Is Katusha’s Sergei Ivanov one of the peloton’s craftiest riders or what? His attack with 10km to go in today’s stage was a lesson in timing. He observed the hesitation and lack of cohesion in his companions, and timed his move up the other side of the road to perfection. He knew that no one would want to pull the entire break up to him, effectively giving the stage to Daniele Bennati or Gerard Ciolek.
Once he got the gap, it was a simple—albeit painful— 10km individual time trial to the line in Besançon. Ivanov was clearly up to the challenge.
And just like that, the list of teams never to have won a stage in the Tour is down to 3.
Your thoughts? Share them below.
About Whit
My experiences might easily fit many cycling fans' definitions of “living the dream.†Since getting hooked on the sport watching Lance Armstrong win the 1993 U.S. Pro Championship, I've raced as an amateur on Belgian cobbles, traveled Europe to help build a European pro team, and piloted that team from Malaysia to Mont Ventoux. As a former assistant director sportif with Mercury-Viatel, I've also seen the less dreamy side of the sport – the side rife with broken contracts, infighting, and positive dope tests. These days, I live with my lovely wife in Pennsylvania and share my experiences and views on the sport at Bicycling Magazine, the Embrocation Cycling Journal, and at my own site, Pavé.
