The longest stage of the Circuit Cycliste Sarthe, stage 4 is 188.5 km long and finishes with a circuit that includes a 300 meter hill with an 18% grade.
The final stage is scheduled to start at 11:00 and finish between 15:17-15:42.
Slipstream Squad
Julian Dean
Dan Martin
Pat McCarty
Kilian Patour
Chris Sutton
Christian Vande Velde

Despite valiant efforts from all the boys today, Christian Vande Velde (left on final podium) couldn’t manage to steal back the time–just four little seconds–he needed to take the yellow jersey in the final stage of the 2008 Circuit Cycliste Sarthe.
The Argyle Armada was well-represented from the gun with Kilian Patour (right) joining […]

Sunday our riders race Paris-Roubaix. Even before they have done the race, I’m certain they will need more time to recuperate from this than from any other 260 km classic. The reason for this is simple: 28 sections of cobble stones totaling 52.8 km.
Over this total distance of cobbles, the body has to deal […]

Basically, today the plan was to make sure no big breakaways went without us. We went with all the breaks initially, and the first 60 km was total chaos.
The steady headwind meant that groups would get a gap…and then get dragged back. 45 kph average into a headwind! It was pretty much maxxed […]

Bicycling’s European Correspondent James Startt talks to Magnus Backstedt about his preparedness for Sunday’s upcoming Paris-Roubaix.
Said Maggy about his favorite goal: “You can do 150 races in a year and they are all pretty much the same. But not this one. There is only one race like this in the whole season.”

This 186.5 km stage includes three climbs: St-Georges-sur-Erve, the Cote de la Noe and the mean little Cote de Creuse with a whopping 14% grade.
Stage 3 is scheduled to start at 11:15 and finish between 15:29-15:54.
Slipstream Squad
Julian Dean
Dan Martin
Pat McCarty
Kilian Patour
Chris Sutton
Christian Vande Velde

CyclisMag.com has been following French Directeur Sportif Lionel Marie as he embarks on his new career with Slipstream/Chipotle H3O. Marie talks about how the team is open to the media and also how much Trent Lowe has impressed him as a cyclist and person.
Said Marie: “…celui qui m’impressionne le plus, c’est Trent Lowe. Il a […]

After 120 km on the lam, a four-man break was swallowed up with just 3 km to go and stage 4 wrapped up with a bunch sprint. Christian Vande Velde (12th) and Thomas Voeckler (26th) both finished with the same time as the stage winner. The French rider, however, managed to pick up 3″ in […]