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Konovalovas 4th in TT

July 24, 2010 - Filed under: TestTeam

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Cervélo’s Ignatas Konovalovas (LTU) posted an excellent result in Saturday’s 52 km individual time trial to confirm he could have a bright future in three-week stage races.

Konovalovas stopped the clock in 1 hour, 3 minutes, 30 seconds to finish fourth at 2:34 back in the flat, windy route from Bordeaux to Pauillac. Fabian Cancellara (SUI) won the stage and Alberto Contador (ESP) cemented the overall title.

“It was very hard today. I was suffering all the time. You cannot give yourself a rest. I got caught by Cancellara after 20kms, then I kept the same gap for 20kms, so it helped me a lot. Then I cracked in the last eight kilometers. He started sprinting and then I couldn’t hold his tempo anymore. It was a good time trial, because I can see that I can keep the speed of Cancellara. OK, not for 50kms, but if I can keep that for 20km, that’s a good sign for me,” Konovalovas said. “The legs are OK. I fell stronger, more experienced. The Tour de France is a great experience.”

Konovalovas led Cervélo in the important time trial to settle the overall standings. Strong headwinds and crosswinds hammered the riders as they raced one at a time against the clock across the vineyards north of Bordeaux.

Cervélo sport director Jean-Paul van Poppel (NED) said the result confirms that Konovalovas has a bright future in three-week tours.

“I think it was a very important result for Ignatas. This is his first Tour de France and after all of what he’s done for the team since day one to be able to still have the power in his legs to make such a great race on the second-to-last day is a great sign,” Konovalovas said. “It proves he has a great motor, and that he can recover and handle a three-week tour. He has a great future.”

The remainder of the team didn’t push too hard because the team wants to give the maximum in Sunday’s finale on the Champs-Elysées.

Cervélo’s Thor Hushovd (NOR) will make a run for the final sprint in Paris to wrap up the 2010 Tour de France. Hushovd could still win the green jersey if he’s able to make up the 10-point difference to Alessandro Petacchi (ITA).

“The rest of the team didn’t go too deep. A few riders wanted to do something special in the final time trial, but with the idea of saving something for Sunday for the final sprint on the Champs-Élysées,” Van Poppel said. “We know with 10 points behind in the green jersey it’s going to be difficult, but the team has to be ready. We are going to try Sunday.”

Cervélo’s Carlos Sastre (ESP) finished 48th in the stage and climb into 20th overall.

The 2010 Tour concludes Sunday with the 102.5 km 20th stage from Longjumeau to Paris. There are two intermediate sprints before hitting eight laps on the Champs-Élysées. Cervélo will ride to support Hushovd in the final stage what almost always ends in a mass sprint.

Tour de France Stage 19 Results: Bordeaux > Pauillac 52.0 km

1^st	Fabian Cancellara (SUI)	1:00:56	51.20 km/h (31.81 mph)
2^nd	Tony Martin (GER)	+0.17
3^rd	Bert Grabsch (GER)	+1.48
4^th	Ignatas Konovalovas (LTU)	+2.34
5^th	David Zabriskie (USA)	+3.00

30^th	Brett Lancaster (AUS)	+5.16
48^th	Carlos Sastre (ESP)	+6.30
88^th	Jeremy Hunt (GBR)	+7.46
105^th	Volodimir Gustov (UKR)	+8.25
124^th	Thor Hushovd (NOR)	+9.03
155^th	Daniel Lloyd (GBR)	+10.19
161^st	Andreas Klier (GER)	+10.33

General Classification after Stage 19:

1^st	Alberto Contador Velasco (ESP)	89:16:27	39.65 km/h (24.64 mph)
2^nd	Andy Schleck (LUX)	+0.39
3^rd	Denis Menchov (RUS)	+2.01

20^th	Carlos Sastre (ESP)	+26.37
35^th	Volodimir Gustov (UKR)	+1.09.51
111^st	Thor Hushovd (NOR)	+3.12.57
127^th	Ignatas Konovalovas (LTU)	+3.23.36
159^th	Brett Lancaster (AUS)	+3.57.00
163^th	Jeremy Hunt (GBR)	+4.02.59
164^th	Daniel Lloyd (GBR)	+4.02.59
168^th	Andreas Klier (GER)	+4.17.16

Points Classification after Stage 19:

1^st	Alessandro Petacchi (ITA)	213
2^nd	Thor Hushovd (NOR)	203
3^rd	Mark Cavendish (GBR)	197

79^th	Carlos Sastre (ESP)	16
96^th	Brett Lancaster (AUS)	12
103^th	Jeremy Hunt (GBR)	8
107^th	Ignatas Konovalovas (LTU)	8
126^th	Daniel Lloyd (GBR)	4
130^th	Volodimir Gustov (UKR)	2

5 responses for this Entry

cg says:

July 28, 2010

Does anyone have the Power-Tap data for this ride? I am curious what the average power produced by Ignatas during the 52 km ride and how much it changed when he cracked in the last 8 KM.

Cycling says:

July 26, 2010

Even if Petacchi and Cav Thor would not be in the top 3. not this year maybe next year it will be another story, so why not to try to show good time in the time trial? And you know that Lampre and HTC -Columbia would control the race so you dont need much help there

Pål says:

July 25, 2010

I know, but no other Cervélo rider have a chance either..

Thor is our best shout!!

What if Petacchi and Cavendish go down?

You never know..

Cycling says:

July 25, 2010

Because Thor have no chance in Paris at all

Pål says:

July 25, 2010

Impressive by Ignatas Konovalovas but he was a little lucky as in the Giro last year.

But why not save the energy for Thor and Champs-Élysées tomorrow?