Clasica San Sebastian



adamastor

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Jun 3, 2007
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One of the most exciting races I have ever seen, as it brings a mix of those of finished the Tour de France, either exhausted or in good shape, and those riders who didn't, couldn't go to the TDF, and are hungry for victory.

Should be a nice battle between Bettini (if he is racing), Spaniards and Andy Schleck. Frank feeling tired, he will pass on this race to focus on Olympics. The young brother should have big support from his team (I'm sure if Sastre takes part, he'll rip his ass off for Andy, due to all the work done in France), I saw him race last night in Luxembourg (1.4km circuit in central Luxembourg city, taken I don't know haow many times), he won, and you can sense his frustration at not having had the opportunity to go for a stage win at TDF.

Any ideas on who could win the Clasica this year? Contador? Or will he do an "Armstrong", and only compete and next year's Tour de France???
 
adamastor said:
One of the most exciting races I have ever seen, as it brings a mix of those of finished the Tour de France, either exhausted or in good shape, and those riders who didn't, couldn't go to the TDF, and are hungry for victory.

Should be a nice battle between Bettini (if he is racing), Spaniards and Andy Schleck. Frank feeling tired, he will pass on this race to focus on Olympics. The young brother should have big support from his team (I'm sure if Sastre takes part, he'll rip his ass off for Andy, due to all the work done in France), I saw him race last night in Luxembourg (1.4km circuit in central Luxembourg city, taken I don't know haow many times), he won, and you can sense his frustration at not having had the opportunity to go for a stage win at TDF.

Any ideas on who could win the Clasica this year? Contador? Or will he do an "Armstrong", and only compete and next year's Tour de France???

Was fortunate to have seen Clasica San Sebastian last year.

Always a very interesting race : the climbers and roadman have a chance in this race each year.
Looking at the line up that was kindly posted by Bears, I would probably go for Rebellin to win.
Although I'm sure the Euskatel riders will want to have their say in this race.
Freire might have the legs coming out of an excellent TDF
 
I will go with Bettini his form is coming around with 2 recent victories, but also he hasn't had a big win yet this year, so he is due
 
Results

1 Alejandro Valverde Belmonte (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne 5.29.11 (43.562 km/h)
2 Alexandr Kolobnev (Rus) Team CSC-Saxo Bank
3 Davide Rebellin (Ita) Gerolsteiner
4 Paolo Bettini (Ita) Quick Step
5 Franco Pellizotti (Ita) Liquigas
6 Denis Menchov (Rus) Rabobank
7 Samuel Sanchez Gonzalez (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi
8 Stéphane Goubert (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
9 Haimar Zubeldia Agirre (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 0.02
10 David Moncoutié (Fra) Cofidis - Le Crédit par Téléphone
11 Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr) Silence - Lotto 0.12
12 Joaquin Rodriguez (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne 0.17
13 Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Bouygues Telecom 0.54
14 Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) Cofidis - Le Crédit par Téléphone 1.03
15 David Arroyo Duran (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne
16 David De La Fuente Rasilla (Spa) Saunier Duval - Scott 1.33
17 Marzio Bruseghin (Ita) Lampre
18 Andy Schleck (Lux) Team CSC-Saxo Bank
19 Vladimir Karpets (Rus) Caisse d'Epargne 1.36
20 Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Liquigas
 
Interesting finish. Valverde was great in the sprint. Bettini did not have the sprint to match... good to see Rebellin up there (whenever there is a very hard race, Rebellin is top five, or so it seems). Very impressive at his age.
 
Powerful Pete said:
Interesting finish. Valverde was great in the sprint. Bettini did not have the sprint to match... good to see Rebellin up there (whenever there is a very hard race, Rebellin is top five, or so it seems). Very impressive at his age.
Do you know the five riders for Italy in the Olympics PP? Would Rebellin be the main man?
 
Crankyfeet said:
Do you know the five riders for Italy in the Olympics PP? Would Rebellin be the main man?
Italian media is apparently reporting that Cunego is out of the Olympics now, still suffering from his injuries in the Tour.
 
Crankyfeet said:
Do you know the five riders for Italy in the Olympics PP? Would Rebellin be the main man?
Well, originally the six guys (five riders and one reserve) were to be Bettini, Bruseghin, Cunego, Pellizzotti, Rebellin and Ricco. Ricco was then replaced by Nibali as reserve rider when the former was suspended at the TdF for doping. I would suspect that they will ride for Bettini and play guys like Rebellin and Pellizzotti off the front (a bit like the last worlds where Rebellin was off the front late in the race, if you recall).

Even though Ballerini believes in the keep it simple and stupid 'capitano unico' strategy. I doubt that five riders are enough to manage the race, though...
 
confusedfan said:
Italian media is apparently reporting that Cunego is out of the Olympics now, still suffering from his injuries in the Tour.
Yup. Cunego is out. Got dropped on the Jaizebel (sp?) and spoke to Ballerini after the race. They decided together that he should not go to Beijing. Cunego will now refocus on the world's in Varese.
 
Powerful Pete said:
Interesting finish. Valverde was great in the sprint. Bettini did not have the sprint to match... good to see Rebellin up there (whenever there is a very hard race, Rebellin is top five, or so it seems). Very impressive at his age.
It seems pretty obvious that Valverde is more of a sprinter/climber than a time trial/climber. Has a few extra fast twitch fibers which helps him to explode in attacks. Probably why he struggles a bit in the GT's on the chronos and later stage climbs. Makes him very dangerous though in lumpy one day races with finishes on a moderate uphill.

Okay... I realise that what I have said is obvious to most here.
 

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