Criterium International - The showdown

[BikeCentric]

Kessiakof might do somthing, so can Cobo, Løvkvist, Soler and Vino.

EDIT: Oh if Yevgeniy Nepomnyachshiy rides he can do somthing, placed 5th last years u23 world. And is a good clasic rider, and a climber

Good call on Lovkvist, should be interesting to see if he can develop into a GT GC rider this year or just stick with one week stage races.

 

[BikeCentric]

You should follow him...please! Enough already.

What's your problem?

 

[Angliru]

Soler will be making his season debut at this race as well. So for the overall we have Armstrong (TOTB), Contador (AST), Evans (BMC), Samu (EUS), Michael Rogers (HTC). Anyone else we should keep an eye out for?

Why is Soler getting such a late start? Was he injured? I'm not expecting much since its his first race but I'm hoping he's able to be competitive later in May in the mountains of the Giro if that is one of his scheduled races.

 

[Publicus]

Why is Soler getting such a late start? Was he injured? I'm not expecting much since its his first race but I'm hoping he's able to be competitive later in May in the mountains of the Giro if that is one of his scheduled races.

IIRC he was hit by a car while training in Colombia.

 

[hfer07]

can't wait to see Mauricio Sole back in action, and challenging the top climbers- although we already know that AC will take this one though..
exiting racing is on going

 

[hfer07]

Why is Soler getting such a late start? Was he injured? I'm not expecting much since its his first race but I'm hoping he's able to be competitive later in May in the mountains of the Giro if that is one of his scheduled races.

1-) he had a minor injury back in january
2-) Unzue has allowed him to train in his hometown (Ramiriqui, Boyaca) which is around 2,885 mt in altitude with lots of climbs- so he'll be more than ready.
3-) paperwork & visa issues sometimes is nightmare over there.

 

[theswordsman]

You should follow him...please! Enough already.

Thanks for that.

 

[Angliru]

IIRC he was hit by a car while training in Colombia.

How could I have forgotten that? That was right around when a flurry of riders were involved in accidents with cars. I recall now that it was a head on collision, if I'm not mistaken. Glad he's back in action.

 

[Angliru]

1-) he had a minor injury back in january
2-) Unzue has allowed him to train in his hometown (Ramiriqui, Boyaca) which is around 2,885 mt in altitude with lots of climbs- so he'll be more than ready.
3-) paperwork & visa issues sometimes is nightmare over there.

Thanks to you and Publicus for the info.
#2 is great to hear. He's an exciting, aggressive rider. I look forward to seeing him in action again.

 

[BroDeal]

Sometimes as the team leader you have to make your own decisions on the road. It's not like Lotto management have shown exemplary tactical skills in the grand tours.

Popo certainly was not happy on the road despite what he might have said afterward.

 

[GoGarmin]

It looks like Versus will now televise both days of the Criterium International, including Saturday coverage of the mountain stage.

This beats the heck out of a 10-minute recap of Saturday's action on the Sunday show.

Can't wait!

 

[Publicus]

I guess AC is taking this race seriously. Apparently he reconned the final climb in the dark. From his twitter page. At the top of Col de l'Ospedale.

 

[trompe le monde]

I guess AC is taking this race seriously. Apparently he reconned the final climb in the dark. From his twitter page. At the top of Col de l'Ospedale.

I think Armstrong wanted to post a picture as well, but the all you can eat buffet had terrible lighting.

 

[Publicus]

I think Armstrong wanted to post a picture as well, but the all you can eat buffet had terrible lighting.

Now that is some quality snark! Bravo!

 

[VeloBabe]

This is always an exciting race! I saw that cyclingfans.com put up a preview and live coverage guide. I'm glad to see the race is getting a lot of media coverage this year. There seems to be a lot of TV broadcasters.

http://www.cyclingfans.com/criterium_international_live

Start list:
http://www.cyclingfans.com/2010_criterium_international_start_list

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

I think Armstrong wanted to post a picture as well, but the all you can eat buffet had terrible lighting.

Solid work right there, folks. Solid. Chapeau!

 

[thehog]

Solid work right there, folks. Solid. Chapeau!

Funny enough he posted a picture of himself the other day. Of course it was just a head shot and not showing the gut region.

 

[auscyclefan94]

You are right, Paris-Nice was Popovych's major goal for the first part of season, but the problem was that it was only his third (IIRC) race of the season and his fitness level certainly wasn't optimal. Popovych had a blog where he wrote in both Russian and Ukrainian, during the P-N there were many questions about their relationship with Evans,but actually he said that that he himself made a mistake, was too concentrated on Rebellin and missed Gesink's initial acceleration. He (Popovych) also had some problems with bike's wheels, apparently.

When I asked Popo whether Evans was working for him or just wanted a stage win, he said that it was team's initial plan for Evans to stay on strongest climber's wheel and win a stage, if possible.

So, sometimes some of you guys tend to blame Evans in situations where he is actually innocent.

+1 - Thank you!

Popo did not crack. He could not follow Gesink's attack, so he limited his losses in same the way that Evans is used to doing. He came in like thirty seconds down. Evans should have paced Popo up the final bit of the climb just as he was hoping Popo would do for him in July.

Popovich placed third the year before. He was targeting that race, and he finished thinking that Evans had screwed him. The end result is that for a stage win in P-N, Evans cost himself the support that may have won him the 2008 Tour.

Dimspace left because he had other problems. Instead of silently going on his way, he lamely tried to cast blame on other people, even making ridiculous claims that he was thinking of the "children" who might read this forum. He was weak, and so were his excuses.

Really if evans could go with gesink he may as well of went for the stage. because popo cracked and it was a 1 week stage race lotto may as well of gotten the win. With dimspace you bullied him. Why would you want to go here if you were continually being harrassed?

 

[auscyclefan94]

Actually, I agree with Brodeal. To garner the uncompromising support that he would have needed in the mountains of the Tour, Evans really needed to show that he was willing to do the same in races that aren't goals of his. With Popo unable to respond, Evans predesignated as support for Popo should have dragged Popo to the finish. He did not. Whether that is the real reason for Popo's poor Tour performance or that he just didn't have it is really unknown to all but the Lotto team, we can only guess.

exactly, you don't so you assume the worst. Read delicato's post.

 

[Oldman]

exactly, you don't so you assume the worst. Read delicato's post.

That and they are bike racers, paid to forget the last race and put out for the next one. That's what a pro does.

 

[Angliru]

Popo certainly was not happy on the road despite what he might have said afterward.

I recall the same. It's immediately problematic when you're designated team leader for a race the first sign of weakness and you're abandoned on the road by the rider you're to ride for at the Tour. Doesn't garner loyalty in the future to management nor to Evans.

By the way, its not thinking the worst to be thinking long term. What happens early in the season within a team and at races can have an effect on that team's cohesion and on the riders' performance and motivations later in the year. I recall many wondering why Popo was seemingly riding for himself, suddenly showing form and motivation at the Tour while earlier he was struggling in his support role.

 

[ak-zaaf]

+1 - Thank you!


Really if evans could go with gesink he may as well of went for the stage. because popo cracked and it was a 1 week stage race lotto may as well of gotten the win.

Coucke explained that he called the DS' car after Popo couldn't follow Gesink to demand that Evans would go for the stage win on Ventoux.
If there's a reason to flame Evans I'm there with my lighter, but this was nothing more than following orders. He could have decided otherwise, but if Popo wouldn't have won PN with Evans' help (and he wouldn't have) Lotto would have nothing. And in that case it would have been Evans fault.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Coucke explained that he called the DS' car after Popo couldn't follow Gesink to demand that Evans would go for the stage win on Ventoux.
If there's a reason to flame Evans I'm there with my lighter, but this was nothing more than following orders. He could have decided otherwise, but if Popo wouldn't have won PN with Evans' help (and he wouldn't have) Lotto would have nothing. And in that case it would have been Evans fault.

in that case it isn't!

 

[franciep10]

This thread should be Renamed Criterium International- The smackdown because this isn't going to be a show down

 

[richwagmn]

Yep. Lance has always had a strong team, usually the strongest in the peloton.

If Alberto wins this year, with this "weak" Astana team, it will be a testament to his talent and to an overachieving Astana team.

Second. RS does have a super strong team. If AC was still racing for JB, he could almost phone in the tour. Still strange to me that JB chose LA over AC. I just can't figure that out.

LA looks to me like he's already lost interest. He got his name back in the headlines and made the podium. I'm sure he knows what he's up against with AC.

I still worry a bit about Astana. AC's going to need someone with him at least part way up the climbs. You just never know when something bad might happen. It'd be a shame if AC has some incident at the TDF that could have been easily rectified had he had a team mate. No idea what that would be, but I'm just sayin, it does worry me.

Maybe AC just attaches himself to the Astana or Saxo-Bank train and dares someone to attack or uses them to launch his own attack (ala Verbier).