Welcome To San Sebastian Week!
by ursula on Jul 26, 2010 9:00 AM EDT
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WHOO-HOO!
Welcome humans to the first installment of my favorite race of the year! The Clasica Ciclista San Sebastian! Its mid-summer, the sun is out and warm and the weather for Saturday's big race is partly cloudy with only a small chance of rain. Quite unlike last year's rain-fest, you must agree! Hopefully we'll get some stunning pictures atop the Jaizkibel this year.
I won't be going into too many details in this post as such details as the official startlist needs to be sorted out: there are usually a few late cancellations and replacements after the Tour de France so we will get to that on Friday. But what we can do today is look at the course, which has one BIG change to it. Instead of one decisive trip up the two decisive climbs of the world famous Alto de Jaizkibel and the lesser Alto Arkale, we get TWO. See the profile below: those 1st and 2nd Cat climbs that are repeated near the end are those two famous climbs:
What doubling those climbs means is that the odds that a sprinter-y type rider like 2007's Xavier Florencio Cabre winning this year's race is pretty damn low. (BTW-sure is getting cloudy out now! Maybe we'll have a sudden thundershower at the race because it sure seems like some bad weather is moving in now! Funny thing though: normally we bivalves don't hear thunder underwater. Hmm.)
Also, doubling these clims this will lessen the chances for a large group arriving at the finish together, 15 km after the crest of the Arkale. Basically all this makes
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Huh...we...seem to be having...trouble connecting....here. This is Ursula, and we seem to have lost Txirla. San Sebastian! Calling San Sebastian! Ed Morrow, are you there? Txirla! We seem to have lost you!
I'm not sure why that transmission from Txirla cut off like that. It's never happened before as it normally has no troubling reaching me to talk at length about the wonderful world of Basque cycling. I'm trying to reach it (I never have asked weather it is a he or she) but so far...wait, I think I got...no, no: still nothing.
Bah. Well, I'll just go and post this (we get to see the course changes at least!) and try to re-establish communication later today because humans all over the world want its take on what's gonna happen Saturday. Even humans in, to pick perfectly RANDOM places like SEATTLE or STOCKHOLM. Ha ha! I'm sure it's nothing. Be back soon as I can.
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Rabobank
Will come with Gesink and Menchov. They have it in the bag, surely!
Robert Gesink on the difference between football and cycling: "For us it's a lot harder to get yellow"
don't look in the Rabo bag
Surely it contains a new and creative way to make the least of great opportunities.
"The road is our agony, but also our daily bread; and at night, when it is deserted and the moon glistens on the asphalt, the ridiculous dreams of racers like us pass up and down it."
--Dino Buzzati
by nrs5000 on Jul 26, 2010 11:47 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
The Great White North Hope.
Coming in strong condition after a fabulous 7th at the Tour de France to a course tailer-made for his abilities, last years 5th place, Ryder Hesjedal, is the man to watch.
Avatar in honour of #13, Fabian "I'm not superstitious" Cancellara
That may be a very good call..
"How strange it was to see men doing something beautiful. Something pointless and elegant." Tim Winton, 'Breath'
Kreuziger, Basso, Nibali
The extra climbs will favor Kreuziger, I think. Nibali too, if he’s in condition. I’ll take those three guys over Gesink and Menchov. Even if it’s simply a matter of numbers.
by sebastiandeluded on Jul 26, 2010 11:47 AM EDT up reply actions
Yep
This is a top-five cycling destination race. Tour, Giro, Ardennes, Cobbles, Lombardia… this is a top-six cycling destination race.
"Good thing I never said out loud that I was pulling for France, before this all started." -Mark Blacknell
by Chris Fontecchio on Jul 26, 2010 12:03 PM EDT up reply actions
In spring?
No. If I’m trekking to the Poggio I want to be able to lie on the beach afterwards.
"Good thing I never said out loud that I was pulling for France, before this all started." -Mark Blacknell
by Chris Fontecchio on Jul 26, 2010 2:49 PM EDT up reply actions
The effing mollusk lives?
The lesson here: never send an italian to do a swede’s work.
Btw Cyclingfevers startlist must be off because they list Uran for CdE and he broke a collarbone the other day.
When have an italian or a swede ever worked to begin with?
"Woof, woof, woof! That's my other dog imitation."
Drew's got a point there.
I take the startlists right now with a grain of salt. Contador racing? Kinda doubt it. I want to look at history to see what kind of riders do well at San Seb. Top 10 Tour riders? Domestiques? Riders who avoid the Tour all together?
work?
I have people who do that for me. Which reminds me Drew, break was over five minutes ago.
"Good thing I never said out loud that I was pulling for France, before this all started." -Mark Blacknell
by Chris Fontecchio on Jul 26, 2010 2:52 PM EDT up reply actions
I thought I had him
but it was just a razor clam.
"Good thing I never said out loud that I was pulling for France, before this all started." -Mark Blacknell
by Chris Fontecchio on Jul 26, 2010 2:49 PM EDT up reply actions
Next time I see him
I’m digging near his hole and placing a frying pan with butter and shallots in it. Maybe he’ll run out the other side.
"Good thing I never said out loud that I was pulling for France, before this all started." -Mark Blacknell
by Chris Fontecchio on Jul 26, 2010 2:50 PM EDT up reply actions
What do you mean 'one of those races where we can watch wearing a big beret?'
How do you watch the other races?
"Woof, woof, woof! That's my other dog imitation."
Gora!
"Good thing I never said out loud that I was pulling for France, before this all started." -Mark Blacknell
by Chris Fontecchio on Jul 26, 2010 3:17 PM EDT up reply actions
bullshit and shellfish
together at last. Ew.
"Good thing I never said out loud that I was pulling for France, before this all started." -Mark Blacknell
by Chris Fontecchio on Jul 26, 2010 3:18 PM EDT up reply actions
Tour de France elitist
"Until you shoot me off my bike I'll keep looking for a contract" - Jens!
Quitter's People United member # 42
Yeah cool but a day later THE TOUR DE POLOGNE begins!!!!!!
"Until you shoot me off my bike I'll keep looking for a contract" - Jens!
Quitter's People United member # 42
Three weeks
to Vattenfalls!
"Good thing I never said out loud that I was pulling for France, before this all started." -Mark Blacknell
by Chris Fontecchio on Jul 26, 2010 7:41 PM EDT up reply actions
And then ENECO
"Until you shoot me off my bike I'll keep looking for a contract" - Jens!
Quitter's People United member # 42
I'm glad that warm-up race in France is over
Now we get to see the real racing.
by Douglas Ansel on Jul 26, 2010 9:47 PM EDT up reply actions
Amen to that
Autumn classics- the joy and whimsy of the gods.
by Runitout on Jul 27, 2010 12:41 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Good news
Ten Dam will start in San Sebastian! He recovered from his injuries in the Tour de Suisse pretty quickly. We’ll see the Rabo climbing Dream Team at last.
No word on the situation of his van though…
Robert Gesink on the difference between football and cycling: "For us it's a lot harder to get yellow"
San Sebastian week already!
Why, it seems like just yesterday I was sending a loaded team of seven worthy riders, and egging them on to 60 big points. This year, I’m sending eight guys, so if it all goes to plan I’ll receive 68.571 this year.
I love Spain!
They may look like carrots but they are not to be messed with! --Albertina
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