Thoughts on Astana so far?

[DigitalIbis]

Why would contador lie about allergies during CI?

http://velonews.competitor.com/2010...rgery-places-contadors-season-in-doubt_110106

 

[Mellow Velo]

Hope you checked today's date, before you fell for that one.
Dr Fuentes and a genius at the UCI?

 

[Djago89]

I thought it is impossible to fool anybody on the 1st of April... I'm really surprised

 

[python]

vino from tenerif yeterday: 'lads and gents,let me introduce to you astana future after berto'

 

[markene2]

vino from tenerif yeterday: 'lads and gents,let me introduce to you astana future after berto'

I wonder how that would be

 

[Beech Mtn]

vino from tenerif yeterday: 'lads and gents,let me introduce to you astana future after berto'

What I find interesting about this is that the two guys are both training for Giro GC, and have chosen to train together in Tenerife. Hmmm

 

[Michele]

Menchov isnt gonna ride Giro this year, but going for Tour.

 

[richwagmn]

I wonder how that would be

Berto will ride with Caisse next year after Valverde gets his UCI suspension. Astana still looks weak to me. Berto deserves a better team. I think Vaughters would still love to have him too.

 

[markene2]

Well, Astana work for him. They give 100% at least from what we seen now, so he should be more safe than he was last year!

I think he will stay in Astana, they will get some good helpers next year, probably Kascheskin will join the team in 2011. Vino said it is possible!

 

[Dr. Maserati]

vino from tenerif yeterday: 'lads and gents,let me introduce to you astana future after berto'

I reckon Vino is talking about the dwarf holding the camera.

 

[markene2]

Actualy i think python was ironic. What he realy said was "I met Dennis at tenerif, he also trains here"

 

[theswordsman]

It turns out that Benjamin Noval had some tests done after Criterium International and found out he had mononucleosis. Translated by Google

Benjamin Noval precisely, the confidence man is overcoming mononucleosis Contador. The "Toro de Mieres was a time that" felt very tired and above all it took to recover from the efforts. " After the Criterium International in France, the doctors did some tests and tested positive for mononucleosis, but "the advantage of and was beating," says the rider. Noval, due to its great strength as always, was not aware of this disease that forces stop a couple of months of competition. Benjamin is now stronger and longer expected to prepare carefully for the Tour and the good news that his second son born in November.

Dani Navarro will play more in the mountains working for Contador and Gijón these days competes a bit with a cold, but hopes that "this is something temporary and I can perform well in this round," he says. The climber Gijón is excited to lead a good preparation for his first Tour and be a key in the mountains for the gala race favorite.

http://www.lne.es/deportes/2010/04/15/noval-navarro-arropan-contador-castilla-leon/901040.html

 

[issoisso]

My thoughts on Astana so far are that Dyachenko has been disappointing. I expected more.

 

[markene2]

Have Dyanchenko raced this year????
Anyways when he gets some mountain stages it will be interesting to watch, he did good last year and i expect some top 10 plasings by him, or a good job at the giro for vino!

 

[Tangled Tango]

Quote:
Originally Posted by theswordsman
I read that Bruyneel actually screamed at Contador on the team bus after the stage. Imagine a guy leading the Tour de France, having attacked to solidify his lead, then getting hollered at for it? .

That's because he didn't stick to the "team plan" of riding an easy tempo for the old barstard.

Two important corrections: First of all how dare you call that guy "the old barstard".........when in fact the name is "the old fart".

Second AC was screamed at because he misspelled Team as Tim and was dully corrected by both a screaming JB and a preaching LA that there is no I in team.

 

[KazakhNeRider]

Today is Valentin Iglinskiy's birthday - he said it was his dream to be on Giro this day

 

[theswordsman]

Today is Valentin Iglinskiy's birthday - he said it was his dream to be on Giro this day

I'm glad it worked out for him. Vino looked super strong today, and Astana has Tiralongo in 10th place and Grivko in 15th. I'm anxious to see the first mountain stage.

 

[Beech Mtn]

I was disappointed in Vino today freaking out at his team at the end of the TTT. I wish he could've done something more constructive, like drop back a bit and reorganize the boys to the finish since he had all that energy to wave and yell.

Hopefully fences can be mended, and they can work well together for upcoming stages. Vino is not in a bad position on GC just yet.

 

[Potomac]

If Vino was rational, calculating, calm, etc he wouldn't be Vino. Instead he is a wild unpredictable monkey wrench that has everyone ready to cry "havoc"

Don't change a thing, Vino.

 

[9000ft]

If Vino was rational, calculating, calm, etc he wouldn't be Vino. Instead he is a wild unpredictable monkey wrench that has everyone ready to cry "havoc"

Don't change a thing, Vino.

Yep. About the only thing worse than being a doper is being unexciting and Vino isn't that.

 

[rxgqgxnyfz]

I was disappointed in Vino today freaking out at his team at the end of the TTT. I wish he could've done something more constructive, like drop back a bit and reorganize the boys to the finish since he had all that energy to wave and yell.

Hopefully fences can be mended, and they can work well together for upcoming stages. Vino is not in a bad position on GC just yet.

While his team captain expressed frustration as he crossed the line, shaking his head and pounding on his knee, within a few minutes he had regained his composure. "38 seconds behind Liquigas, it's not bad," Vinokourov said. "The good thing is that Liquigas will defend the pink jersey now."

Despite the problems at the finish, the Kazakhstani captain was satisfied with the effort of the team. "I've done a lot in the turns but as a team we've worked well", Vinokourov told Cyclingnews. "We found a good rhythm. We did it flat out. We started quietly. For sure the bad weather penalised us and we've lost some time in the final hill but not too much."

I think this reaction was pretty normal, and probably Stangeli needed that.

He was pounding his knee to encourage the guy, meaning "go, go man, go, use your legs".

I also noticed that on the very last meters he looked at the timer and shaked his head on realisation they're won't gonna win this one.

But i doubt they had a chance to win or even take the top 3 even without problems with Stangeli and Kireev. I thought that became obvious on the first time mark. But apparently Vino still had hopes for the win, thus the public expression of disappointment.
________
Hawaii Dispensary

 

[SpartacusRox]

My impression of Astana so far is that they look to be quite light as a team. I think that will be shown up to a degree at the Giro and even more so at the tdf. they lack the depth of a number of other teams and this will put huge pressure on AC and Vino, especially if their second tier riders fail to fire such as OP who is pretty erratic.

I think at the tdf they will have huge pressure put on them and I predict that AC will want to stay away from yellow for as long as possible so that they don't have to defend for a protracted period, similar to last year with allowing Nocentini to keep yellow but even more so this year.

I also wouldn't be suprised if Bruyneel and Riis have a friendly agreement to double team Astana every chance they get in order to weaken both the team before the big mountain stages and isolate AC every chance they get.

I think we have some very interesting racing coming up!

 

[Dr. Maserati]

My impression of Astana so far is that they look to be quite light as a team. I think that will be shown up to a degree at the Giro and even more so at the tdf. they lack the depth of a number of other teams and this will put huge pressure on AC and Vino, especially if their second tier riders fail to fire such as OP who is pretty erratic.

I think at the tdf they will have huge pressure put on them and I predict that AC will want to stay away from yellow for as long as possible so that they don't have to defend for a protracted period, similar to last year with allowing Nocentini to keep yellow but even more so this year.

I also wouldn't be surprised if Bruyneel and Riis have a friendly agreement to double team Astana every chance they get in order to weaken both the team before the big mountain stages and isolate AC every chance they get.

I think we have some very interesting racing coming up!

You say Astana are 'weak' and yet don't say why?

You have given a 'wishful thinking' view point on why some other team may win the Tour. Of course Astana (as with all GC teams) don't want the MJ early and will be quite happy to let some other team do the defensive work for as long as possible.

Cancellara will more than likely win the prologue - Saxo will defend for a day or two and then allow a break with some non GC contenders get some time to take the jersey.

As for Bruyneel & Riis - can't see them trying anything during the flat stages unless AC is isolated, but again it goes back to has AC the team who are committed and capable to help him to stay out of trouble. In my view, yes.

 

[ferryman]

I'm not sure I see the weakness in Astana that a lot of observers do. Apart from Paris Nice (and who still won I think they have been on a par with just about everyone this season and I think they look OK in the Giro. The TDF squad will be even stronger.

THere won't be any joint conspiracy against Astana in the Tour as each team will very much have there own agenda. And of course, if there was, Contador can always call in some favours from his amigos

 

[SpartacusRox]

You say Astana are 'weak' and yet don't say why?

You have given a 'wishful thinking' view point on why some other team may win the Tour. Of course Astana (as with all GC teams) don't want the MJ early and will be quite happy to let some other team do the defensive work for as long as possible.

Cancellara will more than likely win the prologue - Saxo will defend for a day or two and then allow a break with some non GC contenders get some time to take the jersey.

As for Bruyneel & Riis - can't see them trying anything during the flat stages unless AC is isolated, but again it goes back to has AC the team who are committed and capable to help him to stay out of trouble. In my view, yes.

Well actually I said 'light' not weak. A comment I am happy to stand by. I just don't feel they have the depth of quality riders that some of the other teams have.

I am not giving a 'wishful thinking' viewpoint at all because that implies I am hoping for a particular outcome and that is not the case. I really don't care who wins as long as I see some good tactical and exciting racing. If AC comes through and wins, good on him.

What I am doing is just stating my opinion based on watching and competing in racing over a number of years. Time will tell if my opinion is right or wrong like many of the opinions posted on here.

No argument that B&R won't try anything on the flat stages because they won't need to. Columbia and the other sprinters teams will be controlling the race, so unless there is a split like last year in cross winds I would imagine that saxo and Shack (and LG) will just sit tight. However, if there are some strong windy days on the flat stages I would expect they will test Astana out.