Thoughts on Astana so far?

[theswordsman]

I agree, it is unrealistic for him to place high at the giro and also make a real go at the tour. And if he sticks to his word it will certainly go a long way to help restore his reputation. Not only that as you suggest, helping contador win the tour can only benefit him by putting money in his pockets and help retain the astana sponsorship. I am still not really fond of his personality, but he does amazing things on the bike.

What puzzles me about this is the parallel in evans. I don't understand how he expects to compete in the Tdf while also making a go at the giro. It will surely be interesting to watch how it all pans out. We are truly being treated to a banner year in cycling.

Yeah. Personally I expect nothing out of Evans at the Tour. Fleche Wallone was April 21, and he was obviously near peak form there. This race doesn't end until May 30, which is a huge span to be near top fitness. for him to expect to be able to recover from this three week sufferfest and compete with the top guys again a month later is unrealistic. But with BMC, he can't really afford to say that in advance because of the lack of depth.

Tiralongo's crash and resulting availability for the Tour makes me curious about the composition of the squad there. Contador, Noval and Navarro are obvious. Vino will be if he can recover as planned, but I don't think he expected to be in the fight of his life at the Giro, or to be rain soaked or covered in mud. Or to be battling Evans in a bunch sprint.

Then you've got Pereiro, de la Fuente, and Fofonov. Tiralongo is added to the mix. Grivko is a possibility, and Maxim Iglinsky has earned it. That's ten, and I'm afraid loyal training partner Jesus Hernandez is relegated to the Vuelta again - I hope Alberto rides it with him.

Anyway, months ago people were saying Astana would be too weal to support Contador, and less than seven weeks before the race, we're wondering who to leave home.

Guys, could the doping argument maybe move to the Clinic please, or at least the Shack Powerhouse thread? Kloden isn't on Astana 2010.

 

[Wallace]

I know someone who has worked with Cadel, and he told me that the Giro is absolutely Cadel's #1 GT priority this year. Of course he isn't going to publicly tell the Tour guys that their race isn't on the top of his list. I don't know if he's just decided that he can't beat Contador, or if he knows his team isn't strong enough, but you can see how much he wants to win this race--he certainly isn't riding like a man training for July or holding anything in reserve for later in the season.

 

[Laszlo]

I know someone who has worked with Cadel, and he told me that the Giro is absolutely Cadel's #1 GT priority this year. Of course he isn't going to publicly tell the Tour guys that their race isn't on the top of his list. I don't know if he's just decided that he can't beat Contador, or if he knows his team isn't strong enough, but you can see how much he wants to win this race--he certainly isn't riding like a man training for July or holding anything in reserve for later in the season.

That sounds like a good plan for Evans, take what you can get when you can get it. I liked the way they ( both Evans and Vino) went for the bonus time at the end of stage 8.

 

[Night Rider]

I know someone who has worked with Cadel, and he told me that the Giro is absolutely Cadel's #1 GT priority this year. Of course he isn't going to publicly tell the Tour guys that their race isn't on the top of his list. I don't know if he's just decided that he can't beat Contador, or if he knows his team isn't strong enough, but you can see how much he wants to win this race--he certainly isn't riding like a man training for July or holding anything in reserve for later in the season.

I think you're probably right, Evans probably sees this as his best chance to win a GT (Giro) and realistically there are several other TdF favorites either knowing they can't beat Contador in July, or at least thinking at the least that it's going to be a very tall order to beat him.

And who knows what can happen during the race, stranger things have happened than the first few outright favorites not winning in July, Evans could find himself on the end of some good luck for a change.

I would still prefer Alberto to win though.

 

[theswordsman]

Allan Davis think he's a domestique on the Tour de France squad. I can't even comment on that right now.

Despite the setback Allan remains upbeat about his goals later in the season, which include a return to Le Tour de France in July.

Last season QuickStep pulled Allan out of the Le Tour only 24 hours before the race to include controversial superstar Tom Boonen.

This led to Allan changing teams in an effort to find a place in the world’s most prestigious event on two wheels.

The NewsMail questioned whether Allan would still get a ride after Astana management claimed four Kazakh riders would get places alongside defending champion Contador and his key Spanish climbing specialists.

“As planned, I am down to ride the Tour de France in a ‘domestique’ role again for our team leader Contador,” Allan said.

“After that it will be the Tour of Spain where I’ll be looking for stage wins leading into the Worlds and Commonwealth Games later on in the year.”

http://www.news-mail.com.au/story/2010/05/18/Cycling-star-looks-Le-Tour-de-France-spot/

 

[rxgqgxnyfz]

I've seen some announcement made by Kazakhstan Cycling Federation chairman a few weeks ago.

http://translate.google.com/transla...://sport.gazeta.kz/art/?aid=43427&sl=ru&tl=en

According to that source the list is:

Alexander Vinokurov, Dmitri Fofonov Maxim Iglinsky, Andrey Zeits (all - Kazakhstan), Oscar Pereiro, Daniel Navarro, Benjamin Noval, Jesus Hernandez and David de la Fuente, Josep Hufre (all - Spain) and Andrew Grivko ( Ukraine).

But i advise you to take it with a HUGE bag of salt obviously.

Because, i think that team Tour roster is hardly his (Rehert's) business and it still is months and months till Tour so one should treat this as a very, very preliminary draft.
________
Vaaapp

 

[python]

I've seen some announcement made by Kazakhstan Cycling Federation chairman a few weeks ago.

Alexander Vinokurov, Dmitri Fofonov Maxim Iglinsky, Andrey Zeits (all - Kazakhstan), Oscar Pereiro, Daniel Navarro, Benjamin Noval, Jesus Hernandez and David de la Fuente, Josep Hufre (all - Spain) and Andrew Grivko ( Ukraine).

it's actually the list that includes my picks (i made public ) in another thread.

i'd be cautious now about gryvko's tdf because he's been racing non stop since february and his inclusion into the giro squad was not planned. given the giro's intensity i doubt he'll recover in time unless he was planning to withdraw in the 3d week

we can also add tiralongo to the tour squad as his injury will mend by then.

don't know about zeits. no results so far.

 

[rxgqgxnyfz]

don't know about zeits. no results so far.

I don't think he needs results, being domeqtique.

But he rode his first GT last year, at 21. And not only finished, but made it to 35th place.

He wasn't seen much this year, but he at Tour Romandie and he was part of the long, 100+ km break away.

That's pretty much all i know of him.
________
LovelyWendie

 

[Dr. Maserati]

I've seen some announcement made by Kazakhstan Cycling Federation chairman a few weeks ago.

http://translate.google.com/transla...://sport.gazeta.kz/art/?aid=43427&sl=ru&tl=en

According to that source the list is:

Alexander Vinokurov, Dmitri Fofonov Maxim Iglinsky, Andrey Zeits (all - Kazakhstan), Oscar Pereiro, Daniel Navarro, Benjamin Noval, Jesus Hernandez and David de la Fuente, Josep Hufre (all - Spain) and Andrew Grivko ( Ukraine).

But i advise you to take it with a HUGE bag of salt obviously.

Because, i think that team Tour roster is hardly his (Rehert's) business and it still is months and months till Tour so one should treat this as a very, very preliminary draft.

No Alberto

 

[rxgqgxnyfz]

No Alberto

________
Avandia Lawsuit

 

[Publicus]

I've seen some announcement made by Kazakhstan Cycling Federation chairman a few weeks ago.

http://translate.google.com/transla...://sport.gazeta.kz/art/?aid=43427&sl=ru&tl=en

According to that source the list is:


But i advise you to take it with a HUGE bag of salt obviously.

Because, i think that team Tour roster is hardly his (Rehert's) business and it still is months and months till Tour so one should treat this as a very, very preliminary draft.

As the Good Doctor has already pointed out the list excludes AC, but also includes Jesus Hernandez and Zeits, neither of which have produced much in the way of results all year, and Grivko and Jufre, who are currently turning themselves inside out at the Giro. I hope that both of the latter have something left in the tank and can ride the Tour, because both have pretty decent engines.

As for Allan Davis riding the Tour, I'd be surprised since he hasn't ridden with AC all year, but looking at my list (below) Astana needs another engine/big body for the flats. Maybe he's slotted to ride the Dauphine. My Tour roster:

AC, Vino, Pereiro, Tiralongo/DDLF, Navarro, Fofonov, Maxim Iglinsky, Benjamin Noval, and Davis/Gurov.

Alternates: Grivko, Jufre, Tiralongo/DDLF

 

[lawyer]

Štangelj was planning to withdraw after second week at Giro to regenerate for tour, but now it seems he will work for Vino till the end. He is doing a great job, Vino is always at his wheel, I'm sure AC would want a helper like this at tour.

 

[theswordsman]

From twitter an hour ago:
allan davis allandavis27

Gym session then 3h30min on the road today. all going to plan, off to the pyrenees this weekend to look at the Berg stages for de TDF.

 

[theswordsman]

I've seen some announcement made by Kazakhstan Cycling Federation chairman a few weeks ago.

http://translate.google.com/transla...://sport.gazeta.kz/art/?aid=43427&sl=ru&tl=en

According to that source the list is:


But i advise you to take it with a HUGE bag of salt obviously.

Because, i think that team Tour roster is hardly his (Rehert's) business and it still is months and months till Tour so one should treat this as a very, very preliminary draft.

Thanks for the link. But the Tour is less than seven weeks away, and the recon training camps need to be scheduled around the Dauphine Libere and the Tour de Suisse.

 

[theswordsman]

it's actually the list that includes my picks (i made public ) in another thread.

i'd be cautious now about gryvko's tdf because he's been racing non stop since february and his inclusion into the giro squad was not planned. given the giro's intensity i doubt he'll recover in time unless he was planning to withdraw in the 3d week

we can also add tiralongo to the tour squad as his injury will mend by then.

don't know about zeits. no results so far.

I think it was back during the very first training camp when Contador mentioned that Zeits would be important on the cobbles.

 

[theswordsman]

No Alberto

You have to go to the article. The first paragraph was about Alberto. The last paragraph had the list of eleven helpers.

Again, I think the cool thing about this whole conversation is that last Fall people thought Contador would be on his own, and now people are afraid their favorites will be left off the squad. I like it, and it shows how much depth the team has.

I hope that Alberto will ride the Vuelta with Jesus Hernandez, who I'm afraid won't make the Tour team but is the guy who is along on all the tough training days in the cold and rain.

 

[**Uru**]

Something tells me if Vino sniffs the possibility of winning the Tour, he will make Contador's troubles with Sir Lance look like a lovefest.

 

[ridley]

Something tells me if Vino sniffs the possibility of winning the Tour, he will make Contador's troubles with Sir Lance look like a lovefest.

You think ?? I believe after the hard effort he put in at the Giro, he might not have the legs to do a GT double and will be more willing to assist. (Or so we can hope)

 

[Wallace]

Something tells me if Vino sniffs the possibility of winning the Tour, he will make Contador's troubles with Sir Lance look like a lovefest.

Do we really have to go over this nonsense again?

 

[theswordsman]

Something tells me if Vino sniffs the possibility of winning the Tour, he will make Contador's troubles with Sir Lance look like a lovefest.

Nope. We've discussed it at length earlier in the thread. People seem to keep popping in here to sow discord, but Astana has a lot to prove as a team this year - made up of guys Bruyneel didn't want to steal, and others who were still unsigned as a lot of rosters were already complete. They're working together, not against each other, and when the dust has settled, they'll have put together a damned impressive year.

Vino had form early to win a stage race and Liege Bastogne Liege. This Giro is brutal, and he'll be lucky to hold that form to the end. Then it's resting and recuperating, trying to be recovered in time to help Contador.

 

[Laszlo]

Something tells me if Vino sniffs the possibility of winning the Tour, he will make Contador's troubles with Sir Lance look like a lovefest.

As I recall, he worked well enough for Ulrich on Telekom, it's just that jan was faltering and Vino was able to do his breakaway stuff which redeemed the Tour somewhat for his sponsor. I otherwords, I don't think he will be much of problem for AC

 

[Polish]

As I recall, he worked well enough for Ulrich on Telekom, it's just that jan was faltering and Vino was able to do his breakaway stuff which redeemed the Tour somewhat for his sponsor. I otherwords, I don't think he will be much of problem for AC

Jan was faltering?

He came in Second Place that year,
after having to chase down and defeat his own Team Mate.

But of course, Jan did not whine or complain about Vino's wheelset....

 

[theswordsman]

From the fresh Cycling News interview:

Alexandre Vinokourov confirmed he’ll ride the Tour de France at the service of Astana teammate Alberto Contador, but at the age of 36 is viewing the Giro d’Italia as one of his last chances to win another Grand Tour.

"For now, I’m 100 per cent focused on the Giro," he added. "After that, I’ll take ten days rest and I’ll prepare for the Tour de France. I’ll do it to help Alberto Contador win. Even if we don’t have the best team on paper, we’ll have a very good team at the Tour as well."

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/vinokourov-views-giro-as-last-chance-to-win-a-grand-tour

 

[rxgqgxnyfz]

I liked the part "even if we don?t have the best team on paper, we?ll have a very good team at the Tour as well".

I also liked that CN has eventually got things right with the kazakhstani/kazakh confusion.
________
Lovely Wendie

 

[theswordsman]

I liked the part "even if we don’t have the best team on paper, we’ll have a very good team at the Tour as well".

They've been saying that since the first training camp, which started right after they honored Pereiro's contract, but they're looking better "on paper" all the time. Contador's results could be expected, and even he branched out into classics. But Maxim Iglinsky, Gasparotto and Vino have done great, and people are getting used to see the team at the front. They're third on the UCI team rankings, and having a way better Giro than Caisse D'Epargne. 170 points for a Giro win would push them right up there, especially if they get top five finishes and someone else in the top 20 overall. With Contador in the Dauphine, and I believe Pereiro in the Tour de Suisse, they could be at the top of the rankings going into the Tour.