El Diablo Rojo

Levi wants this race and dropped the hammer today! Landis didn't look to happy but I'm sure he's holding back. Still he lost over nine minutes today I would have thought he'd at least stayed with George.

Results - Stage 4
1. Denis Menchov (Rus), Rabobank, 437 (38.41kph),
2. Christophe Moreau (F), Ag2r, s.t.
3. Levi Leipheimer (USA), Gerolsteiner, at 0:15
4. Jose Azevedo (Por), Discovery Channel, at 0:29
5. Sylvain Chavanel (F), Cofidis, at 0:54
6. Bernhard Kohl (A), T-Mobile, at 0:54
7. Francisco Mancebo (Sp), Ag2r, at 1:04
8. Sergio Paulinho (Por), Würth, at 1:15
9. Pietro Caucchioli (I), Credit Agricole, at 1:19
10. Maxim Iglinskiy (Kaz), Milram, at 1:30



Overall, after stage 4
1. Levi Leipheimer (USA), Gerolsteiner, 15:47:53
2. Denis Menchov (Rus), Rabobank, at 0:28
3. Philippe Gilbert (Bel), Française des Jeux, at 1:08
4. Jose Azevedo (Por), Discovery Channel, at 1:47
5. Christophe Moreau (F), Ag2r, at 1:48
6. Sylvain Chavanel (F), Cofidis, at 2:08
7. Francisco Mancebo (Sp), Ag2r, at 2:10
8. Bernhard Kohl (A), T-Mobile, at 2:25
9. George Hincapie (USA), Discovery Channel, at 3:02
10. Sergio Paulinho (Por), Würth, at 3:20

Cromulent

Putting the hammer down up Mt. Ventoux? Very nice, Mr. Leipheimer. Very nice. And you too, Mr. Menchov.

Nine minutes is a lot of holding back.

merlinextraligh

Your support of Levi is looking better, and what the heck happened to Floyd? I really don't buy the argument that he was just out for training. I'm sure he dialed it back when it was clear he wasn't going to win, but Phonak was settinng pace early. Moreover, you'd expect Landis to at least be up with guys like Hincapie, even if he was trying not to go too deep in the red zone.

El Diablo Rojo

It was actually closer to 10. But yeah I'm thinking the same thing, did he sit up because he's saving it for the Tour or did he sit up because he was blown. Levi was kinda flying under the radar after the Tour of Cali but he sure came out flying this week!

daytonian

Landis is fine. He's holding his cards just like Lance "my forms not were it should three weeks from the tour" Armstrong. Good to see Levi crank it to 400w but nobody is racing.
I'm sure Landis is praying Basso sees his performance and stops training as hard and Ulrich stays in porker trim.

merlinextraligh

I believe Armstrong won the Dauphine, twice. And in 2004 when Mayo beat him up Ventoux, it was only 2 minutes, and that was the year that Armstrong was in his worst shape and came closest to loosing the TDF.

El Diablo Rojo

There are definately two schools of thought on how to treat the Daulphine, race hard and build form for the Tour or slowly build form toward the Tour. I think in Levi's heart of hearts he knows he isn't going to win the Tour but he is in position to win of the best races of the year. He let the race get away from him last year and he doesn't want to do that again this year. I'm a bit skeptical about Landis just cruising today. I still think he would have finished with the Hincapie group if he could have.

briscoelab

Wasn't it 2003 that Lance was in bad shape? 2004 he crushed the field on a number of climbs.

merlinextraligh

You're right, I got the year wrong (and I was there in 2003 which makes my memory pretty sad) but I think I'm right that it was the same year that he lost up Ventoux to Mayo, that he "struggled" at the TDF.

Edit: Actually I was wrong Mayo beat Armstrong on Ventoux in the 2004 Dauphine.

DrWJODonnell

So Dave Z beats both Landis and Vino up the Ventoux? I really wish I knew how hard he was going.

OC Roadie

Good for Levi, I've been silently routing for him all year, but didn't vocalize it, because I didn't think he had it. His absence over the last couple of months may pay off. I'd be happy to see him win the Daulphine, he also put in a nice TT. I still don't expect to see him do any better than 3rd at TDF. But it's nice to see he's on form.

Vinokurtov

Menchov- TDF supporting the Chicken, for GC, or saving himself to defend the default Vuelta title?

Gets zero play in the media but has looked pretty darn strong...

platypus

I'm still having trouble seeing Chicken Rasmussen as a GC threat come July.

Snicklefritz

How does chicken rasmussen even manage to ride a bike being so skinny? Those photos of him with his shirt off are scary! Well, I'd rather be on the beach with Boonen anyhoo. He's smoking hot. Too bad he has a GF already.

Snicklefritz

How does chicken rasmussen even manage to ride a bike being so skinny? Those photos of him with his shirt off are scary! Well, I'd rather be on the beach with Boonen anyhoo. He's smoking hot. Too bad he has a GF already.


About Landis, do people think all those early season successes may have indicated he peaked too early especially considering that he wasn't able to keep up with some of the other climbers on Ventoux?

DrWJODonnell

Did he peak too early? I don't know. I would say that he has already peaked once for sure. Will he come to form again in time for next months wee little race? That is the question. I am sure that he is not on form now, but no GC contender should be on form now...one simply cannot peak for that long a time.

pedex

ya, I asked about Z's climbng in another thread and got stomped on for it, please, I dont care who you are, you TT like that guy does and it means one thing---BIG MOTOR, and he isnt a heavy weight, which means he should be a halfway decent climber I would think. He might not hang with everyone on stuff over 8%, but then again you never know, they said Lance couldnt climb either.

DrWJODonnell

No, he isn't a pure climber by any means. But at 140+ lbs and with a tt engine like that? I would not be surprised if he were to crack top ten in the tour by accident. Likely CSC riders are going to be pummeled carrying Basso to victory, but if Z wins every TT he might be top ten anyhow.

pedex

Another thing im puzzling about is Landis, does he in fact know how to handle getting on and off the razor and be on it when he TDF starts? Some guys can, some cant, some never ever figure it out, which is Landis is the question. He strikes me as the never ever gets to the egde of it but rarely gets completely off it either type guy, if thats the case by end of week 2 of the TDF he's gonna be toast.

daytonian

Does anyone know who Discovery is gonna claim as TDF hopeful? Popovich still?

Snicklefritz

Here's what it says in the CyclingNews interview with Hincapie:

...Last year he won two stages in the Dauphiné Libéré, including the prologue, before going on to take a mountain victory at Saint-Lary Soulan (Pla d'Adet) in the Tour de France. With a 14th place finish overall in Paris, 23'40" behind team leader Armstrong, it's prompted some to wonder what he could achieve if he wasn’t always expending energy riding for someone else.

This year, he may get his chance to find out. Around the time of last year’s Tour directeur sportif Johan Bruyneel first discussed the idea of Hincapie as a possible GC contender; now, almost twelve months later, the American is putting final touches to his Tour preparation at the Dauphiné. He’s looking forward to July, but is also a bit nervous about making any predictions.

“I have never been in this position before,” he told Cyclingnews days before the Dauphiné started in Annency. “I'm very excited about it but I'm definitely hesitant to say how well I will do. I just don't know. I'm pretty sure that I can do a lot better than last year, without expending that energy [riding for Armstrong], but how much better I don't know. Hopefully as good as I can be!”

“Going into the Tour, myself and Yaroslav [Popovych] will probably be the leaders. José Azevedo as well... he has been top five before, so you can't really leave him out,” he states. Double Giro d’Italia winner Paolo Salvoldelli has also been confirmed for the team, so he too has the ability to ride strongly.

Ritterview

This photograph of Landis chatting while approaching the finish definitely looks like he is holding back.


https://www.cyclingnews.com/photos/20...uphine06-s4-12

Approaching the final hairpin Floyd Landis chats with Koos Moerenhout, more than nine minutes after Menchov had crossed the line

Snicklefritz

I wish I looked that relaxed at the end of a 100+ mile race (or whatever that stage was)

RacerX

Hincrapie is a pretender, not a GC contender! He's a one-day or short stage rider, and even then he can't get the job done most of the time. You can't put your eggs in that basket.

Il Falco and Popovich are Discovery's GC talents.

Interesting comments on Landis. I agree that loosing 9 min and not even staying in a groupetto w/ Hincrapie is a bit more than soft pedalling. On pride alone as a TDF GC hopeful, he would not loose that much. Maybe he's taking it really easy, who knows.
The pic of him smiling at the end doesn't mean anything. Anyone can try to play that off knowing cameras are around at the finish. Here's another of him not looking so fresh and dainty
https://www.cyclingnews.com/photos/20...nelibere064/48

Whoever said Levi is taking this b/c he has no chance to win the TdF is brilliant! Great observation. At least he can say he won the Dauphine, in itself a very prestigious event. That will buy him some credit come contract negotiations

I think Dave Z has the potential to be a GC rider but not yet. He is like Tom Danielson, showing alot of promise but not the experience to handle a gran tour yet. I think he can be Basso's successor though.

I think Dave Z has a shot at some of the spring classics as well.

USAZorro

He won't be the leader, but Gusev has looked quite good as well.