Menchov

[hoolaparara]

What I don't understand is how someone can get their condition so wrong. Its not like he was dropping time at the end of climbs, he was out the back barely ahead of the sprinters when the speed went up on an uphill.

 

[BroDeal]

He won a hard Giro in May. Maybe there is just not a lot of gas left in the tank.

 

[Alexzulle]

Or, the more obvious fact that his vienna blood bank was shut down to him around the end of the giro.

 

[Barracuda]

Menchov and Co

Alexzulle, are we to assume that all riders are "on the juice" and any lack of form constitutes a lack of "assistance".

If so, how do riders ala Lance, who from a far appears to being tested as often as he can p*@s, get passed controls. Are we saying that the science is ahead of the testing???

If thats the case, after last nights ride to Verbier would mean that Contador was well and truly "assisted" and Menchov etc had "overdrawn" their accounts.

 

[cody_57]

Overdrawn

Nobody's ever won two grand tours in sequence going back to Merckx. (Meaning Giro/TdF or TdF/Vuelta)

That said, he is not riding well at all. Maybe because he's trying to stay upright?

The Giro was very hard tho'

 

[Izoard]

He won a hard Giro in May. Maybe there is just not a lot of gas left in the tank.

I agree that this is a big part of it. Menchov normally has done better in his second GT of the year, but that was when he was not firing on all 8 in the first GT. He was smokin' in the Giro and it was a very competitive race, so that had to take a lot out of him. I know that sometimes my form goes downhill for no reason I can think of (and no, it is not related to doping )

 

[Jayarbie]

Nobody's ever won two grand tours in sequence going back to Merckx. (Meaning Giro/TdF or TdF/Vuelta)

That said, he is not riding well at all. Maybe because he's trying to stay upright?

The Giro was very hard tho'

Pantani did the Giro/TdF in 98.

 

[BroDeal]

Pantani did the Giro/TdF in 98.

Indurain did it twice.

You cannot use the TdF/Vuelta double going back to Merckx because the Vuelta used to be in the early Spring. Arguably, it used to be a less important race than it is now.

 

[unsheath]

The suspicions are that Menchov and Rabo in particular may be dope free this tour as they're too sh*t scared to alter their profiles in light of being on the '50' suspicious riders list. Leiphemier arguably had a tougher campaign 1st half 09 and still performed well on the prologue. Menchov's form has been off the charts. Maybe he's riding under duress from the Vienna inquisition and he's mind's "not all there". Certainly a plausible explanation, all things considered.

I believe there's a thread in the clinic if you want a more thorough discussion.

 

[Mr.DNA]

Pantani did the Giro/TdF in 98.

Roche Giro/Tour '87!

 

[RhodriM]

Has he raced since the Giro?

 

[elapid]

It takes a special rider to do the Giro-TdF double: Pantani, Roche, Merckx. I am not sure if Menchov has doped or not, but the Giro finished on 31st May and the TdF started 4th June. It's hard to recover sufficiently from a 3000+ km bike race to back up for another one in 5 weeks time. My hat is off to anyone seriously trying for the double.

 

[Susan Westemeyer]

the Giro finished on 31st May and the TdF started 4th June.

How about July 4? Winning Grand Tour races that close together -- or even riding them both -- would be pretty incredible.

Susan

 

[elapid]

How about July 4? Winning Grand Tour races that close together -- or even riding them both -- would be pretty incredible.

Susan

Misprint - 4th July. Still my point stands. Do you want me to be this picky with CN articles?

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Yeah menchov has been dissapointing.

I have to admit, I was one who said he would recover in time for the tour, but clearly his efforts in the Giro has taken its toll. still he wont be too disapointed with the season.

 

[anubisza]

Yeah menchov has been dissapointing.

I have to admit, I was one who said he would recover in time for the tour, but clearly his efforts in the Giro has taken its toll. still he wont be too disapointed with the season.

I think it's fair to say most riders would be happy with one grand tour win a year.

 

[horseman]

Two GT's in fairly quick succession would be hard work for any rider, even Lance at his best never tried to do that.

 

[euphrades]

Withe the current generation of riders I only think Contador is able to do a double. I don't see anyone as strong as he with the ability to do both. Menchov doesn't have the mindset or the strength to do both. Yes he won the Giro and the Vuelta, but he did not win the Giro with a sense of authority that Contador is doing so in the Tour. To win the double you have to have that ability.

 

[mr. tibbs]

Misprint - 4th July. Still my point stands. Do you want me to be this picky with CN articles?

I lol'd