Slipstream Sports / Chipotle

Giro stage 6: Maggy finishes 9th with GC-altering breakaway

Woody — Thu, 15 May 2008 15:02:15 +0000

Sixty kilometers into today’s shortened* stage, Magnus Backstedt joined a breakaway of 11. The group built their gap on the peloton to 12 minutes in less than 40 km. With little reaction from the peloton, the breakaway’s lead grew and then held at about 12 minutes.

Coming into the final kilometers, two in the group launched an attack that Maggy attempted to catch, but couldn’t. Finishing nearly 12 minutes in front of the peloton and the maglia rosa, six of the riders in the break took over the top six places in the general classification, putting Vande Velde in 11th.

Slipstream Results Stage 4
1. Matteo Priamo 5:24′49″

9. Magnus Backstedt +43″
75. Christian Vande Velde +11′48″
121. Ryder Hesjedal +12′42″
142. Pat McCarty +12′42″
145. David Millar +13′04″
162. Julian Dean +13′58″
180. Danny Pate +16′53″
182. Chris Sutton +16′54″

Slipstream GC
1. Giovanni Visconti 27:14′04″
2. Matthias Russ mt

11. Christian Vande Velde +9′23″
76. David Millar +12′40″
86. Ryder Hesjedal +15′42″
125. Magnus Backstedt +27′57″
170. Pat McCarty +44′54″
172. Julian Dean +45′38″
180. Danny Pate +52′21″
186. Chris Sutton +58′57″

*Recognizing the overall fatigue of the peloton after an intense and somewhat chaotic start in Sicily, the Giro d’Italia organizers shorted today’s stage by 30 kilometers.

VMG/Felt rider Peter Stetina talks about impressive early season

Woody — Thu, 15 May 2008 12:04:50 +0000

VMG/Felt U23 rider Peter Stetina is currently staying with the U23 national team in Belgium as he wraps up his European racing season. The young talent has had a notable spring with significant results in the US and Europe. Peter graciously took some time out of his busy European schedule to answer a few questions for us.

Your season so far has been impressive - 4th GC San Dimas, 10 GC Redlands, 9th U23 Liege and 6th Fleche du Sud. How have you been able to put everything together for such a solid spring?

I am very happy with my spring campaign this season. In past years, I haven’t taken a break in the off-season due to MTB and cross racing. At the end of last season, I was ruined and in dire need of a break. I didn’t even touch my bike in October and started hard in November and was really rested. I have trained harder than ever before because I wanted to come out with guns blazing at San Dimas. I was gearing for a strong spring instead of peaking later in the summer like past seasons.

What’s your proudest moment so far this season - the Liege 9th
Liege was a great result, but I am most happy with my 2nd place in the uphill TT at San Dimas. I really wanted to win becasue it is the perfect course for me. I trained specifically for that with Allen Lim. I lost to Oscar Sevilla by 7 seconds, which stung. If I’m gonna lose to anyone though, he’s not a bad one to choose. But I beat every other domestic pro in a pretty stacked field. I’m proud of it because I showed what I’m capable of to all those who didn’t believe in me after a rough season.

You are in Europe racing now and what is your schedule, your goals?
I have two more races here. Vuelta Tarragona and Ronde de L’Isard. Both are mountainous stage races and suit me perfectly. There’s an uphill TT at Tarragona and I’m very motivated for that. Hopefully some redemption against those Spaniards after San Dimas, ha ha! My goal is to win over here. I know I have the legs and have been very close to winning multiple times already. But something has always gone wrong, whether it’s tactics or a breakaway staying away. The legs are good now and it’s just a matter of time until the rest of the cards fall in place. After Isard, I return home for the summer and the Tour of Pennsylvania.

What are your goals for the U23 Worlds?
I honestly haven’t thought about that at all yet. Worlds is always late in the season, and being such a big one day race, one needs a lot of luck at the right time. But if I’m at the start line, I can promise I’ll fight like a cornered dog until the end.

What do you like about and also miss when racing in Europe?
I like how the racing is always fast over here. In the US, when it goes hard, it’s just as fast, but there’s more lull in between. Here there’s just a higher tempo to it all day long, which I like. I miss home though of course. I like the life I have back in the USA and my friends and family and girlfriend are top notch. I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

My chain reaction

David Millar — Wed, 14 May 2008 21:07:11 +0000

Today was odd. So much of it was right. I was having fun this morning and found myself off the front for no reason other than I was having fun getting mixed up in the action with Maggy and Danny. It was all happening on its own. I didn’t need to try very hard.

Before I knew it, I was in a race winning break, and I rapidly switched into race winning mode. I started to get ultra switched-on and even a little short-tempered, a sure sign I’m in the zone.

It was hard.
I was feeling totally in control, but it was hard. I averaged 154 heart rate for 5 hrs. I have a max of 190 when fresh. So I was hurting myself, and yet I never doubted myself. I decided to win the sprint. So all I had to do was not hesitate a second when the other four started attacking me in the final. Because that was what they had to do. They all knew I would beat them in a sprint, so that would be their tactic.

I did this until my chain broke. I was so raging and so focused that all the energy I had for winning the race was taken out on my bike. I’m not that person, I don’t see red. But I think it’s quite funny I did that. I’ve yet to see the footage…

Anyway, probably the nicest thing is seeing how affected by it Whitey is. He’s never affected. Makes me remember how much he cares. The same goes for the whole team here. They’ve been lovely.

I love Grand Tours. I’ve got 15 more stages to rectify today. Brilliant.

Stuff happens

Jonathan Vaughters — Wed, 14 May 2008 18:31:27 +0000

I’ve been reviewing some Aztec sacrificial procedures the last few hours. Somehow, I think I’ve gotten it wrong. The manual is very hard to read to say the least, and the animals in our neighborhood seem to have become scarce recently. It’s either that or the fax to the Devil releasing my soul got stuck in the machine. I don’t know. But one way or another, we need to change something around here.

After looking at the chain that Mr. Millar broke today, the mechanics are plain dumbfounded. It didn’t break on the pin, but right in the middle of the link.

Why!!?? WHY?!!! (Screaming at the sky and looking scornfully at [insert denominational deity here].)

Anyhow, I guess this stuff happens. I mean, we only won the TTT by 6 seconds. And I’m sure that somewhere in those 6 seconds is some good luck. A corner we took faster than anyone else, but didn’t crash, something… So, you have to take the good with the bad, the ups with the downs.

I mean, how fun would it be if this team was just riding well or “good” everyday. No, no…We are either excellent or in a ditch crying.

I wouldn’t have it any other way, would you?

Giro stage 5: Bad break ends Millar’s brilliant day

Woody — Wed, 14 May 2008 17:15:00 +0000

Today’s relatively short 170 km stage was animated by the Argyle from start to finish. Magnus “Maggy” Backstedt kicked things off from the gun with a breakaway attempt. But the peloton wasn’t interested in letting the Swede go. After Maggy was reeled in, a group of five that included David Millar launched a counter attack.

The five worked together well and built up a solid gap of six minutes quickly. Their lead got up to just over nine minutes before the peloton decided to react. But it was too little too late and the five had a gap of two minutes with just 5 km to go.

Things were looking good for Millar as the strongest of the group…until just inside the 1 km banner when his chain broke! Since the mechanical happened within the last three kilometers, Millar was given the same finishing time as the last rider in the break. He also earned 6″ in time bonuses during the stage and moved up in the overall classification.

“There is not much to say but bad luck! Nothing more, no body to blame,” said DS Matt White. “We will try again soon.”

Slipstream Results Stage 4
1. Pavel Brutt 5:04′52″

27. Christian Vande Velde +31″
104. Magnus Backstedt +3′03″
107. Ryder Hesjedal +3′03″
111. Pat McCarty +3′18″
119. David Millar +25″
143. Julian Dean +8′53″
158. Chris Sutton +13′27″
166. Danny Pate +13′27″

Slipstream GC
1. Franco Pellizotti 21:46′49″
2. Christian Vande Velde +1″
3. Danilo Di Luca +7″
4. Morris Possoni +8″
5. Vincenzo Nibali +8″

64. David Millar +2′02″
81. Ryder Hesjedal +5′26″
160. Magnus Backstedt +29′40″
174. Julian Dean +34′06″
175. Pat McCarty +34′38″
180. Danny Pate +37′54″
188. Chris Sutton +44′29″

Giro stage 4: Slow day for tired peloton; Christian maintains 2nd place

Woody — Tue, 13 May 2008 20:30:50 +0000

David Millar looking a bit rugged after his epic day 3 at the Giro.

Tired from the long transfers and sore from all the crashes, the peloton took its time today on the flat, 187 km stage to Catanzaro Lungomare.

The average speed for the first four hours of the race was only 36 kph as the peloton let Verbrugghe get up to a ten-minute gap during his solo-break. Then, with about 10 km to go, the speed went up to 69 kph! as race entered the final finishing circuit.

Finishing in the main peloton, Christian Vande Velde, David Millar and Ryder Hesjedal all maintained their respective overall times with Christian still a second back in second.

**Photos coming soon.**

Slipstream Results Stage 4
1. Mark Cavendish 4:49′09″

41. Christian Vande Velde mt
51. David Millar mt
67. Ryder Hesjedal mt
166. Chris Sutton +10:18
176. Julian Dean +10:18
177. Magnus Backstedt +10:18
178. Pat McCarty +10:18
179. Danny Pate +10:18

Slipstream GC
1. Franco Pellizotti 16:41′26″
2. Christian Vande Velde +1″
3. Danilo Di Luca +7″
4. Morris Possoni +8″
5. Vincenzo Nibali +8″

76. David Millar +2′14″
85. Ryder Hesjedal +2′54″
178. Danny Pate +24′58″
180. Julian Dean +25′44″
184. Magnus Backstedt +27′08″
188. Chris Sutton +31′33″
190. Pat McCarty +31″51″

Velonews.com: Vande Velde’s day in pink

admin — Tue, 13 May 2008 16:09:55 +0000

Velonews.com reports on stage 2 of the 2008 Giro d’Italia and Christian Vande Velde’s day in pink. “We’ll ride to honor and defend the jersey, but today’s stage isn’t a typical road stage to open a grand tour, so we’ll have to see what happens,” said Canadian Ryder Hesjedal, third overall. “There are a lot of guys close and the time bonuses are up for grabs. We’re so pleased to have won the stage, that this it’s all a bonus.”

Injured Reserves Report: Za Dave heading home

Team Physician Prentice Steffen, MD — Tue, 13 May 2008 16:07:50 +0000

For me there’s a particular point in our medical team’s management of a serious injury situation when I feel the most relief. That’s when the involved rider gets on a plane and heads home. Early this morning our Team Physiologist Allen Lim took Dave Z to a small nearby airport and got him headed to LA to join his pregnant, soon-to-deliver wife Randi.

Allen, Team Chiropractor Kevin Reichlin, and I collaborated to make that moment possible, and I’m both relieved and proud of how we managed the situation. Dave had a serious injury and was never for a moment out of the capable hands of one of us or, later on, those of our amazing soigneurs. And now he’s headed home to the ones who care about him the most. Yeah and wheeew!

The rest of the crew are a bit banged up and bruised, but hanging in there with good morale. Julian (left post crash) and Pat in particular have miscellaneous routine crash-related injuries, but are doing fine. A couple of others have minor wear-and-tear issues we’re looking after. However after yesterday’s sketchy racing and record-setting transfer (well-chronicled below by David M and Pat), we can probably survive anything the Giro decides to throw at us.

So much of succeeding over here has to do with temperament… specifically the ability to just take situations as they come and to simply accept them for what they are. It’s a character trait that I think everyone in our Giro entourage has and it makes all the difference.

Times Colonist: Hesjedal looks to be first Canadian at Tour since ’90s

admin — Tue, 13 May 2008 09:37:58 +0000

The Times Colonist interviews Ryder Hesjedal on the possibility that he will be the first Canadian cyclist in more than ten years to compete in the Tour de France.

“Victoria’s Ryder Hesjedal is the kind of athlete whose persona in competition conflicts sharply with his demeanour away from it. Soft-spoken and introspective when he is off the bike, Hesjedal turns into Speed Racer when he is on it. Hesjedal is part of the U.S.-based Slipstream-Chipotle team and looking to become the first Canadian racer in the Tour since Gord Fraser in 1997.”

PezCycling News: Bravissimo Slipstream!

admin — Tue, 13 May 2008 09:31:13 +0000

PezCycling News reports on Slipstream/Chipotle H3O’s win in the opening team time trial in the 2008 Giro d’Italia.

From the report “Never have I seen a team so absolutely thrilled with their performance as I did today on the streets of Palermo. The genuine emotion gushed from all members of the team as they rode like the stars they are and put Christian Vende Velde into the maglia rosa.”