Tirreno - Adriatico (2014) Photos March 12 - 18

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A couple of serious Germans looking to get the pre-race press conference underway	Alberto Contador trying not to notice the camera	Richie Porte has just arrived from Paris-Nice. Actually, he was never there, but you know what I mean
Fabian looking like the movie star he is. “I’m only thinking about Tirreno-Adriatico now: I’ll worry about Milano-Sanremo later. I’ll use this race to work for our leaders Kiserlowski and Arrendondo who are young. Next week it’s my birthday [18 March]. I hope to take something home at the end of this week in Italy: not just wine, but perhaps something with bubbles.”	Alberto Contador always has a lot to contemplate	Omega Pharma Quick Step has two of the rising GC stars in the sport, Rigoberto Uran and Michal Kwiatkowski: “Winning Strade Bianche hasn’t changed my plans. I always had Tirreno-Adriatico in mind as a very important race for me. I was fourth a year ago, and it was the first time I had done so well in a stage race, riding against the best in the world. We have a good team, and I think with Rigo we can really do well.”
Rigoberto Urán (Omega Pharma - Quick Step): “Our team has two riders who can do well here, although it’s a very hard race, We have a good team for tomorrow’s Team TimeTrial, which could be good for us. Then, in the race for the overall, Kwaitek can ride well on the long climbs, and I’m in good form, so we’ll see.”	Contador and Nairo Quintana	Nairo Quintana (Movistar Team): “Tirreno-Adriatico is a good race for me to build rhythm, gain experience of racing in Italy, and get to know the roads in view of the Giro. But I’m not ruling out a good result: I have an good team, and, I hope to reach the climbs in a good position, and then do my best.” Alberto Contador (Tinkoff-Saxo Bank): “Tirreno-Adriatico is an important goal. Lots of riders are here to prepare for the Giro,I want the final result. I’ve had a good winter, my sensations are perhaps the best I’ve ever had at the start of a season, and I’ve come here to get a good result.”
2011 winner of this race, Cadel Evans (BMC Racing Team): “Compared with last year, there aren’t as many climbs, but they are a bit longer. I don’t know the climbs, but the steep climb at Guardiagrele comes at the end of a long stage, so it’ll be hard. And when you see the field we have here, there are plenty of top climbers here.”	The sprinters press conference	Mark Cavendish loves racing in his adopted region. “I’ve ridden Tirreno-Adriatico every year since 2008. I like it here. I have a place in Tuscany and in the last years, the race has started here. I know the roads, It’s a nice race. The style of racing in Italy is different from elsewhere. The classics riders on all the teams always want to come here, so we always have strong teams here.”
Marcel Kittell (Giant-Shimano) has been the best sprinter so far this year coming into the race. “I’m happy to be here in Italy for my first Tirreno-Adriatico, I expect some nice sprints against Mark [Cavendish] and Andre [Greipel], and then we’ll see.”	What Philippe Gilbert lacks in results lately, he makes up for in style. “We want to win this race with Cadel, Time bonuses could be important, so Cadel will try hard in every stage, hoping to take some seconds. If I can support him, I will. If I can go myself for a stage, I will. But Cadel is the most important thing. I’ll work for the team and use Tirreno-Adriatico to build my form for Milano-Sanremo.”	Amongst a strong field of sprinters, Andre Greipel is taking this race very seriously. “This is my third Tirreno-Adriatico. I’ll try to win a stage here again. I have a really good team to support me in the sprints, and my condition is OK, so we’re going to try.”
Peter Sagan (Cannondale): “It’s the third time I’ve done Tirreno-Adriatico. I like the race. The important period of my season starts at this race, and then at Milano-Sanremo. I’ll try and get a result, and win a point or two, but Tirreno is also good for my preparation… like every year.”	... possibly hasn't shaken off his 2nd straight runner-up performance at Strade Bianche	New Italian star on the rise, Diego Ulissi (Lampre-Merida): “Strangely, although I live in Donoratico, this is my first Tirreno-Adriatico. It’s new to me, but my expectations are high. I’m in a good moment of form. I hope to do well in a stage, and then, for the General Classification, we’ll see how the race matures.”
Looks like Cavendish and Kittel have spent some time in the wind tunnel	Some serious contenders for the GC battle	The GC Photo Op has officially started
Sprinters Photo-Op

Stage 1:  Donoratico → San Vincenzo, 16.9 km  Full Results and Report

First down the ramp today, but second last in the results; 21st MTN-Qhubeka + 1:19	Omega Pharma-Quick Step posted the fastest time on the 16.9 km course winning in 20:13 (almost 55 kph)	Omega Pharma-Quick Step in tight formation
A pro for 20 years, this is Alessandro Petacchi's (middle) first team time trial win	Mark Cavendish crossing first	2nd Orica-GreenEdge 20:24 + 11s
Orica-GreenEdge sweeping right through the Tuscan landscape	Movistar was 3rd + 18s	4th Tinkoff-Saxo + 24s
5th Cannondale 20:39 + 26s	6th Team Sky 20:40 + 27s	Fabian Cancellara in the Trek Factory Swiss National TT Kit
8th Fabian Cancellara with Trek Factory teammates in tow + 36s	11th BMC Racing Team 21:00 + 47s	Garmin-Sharp's dismal 18th + 1:04 TTT result is alien to them. It would be easy to blame the dorky helmets as modeled by Dan Martin and David Miller.
Omega Pharma-Quick Step celebrates their Stage 1 win	Mark Cavendish enjoying the perk of being the first on his team to cross the line	With a sprint stage coming up next on Stage 2, he could be doing this again tomorrow

Stage 2:  San Vincenzo → Cascina, 173 km  Full Results and Report

Bradley Wiggins looking incognito this year	Philippe Gilbert and Fabian Cancellera	Race leader Mark Cavendish keeping cool
The early break passing through Bolgheri	The peloton letting the gap stretch out early on	The start of a Tuscan travelogue...
	Strade Bianche without the strade bianche	The five men break. Alex Dowsett (Movistar, right) would be the last survivor
Tony Martin thought today was another team time-trial
Mark Cavendish	Alberto Contador biding his until the mountain stages	Mark Cavendish and Michal Kwiatkowski
Reeling in the break	100m to go...	The sprint finish in full flight with Arnaud DEMARE (FDJ.fr) perfectly positioned on the inside bend
Arnaud DEMARE (FDJ.fr) trying to hang on	Going to be close	Same shot, different angle
It's over	Surprise winner... not one of the big names talked about pre-race	Surprise winner in today's sprint finish. Matteo PELUCCHI (IAM CYCLING) comes around André GREIPEL (LOTTO BELISOL) and beats Arnaud DEMARE (FDJ.fr) at the line
The victory and runner-up salutes	Biggest win for Matteo PELUCCHI (IAM CYCLING)	Matteo PELUCCHI (IAM CYCLING) getting instructions and guidance from the race organizers post win
Matteo PELUCCHI (IAM CYCLING) beat the 150:1 odds of him winning Stage 2
A pre-stage favorite, Cav wasn't a factor today, but he does keep the leader's jersey

Stage 3:  Cascina → Arezzo, 206 km  Full Results and Report

That's a forced smile. Bjarne Riis never smiles.	Today's main break	Tuscany scenery
	Mark Cavendish	The first pass through Arezzo with 57 km still to go
Omega Pharma Quick Step bringing the race back together	Uphill bunch sprint the next time through Arezzo
Peter SAGAN (CANNONDALE) caught Philippe GILBERT (BMC RACING) in the final 100m	Peter SAGAN (CANNONDALE) wins Stage 3
2nd Michal KWIATKOWSKI (OMEGA PHARMA - QUICK-STEP), 3rd Simon CLARKE (ORICA GreenEDGE) and slipping to 4th Philippe GILBERT (BMC RACING)	Arezzo hometown boy, Daniele BENNATI (TINKOFF-SAXO) was sixth in the same time	Quiet start to the season for Moreno MOSER (Cannondale) 50th + 14s...
but today his teammate won	Luca Paolini (128th + 49s) is starting to look like Joaquin Phoenix	Your stage 3 winner, Peter SAGAN (CANNONDALE)
	Michal KWIATKOWSKI keeps the race lead in the hands of OMEGA PHARMA - QUICK-STEP. He leads by 10s over teammate Rigoberto URAN. More to come...

Stage 4:  Indicatore → Cittareale, 237 km  Full Results and Report

Race leader Michal KWIATKOWSKI (OMEGA PHARMA - QUICK-STEP) signing in for Stage 4	Ready to roll in Indicatore (once the photo-op is done) for the first mountain stage
Early break		Bradley Wiggins is working as a domestique this week
The climbing was at the end of the stage	The climbing was gentle enough for Mark Cavendish
The final 14 km climb, Roman KREUZIGER (TINKOFF-SAXO) laid down a credible attack	Roman KREUZIGER (TINKOFF-SAXO) was making the other teams chase, taking the pressure of Alberto Contador	Michele SCARPONI (ASTANA) and Robert KISERLOVSKI (TREK FACTORY RACING) attacked off the pack. They finished 6th + 8s and 8th + 10s respectively
The rest of the GC contenders including the race leader	With the race all back together with several kms to go, Richie Porte (Sky) is now at the front	Alberto Contador taking inventory
Race leader Michal KWIATKOWSKI (OMEGA PHARMA - QUICK-STEP), 7th + 10s, was dangling at the back with Chris Horner, 9th + 11s. Daniel Moreno, at the back, jumped up to finish 3rd	The next group finished 17s back	A late attack in the final several hundred meters won the stage for Alberto Contador
With a 10s gap to the race leader and another 10s for the winning time bonus, Alberto Contador jumped up from 11th to 2nd on GC and is now 16s off the race lead	2nd Nairo QUINTANA (MOVISTAR) + 1s	A nice surge at the finish gave Daniel MORENO (KATUSHA) 3rd + 5s ahead of 4th Roman KREUZIGER (TINKOFF-SAXO) and 5th Richie PORTE (SKY)
9th Christopher HORNER (LAMPRE - MERIDA) + 11s said post stage that there wasn't enough climbing for him to be a factor	Your stage 4 winner, Alberto CONTADOR (TINKOFF-SAXO)
Still the race leader, Michal KWIATKOWSKI (OMEGA PHARMA - QUICK-STEP)

Stage 5:  Amatrice → Guardiagrele, 190 km  Full Results and Report

One of the pre-race favorites, Nairo Quintana, signing in	Beautiful start in Amatrice for what would turn out to be an epic stage finish	With an early break up the road, Quintana and Contador attacking the peloton from 40 km out. Conversations with Quintana: “I spoke to Nairo at the foot of the Passo Lanciano. Soon after the start, he had no team left. I still had Kreuziger. I thought the best strategy was to stay on Nairo’s wheel and then attack at the end of the stage, but instead I managed to open a gap. I’m happy because I was able to build a good advantage and stay away to the finish. I’m in good shape, and confident, hence the long attack today.“
		Contador dropping Quintana with about 30 km still to go
Finish profile with a maximum of 30%	30% at Guardiagrele
You don't often see the paperboy weave at the front of the race	281-GMD_6390_2.jpg
	2nd Simon GESCHKE (GIANT-SHIMANO) + 6s after being part of the early break	287-GMD_6401.jpg
Nairo QUINTANA Alexander (MOVISTAR) moved up to 2nd on GC + 2:08	319-CONTADORARRIVO.jpg	A dominating win by Alberto Contador after a 40 km attack
	This mornings race leader Michal KWIATKOWSKI (OMEGA PHARMA - QUICK-STEP) dropped out of the top 10 after finishing well back in 38th + 6:02	Overhead shot of the finishing climb with trailing riders
Your stage 5 winner, Alberto Contador. “I wouldn’t say it’s my best win on Italian soil because winning the Giro was incredible for me and, of all the Grand Tours I’ve won, it left me with wonderful memories.”	The sheriff is back in a big way	A cagey veteran now. “My preparation has been stress-free this winter. I have isolated myself a bit, I’ve turned down any commitments that could have taken time out from training. I’ve ridden many metres of climbing in training camps, and I’ve kept my mouth closed to keep my weight down, which becomes harder as you get older. You saw the results today, although the year has just begun, and I’m still lacking some race rhythm. My weight is good, but I still need to give my legs the tone they need for my big objectives later in the season.”
		Big GC lead too (over 2 minutes) heading into a flat stage and the short final day time trial
Might as well go into full celebratory mode now.

Stage 6:  Bucchianico → Porto Sant'Elpidio, 187 km  Full Results and Report

Alberto Contador signing in for his first day in the maglia azzurra	RAI's Davide Cassini talking to Lamre-Merida's Diago Ullisi... possibly asking him if he's going to defend his Coppi e Bartali title at the end of the month	The jersey leaders prior to the start in Bucchianico
Alberto Contador looks relaxed with over a 2 minute lead	Heading north along the Adriatic coast	Early break with BMC's Steve Morabito at the front
Alberto Contador	There wasn't much climbing on this stage, but Contador loves to get out of the saddle	Four man break again
Looks like Steve Morabito did most of the work in the break	Mark Cavendish and the peloton about to reel in the break	It wasn't a difficult stage, but the cat 3 climb 47 km from the finish popped Marcel Kittel out the back
After a crash with 1 km to go, Mark Cavendish was led to an easy victory by his Omega Pharma Quick-Step team	In fact, it was one-two for OPQS as his Cavendish's teammate and final lead out man Alessandro Petacchi crossed 2nd
Double victory salute. 3rd was Peter Sagan.		Cavendish post-stage: “The whole team was fabulous. I had everyone around me. We dropped back on each climb, but we stayed together and moved as a unit to the front afterwards. All the big motors we still with me in the final 4 km. Renshaw produced at least a thousand watts for the final 500m! I just stayed behind him. [Michal] Kwiatkowski was disappointed after [losing the overall race lead] yesterday, but today we can celebrate and hopefully get another win tomorrow with another member of our team.”
Stage 6 winner, Mark Cavendish		Easy day for the race leader, Alberto Contador
He'll make his overall win official after tomorrow's short individual time trial

Stage 7:  San Benedetto del Tronto, 9.2 km  Full Results and Report

Stage 7 used the same out and back 9.2 km flat course last year won by Tony Martin in a time of 10:25	Last year's runner-up on this course was this year's winner...	Italian Adriano MALORI (MOVISTAR) beat Tony Martin's time last year and this year. 1st 10:13.
2nd Fabian CANCELLARA (TREK FACTORY RACING) + 6s	3rd Bradley WIGGINS (SKY) + 11s	4th Tony MARTIN (OMEGA PHARMA - QUICK-STEP) + 15s
The best young rider overall sealed up his podium spot with a fine performance. 22nd Nairo QUINTANA (MOVISTAR) + 38s	With his overall win in the bag, Alberto CONTADOR (TINKOFF-SAXO) came through in 29th + 41s	Stage 7 ITT winner, Italian Adriano MALORI (MOVISTAR), can be proud. He beat the best in the world. Victory near the town where he took the Maglia Rosa in 2012: “I’ll come back to this part of Italy on holiday. It’s beautiful and it brings me luck. It still hasn’t sunk in. The result list is fantastic: my name above all the strongest specialists, it’s truly hard to believe.”
Your 2014 Tirreno-Adriatico podium: 2nd COL 2nd Nairo QUINTANA (COL/MOVISTAR) + 2:05 1st Alberto CONTADOR (ESP/TINKOFF-SAXO) 25:28:45, 3rd Roman KREUZIGER (CZE/TINKOFF-SAXO) + 2:14	565-PIC444202325.jpg	Minutes, not seconds: “I came to this race wanting to win it. I wasn’t happy at Arezzo when when I lost 6 seconds to Sagan and Kwiatkowski, because I thought those seconds might be decisive. But in the end I’ve won by a matter of minutes, so I’m very happy.”
The solo attack to Guardiagrele: “I wanted to do something different. In the morning, on the bus, I said that If I would go alone, if I thought I could make it all the way to the finish. It wasn’t in my plans to ride across to a group of breakaway riders, of course, but I was motivated that morning.”	The romance of the long-distance attack: “The crowds for the Tirreno have been big. In the end, people want to see something different: it’s what we all want in cycling. It’s not easy, and sometimes the opportunity never arises, or you don’t have the legs. But I was very happy the previous day, when I took my first uphill stage win, and, at Guardiagrele, I think I was 3 or 4 times happier."