Vuelta Espana - 2005

[musette]

Speaking of Devolder/Danielson, Graham Watson's take on today's DC strategy of placing Devolder in the break suggests that Devolder might have been intended to serve the same function (albeit not successfully, obviously, in hindsight) in the stage won by Heras prior to the rest day.

"Discovery got Devolder into the main escape, the idea being that he’d be there to help Danielson after the last climb.... [Danielson] found some support from fellow American Christian Vandevelde, who helped pace Tom up the climb until they met up with Devolder who then chased all the way home."

This is similar to the strategy Hincapie was thinking of deploying in his stage win at the TdF. If Hincapie can't necessarily follow the accelerations of LA's rivals when they attack, maybe he would get into a break and get a head start so that he could be there to assist LA in the event LA were attacked (while trailing Hincapie) when LA reached him.

In the Danielson case, Noval has been ill (which has put his World Cup participation on the Spanish team into question) and Barry has a broken rib and is not a stronger climber than Devolder. There are only three domestiques on the team. Therefore, Devolder has to be the domestique to help Danielson. Put Devolder in an early break so Devolder will not get dropped when Danielson's rivals attack, hoping that Danielson will join Devolder and Devolder will be available to pace Danielson.

 

[JRMDC]

....an overweight Ullrich with a dodgy knee pumped the Vuelta and won it on one leg at age 25..... 11th...Phoooey !

There is no shame in not being as good as Ullrich.

 

[JRMDC]

In the Danielson case, Noval has been ill (which has put his World Cup participation on the Spanish team into question)

CyclingNews reports Noval as making the Spanish team. See one of today's News entries, under the heading "Valverde will ride in Madrid", for the entire lineup, plus reserves.

I didn't know Noval was considered that highly!

 

[musette]

Noval did formally make the Spanish team, but he has been ill, and the Spanish team chief is thinking of replacing him (possibly).

 

[Virenque]

Just compare topics opened before, during and after TdF and the same for VaE.

 

[Rob81]

How's possible Heras was a real s**t at TdF and now a star in Vuelta...after how many days?
Some says a grand tour was his training...on home turf he's got motivations,....blabla
Somtimes this sport is a joking. "International" tours with national star(s) is the big example (see also Giro).

 

[ilpirata]

How's possible Heras was a real s**t at TdF and now a star in Vuelta...after how many days?
Some says a grand tour was his training...on home turf he's got motivations,....blabla
Somtimes this sport is a joking. "International" tours with national star(s) is the big example (see also Giro).

Yes it is rather obvious that at the tour de france, Heras renounced early any intention to try for podium. I cannot believe that he would not be able to be in the top 20 riders there. But he obviously used the race to improve his conditioning and to prepare for the vuelta. I give him credit, because he has entered history with winning a 4th vuelta. However like you, I enjoyed the days where riders would compete to win all the time. The fact is, with the science of training today(which more than likely also includes the science of doping), there is less and less chance of seeing a multi-major tour winner. Simoni was his usual pathetic self in the major tours outside of italy. Although I must say that last year Garzelli put in a pretty good effort at the vuelta, he would have made the top 10, but when he learned of his convocation to the world championship team, he put the engines on cruise for the last two stages.

 

[musette]

Am I right in recalling that TM has not won a single stage, despite the efforts of Zabel, in the Vuelta? While Sevilla's performance level has not declined as dramatically as others before him who joined TM, his performance this season cannot be said to be particularly good. (Yes, at least he led JU to the finish on at least one TdF mountain stage. )

 

[limerickman]

Yes it is rather obvious that at the tour de france, Heras renounced early any intention to try for podium. I cannot believe that he would not be able to be in the top 20 riders there. But he obviously used the race to improve his conditioning and to prepare for the vuelta. I give him credit, because he has entered history with winning a 4th vuelta. However like you, I enjoyed the days where riders would compete to win all the time. The fact is, with the science of training today(which more than likely also includes the science of doping), there is less and less chance of seeing a multi-major tour winner. Simoni was his usual pathetic self in the major tours outside of italy. Although I must say that last year Garzelli put in a pretty good effort at the vuelta, he would have made the top 10, but when he learned of his convocation to the world championship team, he put the engines on cruise for the last two stages.

Agreed.
During the TDF I think Sean Kelly did remark that Liberty and Heras were targetting overall GC placings in the Vuelta - and were effectively riding the TDF as training.

But your other point is correct.
As fans we're being shortchanged - it now seems to be the case that riders only target certain races in order to win.
The last great all round stage race rider for me was Jalabert.
At least he tried to win all of the races he entered and would cycle practically the entire season.

 

[iBanesto]

So Roberto is now going to ride the 2006 Giro in preparation for the Tour de France next year.

Lets hope it can help him get a place in the top 30

 

[musette]

He hasn't decided for sure he will ride it, although it is consistent with the Heras/Saiz theory that Heras may be better in the second Grand Tour he rides in a single year, and Heras has indicated he has good memories from his Giro attempt.

Another approach Saiz might take is to have Heras be available to help Vino try and win the Tour. Nobody has explicitly mentioned this, as the Tour is a point of sensitivity for this team, given its bad performance in 04 and 05 under Heras. But I would imagine that Belok/Scarponi would be another possibility to Heras as leader of the Giro for 06.

 

[MJtje]

Funny thing what Mart smeets said during the vuelta coverage yesterday: he said that sastre is in the book of Rabo and that it's an unwritten rule in the peloton that Sastre also will get f*cked one time by raboriders when sastre comes in a group with only raboriders....''they won't paddle one bit with sastre in there group''

Sastre is not loved in the rabocamp after what he did to Menchov during stage 15!! For the people who didn't see it: Menchov rode 20 km's alone with no help from sastre to bring there group back to Heras. And after Menchov was wasted sastre kindly attacked Menchov......(clearly sastre was thinking allready at that time to just get 2nd). I'm glad Menchov still hold on to 2nd...!

He hasn't decided for sure he will ride it, although it is consistent with the Heras/Saiz theory that Heras may be better in the second Grand Tour he rides in a single year, and Heras has indicated he has good memories from his Giro attempt.

Another approach Saiz might take is to have Heras be available to help Vino try and win the Tour. Nobody has explicitly mentioned this, as the Tour is a point of sensitivity for this team, given its bad performance in 04 and 05 under Heras. But I would imagine that Belok/Scarponi would be another possibility to Heras as leader of the Giro for 06.

 

[whiteboytrash]

MJ does not surprise me... I saw the footage as well and could not work out what Sastre was playing at.... he was behind Heras as well I could not see why he and Menchov did not work together to try and pull him back... I also noted that when CSC's Sorensen dropped back is when Sastre attacked so they both rode away from Menchov..... poor form really as he nothing to gain by doing this.... like Hincapie he's time will come... the peleton has long memories for this sort of stuff... and its always when you're defending your leaders jersey that you want the help from another team.... oh dear....

Funny thing what Mart smeets said during the vuelta coverage yesterday: he said that sastre is in the book of Rabo and that it's an unwritten rule in the peloton that Sastre also will get f*cked one time by raboriders when sastre comes in a group with only raboriders....''they won't paddle one bit with sastre in there group''

Sastre is not loved in the rabocamp after what he did to Menchov during stage 15!! For the people who didn't see it: Menchov rode 20 km's alone with no help from sastre to bring there group back to Heras. And after Menchov was wasted sastre kindly attacked Menchov......(clearly sastre was thinking allready at that time to just get 2nd). I'm glad Menchov still hold on to 2nd...!

 

[whiteboytrash]

There is rumour that Sastre was looking to leave CSC at the end of this year because he was so upset at being 'told' not to ride for Menchov during this stage... apparently he didn't see the reason not to work and being asked to attack Menchov..... Sastre felt that his good name was spoiled by these events....

Funny thing what Mart smeets said during the vuelta coverage yesterday: he said that sastre is in the book of Rabo and that it's an unwritten rule in the peloton that Sastre also will get f*cked one time by raboriders when sastre comes in a group with only raboriders....''they won't paddle one bit with sastre in there group''

Sastre is not loved in the rabocamp after what he did to Menchov during stage 15!! For the people who didn't see it: Menchov rode 20 km's alone with no help from sastre to bring there group back to Heras. And after Menchov was wasted sastre kindly attacked Menchov......(clearly sastre was thinking allready at that time to just get 2nd). I'm glad Menchov still hold on to 2nd...!