Road Bike Racing - Vino's Tactics - *Dauphine Spolier*

From Cycling news (http://www.cyclingnews.com/road/2007/jun07/dauphinelibere07/?id=results/dauphinelibere075):

"The Kazakh isn't only the strongest rider for the coming summer of cycling but he's also the smartest. As he had lost seven minutes on purpose at the top of the Mont Ventoux, his presence in the breakaway didn't ruin the chance of a success. Astana even faked they would take care of the tempo in front of the peloton. They did it for a little while when the group of 22 was formed with all the teams represented except from CSC, T-Mobile and Lampre. Later, it was up to Ag2r and Predictor-Lotto to do most of the work."

How much of that do you think rings true, and how much is media sensationalism?

I've got a tough time envisioning Vino/Astana purposefully performing so poorly on Ventoux in order to set the stage for what ended up being a brilliant Astana win the next day...more likely, they happend to suffer on the previous stage, but it happened to open up a great tatical opportunity the the following stage.

First time I've ever seen Vino accused of being the smartest strategist.

My take? Vino's a smart cookie. He was 5:something down yesterday, and today he's 7th. Not bad.

Vino doesn't rock a TT like that and then get dropped on Ventoux by the likes of Leipheimmer and Zabriskie the next day (not to put those two down). Methinks he's one cunning mickey fickey.

While Vino cannot be accused of being the most intelligent racer in the past (though perhaps the most exciting), I feel that he is truly using the training races as training races. I think that Astana has been testing the waters since after th etour last year. You can see interesting tactics throughout the Vuelta and again here at the dauphine. After Floyd demonstrated (doping or no) on stage 17 that tactics (Remember seeing the entire Phonak team on the front pounding the peloton into submission before the first climb??) can actually be important in the post-Lance era. I think that Astana are going to capitalize on that.

First time I've ever seen Vino accused of being the smartest strategist.

Astana played Valverde like a violin in last years Vuelta.

Hmm...While I question whether or not the last three stages where tactically laid out by Vino/Astana...I definitely don't question his intelligence as a cyclist.

His attacking nature in the past was more of a "I've got nothing to lose". As a leader of Astana, I think Vino has really shown himself as a less of a "loose cannon".

Sorry boys, but Vino isn't the one calling the shots, the DS is.

Sorry boys, but Vino isn't the one calling the shots, the DS is.

Bingo. All Vino is doing/needs to do is listen, and execute.

You all need to shut your dirty whorish mouths.

Alexandre Vinokourov is a saint! Do you hear me?!

Of course; hence the reference to "Vino/Astana"...original question still applies, did the team plan ahead for today's stage to play out as it did, with yesterday's poor performance a part of the equation. If so...brilliant (and lucky).

Dorothy Mantooth is a saint!

Of course; hence the reference to "Vino/Astana"...original question still applies, did the team plan ahead for today's stage to play out as it did, with yesterday's poor performance a part of the equation. If so...brilliant (and lucky).

I'll check in with Mario and get back to you.

If you get no where with him - see if Nursultan Nazarbayev knows.

Bingo. All Vino is doing/needs to do is listen, and execute.


thats still a tall order given the way he behaved at t-mob.

I think it was planned. I'm sure it was a loose plan though, like one branch of a decision tree. Still, they are controlling their own destiny in this race. "Here, you take the jersey, and you take this stage, and I'll get some training in."

badasses