Fotoreporter Sirotti
Here’s this week’s Monday Musette:
1. The Tour de Suisse wrapped-up yesterday, officially closing the books on the pre-Tour campaigns of many of this year’s favorites. Radio Shack’s Levi Leipheimer took a page from Bradley Wiggin’s playbook in winning the 9-day event. The American lingered at the top of the standings all week, finishing second atop the Triesenberg/Malbun ascent and third in Sunday’s individual time trial to take the overall win by four seconds over Lampre’s Damiano Cunego. Like Wiggins at the Dauphiné, Leipheimer didn’t win a single stage, instead using consistent climbing and an above-average time trial to take his most important victory since the 2009 Tour of California.
2. Now Levi heads to the Tour as a likely co-captain with Chris Horner of a Radio Shack team that will also boast Andreas Kloden and Janez Brajkovic. It will be interesting to see how Johan Bruyneel juggles this one, as both Horner and Leipheimer probably feel justified leading the team while Kloden and Brajkovic will improve as the race progresses. This could get messy.
3. And speaking of Radio Shack, is it just me or does the team have its finger on the pulse of the Portuguese talent pipeline? Paulinho, Machado, and now Nelson Oliviera (Sunday’s fourth-place finisher)—give some credit to Portuguese DS and former Bruyneel soldier Jose Acevedo for his terrific scouting.
4. As for Damiano Cunego, what does a guy have to do to win a bike race? Too strong to be left off his leash but not strong enough to win the race overall, one has to wonder if he would have traded a few days in yellow for a stage win or two. Now Cunego heads for the Tour—Stages 1 and 4 especially suit the Italian’s strengths. Regardless, the Little Prince’s first order of business is Sunday’s Italian National Championship.
5. Another rider targeting the Tour’s first week, Philippe Gilbert won the Ster ZLM Toer after winning Saturday’s Queen Stage in the Ardennes—essentially the same strategy Gilbert used to win the Tour of Belgium in May. But despite the victory, Gilbert still feels as if he’s not at the top of his game. The last time he said that was April—and we all know what happened then.
6. But don’t expect to see Gilbert take home his first Belgian Championship Sunday. While Phil’s never one to overlook, the course in Hooglede-Gits is pretty much pancake flat—Tom Boonen and Greg Van Avermaet might be better choices or maybe even Jens Keukelaire or Niko Eeckhout.
7. A sentimental favorite in Belgium this Sunday has to be Vacansoleil’s Thomas De Gendt. The young Belgian won his second stage in an important stage race by taking Friday’s stage win. Who needs Stijn Devolder when you have a talent like this?
8. Speaking of Belgium, Alberto Contador thinks Jurgen Van Den Broeck can contend for the overall title. Is the Spaniard bluffing or it possible?
9. At the Route du Sud—the Tour preparation event that everyone seems to forget—Anthony Charteau and Vasil Kiriyenka both displayed some fine form. Will Europcar and Movistar enjoy a banner Tour de France? And will Daniel Martin’s win in the Giro di Toscana be enough for the Irishman to earn his first invitation to France?
10. And last but not least, it looks like Shimano’s moving forward with an Ultegra version of its Di2 electronic groupset. We’ve started a conversation about it here—come share your thoughts.
1. I like the Tour of California, but it's hardly a more important race than the Tour de Suisse!
2. If Radioshack are really going into the Tour with four protected GC riders, then I can only say that they are nuts. That said, they should have a lock on the much coveted Team Classification.
8. It sounds like bluffing to me.
9. I suspect that Martin will be a victim of Garmin's priorities. They have Vande Velde, Hesjedal and now Danielson for the GC/climbs. Once you add in Thor and Farrar and guys to support them, you start running out of places very quickly. And Martin isn't going to add much to their TTT hopes. If he does get left out it will be a pity. He'd make most other teams.