2010 Vuelta a Murcia 3rd-7th March

[issoisso]

Jufré does not time trial like that. Something's on him. Or the reverse.

*whistles to the side*

 

[Epoché]

2001:
1 Aitor Gonzalez (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca 14.57 (51.772 km/h)
2 Marco Velo (Ita) Mercatone Uno 0.10
3 Igor Gonzalez (Spa) ONCE 0.21
4 Laszlo Bodrogi (Hun) Mapei-Quick Step 0.23
5 Lance Armstrong (USA) US Postal Service 0.28

2003:
1 Javier Pascual Llorente (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca 15.24 (50.26 km/h)
2 Lance Armstrong (USA) US Postal presented by Berry Floor 0.02
3 Jan Hruska (Cze) ONCE-Eroski 0.07
4 Haimar Zubeldia (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 0.08
5 Victor Hugo Peña (Col) US Postal presented by Berry Floor 0.09

2004:
1 José Ivan Gutierrez (Spa) Illes Balears-Banesto 25.39 (49.77 km/h)
2 Michael Rich (Ger) Gerolsteiner 0.03
3 Marco Pinotti (Ita) Lampre 0.27
4 Torsten Schmidt (Ger) Gerolsteiner 0.28
5 Lance Armstrong (USA) U.S. Postal Service-Berry Floor 0.29

Interesting info, thanks. So in 01 and 04 he was about 30 seconds off first place, and today he was about 45 seconds off.

He still probably wanted a little better than that, but in historical context it's not as bad as it first may seem.

 

[theyoungest]

rabon beat menchov by 32'

Wow

What's so surprising about that? He did exactly the same last year. Well, not exactly, last year he beat Menchov by 25 secs.

And for anyone who's seen Armstrong go up the climb in yesterday's stage, his TT result is hardly surprising. Sorry, this man ain't gonna podium in the Tour this year. Too darn old. And too darn fat.

 

[Bicicleta]

Jufré does not time trial like that. Something's on him. Or the reverse.

*whistles to the side*

Maybe he's helping Contador get out of his Astana contract.

 

[Big GMaC]

What's so surprising about that? He did exactly the same last year. Well, not exactly, last year he beat Menchov by 25 secs.

And for anyone who's seen Armstrong go up the climb in yesterday's stage, his TT result is hardly surprising. Sorry, this man ain't gonna podium in the Tour this year. Too darn old. And too darn fat.

It was just a big margin on everyone else. I mean 30 to menchov is 45 to wigans so well over a minute to LA etc.

And it came as everyone else was talking like the stage was over, kinda forgot he was out there!

 

[Ninety5rpm]

Decline

2001:
1 Aitor Gonzalez (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca 14.57 (51.772 km/h)
2 Marco Velo (Ita) Mercatone Uno 0.10
3 Igor Gonzalez (Spa) ONCE 0.21
4 Laszlo Bodrogi (Hun) Mapei-Quick Step 0.23
5 Lance Armstrong (USA) US Postal Service 0.28

2003:
1 Javier Pascual Llorente (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca 15.24 (50.26 km/h)
2 Lance Armstrong (USA) US Postal presented by Berry Floor 0.02
3 Jan Hruska (Cze) ONCE-Eroski 0.07
4 Haimar Zubeldia (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 0.08
5 Victor Hugo Peña (Col) US Postal presented by Berry Floor 0.09

2004:
1 José Ivan Gutierrez (Spa) Illes Balears-Banesto 25.39 (49.77 km/h)
2 Michael Rich (Ger) Gerolsteiner 0.03
3 Marco Pinotti (Ita) Lampre 0.27
4 Torsten Schmidt (Ger) Gerolsteiner 0.28
5 Lance Armstrong (USA) U.S. Postal Service-Berry Floor 0.29

2010:

1 Frantisek Rabon (Cze) Team HTC - Columbia 0:25:10
2 Denis Menchov (Rus) Rabobank 0:00:33
3 Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Team Sky 0:00:48
4 Andreas Klöden (Ger) Team Radioshack 0:00:52
5 Patrick Gretsch (Ger) Team HTC - Columbia 0:01:03
6 Lieuwe Westra (Ned) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team 0:01:10
7 Stef Clement (Ned) Rabobank 0:01:17
8 Lance Armstrong (USA) Team Radioshack 0:01:18
9 Josep Jufre (Spa) Astana 0:01:21
10 David Zabriskie (USA) Garmin - Transitions 0:01:23

 

[The Singularity]

Menchov could be a dark horse for this years tour. Nobody is talking about him, which is always a good sign.

Remember he beat someone who was off their face on CERA in the Giro. If he really focuses on the Tour this year he could be Contador's biggest rival.

 

[The Singularity]

2010:

1 Frantisek Rabon (Cze) Team HTC - Columbia 0:25:10
2 Denis Menchov (Rus) Rabobank 0:00:33
3 Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Team Sky 0:00:48
4 Andreas Klöden (Ger) Team Radioshack 0:00:52
5 Patrick Gretsch (Ger) Team HTC - Columbia 0:01:03
6 Lieuwe Westra (Ned) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team 0:01:10
7 Stef Clement (Ned) Rabobank 0:01:17
8 Lance Armstrong (USA) Team Radioshack 0:01:18
9 Josep Jufre (Spa) Astana 0:01:21
10 David Zabriskie (USA) Garmin - Transitions 0:01:23

Seems Rabon was in a different league. It's fairer to compare him to Menchov, Wiggins and Kloden in my view. Still not great but 45 seconds down is not too far off previous years.

I thought Armstrong did this tour in 2005. Do we have a time for that year?

 

[Mellow Velo]

Seems Rabon was in a different league. It's fairer to compare him to Menchov, Wiggins and Kloden in my view. Still not great but 45 seconds down is not too far off previous years.

I thought Armstrong did this tour in 2005. Do we have a time for that year?

Almost the same winning time. Armstrong @ 29 seconds, so a further 49 seconds back.
Lucky it's March, although it doesn't bode well.

 

[ErmOkk]

Almost the same winning time. Armstrong @ 29 seconds, so a further 49 seconds back.
Lucky it's March, although it doesn't bode well.

Yea he said he hadn't really trained in the mountains, but his TT wasn't good either, so what did he train? I expected more of him judging his words

 

[Publicus]

Yea he said he hadn't really trained in the mountains, but his TT wasn't good either, so what did he train? I expected more of him judging his words

His TT was pretty good for a 38 year old man. It wasn't good for a guy who is talking about winning the Tour de France 5 years after his last pro tour victory.

Perspective is everything.

 

[theswordsman]

Did Jufre even have a Time Trial bike? Contador and the Paris-Nice guys were supposed to get different bikes delivered today. No details, but Alberto said in a press release that he wouldn't ride the bike from the Algarve, and he was the only one there who had the Transition with bits sawed off.

 

[Anonymous]

What's so surprising about that? He did exactly the same last year. Well, not exactly, last year he beat Menchov by 25 secs.

And for anyone who's seen Armstrong go up the climb in yesterday's stage, his TT result is hardly surprising. Sorry, this man ain't gonna podium in the Tour this year. Too darn old. And too darn fat.

+1

Just watched yesterday's highlights and I didn't realise he was actually off the back on the climb. It's a pity Sky didn't keep the hammer down over the other side and leave him there.

 

[Publicus]

+1

Just watched yesterday's highlights and I didn't realise he was actually off the back on the climb. It's a pity Sky didn't keep the hammer down over the other side and leave him there.

Do you have a link? I only saw the one minute version which didn't show him off the back.

 

[Anonymous]

Do you have a link? I only saw the one minute version which didn't show him off the back.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6edhO79ED4

Edit: The Armstrong Show starts at around 8 minutes.

 

[flicker]

In my opinion Lance is working his way towards his goal.

Looks to me like he has built an excellent foundation.

 

[Publicus]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6edhO79ED4

Edit: The Armstrong Show starts at around 8 minutes.

Thanks for that. It's March and NO ONE (of the contenders) is in their best form, but given all of his and Bruyneel's statements in the press in January and early February, I'm actually a little surprised to seem him go off the back like that.

I think the only harm this does is that it psychologically benefits the likes of Wiggins and Menchov. He (Armstrong) made the right decision to avoid racing AC before the Tour.

 

[Mallorca Man]

Don't bet against him yet!

You could be making a mistake.

 

[progressor]

12 Jack Bauer (NZl) Endura Racing 0:01:38

Good effort.

 

[thehog]

Thanks for that. It's March and NO ONE (of the contenders) is in their best form, but given all of his and Bruyneel's statements in the press in January and early February, I'm actually a little surprised to seem him go off the back like that.

I think the only harm this does is that it psychologically benefits the likes of Wiggins and Menchov. He (Armstrong) made the right decision to avoid racing AC before the Tour.

In the sneak peak on that video he didn't look so good.

Nothing like a month in a spanish hideaway won't fix thou.

Although he just doesn't look the same as he used to..... given Paris-Nice 2005 I'm sure he's capable of anything come July.

 

[thehog]

In the sneak peak on that video he didn't look so good.

Nothing like a month in a spanish hideaway won't fix thou.

Although he just doesn't look the same as he used to..... given Paris-Nice 2005 I'm sure he's capable of anything come July.

If you compare his efforts to Contador at Algarve then he's not going to get anywhere near him.

___

Armstrong did not speak to media for the second straight day, but Team RadioShack spokesman Philippe Maertens said the seven-time Tour champion was "not happy but not unhappy either."

 

[pedaling squares]

In the sneak peak on that video he didn't look so good.

Nothing like a month in a spanish hideaway won't fix thou.

Although he just doesn't look the same as he used to..... given Paris-Nice 2005 I'm sure he's capable of anything come July.

I thought he looked a little thick in the middle at 8:30. He has time to fix that if in fact he's carrying some extra weight. Not sure how he got here so soon after blowing away Comical's scooter though...

 

[thehog]

I thought he looked a little thick in the middle at 8:30. He has time to fix that if in fact he's carrying some extra weight. Not sure how he got here so soon after blowing away Comical's scooter though...

The gut is hanging and the strain is showing.

 

[progressor]

The gut is hanging and the strain is showing.

Is it not better he's carrying extra weight and needs to gain speed,than not carrying extra weight and needing to gain speed ?

 

[dolophonic]

Its true, the Hog and Lance have gone on about what good shape he is in blah blah blah... his weight is better than blah blah blah.... so when this happens i am not suprised people are laughing.