Haimar Zubeldia: The Anonymous One

[Alexandre B.]

https://twitter.com/hzubeldia/status/878232122112266240
Haimar is heartbroken

 

[carton]

I remember him saying at some point that he really wanted to help Contador win the thing. Not including him is a bit of an admission that Trek don't expect to be able to dominate the race. And a bit sad, TBH.

 

[movingtarget]

Re:

I remember him saying at some point that he really wanted to help Contador win the thing. Not including him is a bit of an admission that Trek don't expect to be able to dominate the race. And a bit sad, TBH.

Well I don't know what his form has been like this year but he is 40 so maybe the team sees better options.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

https://twitter.com/hzubeldia/status/878232122112266240
Haimar is heartbroken

sad

 

[TheYouyou7]

I think it's a good decision from the team.

 

[deValtos]

And yet despite all this I am confident he will still top 20 this TDF. Go Haimar!

 

[Cance > TheRest]

Oh no But to be fair, Cardoso, his competitor for the spot I assume, was just a tiny bit better in Dauphiné

 

[RedheadDane]

From a cynical perspective it kinda makes sense. He's not getting younger, and realistically there would be a year he doesn't ride.
That's just the nature of the sport; teams can only bring nine guys (from next year eight), so there are some who're gonna be left out.

 

[Guybrush]

tour won't be the same without the ninja =(

 

[Kokoso]

Re:

I remember him saying at some point that he really wanted to help Contador win the thing.

Every bad thing has its bright side. In this case it's fact that he won't be disappointed (by Contador not winning it).

 

[ice&fire]

He's taken the ultimate ninja step: from finishing top-20 without being seen on TV to finishing top-20 without being listed in the official standings.

 

[oronet commander]

Re:

https://twitter.com/hzubeldia/status/878232122112266240
Haimar is heartbroken

Yes, I saw him last saturday at a big Spanish cyclosportive stating his confidence on being selected for the Tour. Markel Irizar was also there, but he's been included in the team. Nice guys both.

 

[gunara]

Heartbroken for the legend.
Maybe, unlike Horner, and unlike Valverde, Haimar is one of those athletes who starts to decline at more normal age, but in an extremely slow rate you can't really tell, but he gets there eventually, to the point that he's no longer good enough for what he was good at for so long.

 

[deValtos]

I just had a look at his stats and he was 24th in the Tour last year and followed it up with 19th in the Vuelta. Has he really gotten that much worse since then? I guess an extra year can't help.

 

[RedheadDane]

I don't think it's a matter of him getting drastically worse, just that there were others Trek judged to be better.

 

[Alexandre B.]

Re:

And yet despite all this I am confident he will still top 20 this TDF. Go Haimar!

You were right!

 

[GuyIncognito]

Looking good.

Climber out, climber in. Surely?
There are no other climbers on the reserve list I believe.

EDIT: "Trek-Segafredo confirms Haimar Zubeldia will replace Cardoso on Tour de France team after EPO positive."
Woop Woop

 

[Valv.Piti]

The legend continues!

 

[lenric]

Cardoso tested positive? WTH

 

[Random Direction]

Damn, that is a good ninja skill - no one even expected him to be there.

 

[SafeBet]

This is even beyond ninja skills. Unbelievable.

 

[portugal11]

Cardoso... zubeldia will be useless...

 

[jmdirt]

YES! Haimar is goin' to the Tdf!

 

[portugal11]

I don't know why everybody is happy with this... he won't be seen on the tv!!! And he will have full coverage of all tour's stages!!!

 

[Ruby United]

Re:

I don't know why everybody is happy with this... he won't be seen on the tv!!! And he will have full coverage of all tour's stages!!!

Is 'portugal11' bitter that Cordoso (from Portugal) was caught for EPO and that Zubeldia's replacing him?