preliminary start list

Andre said:

http://www.velonews.com/media/vueltastart06.pdf

I can't believe Sastre is starting. The last time a GC contender
started all three GTs was Aitor Gonzalez in 2003, and that was because
he finished the Giro in a poor position (though he won an ITT stage) and
had to quit the Tour on the first day in the mountains, along with most
of his team, because of food poisoning. He abandoned the Vuelta too.

Sonarrat said:

Andre said:

http://www.velonews.com/media/vueltastart06.pdf

I can't believe Sastre is starting. The last time a GC contender
started all three GTs was Aitor Gonzalez in 2003, and that was because
he finished the Giro in a poor position (though he won an ITT stage) and
had to quit the Tour on the first day in the mountains, along with most
of his team, because of food poisoning. He abandoned the Vuelta too.

yeah, but CSC seems to be the most focused team right now. they just
won 3 different races on the same day. a lot of potiential, plus riis
surely would want to drive the team beyond the embarassment of basso's
exclusion frrom the tdf. i don't believe riis would be foolish enough
to send a guy to collapse in the 1st week...but we will see

in message <[email hidden]>,

(') said:

Sonarrat said:

Andre said:

http://www.velonews.com/media/vueltastart06.pdf

I can't believe Sastre is starting. The last time a GC contender
started all three GTs was Aitor Gonzalez in 2003, and that was because
he finished the Giro in a poor position (though he won an ITT stage)
and had to quit the Tour on the first day in the mountains, along with
most
of his team, because of food poisoning. He abandoned the Vuelta too.

yeah, but CSC seems to be the most focused team right now. they just
won 3 different races on the same day. a lot of potiential, plus riis
surely would want to drive the team beyond the embarassment of basso's
exclusion frrom the tdf. i don't believe riis would be foolish enough
to send a guy to collapse in the 1st week...but we will see

Sastre did pretty well as team leader in the Tour; but he's got a
surprisingly 'B' team behind him for this. How many races has he ridden
since the Tour?

Nice to see Vino and Astana back. I don't /like/ Vino as a rider, but
there's no doubt he makes things interesting.

--
[email hidden] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

Do not sail on uphill water.
- Bill Lee

Simon Brooke said:

Sastre did pretty well as team leader in the Tour; but he's got a
surprisingly 'B' team behind him for this. How many races has he ridden
since the Tour?

no idea

Quoted message said:

Nice to see Vino and Astana back. I don't /like/ Vino as a rider, but
there's no doubt he makes things interesting.

I like Vino, it was a shame he was forced out of the tdf. many years
ago, with his massive breakaway performance in the tdf- I think he was
21 at the time- i felt this was a guy that would win the tour..ok so he
never did, but he's the guy thats willing to try, and try again, wears
himself out one day, and the next is back again trying to escape.

Simon Brooke said:

in message <[email hidden]>,

(') said:

Sonarrat said:

Andre wrote:

>http://www.velonews.com/media/vueltastart06.pdf

I can't believe Sastre is starting. The last time a GC contender
started all three GTs was Aitor Gonzalez in 2003, and that was because
he finished the Giro in a poor position (though he won an ITT stage)
and had to quit the Tour on the first day in the mountains, along with
most
of his team, because of food poisoning. He abandoned the Vuelta too.

yeah, but CSC seems to be the most focused team right now. they just
won 3 different races on the same day. a lot of potiential, plus riis
surely would want to drive the team beyond the embarassment of basso's
exclusion frrom the tdf. i don't believe riis would be foolish enough
to send a guy to collapse in the 1st week...but we will see

Sastre did pretty well as team leader in the Tour; but he's got a
surprisingly 'B' team behind him for this. How many races has he ridden
since the Tour?

I know he was in San Sebastian, where he featured prominently in a long
breakaway with Iban Mayo and Denis Menchov that got pulled back near the
end. I believe it was that performance that convinced him he was in
good enough shape to contest the Vuelta, but I think that even if he
wins a stage early on, I don't think he'll finish well enough to figure
on GC.

Quoted message said:

Nice to see Vino and Astana back. I don't /like/ Vino as a rider, but
there's no doubt he makes things interesting.