Rodriguez's time trial of his career!

[Autobus]

After being agnostic to the possibility of Rodriguez doping at the Vuelta until now, as soon as I read that he had "the time trial of his career" he was irrevocably labeled a cheat. That phrase, when used to describe climbers, just brings back so many horrible memories for me. The 1998 Tour topped it with me when Marco went from 31st in stage 7 ITT to 3rd in the stage 20 ITT. The funniest part that I couldn't detect the slightest bit of irony when I read it. Handily beating Tony Martin doesn't make him look any better either.

 

[Mr.38%]

Do your homework first and check out who is in charge of preparing time-trials and equipment in general at Katusha first (and what SW has accomplished before). You may be surprised.

 

[Northern rider]

Somehow I doubt Tony Martin will be sending the course designer a Christmas present later this year

 

[hrotha]

This ITT is meaningless. Did you see the profile and the results?

The ITT of his life is still the last one at the Giro.

 

[maxmartin]

I call this SKY effects, they are professionals, they knew what SKY did and they knew how to handle the situation.

 

[taiwan]

Don't think there was anything fishy about the TT in particular. It was hilly, he still lost a minute to Bert and his TTs have been better recently. The 2010 Vuelta TT was the worst of his I've been aware of.

Also, http://forum.cyclingnews.com/showthread.php?t=18265

 

[Benotti69]

I call this SKY effects, they are professionals, they knew what SKY did and they knew how to handle the situation.

I agree. It was witnessed what Sky did, so now others have upped their levels and no better place to do it than Spain.

 

[roundabout]

You don't think that there is anything fishy about Rodriguez becoming a better overall GT rider?

I'll give you a hint, it's not all about the bike.

 

[jilbiker]

Glad someone started this thread. The ITT is a very good indicator of someone on juice. I have had my doubts about Purito's performance, since the Giro, it's really too good to be true. Today was the final nail, just 1 min down to Contador on a timetrial?? Doesn't add up, at all. And then tomorrow he is blasting away on that short climb?? if you argue that he pushed himself beyond normal limits today then he should be mellow tomorrow right? In recovery? But nay, we will see tomorrow.

Honestly we have to forget these drug tests. Its a joke. I though about Balco today and I said, the testers had no clue until someone sent them a syringe that was used to inject the juice. Else they would still have no clue till today.

 

[maxmartin]

most fishy is Valverde. He probably come to tour with a good conscience and thought cycling is get cleaner with Giro as an indicator. But got shocked and bombed by SKY performance. Well come back home, up his game play by SKY force. Wola, a new Valverde emerged in Vuelta without that crash, he would still be in red.

 

[Autobus]

Management at Katusha: Weber at Columbia/High Road--talked a good game. Peschel for TTs--got the Silver in 2004 Worlds after Millar was bounced and also rode for Holczer with all those memorable CERAites, Chiesa's name on file with Conconi. Besnati questioned after the 2001 Giro raid. Zabel of couse. Nothing leaping out at me that would immediately indict any Katusha rider, but with that happened under Holczer at Gerolsteiner nothing would be that surprising. I said I was agnostic, not naive.

 

[jilbiker]

most fishy is Valverde. He probably come to tour with a good conscience and thought cycling is get cleaner with Giro as an indicator. But got shocked and bombed by SKY performance. Well come back home, up his game play by SKY force. Wola, a new Valverde emerged in Vuelta without that crash, he would still be in red.

Agreed. I am also convinced that Valvarde is back on the juice wagon. It does not add up. The Sky joke at the TDF really made a lot of folks rethink their plans. two can play that game.

It is going to be very interesting if AC wins this becos he is probably the cleanest. I didn't say he is "All natural" but just the least "assisted". I think his biggest challenger will be Purito, he seems juiced to the bones.

Best way to beat a juicer is to outsmart him, we'll see if AC has the smarts. Forget the power blast.

 

[taiwan]

You don't think that there is anything fishy about Rodriguez becoming a better overall GT rider?

I'll give you a hint, it's not all about the bike.

Just saying I don't percieve a performance jump. However I can add 2 + 2 w.r.t. his former teams etc.

 

[roundabout]

Management at Katusha: Weber at Columbia/High Road--talked a good game. Peschel for TTs--got the Silver in 2004 Worlds after Millar was bounced and also rode for Holczer with all those memorable CERAites, Chiesa's name on file with Conconi. Besnati questioned after the 2001 Giro raid. Zabel of couse. Nothing leaping out at me that would immediately indict any Katusha rider, but with that happened under Holczer at Gerolsteiner nothing would be that surprising. I said I was agnostic, not naive.

Don't they still have that Russian ex-TVM doc?

 

[Fearless Greg Lemond]

He lowered his cadence.

To be honest, losing 42 seconds on 14 k to Contador is normal for Rodriguez. His climb was sure as hell good, so are his descending skills.

Valverde lost 30 seconds in the descent?
http://www.cyclingnews.com/vuelta-a-espana/stage-11/live-report

Don't they still have that Russian ex-TVM doc?

Massimo Besnati
Thomas Klimaschka
Andrei Mikhailov
Alexander Yablunovskiy

 

[Autobus]

Poor Froome. After doing so well at the Tour and Olympics he must have thought he had his program dialed just right and he'd get the win owed to him after working for Brad. Now that everybody is reacting to Sky he's not getting the expected results. It will be curious what happens after the next rest day... and in next year's Tour.

 

[roundabout]

He lowered his cadence.

To be honest, losing 42 seconds on 14 k to Contador is normal for Rodriguez. His climb was sure as hell good, so are his descending skills.

Valverde lost 30 seconds in the descent?
http://www.cyclingnews.com/vuelta-a-espana/stage-11/live-reportMassimo Besnati
Thomas Klimaschka
Andrei Mikhailov
Alexander Yablunovskiy

Oh, they still do.

And you can say that Klimaschka might have some baggage as well.

But the biggest **** is still Holczer.

Also didn't know that Yablunovskiy was ex-Gerolsteiner. Looks like the gang is all here under a new banner.

 

[Autobus]

Andrei Mikhailov, convicted TVM doc, no longer listed on the Katusha web site, but Gennady Mikhaylov is. Nothing about being a doctor, but rather a former rider. In spite of similarity I doubt these are the same person. Or maybe Andrei was just confused with Gennady. I don't follow Katusha well enough to know.

 

[slowspoke]

After being agnostic to the possibility of Rodriguez doping at the Vuelta until now, as soon as I read that he had "the time trial of his career" he was irrevocably labeled a cheat. That phrase, when used to describe climbers, just brings back so many horrible memories for me. The 1998 Tour topped it with me when Marco went from 31st in stage 7 ITT to 3rd in the stage 20 ITT.

You forgot Pantani's 181st that year in the Prologue.

 

[maxmartin]

Poor Froome. After doing so well at the Tour and Olympics he must have thought he had his program dialed just right and he'd get the win owed to him after working for Brad. Now that everybody is reacting to Sky he's not getting the expected results. It will be curious what happens after the next rest day... and in next year's Tour.

Next year in Tour for sure things will be much tighter than this year. This year SKY caught everyone off hand, nobody thought SKY can dare do that(juicing almost the whole team), since general trend in recent year is getting cleaner. Next year people will be prepared to deal with the situation like this year. Good for fans???

 

[roundabout]

Andrei Mikhailov, convicted TVM doc, no longer listed on the Katusha web site, but Gennady Mikhaylov is. Nothing about being a doctor, but rather a former rider. In spite of similarity I doubt these are the same person. Or maybe Andrei was just confused with Gennady. I don't follow Katusha well enough to know.

That's just management. They don't list their medical staff for some reason.

 

[luckyboy]

Andrei Mikhailov is a doctor there, yes. Head doctor I think.

 

[D-Queued]

Poor Froome. After doing so well at the Tour and Olympics he must have thought he had his program dialed just right and he'd get the win owed to him after working for Brad. Now that everybody is reacting to Sky he's not getting the expected results. It will be curious what happens after the next rest day... and in next year's Tour.

After he raids the fridge, you mean?

Dave.

 

[will10]

This TT showed us as much about a rider's true TTing ability as the Giro 2009 one at Cinque Terre.

i.e. bu66er all.

 

[SafeBet]

I was on the believer side until final Giro ITT.
Now I must confess I'm a bit more on the skeptical side.