School’s finally out for the summer, so expect to see Pavé back to a more frequent/regular post schedule. There’s also a new site design in the works, so keep checking back for changes, updates, and possibly a new address (don’t worry, I won’t surprise you with that). As always, your constructive feedback are always appreciated—I want to make the site as user-friendly and accessible as possible.
Without further ado, here’s this week’s Monday Musette.
1. Have we discounted Lance Armstrong’s chances in this year’s Tour a bit too much? Following a solid 2nd-place finish in last week’s Tour de Suisse, it’s beginning to look like perhaps we have. Lance rode with the main group of favorites on the tough mountain stage to La Punt, hung-in on a surprisingly difficult transitional stage Saturday, and then cemented his place on the podium with a respectable time trial. While I still have a hunch that Armstrong’s a bit closer to his ceiling than many of the other favorites, his performance last week indicates that he’s at least capable of remaining relevant in July—but just how much so remains to be seen.
2. Lost in the Armstrong hype were the top-10 performances of Andreas Kloden and Levi Leipheimer. These two—plus Dauphine-winner Janez Brajkovic and Pais Vasco-winner Chris Horner—give Radio Shack the deepest team in this year’s Tour. While inter-squad tactics might hurt the team’s best chances for a yellow jersey in Paris, there’s a strong possibility the team prize will be theirs.
In other Tour de Suisse news…
3. While Tony Martin missed the overall win I had predicted he would earn, he still performed solidly all race, beating Fabian Cancellara and David Zabriskie to take the final stage’s individual time trial. If Martin continues to develop as a climber, thus limiting his losses in big mountain stages like Thursday’s, he’s certainly a rider HTC can build around for grand tour success—and Germany’s first legitimate grand tour contender since Jan Ullrich. Look for him to take the first white jersey of this year’s Tour in Rotterdam—and if beats the men he defeated yesterday—the first yellow one too.
4. Andy and Frank Schleck seem right on track for the type of Tour de France we expect from them. With a stage win and the overall title, older brother Frank should be perfectly content in dedicating all of his energy toward helping Andy. As for Andy, his form’s not quite there yet, but with three weeks until the Tour’s first mountain stages—and four before the race hits the Pyrennees—he should be firing on all cylinders when he needs to be. I also have a hunch that Bjarne Riis will be announcing a brand new sponsor before the starts the Saturday after next—Schleck’s win might have been enough to seal whatever prospective deal he’s had in the works.
5. Roman Kreuziger’s another rider who appears to be peaking at just the right time for a good Tour result. While I expected a bit more from him during Thursday’s stage to La Punt, he think he’ll be fine in July. Unfortunately, he’s still not guaranteed the leadership of his Liquigas team—especially with Ivan Basso training well and Vincenzo Nibali winning races. All in all, there’s enough going-on for the men in green to make Liquigas’ choice of a team captain one of the Tour’s more intriguing sub-plots.
6. Stijn Devolder seems to have just enough fitness to have tricked himself—and at least several thousand Belgians—into thinking he can pull a top-10 result in this year’s Tour. Don’t drink the Kool Aid though—Devolder would fare much better hunting for stages wins. That said, look for him to impress this weekend in the Belgian national championship—a second title is well within reach.
7. At what point is Maxime Monfort going to get the win he deserves? He rode his butt off in Saturday’s breakaway, ultimately falling to Caisse d’Epargne’s one-two punch of Da Costa and Rojas. He followed that up with an 8th-place finish in yesterday’s time trial. Let’s hope Monfort gets a chance or two to ride for himself in the Tour—I’d love to see him take a stage.
8. Was Christian Vandevelde even racing last week? If Garmin’s smart, they’ll be putting the majority of their eggs in Tyler Farrar’s basket next month—he’s a much safer bet for success. I’d take a stage win or two over another mid-top-10 finish anyway.
9. We can’t finish the conversation about this year’s Tour de Suisse without discussing the now infamous crash at the end of Stage 4. While I love bashing him just as much as the rest of you do, it’s hard for me to assign 100% of the blame to Cavendish for causing Tuesday’s crash. Haussler and he were both sprinting at a bit of an angle—Cavendish just deviated from his the most.
On the other hand, if he really did spit on Haussler as they were picking themselves up off the pavement—as has been reported—then Cavendish deserves every bit of the flack he received from the rest of the peloton. As long as Cavendish makes himself the center of attention, he should expect to receive all the attention—positive and negative—that he seems to crave.
10. As for the rider protest to Start 5, it’s a shame the riders have more courage to police their ranks than the UCI—the sport’s governing body—does. Maybe a little peer pressure will help Boy Racer become Man Racer—credit the riders for trying.
11. But while riders policing riders is one thing, races policing teams is another. At first I felt a bit of schadenfreude upon hearing the news of Team Radio Shack’s exclusion from this year’s Vuelta, but I’m less supportive of the organization’s decision once I became able to take an objective look at the situation. While the Vuelta’s organizers might be said to have had the best of intentions in leaving Bruyneel and his men at home this autumn (who knows where the federal investigation will be by the time late-August arrives), they are acting hypocritically in singling them out this time. Have we already forgotten the name of last year’s “winner”?
Spain has long been considered one of the dirtiest countries in cycling—from a doping standpoint at least. Once France and Italy began cleaning house (as best they could), the Iberian Peninsula became a hotbed for the sport’s most cutting-edge “preparation” methods. Letting Radio Shack bear the brunt of recent allegations only emphasizes the disparate methods by which information is revealed and dealt with. It’s not the job of race organizers to punish teams for their alleged unsportsmanlike activities—it’s the job of the UCI and the various other “professional” organizations charged with ensuring the sport is as clean and as fair as is humanly possible.
All this begs an even more important question: when will the UCI start policing the ranks so the rest of its stakeholders (riders, organizers, fans, etc.) don’t have to? It’s an answer they’ll need to answer soon—especially if Landisgate becomes as big a scandal as some think it might be. If the sports own governing body could do a better job in handling brats, cheats, and hypocrites, individual interests wouldn’t have to take matters into their own hands.
That’s enough time on the soapbox for one week.
Share your comments below.
Showing posts with label vuelta. Show all posts
Showing posts with label vuelta. Show all posts
Monday, June 21, 2010
Friday, September 18, 2009
Weekend Preview - Vuelta and Isbergues
The Vuelta wraps-up this weekend with a flat 27km time trial around the ancient city of Toledo and the traditional final stage into Madrid.
Friday's Stage 19 was supposed to provide a last chance for GC fireworks with a summit finish in La Granja. Unfortunately, more explosions happened off the back of the lead group than at the front with Robert Gesink succumbing to his injuries from a crash a few days ago--he lost several minutes and now sits in 6th place overall, a whopping 5:30 down.
As for Saturday, look for Alejandro Valverde to hold his lead. The gaps are simply too far to his challengers; he should prove able to keep them at bay. As for the rest of the podium, Cadel Evans could leapfrog Basso and Sanchez to claim 2nd place. If he does, look for the talk to begin of "what could have been" had he not flatted on the stage to Sierra Nevada. As for Sanchez and Basso, neither should be discounted--they've been known to ride a good ITT when it counts.
As for the stage winner, I'm picking Frantisek Rabon to give Columbia-HTC yet another stage win. Greipel should bag them another come Sunday as well.
Moving north, one of my favorite fall races, the Grand Prix d'Isbergues takes place Sunday, with a bevy of French and Benelux teams taking the line. Look for Romain Feillu, Jimmy Casper, Yauheni Hutarovich, and Nick Nuyens to fight it out for the title. Remind me sometime to tell you the story involving me, a hungover mechanic, 7 flat tires, and Geert Van Bondt hanging-on to the side of our team car at about 70kmph--with only two of the car's wheels on asphalt. It happened at Isbergues.
Ah the memories!
What about you? What are you looking forward to this weekend? Any picks?
Share your comments below.
Friday's Stage 19 was supposed to provide a last chance for GC fireworks with a summit finish in La Granja. Unfortunately, more explosions happened off the back of the lead group than at the front with Robert Gesink succumbing to his injuries from a crash a few days ago--he lost several minutes and now sits in 6th place overall, a whopping 5:30 down.
As for Saturday, look for Alejandro Valverde to hold his lead. The gaps are simply too far to his challengers; he should prove able to keep them at bay. As for the rest of the podium, Cadel Evans could leapfrog Basso and Sanchez to claim 2nd place. If he does, look for the talk to begin of "what could have been" had he not flatted on the stage to Sierra Nevada. As for Sanchez and Basso, neither should be discounted--they've been known to ride a good ITT when it counts.
As for the stage winner, I'm picking Frantisek Rabon to give Columbia-HTC yet another stage win. Greipel should bag them another come Sunday as well.
Moving north, one of my favorite fall races, the Grand Prix d'Isbergues takes place Sunday, with a bevy of French and Benelux teams taking the line. Look for Romain Feillu, Jimmy Casper, Yauheni Hutarovich, and Nick Nuyens to fight it out for the title. Remind me sometime to tell you the story involving me, a hungover mechanic, 7 flat tires, and Geert Van Bondt hanging-on to the side of our team car at about 70kmph--with only two of the car's wheels on asphalt. It happened at Isbergues.
Ah the memories!
What about you? What are you looking forward to this weekend? Any picks?
Share your comments below.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
New Embrocation Column - Why the Vuelta Matters
Pavé's new Embrocation column "Why the Vuelta Matters" just hit the web newsstand. Go have a look--and be sure to read Craig Gaulzetti's column from last week too.
Share comments below!
Share comments below!
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Monday Musette - Vuelta, Waiting for Cadel, Worlds, etc...
Here's our thoughts for Monday:
1. As we predicted, this weekend's stages at the Vuelta have separated the men from the boys--or have they? As it stands after today's Stage 15 we have 6 riders within 1:54 of one another. Of those, Valverde, Sanchez, Evans, and Basso seem the most lilely to take the overall win thanks to their superior time trialing abilities. For my money, look for Evans to unleash some serious revenge on the others for not waiting for him to have his wheel changed following a flat tire in Saturday's stage, thus costing him a minute on GC. Assuming of course that no one gains serious time on the last summit finish.
2. And speaking of Saturday, should they have waited for Cadel? Had he been in the golden jersey, yes. He wasn't though, so they can technically claim they had no obligation. That said, was there really any reason not to have waited? He flatted near the top of a climb; they could have easily coasted for a bit, allowing him to regain contact before descending to Sierra Nevada. Also, they weren't really chasing anyone and there were no contenders chasing from behind. Seems to me that Cadel's reputation for being a bit of a brat might have caught up with him. Regardless, waiting would have been the most sporting gesture. Two wrongs never make a right--unless you're talking about Danilo DiLuca.
3. Here's perhaps the most overwrought Cyclingnews line ever: "As he basks again in Vuelta glory this Sunday eve--a fortnight before the World Championships--Cunego will surely now be starting to hear the dulcet tones of Switzerland's siren worlds song."
4. Paris-Brussels was won by Matthew Goss, a rider with a serious future in the Spring Classics. Romain Feillu took the win Sunday in Fourmies. Too bad the course for Worlds isn't a bit flatter; he might have earned an invitation.
5. And speaking of Worlds, the Italian and German Worlds teams have been announced. No real surprises other than the fact that zee Germans apparently think this year's race is being held in Zolder, Belgium.
6. Did you hear (courtesy of Cycling Quotient) that Garmin will not be renewing the contracts of Mike Friedman, Jason Donald, Kilian Patour and Blake Caldwell? Hans Dekkers (Landbouwkrediet) and Chris Sutton (Sky) are also leaving, along with several riders yet to be confirmed. Just thought you'd like to know.
That's it for today. Hopefully you're enjoying the waning days of summer.
What's on your mind? The Vuleta? Worlds?
Share your comments below.
1. As we predicted, this weekend's stages at the Vuelta have separated the men from the boys--or have they? As it stands after today's Stage 15 we have 6 riders within 1:54 of one another. Of those, Valverde, Sanchez, Evans, and Basso seem the most lilely to take the overall win thanks to their superior time trialing abilities. For my money, look for Evans to unleash some serious revenge on the others for not waiting for him to have his wheel changed following a flat tire in Saturday's stage, thus costing him a minute on GC. Assuming of course that no one gains serious time on the last summit finish.
2. And speaking of Saturday, should they have waited for Cadel? Had he been in the golden jersey, yes. He wasn't though, so they can technically claim they had no obligation. That said, was there really any reason not to have waited? He flatted near the top of a climb; they could have easily coasted for a bit, allowing him to regain contact before descending to Sierra Nevada. Also, they weren't really chasing anyone and there were no contenders chasing from behind. Seems to me that Cadel's reputation for being a bit of a brat might have caught up with him. Regardless, waiting would have been the most sporting gesture. Two wrongs never make a right--unless you're talking about Danilo DiLuca.
3. Here's perhaps the most overwrought Cyclingnews line ever: "As he basks again in Vuelta glory this Sunday eve--a fortnight before the World Championships--Cunego will surely now be starting to hear the dulcet tones of Switzerland's siren worlds song."
4. Paris-Brussels was won by Matthew Goss, a rider with a serious future in the Spring Classics. Romain Feillu took the win Sunday in Fourmies. Too bad the course for Worlds isn't a bit flatter; he might have earned an invitation.
5. And speaking of Worlds, the Italian and German Worlds teams have been announced. No real surprises other than the fact that zee Germans apparently think this year's race is being held in Zolder, Belgium.
6. Did you hear (courtesy of Cycling Quotient) that Garmin will not be renewing the contracts of Mike Friedman, Jason Donald, Kilian Patour and Blake Caldwell? Hans Dekkers (Landbouwkrediet) and Chris Sutton (Sky) are also leaving, along with several riders yet to be confirmed. Just thought you'd like to know.
That's it for today. Hopefully you're enjoying the waning days of summer.
What's on your mind? The Vuleta? Worlds?
Share your comments below.
Friday, September 11, 2009
Weekend Preview - Vuelta, Semi-Classics, Britain, and Univest
A jam-packed weekend of racing awaits--here's a preview:
The Vuelta’s three “hellish days” began today with the first of three consecutive summit finishes. Congrats to Ryder Hesjedal for winning Garmin it’s second straight stage--and the first for a Canadian. (Does anyone else think the organizers goofed by having a KOM less than 100 meters from the finish line?) The climbing continues Saturday with another summit finish, this time atop the infamous Sierra Nevada. Sunday offers more pain, with one of many super-steep climbs the Vuelta organizers seem to have a knack for finding: the Sierra de la Pandera. By Monday, we should have a clearer idea of whom will occupy to top few steps of the podium in Madrid.
Today’s racing left Valverde in the Golden Jersey, with 5 riders still within 1:03 of his lead. Needless to say, the next two days should provide some of the most dramatic racing of the year. Danielson and Gesink appear to be the biggest animators, with Cadel Evans, Ivan Basso, and Damiano Cunego looking primed to add fireworks of their own. Tune in if you have the time.
This weekend also marks the return of big-time racing to Northern Europe, with the annual fall semi-classics Paris-Brussels and Grand Prix de Fourmies. Paris-Brussels is without Robbie McEwen, the winner of the last 4 editions. Nick Nuyens, the last rider to win it before McEwen’s string of dominance, takes the line this year eager to add another win to his record. It would be a nice end to a season in which Nuyens has failed to deliver the big classic win his team has been seeking. He’ll have ample support; Rabobank’s bringing along a squad that also includes Juan Antonio Flecha, Matthew Hayman, and Sebastian Langeveld.
Other riders to watch in these races? Last year’s Fourmies, winner Giovanni Visconti, takes the line with Team ISD, perhaps hoping to make the final cut for Worlds. Luca Paolini and Stefano Garzelli line-up for Acqua & Sapone hoping for the same. Liquigas makes the trip too, with Ghent-Wevelgem runner-up Aleksander Kuschynski leading the way along with Frederik Willems. French teams are naturally bringing some talent with BBox and Cofidis starting Thomas Voeckler and Christophe Kern respectively both days. FDJ comes with Christophe Le Mevel, Frédéric Guesdon, Anthony Geslin, and Yauheni Hutarovich forming the core of its contingent. Agritubel takes the start with Belgian Kevin Ista, Nicolas Jalabert, and Romain Feillu.
And don’t forget Quick Step and Silence-Lotto. With most of their best riders racing in Spain right now, Sylvain Chavanel leads the cause for Quick Step with Greg Van Avermaet doing the same for Silence. The usual line-up of Belgian and French Continental Teams are taking part too, with the best being Top Sport Vlaanderen with Jan Bakelants, Ben Hermans, and Nikolas Maes.
Moving Northwest, the Tour of Britain begins this weekend as well, with last year’s winner Geoffroy Lequarte returing to defend his title supported by a strong Agritubel team including Brice “Don’t Call Me Richard Virenque” Feillu. The real favorite has to be Edvald Boassen Hagen, with a strong Columbia -HTC contingent of riders able to deliver him the victory. The question is whether or not management will let them. Remember the Tour of Poland? Remember how close he came to the win with seemingly little or no help from his team? Think it’s a coincidence considering he was probably in the midst of negotiations with Team Sky?
Other riders with British ambitions are Tour-hero Brad Wiggins, Nicholas Roche, and Joost Posthuma. Pippo Pozatto’s there as well, no doubt hoping to fine tune his fitness for Worlds and Paris-Tours. For one last wild card team, watch team Joker Bianchi from Norway. Lars Petter Nordhaug and Alexander Kristoff have shown incredible talent over the past few weeks; they could pull a surprise.
Finally, the Univest Grand Prix takes place this weekend, bringing top-flight UCI racing the Southeastern Pennsylvania. Top amateur and elite squads including Trek-Livestrong and Felt-Holowesko Partners will showcase the riders of the future. I’ll be riding the Cyclosportif tomorrow and hopefully sticking-around for the rest of the day’s action.
All in all, there’s something for everyone this weekend. Who are your picks? Which race(s) will you be watching? Share your comments below.
The Vuelta’s three “hellish days” began today with the first of three consecutive summit finishes. Congrats to Ryder Hesjedal for winning Garmin it’s second straight stage--and the first for a Canadian. (Does anyone else think the organizers goofed by having a KOM less than 100 meters from the finish line?) The climbing continues Saturday with another summit finish, this time atop the infamous Sierra Nevada. Sunday offers more pain, with one of many super-steep climbs the Vuelta organizers seem to have a knack for finding: the Sierra de la Pandera. By Monday, we should have a clearer idea of whom will occupy to top few steps of the podium in Madrid.
Today’s racing left Valverde in the Golden Jersey, with 5 riders still within 1:03 of his lead. Needless to say, the next two days should provide some of the most dramatic racing of the year. Danielson and Gesink appear to be the biggest animators, with Cadel Evans, Ivan Basso, and Damiano Cunego looking primed to add fireworks of their own. Tune in if you have the time.
This weekend also marks the return of big-time racing to Northern Europe, with the annual fall semi-classics Paris-Brussels and Grand Prix de Fourmies. Paris-Brussels is without Robbie McEwen, the winner of the last 4 editions. Nick Nuyens, the last rider to win it before McEwen’s string of dominance, takes the line this year eager to add another win to his record. It would be a nice end to a season in which Nuyens has failed to deliver the big classic win his team has been seeking. He’ll have ample support; Rabobank’s bringing along a squad that also includes Juan Antonio Flecha, Matthew Hayman, and Sebastian Langeveld.
Other riders to watch in these races? Last year’s Fourmies, winner Giovanni Visconti, takes the line with Team ISD, perhaps hoping to make the final cut for Worlds. Luca Paolini and Stefano Garzelli line-up for Acqua & Sapone hoping for the same. Liquigas makes the trip too, with Ghent-Wevelgem runner-up Aleksander Kuschynski leading the way along with Frederik Willems. French teams are naturally bringing some talent with BBox and Cofidis starting Thomas Voeckler and Christophe Kern respectively both days. FDJ comes with Christophe Le Mevel, Frédéric Guesdon, Anthony Geslin, and Yauheni Hutarovich forming the core of its contingent. Agritubel takes the start with Belgian Kevin Ista, Nicolas Jalabert, and Romain Feillu.
And don’t forget Quick Step and Silence-Lotto. With most of their best riders racing in Spain right now, Sylvain Chavanel leads the cause for Quick Step with Greg Van Avermaet doing the same for Silence. The usual line-up of Belgian and French Continental Teams are taking part too, with the best being Top Sport Vlaanderen with Jan Bakelants, Ben Hermans, and Nikolas Maes.
Moving Northwest, the Tour of Britain begins this weekend as well, with last year’s winner Geoffroy Lequarte returing to defend his title supported by a strong Agritubel team including Brice “Don’t Call Me Richard Virenque” Feillu. The real favorite has to be Edvald Boassen Hagen, with a strong Columbia -HTC contingent of riders able to deliver him the victory. The question is whether or not management will let them. Remember the Tour of Poland? Remember how close he came to the win with seemingly little or no help from his team? Think it’s a coincidence considering he was probably in the midst of negotiations with Team Sky?
Other riders with British ambitions are Tour-hero Brad Wiggins, Nicholas Roche, and Joost Posthuma. Pippo Pozatto’s there as well, no doubt hoping to fine tune his fitness for Worlds and Paris-Tours. For one last wild card team, watch team Joker Bianchi from Norway. Lars Petter Nordhaug and Alexander Kristoff have shown incredible talent over the past few weeks; they could pull a surprise.
Finally, the Univest Grand Prix takes place this weekend, bringing top-flight UCI racing the Southeastern Pennsylvania. Top amateur and elite squads including Trek-Livestrong and Felt-Holowesko Partners will showcase the riders of the future. I’ll be riding the Cyclosportif tomorrow and hopefully sticking-around for the rest of the day’s action.
All in all, there’s something for everyone this weekend. Who are your picks? Which race(s) will you be watching? Share your comments below.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Vuelta d'Espana Midpoint Report
Well, the Vuelta has about reached it’s midpoint, providing us with a good chance to look back over our pre-race predictions. If you recall, we divided this year’s participants into 4 groups according to what their attitudes and goals might be heading into this year’s final Grand Tour. We labeled them Redeemers, Builders, Asserters, and Seekers depending upon whether they are: a)redeeming themselves for an unfulfilling season; b) building form for later in the fall; c) asserting themselves as a legitimate contender in their given area; or d) seeking a new or better contract for next year.
As per usual, we’ve hit the target on several occasions (with others still to be determined), while missing horribly on others. Keeping in mind there’s still 10 days left to race, let’s see how we're doing, beginning with The Redeemers.
We presented Cadel Evans and Alejandro Valverde as both seeking some redemption at this year’s Vuelta. So far, so good as they sit in 2nd and 1st place respectively on GC with only 7 seconds separating them. With several exciting days remaining, the pending dual between these two talents might be one of the season’s finest.
Kim Kirchen came to the Vuelta for redemption as well—too bad he’s already dropped-out due to what have been described as “intestinal problems”. Clearly, this has not been the season Kirchen was banking upon. Maybe the environment at Katusha will give him a fresh start?
While the Redeemers came to the race seeking immediate redemption, several of the Builders hope to find the form they’ll need to get it a bit later on. Case in point: Tom Boonen’s been close to a stage win on several occasions, but he still seems to lack the last-second burst he needs to win. Time will tell if Tommeke’s season will end on a high note, but one can only hope the kilometers he’s logging now will reap rewards in October.
On the other hand, Damiano Cunego, another of our “Builders”, seems to be doing quite nicely. He won the Stage 9 summit finish and currently sits in 7th place overall. If he keeps it up, he’ll be the overwhelming favorite at Worlds and Lombardy--if he doesn't go too deep in Spain. His compatriot Alessandro Ballan has had a quiet Vuelta so far, one can only guess how he’ll be later in the season. Maybe he works for Cunego at Worlds?
And finally, Fabian Cancellara stormed to wins in both Vuelta ITT’s and is the clear favorite to win the World Title on his home turf.
As for the Asserters, Andre Greipel has clearly cemented himself among the world’s finest field sprinters by winning 2 stages and wearing the Gold Jersey for a few days. Furthermore, he’s staying with Columbia-HTC for 2010, thus ensuring that perhaps the strongest challenger to Mark Cavendish’s sprint throne stays home.
The first draft of today’s post mentioned Tyler Farrar as someone who fell short of our forecast. However, the young American finally broke through today, winning Stage 12. It caps a fantastic year for the Garmin rider, one which saw him progress steadily through the ranks of the world’s best field sprinters. Another win or two certainly wouldn’t be a surprise, firmly planting Tyler—along with Greipel—as one of the best in the world.
Samuel Sanchez was hoping to assert himself as perhaps Spain’s second-best Grand Tour rider. He currently sits in 6th place overall, about 1 minute down on the leaders. That’s a bit of a deficit, but it's one Sanchez is clearly capable of overcoming given the right circumstances. The Vuelta’s been won and lost in the final week before; Sanchez could still pull it off.
On the other hand, Andy Schleck’s Vuelta ended on Sunday when he abandoned about 90km into Stage 8 with stomach cramps. I expected more from both him and his brother (who abandoned today to have season-ending knee surgery). That said, Andy won Liege-Bastogne-Liege and finished 2nd in the Tour. A rest is clearly in order following what has been a long, but successful season.
An astute reader asked why I forgot to mention Robert Gesink among the Asserters. Clearly he was right, as young Robert’s currently sitting in 3rd place on GC. With several mountain stages still to come, Gesink could give the Dutch a well-deserved Grand Tour victory.
And finally we have the Seekers, and what a good group they’ve proved to be.
Ivan Basso and Tom Danielson have consistently ridden with the leaders, currently occupying 5th and 4th place on GC. Basso’s been reported to remain with Liquigas next season, while Danielson’s name has been absent from most transfer talk. That said, a solid Vuelta for both might just lead to some greener pastures for these two talented men.
Simon Gerrans has already claimed what he sought, winning Stage 10 into Murcia. He's now won stages in all 3 Grand Tours and will surely command a hefty salary for next season. My money’s on SKY getting his name on the dotted line.
And finally, there’s Chris Horner, a man we mentioned as possibly vying for the win. Unfortunately, Horner’s run of bad luck has continued, with a first week crash taking him from the race before it really even began. It’s clearly been a tough season for Chris.
So let’s see: that’s 7 stages and 6 of the Top-10 on GC for men we mentioned before the race. Not too shabby! Although the others might be sending us some hate mail for jinxing their chances.
What about you? What are your thoughts on the first half of the race? Share your comments below.
As per usual, we’ve hit the target on several occasions (with others still to be determined), while missing horribly on others. Keeping in mind there’s still 10 days left to race, let’s see how we're doing, beginning with The Redeemers.
We presented Cadel Evans and Alejandro Valverde as both seeking some redemption at this year’s Vuelta. So far, so good as they sit in 2nd and 1st place respectively on GC with only 7 seconds separating them. With several exciting days remaining, the pending dual between these two talents might be one of the season’s finest.
Kim Kirchen came to the Vuelta for redemption as well—too bad he’s already dropped-out due to what have been described as “intestinal problems”. Clearly, this has not been the season Kirchen was banking upon. Maybe the environment at Katusha will give him a fresh start?
While the Redeemers came to the race seeking immediate redemption, several of the Builders hope to find the form they’ll need to get it a bit later on. Case in point: Tom Boonen’s been close to a stage win on several occasions, but he still seems to lack the last-second burst he needs to win. Time will tell if Tommeke’s season will end on a high note, but one can only hope the kilometers he’s logging now will reap rewards in October.
On the other hand, Damiano Cunego, another of our “Builders”, seems to be doing quite nicely. He won the Stage 9 summit finish and currently sits in 7th place overall. If he keeps it up, he’ll be the overwhelming favorite at Worlds and Lombardy--if he doesn't go too deep in Spain. His compatriot Alessandro Ballan has had a quiet Vuelta so far, one can only guess how he’ll be later in the season. Maybe he works for Cunego at Worlds?
And finally, Fabian Cancellara stormed to wins in both Vuelta ITT’s and is the clear favorite to win the World Title on his home turf.
As for the Asserters, Andre Greipel has clearly cemented himself among the world’s finest field sprinters by winning 2 stages and wearing the Gold Jersey for a few days. Furthermore, he’s staying with Columbia-HTC for 2010, thus ensuring that perhaps the strongest challenger to Mark Cavendish’s sprint throne stays home.
The first draft of today’s post mentioned Tyler Farrar as someone who fell short of our forecast. However, the young American finally broke through today, winning Stage 12. It caps a fantastic year for the Garmin rider, one which saw him progress steadily through the ranks of the world’s best field sprinters. Another win or two certainly wouldn’t be a surprise, firmly planting Tyler—along with Greipel—as one of the best in the world.
Samuel Sanchez was hoping to assert himself as perhaps Spain’s second-best Grand Tour rider. He currently sits in 6th place overall, about 1 minute down on the leaders. That’s a bit of a deficit, but it's one Sanchez is clearly capable of overcoming given the right circumstances. The Vuelta’s been won and lost in the final week before; Sanchez could still pull it off.
On the other hand, Andy Schleck’s Vuelta ended on Sunday when he abandoned about 90km into Stage 8 with stomach cramps. I expected more from both him and his brother (who abandoned today to have season-ending knee surgery). That said, Andy won Liege-Bastogne-Liege and finished 2nd in the Tour. A rest is clearly in order following what has been a long, but successful season.
An astute reader asked why I forgot to mention Robert Gesink among the Asserters. Clearly he was right, as young Robert’s currently sitting in 3rd place on GC. With several mountain stages still to come, Gesink could give the Dutch a well-deserved Grand Tour victory.
And finally we have the Seekers, and what a good group they’ve proved to be.
Ivan Basso and Tom Danielson have consistently ridden with the leaders, currently occupying 5th and 4th place on GC. Basso’s been reported to remain with Liquigas next season, while Danielson’s name has been absent from most transfer talk. That said, a solid Vuelta for both might just lead to some greener pastures for these two talented men.
Simon Gerrans has already claimed what he sought, winning Stage 10 into Murcia. He's now won stages in all 3 Grand Tours and will surely command a hefty salary for next season. My money’s on SKY getting his name on the dotted line.
And finally, there’s Chris Horner, a man we mentioned as possibly vying for the win. Unfortunately, Horner’s run of bad luck has continued, with a first week crash taking him from the race before it really even began. It’s clearly been a tough season for Chris.
So let’s see: that’s 7 stages and 6 of the Top-10 on GC for men we mentioned before the race. Not too shabby! Although the others might be sending us some hate mail for jinxing their chances.
What about you? What are your thoughts on the first half of the race? Share your comments below.
Monday, September 7, 2009
Monday Musette - Univest, Vuelta, and More
Here's what's on our minds this Labor Day:
1. This coming weekend, the new and improved Univest Grand Prix returns to Southeastern Pennsylvania. The Saturday road race and Sunday criterium are joined this year by a Friday TTT in Allentown. The final start list is still to be confirmed, but it's already being rumored that Taylor Phinney will use the race to make his return to competition following a bad fall in the Cascade Classic.
But that's not the whole story. Along with Saturday's road race, John Eustice and his crew offer a terrific cyclosportif event for the rest of us to test our legs on the race course. All the hills will be there--a blessing or a curse, depending on your outlook. Pre-registration has closed, but you can still come and sign-up on the day of the event. Pavé will be there; hopefully you'll be able to make it as well.
2. The Vuelta intensified over the weekend with a time trial and mountaintop finish to separate the wheat from the chaff. Roman Kreuziger did a fantastic job of making me look like a fool, losing several minutes in Saturday's TT. Andy Schleck--the man I tipped for win--followed suit, abandoning on Sunday with a stomach virus. Right now, Alejandro Valverde and Cadel Evans seem to be the two main favorites, with Robert Gesink poised to play the roll of spoiler. Ivan Basso and Tom Danielson look to be making comebacks of their own, while Damiano Cunego appears ready to end his year with a bang--and the possibly the rainbow jersey.
3. For the past few weeks, we've been riding a nice set of Neo Classic wheels from Handspun, shod with a pair of FMB Paris-Roubaix tubulars. Look for more photos and reviews in the future. The wheels are currently being passed around by members of the Pavé test team to ensure as many perspectives as possible. It will be our first equipment review; we couldn't have picked a more appropriate product with which to start.
4. If you haven't had a chance yet, head over to Embrocation Cycling Journal for a new column by yours truly. We're also eagerly anticipating the arrival of Embro Volume 4. Look for our thoughts once it gets here.
5. And finally, our good friend Duncan from Here Come the Belgians has just launched his new team of the same name. You can follow Team Here Come the Belgians here; be sure to drop by and send them your best as they embark on this fall's UK cyclocross season.
That's it for today--remember, keep those cobble entries coming! We've already had some submissions, but there's room for all.
Have a great week; share your comments below.
1. This coming weekend, the new and improved Univest Grand Prix returns to Southeastern Pennsylvania. The Saturday road race and Sunday criterium are joined this year by a Friday TTT in Allentown. The final start list is still to be confirmed, but it's already being rumored that Taylor Phinney will use the race to make his return to competition following a bad fall in the Cascade Classic.
But that's not the whole story. Along with Saturday's road race, John Eustice and his crew offer a terrific cyclosportif event for the rest of us to test our legs on the race course. All the hills will be there--a blessing or a curse, depending on your outlook. Pre-registration has closed, but you can still come and sign-up on the day of the event. Pavé will be there; hopefully you'll be able to make it as well.
2. The Vuelta intensified over the weekend with a time trial and mountaintop finish to separate the wheat from the chaff. Roman Kreuziger did a fantastic job of making me look like a fool, losing several minutes in Saturday's TT. Andy Schleck--the man I tipped for win--followed suit, abandoning on Sunday with a stomach virus. Right now, Alejandro Valverde and Cadel Evans seem to be the two main favorites, with Robert Gesink poised to play the roll of spoiler. Ivan Basso and Tom Danielson look to be making comebacks of their own, while Damiano Cunego appears ready to end his year with a bang--and the possibly the rainbow jersey.
3. For the past few weeks, we've been riding a nice set of Neo Classic wheels from Handspun, shod with a pair of FMB Paris-Roubaix tubulars. Look for more photos and reviews in the future. The wheels are currently being passed around by members of the Pavé test team to ensure as many perspectives as possible. It will be our first equipment review; we couldn't have picked a more appropriate product with which to start.
4. If you haven't had a chance yet, head over to Embrocation Cycling Journal for a new column by yours truly. We're also eagerly anticipating the arrival of Embro Volume 4. Look for our thoughts once it gets here.
5. And finally, our good friend Duncan from Here Come the Belgians has just launched his new team of the same name. You can follow Team Here Come the Belgians here; be sure to drop by and send them your best as they embark on this fall's UK cyclocross season.
That's it for today--remember, keep those cobble entries coming! We've already had some submissions, but there's room for all.
Have a great week; share your comments below.
Friday, August 28, 2009
Vuelta d'Espana Preview
It’s back to school time, so that means it’s time for the annual 3-week party known as the Vuelta d'Espana. Seriously, I remember hearing of fights among team personnel over who would get to work the race—it’s that much fun.
For the riders though, it’s a bit of a different story, especially for those coming to the race with ambitions of one sort of another. Looking over the latest start list in fact, it’s pretty easy to sort the riders into categories based upon their expectations and hopes for this year's race. Let's take a stab at it.
Redeemers
The Redeemers come to the race hoping to salvage their seasons. Maybe they were injured and missed a big race or two, maybe they were suspended and are trying to return to their former glory days, or maybe they just spent the season searching for form that never came. Regardless, these men come to this year’s Vuelta hoping to erase the past with a win in the year’s final Grand Tour.
1. Cadel Evans tops the list of Redeemers this year. An utter disappointment at the Tour de France (a race he was expected by many to win), Cadel comes to the start in Rotterdam looking to win his first Grand Tour. Silence-Lotto has given him a solid team capable of getting him where he needs to be for the victory, but it will be all up to Cadel to keep his head in the race against some fierce competition. When he’s on his game, he’s a force to be reckoned with; but when he’s not he races with the temperament of a pubescent teenager. He better take advantage now, in what could be his last real shot for Grand Tour glory.
2. Alejandro Valverde makes his 2009 Grand Tour debut at a race he would most certainly love to win for his home fans. He wasn’t allowed to start the Tour this year due to his Italian racing ban, and his team appears to be eager to sign one of his fiercest rivals, fellow Spaniard Alberto Contador. A win by Valverde might convince his management that Albie’s not worth the extra millions, a poor outing might just put the nail in his Valverde's Grand Tour coffin. For my money, I’m hoping Valverde makes this his last attempt at Grand Tour greatness; he’s much more suited to the Ardennes Classics and shorter stages races. Can you imagine how he would do were he to focus exclusively on those?
3. Remember last year when Kim Kirchen won Flèche-Wallone and then spent a week or two making everyone think he could win the Tour? Seems long ago, doesn’t it? Yes, he was injured for the better part of the season, but he’s better now and has enough racing in his legs to warrant consideration here. His situation isn’t nearly as critical as Evans’ or Valverde’s, but he certainly could use a good result to remind everyone of just how talented he is—or was.
4. And of course, one cannot forget Alexandre Vinokourov, whose need for redemption needs no explanation.
Other candidates: Philipe Gilbert, FDJ, Euskaltel-Euskadi
Builders
The Builders come to the Vuelta hoping to build form for the season’s final month, namely the World Championships, Paris-Tours, and the Tour of Lombardy. Most of these riders can’t logically claim to have ambitions for the GC; they’ll be looking for stage wins and opportunities to test their legs against their peers. In many cases, these men are also seeking redemption, using the Vuelta to help them find it in the season’s waning moments. A bit risky perhaps, but a stage win or two along the way never hurts, no?
1. Tom Boonen might also be considered a Redeemer in the sense that his Tour de France was an entirely lackluster affair. He started the season well with his usually impressive Classics campaign. Then the wheels fell-off when Tommeke tested positive—again—for cocaine—again. His team fought for and won the right to bring Tom to the Tour where he spent more time flatting and falling than sprinting and winning. He then announced he would ride the Vuelta in the hopes of reminding everyone that he’s one of the top sprinters in the world--and to gain some form for World’s. If can build the fitness he needs for a big win later, while winning several stages, he might just kill two birds with one stone. If he can’t, his fans will spend the off-season wondering what could have been instead of celebrating what was.
2. Like Boonen, Damiano Cunego comes to Spain hoping to build the form he needs to make everyone forget what’s been a pretty disappointing season so far. He failed to score a Spring Classic win and was nowhere close to being a factor in his beloved Giro. Perhaps more so than Boonen, the Worlds parcours actually suits Cunego’s strengths though, and now without Danilo “It’s A Conspiracy” Di Luca in the picture, he might have a team entirely dedicated to helping him get it. Cunego needs to ride smart, treating the Vuelta strictly as training, lest he risk doing too much too soon. Sure, he can go for a stage win now and again, but he cannot do so if it means burning too many of the matches he’ll need for success at Mendrisio and Lombardy.
3. Alessandro Ballan would like to defend his World Title; unfortunately, he might find the course and the competition a bit too much for his talents. That said, there’s always Paris-Tours, a race much more suited to his skills. The Vuelta will help him get where he needs to be. Fabian Cancellara would also like another World Title in the ITT. He’s racing for his home fans at Mendrisio, and the Vuelta will provide just the training he needs to ensure they don’t go home disappointed.
Others: Bjorne Leukemans, Lars Boom, Oscar Freire, and Carlos Barredo
Asserters
The Asserters come the Vuelta hoping to prove that they warrant the hype they've been given at point or another. They could be a young sprinter hoping to show everyone they deserve to be considered one of the World’s fastest, or an all-round rider looking to make the jump from weeklong race contender to Grand Tour favorite. To them, the Vuelta is a chance to assert themselves as deserving a place at the top of the sport.
1. Andre Griepel was pretty disappointed to have been left-off his team’s roster for the Tour. He comes to the Vuelta hoping to re-assert himself as one of the world’s fastest sprinters. In doing so, he might simultaneously build some form for a race like Paris-Tours and earn himself a fat new contract for 2010—either with Columbia or someone else.
2. Along with Edvald Boassen Hagen, Tyler Farrar was perhaps August’s most successful rider. He comes to the Vuelta looking for a Grand Tour breakthrough. He’s already beaten just about everyone he’ll be competing against in Spain, now he just needs everything to fall into place. His confidence is brimming, his team is dedicated to helping him win, and all that’s left is for him to make it happen. I think he will—several times.
3. Samuel Sanchez comes to the race wearing race number 1. His only task is to end the 3-week race at the same place on GC. He has a team that will certainly be motivated to help him win their home tour and draw attention from the scandal surrounding them after July’s Tour. Frankly though, I don’t see Sanchez as a rider capable of winning a Grand Tour. Like Valverde, he might be suited to hillier classics and weeklong stages races of the Paris-Nice/Pais Vasco sort. Should he prove me wrong though, he will have convincingly asserted himself as one of the world’s finest.
4. And finally, there’s Andy Schleck. Does Andy need to assert himself as one of the world’s best Grand Tour riders? Absolutely not. That said, he’s finished on the podium in both the Giro and the Tour now, and a win at the Vuelta would assert his status as perhaps the greatest threat to Alberto Contador in the years to come. If I were Andy, I would love to go into the off-season with a Grand Tour win under my belt, thus fueling the fire for an impending re-match with Contador in next year’s Tour.
Other Candidates: Roman Kreuziger, Rinaldo Nocentini, Ignatas Konovalovas, Allan Davis, and Fuji-Servetto
Seekers
To put it simply, the Seekers come to the race looking for one thing: a contract for next year. September marks the beginning of the official transfer period as well as the start of the stagiaire audition season. A good ride in Spain can make the difference between a good contract and a bad one, or in extreme cases, no contract at all.
1. Ivan Basso needs the Vuelta to remind everyone—and his potential suitors—that he still has what it takes to win a Grand Tour. His return at the Giro was positive, but it did little to strike fear into the hearts of his rivals. A win or solid placing in Spain might convince a team that Basso’s best days are not behind him. A bad race, and Team Radio Shack might be able to change a digit or two in their latest offer.
2. Simon Gerrans will certainly have offers for next season; the Vuelta will just give him a opportunity to make them as high as he wants them to be. A stage win in Spain and he’ll have bagged one in all 3 Grand Tours—in 2 seasons, no less. The race might also give him a chance to show what he can do on GC; his team contains no threat to his leadership should he choose to go that route.
3. As we mentioned earlier, Tom Danielson finally looks to be worthy of at least some of the hype surrounding him during his Pro Tour career. A good Vuelta will solidify his place on someone’s team next season—maybe even Garmin. A bad race, and he could be looking for work back home on a team hoping to make him their leader for Redlands. (Now I'm sounding like Bobby Julich.)
4. If I were to make a list of Indefensible Claims for this year’s Vuelta, I’d pick Chris Horner to win. Like Gerrans, he’ll have no problem finding a team next year—especially if he decides to follow Lance. But Chris is a wily veteran, and his inclusion on Astana’s Vuelta team shows me that he’s willing to go it alone to prove to anyone watching that he’s got talent. With Alain Gallopin (the man responsible for bringing Chris to FDJ way back when) driving the car, Chris could pull-off the result of his life, giving him the right to demand more dinero from Team Lance or elsewhere.
Other Seekers: Kurt-Asle Arvesen, Matti Breschel, Michael Albasini, Xacobeo Galicia, and Contempolis-AMPO
That said, here are my predictions for this year’s Vuelta Top-5:
1. Andy Schleck
2. Roman Kreuziger
3. Cadel Evans
4. Alejandro Valverde
5. Chris Horner
What about you? Who are your Redeemers, Builders, Asserters, and Seekers for this year’s race? Share your comments below.
For the riders though, it’s a bit of a different story, especially for those coming to the race with ambitions of one sort of another. Looking over the latest start list in fact, it’s pretty easy to sort the riders into categories based upon their expectations and hopes for this year's race. Let's take a stab at it.
Redeemers
The Redeemers come to the race hoping to salvage their seasons. Maybe they were injured and missed a big race or two, maybe they were suspended and are trying to return to their former glory days, or maybe they just spent the season searching for form that never came. Regardless, these men come to this year’s Vuelta hoping to erase the past with a win in the year’s final Grand Tour.
1. Cadel Evans tops the list of Redeemers this year. An utter disappointment at the Tour de France (a race he was expected by many to win), Cadel comes to the start in Rotterdam looking to win his first Grand Tour. Silence-Lotto has given him a solid team capable of getting him where he needs to be for the victory, but it will be all up to Cadel to keep his head in the race against some fierce competition. When he’s on his game, he’s a force to be reckoned with; but when he’s not he races with the temperament of a pubescent teenager. He better take advantage now, in what could be his last real shot for Grand Tour glory.
2. Alejandro Valverde makes his 2009 Grand Tour debut at a race he would most certainly love to win for his home fans. He wasn’t allowed to start the Tour this year due to his Italian racing ban, and his team appears to be eager to sign one of his fiercest rivals, fellow Spaniard Alberto Contador. A win by Valverde might convince his management that Albie’s not worth the extra millions, a poor outing might just put the nail in his Valverde's Grand Tour coffin. For my money, I’m hoping Valverde makes this his last attempt at Grand Tour greatness; he’s much more suited to the Ardennes Classics and shorter stages races. Can you imagine how he would do were he to focus exclusively on those?
3. Remember last year when Kim Kirchen won Flèche-Wallone and then spent a week or two making everyone think he could win the Tour? Seems long ago, doesn’t it? Yes, he was injured for the better part of the season, but he’s better now and has enough racing in his legs to warrant consideration here. His situation isn’t nearly as critical as Evans’ or Valverde’s, but he certainly could use a good result to remind everyone of just how talented he is—or was.
4. And of course, one cannot forget Alexandre Vinokourov, whose need for redemption needs no explanation.
Other candidates: Philipe Gilbert, FDJ, Euskaltel-Euskadi
Builders
The Builders come to the Vuelta hoping to build form for the season’s final month, namely the World Championships, Paris-Tours, and the Tour of Lombardy. Most of these riders can’t logically claim to have ambitions for the GC; they’ll be looking for stage wins and opportunities to test their legs against their peers. In many cases, these men are also seeking redemption, using the Vuelta to help them find it in the season’s waning moments. A bit risky perhaps, but a stage win or two along the way never hurts, no?
1. Tom Boonen might also be considered a Redeemer in the sense that his Tour de France was an entirely lackluster affair. He started the season well with his usually impressive Classics campaign. Then the wheels fell-off when Tommeke tested positive—again—for cocaine—again. His team fought for and won the right to bring Tom to the Tour where he spent more time flatting and falling than sprinting and winning. He then announced he would ride the Vuelta in the hopes of reminding everyone that he’s one of the top sprinters in the world--and to gain some form for World’s. If can build the fitness he needs for a big win later, while winning several stages, he might just kill two birds with one stone. If he can’t, his fans will spend the off-season wondering what could have been instead of celebrating what was.
2. Like Boonen, Damiano Cunego comes to Spain hoping to build the form he needs to make everyone forget what’s been a pretty disappointing season so far. He failed to score a Spring Classic win and was nowhere close to being a factor in his beloved Giro. Perhaps more so than Boonen, the Worlds parcours actually suits Cunego’s strengths though, and now without Danilo “It’s A Conspiracy” Di Luca in the picture, he might have a team entirely dedicated to helping him get it. Cunego needs to ride smart, treating the Vuelta strictly as training, lest he risk doing too much too soon. Sure, he can go for a stage win now and again, but he cannot do so if it means burning too many of the matches he’ll need for success at Mendrisio and Lombardy.
3. Alessandro Ballan would like to defend his World Title; unfortunately, he might find the course and the competition a bit too much for his talents. That said, there’s always Paris-Tours, a race much more suited to his skills. The Vuelta will help him get where he needs to be. Fabian Cancellara would also like another World Title in the ITT. He’s racing for his home fans at Mendrisio, and the Vuelta will provide just the training he needs to ensure they don’t go home disappointed.
Others: Bjorne Leukemans, Lars Boom, Oscar Freire, and Carlos Barredo
Asserters
The Asserters come the Vuelta hoping to prove that they warrant the hype they've been given at point or another. They could be a young sprinter hoping to show everyone they deserve to be considered one of the World’s fastest, or an all-round rider looking to make the jump from weeklong race contender to Grand Tour favorite. To them, the Vuelta is a chance to assert themselves as deserving a place at the top of the sport.
1. Andre Griepel was pretty disappointed to have been left-off his team’s roster for the Tour. He comes to the Vuelta hoping to re-assert himself as one of the world’s fastest sprinters. In doing so, he might simultaneously build some form for a race like Paris-Tours and earn himself a fat new contract for 2010—either with Columbia or someone else.
2. Along with Edvald Boassen Hagen, Tyler Farrar was perhaps August’s most successful rider. He comes to the Vuelta looking for a Grand Tour breakthrough. He’s already beaten just about everyone he’ll be competing against in Spain, now he just needs everything to fall into place. His confidence is brimming, his team is dedicated to helping him win, and all that’s left is for him to make it happen. I think he will—several times.
3. Samuel Sanchez comes to the race wearing race number 1. His only task is to end the 3-week race at the same place on GC. He has a team that will certainly be motivated to help him win their home tour and draw attention from the scandal surrounding them after July’s Tour. Frankly though, I don’t see Sanchez as a rider capable of winning a Grand Tour. Like Valverde, he might be suited to hillier classics and weeklong stages races of the Paris-Nice/Pais Vasco sort. Should he prove me wrong though, he will have convincingly asserted himself as one of the world’s finest.
4. And finally, there’s Andy Schleck. Does Andy need to assert himself as one of the world’s best Grand Tour riders? Absolutely not. That said, he’s finished on the podium in both the Giro and the Tour now, and a win at the Vuelta would assert his status as perhaps the greatest threat to Alberto Contador in the years to come. If I were Andy, I would love to go into the off-season with a Grand Tour win under my belt, thus fueling the fire for an impending re-match with Contador in next year’s Tour.
Other Candidates: Roman Kreuziger, Rinaldo Nocentini, Ignatas Konovalovas, Allan Davis, and Fuji-Servetto
Seekers
To put it simply, the Seekers come to the race looking for one thing: a contract for next year. September marks the beginning of the official transfer period as well as the start of the stagiaire audition season. A good ride in Spain can make the difference between a good contract and a bad one, or in extreme cases, no contract at all.
1. Ivan Basso needs the Vuelta to remind everyone—and his potential suitors—that he still has what it takes to win a Grand Tour. His return at the Giro was positive, but it did little to strike fear into the hearts of his rivals. A win or solid placing in Spain might convince a team that Basso’s best days are not behind him. A bad race, and Team Radio Shack might be able to change a digit or two in their latest offer.
2. Simon Gerrans will certainly have offers for next season; the Vuelta will just give him a opportunity to make them as high as he wants them to be. A stage win in Spain and he’ll have bagged one in all 3 Grand Tours—in 2 seasons, no less. The race might also give him a chance to show what he can do on GC; his team contains no threat to his leadership should he choose to go that route.
3. As we mentioned earlier, Tom Danielson finally looks to be worthy of at least some of the hype surrounding him during his Pro Tour career. A good Vuelta will solidify his place on someone’s team next season—maybe even Garmin. A bad race, and he could be looking for work back home on a team hoping to make him their leader for Redlands. (Now I'm sounding like Bobby Julich.)
4. If I were to make a list of Indefensible Claims for this year’s Vuelta, I’d pick Chris Horner to win. Like Gerrans, he’ll have no problem finding a team next year—especially if he decides to follow Lance. But Chris is a wily veteran, and his inclusion on Astana’s Vuelta team shows me that he’s willing to go it alone to prove to anyone watching that he’s got talent. With Alain Gallopin (the man responsible for bringing Chris to FDJ way back when) driving the car, Chris could pull-off the result of his life, giving him the right to demand more dinero from Team Lance or elsewhere.
Other Seekers: Kurt-Asle Arvesen, Matti Breschel, Michael Albasini, Xacobeo Galicia, and Contempolis-AMPO
That said, here are my predictions for this year’s Vuelta Top-5:
1. Andy Schleck
2. Roman Kreuziger
3. Cadel Evans
4. Alejandro Valverde
5. Chris Horner
What about you? Who are your Redeemers, Builders, Asserters, and Seekers for this year’s race? Share your comments below.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)