Road Bike Racing - Clasica San Sebastian

Man, how I'd love to be at this one. Few things sound more appealing than the coast of Spain.

Three Cat 2 climbs, one Cat 1 and one Cat 3 make the Donostia the ideal race for a punchy rider who's got the climbing legs to make the selection on the Alto De Jaizkibe.

This is the race for the in-form Astarloa to prove that the rainbow jersey curse just ain't so. Look out for an on fire Valverde and always there Bettini and Rebbelin.

Podium: Astarloa, Valverde, Bettini

Also theres: Di Luca, Ullrich, Mayo, Brochard

I'm picking Valverde for this one. Should be an exciting race, wish there was TV coverage of it here in the states.

And I know I said it already, but I like your signature. I sincerely wish people would stop talking about the Tour already.

I read about that race a couple of days ago. Well, I salivated about that race a couple of days ago. I was actually thinking that Valverde would take this one too.

Man, if I lived in Europe, I'd be at the races all summer. You couldn't find me. Seriously.

Koffee

I like the team Postal is sending. I'd like to see Azevedo do well here and get tuned up for the Vuelta.
I think that several rider will be trying to do well as the contract season is soon to begin...guys like Axel and DiLuca who are rumored to be ready to move on need good efforts...

For all you 99'ers, in 1992 this Spanish leg of the World Cup was Lance Armstrongs first race as a European Professional. He finished 111th, dead last.

4 Days later he won a stage in the Tour of Galicia and 11 days later finished 2nd in the Championship of Zurich (another World Cup race), behind Ekimov.

I would go for Basso he has shown great form lately, and he was second last year!

1 Miguel Angel Martin Perdiguero
2 Paolo Bettini
3 Davide Rebellin

I was going to mention Perdiguero but I don't know much about the guy.

Igor, Valverde and Ullrich all missed the crucial break on the Jaizkibe.

Sounds like it was a good race.

Sounds like it. Bettini made a mistake of watching Rebellin when Perdiguero went, and that was that. Good win for Miguel.

Bettini and Rebelli always have eyes for each other, don't they. :)

Basso, Ullirch, Totschnig.......... where was Armstrong? ;)

Basso, Ullirch, Totschnig.......... where was Armstrong? ;)

He has no reason to race now since he is not doing the olympics.
They said that Ullrich was out with a mechanical which is unfortunate.

He has no reason to race now since he is not doing the olympics.
They said that Ullrich was out with a mechanical which is unfortunate.

He has no reason to race now because he is a spoiled Prima Donna!

Yeah Smoothie! Why would you race if you're not going to do the Olympics? Duh! ;)

I mean, you'd hate to race 'cause you like it or it's your job. :) Just because there were a lot of riders there today who won't be in the Olympics doesn't mean Lance has to be there. Another Duh!

Everyone, repeat this mantra: You only race to prepare for other races!

He has no reason to race now since he is not doing the olympics.
They said that Ullrich was out with a mechanical which is unfortunate.

The seatpost again. Is it his knee? Any thoughts? Any facts?

Well Valverde had a some mechnical problems on the start of Jaizkibel, and Ullrich just couldnt sit with the group of: Pedegiero,Basso,Bettini,Totchsnig,Rebellin,Martinez and a guy I cant remeber, Ullrich had mechnical problems on the flat terrain after Jaizkibel, Basso made a mistake in the end, and Pedegiero was smart

Good move by Perdiguero! With his new txapela, his peripheral vision might not be so spot-on next time. Just ask Bettini. ;)

Another good race (a classic, even!).

Any chance Rebellin's going to go on vacation soon? I'm bloody well drowning in the pool. :)

Any chance Rebellin's going to go on vacation soon? I'm bloody well drowning in the pool. :)

Unfortunately 27, Rebellin and Bettini will spend the next 3 WC races marking each other so you should find them awfully close to each other in terms of position and points.

You do have Boonen, no? He'll throw you a line at Paris Tours.

Perdiguero got a nice jump in the sprint. There was a kink in the finishing straight, maybe 400-600 metres from the line and he was the first to wind it up, from about fourth spot. Bettini was coming back to him really fast and lost on the line by about half a wheel (maybe less, Perdiguero's hands were in the air).
Ullrich got slow service when he had to stop, at a vital point in the chase............it happens.

Enough with the Olympics.............us old school guys think of that as a thing amateurs strive for, prior to negotiating their first Pro contracts;-)

Stage race guys still have the Vuelta to think about. The autumn classics just started, Lombardy is two months away. It's only Sports Illustrated and the TV networks that think the season is over..........

It's only Sports Illustrated and the TV networks that think the season is over..........


And unfortunatley, a lot of people on these forums.

You think so? I think we all at least signed the petition for the Vuelta on OLN, though I would like to see as much cycling as they can give us before the season really ends.

A nightly news show recapping the previous week's racing coverage, plus all the news surrounding cycling would also be nice in addition to covering more races.

Tour de France, the Classics, and the Giro really got my taste buds raging for more cycling- sheesh, this is my first year with OLN, and I didn't pay for the premium package deal I had to pay for to get OLN just for some bare bones coverage! I need more! Less RV Today and flyfishing and more bike coverage! AND... I would like to see some more American cycling races covered too.

Koffee

Great finish by Valverde. He did start the sprint a bit early :)

Great finish by Valverde. He did start the sprint a bit early :)

Wow! Where'd you dig up this '04 recap? Why not just go back to '95, when Lance took it from Ja-Ja, Musseuw and co.?

Great finish by Valverde. He did start the sprint a bit early :)

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2d/Grave_digger_(truck).jpg/800px-Grave_digger_(truck).jpg

1984 just called to provide an update on Niki Ruttimans win at San Sebastian. Good win for a neo-pro. Big future IMO

I'm picking Valverde for this one. Should be an exciting race, wish there was TV coverage of it here in the states.


Called it all the way from '04...nice :thumb:

http://www.velonews.com/files/images/valverde_win_1_0.jpg

Man, how I'd love to be at this one.

San Sebastian is great. Lovely setting on the ocean. The riding is great. And the food is awesome (Arzak is one of the least expensive Michelin 3 starred restaurants you'll find anywhere.) I'd highly reccomend going.

watch for my thread predicting the 2012 Milan-San Remo.