourg (02.-05.06.05)
Tour de Suisse (11.-19.06.05)
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| June 26, 2005 Andy Schleck
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Results | 26.06.2005: Luxemburgish National Championships (road race) | Links: | |||||
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winner
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Three riders of ACC Contern were on the podium at the Luxemburgish road-race Nationals with Frank Schleck, Kim Kirchen and Andy Schleck in this order. Despite a very good race on a course that didn't suit him that well, Benoît Joachim lost his podium plans in the last lap. The race was very animated from the beginning with a group of 6 riders (Serafini, Degano, Bintz, Libar, Gressnich, Leven) attacking in the first kilometers and soon getting nearly 4 minutes of a gap. But the professional riders reacted and in only one lap, the four of them (2x Schleck, Kirchen, Joachim) bridged up to the leading group. The situation was already clear: two National titles would go to the riders that managed to stay with the professionals for the longest time (eventually Daniel Bintz for the elite without contract and Patrick Gessnich for the U23 category). As for the race of the elite with contract riders, it should be decided in the last two laps. Andy Schleck was the first to attack and he got a gap of 15", which suited very well his older brother who could leave the chase to Kirchen an Joachim. On the penultimate climb, Kim Kirchen counter-attacked and overtook the lead with Frank Schleck in his wheel, Joachim and Andy being dropped. But Frank decided to accelerate even more and he opened a small gap to Kim Kirchen. Frank Schleck managed to keep his advantage until the finish line and could celebrate his first National title in the elite category. | report on www.cyclingnews.com
2nd at 1" of Frank Schleck
3rd at 2'49" of Frank Schleck
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| June 24, 2005 Andy Schleck |
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Results | 24.06.2005: Luxemburgish National Championships (time-trial) | Links: | |
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Without surprise, Andy Schleck has become the 2005 Luxemburgish National Time-trial Champion in the category elite with contract. Without surprise, because after the last-minute absence of Benoît Joachim, Andy was the only rider to compete for the titel in his category. But he has shown that he deserved well the tri-coloured national jersey, because on a difficult course with nearly 150 m to climb, he caught 4 of the riders started before him and needed only 22'45" for the 18 km, which means an average speed of 47,6 km/h. He rode even faster on the first of the two laps, 9 km in 11'14" at an average speed of 48,1 km/h. After his victories in the junior and U23 categories, it is the 8th National Titel in 4 years won by Andy Schleck, and his first ever victory as member of the ACC Contern. | news on www.cyclingnews.com
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| June 11-19, 2005 Frank Schleck
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Results | 19.06.2005 9: Ulrichen - Ulrichen (100 km) | Links: | |||||||
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| 38th at 13'30" of Aitor Gonzalez |
"Terminaitor" is back from the past to prevent Frank Schleck from taking his first professional victory and Michael Rogers from winning the Tour de Suisse. With a beautiful solo effort in the last 35 km, Aitor Gonzalez flew away from the rest to the stage and overall victory. Behind him, Frank Schleck was the strongest rider in the final. After his acceleration in the Furkapass, a chasing groupe with also Atienza, Horner, and Piepoli formed behind Gonzalez, whereas Michael Rogers was in serious trouble a little bit further down. The Australian race leader showed fighting spirit and came back to the group with Schleck before the end of the climb, but it was too late to stop Gonzalez. On the last 500m of the stage, Schleck accelerated once again to win the sprint ... for second place. With this performance, he moved up one more place in the overall classification where he finishes in 4th position, 1'41" behind the winner. He is also 8th in the points classification and should have fullfilled the expectations of the team managers in his first ever race as leader of Team CSC. Kim Kirchen, who has declared that he is feeling better and better every day, also showed himself once more today. After 10 km on the Nufenen Pass, the roof of the Tour, he attacked with 6 other riders. During the next climbs, some bridged up to this group, some others were dropped but the Luxemburgish champion stayed in the lead until 50 km from the end, before finishing the stage in his own rythm, 15 minutes behind the winner. In the overall classification, Kim finishes in 33rd position, he is 14th in the King of the Mountains competition and 7th in the intermediate sprint classification. No extraordinary results, but a good preparation for the Tour de France, that should be the conclusion for this Tour de Suisse concerning Kim Kirchen. |
report on www.cyclingnews.com
33rd at 30'10" of Aitor Gonzalez
2nd at 46" of Aitor Gonzalez
4th at 1'41" of Aitor Gonzalez
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Results | 18.06.2005 8: Lenk - Verbier (165 km) | Links: | |||||||
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| 117th at 16'02" of Pablo Lastras |
During this stage with a mountain top finish, the two riders from ACC Contern had different destinies. Whereas Kim Kirchen, who doesn't like big heat too much, finished in the gruppetto 16 minutes behind the winner because he didn't want to dig too deep under those hot weather conditions and just two weeks away from the Tour de France, Frank Schleck has been well present at the front, alongside the Rogers, Ullrich, McGee or Piepoli. Frank was very strong at the beginning of the last climb but like all the others, he wasn't able to hold on to Aitor Gonzalez. Behind stage winner Lastras, the Spaniard dropped all the favourites in the last 5 km and took over a minute to them. Gonzalez takes over the 4th position overall, but due to his good performance and a bad day for Jeker, Schleck was able to hold on to his 4th place. |
report on www.cyclingnews.com
40th at 17'09" of Michael Rogers
8th at 1'21" of Pablo Lastras
5th at 1'27" of Michael Rogers
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Results | 17.06.2005 7: Einsiedeln - Lenk (193 km) | Links: | |||||||
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| 72nd at 23" of Linus Gerdemann |
A transition stage before the last two, terrible days in the mountains. Once again, Team CSC and Fassa Bortolo had riders in the good break of 6 riders. And with success because Linus Gerdemann, team-mate of Frank Schleck and Germany's presumed new wonderboy, won the stage after having attacked from this group with 7 km to go. Lorenzo Bernucci, team-mate of Kim Kirchen, has taken second place in the stage. |
report on www.cyclingnews.com
14th at 2'28" of Michael Rogers
33rd at 23" of Linus Gerdemann
5th at 1'27" of Michael Rogers
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Results | 16.06.2005 6: Bürglen - Arosa (159 km) | Links: | |||||||
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| 13th at 1'48" of Chris Horner |
The leadership has changed during this second mountain stage of the Tour de Suisse. The Luxemburgish riders were once again very good and Australian Michael Rogers took the golden jersey by dropping Jan Ullrich in the last climb. Just behind the rider from Quick-step, Frank Schleck finished in 4th place. With Rogers, Gil, Valjavec, Gonzalez and Piepoli, he was one of the rare riders to be able to follow an acceleration of Fabian Jeker with 2 km to go, an attack that caused damage to Jan Ullrich and Kim Kirchen. Kirchen finished the stage in the wheel of the German, thirty seconds behind Rogers and Schleck, but he had tried his chance earlier on with 20 km to go, together with Niermann, Voigt and Elminger. Of course, Kirchen and mostly Schleck improve their positions in the overall classification. |
report on www.cyclingnews.com
14th at 2'28" of Michael Rogers
4th at 1'14" of Chris Horner
5th at 1'27" of Michael Rogers
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Results | 15.06.2005 5: Bad Zurzach - Altdorf (172 km) | Links: | |||||||
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| 66th at 38" of Michael Albasini |
A transition stage dominated by a break of 7 riders in which both Kirchen and Schleck had some team-mates (Scandinavian riders Johansson and Larsson). The two Luxemburgish riders only had to follow the cats-and-mouse-game of the field, first letting the break make up a big gap and then trying to catch them. But this time, the chasers lost the game and Swiss rider Albasini celebrated his first big victory. |
report on www.cyclingnews.com
15th at 2'08" of Jan Ullrich
30th at 38" of Michael Albasini
8th at 1'41" of Jan Ullrich
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Results | 14.06.2005 4: Vaduz - Bad Zurzach (208 km) | Links: | |||||||
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| 81st at 0" of Robbie McEwen |
After his three stage victories in the Giro d'Italia, Robbie McEwen also showes in Switzerland that he seems to be the best sprinter in 2005. He has easily won one of the rare bunch sprints in this race, without even making his team work. No problem for Schleck and Kirchen in the main peloton. Kim has attacked yet again with Alexandre Moos on the last climb, with 15 km to go, but the bunch did not want to let them go. Frank had some of his team-mates (Voigt, Gusev, Julich, Johansson) in different breaks today and could stay calmly inside the pack. |
report on www.cyclingnews.com
15th at 2'08" of Jan Ullrich
27th at 0" of Robbie McEwen
8th at 1'41" of Jan Ullrich
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Results | 13.06.2005 3: Abtwil / St. Anton (154 km) | Links: | |||||||
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| 19th at 0" of Bradley McGee |
The first mountains are already there with the Arlbergpass less than 10 km from the finish. The T-Mobile of Jan Ullrich have tried to lock the race but couldn't dissuade some riders from attacking, Kim Kirchen for example who accelerated just before the summit of the climb and passed the mountain top in second position chasing behind Koldo Gil. But on the luxemburgish side, Frank Schleck made the best operation of the day. He was also in the leading group of 23 riders at the finish and this allowed him to move up to 8th place in the general classification. Bradley McGee won the stage and is now only 2 seconds away from the golden jersey of Kaiser Jan. |
report on www.cyclingnews.com
15th at 2'08" of Jan Ullrich
14th at 0" of Bradley McGee
8th at 1'41" of Jan Ullrich
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Results | 12.06.2005 2: Weinfelden (36 km time-trial) | Links: | |||||||
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| 27th at 2'08" of Jan Ullrich |
Very important second day with a time trial where Jan Ullrich showed that he seems to be ready for the Tour de France. The German rider has won the stage and taken the golden jersey as well as a serious option on the overall victory. On a course with two small climbs, the Luxemburgish riders did well because both of them were among the 30 best. Frank Schleck, for whom this Tour de Suisse is one of the major goals of the season, took 17th position less than 2 minutes late on Jan Ullrich. Kim Kirchen, who takes the stage race more as preparation for the Tour de France, finishes 10 places and 30 seconds further down. |
report on www.cyclingnews.com
26th at 2'08" of Jan Ullrich
17th at 1'41" of Jan Ullrich
15th at 1'41" of Jan Ullrich
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Results | 11.06.2005 1: Schaffhausen - Weinfelden (170 km) | Links: | |||||||
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| 44th at 6" of Bernhard Eisel |
Nearly a bunch sprint at the end of stage 1, but a small group of 6 riders got away from the rest during the sprint preparations in the narrow and twisty roads of Weinfelden, among them 3 Française des Jeux and 2 Quick-Step riders. After a surprise attack of Bettini in the last 500m, it was finally Bernhard Eisel who went faster than the real sprinters Boonen, Cooke or McGee. Kim Kirchen and Frank Schleck have finished in the main peloton, a few seconds before Gregory Rast, most aggressive rider of the day with a solo break of 100 kilometers. |
report on www.cyclingnews.com
46th at 16" of Bernhard Eisel
55th at 6" of Bernhard Eisel
56th at 16" of Bernhard Eisel
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| June 15 - 18, 2005 Andy Schleck |
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Results | 18.06.2005: 5. Buchten - Eindhoven (135 km) | Links: | |||
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| 60th at 0" of Enrico Degano |
It all finished as it begun with Enrico Degano winning the massive sprint of the last stage, just as he had already done it in the first one. The stage didn't seem interesting on paper but, in fact, it was deciding for the overall classification because Stefan Schumacher took those two seconds in an intermediate sprint that allowed him to come around Nick Nuyens and to celebrate yet another victory in an UCI-Continental-Tour-stage-race after his impressive double score Niedersachsen- / Rheinlandpfalz-rundfahrt. Andy Schleck finished in the peloton and thereby consolidated his 14th place in the final overall classification. Once more he has given us great expectations for his future career. |
report on www.cyclingnews.com
14th at 48" of Stefan Schumacher
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Results | 17.06.2005: 4. Verviers - La Gileppe (181 km) | Links: | |||
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| 8th at 31" of Erwin Thijs |
After the Amstel, here comes Liège-Bastogne-Liège, because the Dutch organizers had planned a little trip to the Belgian Ardennes with climbs such as the côte de Rogier or the Redoute. A good course for Andy Schleck of course who was present at the front along with nearly the same riders as yesterday: Schumacher, Nuyens, Vastarranta and more. 3 riders of an early break had already taken all the podium places, but behind them Schleck took a valuable 8th place which allowed him also to gain several places in the overall classification. |
report on www.cyclingnews.com
14th at 47" of Nick Nuyens
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Results | 16.06.2005: 3. Sittard - Valkenburg (181 km) | Links: | |||
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| 6th at 0" of Yukka Vastarranta |
A touch of Amstel Gold Race on the third stage through the Limburgse hills with climbs like the Bemmelenberg or the finish at the top of the Cauberg. In this conditions, it was no surprise that the Rabobank team was very active today with riders like Dekker, De Jongh or young Finish talent Vastarranta who won the final sprint of a leading group of 22 riders. In this group, there was also a very good Andy Schleck, who was with the best on every climb of the day. Unfortunately for him, the race turned out to be tactical in the final and the lead group at the foot of the Cauberg war far too big and had riders a lot faster than Andy in it. |
report on www.cyclingnews.com
19th at 47" of Nick Nuyens
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Results | 15.06.2005: 2. Nurth/Schimmert (11 km contre-la-montre) | Links: | |||
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| 42nd at 56" of Michael Rich |
German Michael Rich, one of the best time-trial riders of the world, has won the battle against the clock before Belgian classic rider Nick Nuyens and another specialist, Thomas Dekker. Andy Schleck has done a solid performance by loosing less than a minute to the winner in 10,7 km, although the course was more suitable for strong riders capable of turning big gears on the windy roads. |
report on www.cyclingnews.com
33rd at 56" of Michael Rich
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Results | 15.06.2005: 1. Schijndel - Nurth/Schimmert (124 km) | Links: | |||
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| 73rd at 0" of Enrico Degano |
First stage without big happenings besides a small climb crossed by Dutch rider Smink in the lead, a long break by Kenny Van Hummel who won the only intermediate point of the day, and a massive sprint where Enrico Degano was fastest. Most of the riders, including Andy Schleck, probably already had their minds with the afternoon individual time-trial. |
report on www.cyclingnews.com
73rd at 0" of Enrico Degano
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| June 2-5, 2005 Kim Kirchen |
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Results | 05.06.2005: 4. Diekirch - Diekirch (155 km) | Links: | |||
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| 26th at 16" of Bram Schmitz |
Suspense until the end at the Tour de Luxembourg 2005, because the yellow jersey leader virtually changed his owner several times during the last stage and with 2 kilometers to go, nobody knew who would win the overall classification between Bernucci and Vastarranta attacking, Bodrogi defending on his own or Cancellara waiting for his opportunity. Fassa Bortolo were the first to launch an attack on the yellow jersey by sending Claudio Corioni to the front in a group with riders as Jörgensen, Kroon or Augé. After that, it was defending champion Maxime Monfort who attacked several times on the steepest climb and finally, a group of 4 riders with Vastarranta et Bernucci managed to get a gap in the final kilometers, with also Frigo and eventual stage winner Bram Schmitz in it. But the solid Hungarian rider defended himself very well, first with the help of his team Crédit Agicole, then on his own on the final kilometers. Bodrogi finally took a deserved overall victory by the smallest of all margins, less than a second, on Fabian Cancellara. The Swiss rider had been victim of a puncture at a bad moment of the race and wasn't really strong enough in the climbs to truly worry Bodrogi. Kim Kirchen worked for the team the whole day, by neutralizing an attack of Montfort or by staying with Cancellara at critical moments and can be credited with a good race ... although victory wasn't achieved. |
report on www.cyclingnews.com
more pictures
29th at 14'59" of Laszlo Bodrogi
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Results | 04.06.2005: 3b. Bettembourg - Bettembourg (11 km ITT) | Links: | |||
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| 5th at 21" of Fabian Cancellara |
With a little help from the weather, overall favourite Laszlo Bodrogi took the lead of the Tour de Luxembourg after the individual time-trial. Despite the victory of Cancellara and the good performance of Kim Kirchen in 5th place, Fassa Bortolo are the loosers of the afternoon because leader Ongarato, who had to ride under the rain whereas others raced under dry conditions, lost over a minute and the yellow jersey to Bodrogi. A jersey that could have been taken by Cancellara if the Swiss rider hadn't lost some precious seconds in the first stage, where he slowed down in the final meters after having done his work to prepare the sprint. He is now second overall, less than a second late on the Hungarian. |
report on www.cyclingnews.com
more pictures
34th at 14'59" of Laszlo Bodrogi
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Results | 04.06.2005: 3a. Mersch - Luxembourg (95 km) | Links: | |||
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| 3th at 1" of Dario Frigo |
Complete domination of the Fassa Bortolo squad in the morning stage where they took 1, 2 and 3 on the podium. The white and blue riders where already representd in the first break of the day with Lorenzo Bernucci alongside rides like the leader of the UCI Europe Tour, Stefan Schumacher. This group had taken over three minutes of advance on the main field. But with the gap decreasing, Bernucci dedided to have a go and took the lead on the first of the finishing circuits. Two laps later, he was swallowed by the peloton but in the penultimate climb, Dario Frigo attacked and took 20 seconds of advantage. On the very last climb, this advantage melted like snow in the sun, but the former Paris-Nice winner took his first victory of the season with only a second left on Ongarato and Kim Kirchen. The Luxemburgish champion has done a nice race on a course that suits him well but due to the team tactics, he couldn't achieve a better result for himself. |
report on www.cyclingnews.com
more pictures
37th at 15'13" of Alberto Ongarato
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Results | 03.06.2005: 2. Colmar/Berg - Leudelange (188 km) | Links: | |||
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| 50th at 12" of Alberto Ongarato |
Alberto Ongarato and the Fassa Bortolo riders took their revenge for yesterday's defeat by doing a perfect stage: the whole team, Kim Kirchen included, worked well to keep the riders together until the last straight line, then Frigo and Bernucci prepared the sprint and Ongarato concluded by taking the stage victory and the overall lead. The stage has also been marked by a break of 3 riders, David Kopp, Bram Schmitz and Jeremy Hunt who had nearly 10 minutes advantage before being chased down on the final circuit around Leudelange. |
report on www.cyclingnews.com
57th at 15'11" of Alberto Ongarato
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Results | 02.06.2005: 1. Luxembourg - Mondorf (176 km) | Links: | |||
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| 64th at 14'43" of Eric Baumann |
Like this happened already often in the past, the first stage saw already lots of riders burry their dreams for overall victory, among them also Kim Kirchen. The first two hours of racing were very fast on a difficult course with several climbs, and this was too much for the Luxembourgish champ who did his first race after a month of recovering from the classics and missed the good break. It was shortly after the very steep Mur de Wormeldange that 36 riders managed to get away and they made a good gap over the climb of Wintrange. Most of the teams were represented at the front and Fassa Bortolo had several men, among them the rapid Ongarato. Kim Kirchen, who begins now with his preperation for the Tour de France, now had to follow the team tactics and stay in the peloton. His white and blue teammates instead were very active at the front of the lead group with riders like Cancellara or Corioni. But they lost the victory on the last 200 meters when Eric Baumann showed faster legs than Ongarato. Maxime Monfort was also present in the first group and so becomes serious contender for his own succession. |
report on www.cyclingnews.com
more pictures
64th at 14'53" of Eric Baumann
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| June 5, 2005 Andy Schleck |
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Results | 02.06.2005: Wachovia USPRO Championships | Links: | |
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| 29th at 44" of Chris Werry |
In the most prestigious American one-day race, the open USPRO championships over 250km, Andy Schleck was well present in the heart of the action. On the course in the centre of Piladelphie, a group of 40 riders managed to get away after only two and a half out of ten laps on the Manayunk Wall (1,5 km with up to 17% gradient) and wouldn't be caught again. In this group, Andy Schleck found himself with his CSC team-mates Bak, Michaelsen, Julich and Bruun, but also with riders like defending champion Rodriguez, Van Heeswijk, Hammond or Vogels. In the very tactical final, the big teams like CSC, Discovery, Saunier-Duval or Davitamon watched themselves closely and three home riders of smaller teams profited from their rivalry to get and stay away. With an attack 2 km from the finish line Chris Wherry won the race and the stars-and-stripes jersey. Andy Schleck finishe in the first group. |
| June 2, 2005 Andy Schleck |
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Results | 02.06.2005: Wachovia Classics | Links: | |
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| 67th at 0" of Gordon Fraser |
The Wachovia Classic in Trenton, New Jersey is known as sprinter race because the flat course consists mainly of two long straight lines with just a few turns in between. Team CSC tried to avoid the unavoidable by sending some riders on attack and Bobby Julich and Andy Schleck managed to break away in a group of 15 riders with 90 km to go. The group had a maximum lead of 2'40" at 70 from the finish when the peloton decided to react. Bobby Julich found that the break was too slow for him and went to the front with McCormack, leaving to Schleck the task to control the rest of the group. But the main field chased hard and swallowed first the chasers and then, after 70 km of break, also Julich and McCormack. Finally, Gordon Fraser won the bunch sprint ahead of US champion Fred Rodriguez. |
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