Looks like Soler abandoned after 12 km into today's stage. CN reports that he had another spill in the neutral zone. So, the inevitable has finally happened. Hope he has better luck next year.
Poor old Soler. He's a tough *******. He can't ride a bike properly yet he chooses cycling as a way of earning a living. Hard as nails. If he couldn't swim I'm sure he would have chosen alligator wrangling or surf lifesaving as a career. Tough as old boots
Looks like Soler abandoned after 12 km into today's stage. CN reports that he had another spill in the neutral zone. So, the inevitable has finally happened. Hope he has better luck next year.
Poor old Soler. He's a tough *******. He can't ride a bike properly yet he chooses cycling as a way of earning a living. Hard as nails. If he couldn't swim I'm sure he would have chosen alligator wrangling or surf lifesaving as a career. Tough as old boots
When god was handing out bodies I think Soler got the leftovers. His legs aren't the same length, neither are his arms, his head is on skew - even his back looks like somebody wound him up before they attached it...
I'm rather sad for the fellow. Quietly gets on with the job without pomp and ceremony... Big up respect.
His misfortune is South(ern) Africas fortune though - the whole team will now be leading out Hunter and I fancy Augustyn and Froome for suicidal breaks on the transitional stages.
National pride aside I'm loving the Tour this year. I'm like a 7 year old kid again. Fantastic!!
Wow talk about digressing - as you were people...
Oh and regarding the stage Robbie, Robbie, Robbie with a few bob on Zabel as an outsider....
Yeah. From the general comments in the live commentary on CN, it looks like some teams were just unwilling to do work in that stage (to chase down the break that is), and there was no organization among the teams.
Yeah. From the general comments in the live commentary on CN, it looks like some teams were just unwilling to do work in that stage (to chase down the break that is), and there was no organization among the teams.
Yes. That's the exact reason not to catch them 50km out. It's easier to catch a group that's been out there for 200km, than chase a group that has just jumped in the last 20km.
Only watched the last 10 km. But wow, they only JUST managed to catch the break. In fact, one of the riders in the break almost won it but seemed to lose steam some 50 m ahead of the finish!
Kelly was singing the praises of Zabel on Monday (eriks birhtday) on Eurosport.
Referred to Zabel as having "a superb career" "remarkable rider doing what he has done and being still racing for the win at his age (38)".
Very high praise from King Kelly.
Kelly was singing the praises of Zabel on Monday (eriks birhtday) on Eurosport.
Referred to Zabel as having "a superb career" "remarkable rider doing what he has done and being still racing for the win at his age (38)".
Very high praise from King Kelly.
He was not popular with some other riders but well respected because he was such a training fanatic.
He would train a full day with the team and then go back out for more.
Or so I am told.
He was not popular with some other riders but well respected because he was such a training fanatic.
He would train a full day with the team and then go back out for more.
Or so I am told.
yeah, I've read that he is a fanatic for the bike.
I read that he's also a very single minded character.
I heard somewhere that during the late 1990's that he wanted to be the team leader at Telekom when Jan Ullrich was winning the GT's.
By all accounts Erik wanted the team to back him instead of Jan Ullrich.
Goodefroot rated Zabel very highly.
His famous comment "if JU had the motivation of EZ, he would be as good as Merckx".
I take Goodefroots point (even if it is slightly over the top - as no one in my opinion is even close to Merckx).