USAPCC Stage 1: Salida to Crested Butte 159.9km (23/8/2011)

[Maxiton]

Catching up... the forum stream here is a better recap than the race news reports.

So Levi came away with a huge acceleration at the finish when many people thought there would be hardly any time gaps among the GC contenders. Very interesting and of course it was an impressive move by a rider who almost never attacks. He will be hard to beat now. He's taken the lead before the big TT. Barring a lousy day from LL, does any GC contender besides Cadel have a shot at beating him in the time trial?

Andy Schleck... wtf? He attacks a bit, then manages to lose a full minute on that short climb. He just exploded. Something tells me Andy has been hitting the brew pubs again now that the TdF is over.

Ivan Basso... wtf and then some... 2:12 down on the stage. Why did he show up for this event? If Andy's sucking down beers, I think Basso must be doing that along with a little mary jane.

The extreme altitude / oxygen poor air had a detrimental effect on everyone. (Jens Voight looked like he was having a heart attack at the finish - or that's the way it looked, at least, on my phone.) Everyone except Levi, that is. Levi's attack was on another level - one about 1500 meters lower.

After this season, and this race, Ivan Basso is going to face some tough choices. Some of those choices involve retiring or taking a lesser, lower paying role on the team - and some other choices might be discussed in the Clinic.

In any event, I still have hope for Danielson, Vande Velde, maybe Evans and some others in this race, but realistically if what we saw today is any indication, Leipheimer is going to take it.

 

[luckyboy]

After this season, and this race, Ivan Basso is going to face some tough choices. Some of those choices involve retiring or taking a lesser, lower paying role on the team - and some other choices might be discussed in the Clinic.

Cmon, finishing 2 minutes down in a stage on a high-altitude 2.1 race isn't cause for retiring. I know he hasn't had a very good year but he only won the Giro last year. I'd give him another year of GTs before condemning him.

 

[benpounder]

Oh I don't know, with one of those bears on the wheel, I reckon you'd see some of those sprinters turn into climbers pretty quickly, even Levi might be prompted to take a turn on the front

Well it wasn't bears that lite a fire underneath Levi's saddle today...

 

[jacko_69]

Well it wasn't bears that lite a fire underneath Levi's saddle today...

Yep, he sure did take his turn at the front, right when it mattered the most. Well done to him.

 

[Maxiton]

Cmon, finishing 2 minutes down in a stage on a high-altitude 2.1 race isn't cause for retiring. I know he hasn't had a very good year but he only won the Giro last year. I'd give him another year of GTs before condemning him.

Far be it from me to condemn him. I'm not the one he answers to. I'm just thinking team management might get a little impatient. You're right about the Giro win, though. Like Sastre's Tour win, that might be enough to carry him forward in a leadership role for a few years.

 

[deValtos]

After this season, and this race, Ivan Basso is going to face some tough choices. Some of those choices involve retiring or taking a lesser, lower paying role on the team - and some other choices might be discussed in the Clinic.

Unlikely, while 8th at the TDF was dissapointing for him (even with his crashes beforehand) he will still be entitled to a leadership role in a GT of his choice next year. With his popularity in Italy and riding for Liquigas I'm sure he gets a race programme that he wants

If he has a poor year next year then he may step down into a support role but I think you're mistaken to assume he won't be wearing the 1 next year.

 

[mewmewmew13]

Euro podium girls should take a hint

haha...missed that I will have to check that out tomorrow.

 

[mewmewmew13]

Hey and my homie Chris Baldwin put in a last few k attack and tried to flick his elbow at Andy to go with him but no go.
Way to go for it though Chris!! whoo hoo

 

[mewmewmew13]

Can't criticize those who aren't able to keep it going uphill at altitude. If you have ever been above 10, 000 feet you will know sometimes you just can't get enough o2!
I have tried to climb (on feet) above 18, 000' and you can take one step, then breathe, then another step...altitude does bizarre things to you and it is no indication of your fitness level. Depends on the individual..

 

[patrick767]

The extreme altitude / oxygen poor air had a detrimental effect on everyone. (Jens Voight looked like he was having a heart attack at the finish - or that's the way it looked, at least, on my phone.) Everyone except Levi, that is. Levi's attack was on another level - one about 1500 meters lower.

The next question would be... why was Levi so much better at the elevation? He rode Utah, but wasn't the only one and it's not as high. He's not the only rider there who's prepped for CO elevation either. Granted Basso's prep was probably lacking. I don't know about the Schlecks and Evans.

On a different note, I'm thinking that Levi is much better at one week stage races than grand tours, at least in this stage of his career. He doesn't seem to be able to keep it up for 3 weeks, but he is good at showing up and being ready to race hard from the start. In many grand tours a GC contender can show up and even be a little off the first week because the big selection comes later. The one week race requires peaking right away but doesn't require 3 weeks of effort obviously. It also plays to LL's strength of doing a really strong time trial then just keeping close on climbs.

Today surprised me that he already took the lead. The much derided "wheelsucking" produces results when he can beat the other GC contenders in the TT of a one week race.

 

[Maxiton]

Unlikely, while 8th at the TDF was dissapointing for him (even with his crashes beforehand) he will still be entitled to a leadership role in a GT of his choice next year. With his popularity in Italy and riding for Liquigas I'm sure he gets a race programme that he wants

If he has a poor year next year then he may step down into a support role but I think you're mistaken to assume he won't be wearing the 1 next year.

Maybe I'm just disappointed because I expected him to be much better this year, especially at the Tour. I'm sure he will get the program he wants next year, and a leadership role, too, if he wants it.

My point, though, is that he is much more driven than Sastre, let's say, and he might not want to ride if he thinks it won't be at the head of the race. And Liquigas will of course be counting on him to do exactly that (i.e. be competitive). So next season we might see a Basso who is on much better form. I don't think he wants another season like this one. If for whatever reason he can't raise his game, he may elect to do something else.

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

Can't criticize those who aren't able to keep it going uphill at altitude. If you have ever been above 10, 000 feet you will know sometimes you just can't get enough o2!
I have tried to climb (on feet) above 18, 000' and you can take one step, then breathe, then another step...altitude does bizarre things to you and it is no indication of your fitness level. Depends on the individual..

Crud. I can't get enought o2 just walking above 10K feet... and that's while being in good shape.

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

My point, though, is that he is much more driven than Sastre, let's say, and he might not want to ride if he thinks it won't be at the head of the race. And Liquigas will of course be counting on him to do exactly that (i.e. be competitive). So next season we might see a Basso who is on much better form. I don't think he wants another season like this one. If for whatever reason he can't raise his game, he may elect to do something else.

Yeah, I think Basso will be better next year than this year. A lot of ppl wanted him to do well this year, me included, and had higher expectations for him than was realistically possible following his ban. I'm thinking he will do better next year though.

 

[just some guy]

for those that went to bed ............ me

last 1.6 km stage 1

Levi has cracked the big time apparently with his win.

 

[Midnightfright]

for those that went to bed ............ me

last 1.6 km stage 1

Levi has cracked the big time apparently with his win.

It could be the start of a fine career for the young man.

 

[Tuarts]

Alright, come out and admit it, who put the mentos in the Diet Coke Bottle?

 

[Mellow Velo]

That long flat run in did for me. Fell asleep.
Woke up and I was still in a dream.
In it, Levi was half Purito, half Phil Gilbert; out of the saddle, sprinting uphill, leaving the TDF champ and his main adversaries for dead.

If only he rode like that more often.

Clearly Leipheimer has the advantage in Colorado, though..............he is riding at a lower altitude to everyone else.

 

[thirteen]

The next question would be... why was Levi so much better at the elevation? He rode Utah, but wasn't the only one and it's not as high. He's not the only rider there who's prepped for CO elevation either. Granted Basso's prep was probably lacking. I don't know about the Schlecks and Evans.

some people are naturally better at altitude, plain and simple.

growing up, i used to go skiing in Colorado every Christmas with my father and older brother. 5 1/2 years is a huge hap when you're small and there's no doubt my brother was better skier. but he had a horrific time acclimating whereas chugging a few cokes and a lot of water and i was fine. it really helped equalize us.

years later backpacking in the High Sierras with a bunch of stronger boys, same thing.

i have no idea why acclimation was never much of an issue for me, but it wasn't.

 

[Astana1]

I fell asleep as well. Long flat run + a headwind. Makes me sleepy again just thinking about it.

 

[just some guy]

Also Levi has been at altitude and racing longer than most, except TJVG and the Colombians of course

 

[cyclingPRpro]

Also Levi has been at altitude and racing longer than most, except TJVG and the Colombians of course

Plus, Levi was born/raised in Montana... at 5,000'+. He also grew up at altitude.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

The raboboys said that if someone pulled on the first mountain early in the race, only very few would be left. The oxygen debt caused many riders to be on their limit while riding slow already.
Gesink called it a race in slow-motion. You don't notice (see it, the environment) you are riding at high altitude but you feel it

 

[Lupetto]

The raboboys said that if someone pulled on the first mountain early in the race, only very few would be left. The oxygen debt caused many riders to be on their limit while riding slow already.
Gesink called it a race in slow-motion. You don't notice (see it, the environment) you are riding at high altitude but you feel it

Average speed of ~35 km/h confirmes this. I hope that Gob and Une will make today really hard for everybody.

 

[greenedge]

Congrats to Levi winning. He's in good form and his teammates controlled the race. I wonder if they can do it next stage. Expecting Henao to go well. EPM were surprising by not anyone so high. CvV looks very strong. Frank looking strong even though he came later than Andy to the Challenge to adjust to the altitude.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Henao would have had that if he didn't have to get round Evans.

Great finish from Levi.

Rubbish! Evans if anything helped Henao. It was clear that Levi was better. Don't let hate cloud your judgement.