Castroviejo makes Spain proud
Young Basque Jonathan Castroviejo honoured his national jersey with an immense display of strength and courage in today's Olympic Games road race.
The 25-year-old Movistar rider, who came in as a reserve after Óscar Freire and Samuel Sánchez were ruled out through injury, did what he was asked to do and got into the day's early break along with a host of big names. The former Euskaltel prodigy did his share of the work as the group built up a healthy lead over the team GB-led peloton. As more and more riders bridged up in the closing 50 kilometres, among them team-mates Alejandro Valverde and Luis León Sánchez, the native of Getxo was still there to take massive turns on the front for his two team-leaders. Castroviejo, who's not had the best of spells in the Movistar jersey since leaving Euskaltel ahead of the 2012 season, stayed with the group all the way to the finish and came in 26th, having sacrificed himself for his captains.
Unfortunately for the time trial specialist and his country, Valverde and Sánchez were never in the mix for the medals and Spain thus failed to repeat their gold of the Beijing Games. Spain can look forward to Wednesday's crono, though, given Castroviejo's performance today and the shape Luis León seemed to be in at the Tour de France.
As he gets older, Castroviejo, who's also got a fast finishing kick, will surely be a mainstay of the Spanish seleccion along with the likes of former team-mates Ion and Gorka Izagirre and current team-mate Jesús Herrada.
5 comments:
What an amazing win by Vino. Who would've thought this. Sad to see him go.
Right in the face of the Brits as well, with their cocky behavior this year. Thinking they can ride on front for 250km with 4 guys.
I'm glad to see him go. He gets caught doping and there is no remorse, no apology, nothing. His comments about it being a cleaner sport amount to 'I can't do it anymore or I'll get caught' and then yesterday he comes out with "“It’s magnificent to end it like this,” he said. “All the big champions like...(Richard) Virenque went out on top and I wanted to do the same.”
Virenque? Big champion? If thats Vino's idea of a champion then good riddance, the sport can do without people like him.
As for the Brits being cocky, I don't know where you get that from. The plan was always going to be to ride for Cavendish and a sprint and there was no point in saying otherwise. It worked in the worlds but on a harder course the break got too big on the last circuit and with most teams represented they got little help...and there were few riders capable of going faster than Wiggins/Froom/Millar and the outstanding Stannard anyway. Thats bike racing.
They didn't ask for help once, according to the Belgians. They went on the front from km4. It was overestimation and overconfidence in my opinion.
How much did he pay Uran?
I'm guessing a but load of pubic hair :D
Post a Comment