Professional Cycling - David Zabriskie???

What happened to put him 7 minutes back in the GC? I haven't seen any of the live footage. Did he crash? Again?

My guess is that he's spending quite a bit of energy defending the yellow jersey. And since he's there as a domestique, he doesn't care about time.

Zabriskie losing a few minutes soft pedaling to the end of Stage 2 allowed him miss the massive pile up. He seemed glad about that in his own dry way in the velonews interview.

He was 32 seconds back on the prologue. He's losing 1-1/2 minutes a day. Is he the only one doing work for CSC?

He's well inside any time cutoff and it's not like he's a sprint lead-out. Why waste his legs in that way.

Last year he was with the CSC riders part of the way up Alpe d'Huez and I suspect he's saving some reserves to help Sastre and Schleck once again when the real GC racing starts.

As for him being the only one doing any work for CSC, I hope you're joking. The other riders from CSC are no doubt busting ass to keep Cancellara in Yellow for a few more days, but are also working to keep Sastre and Schleck out of harms way. Give the guys like Vande Velde a little credit, yeah?

He's been showing up periodically at the front of the peloton, but he does seem to fade from sight at the end of each race, once he's done his job. He's something like 183rd today. It'll be fun to watch him in Stages 13 and 19.

As for him being the only one doing any work for CSC, I hope you're joking.

Yeah, sort of. I know the other riders on CSC are working hard. I just thought DZ was more than a domestique. He has won stages before, and as a guy who took 2nd in the world time trial championship I thought his prologue might have been better. Maybe it was too short of a TT for him?

Yeah, sort of. I know the other riders on CSC are working hard. I just thought DZ was more than a domestique. He has won stages before, and as a guy who took 2nd in the world time trial championship I thought his prologue might have been better. Maybe it was too short of a TT for him?

hes already raced a lot this season. i dont think they can really feel confident in him doing much more then domestique work right now. he does need a break sometime.

Yeah, sort of. I know the other riders on CSC are working hard. I just thought DZ was more than a domestique. He has won stages before, and as a guy who took 2nd in the world time trial championship I thought his prologue might have been better. Maybe it was too short of a TT for him?
Dave has said that he wouldn't mind a crack at a stage win, but he's fine if he doesn't get one. He seems happy to be there and focused on his work as a domestique.

Voigt has won stages too and spent time in yellow. O'Grady has won a stage too, IIRC. And O'Grady just won Paris-Roubaix. These guys work together.

What happened to put him 7 minutes back in the GC? I haven't seen any of the live footage. Did he crash? Again?


Shhhhh, its a secret, but, by building up this big deficit nobody will mind when he takes off on the first mountain stage solo and goes for the polka dot ala JaJa or that guy from Festina that didn't dope.

Mind games like these keep me sane during the interminable sprint stages.:rolleyes:

He mentioned that pretty much the only reason he is there at the tour, is to help Sastre and Schleck higher up and a crack at a stage win might be a bonus.. Him and Arvesen seem to softpedal the closing k's just to avoid crashing..

Btw on his video dairy on velonews he goes.. "pretty much all of this is training for mountain biking in the off season" with a trademark playful smirk..

but he does seem to fade from sight at the end of each race, once he's done his job.

The alternative being up near the chaos of a bunch sprint when there's no need.

Okay, I'll admit it. I just wanted to see some Americans do well in the GC this year. I don't have a ton of confidence in Levi or George, even though I like them both as riders. I think DZ is a pretty strong rider. I sort of thought with the right backing he could do well. He can TT like a demon, and though he's not a great hill climber it seems like he can hold his own.

That and I have a man crush on him and think he looks fabulous in yellow.

Maybe it was too short of a TT for him?

thats what im thinking. he seems to be best on long flat and fast courses. but he could be tired too...

thats what im thinking. he seems to be best on long flat and fast courses. but he could be tired too...


I am going to go out on a limb here and speculate that DZs (relative) lack of showing in the TTs is due to his gradual shift into becoming a better climber and an all-rounder.. He mentioned in some interview last year that in the offseason (05) he trained almost exclusively in climbing and hence he was better on the climbs in last years tour..

This year clearly he has shown way better climbing form, both the Giro and Dauphine hanging with the leaders for long periods of time.. He also apparently came in at 148#s which was his lowest coming into the season.. I always get confused but there is a power to weight ratio which might not be in his favor. He can still TT the **** out of 99% of the peleton but maybe its all for the better as he would be fun to watch as a serious stage race contendor..

Also bear in mind Chris Baldwin was pretty well on his way to become the us TT champ last year but for an unfortunate spill with a K or so to go..

I am going to go out on a limb here and speculate that DZs (relative) lack of showing in the TTs is due to his gradual shift into becoming a better climber and an all-rounder.


but DZ's problem isnt weight (well not to the extent of other TT specialists that transition to all-rounders), so in order to increase his climbing ability his power would most likely have to come up, which wouldn't hurt TT's at all.

it always been my understanding that hes not realy one for dropping gobs off power, but that he gets his TT prowess from being extremely aerodynamic and smooth in the saddle.

but DZ's problem isnt weight (well not to the extent of other TT specialists that transition to all-rounders), so in order to increase his climbing ability his power would most likely have to come up, which wouldn't hurt TT's at all.

it always been my understanding that hes not realy one for dropping gobs off power, but that he gets his TT prowess from being extremely aerodynamic and smooth in the saddle.

Yep, so TT is pretty much it for his area to shine.

I'm wondering why does a team like CSC bring two stellar TT specialists like Cancellara and Zabriske to the tour, are they that focussed on beating T-mobile on the team categor through time trials? If that pair finishes 1-2 on some TT, it still is only 1 stage win.

Yep, so TT is pretty much it for his area to shine.

I'm wondering why does a team like CSC bring two stellar TT specialists like Cancellara and Zabriske to the tour, are they that focussed on beating T-mobile on the team categor through time trials? If that pair finishes 1-2 on some TT, it still is only 1 stage win.
Re-read this thread.

Zabriskie is not there to win TT. He's there to:

a) help the other CSC domestiques haul Cancellara around to keep the Yellow Jersey as long as possible and keep their GC contenders out of harms way. In this respect, DZ's Tour (and O'Grady, Voigt, Cuesta, Arvesenhas and Vande Velde) has been a great success.

b) haul Sastre and Schleck up the hills as best as DZ can.

Just think that we have yet to Jens Voigt on one of his breakaways to this point, as well. There's a reason for that. CSC have a big picture strategy and don't need to race for exposure like Agritubel.

Okay, I'll admit it. I just wanted to see some Americans do well in the GC this year.


Let go of your nationalistic tendancies on this one, or you're gonna be dissappointed ;)



Zabriskie is not there to win TT.

Indeed; Z got a place on the tour (pure speculation on my part...no I don't have the inside scoop of what goes on in Bjarne's camp) thanks in part to his showing in the Dauphine...he was up there with the climbers during the mountain stage, proving he can be up there when Frank or Sastre needs him.

I wonder how Zs career might change if he really holds his own working for his leaders in the mountains.

^^^^ i thought he did a fabulous job last year in the mountains working for his team. i think it was the Schleck stage win i am recalling. later.

Here's a bit from cyclingnews.com from Jens Voigt. As much as been said above regarding CSC's team strategy.


Jens Voigt is rather infamous for his relentless attacking, but has had to control himself so far this Tour since he's been working to defend the yellow jersey since day one. When asked yesterday by John Trevorrow if he'd get a chance to make his mark on this Tour, he replied, "That was not the plan today. We have had to do a bit of work in defending the jersey with Fabian. But it's basically the same as usual, a break goes away, we ride on the front and then it's a bunch kick. Today's plan was to just defend the jersey. Now it's all for Fabian and then in the Alps Frank and Carlos and, maybe, after the Alps I will have a chance, and in the last week maybe Stuey. So we are looking forward to some great racing."

hes like 18 minutes back now and 5th from last or something.

maybe he's trying to intentionally give time away so he can get in a break one day......

No, he just likes the basket of apples he received for finishing last

I just thought DZ was more than a domestique. He has won stages before, and as a guy who took 2nd in the world time trial championship ...
Yeah, he's got a decent CV. But criminy! look at the other CSC team members! It's like an All-Star team.

hes like 18 minutes back now and 5th from last or something.
I thought he had a WC in him early this year. Now it seems he's more like Richie Tenenbaum.



I say he drops out soon.

He wasn't all kidding it seems when he said he's more interested in getting a job with the park services as a ranger next season, than signing again with CSC.

My guess is he is working and just dropping off....

Also his big days will be Stage 13 (July 21st) and Stage 19 (July 28th). I would imagine they want him to be ready for those days......

Check out the Zabriskie diaries -- video clips on Velonews - he addresses it somewhat.

What Game Play? :D