Dauphine Libere

[saluki]

Settle down, we get it live on cycling.tv, we just have to decipher the accents of the two commentators.

That's pretty much irrelevant. It was just another excuse for Trash to vent his bigotry. If you go back through his posts it becomes pretty obvious.

 

[saluki]

Zabriskie's win came as not surprise. As George's good performance. I will focus on Valverde's performance. He's really improving although someone well said that a big TT is another story.
Anyway, that's a form benchmark but not a totalitarian one. We' ve got one month still for the big race, lots of training and fine-tuning to be done.

I saw Valverde's ride on OLN today. He looked very smooth. Probably the best performance of the top contenders. But as you said, the TT will give us a better indication.

Mayo's ride surprised me a little. He is fairly high on his bike, and his line is fairly wobbly. Even if he was in top condition he couldn't get a good time riding like that.

I was a little surprised by George's performance, since he has just come back from a couple of injuries.

Landis looked a little wobbly in the early going as well. I think that riding position of his makes it tough to guide the bike when he is really putting the force to the pedals.

 

[musette]

I wonder how bad or good Popo's form is, and why. Is he still sick slightly? Could Bruyneel force him to work for Il Falco and Hincapie if Popo doesn't do well in the DL and doesn't seem to improve by the beginning of the Tour?

 

[saluki]

I wonder how bad or good Popo's form is, and why. Is he still sick slightly? Could Bruyneel force him to work for Il Falco and Hincapie if Popo doesn't do well in the DL and doesn't seem to improve by the beginning of the Tour?

As I have been saying, Popo needs to show us something before Bruyneel let's him ride for himself. If he doesn't, the best team strategy is to have him ride for Savoldelli. For now, let's not put too much weight into the meaning of a prologue.

The other side of the coin may be that Bruneel promised Popo a shot at the TDF after Lance retired. He may feel obligated to deliver, regardless of what Popo does.

 

[cyclingheroes]

Results of the prologue:


1 David Zabriskie (USA) Team CSC 4.35.84 (53.509 km/h)
2 George Hincapie (USA) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 0.01.88
3 Stuart O'grady (Aus) Team CSC 0.06.07
4 Sebastian Lang (Ger) Gerolsteiner 0.06.91
5 Joost Posthuma (Ned) Rabobank 0.07.35
6 Stijn Devolder (Bel) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 0.07.40
7 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne-Illes Balears 0.07.61
8 Vladimir Gusev (Rus) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 0.07.70
9 Floyd Landis (USA) Phonak Hearing Systems 0.08.00
10 Andrey Kashechkin (Kaz) Würth 0.08.19
11 Peter Mazur (Pol) Saunier Duval-Prodir 0.08.50
12 Christophe Moreau (Fra) AG2R Prevoyance 0.08.96
13 Bert Grabsch (Ger) Phonak Hearing Systems 0.09.01
14 Thor Hushovd (Nor) Credit Agricole 0.09.32
15 Alexandre Vinokourov (Kaz) Würth 0.09.62
16 Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Phonak Hearing Systems 0.09.67
17 Oscar Pereiro Sio (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne-Illes Balears 0.10.26
18 Manuel Quinziato (Ita) Liquigas 0.10.37
19 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas 0.10.46
20 Denis Menchov (Rus) Rabobank 0.10.99
21 Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Cofidis, le Credit par Telephone 0.11.02
22 Ronny Scholz (Ger) Gerolsteiner 0.11.06
23 Thomas Dekker (Ned) Rabobank 0.11.23
24 Philippe Gilbert (Bel) Française des Jeux 0.11.30
25 Erik Dekker (Ned) Rabobank 0.11.34


Great result for Zabriskie and Hincapie, surprising O'Grady and Posthuma...

 

[Endym]

Can you clarify the source for that info please?

cyclingnews interview May 19:
""Nothing is 100 percent, I would need to do a good ride to be absolutely certain of it, but I am in the squad as it stands and I will obviously try to ensure that my form is good enough," he told Cyclingnews this week."

http://www.cyclingnews.com/riders/2006/interviews/?id=stuart_ogrady_may06

 

[musette]

That's what I thought your source was.

Before the quote you noted, here is the article's language:

"He told Cyclingnews earlier this year that he was on the shortlist for the team and was so committed to the cause of helping Basso that he would give up any ambitions he still had about winning the Maillot Vert in France. And while he's had a spring spoiled by injury, he is nevertheless hoping to make it into CSC's all-important selection for July."

Being on the short list is very different from being on the team. I think there are 3-5 people on the short list who will not make the team. If I were Riis, I would not include S O'Grady, because the goal would be Ivan winning the maillot jaune.

Also note that O'Grady told CN "earlier this year" -- meaning probably before the Giro. That can mean a lot could have changed between then and now.

The Giro CSC worked so well together. There will be some adjustments. Zabriskie is going to be added, I suspect. He's on the short list, is at least as good in the mountains as O'Grady and has tried to make improvements in that regard. Z also has a decent chance of winning individual stages involving ITT. So Z will be chosen over O'Grady.

Giro 06
Ivan Basso (Ita)
Carlos Sastre Candil (Spa)Nicki Sorensen (Den)
Michael Blaudzun (Den)
Bobby Julich (USA)
Jens Voigt (Ger)
Giovanni Lombardi (Ita)Volodymir Gustov (Ukr)
Inigo Cuesta Lopez De Castro (Spa)

People in bold are going to the Tour. That leaves four spots. Z is probably going to go, leaving three. Riis is probably going to take F Schlecht (sp) as well, leaving two spots.

Of those two spots, nicki Sorensen and F Cancellera have a decent chance.

CSC Tour 05

21 Ivan Basso (Ita)
22 Kurt-Asle Arvesen (Nor)
23 Bobby Julich (USA)
24 Giovanni Lombardi (Ita)
25 Luke Roberts (Aus)
26 Carlos Sastre (Spa)
27 Nicki Sörensen (Den)
28 Jens Voigt (Ger)
29 David Zabriskie (USA)

 

[micron]

Since Basso managed quite nicely with only one climber, CSC could afford to pursue the MV as well - after all, O'Grady doesn't need a lead out train and is capable of nicking points in all sortd of places.

And what a feather in the cap for Riis - emulating his old team and taking the MJ, MV and (probably) best team prize in the TdF.

You have to remember, not every DS is in thrall to Bruyneel and some remember when it was perfectly acceptable to have wider ranging ambitions in a GT than just winning the race...

 

[musette]

They had Cuesta in the Giro, another climber. Since Cuesta may be saved to help Sastre in the Vuelta, I think they will add F Schlecht (sp).

But in any event I think it's obvious that O'Grady has not yet secured his position on the CSC Tour team, regardless of what he might have told, or be telling, CN.

On the maillot vert, O'Grady himself in the CN article cited by the other poster acknowledged that, if he were on the TdF team, he would relinquish all hopes for the green jersey and would commit all his energies to helping Basso. Even O'Grady isn't as unrealistic as to suggest that he get on the team because he has a good chance at the Green Jersey.

O'Grady is in a difficult spot. He didn't have a good Spring -- the very reason he had been recruited. He wa sbrought on at the last minute to begin with. And now he will probably miss the Tour, and only has the Vuelta to try for a contract renewal at CSC.

 

[whiteboytrash]

Nah... O'Grady is a hardman and perfect to do all the work in the first week... ie drive the bunch, fetch water, chase down breaks.. just what CSC need for week one to keep things level. He can climb ok so you can send him to the front over the first two climbs and then peel off and he'll get himself home under the timelimit...

Since Basso managed quite nicely with only one climber, CSC could afford to pursue the MV as well - after all, O'Grady doesn't need a lead out train and is capable of nicking points in all sortd of places.

And what a feather in the cap for Riis - emulating his old team and taking the MJ, MV and (probably) best team prize in the TdF.

You have to remember, not every DS is in thrall to Bruyneel and some remember when it was perfectly acceptable to have wider ranging ambitions in a GT than just winning the race...

 

[cyclingheroes]

Nah... O'Grady is a hardman and perfect to do all the work in the first week... ie drive the bunch, fetch water, chase down breaks.. just what CSC need for week one to keep things level. He can climb ok so you can send him to the front over the first two climbs and then peel off and he'll get himself home under the timelimit...

I read an interview with Cancellara the other day, he seems to be sure that he will start at the TdF...

 

[musette]

Even looking at the green jersey, what chances does O'Grady have unless McEwen, Boonen and Thor H all don't finish the race (which is unlikely)? So, if O'Grady goes, he would be going for stage wins. But what chance does he have on flat stages against the other sprinters? Minimal. So he has to go for a stage win on a stage that involves some difficulty for the other sprinters, and those are precisely the stages where he is supposed to be helping Basso and will tire himself out before contesting for the stage win. So, if I were Riis, I wouldn't bring O'Grady. I'd have him ride the Vuelta for a stage win and then probably not extend his contract.

 

[limerickman]

Even looking at the green jersey, what chances does O'Grady have unless McEwen, Boonen and Thor H all don't finish the race (which is unlikely)? So, if O'Grady goes, he would be going for stage wins. But what chance does he have on flat stages against the other sprinters? Minimal. So he has to go for a stage win on a stage that involves some difficulty for the other sprinters, and those are precisely the stages where he is supposed to be helping Basso and will tire himself out before contesting for the stage win. So, if I were Riis, I wouldn't bring O'Grady. I'd have him ride the Vuelta for a stage win and then probably not extend his contract.

Riis pursued O'Grady for a while and when Ferretti's SONY team failed to materialise, Riis made a good offer to get O'Grady.
O'Grady in fact in interview said that he is happy to work in whatever capacity Riis wants.
Riis said that O'Grady would almost certainly do the TDF - especially hving missed out on the Classics season

 

[musette]

If O'Grady is going to do the TdF, I ask why?

 

[whiteboytrash]

If O'Grady is going to do the TdF, I ask why?

Probably the same reason Matt White went to the Giro.... why ?

 

[cyclingheroes]

Results stage 1:


1. Fabian Wegmann (Gst)
2. Thomas Voeckler
3. Martinez
4. Francisco Mancebo + 0,02
5. Napolitano + ca. 0,20

Wegmann takes the overall lead from Zbriskie.

 

[musette]

Basso, Sastre, Lombardi, Julich, Voigt are sure to make the CSC Tour team. That leaves only four slots.

I think Cancellera will start the Tour.

I also think Frank Schleck definitely will, to help Basso on climbing, esp if Cuesta (recruited by Sastre to help Sastre in the Vuelta) is going to be resting up to help Sastre later in the season.

Dave Z has a good chance, esp if Riis wants a stage win.

Unless somebody like Nicki Sorensen doesn't make the Tour team, O'Grady won't make it.

Being on the "short list", which I am sure O'Grady was on several months before the Tour, only means that the rider has to be ready for the Tour and has a chance to get on the Tour team.

 

[Eldrack]

Dave Z will get a place. He's good on the flats because of his TT strength and he is no slouch at climbing either (like most top TTists), fairly light too at 67kg. Probably isn't so good at handling accelerations would be strong on earlier climbs (pace setting etc).

 

[superdanuk]

Cancellara will definitly be in team, his power driving the bunch along will be a real asset to csc.

As for o'grady its hard to see what he could do at the tour, he's not going to beat the likes of Mcewan in the sprints and so the green jersey is out of reach (not that riis would let him target it anyway with basso going for overall) and his place could be taken up by a climber to support Basso.

 

[azdroptop]

The cycling.tv/ boys were talking up David Z today like he would be in the TDF for sure. Man I'm in love with cycling.tv/ It has really helped out this American boy.