Pro Cycling: Tour Mediterranean 2010
Feb 10 - Feb 14

Tour Mediterranean Dashboard

Stage 1:  Carcassone - Souvain 95km  Full Results and Report

Skil-Shimano bundled up at the team presentations in Carcassone. They have one of the best team kits so no need to change it each year.	Riders at the start with temperatures hovering around freezing all day.	A 16 man break contesting the bunch sprint in Souvain 95 km later. Notice that both Alejandro Valverde (Caisse d'Epargne) and Alexandre Vinokourov (Astana) were present in the lead group
For the second year in a row, Yauheni Hutarovich (Blr) Francaise Des Jeux wins the opening stage of Tour Mediterraneen	The Belarusian champion doesn't seem to mind the freezing cold weather. 3rd (Maxim Iglinskiy (Kaz) Astana) and 2nd (William Bonnet (Fra) BBox Bouygues Telecom) may have been weighed down by the burden of extra clothing	Who is this Miche rider crossing with Jos van Emden and how old is he? He looks and wears his helmet like a junior. Sort it out! Update: The Miche rider is Colombian Edwin Andres Carvajal Jaramillo.
	Your winner, Yauheni Hutarovich (Blr) Francaise Des Jeux	As always, the first winner of a stage gets the bonus of a yellow jersey. He has a 4 second overall lead.

Stage 2:  Peynier - Trets 170km  Full Results and Report

Despite ample clothing and facial protection, Michael Rasmussen found the conditions too difficult and later abandoned the race	The main break in the midst of forming	No respect for the Yellow Jersey as race leader Yauheni Hutarovich of Francaise des Jeux gets squeezed off the road
Another (albeit tainted) win for Francaise des Jeux. Jussi Veikkanen takes advantage of a course official's mistake to claim the stage win	... followed by confused riders who were part of the break that was steered off course	"WTF !!"
Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita) of AG2R La Mondiale lodges the screw up/protest with a race official on behalf of the riders in the break	The mistake didn't impact Yauheni Hutarovich (L) who was several minutes off the pace and would have lost his Yellow Jersey either way. But, Dan Martin (R) of Garmin-Transitions was part of the misdirected break and was caught with 1 km to go.	Nonetheless, Francaise des Jeux has their second win and another burly, cold weather lover in Yellow. Finland's Jussi Veikkanen has a four second overall lead.

Stage 3:  Greasque - Six Fours Le Brusc, 115km   Full Results and Report

The Irish National Champion, Nicolas Roche, and his dad prior to the start in Greasque.	Another national champion on AG2R is the French rider suitably christened Dimitri Champion. Another cold day obviously...	but nice to see a blue sky in all of today's photos. The forecast called for heavy snow. The riders on their 115 km way to Six Fours Le Brusc.
Race favorite, Alejandro Valverde, bridging up to a Cofidis rider who started the main break with Alexander Vinokourov stuck to his rear wheel (until he was dropped)	Alejandro Valverde's break didn't succeed; another sprint finish coming at you	Yauheni Hutarovich of Francaise Des Jeux has done it again...
... another cold-blooded win by the Belarusian champion	Normally, Francaise Des Jeux doesn't have much to celebrate but this week the hugs and kisses have been flowing. They've won* all three stages and owned the Yellow Jersey. Upper right: That's team director Marc Madiot planting one on Hutarovich's cheek.	Laugh it up. Lets see how you make it over tomorrow's cat 1 climb in Provence Alpes and the uphill finish in Biot (near Nice).

Stage 4:  La Londe les Maures - Biot 160km  Full Results and Report

Today's medium mountain stage with an uphill finish in Biot suited Alejandro Valverde	Blue skies but another freezing cold day at the start in La Londe Les Maures which race leader and Finland 's Jussi Veikkanen didn't mind	The weather conditions looked good as a break formed
Caisse d'Epargne working to bring it back for their captain, Alejandro Valverde	With Julien El Farés of Cofidis leading a three man break by one-minute at the 114km mark near St. Paul en Foret, "the race was halted after authorities in the Alpes-Maritimes department warned of inclement conditions."	According to Cyclingnews: "There was a long discussion of how to proceed. Initially it was thought that the race could continue to the final kilometres under the neutral flag, but then that plan was scuttled for an early finish line."
And here's the evidence up the road. I guess there aren't snow plows in this region of France otherwise, this small amount of snow cover could have been dealt with by race officials. Update: there was also black ice in other spots.	According to Velonews: "The race began yet again, but the pack refused to sprint for the victory and El Farés was given the unofficial victory."	Not really the sort of win Julien El Farés was hoping for
A[nother] disappointing stage finish for fans at this year's Tour Méditerranéen

Stage 5:  La Ciotat - Toulon (Mt. Faron) 126km  Full Results and Report

Looking down from the top of Mt Faron as the peloton rounds one of the many tight switchbacks. The cat 1 climb would decide the race.	Francesco Masciarelli (Ita) of Acqua e Sapone solo off the front	Alejandro Valverde on Maxim Iglinskiy's wheel some 15 seconds back of Masciarelli followed by Rinaldo Nocentini and Johnny Hoogerland
Alexandre Vinokourov (Kaz) of Astana would finish 10th	Tom Danielson (USA) of Garmin-Transitions was a respectable 14th	23 year-old Francesco Masciarelli (Ita) of Acqua e Sapone gets the biggest win of his young career, but he was 6'30" back on GC to start the day
Valverde finished just ahead of Nocentini to capture the GC win. Robert Gesink of Rabobank was 4th today.	The view of Toulon as the remaining riders finish in the darkening late afternoon	This gives you an idea of how narrow the road is at the top where the grade averages 10-12%
Another one-week stage race win for Valverde as his own dark cloud continues to loom over him