Sastre to Retire

[Christian]

My guess for Sastre would be Europcar

 

[luckyboy]

Maybe Caja Rural or join the Spanish contingent at Katusha. It's anyone's guess at this stage though.

Hope he gets a nice ride to finish his career, he's always seemed like a really nice guy (Beyond the Peloton, Overcoming).

 

[afpm90]

Please, all Sastre domestique talk here

I see Sastre going to Andalucia or Caja-Rural. It would be very surprising if a Pro-Tour team hired him, taking into account is lack of results.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

who is sastre kidding tho, I like the guy, but he is clearly past it.

 

[Publicus]

who is sastre kidding tho, I like the guy, but he is clearly past it.

Well past it. Maybe he gets on as a DS for someone.

 

[luckyboy]

He's well past his best yeah, but that doesn't mean he has to retire. He can still be a good domestique and road captain.

 

[daveinzambia]

He's well past his best yeah, but that doesn't mean he has to retire. He can still be a good domestique and road captain.

so long as he accepts that role. Get the feeling he still views himself as a GT contender.

 

[roadbiker]

so long as he accepts that role. Get the feeling he still views himself as a GT contender.

That's the point! He never was (or better) was willing to be a domestique (even in single races) at his previous teams (especially late CSC and CTT).
And as far as I know his attitude hasn't changed in this matter!

I don't see any PT-team where he would be a reinforcement.
His poor english skills make it quite difficult to work as a DS in a non-Spain team. But Spanish is a 'big' language in cycling.

 

[Forunculo]

I think Sastre is well clever to know his current level he must ride as domestique next season. He can get a decent contract at Pro Tours teams

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

so long as he accepts that role. Get the feeling he still views himself as a GT contender.

yeah, i even get the feeling he leaves geox as his own ambitions didn't work out. I'm not sure he is ready to accept himself that he has no business being a leader.

 

[craig1985]

Maybe Caja Rural or join the Spanish contingent at Katusha. It's anyone's guess at this stage though.

Hope he gets a nice ride to finish his career, he's always seemed like a really nice guy (Beyond the Peloton, Overcoming).

+1 and it showed how he was dealing with the death of his brother-in-law (José María Jiménez).

 

[El Pistolero]

That's the point! He never was (or better) was willing to be a domestique (even in single races) at his previous teams (especially late CSC and CTT).
And as far as I know his attitude hasn't changed in this matter!

I don't see any PT-team where he would be a reinforcement.
His poor english skills make it quite difficult to work as a DS in a non-Spain team. But Spanish is a 'big' language in cycling.

Sastre has been a domestisue most of his career

 

[Cimber]

Sastre has been a domestisue most of his career

Back in the ONCE days he was, but after he joined CSC that stopped. He wasnt the supreme leader but often one of 2 (or 3) leaders with a free role.

I wish him the best as he is very likable.

 

[Raceoftruth]

Back in the ONCE days he was, but after he joined CSC that stopped. He wasnt the supreme leader but often one of 2 (or 3) leaders with a free role.

I wish him the best as he is very likable.

Sastre used to domestique for basso at csc.

 

[roadbiker]

Sastre has been a domestisue most of his career

Really?
As far as I noticed, for sure not for the last 5-6 years.
Maybe that was the case at ONCE or early CSC (I can't remember).

 

[Cimber]

Sastre used to domestique for basso at csc.

No, he wasnt. He shared leadership in the sense that he had a free role. He never pulled for Basso but made his own attacks riding his won chance. That Sastre always had a free role /shared leadership on CSC was also one of the reasons that Hamilton had a clash with Riis left for Phonak.

 

[El Pistolero]

Back in the ONCE days he was, but after he joined CSC that stopped. He wasnt the supreme leader but often one of 2 (or 3) leaders with a free role.

I wish him the best as he is very likable.

Sastre hasn't been a domestique since 2009. In 2008 he was a protected rider, but the leaders were the Schlecks. Back in his CSC days he did a lot of work for Ivan Basso.

 

[hrotha]

No, he wasnt. He shared leadership in the sense that he had a free role. He never pulled for Basso but made his own attacks riding his won chance.

Yes, he was. 2006 Giro is a good example. He was a protected rider, but he still worked for others. The 2002 Clásica de San Sebastián also comes to mind - he killed himself for Jalabert that day.

 

[Damiano]

Sastre hasn't been a domestique since 2009. In 2008 he was a protected rider, but the leaders were the Schlecks. Back in his CSC days he did a lot of work for Ivan Basso.

In 2008? He certainly was the leader for CSC - Saxo Bank back then.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

In 2008? He certainly was the leader for CSC - Saxo Bank back then.

Wasn't Fränk leader back then? And then Sastre won the Tour on Alpe d'Huez?

 

[Damiano]

Wasn't Fränk leader back then? And then Sastre won the Tour on Alpe d'Huez?

Fränk got the yellow jersey early, but I'm pretty sure he was the protected rider. Sastre demanded to be the leader quite early in that season.

I'm also sure that Riis said just before the start that Sastre was the leader, but Frank Schleck was ready to step up if he failed.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Fränk got the yellow jersey early, but I'm pretty sure he was the protected rider. Sastre demanded to be the leader quite early in that season.

I'm also sure that Riis said just before the start that Sastre was the leader, but Frank Schleck was ready to step up if he failed.

Right, thanks for clearing it up. Don't remember that much of it to be honest

 

[Cimber]

Yes, he was. 2006 Giro is a good example. He was a protected rider, but he still worked for others. The 2002 Clásica de San Sebastián also comes to mind - he killed himself for Jalabert that day.

I was talking strictly Tour de France. For most (there are exceptions ofc) riders, even the biggest stars, u can pick a few races where they work for others.

 

[mb2612]

I was talking strictly Tour de France. For most (there are exceptions ofc) riders, even the biggest stars, u can pick a few races where they work for others.

Ah see I only count you as having a free role if it was in ronde van west vlaanderen, and as such Sastre has never been able to work for himself.

 

[Cimber]

Ah see I only count you as having a free role if it was in ronde van west vlaanderen, and as such Sastre has never been able to work for himself.

Troll less. The Tour is a valid focus point as that race most often has been his main target of the season. Since he joined CSC he has been a leader or protected rider in the main goal of his season: the tour (this year Geox wasnt invited ofc but thats a whole other story).

Now that doesnt mean he cant transform himself into a pure helper for the Tour in the future, but he hasnt been one since the ONCE days (in the Tour that is). I think it would be great to see him as a super-helper in the last year(s) of his career. Rather that than finishing 15-25 in the GTs while riding for himself.