will10 said:Didn't Contador give the jersey away to Egoi Martinez in Vuelta 08?
It was Leipheimer who had the jersey before that. That's why Caisse d'Epargne chased to try to stop Egoi getting it, because they saw their best opportunity as being fostering dissent in the Astana camp by keeping them working for Leipheimer as long as possible. Of course it backfired as they not only failed to keep Leipheimer in the maillot oro, but they angered Euskaltel by doing so, and so when Valverde missed the split in the péloton on the way to Suancés (due to being an idiot as is his wont) Euskaltel helped Astana and CSC drive the pace.
Valverde didn't exactly help matters by having all his domestiques (bar Rodríguez) drop back for him, then attacking the group along with Sylvain Chavanel and trying to bridge the gap as a duo rather than in a group with six domestiques.