First it was Alberto Contador at Paris-Nice. Now, at Tirreno-Adriatico, Andreas Kloden has been stripped of his leader's jersey after being attacked during the stage 6 uphill finish into Camerino. The self-proclaimed "best stage racing team in the world" has been anything but recently, as they have been unable to defend against the unceasing attacks from their rivals at both early season stage races.
At Paris-Nice, Alberto Contador was in the driver's seat before exploding during stage 7 and losing his leader's jersey. Facing unrelenting attacks, Contador simply could not follow every wheel. Isolated and badly in need of team support, Contador got no help on stage 6, and eventually finished in fourth place on the GC in France.
Now, in Italy, it seems to be Andreas Kloden's turn. After an excellent time trial that netted him the leader's blue jersey at Tirreno-Adriatico, Kloden had no answer for the two-pronged attack of Vincenzo Nibali and Ivan Basso of the Liquigas team on today's stage. Like Contador, Kloden had no teammates to help close down the gaps, and instead watched helplessly as the two Italians and three others rode away from him. By the end of the stage, Michele Scarponi of the Diquigiovanni squad had taken top honors on the day, and with time gained on Kloden, the leader's jersey as well.
Astana, only recently thought of by many as untouchable in stage races, are looking very vulnerable to attacks and tactics. And while it is true that the Astana teams at Paris-Nice and Tirreno-Adriatico were not the "A" team that will appear at the grand tours, there is still no excuse for the lack of support their supposed "team leaders" at each event received. It would seem that it would make more sense to send along a strong support contingent to any race you are entering, especially when you have a legit chance of winning both events.
As the losses pile up for Astana, one must wonder what management is thinking with some of their decisions. Why was Contador even allowed to get hungry? How was he not reminded to eat by his director? Further, how did it happen that he was left to mark multiple attacks on his own? Is there an excuse for such tactical ineptitude from such a well-funded team?
By the time the Giro rolls around, much of this conversation may be moot. But if the mighty Astana team is unable bring home the win for the Giro, what will that do for their confidence heading into the Tour? Anything less than the top step of the podium at the Tour de France will be unacceptable to the Astana team, especially considering the make up of thier team. The early season is the best time to instill confidence into your team leaders, and with exception to the Amgen Tour of California, Astana has come up short in 2009.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Another Jersey Lost: After Paris-Nice Collapse, Kloden Gapped, Astana Loses Lead at Tirreno-Adriatico
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3 comments:
Imagine the dilemma if you are the Team Director - two world class stage races going on at the same time! Most of your riders still need that final tune-up before the classics, maybe one or at the most two of your riders can contend for the overall at one race, so you choose the race most suited to your rider(s) who are going well and focus there.
And yet Astana is still able to send 2 highly competitive teams to 2 separate races and come within a few pedal strokes of the top step of the podium. No other team contested the GC at both races at the same time as competitively as Astana. While they might be guilty of being too ambitious with their racing program (or hiring too many GC men), there is no other team in the world that could have been as competitive in 2 separate stage races with fields as strong as T-A/ P-N. As far as still holding onto the title of 'the best stage race team in the world,' one wonders what the outcome of either race would have been if Astana had done what other teams did and sent the best of both squads to concentrate on one race instead of splitting the team...I can guess how the outcomes would have been different. All open to debate but the bottom line is no victory in either race.
Of course you are right, Matt. When you have the talent that Astana has, you have to let the GC threats fulfill some of their own objectives. Maybe better to have a happy team than to win them all.
Much as I dislike Astana for all kinds of reasons, I agree with Matt. Also consider that neither Armstrong nor Leipheimer were in these races and that Brajkovic exited T-A in stage 2. All in all, I don't think Bruyneel is t00 worried.
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