Ok...I am now officially through March. Time to start the story again. I'm going to spend the rest of the weekend cleaning up old posts, changing format slightly and posting new results for Aussie Championships. By Sunday night I should begin posting results for Tour de San Luis and Tour Down Under.
OK...here we go...previous posts have been edited to reflect new results.
It may seem strange to read some comments by some loyal reader's, and I am aware of that. However...I have junked up the story forum enough...and rather than start a whole new thread...I decided on this route. From here on out...the story should read better.
Three rider's to introduce. All will be present at our first team race of the year in Argentina....the Tour de San Luis.
On alot of teams, this capable Dane would be a team leader. At age 23, he is already an accomplished man on the cobbles. He has good skills in the hills and in the sprint as well. He is a rider that we hope to keep in the fold for many years, and we will give him many opportunities to further prove himself in the Spring. Expect to see him be a key cog in our Northern Classics campaign. Of all the rider's on Team CSC, I am most intrigued by him, and I am confident that he will produce very good results. His potential is unlimited, and he along with Andy Schleck and Matthew Goss form a trio of riders that I plan to continue to build this team with.
You'll see alot of Haedo right from the start. His most important race being in his homeland of Argentina at the Tour de San Luis. I plan on racing him alot in America this year. The Tour of California, Tour de Georgia, and the June races in Pennsylvania all offer him a chance for success. I honestly don't know what to expect from him, but if the race is short and flat, he should be on the podium.
Another youngster we are grooming for success in the Northern Classics. We will pick and choose our spots for the 22 year old Dane, and he will surely see action as a helper in many key races this season.
Well...ride fast. Cancellera should win this handily. It's short and he is out of form....so we'll see.
Favorites & Results
Benat Intxausti---Saunier Duval---7th---+5
Sergei Gonchar---Preti Mangimi---2nd---+0
Carlos Castano---Karpin Galicia---4th---+2
Fabian Cancellara---Team CSC---5th---+2
Martin Garrido---Palmeiras-Tavira---6th---+3
.....and for fun....
Andy Schleck---Team CSC---34th---+13
Perhaps I was expecting too much from Cancellara right out of the chute...there is a 11 km uphill ITT in Stage 4 though that he should win. Poor Juan Jose Haedo finished dead last, 25 seconds behind winner David George of Team MTN. He is in poor form..even for an early season race...and I take full responsiblity for that. Hopefully I can mange a good result or two from him.
The first Pro Tour race of the season is about to get under way in Australia, at the Tour Down Under. Along with Stuart O'Grady, Matthew Goss and Kurt-Asle Arvesen, who have been introduced already, these 5 riders will be on the start list.
This Dane will be a key component to our Northern Classics campaign. He can handle the cobbles and the hills, and is an above average man against the clock. Expect to see him get alot of work as a helper in big races like Paris-Roubaix and Ronde van Vlaanderen. He may even get a chance to lead the squad in certain smaller races. The majority of his racing will take place in the Spring, but he is already penciled in to be on the Post Danmark Rundt team in August as well.
Another guy who likes the cobbles. He likes his profiles flat though, and isn't a good time trialist. He is a rider who we will utilize alot in the breakaway, and like Bak he will be a key teammate in some big races. Post Danmark Rundt is on his schedule as well.
This young Dane will gain valuable experience in the Tour Down Under. Not particulary skilled in any aspect of racing yet, we will pick and choose his races carefully, and evaluate him thoroughly to see if he has a future with this team.
Just the kind of gritty rider every squad needs. He'll do a little of everything for us this season, riding some on the cobbles and some in the hills as a helper.
A key helper in hilly races, he will help get our leader's to the finish line in one piece. He's got enough talent to win a race or two on his own as well, and we will allow him a chance to breakaway now and then. We will try to get him a KOM jersey in the Tour Down Under, and go from there.
