Good day for Euskaltel
Euskaltel will no doubt be pleased with their efforts today; Valverde lost over 3 minutes to Igor, Egoi placed 6th and still leads overall, Igor placed 10, Koldo placed 16 and, by the way, they won the team's competition today. Not bad, huh? So how did Valverde manage to lose three minutes to Igor and the rest of the favourites? It's simple: he didn't pay attention as the pace in the peloton was upped considerably on a descent, resulting in the pack splitting into numerous pieces. Igor, Egoi, Rubén, Mikel, Alán and Koldo were all left in that first group alongside the main Astana riders. The two teams cooperated to great effect, meaning Piti, oh, sorry, Valverde, is now effectively out of the running in terms of a podium place overall. Good day? Yes indeed...
15 comments:
You really dislike Valverde, I see ... AND SO DO I :p
I feel exactly the same !!!
...and now the podium for Igor is a bit more closer...!!!
AUPA EUSKADI !!!
Good day yesterday but I'm so sad. Look at this:
http://www.diariovasco.com/20080912/deportes/ciclismo/euskaltel-euskadi-tiene-problema-20080912.html
Hmm Valverde is nice as a person... ;) But better for Euskaltel to have one "enemy" less ;)
I can't really see how we would be able to compete at highest level all over the season without Samu? Koldo and Igor can't be in top shape from February 'till October. We know how much Samu loves the team but you can still understand him. As he says, he's 30 and he won't be pro for more than 5-6 years more. He is in his best age and it is now he'll have to earn the money for the rest of his life. Moreover, I can't see who would replace him. There's a lot of youngsters, Intxausti of course as the obvious - there's just no one like Samu.
Without Haimar and Samu Euskaltel could stop...
Euskaltel won't stop without Samu. It will be not easy, but I think that the team is strong and will survive.
With all this money (Haimar and Samu have the highest salaries) the team can buy some riders who can get victories, specially Herrero and David López but some others like Gaztañaga or Garate will be interesting too.
Maybe he will continue in Euskaltel, but if he goes this won't be the end.
What do you think, Magnuss?
Let the Basque goverment pay some extra money. We don't like to loose our 2 teamleaders in one year :(
Losing Haimar and Samu in the same season would be nothing short of a catastrophe. They'er both so fundamental to the team's success, and fame, mind you... The team is already well short of winners, so losing the biggest one would be a blow not only to the supporters, but also the other riders on the team. You know, back in 2003 and those years, when the team really presented itself at the world stage, the team was all about Iban, Haimar, Samu, Laiseka etc. Three of them are already gone. If Samu is to follow them, I don't know what to do. I wouldn't say close down shop, but really the team would lose a lot of publicity, and thus permission to take part in the biggest races out there. As well, there are more than enough disillusioned Euskaltel fans out there, so losing Samu would be suicide for the team. To put it shortly; it's keeping him or bust.
I don't really mind loosing Zubeldia that much, don't misunderstand, I love him, but I think Euskaltel can do perfectly well without him. But loosing Samu would be such a big disaster for the team! I hope some rich guy can help the team finance a super salary for him! But if they loose him, they gotta get David Lopez and Intauxti!
Magnus,
Although it is very short, I think you'll enjoy this clip of the Angliru during the 2002 Vuelta. At minute 3:54 you see a young Iban Mayo catching a faltering Oscar Sevilla!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9Pag4EXfT4
Thanks so much for keeping this blog going, man. You rock.
And I STILL have a Brooklyn cycling cap to send you.
I think I should start blogging again. Especially considering the return of the anti-christ to earth (I'm talknig about Lance of course).
What do you think?
And he fell just 15k from the end of the stage too!
Damn, what bad luck.
And poor Egoi lost the jersey!
And Alberto Contadoper is now the leader!
Is this the worst day or what?
What's next? Could it get any worse?
Sammy Sanchez quits cycling to take up ping pong?
Valverde eats a bad Zarangollo (a Murcian dish combining the concepts of ratatouille and omelette) and drops out of the race?
What a terrible, terrible day. Or well, Egoi did fine, after all, but poor Igor. His whole season was planned on the Vuelta - and poor us and Euskaltel.
Egoi rode bravely today and Euskaltel can be proud of him. But what awful luck for Igor (and all of us fans). Please don't let Samu slip through your fingers Euskaltel!
Great vid mr.60%. Those were the days, huh?
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