What now for Vino?

[Anonymous]

At times a crowd favourite, at 36 years old, coming back from a 2-year doping suspension and rejoining the team that was designed to help him win le Tour, what now for Vino?

Can he win a GT again?
Can he win the Giro?
Can he win L-B-L?
Will he be Contador's best mountain super-domestique?
Will he get busted again and bring the Astana team down forever?

Poll is multi-choice. (EDIT: the first option does not mean he wins the Giro/Vuelta double, it means he wins one or the other or both before his career ends - basically, he wins another non-Tour GT before his career ends)

I think he rides Giro, doesn't do too great, helps AC at tour and then retires at the end of the year

 

[Jancouver]

Picked last 3. No major wins next year and if he wont get busted he will carry on as the face of Astana for those Kazakhs backing the team.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Vino, will get a stage win at the giro, podium at liege, help Conti win the tour.

 

[Ferminal]

If he's allowed into the tour he will be as loyal as any stage hunter can be (he definitely wont be going with GC ambissions).

Will probably win a couple of GT stages, and some one day races.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Interesting to see that most like myself think Vino will play the loyal servant. he did so at T-Mobile and got nothing in return for it esp. in 2005 were T- Mobile chased him down.

 

[Polish]

Interesting to see that most like myself think Vino will play the loyal servant. he did so at T-Mobile and got nothing in return for it esp. in 2005 were T- Mobile chased him down.

I vote "other"

Jan had to chase Vino down in 2005 because Vino (worker bee) attacked the Team leader (Jan) lol. Jan finished 3rd, Vino 5th. If Jan did not have to waste energy chasing Vino who knows.

If Vino races the TdF, and feels he has decent form - Alberto will have to watch his back even more than in 2009. Heck, Alberto should start watching his back starting now.

Astana is Vino's Team.

 

[42x16ss]

I chose other. It's Vino!!!

Anything and everything is not only possible but highly likely with this guy. I doubt he could go for a ride to the corner shop with some kind of random misadventure. That's why he's the rider I hate to love!

 

[badboyberty]

So right now 65% of respondents believe Vino will be a loyal servant t the tour and 129% believe he will do something else.

Do the polls always give results this dodgy or are the Kazahks up to their crazy tricks again...

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

So right now 65% of respondents believe Vino will be a loyal servant t the tour and 129% believe he will do something else.

Do the polls always give results this dodgy or are the Kazahks up to their crazy tricks again...

Nah, just taking a page out of Fox News' playbook.

Seriously though, in this CN poll, you could vote for more than 1 item.

 

[Moondance]

I find it hard to believe that there are people who think he's gonna win a GT (let alone the Tour). He showed last year a propensity to gas out and die in pretty much every finale he was involved in. Who knows, maybe the Kazakh doping machine gets him a couple victories?

But if he's gonna do it (mostly) clean, i can see his style of suicide attacks net him maybe a handful of victories (a GT stage or two, or a smaller classic like Paris-Camembert). But I really can't see him win Liege or the GC of any major race. He will be very exciting though, and that's what we all love about Vino.

 

[palmerq]

I think vinokourov is done, maybe he can win a stage in the giro or the tour if he´s allowed in(i think he will) if things go well for him. I think his best chances are in the time trials and some small races, but I think he won´t have a great season. No chance of finishing high up the gc, he can´t climb without the drugs or transfusions or whatever.

I hope he does well though, he´s quite a character.

 

[Pedaaldanser]

I think he isn't gonna do any of the poll options.

I don't think he's strong enough to win any major tour. I doubt he's gonna work for Contador in the Tour as in setting the pace. Attacking yes, winning a stage, maybe. Perhaps he'll serve as a GC distraction if he manages to get into the right break. I do not think he will retire after this year yet, and maybe he'll win some smaller race/tour.

Am I the only one getting enthusiastic about his next season after seeing him on some pictures with that funny hat on?

 

[rhubroma]

I find it hard to believe that there are people who think he's gonna win a GT (let alone the Tour). He showed last year a propensity to gas out and die in pretty much every finale he was involved in. Who knows, maybe the Kazakh doping machine gets him a couple victories?

But if he's gonna do it (mostly) clean, i can see his style of suicide attacks net him maybe a handful of victories (a GT stage or two, or a smaller classic like Paris-Camembert). But I really can't see him win Liege or the GC of any major race. He will be very exciting though, and that's what we all love about Vino.

I'd put my signature in this analysis.

Vino can't win the Giro. Too many hard climbs.

By the way I road with Italian cycling journalist Eugenio Bevilacqua yesterday and he told me about recent phone conversations he had with Basso (on 2010), Bettini (on tax evasion) and a visit he paid to Ricardo Ricco on Saturday at his home. On Basso he's convinced we'll see him at a higher level than last year and that his determination is incredible. On Bettini (I leave that out). On Ricco he said that he wants to do some big results (Milano-San Remo) early season, to be able to get his team, and himself, invited to the Giro. He also told me that Ricco has ridden 33,000 k's this year, is incredibly fit and determined and that the rider said he had recently bettered his best time on a testing climb near his home (10k at 11%) by 1:30 min. - which is thus even faster than 2008 when he got busted for cera. If this is true, and if the latter gets invited - in the absence of Contador, Menchev, Evans and Armstrong, it looks like the Giro will be a duel between Basso and Ricco. Vino can hope for a stage, no more.

Whereas at the Tour, I don't think people realize the talent we have in Contador. No way at 36 Vino can be even close to AC, both in the mountains and in the time trials.

 

[Publicus]

I think it is pretty simple. As far is Vino is concerned, with the exception of the TdF and the other races AC wants to do, it's his team. Frankly, I think he can live with that. Now I'm curious how Martinelli uses him in the TdF (assume the ASO lets him in). He could be real useful to AC on the mountain stages where there is no uphill finish. And frankly as a decoy of sorts (play into his unpredictable nature).

 

[Mellow Velo]

Vino will ride the LBL, Giro and Tour. He will keep a low profile, at the Tour and prove a far better team mate, than Armstrong has ever been.
The only difference between him and Millar, Basso etc, is that he remains in the Landis, Hamilton, Schumacher clique of denialists.

 

[Delicato]

I'd put my signature in this analysis.

If this is true, and if the latter gets invited - in the absence of Contador, Menchev, Evans and Armstrong, it looks like the Giro will be a duel between Basso and Ricco. Vino can hope for a stage, no more.

I read somewhere that Menchov wants to defend his Giro title.

 

[ImmaculateKadence]

I picked the last two. I don't expect major results anywhere in the season. He won't have the same form he did in 05 when he won LBL. He'll also have to contend with the Schlecks (looking for a repeat or a win for Frank) and some Classics specialists like Philippe Gilbert, and maybe say Gerrans and EBH (depending on who actually goes). I'd actually like to see Haussler go, but I digress. Regardless of who rides LBL, there will be at least 5 guys with a better chance of winning. Ultimately, I think Vino we'll get frustrated with his disappointing season and end up attacking Contador at the tour, hoping to salvage a less than impressive season. If he feels strong going into the third week and is within striking distance of the yellow jersey, Contador better keep an eye on him because he'll go without even thinking twice.

In the end, we'll all be taking about what a great teammate Lance was to Contador.....maybe that's pushin it.

 

[mainframe]

I think Vino will win the Giro, Tour, Vuelta & the Tour of Britain.

 

[Wallace]

I think people here are radically misinterpreting Vino's behavior in the 2005 Tour. After years of being a loyal team-mate and an excellent worker, doing his best to shepherd 200 pounds of bratwurst, pilsner and black forest torte to the finish line, in 2005 Vino was--along with Kloden--given leeway by the team to ride for himself. You have to remember how frustrated--rightfully--people were with Jan-the-terrror-of-the-buffet-counter. Some members of the team, Ullrich loyalists, didn't agree with that, and went after Vino, stupidly, but that doesn't show that Vino was disloyal or betraying and or attacking team-mate, it shows a team with deep internal fissures, something totally different. Vinokourov will keep his word (unlike Armstrong, there's been none of this "the best rider will lead the team" crap--Vino has been 100% consistent: "I will ride for Contador."). Vino will be delighted to be at the Tour, if they let him in. He will ride his asp off for Contador, and will try to get a stage win, to get some redemptive glory time.

I can't see him beating the Schlecklet at LBL, or coming near. He's a great TTer still, but hasn't shown any trace of the explosive power in the hills you need to win in the Ardennes.

 

[kurtinsc]

I think Vino will win the Giro, Tour, Vuelta & the Tour of Britain.

The tour of britain is way too tough a race for Vino. I'm on board with the rest though.

 

[pedaling squares]

I chose other. It's Vino!!!

Anything and everything is not only possible but highly likely with this guy. I doubt he could go for a ride to the corner shop with some kind of random misadventure. That's why he's the rider I hate to love!

You said it.

I think that Vino knows he cannot win le Tour, and that having AC wearing the Astana jersey cum Kazakh flag on the top step will be the next best thing for the sponsors. I expect to see him honour his word about supporting AC. But you have to expect him to hunt stages and there is always the chance of random acts of Vinoness.

 

[Polish]

Vino4Ever

some interesting points in this thread...

" a decoy of sorts..."
C'mon, Alberto needs a decoy? Who would be fooled?
If Vino attacks, it will be up to Alberto to chase him down.
Or maybe RadioShack's decoy can work with Astana's decoy and stay away?

" He will keep a low profile at the Tour'
Ok, whatever you say

"Vinokourov will keep his word"
Like when he said he would never return to Pro cycling? That word?

"Vino has been 100% consistent: "I will ride for Contador"
100% consistent denying he cheated too. Did he cheat? Will he ride for AC?

"That's why he's the rider I hate to love!"
I agree with that one

Check out the website Vino4Ever....Nice team picture:
Where is Alberto?

 

[Publicus]

some interesting points in this thread...

" a decoy of sorts..."
C'mon, Alberto needs a decoy? Who would be fooled?
If Vino attacks, it will be up to Alberto to chase him down.
Or maybe RadioShack's decoy can work with Astana's decoy and stay away?

" He will keep a low profile at the Tour'
Ok, whatever you say

"Vinokourov will keep his word"
Like when he said he would never return to Pro cycling? That word?

"Vino has been 100% consistent: "I will ride for Contador"
100% consistent denying he cheated too. Did he cheat? Will he ride for AC?

"That's why he's the rider I hate to love!"
I agree with that one

Check out the website Vino4Ever....Nice team picture:
Where is Alberto?

When I said decoy of sorts, I meant play on the expectation that many seem to share of Vino from the 2005(?) TdF. I don't know that it will in fact work or draw anyone's fire so to speak, but threw it out as a tactical ploy.

And if you'll notice, none of the Spainards (or Italians) are in the photo either. An all Kazakh photo (at least it looks that way to me).

 

[ImmaculateKadence]

Speaking of Vino 4 ever, anyone remember him wearing that Astana kit with that very same phrase all over it?

 

[Stephen D Aalderink]

Do you have anything in Merlot Mr. Vino?

He should be a wine broker...its already in his name.
That way he can do all the junk he wants sell boxes of wine and only have to be worried about being pulled over my the authorities and faking a sobriety test.

He did look rugged when he was all ripped and ascending the col du epo...AXE!