Deni Menchov - Skipping Giro to focus on the Tour

[Big GMaC]

Could this be because of the problems he ran into last year, i.e. not having enough blood bags to do both at a high level?

 

[blackcat]

I reckon you can get enough blood bags.

StrongArm would'a had about 10 starting in July 2008, banking in Austin and Boulder. But Mench is racing, if you immediately donate after a GT, and just go in for a wash, one unit out, and another in two weeks, but if they are gonna not be in deep freeze, you need to go in for one in, and one out, exchange, because the cells only last 100 dayz

 

[Polish]

The Amgen Tour of California in May will be better TdF prep!

Maybe Menchov will join team mate Gesink in this years "Race to the Beach"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lCNUVh6Ung
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[Mambo95]

Maybe it's because he's decided, like many others, that riding the Giro isn't the best preparation for the Tour.

Not everything in cycling is about doping.

 

[Escarabajo]

Like Brodeal once made the analogy with Elaine's Sponges in Seinfeld "The Giro is not Blood Worthy".

With the passport tightening up and the scientist putting more attention to the blood profiles it is becoming harder to blood dope in the sport, so you better make it "money worthy".

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

My guess is that he's already won the Vuelta and Giro, and though it's not likely he can knock off Contador, or even finish ahead of Schleck, and he knows it, he's probably going to focus on the Tour "in case" he has some great days, and they don't.

As to his bags, that would have little to do with his decision I would think. Though I think his Tour effort in 2009 probably showed what a clean rider can accomplish. 51st place, 1:17:04 down, a bit tired after the Giro, yes, this makes sense to me.

 

[craig1985]

I just don't think it is possible to win the Giro-Tour anymore. Unless they are jacked to the moon like Pantani was.

 

[Mellow Velo]

Dennis will never win the Tour and he knows it. Maybe it's as much a Rabo decision, as his. Support Gesink at the Tour and ride the Vuelta to win?
As for prep. He managed to ride both a good Giro and Tour, in '08.
Last year was odd, in terms of the performance of several established riders.
I'll be interested to see how well Evans goes at the Giro. It's as close to a "home" GT, as it gets, for him.
Were it not for a lack of experience, he might well have won the race, back in '02.

I'm not sure what to think about Cali as Tour prep, but I'd guess Rabo will be one of the top teams to attend.

 

[Bala Verde]

I'm not sure what to think about Cali as Tour prep, but I'd guess Rabo will be one of the top teams to attend.

A sponsorship decision? Rabo is invested in California, through their agricultural (and other) lending products. On top of that weren't they a major sponsor of the ToC last year?

On the other hand, the Giro 2010 starts in the Netherlands. I would find it hard to understand they'd go back to their old style of sending a half-baked team with no real contenders to the second biggest stage race in the world. Freire is going, who else?

 

[wattage]

If Menchov can find his Giro 2009 form next year at the Tour, he will definitely be a major player. And he has one of the best poker faces in cycling, along with Contador.

 

[Psalmon]

Maybe it's because he's decided, like many others, that riding the Giro isn't the best preparation for the Tour.

Not everything in cycling is about doping.

The only reason I can see this in the Clinic is maybe because Menchov won the Vuelta after Heras was DQ'ed for doping after the race. He also achieved the Tour "postdium" after Kohl was DQ'ed. So the only "doping strategy" for Menchov to consider would be he thinks he can do well enough to get 4th or so and hope everyone ahead of him is busted so he achieves yet another postdium.

That's a crazy notion I know, and why I strongly second your point that this is not a Clinic issue. Although doping remains embedded with cycling and one of the sport's biggest problems, I agree that every shaving of cycling news need not be viewed through a PED prism.

It's more than worthwhile to discuss doping, but "Menchov skipping Giro to focus on the Tour" in the Clinic? That's worse than trolling because it paints the most fundamental news story (team presentation and rider schedule announcement) with a purely cynical brush. At that point, I find it hard to understand why someone would follow the sport (certainly enough to post in a cycling forum) or how it adds value to the rest of us who do.

 

[MacRoadie]

A sponsorship decision? Rabo is invested in California, through their agricultural (and other) lending products.

You can say that again. They now have over 100 branches in California, from San Diego up to Sacramento.

 

[Kerbdog]

The only reason I can see this in the Clinic is maybe because Menchov won the Vuelta after Heras was DQ'ed for doping after the race. He also achieved the Tour "postdium" after Kohl was DQ'ed. So the only "doping strategy" for Menchov to consider would be he thinks he can do well enough to get 4th or so and hope everyone ahead of him is busted so he achieves yet another postdium.

That's a crazy notion I know, and why I strongly second your point that this is not a Clinic issue. Although doping remains embedded with cycling and one of the sport's biggest problems, I agree that every shaving of cycling news need not be viewed through a PED prism.

It's more than worthwhile to discuss doping, but "Menchov skipping Giro to focus on the Tour" in the Clinic? That's worse than trolling because it paints the most fundamental news story (team presentation and rider schedule announcement) with a purely cynical brush. At that point, I find it hard to
understand why someone would follow the sport (certainly enough to post in a cycling forum) or how it adds value to the rest of us who do.

Exactly. While i like reading this section of the Forums it also at times is cynical to the point of "Whats the point in following the sport if this is all you see". Were not all stupid here to what goes on but sometimes news is just news & should be treated as such. This thread should be put to sleep. On & on & on & on......................

 

[unsheath]

The question is whether Rabo will go into the tour with co-captains or is Menchov the contingency if their hometown hero not up to scratch?

 

[Angliru]

I just don't think it is possible to win the Giro-Tour anymore. Unless they are jacked to the moon like Pantani was.

Not that anyone else was "jacked" at the '98 Tour.

Pantani had several situations that went strongly in his favor. Ullrich's bonk in the cold and rain that gave Pantani his eventual lead. The mass exodus of riders caught up in the Festina scandal and the subsequent domino effect with another team bowing out early. The field of competitors left wasn't especially the most challenging overall either unless my memory is not what it used to be.

 

[Nick777]

Not that anyone else was "jacked" at the '98 Tour.

Pantani had several situations that went strongly in his favor. Ullrich's bonk in the cold and rain that gave Pantani his eventual lead. The mass exodus of riders caught up in the Festina scandal and the subsequent domino effect with another team bowing out early. The field of competitors left wasn't especially the most challenging overall either unless my memory is not what it used to be.

Not to mention his two punctures at the worst possible times..