Dauphine Libere

[cyclingheroes]

As I said before, I didn't know he was ill, all I remember is Menchov being left behind when the favorite's started to climb. Though he was ill last year, I still don't see him following the favorites on the climb this year. The pace on climbs are entirely different in the TdF than it is in the Vuelta. The problems Menchov had in the mountains, in the Vuelta would be catastrophic in the TdF. Also if you look at the TT in the Vuelta, he didn't have that much of a competition compared to what he will have in the TdF. Of course I can be badly mistaken and I know, it sounds harsh when I rule out a grand tour winner(the win just recently announced due to Heras doping), I just don't see him in a top 5 spot, maybe a top 10 to be optimistic.



Rabobanks go to guy, I believe, will be the chicken. Not that Rasmussen will be a GC contender, two ITT's are devastating for a rider like Rasmussen, but Rabobank chances of success in the TdF will be more reliant on Rasmussen than on Menchov. But as said, I can be badly mistaken, I haven't been following Menchov in Particularly..

Menchov has won the white jersey in 2003, GC 11th. In last years Vuelta he didn't had real team support (Rabobank send a B team with him, no Dekker, no Boogerd, no Rasmussen, no Weening) and had to ride against a team of Saiz (now there was something hmmm...) working for Heras...

 

[saluki]

Looks like Floyd is doing badly in today's climb. So my eyes didn't deceive me about his backside looking large after all. With 5K to go, Leipheimer and Menchov are looking good.

 

[tcklyde]

Great win for Menchov (although he sucked wheel for the last 4kms). Azevedo shows that he may be the best hope in the mountains for Discovery (no surprise here: Azevedo has better Tour results than any other Discovery rider --anyone remember Azevedo going all over Ventoux supporting Beloki for ONCE in 2002?).

Leipheimer was superb. He led the group for the last 4kms and looked very strong, but didn't have it over the last 300 meters.

Valverde not too far back, looking fine. So sign of Landis yet, so must be over 5 mins back.

 

[saluki]

Looks like Gilbert lost over 7 minutes to Leipheimer in two stages. I do want to thank Cyclingheroes and Dead Star for pointing out to me that Gilbert is a Belgian star and not a Domestique.

The performance of Menchov and Leipheimer don't surprise me. Vino and Landis being totally destroyed does surprise me. I thought that Floyd looked a little heavy. But I didn't expect it to be that bad.

Thumbs up to Moreau. I didn't envision him crossing with the leaders.

 

[Eldrack]

Yep, Floyd and Vino are MIA on this stage. But that could well be part of the TdF build up plan. After all, to contend the GC here you have to push yourself in another two mountain stages which isn't so good if you want to be peaking in a few weeks time. I reckon they'll give the La Toussierre stage a go as that is in the TdF but will loose more time tomorrow.

Valverde, Hincapie finishing together. I don't think they are going to challenge for the podium in this race, just keep it steady up the climbs, keep in touch but not dig too deep.

Leipheimer seems to be on similar form to last year, lets hope his team can control the race enough to keep him in yellow rather than loosing it to a breakaway. He'll have to watch out for Menchov though, he's only 28 seconds behind. Moreau and Mancebo are within striking distance too, and they're on the same team so they could cause problems for Gerolsteiner.

Still, given the hardness of the Parcours over the next two days the race is still open.

 

[Virenque]

If you ask me Floyd wasn`t destroyed. IMO he just rode his own tempo and didn`t want to give all. Don`t forget that there is still one month till TdF and more than 5 weeks to first mountain stage. One month is a long period of time for cycling season.
Chavanel surprised me. I hope he`ll finaly manage to achieve his first TdF stage win.

When I saw 1 km to go banner I thought it`s a mistake. It seemed so long from that banner to the finish! I really couldn`t believe it.

 

[doctorSpoc]

Ryder Hesjedal (Canada) finishes 19th place 3:13 down just in front of Valverde! man he's upped his game... Canadians in the house!

wonder is Lanis' finish is indicative of anything or if he just shut it down completly when he didn't have the legs not wanting to pull a 'Lance going after Mayo thing' burning too many matches too close to the tour when the real prize is not for a few weeks... Armstrong had a really hard time in tour when he had to give too much at the Dauphine.. in pursuit of Mayo. Mayo put 2 mins into Armstong on Ventoux and in the tour did nothing so... although i stil think Mayo and most of the other top pros got the letter that Hamilton got and they just heeded their and Hamilton didn't, but that another story.

 

[doctorSpoc]

Great win for Menchov (although he sucked wheel for the last 4kms). Azevedo shows that he may be the best hope in the mountains for Discovery (no surprise here: Azevedo has better Tour results than any other Discovery rider --anyone remember Azevedo going all over Ventoux supporting Beloki for ONCE in 2002?).

Leipheimer was superb. He led the group for the last 4kms and looked very strong, but didn't have it over the last 300 meters.

Valverde not too far back, looking fine. So sign of Landis yet, so must be over 5 mins back.

Leipheimer was great but it's a little disingenuous the say that Menchov sucked wheel... the wind was cross/head and coming onto their left shoulders and Leipheimer rode right in the right gutter to force the others to take as much wind and work as much as he did (if you've ever had someone do this to you in a race you know how tough this is). Menchov didn't even try to take a draft. he was actually on the left side of Leipheimer taking the full brunt of the wind. the only one that benefited was Moreau who got a good draft off of Menchov. I'm figuring Menchov looked at Leipheimer and said what is the point i'm not going to get any draft of this tiny guy anyway (Leipheimer is maybe as high as Menchov's front wheel) and just rode in the wind not taking chances in the gutter for what would have been very minimal draft at best.. Menchov took that one fair and square.. he benefited from Leipheimer's pacing but he didn't even try to such wheel... he match Leipheimer pedal stroke for pedal stroke in that last 4k's

 

[Virenque]

Valverde wasn`t looking fine. He was suffering quite a lot. First 4 riders were looking really fine!

 

[doctorSpoc]

just a note... this is Menchov's second win on Ventoux

 

[sonicman]

If Menchov keeps the pace up for the next 2 stages... He´s not a bad bet for the tour...

Let´s see what happens in La Tousirre, not sure if the main players will show their cards for that decisive stage right now...

 

[saluki]

Sorry folks, I can't accept that some people did poorly because they are saving it for the TDF.

In my mind, Landis, Popovitch, Mayo, and Vinakourov all got ripped today. And the only way that it's not important is if they were sick or injured. I don't want to over rely on the Mayo - Armstrong thing of a couple of years ago. If you want to coast when you go up the mountain, then stay in training camp. Sure, they weren't trying to peak for this race. But neither were Menchov and Leipheimer. My thinking is that Landis, Popo, Mayo and Vino do not make the TDF top five.

My initial thought was that Popo might be a better (although not great) GC candidate
than Hincapie. Looks like I had that backwards. I'm not suddenly expecting great things from George. But you have to give him credit for hauling that big carcase up the mountain as well as he did such a short time after coming back from injuries.

 

[Dead Star]

I didn't know that.

tsk tsk.

 

[whiteboytrash]

I just watch the stage on EuroSport2... what a race ! what a stage ! Cycling racing is interesting again. What surprised me most and I hope to see the same in the Tour is the number of attacks. CSC may make a difference with high tempo riding but riders were bombing off the front from the base of the mountain. It was great to see Christoph Moreau riding so well and was the rider who spilt the main bunch after attacks from Seville, Azavado and Mancebo. Menchov to win did what he did in the Vuetla and sucked wheel to the top of the mountain. Levi was smart to get into the break and did most of the work along with Moreau.

Believe me when I say that Hincapie, Landis, Vino and co. were suffering. When Landis crossed the line he face was contorted and his team-mate reached across to him and tapped him on the back to say well done for getting through it. It should be noted that it was around 40c on the mountain today, it was very, very hot. I think a lot of riders suffered from the heat.


Deny Menchof as the French call him said in the English interview after the race that it was hard and it was about putting as much time into the favorites.

 

[doctorSpoc]

I just watch the stage on EuroSport2... what a race ! what a stage ! Cycling racing is interesting again. What surprised me most and I hope to see the same in the Tour is the number of attacks. CSC may make a difference with high tempo riding but riders were bombing off the front from the base of the mountain. It was great to see Christoph Moreau riding so well and was the rider who spilt the main bunch after attacks from Seville, Azavado and Mancebo. Menchov to win did what he did in the Vuetla and sucked wheel to the top of the mountain. Levi was smart to get into the break and did most of the work along with Moreau.

Believe me when I say that Hincapie, Landis, Vino and co. were suffering. When Landis crossed the line he face was contorted and his team-mate reached across to him and tapped him on the back to say well done for getting through it. It should be noted that it was around 40c on the mountain today, it was very, very hot. I think a lot of riders suffered from the heat.


Deny Menchof as the French call him said in the English interview after the race that it was hard and it was about putting as much time into the favorites.

I watched it on cycling.tv live this morning and Leipheimer checked with his DS at ~5k to go and then and only then worked and did most... actually ALL of the leading after that point... as i wrote earlier... Menchov benefted from Leipheimer's pacing but not draft. Leipheimer rode 1 inch from the right gutter and with a head cross wind on their left shoulder. if you watched it you should have noticed that Menchov rode the last 5ks on the left of Leipheimer full bore in the wind, so to say he sucked wheel is just wrong.. he had his head in the wind just as much as Leipheimer... Moreau had Menchov's draft though. the riders that did the heavy lifting for the counter attack lower down the mountain were Moreau and Mancebo though.. with Sevilla and Acevedo starting off the festivities but as it turned out, just going way to early...

 

[doctorSpoc]

Sorry folks, I can't accept that some people did poorly because they are saving it for the TDF.

In my mind, Landis, Popovitch, Mayo, and Vinakourov all got ripped today. And the only way that it's not important is if they were sick or injured. I don't want to over rely on the Mayo - Armstrong thing of a couple of years ago. If you want to coast when you go up the mountain, then stay in training camp. Sure, they weren't trying to peak for this race. But neither were Menchov and Leipheimer. My thinking is that Landis, Popo, Mayo and Vino do not make the TDF top five.

My initial thought was that Popo might be a better (although not great) GC candidate
than Hincapie. Looks like I had that backwards. I'm not suddenly expecting great things from George. But you have to give him credit for hauling that big carcase up the mountain as well as he did such a short time after coming back from injuries.

hard to say... think we'll know Saturday... TdF favorites.. even if they are taking it easy overall, they will likely want to try out Toussuire as a test since it is a TdF finish as well.. if we see Landis et al just kick a$$ on this stage we will know the deal...

 

[limerickman]

I just watch the stage on EuroSport2... what a race ! what a stage ! Cycling racing is interesting again. What surprised me most and I hope to see the same in the Tour is the number of attacks. CSC may make a difference with high tempo riding but riders were bombing off the front from the base of the mountain. It was great to see Christoph Moreau riding so well and was the rider who spilt the main bunch after attacks from Seville, Azavado and Mancebo. Menchov to win did what he did in the Vuetla and sucked wheel to the top of the mountain. Levi was smart to get into the break and did most of the work along with Moreau.

Believe me when I say that Hincapie, Landis, Vino and co. were suffering. When Landis crossed the line he face was contorted and his team-mate reached across to him and tapped him on the back to say well done for getting through it. It should be noted that it was around 40c on the mountain today, it was very, very hot. I think a lot of riders suffered from the heat.


Deny Menchof as the French call him said in the English interview after the race that it was hard and it was about putting as much time into the favorites.

Landis has the same expression on his face today - as he did when he blew apart leading the Vuelta in 2004.

I thought Landis was going to make a statement in the Dauphine.
Judging by today - he isn't in shape to do so.

Landis was my darkhorse bet for the TDF - after today it's hard to know how well he is going.

 

[saluki]

Landis has the same expression on his face today - as he did when he blew apart leading the Vuelta in 2004.

I thought Landis was going to make a statement in the Dauphine.
Judging by today - he isn't in shape to do so.

Landis was my darkhorse bet for the TDF - after today it's hard to know how well he is going.

I think that the big question with Floyd has been, "Did those early season wins mean that he would be out of gas later in the season."

Looks like the answer may be yes. It also looks like the weight that he lost over the winter didn't want to stay off.

I don't want to put to much importance on one stage, but 9 minutes looks pretty bad.

 

[limerickman]

I think that the big question with Floyd has been, "Did those early season wins mean that he would be out of gas later in the season."

Looks like the answer may be yes. It also looks like the weight that he lost over the winter didn't want to stay off.

I don't want to put to much importance on one stage, but 9 minutes looks pretty bad.

Of course, we could be putting too much emphasis on today - but he looked like he was struggling today.
Or he looked to be working a lot harder for little or no reward.

 

[Dead Star]

Landis has the same expression on his face today - as he did when he blew apart leading the Vuelta in 2004.

I thought Landis was going to make a statement in the Dauphine.
Judging by today - he isn't in shape to do so.

Landis was my darkhorse bet for the TDF - after today it's hard to know how well he is going.

he sure did crack. Gilbert's nice little quote: 'I was riding at my speed. Passing riders who had exploded was good for my morale, for example when I saw Floyd Landis'.