Originally Posted by
Hermes
I was a great grand tour and finish. I do not understand Di Luca's choice of bikes. He used his road bike without modification. His position was too high and frontal profile too big. I am sure his team director debated that decision with him. I get wanting to use the road bike to accelerate but it was clear he gave Menchov too great of an aero advantage. The fact that Menchov crashed going in a straight line could have happened to Di Luca. Go figure.
I rode on the cobbles in Florence, Italy and they are frightening when they are dry. I cannot imagine racing on that course in the rain.
I thought Lance did really well considering his crash, surgery and recovery. I am looking forward to the TdF.
From my understanding- The rain on wet cobbles would have given more control to a bike with conventional handlebars- as Menchov also found out- but I should think that the conditions were not quite bad enough to be in Luca's Favour.
And Not a Lance Fan- but I feel that this was just a warm-up for the TDF. On a few of the stages- he showed his "Old" brilliance- but I just feel that others have caught him up on Skills.