El Diablo Rojo

https://www.cyclingnews.com/road/2006...sults/giro0613

Basso still in control and puts even more time into his rivals. Der Jan was crushing souls again...albeit 10min behind Basso...but crushing souls non the less.

rufvelo

He drops his competitors so easily on the climbs how can anyone stop him from a Giro, TOur double, unless he gets sick. When you can time trial AND climb like this, the tours are all yours.

tekhna

Man, he put some time up. Tom Danielson got dropped.
Basso appears to have done it essentially without his team too.

DXchulo

I want to agree, but not so fast. There are still lots of climbs to go, and one bad day (doesn't have to be sickness- maybe just tired legs or "one of those days") could see him lose a lot of time. I don't really see that happening, but who knows.

Also, don't forget about those guys who are training for the Tour and the Tour only. As much as I love Vino, I'd have to say that Landis is probably the biggest threat to Basso because he's a good TTer and climber as well. And when it comes to Jan you never really know, but an on form Jan is a real threat to Basso. On top of that, you have to wonder if the Giro will tire Basso out a little bit, but if he keeps going like this he'll be able to save some energy towards the end.

All of those disclaimers aside, at this point you have to feel good about Basso doing the double.

thad

Did anyone see what happened to Rujano? Cyclingnews made it sound like he started walking up one of the climbs, then it said he crashed on a descent and had to be medivac'd out. WTH?

PedalMasher

Game, set, match, Basso. Total domination. This could be a yawn of a tour, and I was hoping for some excitement sans Lance.

The only thing, and I mean, the ONLY thing preventing a Giro win, is stomach problems of the type that put Basso 45 minutes down in ONE stage last year. He's gonna rack up 1-3 minutes on his GC rivals on each mountain stage.

Other than Sastre, he has less help than Lance ever had on a tour.

rufvelo

I'm very impressed with Carlos Sastre!

DocRay

Other than Sastre, Julich, and Voigt, and Lombardi and ....they were all pulling up front all day. The stages are ~5 hours long, TV only focuses on the last hour.

DocRay

again...the guy gets sick ONCE in his career and he's doomed for life. Ridiculous

How about Savoldelli's asthma?? That's been a real factor for him.

And Jan keeps crushing der souls...or maybe crushing walnuts for der struedel...but he's just training...

carlk23

Please don't tell me Dura Ace has changed cranks for '06. What is Salvodelli pedalling here? If it's older Dura Ace, is it that much lighter than the new stuff?

PedalMasher

Well I mean on the climbs Sastre is the only one who was able to provide much support. Don't read into it too much here, we know the grand tours are won/lost on mountain stages.

What I should have said is Lance sometimes had 2 guys for the WHOLE climb (Acevedo/Landis/Heras/etc).

El Diablo Rojo

Yeah that sure looks like DA 9s cranks doesn't it?

yellowjeep

I think the spider looks like a DA 10 with different rings.

fruitless

its the DA compact. . .or maybe just an FC-R700 with different rings

Dead Roman

lets not forget the rumors of Der Kaiser motorpacing up hills in italy.... the kaiser will be ready.

ScandiHo

I got the impression Cuesta was a great helper for Basso today. Sastre as well..ofcourse.

Basso did look kinda frightened on that slippery downhill ride. Or was he just backing off ?

El Diablo Rojo

The reports I've read said he was taking it easy on the descent. He basically had little to gain by pushing it and everything to lose if he crashed.

ezoons

+1
I was shocked when I saw the pictures of him standing by his bike looking for a lift.

squeegy200

This is a very sad story. Rujano and his agent negotiated badly with Selle Italia team management. Long story short, he screwed them and didn't fulfill any early season obligations and basically went AWOL on Selle Italia. Selle Italia has rights to his efforts until June when Cofidis is supposed to buy out the remainder of his contract following the Giro.

Since he didn't race at all, he wasn't really prepared for the Giro and basically is only a shadow of his performance of last year. So when he decided to abandon during the middle of the Giro, he basically ended his season with Selle Italia.

So none of the other teammates would help him once he abandoned. In addition, his team car wouldn't give him a lift. He has to finish the rest of the stage on his own in frigid conditions with no support.

With is behaviour this past season and the antics of his agent, I wonder if Cofidis (or anyone else)will buy out his contract.

ezoons

This is what cyclingnews have to say:
What is known, however, is that initial reports saying that he crashed on the descent and was evacuated from the scene are incorrect. Selle Italia-Serramenti Diquigiovanni team manager Gianni Savio has told the media that Rujano complained of stomach problems and being frozen cold, but was encouraged to keep going. However, when he refused to move, the second team car picked up their rider and took him to the finish in La Thuile. There, 24 year-old managed a few words, confirming his abandon and that he felt very bad.

"It's still a mystery to me - I know we had a good plan for the Saturday," Savio said to Belgian television. "Rujano was with Belli for a while and then disappeared. When he didn't arrived at the finish I went back looking to him; when I found him, I spoke for three minutes to him. Then I lost him again. I think this was very stupid, but he has some bad advisers."
https://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?...ay06/may22news

They also say that QuickStep have already signed him for the next season.
Whatever the truth, Rujano's behaviour was very dodgy on this stage. I mean, if he had decided to screw his team and abandon, why try and break away from the leading group on the final climb? I think that he just didn't have the legs this year, which is a shame.

El Diablo Rojo

QuickStep made the deal last year to sign Rujano. Since Selle Italia isn't a ProTour team they need the wildcard birth to get into the Giro. When QuickStep went after him they had to agree to let SI keep him until after the Giro. Rujano agreed but at the begining of the season he demanded more money from SI and they refused, so he refused to ride. SI threatened legal action if he didn't ride the Giro because SI wouldn't have gotten in with out him. It's all one big huge mess and the big loser is Rujano. It's doubtful that he'll be ready for the Tour which is why QuickStep signed him to begin with.

squeegy200

Lafevere's comments to Procycling indicated he made no such committment to Rujano to ride this year's tour. He said he still has to decide who will represent Cofidis in the TDF.

Lots of conflicting information.

Unless Rujano starts consistently winning races in convincing fashion, he is only ruining his career in Europe.

DocRay

It was interesting to see that Rasmussen dropped out so early.

El Diablo Rojo

I read simular comments in CycleSport but let's be realistic why would he even sign a guy like Rujano if it weren't for ability to climb in races like the Tour. Of course he wouldn't come out and guarantee him a spot before seeing if he is on form. This may be a lost season for Rujano and he'll only have himself to blame. To be sure if he doesn't suddenly find his form he'd better make sure that he finds next season!

TYB069

I notice that as well. Injury perhaps??