Basso wins the TdF? and other bike thoughts

[creekster]

Riis says he will. He claims that Basso has copied LA's style in the mountains and so hew will ride away from Ullrich. I find this very inetersting for a number of reasons.

First, the assumpotion that Ullrich is the man to beat. I am not so sure that is the case. Ullrich is a big name, but is he the guy to beat? He hasn't shown he is by any perfromance this year.

Second, Can Basso dominate the Tour dF like he did the Giro? A 9+ minute win in Italy is great, but did he spend himslef and can he now do it in France with a better (amrginally better, but still better) field?

Third, Basso copied LA's style? I guess thi sis possible, but I think it is more likely that Basso's own style was naturally more like LA's style. I find it hard to believe that he copied the style or that he decided to do so just so he could ride away from Ullrich. Moreover, even Though Ullrich pushes big gears and LA didn't and LA won doens't mean that is the reason why LA won. recall that when Ullrich was on he could hang ewith LA even on the toughest climbs. LA danced away but Der Kaiser would frequently get most of the time back, although this hasn't been true for the last three years, which then takes me back to point the first.

Random thoughts:

Is anyone else as annoyed by Riis' poosturing and arrogance as I am? For some reason this guy just rubs me the wrong way. He was lucky to win his tour and now prances around like he knows it all. I guess he might just be trying to build Basso's confidence, but I find him annoying.

Also, is there any concern that it would simply look bad for Basso to win the Tour just after winning the Giro and the last guy to do it is deceased convicted doper Pantani? Basso has always been clean, but a new scandal is about to break and after dominating the giro and if he then wins the Tour, that has got to look suspicious. Of course, some thought that the fact that LA never did the Giro was becasue he was cycling drugs and couldn't peak and still be clean in both July and May. I have no idea if this is truer, btw, just a seamy rumor.

Finally, and most sensational but also most meaningless, what is Gilberto Simoni's problem? He accuses Basso of offering to pay Simoni money? Basso who had a 5 or 6 minute lead at the time supposedly offers to pay Simoni to let Basso win? Simoni is on drugs, I think, but they are only enhancing his stupidity and ego, not his perfromance. The guy is a nut case.

p.s. Today was a beautiful day for a ride; having just risen from my sick bed (really bad and deep cold I picked up on an airplane) I took it easy and rode with wife and son on the triple. Sunny, temp in the 60s-70s, very light breeze, my son singing and ringing his bell at everyone/thing. Life can't get too much better.

[bluegoose]

Interesting points creek.

Basso did put on an impressive performance at the Giro. Its awful close to the start of the tour to recover and train, but I think he'll be up for it. He looked that much better than everyone else imo.

I'm mostly curious to see how the top Americans will do. Floyd Landis has looked awfully good early this year and has alluded to the point that he really wants the Tour this year. Leipheimer is also an interesting story. He'll be a top 10 guy, possibly a podium finisher, but I doubt if he'll be a serious contender. Valverde could make some noise, just like last year, but I think thats all it will end up being - some impressive mountain finishes, but not a true GC contender. Same with Michael Rasmussen. He should take home another polka dot jersey. At 5'11" 130 pounds, how could he not. I weigh more than the guy in my left leg.

And yes, this weekend had some of the best riding conditions of the year. Saturday morning was cool to start, but ending up being 70'ish by mid morning. Yesterday (monday) was gorgeous from the get-go. Arm warmers and wind vest were peeled off by 7:00am. Had a nice 35 or 40 mile ride both days. Unfortunately, no singing or bells on my ride though.

[creekster]

I still have hopes for Valverde. What do you see as his limiting weakness for GC? He has had some impressive sprint finsihes as well as mountain finsihes and some impressive sprinting mountain finsihes. I think he will be GC contender, but maybe not this year.

BTW, I had the Simoni stuff backwards. Apprently he is claiming that Basso demanded money to let Simoni win. Not quite as bizarre, perhaps, but still in the wacko territory from my point of view.

[bluegoose]

Regarding Valverde, the only real weakness I can potentially see is the time trial. I found it interested to hear LA and Bruneel point out that the key to the tour CG was one strong mountain top win and 2 strong time trial finishes. This could also be Basso's trouble this year, as Ullrich looked very strong in the ITT a couple of weeks ago.

[creekster]

Originally Posted by bluegoose

Regarding Valverde, the only real weakness I can potentially see is the time trial. I found it interested to hear LA and Bruneel point out that the key to the tour CG was one strong mountain top win and 2 strong time trial finishes. This could also be Basso's trouble this year, as Ullrich looked very strong in the ITT a couple of weeks ago.

Can't disagree with you about his realtive weakness inthe ITT, but the ITT is so technique specificthat I think he ought to be able to improve that with work. It is easier to improve the ITT, for example, than to suddenly beccome a great climber or an explosive finsiher. Unless you are taking help fomr your local pharmacist.


Ullrich did look good in the ITT in the Giro, but Basso was right there with him, finsihing second, and Basso absolutely destroyed the field, including pre-race-drop-out Ullrich, in the mountains.