Mejor solo que mal acompañado. Un dicho popular más que lleva toda la razón. Alberto Contador seguirá un año más en el Astana, después de que la UCI le haya concedido la licencia al equipo kazajo, que no será tan fuerte como el año pasado.

Se han marchado figuras como Armstrong, Leipheimer y Kloden y gregarios como Rubiera. Astana ha perdido fuerza, pero, a cambio, le ha proporcionado a Contador gente de confianza. Benjamín Noval, Dani Navarro, Jesús Hernández y David de la Fuente arroparán al pinteño. También lo hará Pereiro, si es que termina de confirmarse su fichaje.

Vinokourov ha manifestado que estará al servicio de Contador. Esperemos que no le traicione si empieza a verse con buenas piernas. Si de verdad está para ayudar, el kazajo será fundamental.

El equipo de Contador está lejos de alcanzar el nivel del Radio Shack de Armstrong y Bruyneel, que se han llevado lo que este año era Astana, del Saxo Bank del prometedor Andy Schleck e incluso del Liquigas de Pellizotti y Basso. Pero si todos en la escuadra reman a favor de Contador, él sólo tendrá que demostrar su talento y poderío en la contrarreloj y en los últimos kilómetros de los puertos. En esos terrenos le ganó más de 6 minutos a Armstrong en el pasado Tour. Y eso que le tiraban de la correa.

Alexander Vinokourov continua na sua batalha rumo ao título do corredor mais antipático do ano.

Declarou recentemente que Andrey Kashechkin é um risco para a equipe e por isso não pode assinar contrato com ele. É um risco devido ao seu passado recente de problemas com doping.

A equipe parece que vai bem. Uns declaram que ofereceram 8 milhões de euros a Contador, outros dizem que não é tudo isso e que eles tem (e terão) sérios problemas financeiros no futuro. Contratam como diretor Giuseppe Martinelli que foi treinador de Marco Pantani. Como como treinador, Yvon Senquer, ex-Festina.

E lembrando: sua licença pode ser revogada a qualquer momento.

Uma coisa é certa: muitos zeros no seu salário.

A Astana fez uma oferta de 8 milhões de euros por temporada para um contrato com vigência até 2013.

Além disso, parece que Fran (o irmão-agente) está bem orientado: Alberto exige uma cláusula que lhe permite quebrar o contrato no caso de haver algum companheiro positivo por doping e a não inscrição de Alexander Vinokourov no Tour de France.

Será que o dono do time (aquele que disse “A Astana é o meu bebê”) concorda com tudo isso?

Did you eat the stew, yes or no?

Is Alberto Contador staying or going? Perhaps his mother knows best.

As cycling fans await the imminent yes or no on whether the UCI will continue Astana’s ProTour status, the news leaks are already happening.

The most surprising news is that Contador’s mother, Paqui Velasco, has taken the unusual and unprecedented step of writing the UCI to ask the board not to approve the Astana license and “set her son free.”

Contents of the letter have not been released but an unnamed source has provided a quick peek at the handwritten note.

“My son Alberto is a good boy. I don’t want him riding his bike with that Mr. Vinokourov who is a bad man and a cheater,” she wrote.

The letter goes on to remind the UCI of the Kazak squad’s financial difficulties. “They didn’t pay his salary for months. He borrowed money from his uncle and I had to make him a sack lunch for races because they didn’t even buy him food.”

Paqui Velasco did not stop there, with several long paragraphs suggesting that her son belonged in a different team and that her son deserved his freedom for the beleaguered Astana team.

“My son belongs in a nice team like Caisse d’Epargne with other Spanish riders. Even Quickstep would be better than those kazak people– Mr. Lefevere has assured me he is half Spanish. I don’t trust that Garmin fellow Vaughters, his sideburns are strange.”

In closing, she questioned the fairness of the situation that her son Alberto finds himself in. “As a mother, I don’t think it’s right Lance Armstrong steals all my son’s teammates. You can’t give a license to a team with nobody on it but my son,” she wrote.

UCI President Pat McQuaid and other board members refused comment on the extraordinary letter, which was apparently hand delivered with a hot pot of Cocido Madrileno, a stew of chickpeas, vegetables and pork.

Quel dommage que les amateurs français de cyclisme n’ayant pas le cable n’aient pu regarder le final de ce Tour de Lombardie 2009. France Télévisions misant chaque année un peu plus sur un peu moins de vélo. Le coût exhorbitant des droits télé des grandes classiques italiennes et autres étant souvent la cause d’une offre toujourd plus mince. Il y a quelques années à peine, cet amateur pouvait suivre toute l’année les exploits de ses champions, de San Remo en Lombardie en passant par Gand, les Pays – Bas, la Flèche, San Sebastian et même le GP Zurich à l’époque où il existait encore. Aujourd’hui, pour des raisons évidentes de part de marché, la 2 et la 3 ne proposent plus que Paris – Roubaix, le GP Plouay, Paris – Tours, et les Championnats du Monde en dehors du Tour qui est, ceci-dit remarquablement couvert. Voilà qui est dit.

Eurosport, pour ceux qui ont la chance de la recevoir, nous proposait donc les 50 derniers kilomètres du Giro di Lombardia. Une course, certes de fin de saison, bien plus palpitante avec son final en montagne russes, acrobatique à souhait au travers des petites et anciennes rues italiennes. La Madonna del Ghisallo, col situé à  50 km de l’arrivée n’aura eu pour effet que de réduire le peloton et reprendre les échappés matinaux sous l’impulsion des Rabobank et du jeune Bauke Mollema qui chuta dans la montée du Civglio. Les favoris se dévoilèrent à 20 km du but, dans la fameuse montée du Civiglio lorsque le néo champion du monde Cadel Evans attaqua en vain!! Repris, ce fut au tour de son coéquipier Philippe Gilbert d’attaquer, comme il l’avait fait la semaine passée sur Paris – Tours, et de “déposer” ceux qui restaient du groupe des favoris (Cunego, Horner, Gesink, Paolini, Vinokourov, Basso, Kolobnev 3e de la course, Uran etc). Seul l’espagnol Samuel Sanchez parvint à suivre le belge. Les deux hommes se disputèrent la victoire au sprint devant un peloton bien contrôlé par Evans. Gilbert l’emporta facilement et mit fin à dix ans d’égémonie italienne ici en Lombardie. Dès l’arrivée franchie, le belge qui en passant parle très bien italien, alla féliciter son coéquipier australien pour le travail accompli. Il paraît que les deux hommes de la Silence – Lotto ne s’entendaient guère … Le duel s’est transformé en duo (gagnant).

Une belle course donc que seuls certains privilégiés auront pu voir devant leur écran. Dommage. Il faudra peut-être attendre la naissance du nouveau Jalabert ou du nouveau Virenque. On peut attendre longtemps.

Believe me. Don't think so.

The latest Astana news quotes Alexander Vinokourov on his claim that Alberto Contador will stay with the beleaguered,  nearly gutted Kazak squad.

“He will stay with us, without a doubt,” Vinokourov told La Gazzetta dello Sport. “I will be at his call. He doesn’t have to worry.” Note to Alberto: start freaking out now.

Why would anyone put any credence in anything this man says? The rider who tested positive in the 2007 Tour de France still shows no remorse and denies any wrongdoing.

Believing Vinokourov? You’ve got to be out of your Giro-helmeted mind.

That’s like a crack addict suggesting you leave your wallet and car keys with them for safe keeping.

Like asking a murderer in Folsom or San Quentin prison if they’re guilty as charged.

Like a self-centered Hollywood star lecturing you on the benefits of marital fidelity.

Like asking the used car salesmen if there are any mechanical problems on this car you should know about.

These things would be foolish, nonsensical and pointless. There’s no meaning, no attachment to reality, no basis in fact, no reason to believe.

Alexander Vinokourov is a man without credibility. The t-shirt he likes to wear is missing the last word: Vino 4ever. Add the word lies.

Alberto Contador, vainqueur sortant du Tour de France et actuel coureur du monde, se trouve empêtré dans une drôle d’histoire. Sous contrat avec la formation kazakhe Astana jusqu’en 2010, tout irait pour le mieux si cette équipe ne risquait pas d’être rétrogradée à l’échelon inférieur pour des histoires de salaires impayés, des difficultés financières et de gestion. L’équipe Astana, du nom de la capitale du Kazakhstan, est sponsorisée et financée par un ensemble de riches sociétés pétrolières du pays dans le but de promouvoir le cyclisme national autour de ses plus grands coureurs Alexandre Vinokourov et Andrei Kashechkin. Or ces deux là sont contrôlés positifs sur le Tour 2007. L’équipe engage alors Alberto Contador vainqueur du Tour 2007 en provenance de la Discovery Channel qui se retire des pelotons. Astana recrute par la même occasion bon nombre de coureurs de cette formation ainsi que le manager belge Johan Bruyneel, le fidèle directeur d’Armstrong tout au long des 7 victoires sur le Tour de France. Mais Astana n’est pas invitée au Tour 2008 remporté par Carlos Sastre. Contador en profite pour remporter cette même année le Giro et la Vuelta en attendant. Rien que ça. Lance Armstrong annonce son retour dans le peloton en 2009 pour gagner un 8e Tour de France. Contador et Armstrong doivent cohabiter au sein de la formation kazakhe sur les routes du Tour. Contador s’adguge l’épreuve, l’américain parvient à terminer sur le podium, 3e. Dans la foulée, Alexandre Vinokourov annonce son retour dans le peloton après avoir purgé sa suspension pour dopage. Il ne se voit pas ailleurs que dans l’équipe Astana qui avait été initialement créee pour lui. Armstrong qui souhaite revivre l’époque US Postal quand il enfilait les Tours avec une équipe entièrement acquise à sa cause trouve un nouveau sponsor, Radio Shack, et créee son équipe pour 2010. Il emmène dans ses bagages Johan Bruyneel, ainsi que les meilleurs coureurs d’Astana, ses équipiers de toujours (Popovych, Leipheimer, Rubiera, Brajkovic, Horner, Paulinho, Kloden), qui sont les meilleurs éléments de l’équipe. La crise économique que l’on connait est passée par là. Astana n’a pas payé pendant des mois les salaires de ses coureurs et perd donc son manager. Alberto Contador se retrouve bien seul dans une formation sans directeur sportif (pour le moment car Théo De Rooy ex Rabobank et Giuseppe Martinelli sont candidats) et tronquée de plus de la moitié de ses coureurs.

Plusieurs solutions s’offrent à lui. Respecter son contrat qui court jusqu’en 2010 et espérer une reconstruction de l’équipe et un redressement financier qui permettrait à Astana de faire partie du Pro Tour et donc d’être automatiquement invitée pour les grandes épreuves mondiales et par conséquent pour le Tour de France. Cette option est aussi un risque. Astana pourrait se voir retirer sa licence, et Contador ne pas participer au Tour.  

Autre possibilité, rompre son contrat (ce qui n’est pas habituel dans le monde du cyclisme) et changer d’équipe pour être sûr d’aller au Tour bien entouré. Trois possibilités s’offrent à lui. Les formations QuickStep, Garmin et Caisse d’Epargne sont prêtes à accueillir le champion Madrilène. Voilà un choix compliqué. La Quickstep est une équipe tournée vers les classiques et ne comporte pas vraiment une ossature pour mener un homme vers la victoire dans un grand tour. Si toutefois Contador ne viendrait pas seul, (Navarro, Hernandez pouuraient le rejoindre), et que le manager belge de l’équipe Patrick Lefévere est l’un des tout meilleurs, Quickstep ne paraît pas la solution idéale.

L’équipe britannique Garmin est un formation récente mais qui grandit année après année. Composée principalement de rouleurs, elle compte tout de même Bradley Wiggins dans ses rangs (4e surprise du dernier Tour de France) ainsi que quelques bons grimpeurs (Dan Martin … ). Concurencée par l’arrivée dans les pelotons du Team Sky, l’autre équipe britannique, elle souhaite frapper un grand coup en enrôlant l’espagnol. Garmin se veut comme l’équipe “propre” du peloton. Un aspect qui peut plaire à Contador, lui qui doit se battre contre une image écornée de par ses débuts à la Once et Liberty Seguros sous les ordres de Manolo Saiz, et de sa supposée implication dans l’Affaire Puerto qui n’a pas encore livré tous ses secrets.

La dernière option semble la meilleure. La Caisse d’Epargne, équipe espagnole, semble la plus à même de sastisfaire Contador. L’équipe est bâtie pour les grands tours. Cette année, les “écureuils” ont impressioné sur la Vuelta remportée par leur leader Alejandro Valverde. Ce dernier est lui aussi fortement soupçonné d’être impliqué dans l’Affaire Puerto. Il a été interdit de course sur le sol italien. Après sa victoire dans la Vuelta 2009, Valverde fait du Tour 2010 son objectif. Si Contador arrive, il voudra aussi gagner à nouveau le Tour. Le murcien Valverde se dit prêt à aider le madrilène Contador si celui-ci le rejoignait. Pourquoi pas. La Caisse d’Epargne pourrait alors légitimement être considérée comme la meilleure équipe du monde avec dans ses rangs les n°1 et 2 mondiaux. Ceci dit, rien n’est encore fait. Il parait même que Contador irait courir pour Alonso le champion de Formule 1 qui, passioné de cyclisme, aimerait monter une équipe autour de son ami mais cela pas avant 2011. L’intersaison promet d’être riche en rebondissements. Et si l’Affaire Puerto repassait par là, qui sait…

Affaire(s) compliqué(e)s à suivre

The UCI has taken the decision to phase out radios in the coming seasons. I think that it’s a good idea. The race will be less controlled by the racing directors and more by the cyclists. Sure, teams are going to be annoyed, but if some basic precautions are taken, it should be really interesting.

* * * * *

Astana pro license under scrutiny. It’s not looking good for Astana, which had it’s pro license revoked in 2008, enabling Spaniard Carlos Sastre of the Cervélo TestTeam to win the Tour de France because Contador couldn’t defend his title. The main concern is because of doping issues. Vinokourov has come back to Astana, and the Kazakh team was made for him. Lance Armstrong is already gone to his new Radioshack team. This leaves Contador on a team that’s going nowhere quickly. I think that Contador should join another team and have them buy out his Astana contract. Apparently, Vinokourov will also be the team director, which is just bad news all around.

This makes Astana a very unstable team. From being on the top of the world in 2007 with Contador’s win of the Tour de France, to having their pro license revoked in 2008 because of doping issues, to winning the tour again in 2009 with Contador and Armstrong getting #3, to once again possibly getting their team license revoked.

If I was on the Astana team, I’d bail ASAP.

Segundo boatos que circulam pelos meios ciclísticos, Vino e Kash parecem que não tem mais aquela boa relação de amizade de dois anos atrás.

Enquanto Vino já está correndo pela Astana e teve ao seu dispor o carro da equipe para dar-lhe apoio no contrarrelógio, Kash correum com uma BMC preta, não compartilhava do ônibus da equipe e era visto sozinho ao final da prova.

Além disso, era visível que um evitava a presença do outro.

É. Como diz o Cyclingnews: já não são mais irmãos de sangue (essa piada eu perdi).

Amanhã teremos o prazer de assistir Vinokourov participando do contrarrelógio (primeira aparição após seu retorno na Vuelta) e o retorno de seu fiel gregário Kashechkin às competições.

Em 2007 quando ambos corriam pela antiga Astana foram flagrados no anti-doping por transfusão sanguínea.

Vinokourov negou a transfusão e Kashechkin alegou violação dos direitos humanos. Batoteiros e mentirosos.

Sei que ambos tem seus fãs e respeito essa opinião, mas, da minha parte, não fazem a menor falta.

Vino and Lars: could they really be brothers?

Burning cycling question: is recent Vuelta stage winner, Dutchman Lars Boom of Rabobank somehow genetically related to Astana’s Alexander Vinokourov?

The resemblance is uncanny. Perhaps Boom is from the Kazak part of hometown Vlijem, Netherlands or Vinokourov hails from the Dutch part of Petropavl, Kazakstan. These things happen.

What's in the fridge, honey? Nothing, just some old vino.

The Astana fridge is just about empty.

Johan Bruyneel, the former Astana team director, is playing Grinch and swiping all the riders for the new Radio Shack team. He’s not even leaving one can of Who Hash. By our rough count, seven Astana riders have left the dead-in-the-water Kazak Calamity. The latest defection is Spanish climber and super domestique Haimar Zubeldia.

What’s left besides the mayo and celery stalk? Well, there’s Vino. If Alberto Contador still hasn’t read the evacuation notice, his chances of another tour win are doomed. He should be paying Caisse d’Epagne just for the life preserver. We question the career advice of his brother Fran. First off, who wants advice from a brother named Fran? Like getting advice from a brother named Bambi or Gertrude. A fundamental mistake right out of the gate.

You can imagine the evil thoughts running through Bruyneel’s brain as he sits at the negotiating table, metaphorical gun to head, forced to sign the pariah Vinokourov. The thought bubble reads something like, “you obnoxious bozo, sure, you’re back on the team, by the way you won’t have a team once I get done stealing every decent rider in the squad.” Something like that only enriched with some Belgian, Spanish, French, English and Swahili obscenities – Johan speaks five languages.

Another Sign That Contador Is Doomed: even his best friends, fellow Spaniards Paulinho and Zubeldia have abandoned ship to support the enemy, that nemesis and tweeting maniac Lance Armstrong. The plug is ready to be pulled from this fridge. You think American Chris Horner sticks around when he so admirably supported Armstrong? You suppose Andreas Kloden wants to ride for a man whose selfish attacks almost single-handedly ruined the German’s own podium chances? Those two guys are looking for a pen right now to sign the contracts.

Now, Twisted Spoke is a big fan of Alberto Contador but we feel compelled to pull out the all capped religious epitaph: JESUS. Wake up, buddy, ship going down. Pay attention  Mr Pistelero. When has such an amazingly talented rider seemed so lost? Do not bother going to the fridge. It’s empty.

Gerrans had the legs and the brains.

Little Simon Gerrans is a genius.

A brilliant, crafty ride in the breakaway won him stage 10 of the Vuelta. The Australian has now stage wins in the Giro, Tour de France and Vuelta. Not bad for the baby-faced rider from Mansfield, Victoria.

Gerrans, Jakob Fuglsang (Saxo), Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin) and the evil Alexandre Vinokourov (Astana) played played cat and mouse in the final kilometers, weaving all over the road, shadow boxing on two wheels.

Finally, it was Vino who launched the last attack only to be swamped by Gerrans and Hesjedal. Simon says grand tour hat-trick. Garmin now has the hard luck distinction of earning three second places in the tour of Spain. They need to huddle with new sponsor POM Wonderful because they clearly need a little more pomegranate juice.

Gerrans proved to be one of the strongest and definitely the smartest riders in what was originally a 19 man break. It was part poker bluff, part instinct, some blind luck with a few chess tricks thrown in. The Cervelo rider has a knack for the winning move.

For a short time, the race appeared headed for an apocalyptic showdown between Good and Evil. Linus Gerdemann (Milram) summited the final climb first with Vinokourov doing the chase. It was anti-drug crusader again blood doping criminal. Unfortunately, the German crashed on the rough descent. It was shades of Joseba Beloki as numerous riders slid out on the gravel and tight corners.

Golden jersey leader Alejandro Valverde had a relatively quiet day spent waving at his hometown fans from Murcia. (We’re assuming there was nobody there from the Court for Arbitration in Sport to explain why Valverde was racing in the first place. But the rider who got the real cheers was Gerrans, at the finish line, another breakaway timed to perfection.

VINOKOUROV, lesionado, mas estará na quinta etapa.

AFP 02/09/09 – 19:19

Chris Horner abandona a Vuelta

O ciclista americano da Astana, Chris Horner, envolvido na queda em massa que ocorreu antes do final da quarta etapa da Vuelta a España nesta terça-feira, não tomará saída na quinta etapa em Tarragona. Por outro lado, Alexander Vinokourov também acabou ferido mas de forma menos séria, segundo informou nesta quarta-feira sua equipe. O cazaco teve um corte no cotovelo esquerdo e precisou fazer uma sutura (cinco pontos). Sem dúvida, estará pronto para a quinta etapa.

Agora é torcer para que Vinokourov não necessite uma transfusão. Ainda lembro o que ocorreu da última vez que ele andou caindo.

Met de Vuelta zo dicht in de buurt en het missen van de koers in Berg en Dal zit er niks anders op dan de start in Venlo en de twee passages op Alto de Cauberg te bezoeken.

Karsten Kroon wordt voor de start geïnterviewd.

Greipel ziet een landgenoot voor de start. “Es war ein bißchen Krieg gestern”, zegt hij.

Cadel Evans heeft heus wel vrienden in het peloton, landgenoot Simon Gerrans bijvoorbeeld.

Greg Henderson rijdt naar de start.

Daniele Bennati en Allan Davis (op de rug).

Tom Boonen poseert voor dames.

De benen van Cadel (ook niet meer de jongste).

Vinokourov

Koos Moerenhout

Wachten op de start.

Lars Boom demarreert op de eerste passage van de Cauberg.

]]> http://walshworld.wordpress.com/2009/08/27/the-conspiracy-farce-danilo-di-luca-joins-the-implausibility-parade/ Thu, 27 Aug 2009 17:06:37 +0000 walshworld http://walshworld.wordpress.com/2009/08/27/the-conspiracy-farce-danilo-di-luca-joins-the-implausibility-parade/

I'll sign this autograph if you come up with a good conspiracy theory.

Lies, denials and attempts to discredit labs and testing methodologies are one thing. But far too often accused riders who’ve failed drug tests stretch the limits of credibility by blaming their positive tests on a conspiracy.

Names are never named, theories are never explained, facts uncovered or witnesses produced. There is never any legal or logical plausibility to these conspiracies. They just exist in an ether that is almost supernatural or science fiction.

Today, Danilo di Luca, he of the failed A and B sample taken on two Giro stages, turned desperate with the “conspiracy” theory. Said Di Luca, “I just can’t explain the two positive tests at the Giro. I’m not ruling out a conspiracy but before I can confirm it I have to be sure.” Good luck with that.

There is a long line of such laughable behavior. Alexandre Vinokourov blamed a vague conspiracy to “tarnish our image” and derail his tour de France preparations.

Floyd Landis insisted there was a “conspiracy” at the Chatenay-Malabry lab to discredit him and strip him of his fairly earned Tour de France victory. He spent two million dollars on his defense but very few people believe that yarn.

Following his suspension for doping, Iban Mayo, the Basque super climber, ranted that there was a conspiracy at the UCI. The Saunier Duval rider believed they were out to discredit him for reasons he never made clear, supported or proved.

Marco Pantani, a man filled with delusions of grandeur and the habit of referring to himself in the third person, felt he too was persecuted. The rider once referred to as Mr. 60% for his sky high hematocrit level, alleged he was, you guessed it,  “a victim of a conspiracy.”

Lithuania rider Raimondas Rumsas, third in the 2003 Tour de France, reacted to his doping suspension with an extra twist: the conspiracy was perpetrated by his own team. He followed that outlandish claim with this gem: “It could be that (Lampre) wants to get rid of me…” He had no explanation for the large quantity of doping products the French police found in his wife’s car.

Richard Virenque, the rider at the center of the infamous Festina doping scandal, denied his guilt for years even when three of his team-mates admitted to a whole host of illegal drugs. Before eventually confessing, the winner of seven Polka Dot jerseys went on tv in tears to proclaim his innocence and that yes, he was a victim of a conspiracy.

One thing seems clear: the bigger the ego, the more likely the conspiracy excuse. This far-fetched explanation requires the kind of out-of-control ego that’s lost all concept of truth. The kind of person who believes they operate in a separate universe where all rules and regulations are theirs to twist with no regard for meaning.

Conspiracy theories work well for presidential assassinations, Wall Street financial scandals and Hollywood back stabbing. But it strains credibility in the world of professional cycling. Danilo di Luca is like the kid who claims Nazi frogmen stole his homework.

Next up, Alejandro Valverde. After being banned for two years in Italy, the Spanish rider will most likely have that extended to the rest of the cycling world. Expect a conspiracy explanation from Alejandro very soon. But don’t expect any facts to go with it.

Absurdistan, the novel. Astana, the black comedy.

And so the number one rated doping team in the peleton comes back full circle. The vulture has returned, Vino is back in the saddle and riding for his old squad Astana. Warm up the blood swirling centrifuge, alert the black market EPO dealers, tell the UCI and WADA they’re working over-time for the foreseeable future.

In the hilarious black comedy novel, Absurdistan by Gary Shteyngart, an obese Russian with a love of American hip-hop and Brooklyn mulatto girls tangles with the Russian Mafia, soviet corruption, the US State Department and his own strange and outsize obsessions in a made-up place called Absurdistan. It must share a border with Kazakhstan and its capital city, Astana.

Welcome Vino. Set your blood bags and suitcases in the corner. There are still a few syringes in the secret hiding spot. It’s the Veulta, baby. You’re back riding a grand tour and nobody is giving you the cold shoulder. Say hi to soon-to-be barred Alejandro Valverde; don’t turn a pedal without a wave to Ivan Basso. (At least Basso had the class to admit his transgressions and move on with some shred of honor.)

Doesn’t it all seem a little strange? What would you call this story–Astanastan? A black comedy on two wheels about a disgraced son and congenital liar who returns from exile, thumbing his nose at every drug tester in Europe.

Boxing is one of the most popular sports in Kazakhstan and Vino basically punched out team manager Johan Bruyneel, forcing him to bring him back. No doubt part of the deal was Bruyneel’s escape to Radio Shack to join Lance Armstrong. This team is only going to get weirder. If Alberto Contador plans on staying, he not only needs drug testing but mental counseling.

The UCI targets suspicious riders and Vino has moved to the top of the list. Crazy, weird, bizarre? Nope, it’s Astanastan.

Assan Bazayev, Maxim Iglinskiy, Jesús Hernández, Chris Horner, Daniel Navarro, José Luis Rubiera, Michael Schär, Alexander Vinokourov e Haimar Zubeldia foram a equipe Astana que inicia a Vuelta a España nesse sábado.

Diretores: Sean Yates e Alexandr Shefer

Vino já é corredor da equipe desde o dia 24 de agosto, conforme acordo firmado entre Bruyneel e Rinus Wagtmans, representantes dos cazacos.

O contrato do testudo vai até 2010. Hasta la vista, Bruyneel.

Alexander Vinokourov é oficialmente um corredor da Astana conforme declaração do portavoz da equipe, Rini Wagtmans.

Agora teremos a briga (ou não): ele está inscrito na Vuelta a España como o primeiro reserva. Bruyneel vai comandar a esquadra nessa prova? Quem sai?

Tenho certeza que não. Mas o doping parece que causa uma mudança.

Lembram dessa declaração do Vinokourov? E dessa do Di Luca?

Apenas uma semana depois de ganhar o CR no Tour de l’Aim, Alexander Vinokourov ganhou mais uma prova nesse quesito.

A prova foi disputada na Indonésia em 41,8Km e o cazaque abriu uma diferença interessante de 1′40″ para Andrey Mizourov, segundo colocado. e 2′00″ para o terceiro, Eugen Wacker.

Agora resta esperar para ver como ele está subindo. Se estiver no mesmo nível, será um adversário a ser respeitado.

Declaração curta e grossa da equipe:

Prior to the 2008 season, Contador signed a three-year contract with Team Astana, ensuring that the rider will represent the Kazakh sponsored team for the years 2008, 2009 and 2010.

Agora o Pistolero vai ter que ser o líder de Vinokourov. Isso promete!

This is an interesting article by William Fotheringham, Guardian sports writer, cycling specialist and author of the Tom Simpson biog ’Put Me Back on My Bike’, amongst other books.

It’s a timely reminder of how far cycling has come in just over a decade; and even in the three short years since the Puerto/Basso/Ulrich/Landis debacle. Okay, so hopes of a Tour without scandal were dashed (if Astarloza’s B sample returns a positive), and news of Di Luca’s failed Giro test broke during the Tour. But there does appear to be a growing confidence in cycling, that cheats are being caught (no matter what their profile and stature) and that the majority of riders are – dare I say it – clean. Bradley Wiggins in particular is leading the way with his immediate post-4th place online posting of blood test results.

But then there is the dark cloud hanging over the likes of Vinokourov: should he be welcomed back in the pro peleton? Is it bad for cycling to have cheats return? He’s done his time, like Brits David Millar and Dwaine Chambers (both accepted back and – hopefully – competing clean in their respective sports). Vino may not be liked anymore, but society must surely permit those who’ve served their sentence to return to life and try again. The problem is – though – remorse; or, all too often in cycling, the lack of it. Until cyclists cease blaming everything from clinical depression to an identical twin that died at birth, from other riders to the sport itself, and start admitting to themselves and the world that they’ve done wrong, then their participation always harms the sport.

The UCI, WADA and co are getting a lot right now. But there remains question marks over people like Basso and Valverde too. The former never failed a test but was banned through implication in Puerto; in essence this breaches Article 6 of the Human Rights Act 1998: the right to a fair trial for all EU citizens. The latter is banned but only in Italy; that a rider can be banned by one national body, yet ride and win prestigious events like the Dauphine is ludicrous. Cycling needs greater continuity across national borders and to resolve unclear issues like the Valverde case in order to continue winning the fight against drugs. But it needs reciprocal support from riders: let’s hope more people step it up from the bio passport agreement and follow Wiggins’ lead on openness and transparency.

Look out VIno. Horner wants a tour win.

The Tour de l’Ain is not high up on the cycling radar.

You could be forgiven for drawing a blank on this French race. Not one of the “monuments” of cycling, not a classic or semi classic one day race. Yes, it’s the 2nd biggest race of the year (after the Dauphine Libere) if you live in the Rhone region of France. We’re guessing you don’t.

Nobody waxes lyrical about the Tour de l’Ain, no coffee tables books or stories about how Merckx won or Hinault ruled or how a young Armstrong first showed his greatness. Although Merckx’s son Axel did win in 2003. Bobby Julich won the thing in 1997 but that trophy is probably buried in the garage if not the backyard.

So what is the interest to the serious American cycling fan who follows the major races? Well, it’s got a good villain: Alexandre Vinokourov, back from his two year drug exile in the Kazaks. And you’ve got yourself a hometown favorite to root for in Chris Horner, back from injury and leading the 4 day stage race with one mountain stage to go. Someone to cheer, someone to boo.

And you’ve got a nice little sub-plot to chew on: Horner rides for team Astana, the outfit Vino put together himself with Kazak oil money. The same team Vino in currently in negoiations with to ride for again. Would helping Chris Horner to win the overall for Astana be the thoughful closer move he needs? That’s the hint he dropped. A tidbit that adds a little je ne sais whatever to the boiling pot.

Here’s where we stand so far: Vino won the stage three time trail, his first win since 2007. No word on how the riders feel to have VIno back after his blood doping. Riders returning from suspensions should be required to wear a black jersey to help identify the pariah. Unrepentant, brash and confident, Vino is de retour. He didn’t go quietly and he didn’t come back quietly either. On the flip side, he’s never dull and attacks like a chum-starved shark.

Then we have Chris Horner, whose scary crash and broken tibia in the Giro d’Italia knocked him out of the race and off the Tour de France roster. Add serious crashes in the Tour of the Basque Country and the Tour of California and you’ve got yourself a certifiable crappy year. So a shot at winning the Tour de l’Ain would put a smile on his face. Not the crazed grin of euphoria that comes with a Tour De France stage win, but a smile nonetheless.

Hero and villian — and perhaps a villian who would like to redeem himself. That’s all the story drama a cycling fan needs to get worked up. It’s that little snack between the French and Spanish grand tours. You want Chris Horner to win, baby.

Afinal, Vino vai correr no Tour de ‘Lain que inicia nesse domingo.

No entanto, ainda não será pela Astana, mas sim pela seleção cazaque, composta por ele, Dmitri Fofonov, Valentin Iglinskiy e outros amadores ou neo-profissionais (veja a relação completa dos participantes aqui).

Essa prova é relativamente nova. Foi disputada pela primeira vez em 1984 (sul da França) e tem dentre seus vencedores, Mauro Ribeiro em 1988.

1988:  Mauro Ribeiro
1989:  Serge Pires-Léal
1990:  Denis Moretti
1991:  Eric Drubay
1992:  Denis Leproux
1993:  Emmanuel Magnien
1994:  Lylian Lebreton
1995:  Emmanuel Hubert
1996:  David Delrieu
1997:  Bobby Julich
1998:  Cristian Gasperoni
1999:  Grzegorz Gwiazdowski
2000:  Serguei Yakovlev
2001:  Ivaïlo Gabrovski
2002:  Christophe Oriol
2003:  Axel Merckx
2004:  Jérôme Pineau
2005:  Carl Naibo
2006:  Cyril Dessel
2007:  John Gadret
2008:  Linus Gerdemann

A altimetria não é das mais interessantes. Destaco aqui as etapas que podem trazer alguma diferença significativa:

Estágio 2

Estágio 3A

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