Sastre just plain selfish

[La Vie Claire]

Sastre's an all-around good guy. I hope he skips the Tour this year and focuses instead on winning the Vuelta. He may not have many years left to win the Vuelta. What's would give the team more publicity, a good chance at a podium (and potential first) at the Vuelta or a top 50 at the Tour (see Menchov 2009)? Basso is gunning for the Tour, so maybe it can be done (in the current era).

IMO, a Vuelta or Giro win is more prestigious than a placing outside the podium in the Tour. So maybe Cervelo doesn't have much confidence that Sastre can win the Vuelta?

 

[scribe]

Sastre had an unlucky Giro, that's all. Perhaps he should have ridden at least one more stage race before the Giro though. And why would he do the TDF if he feels too tired to be able to perform? Then he should rather recover and focus on the Vuelta, which he has a realistic chance at winning.

I think Sastre is one of the least selfish GC guys, and he seems like a genuinely nice guy to me. He has 13 GT top 10 finishes in 10 years, and in most of them he wasn't even team leader. Awesome stuff.

au contraire

I thought that 12 min split to be the most serious stroke of good luck.

 

[ttrider]

Yes its a serious post but honestly the number of times that you would see half fit footballers trying their hardest to make it into the team for an important match you would have thought Sastre would do the same for the most important event. Yes hes got a brilliant past record and i certainly respect that but apart from the 2009 Giro Sastre really hasnt done much.

With Hushovd and Haussler off form/injured not going to the tour with ideal preparation you would expect a veteran and former winner to step up to the plate for the good of his team, and for Cervelo, the most important event is the tour as with nearly every other team.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

A game of football lasts 90 minutes, and half-fit footballers can take a quick cortisone injection and guts it out.

The Tour de France lasts an average of four and a half hours a day, every day, for three weeks. Are you saying that he needs to do it because Haussler and Hushovd are not going to the Tour with ideal preparation? Because I'd hardly call coming straight off one of the toughest and most hard-fought GTs in years, in which you crashed repeatedly and were injured, "ideal preparation". Especially as, if they're bringing Hushovd and Haussler, they will not be able to offer Sastre the requisite support in the hills that he'll need. Painkilling injections like cortisone will result in a positive test in cycling too.

Sastre recognised that his poor performance at the 2009 Tour had a lot to do with fatigue. He knows his body and behaviour better than us, and so if he recognises the same problem being present in 2010, I think we can take him on his word. And the team's Vuelta invite is currently hanging in the balance depending on whether he enters.

 

[saganftw]

Yes its a serious post but honestly the number of times that you would see half fit footballers trying their hardest to make it into the team for an important match you would have thought Sastre would do the same for the most important event. Yes hes got a brilliant past record and i certainly respect that but apart from the 2009 Giro Sastre really hasnt done much.

With Hushovd and Haussler off form/injured not going to the tour with ideal preparation you would expect a veteran and former winner to step up to the plate for the good of his team, and for Cervelo, the most important event is the tour as with nearly every other team.

half fit footballer can still score a winning goal,half fit cyclist will have serious troubles finishing TdF

yes he can ride even not in top form and finish top 20 or win a stage if hes very lucky,but the spotlight will be on Contador and Armstrong,if you cant ride with them you will have minimum time on TV but fighting for victory in Vuelta as spanish rider you ll get a lot of attention from everybody and ofc Vuelta stages suits him better

 

[Susan Westemeyer]

Anybody know if Haussler will be able to ride the Tour since his knee problem came back at the TOC?

Haussler just finished third in the GP Canton Aargau on Sunday and is scheduled to ride the Tour de Suisse. He still hopes/expects to ride the Tour.

Susan

 

[Squares]

Sastre's performance

Anyone notice how he was strong while riding for Mr 60, and has had lackluster performance in the grand tours ever since the biological passport came into full operation?

Perhaps that is his real problem, he can't get his top ups like he used to.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Anyone notice how he was strong while riding for Mr 60, and has had lackluster performance in the grand tours ever since the biological passport came into full operation?

Perhaps that is his real problem, he can't get his top ups like he used to.

I must have missed when Riis moved to Cervélo for last year's Giro then.

 

[lancaster]

the man has ridden at least 2 GT a year since 2002 with 13 top 10s including6 podiums and a win. he looks set to ride at least 1 more this season and he's 35, and approaching the end of his career.
it's completely unfair to give him a hard time for poor performances, that haven't dropped off much, certainly if you consider his age, or lack of desire to ride GTs, none of the other GC hopefuls ride as many as him. if he feels he needs july to recover, he probably does, if he was a slacker who only wanted to ride 3 weeks a year he's probably earned it BUT that is so clearly not the case.

also excuses aside, 8th in an epic giro even with a 13 minute gap is not shabby, wigan couldn't manage it, sastre climbed with the truly elite group in the 3rd week, only about 8 others could genuinely say they managed that.

 

[movingtarget]

From what i have read it's his physical problems that may stop him riding the TDF. Back problems mainly. He always plans to peak in the third week of the grand tours he rides in but in the Giro it all went wrong. Crashes, back problems and even when he did climb back up the GC again he never looked comortable. I think he went into the Giro underestimating how hard it was going to be and with minimal racing miles in the legs he lost time even on the stages where he did not crash. He would be crazy to go into the TDF if he was not fit. The Vuelta would be better for him this year. Don't really see why you could describe his behaviour or performance as selfish. Maybe unfortunate would be a better word ?

 

[hughmoore]

Slightly off topic, but when Sastre rode away on Alp duez in 2008, has it been discussed about whether this was the team plan, or more a opportunity that he took and provided him with the win.

In other words were the Schelcks peeved off with the outcome contributing to Sastres move to Cervelo?

Regards


Hugh

 

[auscyclefan94]

2 words: Haussler, Hushovd

Agreed! Let Haussler and Hushovd do their thing in the sprints by getting stages and the green jersey.

 

[Angliru]

Anyone notice how he was strong while riding for Mr 60, and has had lackluster performance in the grand tours ever since the biological passport came into full operation?

Perhaps that is his real problem, he can't get his top ups like he used to.

Were you sleep during last year's Giro? He won 2 challenging stages and as of Diluca's suspension finished on the podium in 3rd place. Sastre is a grand tour race gc rider pure and simple. He doesn't have great results in any events but the grand tours.

So in answer to your question: I have noticed no such thing.

 

[Michele]

As already mentioned, CTT is suffering the loss of Haussler/Hushovd and at the moment can just count on Sastre.

 

[forty four]

who ever started this thread has not watched him long he is one of the most consistent riders and has been for years he also is a nice rather humble man i met him at the toc. one of my favorite riders. as for wanting to skip the tour that would make sense if his form can be better for the vuelta. he is the lkest lazy of the pros.

 

[JA.Tri]

Let CS recover from his injuries...fully and rebuild for the Vuelta. Give him credit for his experience and dedication and let him make the call free of encumbrance.

 

[Squares]

Were you sleep during last year's Giro? He won 2 challenging stages and as of Diluca's suspension finished on the podium in 3rd place. Sastre is a grand tour race gc rider pure and simple. He doesn't have great results in any events but the grand tours.

So in answer to your question: I have noticed no such thing.

So, he must have topped up for the Giro knowing that the Italians wouldn't check much, but failed to do so for the Tour with the more rigorous testing.

 

[falcon]

To TTRIDER,
Ever have a herniated disc ?
I have great respect for all Pro riders, the physical demands make these guys Ironmen, those who do it year after year and in many cases enduring injury after injury. While the race organizers attempt to make it more challenging, usually more dangerous, the riders just keep riding. I say it is easy to talk the talk, but have you ever walked the walk ?

 

[scribe]

I gotta say, I don't see how any sponsor could expect a serious ride from any of these guys for 2 consecutive GTs.

 

[Bag_O_Wallet]

So, he must have topped up for the Giro knowing that the Italians wouldn't check much, but failed to do so for the Tour with the more rigorous testing.

Is that your way of saying you were wrong?

 

[zapata]

So, he must have topped up for the Giro knowing that the Italians wouldn't check much, but failed to do so for the Tour with the more rigorous testing.

Please. Stop it with the dope-talk, like doping, or lack of it, explains everything.

 

[BroDeal]

Sastre should do the same thing Evans should do: Forget about the GC and ride for stage wins or the KOM. He could rest in the Rabobus for most stages, lose time so the peloton will give him some leeway, and go hard for a few select stages. Cervelo would get its publicity and a fatigued Sastre would not have to ride at the front every stage.

 

[zapata]

(By the way, (and I know this should be in the clinic, like the post I reacted to), I've heard that Sastre is known in Spain as Don Limpio, translating to something like Mr Clean. Does anyone know if this nickname is because he's not been implicated in anything, or from a general belief that he actually is clean? I don't know if he is or not, but to me the nickname is unfortunate, sounding like a character in a mafia movie. You know, the guy that everybody knows is guilty of all sorts of crimes, but is so clever that noone can get any evidence against him..)

 

[BroDeal]

(By the way, (and I know this should be in the clinic, like the post I reacted to), I've heard that Sastre is known in Spain as Don Limpio, translating to something like Mr Clean. Does anyone know if this nickname is because he's not been implicated in anything, or from a general belief that he actually is clean? I don't know if he is or not, but to me the nickname is unfortunate, sounding like a character in a mafia movie. You know, the guy that everybody knows is guilty of all sorts of crimes, but is so clever that noone can get any evidence against him..)

Don Limpio sounds like someone in serious need of a Viagra prescription.

 

[zapata]

Don Limpio sounds like someone in serious need of a Viagra prescription.

HeHE! The man who, even with severe erectile dysfunction, would refuse to take anything but bread and water. The penile moncoutie.