Paging CH: Klodi for Captain



Klodifan

New Member
Aug 26, 2006
730
0
0
Hi CyclingHeroes.

So, I think Andreas needs to be given the green light to ride free. Despite his painful injury, he is clearly riding stronger than Vino. Do you have any insider information as to if/when Klodi can ride for himself and if Kash should guard Vino instead of Klodi. Today, stage 8, was frustrating to see Kash breakaway but Klodi held back. If not Vino for yellow, do team favor Kash over Klodi b/c kash is Kazach?

What is your opinion? And others too, discuss:
 
Klodi should have had the green light last night, fair enough to have stayed back early, but those last km's when Klodi was on the front he was ridding strong and should have been let loose to keep pursuing the guys in front.

Kashechkin was riding well for sure. He could be the Astana trump card as a local boy for their squad.

hmmm dunno, I think they could easily make the mistake of sticking with Vino as their main GC hope until it is to late.
He is already nearly 3mins down on Mayo, 2:30 down on Kashechkin & Evans, plus all the other guys up there.
So he is a long way down already.

Astana better have a good hard think over the rest day.
 
Trev_S said:
hmmm dunno, I think they could easily make the mistake of sticking with Vino as their main GC hope until it is to late.
He is already nearly 3mins down on Mayo, 2:30 down on Kashechkin & Evans, plus all the other guys up there.
So he is a long way down already.
It looks like that is exactly the mistake they will make. Klodi is only a minute down. Without waiting for Vino he probably would have caught the Moreau group and he would not be down at all.

Astana's behavior today indicates that they intend to sink or swim with Vino. Klodi won't be given freedom unless Vino completely melts down and by that time it will be too late.

This sucks for Klodi. The race looks to be his if he were given the chance.
 
Bro Deal said:
This sucks for Klodi. The race looks to be his if he were given the chance.

Not really as it has been stated many times, he was hired to be Vino's helper... chalk it up to team/sponsor politics. If he had greater ambitions only he is to blame for accepting his current situation. Besides didn't he say he rides better without the pressure of being #1? Maybe ultimately by supporting Vino, he will do better for himself than if he was the #1, like 2004 when he ended up with 2nd while riding "support" for Ulrich. Without an Armstrong in the race, he may find himself in 1st at the end through a similar situation.
 
wilmar13 said:
Hey I just came across this article on cycling news which underscores the reasons Kloden will not remain free to go for it, at least until Vino is totally out...
http://www.cyclingnews.com/road/2007/tour07/?id=/features/2007/tour_astana_rest07
Asked an answered.

You did not take my word for it. You needed an article to confirm that Koelden was German, not Kazakh. That marketing drives the team--not talent.

Vino is the boss, Koeden is the hired help. Vino is Lance Pharmstrong--and he even has Michele Ferrari as his very own private blood doctor.

That was NEVER a secret.
 
wilmar13 said:
Hey I just came across this article on cycling news which underscores the reasons Kloden will not remain free to go for it, at least until Vino is totally out...
http://www.cyclingnews.com/road/2007/tour07/?id=/features/2007/tour_astana_rest07
Thanks for the link. I can understand the situation, but that potential victory will come at a great cost. It is one thing to have a true leader and his team, individuals with less talent, supporting him to victory. Afterall, a true captain must also rely on his own strength and capabilities to triumph. I simply want the best to win, not have the best fall on his sword for reasons outside cycling. Some may think tis noble. I think no way.
 
The best way to look at this is that if Klodi wanted to be given full support and team leadership then he should not have signed with Astana. It's that simple.

Hincapie is in a similar situation. He may have won P-R or Flanders by now if he would have left Postal/Disco and gone to a team that would support his ambitions.