Basque Country prizes

Drongo

Lausanne ITT, 2006 Tour de Romandie:

1 Cadel Evans (Aus) Davitamon-Lotto 26.19.87 (46.485 km/h)
2 Leif Hoste (Bel) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 0.22
3 Bobby Julich (USA) Team CSC 0.38
4 Andrey Kashechkin (Kaz) Liberty Seguros-Würth Team 0.44
5 Serguei Gonchar (Ukr) T-Mobile Team 0.49
6 Jorg Jaksche (Ger) Liberty Seguros-Würth Team 0.50
7 Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Liberty Seguros-Würth Team 0.51
8 Christophe Moreau (Fra) AG2R Prevoyance

CN report here: http://www.cyclingnews.com/road/2006/apr06/romandie06/?id=results/romandie065

But some things do stand in Contador's favour: very steep section at the start of the Pais Vasco TT, Evans' crash yesterday (anyone know how much that might have affected him?), as well as an inevitable progression in Contador's ability. Re: other stuff, who can say?

As for Evans not being a bad descender... I'd say that a tricky descent is one area his GC rivals probably could pick time up from him. For a MTBer, he doesn't shine in that area.

Bro Deal

Cunego did a good ride. With the recent change in the TdF, Cunego's chances are improving.

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"You are like the wind and I like the lion. You form the tempest. The sand stings my eyes and the ground is parched. I roar in defiance but you do not hear. But between us there is a difference. I, like the lion, must remain in my place. While you like the wind will never know yours." -- Mulay Hamid El Raisuli, Lord of the Riff, Sultan to the Berbers, Last of the Barbary Pirates

Crankyfeet

I wonder if he is a top 50 UCI target. He's gotta be right? Anyone who could be a leader for a major team has got to be one of the targetted riders for testing...

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Powerful Pete

He is being heavily targeted for testing. Remember in December he was put through tests on two consecutive days by the Italian Federation, and there was a minor scandal in that the testers showed up at the hotel and Cunego was not there. It turned out he had gone out to dinner with his fan club about 15km away and had about 100 witnesses so the Italian Federation backed down, tested him at midnight and tested him again the next day (the logic being a lot of people dope immediately after their out of season tests)...

He also is one of the guys with the naturally high hematocrit - his normal levels are well beyond 50% IIRC.

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