Clásica San Sebastián 2010 - 31 July

[hrotha]

Great race. Climbing Jaizkibel twice sure makes things more interesting (everyone knew exactly how to do this race to win before). Smart ride by LL Sánchez. Vino showed he was too eager to win, as often happens to him.

And what's with the camera at the finish line zooming OUT during the sprints? Come on.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

I guess I don't understand the hate for "wheel sucking" or not doing the most work at the front when it gets you a better result. Why expend the energy and not save it for a higher placing potentially? The one I will give you is Levi, can't stand the way he rides, but it could be anyone.

Because if Zubeldia actually worked, they could've closed the gap to the leaders

Since when is riding for 4th place smart when you can ride for the win
It's ***

 

[altark123]

Because he robbed himself and the others of a chance to win, and then just steals a 4th place, which he absolutely didn't deserve.

It makes more sense if what you say is true and they could've bridged. But, generally speaking if your group is guaranteed to finish together, why not?

 

[tgsgirl]

Anybody expecting a Sky rider in the top 20 is slightly naive.. check the start list.

If I see a Milram and a Footon, then I should see a Sky there too. With that budget there can't be too many excuses for them being completely, totally invisible in a .HIS race.

 

[hfer07]

I would've loved to see Vino taking the win and rub it in AC's face

 

[180mmCrank]

Special mention for Haimar Zubeldia. Seriously, f@#k him.

Jeeze - that's a bit harsh. Judge jury executioner all from an armchair

Great race - awesome result for Sastre

 

[The Hitch]

Because if Zubeldia actually worked, they could've closed the gap to the leaders

Since when is riding for 4th place smart when you can ride for the win
It's ***

maybe zubeldia wanted radioshack riders to bridge the gap, and was therefore trying to slow it down. If he has teammates in a chasing group he is allowed a free ride you know.

 

[Reverend_T_Preedy]

If I see a Milram and a Footon, then I should see a Sky there too. With that budget there can't be too many excuses for them being completely, totally invisible in a .HIS race.

To be fair, they won a .HIS race last week.

They don't have a great climbers and their best (Lofkvist) didn't race. The majority of riders in contention all rode the TDF yet Sky only picked 2 from their riders for the tour. Therefore, it was highly unlikely they'd do anything.

 

[theyoungest]

If I see a Milram and a Footon, then I should see a Sky there too. With that budget there can't be too many excuses for them being completely, totally invisible in a .HIS race.

The only Sky rider that could be (slightly) competitive in this race is Löfkvist. Don't know if he was there (guess not) but I think they're forgiven. Sky isn't very good at any races pointing skywards.

 

[180mmCrank]

maybe zubeldia wanted radioshack riders to bridge the gap, and was therefore trying to slow it down. If he has teammates in a chasing group he is allowed a free ride you know.

The point is we don't know what he was thinking - I guess it's fun to speculate.

Who was it that said 'cycling is a sport where to win you have to be prepared to lose!' - wise words or just 'post rationalisation'

 

[joy118118]

To be fair, they won a .HIS race last week.

They don't have a great climbers and their best (Lofkvist) didn't race. The majority of riders in contention all rode the TDF yet Sky only picked 2 from their riders for the tour. Therefore, it was highly unlikely they'd do anything.

.HIS race? Sky won le Tour?

 

[jens_attacks]

damn i missed the race,happy for sastre and vino.ll sanchez is always smart when it comes to a sprint,clever rider.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

.HIS race? Sky won le Tour?

Maybe a histeric race (wrong spelling though)?

 

[theyoungest]

To be fair, they won a .HIS race last week.

They don't have a great climbers and their best (Lofkvist) didn't race. The majority of riders in contention all rode the TDF yet Sky only picked 2 from their riders for the tour. Therefore, it was highly unlikely they'd do anything.

Is being fair what you do when you lie?

(it was a 2.HC race)

 

[hrotha]

Cut Sky some slack. You don't expect Euskaltel to do well at Paris-Roubaix, do you? Let's talk about Liquigas instead.

 

[Mellow Velo]

Because he robbed himself and the others of a chance to win, and then just steals a 4th place, which he absolutely didn't deserve.

I guessed that the Dutch contingent would be upset by the antics of the chase group.
Have to say I agree. Zubeldia was a waste of space. Hardly saw him anywhere near the front.
Bobby G doing so (too) much graft, again.
Sucking seems to be the Shack forte. They win the team competition on that score.

They have a Levi for every occasion.

Got to watch it on tv, thanks to Raitre.

 

[theyoungest]

I guessed that the Dutch contingent would be upset by the antics of the chase group.
Have to say I agree. Zubeldia was a waste of space. Hardly saw him anywhere near the front.
Bobby G doing so (too) much graft, again.
Sucking seems to be the Shack forte. They win the team competition on that score.

They have a Levi for every occasion.

Yes, of course there's more than a little Dutch frustration behind this

I guess Bobby G is always nice to have in your group... he does all the work, and you can pip him on the line.

 

[sublimit]

but there are what...15 teams in the top 16 and sky hasn't got one of those places....that's very poor

They were poor today no question. I cant argue with that.

 

[Reverend_T_Preedy]

Is being fair what you do when you lie?

(it was a 2.HC race)

Sorry, my mistake. It's been a long day... I apologise to all concerned...

 

[TopCarbon]

poor, poor Sastre.....the disappointment is written all over his face.


I have stopped feeling sorry for him.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

I wonder what's up with Cunego.
He failed as GC contender and won classics (AGR, Lombardia) thus switched to classics. And now he fails at classics as well.

Is there anything he can still do?

 

[ErmOkk]

I wonder what's up with Cunego.
He failed as GC contender and won classics (AGR, Lombardia) thus switched to classics. And now he fails at classics as well.

Is there anything he can still do?

He's cool, he wears GEOX...

 

[tgsgirl]

Cut Sky some slack. You don't expect Euskaltel to do well at Paris-Roubaix, do you? Let's talk about Liquigas instead.

Come on. It's not like San Seb takes a special set of skills that you only use there and then. If you can climb, you can be at the front in San Seb. If you can climb and you have a bit of a punch, you can win at San Seb. All I'm saying is that a team with a budget like SKY should have someone capable of showing themselves. That's all I ask. Just to show us that they were actually there.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Come on. It's not like San Seb takes a special set of skills that you only use there and then. If you can climb, you can be at the front in San Seb. If you can climb and you have a bit of a punch, you can win at San Seb. All I'm saying is that a team with a budget like SKY should have someone capable of showing themselves. That's all I ask. Just to show us that they were actually there.

Indeed, even Greg van Avermaet, the specialist climber (not), finishes 11th.
Javier Moreno from Andalucia is even up there for a long time.
With the budget Sky has, they should ALWAYS have a man up there.

 

[hrotha]

Indeed, even Greg van Avermaet, the specialist climber (not), finishes 11th.
Javier Moreno from Andalucia is even up there for a long time.
With the budget Sky has, they should ALWAYS have a man up there.

After taking a look at their roster for this race, I have to take back what I said. They did have some climbers and what not. They only had Possoni in the first pack at 3:43. And wasn't Augustyn a climber back in the day?

That said, I still don't think it was reasonable to expect much more from them in this race considering the squad they brought. Even if you have all the money in the world, there's only so many people you can sign for your first year. It takes time.