Little support was once more seen for Calzone as he was middling in the sprints all by himself. Kristoff took the stage win ahead of Sagan. Calzone missed the points by finishing 11th. Not much detail is needed really.
"It's very unfortunate that the flat stages are now over. I could have done much better. We have a lot of work still ahead of us", was Calzone's excuse. It's getting a bit of a trademark sentence by now. In this fashion, Calzone was also keen to put the focus on his teammates now. "Valverde is our captain. When I can help him, I'll try my best. Maybe I get over some hills and can compete in more sprints. We'll see."
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
Sorry Carlo. It hurts to see the communication between the different sprinters not working out yet. I promise you that it will improve before the end of the season!
Calzone had talked previously about not yet having had his last sprint as they rode towards Nice, and he proved that he is kinda okay-ish when it comes to hill terrain, too. When various GC riders escaped and raced for victory, Calzone managed to stay alongside his mates of Movistar to contest in the sprint. Coming third behind race leader Cavendish and weapon-of-choice Peter Sagan in the bunch sprints for the scraps, Calzone was the best of the traditional sprinters and as a result, it saw him even cracking the Top 10, in the overall mind you.
"I have no delusions about the overall classification", laughs Calzone, "however I do appreciate the support my team gave me today. I understand that they are new to this whole sprinting affair. Lobato and me need special treatment. They couldn't give us that yet for the flat stages but it really paid off to be riding for this team today. They did an incredible job at protecting me and carrying my lazy ass over the hills. I dedicate this 7th place of pure, unrated awesomeness to my team." Looking at the following stages, Calzone has still hopes. "Today I have experienced first-hand where the strength of my team lies. If I can take advantage of that, I hope to do something tomorrow or on the last two stages. But of course, from now the overall has priority. Valverde is confident and very strong."
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
At finally his first podium for his new team. Carlo Calzone did it on stage 5, which was yet again maybe a bit better suited to the GC riders, but without any attacks, it was also a day for the sprinters. Dries Devenyns though took the stage honours from the break of the day. Calzone came third, finishing behind Sagan.
"In the downhill, it was very hectic. Flecha did an amazing job at guiding me and helping me upfront. This way I regained some energy from previous two climbs. It helped me to have a long lung today, that I really needed. Since Drevenys was upfront, it was really chaos. The chasers still there, and then the first trains start to move past you and you try to get a wheel. Unfortunately, Sagan was that little bit faster, he came from very far behind I think."
Tomorrow is the probably all-deciding GC stage up, for Calzone it will be a day of rest. "I have contested in every stage so far. I'm okay with my performances. They could be better, could be gabonesque bad also. I hope I can compete on the last stage again. Tomorrow I cross my fingers for my teammate and will probably get some bottles in the early race half."
"The form is good for Milano - San Remo", constitutes Calzone. "It's my big season highlight, I want to perform here and I hope the team backs me up."
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
Milan - San Remo is the highlight of the early season for every team. It's a race for sprinters. For climbers. And of course for classic specialists. Each and every star loves to participate in this monument and can compete for their place in cycling history.
Following into the footsteps of riders like Eddy Merckx, Fausto Coppi or Oscar Freire was the goal of the Movistar stars but nobody wanted Kittel to be the next German after Erik Zabel to win this unpredictable race.
With uphill stars Valverde, Quintana & Costa as well as sprinters Calzone & Lobato the pre-race expectations were large. Larger was only the disappointment following after the finish line.
While a defeat can happen the way this defeat happened was disappointing. Several online services reported about some noisy arguments in their team hotel.
Especially Alejandro Valverde was reportedly unhappy about the decision to give Rui Costa the leader role. Equally disappointed was Italian Carlo Calzone. As best sprinter in the team he hoped for more than having to lead out Costa in a sprint finish. Seeing how Costa could only barely grab a top 15 cannot be satisfying for him. And Quintana is also unhappy about not getting the "go" for an attack on the poggio.
It will be interesting to see how DS Michael Schröder can stop the team morale going down further. A lack of results in the Ardennes triple would likely lead to questions inside the team and the leader roles for the GTs are not decided either.
Is there any chance this season goes as harmonic as the last season? We doubt it.
The next two days have been proper busy for Movistar and Calzone. No rest day in sight. With action-packed GC deciding stage, Calzone was left to catch bottles. But surprisingly, he still has hold a fairly good position in the GC overall, being within the Top 30. This hasn't changed the next day either, where his teammate Valverde took the yellow jersey at the end of the stage. Calzone put in a great performance, helping the pace and controling the peloton.
"Tomorrow is only one stage left", states Calzone. "For us it is vital that Valverde retains the lead. This means we have to stop Sagan. That a breakaway snatches all the bonus seconds is the best option, so I don't think I'll be contesting for the sprint much."
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
"Very pleased to have helped Valverde in Paris-Nice", said Calzone in front of Movistar's hotel in Paris-Nice. The Spaniard made a last vital step on the last stage to repeat his Paris-Nice GC from last year. Calzone had been seen once more pacing in the peloton, he's excellency in flat power riding certainly benefitted the Movistar guys in this race.
With a hint of optimism, Calzone told all the journalists he is now ready for Milano-San Remo, his very own big season highlight. It should have become his race. "I have helped the team, I've shown that my legs improved over the past weeks. My form is definitely good. I think I've shown I'm up to it although a win is yet missing." Looking at the Poggio, Calzone was confident back then to have the support of his puncheur colleagues.
Eventually, Milano-San Remo turned out much different than Calzone had hoped for. Maybe due to the harsh weather, Movistar team management liked to have Rui Costa in the first line. Gazzetta dello Sport called it a disgrace however, to have Calzone in such position, even labelling it an embarrasment to the Grand Italian Legacy of Sprinters. Surely, Calzone himself was upset as well. The Paris-Nice combo of Valverde and Calzone had to play second fiddle to Costa and Quintana. It got even so far that Calzone had to lead out Rui Costa. Team orders. Go figure.
Anybody who has seen the look of Calzone after the race, heeds the warning. With a straight line, Calzone headed for the italian journalists, but was then stopped by his manager. Few hours later, a press statement on his website simply congratulated on Kittel's win, further expressing his disappointments to have been not been able to contest the bunch sprint on his own terms. That he was led down by his team management is something that will surely stay in Calzone's back of the mind. One can only imagine the anger-fueled words he would have liked to throw at his bosses, accompanied by wild gestures.
Let's hope he finds the legs to convince his doubters and take a win soon. Preferably in Catalunya. As for now, Calzone was spotted in a strip club near Barcelona.
Edited by Shonak on 22-03-2015 00:18
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
Paris - Nice seems to be one of Alejandro Valverde's favourite races. After winning it last year he could repeat the major win once again.
'Marca' took this as a chance to interview him and we don't want to hold this back:
Hello Mr. Valverde, you have Paris-Nice already last season. Which win feels more valuable to you?
Every win is special and I do not want to miss any! However with the much easier route it was a special task this year due to the chance for Sagan to win through bonus seconds from the flat stages.
Apropos flat stages, much of the line-up for Paris-Nice was build around Italien signing Carlo Calzone. Are you okay with that decision?
Given the route was made for sprinters I can of course understand the decision of Michael to give him the support he needed for some stage results. Of course, I'd have liked a super domestique for more on the two harder stages but especially Carlo but also Carlo's support did a good job on these stages to help me so i cannot complain.
After P-N you also raced together with Calzone in Milan San Remo. Calzone complained afterwards about the team tactics. Do you understand the complaints?
Hmm. Carlo was of course unhappy about the result and so was I and surely also everyone in the team and I guess I'd have chosen a different approach but were the tactics wrong? I am not a director sportif so who am I to comment about those things?
This sounds as if you are unhappy with the decision?
Do you want to ask me one other question or shall we end the interview now?
Another answer would be nice: What else can we expect from you this season?
I'll prepare myself for the Ardennes to take another shot at the triple!
Afterwards, I'll have a rather long low form period before I want to take another shot at the Tour de France. I feel like this could be my last realistic chance on the big one and I certainly don't want to give it away empty-handed. Depending on how well I'll feel then I might ride the Vuelta, too
That's certainly some big goals. All the best in achieving them!
I came; I saw; I conquered: Now in a World Tour Event Near You!
It took until Catalunya World Tour race that Calzone was able to raise his arms this season but the dominant fashion of Movistar's top sprinter debut win makes the wait almost worth it. Plus, with a sponsor goal looming upon this race (2 stage wins), Calzone has at least half-way done his duty here.
The most important thing was that the lead-out worked out prefectly. With the top guns staying away from the spanish hill-sides, Movistar was free to reign on this first stage. Lobato especially did a heck of a job, getting a top classification himself. Yet Calzone finished it off in superb manner.
Catch the video here!
"I am very happy to have snatched the victory. The legs feel superb after some stage races. I was close in Paris-Nice at times, I'm glad it finally worked out in Catalunya. Thanks to my team. I hope I can repeat this victory tomorrow. For today I enjoy the media attention, podium girls and my leader jersey!"
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
Mr. Costa, how does this it feel to stand here on the podium in Algarve?
I can't say how much I enjoy this right now. The fans here supported me fantasticely and I never saw so many portugueses standing at the streets for a cycling race. It's certainly special to me!
Last year Kim Po-Ding beat you here. This year he stands on the podium next to you as third. Does this feel like a revenge to you?
Sure. I think I was already the stronger one last year but I could not get rid of him on the hills. Back then, his attitude irritated me since so I'm glad that this season it was me winning this race!
The form seems to be good already. Do you want to attack the Ardennes?
Of course. I am in a fantastic early shape. If I can keep it then everything is possible!
But the rivalry inside the team seems to be big with both Quintana and Valverde also targetting the Ardennes. Do you think that you will be even allowed to attack for the win?
Well, the team management has not announced yet publicly who is the leader but I think that the MSR action says a lot. I feel the team and especially the team management trusted me enough there and i don't see why that should have changed. And they promised me tin contract negotiations to lead in a monument so I would be very disappointed if I was not allowed to lead in Liege-Bastogne-Liege!
It was rumoured that you also demanded leadership in a Grand Tour to stay with Movistar?
Indeed. I was promised that I'd get the support to challenge the Giro podium. I hope they do not disappoint me there!
You seem quite ambitious for the rest of the season. Good luck with your goals!
The next few stages saw Calzoe lose his jersey but Valverde gained it back for the Calzone. Then he lost it. Then he got it back. On stage 6, there was finally an opportunitiy for Calzone to shine again. Although Movistar managed to reduce the gap fine, Mourey had a too big lead. Very confusing to see one guy get away from the bunch but the descent was tricky in the rain and clearly Movistar didn't want to risk too much, seeing as how Valverde was the race leader
The sprint got messy and a bit confusing, Barry Markus ended up in front of him on 2nd place. Carlo took 3rd. Another decent performance in this Catalunya race that should lead to an overall decent points total in the early season part.
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
Volta Limburg was Calzone's last race before the season break and the Italian has once more risen to prominence by coming second, right behind super star sprinter Marcel Kittel. Movistar has put Calzone in a good position in the race and protected him throughout. In the finale, Calzone was able to catch the wheel of Bouhanni and launching his sprint almost ideally. However against Kittel, waiting on Calzone's wheel, the Italian had little chance in the end.
"The season hasn't started like we wanted to, but recently I've achieved some very solid results including a stage win in Catalunya." Regarding his improvement, Calzone hopes to further enhance his top end speed and optimize the rhythm of his sprint train soon.
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
The 10-man provisional line-up includes a lot of experience and even more huge amounts of quality. 2 riders have to be deleted from this list but which one will be decided later.
A similar line-up will ride the Amstel Gold Race and Fleche Wallone.
Formolo, Davide
Hernandez, Jesus
Losada, Alberto
Machado, Tiago
Marcato, Marco
Moreno, Javier
Plaza, Ruben
Valls, Rafael
Ventoso, Francisco Jose
Only 9 of those 12 riders will ride the Giro but we'll decide later based on each one's form which one we will take to the first Grand Tour of the year.
With all those strong riders we think that it will be difficult to not score many points!
After the recent announcement that Alejandro Valverde is part of the provisional Giro d'Italia squad Valverde reacted quickly via Twitter.
"I don't care about the Giro. I'll ride the Tour or Nothing! " was written in the statement that is already deleted again.
From a scource close to the rider we heard that Valverde is more and more disappointed about the management of team manager Michael Schröder.
To quote this scource: " Are we at Oprah? ' You get a leadership, you get a leadership, and you get a leadership. Everybody gets a leadership. This cannot be the way to go!"
And indeed, the recently announced squads for Giro and Ardennes Classics have 3 leaders assigned each. Early in the year, in the Milan-San Remo monument, Movistar even fielded 5 riders that were marked as leaders: Aside of Valverde, Costa, Quintana and the sprinters Calzone and Lobato were officially leaders. This resulted in chaos since each of them looked more closely at his team mates than his rivals and in the end, it all ended with a disappointment.
Will this scenario repeat? We gotta wait and see. One thing is for sure: The fight within the team will be interesting to watch!
Michael Schröder made some interesting statements the last weeks about ...
...The Continentals: We are pleased with the results. Especially about Amador winnning the American Road Race!
( Calzone +1HI )
... Goals: Easy : Stage Win Giro d'Italia
Medium: Top 3 Amstel Gold Race
Hard: Top 3 L-B-L
... Giro: Neither of Valverde or Calzone will ride it. Calzone is not ready yet while we dont want to give Valverde a leading role if he doesnt want one.
... Ardennes: Costa will be the ultimate leader for the Ardennes with Quintana as co-leader. Riders like Duarte, Sanchez and Valverde will be their key domestiques.
... Tour de France: Valverde will not ride the Tour de France. "As long as I'm the boss here, Valverde will not lead a GT again. Why? Because if a rider doesnt want to be part in races we like to race him then he will not participate in some races he wants to race!"
And you punish me again with an impossible cobble goal
If you want to make it difficult you could have said KoM *insert random race* or 3 stage wins *insert random 1-week stage race* but Roubaix is just evil
It is publicly known for quite some time that Alejandro Valverde and DS Michael Schröder are no friends but now the situation between the two of them escalates.
Schröder moved Valverde downwards the hierachy pyramide by giving Costa leadership in Milan - San Remo and more so humiliated him by publicly demoting him to a domestique for the Ardennes.
Movistar wanted him to ride the Giro but when Valverde told them he prefered the Tour Schröder harshly answered that he would not ride a GT then at all.
Now Valverde's answer is published:
" There are people in the team which do not want the best for the team. I hope our sponsor look carefully who wants to bring the team forward and who just wants to satisfy his ego.
My contract ends in October and they should make up their minds who's more worth to the team: Me or Him? There is not enough space for both of us!"
