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Sastre loses time in muddy Giro stage

May 15, 2010 - Filed under: TestTeam

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It seems Cervélo Test Team captain Carlos Sastre (Esp) cannot catch a break in this year's Giro d'Italia. Sastre and Cervélo teammate Xavier Tondo (Esp) both crashed when race leader Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) hit the deck with about 35km to go in Saturday's epic 220km stage across the gravel roads of Tuscany in the Giro's seventh stage.

Both Cervélo men lost more than five minutes in the cold, rainy stage won by Cadel Evans(Aus) while Alexander Vinokourov (Kaz) regained the race leader's pink jersey.

"Carlos and Tondo both fell when they came into a corner when three Liquigas riders crashed right in front of them. They were in good position, but when the crash occurred there was nothing they could do," explained Cervélo sport director Alex Sans Vega. "They got up pretty fast and made it through the first section of gravel roads, but had to stop to change bikes due to a problem caused by the crash. They did what they could, but in the final seven-eight kilometers, they struggled with fatigue caused by the cold, the rain, the crash and the nerves."

"Today's stage was truly difficult. At first, things looked like they were going more or less well, but the crash came just before the gravel section. The crash caused some pain and later I had to change the bike because I couldn't change the gears. I couldn't change the bike until we got through the first gravel section because it took awhile for the car to get through," Sastre said. "We were able to return to the (Nibali) group but later near the finish line, with about 8km to go, I suffered an amazing 'bonk' (fatigue). If I hadn't been accompanied by Xavier, who did an impressive job, it could have been much worse."

Despite losing ground in the first week, Sastre insists not is all lost. "Well, we've gotten through another day at the Giro," he said. "The most important thing now is to recover from the fall and even though it's difficult, there's still a lot of Giro ahead of us."

Unfortunately, the crash came just as the speeds were picking up and the main pack was about to roar onto two long sections of wet, muddy gravel roads that trace the hills of Tuscany.

Luckily, neither rider appeared seriously injured other than typical cuts and scrapes that come with a fall. Other members of Cervélo's Giro team also endured a long, hard day in the saddle, but vow to keep fighting. The good news is that all nine riders remain in the race after the rough-and-tumble first week at the Giro.

"Luck has not accompanied us since the start of this Giro. Every day has been nervous, stressful, with a lot of crashes and rain," Sans Vega said. "We're going to keep fighting. There are still two weeks of the Giro and in these two weeks, many things can happen."

"Logically, if you look at the times on GC, we have to be realistic. The situation is now more complicated. We just have to make our race and that's it," Sans Vega said. "But we have to remember that this is a very hard Giro. Normally, the third week is very hard, but it will be even more difficult due to the grueling first week we've had. It's been very long, very hard, very fast, with a lot of stress and rain. I think that's going to cause a lot of damage in the third week."

The 93rd Giro continues Sunday with the 189km eighth stage from Chianciano Terme to Terminillo in what's the first summit finish of this year's edition.

Stage 7: Carrara - Montalcino 222km
1 Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC Racing Team
2 Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre-Farnese Vini
3 Alexandre Vinokourov (Kaz) Astana

Cervelo TestTeam

36 Xavier Tondo (Esp)
37 Carlos Sastre (Esp)
103 Daniel Lloyd (GBr)
131 Gabriel Rasch (Nor)
157 Volodimir Gustov (Ukr)
158 Ted King (USA)
159 Ignatas Konovalovas (Ltu)
161 Marcel Wyss (Swi)
166 Iñigo Cuesta (Esp)

4 responses for this Entry

adrian valleyview says:

May 16, 2010

Carlos, from here on there is nothing to lose. Bring it. They have counted you out, and maybe they're right, but you can still give them hell. Show them what Carlos can do on his Cervelo. Make them pay. Hausler, keep your head forward in the last 200 meters. Keep up the good fight.

slim says:

May 15, 2010

time to wake up....and stop minimalizing the loss of time again and again......it's frustrating to see how many black shirts are in the back of the peleton every day again.

time to rumble team cervelo

Andrew(Hun) says:

May 15, 2010

I have to agree with him...Carlos please weak up, and forge ahead!

You are better then this, Your are better then Them!

GO Carlos!!

GO CTT!!

Frustrated says:

May 15, 2010

i am tired of reading about bad luck and excuses. My heart is bleading cause my team (Cervelo) again cannot make the play. AGAIN this is much because Carlos cannot position himself in the peloton. AGAIN he is sitting way to far back and the rest of the team has to fight like cats and dogs to bring him back into position and ofcourse it takes to much of his powers too, to get back into the peloton. How hard can it be? He has sooo much experience, STILL he is sitting to far back when things are happening. Look at Evans, Armstrong, Contador, and other big names, they are RIGHT at the front and by that they don't have to use to much energy being in the peloton. This is NOT the first time Carlos is making this mistake, what does it take to make him understand? I can see the pictures, NO he is not in the front as he says sometimes, he is BEHIND all the other favorites. It must be frustrating for more people than me to see that he is not there when it happens. Ofcourse you have falls and mishappenings, but the chances for that happening is smaller when you sit at the front, not behind the front. He is also using his teams energy because of his own rookie mistakes instead of having them fresh and helping when he most would have needed it, like today. Carlos, you need to wake up and stop this habit of sitting to far back, although it seems you don't learn.

This is written cause I love you, but now i couldn't hold my tounge anymore.

Maybe now it would be time to let the Giro go and concentrate on the Tour and then REALLY learn from your mistakes and don't just say it!