Paris-Nice Stage 2
 

Write-up on Cyclingnews.com: http://www.cyclingnews.com/road/2006...s/parisnice062

I have a question about this comment from Boonen:
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Boonen is definitely the boss of the bunch. After 60 kilometres, when Crosbie had a 15 minute lead, his teammates from Quick Step were pacing. They asked some cooperation from CSC and Liberty Seguros. As they refused, Boonen instructed his teammates to stop working immediately. "They're lazy, we're not going to ride for them! Us at Quick Step, we do 25,000 kilometres per a year in front of the bunch", Boonen exaggerated.

Then he warned everyone: "Tomorrow on the climb of Croix de Chaubouret, I'll ride for 10 metres in front of the bunch and I'll let the race go. I'm not going to burn myself 10 days before Milan-San Remo. It's better if I save some energy for the following stage in Rasteau that suits me better."
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What does he mean by saying "I'll ride for 10 meters in front and let the race go"? How will staying 10 meters in front of the bunch make a difference?

Like many, I've been following Tornado Tom more closely this year.

ALthough he's already won 8 stages this year. I'm finding a distaste for his comments.

After the first stage, he said something to the affect that its not a big deal, I did it for the "others". I don't need to try for any more

and then after today's sprint finish he said something like, although its nice to win, this isn't anything more than just a habit.............

He's been described as the new "elvis" of Belgium. But I'm afraid he's become a cocky SOB

I think he meant he's going to try to stay out in front of the climbers for the first 10 meters (i.e. not at all) and then let everyone go. Meaning he'll let the mountain goats have their day rather than kill himself 10 days before a race that means more to him.

IMO, he's not a GC rider but damn he's a good sprinter. He's clearly head and shoulders better than everyone else at that discipline right now. He had a solid--albeit short--TT during the prologue on Sunday even in unlucky conditions (some of the earlier riders didn't have raindrops on the road).

--Steve

He's saying he's not going to defend his jersey. He recognizes that he isn't going to hold onto it for the whole race, and instead of having his teamates kill themselves over a stage he isn't going to win, he's going to let teams that have GC concerns control the front and do the work.

Duh, OK I get it. I took it to mean that for some unspecified distance he was going to ride 10 meters ahead of the bunch and then fall back into the pack, letting everyone else go. Thanks for making the obvious even plainer. :o

correct. He's no chance for the overall.