There are two things wanted by most
neutral fans in a Team Time Trial. A close, suspenseful race and
unintentional comedy (who can forget Skil-Shimano riding with half
their team in a ditch on a farm after overshooting a turn during the
2009 Tour de France TTT). Today, we got both as one team crashed (not seriously) and the final team to race won the stage after a number of close calls for potential lead changes.
The rundown, team by team in reverse
order of finish with prospects for the rest of the race.
Caja Rural: As expected, this team
finished last. They are pretty much allergic to the time trial as a
discipline and also have no prospects for GC on the roster. This is
the Spanish version of the Pro Continental team that is here to be
sacrificed to everybody else. The goal is simply to get into
breakaways and maybe steal a stage win somewhere.
Garmin-Sharp: Normally, this is one of
the best TTT teams in the world. They won the TTT at the Giro and
also recently at the Tour of Utah (though none of the Utah riders are
here) and also finished 8th with about a C- level team in
the TTT at the Eneco Tour. Things started out nicely (early leader at
the first time check) before a crash killed their chances
(unintentional comedy checked off) and hurt Andrew Talansky's hopes
for a top 10 on GC. Talansky is nearly 1'30 behind the leaders
already.
Andalucia: The other Spanish Pro
Continental sacrifice, Andalucia has few well-known riders and will
be looking for breakaways the whole race. This was still a decent
race for them despite 20th place as they were within 10
seconds of Lampre and RadioShack.
Argos-Shimano: The former Skil-Shimano
has improved greatly since the horrible TTT in the 2009 Tour de
France referenced earlier, but they still aren't good. This team
figures to be working hard tomorrow as they brought the best sprinter
in the field (John Degenkolb) so it is likely they didn't work super
hard on this stage, especially with no GC contender on the team.
FDJ: Only in this race because World
Tour rules say they have to be, FDJ didn't send anyone of note to the
race (Arnold Jeannesson is the best and his claim to fame is being
the guy who got hurt allowing Thiabult Pinot to ride the Tour de
France) and will be on the Caja Rural/Andalucia breakaway plan.
RadioShack: Good luck and Godspeed.
This team seems like it is collapsing in on itself with all the
insanity going on and no results to speak of outside of Fabian
Cancellara's first week of the Tour de France. The team lined up here
doesn't look great, but maybe that will be better for a team that
hasn't looked much like a team for most of the season and has been
even worse off since Andy Schleck was injured during the Criterium du
Dauphine in June. Even with Maxime Monfort here, this appears to be a
rudderless ship.
Lampre: They can't do TTT's. They
showed that on home roads in the Giro. That and a team built around
Cunego looks likely to disappoint, especially since Cunego is more
likely to be targeting the World Championships (on a course suited
for his talents) and the Giro di Lombardia. I have no expectations
for this team. None, whatsoever.
Cofidis: An ok ride in this TTT, but
this race is about one thing and one thing only: getting David
Moncoutie one last Vuelta King of the Mountains victory before he
rides off into retirement.
Liquigas: Question A for this team is
if they are even going to exist two months from now. Given the exodus
of riders and lack of those entering the team (that we know of), it
seems like the team is collapsing with Liquigas pulling out as a
sponsor next year. Question B is what on Earth are they doing here?
The two star GC men of the team (Nibali and Basso) are in the United
States for the US Pro Cycling Challenge starting on Monday and team
leader Eros Capecchi has seemed to have maxed out as a domestique
career wise. Also, Peter Sagan is in Germany and up and coming start
Moreno Moser is in the United States with Nibali and Basso. Whatever,
given the low level roster this team brought, Liquigas put in a good
ride today.
Vacansoleil: Lost 35 seconds which
isn't great for Thomas de Gendt, but this team has brought a bunch of
breakaway artists along with de Gendt. Not great support for a
possible Grand Tour podium run (though de Gendt had basically no
support for his podium at the Giro). I wonder what this team will do
in the ongoing transfer season to support de Gendt as he is obviously
far more talented than most imagined.
Ag2r: Considering the two stars of the
team (John Gadret and Nicolas Roche, who hate each other by the way)
can't time trial, only losing 34 seconds and finishing in 12th
place is a great ride for this team. Moving forward, it will be
interesting to see what happens as Roche is leaving the team for Saxo
Bank at the end of the season. Is Roche on his own, especially if
Gadret is close to him in the standings, and will Roche work to
support Gadret if called upon to do so?
Astana: Anything this team does here is
gravy on top of an incredibly successful season. They won the Amstel
Gold, Liege-Bastogne-Liege, the Olympics and two stages of the Giro.
Still, I expect at least a stage win somewhere long the line as Tour
de France KoM runner up Fredrik Kessiakoff and early Giro contenders
before fading Paolo Tiralongo are here.
Orica-GreenEdge: A disappointing result
today after winning at Eneco. It shows the value of a top level
individual time trialist (Svein Tuft who won the ITT at Eneco after
pacing the team in the TTT). This team doesn't look super strong
though and I expect little out of them here.
Euskatel: That Euskatel managed to
finish a TTT in the top 10 with Samuel Sanchez not in the team is
bordering on miraculous. This could mean good things for the carrots
as team leader Igor Anton is not starting 90 seconds behind this
year. The team should animate stage 3 as it is a home stage for them.
The biggest question, other than Anton's form is his bike handling.
He crashed out as the leader in 2010 and also crashed out in 2008.
Katusha: That they finished with a good
result isn't as surprising as it was when they finished second in the
Giro. Joaquim Rodriguez has obviously improved as a time trialist
(even if he's still below average) and Denis Menchov is here to
support him as well. This is one of the teams with legitimate GC
ambitions as Rodriguez was second at the Giro. If he falters, Menchov
has won three Grand Tours and Daniel Moreno has a similar skill set
as Rodriguez and could factor into the equation as well.
Saxo Bank: It's a about Contador.
Alberto Contador, coming off his suspension, rode at the front of the
team all race today. The team is all in for Contador and will be
hoping the long layoff without racing won't have hurt his
explosiveness too much. With only two seconds lost to rival Chris
Froome, this was a successful day.
Lotto-Belisol: The team of Jurgen Van
Den Broeck did quite well today and Van Den Broeck will be happy not
to have to share domestiques with a big sprinter like he had to with
Andre Griepel at the Tour de France. Good start today.
Team Sky: It was a big shock when they
didn't take the lead today with Chris Froome and Richie Porte on the
roster. Still, this is a really strong climbing team with Froome as
the lead man and Porte, Rigoberto Uran and Sergio Henao on the roster
to try and control the race just as the Tour de France was
controlled.
BMC: No major GC threats. Just
redemption today after a crash filled debacle in the TTT at Eneco
where they lost over 2 minutes. The team brings Philippe Gilbert and
Alessandro Ballan building form for the World Championships and maybe
an outside GC threat (top 10) with Brent Bookwalter.
Omega Pharma Quick Step (OPQS) – This
team is mostly building form for the World Championships as well.
Maybe Tony Martin would have a prayer on a flatter course, but this
thing is most certainly not flat. Still a good result today for a
team that has a lot of good time trialers on the roster.
.
Rabobank: Team redemption is off to a
good start with a second place today. Still, today isn't what
ultimately matters on this team. It is keeping Robert Gesink and
Bauke Mollema upright and getting the through to the finish both in
the top 10 on GC with one of them preferably on the podium.
Movistar: The huge shock of the day.
Nobody expected a TTT win from Movistar. Out of 36 fans on the
podiumcafe predictor game, only one thought Movistar would finish in
the top 5. Despite the win, there is still reason for Movistar to
worry. Defending Vuelta champion JJ Cobo was dropped at the end and
didn't finish with the team (he lost five seconds). This is troubling
to say the least.
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