In the last days,I've told some people: "ToC is very boring,fortunately between a few weeks the most important races take off and the two brothers may be able to win something of important".And then,yesterday,Frank did win the most exciting stage of ToC.In the first kms a breakaway with Andy,McCartney and other riders I don't remember (at the moment I'm too excited and happy to remember certain things...) gained a little gap on the peloton.Then these riders were joined by FRANK,Voigt,Leipheimer and other strong guys.Frank and Nibali left the company during a descent (!) and started their breakaway.I was on my couch,suffering,reading a stupid magazine about holidays to keep me awake during the tv commercials.The chronists firstly didn't believe in the breakaway but then,with 30 kms to go,they started to support Nibali.Frank often talked with the Italian rider,and the chronists tried to explain why.Then at a certain point Quick Step began to pull in front of the chasing group. "WTF are they doing?",this what the first thought that me,the chronists (and hopefully also other people) had.In that moment,I thougt that,if I was Uncle Bjarne,I would have run over Quick Step's ds with the car the first time I saw him walking 'round at the starting village.How mean I am...
But then I noticed that Frank's advantage didn't become smaller at all.So happy! Then,also Columbia and Garmin began to pull.The chronists kept on saying "Go Vincenzo,go!".Then,with just 10 kms to go,I understood that the breakaway could arrive at the finish line.At that moment,the chronists said: "Nibali is faster than Schleck.He can't lose!". But then,Nibali pulled for the whole last km and Frank passed him easily with 300 m to go and went to win the stage.I was so happy!!! I couldn't believe he had won.The chronists were really down,while I was clapping my hands very silently (it was 1.30 am) and smiling like a fool.Then I went to bed,but couldn't sleep.When my mother woke up for a moment at 2 am (she probably wanted to check if I still was in front of the tv),I got up from my bed and went to tell her the fact of the night.Then I started to jump around her singing:"Frank has won,Frank has won!" At the moment I'm waiting for my sister to get up,so that I can tell her: "Frank has done better than Lovkvist!".She deserves it!
Btw,here's what Frank told Cyclingnews yesterday:"I'm happy - the way our team was riding today was just amazing, and taking the win on the last stage is always nice,"Schleck said as he tried to catch his breath after the sprint.
The Luxembourger said the team had meant to conserve him for the final stage, but he slipped into the stage seven breakaway by luck. He was unhappy to have been denied the win yesterday when he was defeated by AG2R's tactics, and wanted another shot today. "I was furious," Schleck said of losing out in Pasadena. "I wanted to go again. Of course the way the whole Saxo team played it today it was really impressive. It is how we are used to racing.The win is going to the team because without those guys it would have never worked out."
The Luxembourger said the team had meant to conserve him for the final stage, but he slipped into the stage seven breakaway by luck. He was unhappy to have been denied the win yesterday when he was defeated by AG2R's tactics, and wanted another shot today. "I was furious," Schleck said of losing out in Pasadena. "I wanted to go again. Of course the way the whole Saxo team played it today it was really impressive. It is how we are used to racing.The win is going to the team because without those guys it would have never worked out."
And then: "We put Andy [Schleck] Jason [McCartney] and Jens [Voigt] out there, and then I attacked behind so we could catch up with those guys," Schleck explained. "I got up to Andy, and he set a really hard pace and I was almost ready to kick him off the bike. If thought 'if he is not going to slow down I'm just going to throw a [snow] ball at him!'"
"I think the whole valley was very hard for a guy like me. I don't like the flat that much and the wind, so that was a big effort for me," Schleck said."But I won a race now and I'm looking forward to having a nice bottle of wine tonight." Good boy!
Instead,here's a video I've found as soon as I woke up this morning: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_lr2lNEhaU .Enjoy it!
And here are lots of photo links!
Frank pulling in the breakaway: http://www.cyclingnews.com/photos/2009/feb09/california09/?id=/photos/2009/feb09/california09/california098/JD_09TOCstg8003
Sometimes,I'd love to be a miss... http://www.cyclingnews.com/photos/2009/feb09/california09/?id=/photos/2009/feb09/california09/california098/ball-stage8-18
He looks good here....http://www.cyclingnews.com/photos/2009/feb09/california09/?id=/photos/2009/feb09/california09/california098/ball-stage8-19
Haedo helps Andy to pin his number:
http://www.cyclingnews.com/photos/2009/feb09/california09/?id=/photos/2009/feb09/california09/california098/ball-stage8-04
http://www.cyclingnews.com/photos/2009/feb09/california09/?id=/photos/2009/feb09/california09/california098/ball-stage8-04
Andy arrived 25th in today's stage.The GC was won by Leipheimer,in front of Zabriskie and Rogers.Frank arrived 12th in the GC,while Andy came 32th.
Some photos are also on http://www.bettiniphoto.net/index.php?&sid=b1affd3a695dee231192969023de5855&function=race&subcateg=2246 .
And then,of course,how can I forget about TDW's website? There are some very good ones there,just like the one I've posted now...Enjoy the view!
nice pictures! GO Fränk, he did really well. You could see that he really wanted to win because he was almost ready to kick Nibali of his bike haha.
RispondiEliminaI've noticed it too! They kept on talking together and the chronists tried to explain what they were saying to each other...At a certain point Frank attacked on a climb,and the chronists said that probably he wanted to show Nibali he was the strongest because maybe Frank was a bit unsure of his sprint-skills...Maybe they don't get on really well,what do you think?
RispondiEliminaI think Fränk was angry at Nibali because Nibali was really close in the GC and the peloton would chase them if he was in the leaders group. I think he was yelling at him to go back and let Fränk win the stage. When Fränk was yelling at Nibali the Dutch commentators of Eurosport were really annoying, I got so angry at them. They said that Fränk and Andy didn't have much friends in the peloton and that they had very confinced that they were always right. they also said that Fränk and Andy could be very arrogant (also to fans), I really disagree with that because you see a lot of pictures of the Schlecks where they take time for little kids to take pictures with them. Besides that they have a lot of friends in the peloton (they always get along with the other riders at Curacao). And I believe Karsten Kroon when he says that they are really nice guys (he said that on dutch tv) :D but I don't like the Dutch commentators anymore
RispondiEliminaThey said that about the Schlecks?!? But if they look so nice with everybody! I've got a photo (sooner or later I'll post it) where there are lots of little children around Andy,and Andy signs an autograph to all of them!
RispondiEliminaI mean,if they are arrogant,what's the right definition for guys like Riccò or Cavendish??
Italian commentators always say they are very nice (especially during the interviews)!
Maybe Nibali and Frank were talking about their gap on the chasing peloton...At a certain point,Frank looked particularly angry and the chronists said that Frank was probably angry with Nibali because he kept on asking help from the team car,so that Frank had to pull for a long distance all alone...Or maybe Frank was angry because,as you say,Nibali was really close in the GC.Or maybe he was tense because he was afraid to lose an eventual sprint with Nibali...Btw,he's not arrogant.And nor is Andy.
I agree they aren't arrogant. Most of the Dutch and Belgian press say they are very nice, but those reporters of Eurosport are just stupid. But they said that because they had that arguement with Kim Kirchen in the tour. That's all the information that they had to get to the conclusion that they are arrogant. I think you can not say such thing about people with only this as "proof".
RispondiEliminaYes,especially because Kirchen was wrong in that case (in my opinion at least)!
RispondiElimina