Igor brilliant in LBL
Igor showed in today's Liège-Bastogne-Liège, just like in Wednesday's Fléche Wallonne, that he's among the very best on uphill terrain at the moment. Finishing 4th and 7th in your very first participation in Fléche and Liège is sublime. That's something really special. This might sound very biased, but I'm of the opinion that Igor was the strongest rider on Wednesday. If he'd been a bit better tactically and not jumped into that late-race break I'm positive he would have won the whole thing. Being caught in a breakaway group at the foot of the Huy and going on to lead the very best riders up big parts of the climb and then finish fourth is extraordinary. And finishing 7th ahead of guys like Horner, Fränk Schleck, Contador, Gerrans, Wegmann, Hesjedal, Cunego, Leon Sánchez, Purito and Garzelli, to name but a few, in your first Doyenne is marvellous. Now I'm looking forward to Tuesday. That's the start-date for the Tour de Romandie, a race Igor will take part in and hopefully rock. He'll be unbeatable up those big mountains the Tour de Romandie normally throws up. Also a big thumps-up for the rest of the team. Alan was superb in the break of the day, driving the pace and looking very strong. He looked phenomenal. So too did the ever-dependable JJ, Egoi and Iñaki who took care of their captain in every possible way and went on to finish the race in 40th, 41st and 71st respectively. Mikel, riding his first LBL, did the most important thing in your first participation, namely finishing it. Though he came in a distant 108th, the experience will hold him in good stead for the future.
1 comment:
He did so well, I didn't expect that, even after his performance on wednesday. He really earned a podium. I didn't expect him to do this well because I thought Igor is a little climber who doesn't perform in 250+ km races, but he proved me wrong. It was also difficult for him because after every hill there was a 15k nearly flat section. He was with the best five on the climbs but was blown away on the flats, as I expected, he doesn't have the power the others have on the flat sections. Still, I was delighted he got 7th after that late move with among others Contador. He really deserved that and it must be again a massive boost to his morale after such a difficult 2009. He really looks like the 2008 Anton again.
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