# Tour De San Luis (spoiler)



## Creakyknees (Sep 21, 2003)

Sure, there's some early season sandbaggery going on, but nice ride nevertheless for our little bald friend.


----------



## Creakyknees (Sep 21, 2003)

also: is she flipping him off?


----------



## Wile_E_Coyote (Jul 15, 2011)

Leipheimer takes today's ITT and the leader's jersey. Good stuff.

Quick Step are showing nicely so far.


----------



## scbmx01 (May 31, 2010)

I guess Contador didn't have his steak for dinner last night.


----------



## izzyfly (Jul 10, 2009)

A long-distance call from Belgium to Argentina now being made: "Operator, ola: this is Johann Bruyneel, por favor - can you please connect me to the man by the name of 'Levi Leipheimer'." "I'd like to know if he's still available for a slot that just opened up in my roster."


----------



## 55x11 (Apr 24, 2006)

izzyfly said:


> A long-distance call from Belgium to Argentina now being made: "Operator, ola: this is Johann Bruyneel, por favor - can you please connect me to the man by the name of 'Levi Leipheimer'." "I'd like to know if he's still available for a slot that just opened up in my roster."


As if with Klodi and Horner there's a lack of old guys on Nissan-RadioSchleck-Leopard who have no chance winning TdF. 

In all seriousness Levi was very impressive today. He is very good at these 1-week tours. Perhaps he should ride seriously at the Paris-Nice, Dauphine, TdSuisse (again), etc. 
Forget Tour of California, Utah and Colorado. Forget Tour de San Luis. Ride the big races, for the win.


----------



## izzyfly (Jul 10, 2009)

55x11 said:


> As if with Klodi and Horner there's a lack of old guys on Nissan-RadioSchleck-Leopard who have no chance winning TdF.
> 
> In all seriousness Levi was very impressive today. He is very good at these 1-week tours. Perhaps he should ride seriously at the Paris-Nice, Dauphine, TdSuisse (again), etc.
> Forget Tour of California, Utah and Colorado. Forget Tour de San Luis. Ride the big races, for the win.


Yes, agreed that Levi can still win the 1-week tours, the classics, etc. And better for RS-Nissan to win these 'smaller' tours, by an 'old-fart' and having these smaller feathers in their cap, than just focusing on the Tdf, & always playing second fiddle (to AC, assuming he's getting a pass), even with their new Tdf contenders (i.e., the Schlecks). The short is RS-Nissan got rid of the wrong old-fart :blush2:


----------



## Roadrider22 (May 24, 2006)

Is this available to watch anywhere???


----------



## Ventruck (Mar 9, 2009)

Is AC still on an SL3? Looks like it...


----------



## foto (Feb 7, 2005)

Creakyknees said:


> also: is she flipping him off?


Looks like he's leaning in for a little ass grab.


----------



## thechriswebb (Nov 21, 2008)

Time Trial


----------



## ryocalavera (Mar 12, 2011)

Boonen with the ultimate stage Victory, and Levi with the Overall. Omega Pharma Quickstep are looking like a class team this season


----------



## 55x11 (Apr 24, 2006)

thechriswebb said:


> Time Trial


amazing position!


----------



## 55x11 (Apr 24, 2006)

ryocalavera said:


> Boonen with the ultimate stage Victory, and Levi with the Overall. Omega Pharma Quickstep are looking like a class team this season


I hope Boonen has a great classics season, it's been a while!


----------



## thechriswebb (Nov 21, 2008)

55x11 said:


> amazing position!


Yeah, I always notice that with Levi. In the TDS when the camera kept switching between Levi and Cunego, the difference in style was incredible. Levi doesn't have the build of a superb time trialist but he makes up for it with finesse.

I think a few eyebrows went up when Lefevre signed Levi but Lefevre seemed really confident about his decision. After some disappointments in the classics with QS's stars they needed to try something different. When it is all said and done, Levi wins races. People get most excited about GT's and one day classics but there are a whole lot of other races. Levi is as dominant in week long stage races as Gilbert in one day races, Contador in GT's, and Cancellara in time trials. People just don't get as excited about them for some reason. 

I know it is very early in the season but QS has to be feeling pretty good.


----------



## foto (Feb 7, 2005)

That's a pretty frame.


----------



## JohnHenry (Aug 9, 2006)

forget the Tour Down Under...this race was quite good in my book.

Levi's ITT was great (he just curls up in a little ball on the stem and goes for it).

Levi and Contador in the mountains, cool.


----------



## ryocalavera (Mar 12, 2011)

With Tony Martin in the wings as well, I think Levi has his best support team for stage races yet, compared to past years where he was climbing domestique, or it was a giant free for all(last year)

Yet Sylvain Chavenal is an anomaly to me. He is the French Champion, but I'm starting to think that speaks more of France, and less of Sylvain.


----------



## den bakker (Nov 13, 2004)

ryocalavera said:


> Yet Sylvain Chavenal is an anomaly to me. He is the French Champion, but I'm starting to think that speaks more of France, and less of Sylvain.


you do realize he got second last year in flanders right? 
3 tour de france stage wins
stage wins in paris nice, eneco tour etc
win in dwar door flanders. 
etc etc and like that.


----------



## ryocalavera (Mar 12, 2011)

Oh I have no doubt he's good, just lacks the wildcard factor that other classics specialists have (Husvhod, Boonen, Gilbert, etc.) 

He seems to be a compromise between classics, and stage races in which case I wish he would just focus on one, and win a lot more.


----------



## thechriswebb (Nov 21, 2008)

I like Chavanel. There are plenty of people in the peloton right now that just focus on one thing or another; I enjoy seeing someone like Chavanel that gives it a go all of the time. I barely remember who won Flanders last year; I primarily remember Chavanel's awesome breakaway (and FC's boo boo face because nobody let him win). Focusing too much on one thing is what has hurt Quick Step in the past couple of years. They put everything into Boonen's classics run and a couple of unlucky seasons left them empty handed. 

This is a very cool race to start the season. I always thought there needed to be a good stage race in South America. The Tour Down Under is good for sprinters and roleurs; this gives the GC guys something to play with at the beginning of the season. It was pretty cool to see Contador and Leipheimer fighting out mountaintop finishes in January. 

If there was a TTT in the Tour this year, QS would be the team to beat.


----------



## den bakker (Nov 13, 2004)

ryocalavera said:


> Oh I have no doubt he's good, just lacks the wildcard factor that other classics specialists have (Husvhod, Boonen, Gilbert, etc.)
> 
> He seems to be a compromise between classics, and stage races in which case I wish he would just focus on one, and win a lot more.


so I'm confused what is says about french cycling then.


----------



## jlandry (Jan 12, 2007)

Creakyknees said:


> also: is she flipping him off?


She's about to give him the "tongue in the V of the two fingers" sign.


----------



## ryocalavera (Mar 12, 2011)

thechriswebb said:


> I like Chavanel. There are plenty of people in the peloton right now that just focus on one thing or another; I enjoy seeing someone like Chavanel that gives it a go all of the time. I barely remember who won Flanders last year; I primarily remember Chavanel's awesome breakaway (and FC's boo boo face because nobody let him win). Focusing too much on one thing is what has hurt Quick Step in the past couple of years. They put everything into Boonen's classics run and a couple of unlucky seasons left them empty handed.
> 
> This is a very cool race to start the season. I always thought there needed to be a good stage race in South America. The Tour Down Under is good for sprinters and roleurs; this gives the GC guys something to play with at the beginning of the season. It was pretty cool to see Contador and Leipheimer fighting out mountaintop finishes in January.
> 
> If there was a TTT in the Tour this year, QS would be the team to beat.


You're probably right, he is a very aggressive rider, and that does make races far more interesting. I'm misjudging him. 

Though I must say, this past year best day race would have to be Thor's mountain stage. Criticized for being fat and unable to last, to bridge the breakaway, then win for a big guy like him, was simply immense.


----------



## thechriswebb (Nov 21, 2008)

ryocalavera said:


> Though I must say, this past year best day race would have to be Thor's mountain stage. Criticized for being fat and unable to last, to bridge the breakaway, then win for a big guy like him, was simply immense.


That was a good one; best part was when he realized that he had blown the other guys to pieces and you could see a giddy smile on his face a hundred meters out like "wow, that was easy."


----------



## LostViking (Jul 18, 2008)

Nice win for Levi and great to see Boonen win one...it's been a while.
Conti is obviously still building form - his sights are further down the road.
Wonder if Levi can keep his form into July? Somehow, I don't think so - though he wil probably make a good showing in the time-trials - along with Evans and Conti - I suspect he will be underscoring Andy's weakness in that essential element for a TdF win.


----------



## thechriswebb (Nov 21, 2008)

LostViking said:


> Nice win for Levi and great to see Boonen win one...it's been a while.
> Conti is obviously still building form - his sights are further down the road.
> Wonder if Levi can keep his form into July? Somehow, I don't think so - though he wil probably make a good showing in the time-trials - along with Evans and Conti - I suspect he will be underscoring Andy's weakness in that essential element for a TdF win.


I would like to see Levi keep his form into July? I read an article recently where he said that he was going to attempt to peak several times this season, including July but that it would be difficult. It does seem that Levi always peaks in great form in spring, wins a couple of important stage races, and then goes into a downswing through the duration of the Tour. By my memory, I seem to recall that he is usually in the top 5 or so through the first week of the Tour but by the second group of mountains he either crashes out or falls out of contention.

If he has another podium in him, this Tour is his chance. The route will probably never suit him as well as this one does for the rest of his competitive years.


----------



## moonmoth (Nov 8, 2008)

Agreed, it was great to see LL win a stage race in a different continent. I'm amazed that he was in form for January but I think he's perfected his formula for race peaking, based on Tours of California in the past. 

LL has said he'll be racing less this year, and the big ones for him in 2012 appear to be Argentina, Paris-Nice, California, TdF, and Colorado. There are some good breaks between all of these races, which will be to his advantage.


----------



## den bakker (Nov 13, 2004)

moonmoth said:


> Agreed, it was great to see LL win a stage race in a different continent. I'm amazed that he was in form for January but I think he's perfected his formula for race peaking, based on Tours of California in the past.
> 
> LL has said he'll be racing less this year, and the big ones for him in 2012 appear to be Argentina, Paris-Nice, California, TdF, and Colorado. There are some good breaks between all of these races, which will be to his advantage.


argentina a big one? please. the only one that might have had it as a target is schumacher, due to the low ranking of the team.


----------



## moonmoth (Nov 8, 2008)

den bakker said:


> argentina a big one? please. the only one that might have had it as a target is schumacher, due to the low ranking of the team.


Yeah, it was a big one for business reasons. With basically a new lineup, it looks like QS made this race a marked goal to start the year off right and make a statement. They knew Nibali and Contador would be down there too, so there was a little more motivation than just fending off Schumacher. Definitely a larger accomplishment than what they usually did in the past early part of the seasons: sending Boonen to win a few stages in Qatar.


----------



## den bakker (Nov 13, 2004)

moonmoth said:


> Yeah, it was a big one for business reasons. With basically a new lineup, it looks like QS made this race a marked goal to start the year off right and make a statement. They knew Nibali and Contador would be down there too, so there was a little more motivation than just fending off Schumacher. Definitely a larger accomplishment than what they usually did in the past early part of the seasons: sending Boonen to win a few stages in Qatar.


in Qatar where he might actually meet a sprinter. I can see the appeal of Argentina 
In either case, they are both what another sprinter would call small sh!tty races, which would be pretty accurate.


----------



## thechriswebb (Nov 21, 2008)

I thought it was a pretty cool race myself. There were some big names in the field and it provides warm and scenic mountainous stage racing in January. It looks like the crowds were good too. I would like to see it get bigger in the future.


----------

