Road Bike Racing - USPS Riders 1/2 in TT

Ekimov/Pena finished 1st and 2nd in the ITT in the Tour of Holland. Looks like the team is in good form for for the Vuelta.

www.cyclingnews.com/road.php?id=road/2003/aug03/rvn03/rvn034

The guy is ... what... 38? 40? And he is still winning.

Has Heras been taking all of this time off from racing for the Vuelta? I wonder what his form will be like this year. Last year he was great, but he also looked much better in the tour last year.

Heras had some type of lung problems during the TDF. Yeah, he's pretty much just training in prep for the Vuelta. He should be ok.

And Ekimov holds on to win the whole thing! I can't think of a more deserving rider.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/photos/2003/aug03/eneco/stage6/cycling-enecotour-ekimo-32.jpg

Isn't he about 6 months from turning 100 years old? I hope I have 1/4 of his legs now, let alone at his age :x

Didn't I hear that Eki and LA were going to do a 2 man TT sometime this season? Eki was 3rd at Paris-Roubaix way back in Spring too. He's been going hard all year. Alot of riders, even his team leader, don't do that. The guy is a pro.

Last year a strong but not great USPS got Heras to the final ITT in the Gold at the Vuelta. They look to be able to do so again.

I was impressed greatly with Beltran at the Tour. In fact by getting into those breaks and then coming back to LA he might have been critical. If he's still on form and Heras isn't in Sept. could he be the team leader in Spain?

I'm still "old school" enough to where I'd really like to see LA ride more than one GT per year though.

:beer:

Two Up Time Trial...Germany, August 2, 2003

1 Sebastian Lang/Michael Rich (Ger) Gerolsteiner 1.24.14
2 Georg Totschnig (Aut)/Torsten Schmidt (Ger) Gerolsteiner 1.13
3 Alexandre Vinokourov (Kaz)/Bobby Julich (USA) Telekom 1.57
4 Christophe Moreau (Fra)/Jens Voigt (Ger) Credit Agricole 2.27
5 Rubens Bertogliati (Swi)/Manuel Quinziato (Ita) Lampre 2.59
6 Lance Armstrong (USA)/Viatchselav Ekimov (Rus) 3.12
7 Jean Nuttli (Swi)/ Jochen Summer (Aut) 3.43
8 Beat Zberg (Swi)/Grischa Neirmann (Ger) Rabobank 3.56
9 Michael Rogers (Aus)/Laszlo Bodrogi (Hun) Quick.Step-Davitamon 4.15
10 Iban Mayo/Haimar Zubeldia (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 4.18

Armstrong was late for their start time (barely) and was seen rolling out of the start house, not yet clipped in, as Ekimov was well up the road.

Yeah, I don't think Lance was taking it too seriously. He was laughing as he rolled out.

Originally posted by Laggard
Yeah, I don't think Lance was taking it too seriously. He was laughing as he rolled out.

That's because Lance almost missed the start. Ekimov was rolling down the start ramp as Lance was running with his bike up to it. I don't think he was taking it too seriously, either!

Originally posted by Laggard
And Ekimov holds on to win the whole thing! I can't think of a more deserving rider.
Hear! Hear!