Alright - so who knows cycling... Alejandro Valverde had a huge win today in the first stage of the Tour de France. Today was an actual road race rather than the usual prologue (usually time trial format). Generally the first stage is short and is set up to create a pretty acurate line up for the first real stage the following day. Making it a time trial really weeds out the really good cyclists in top form. Today, because it was an actual road race left the field wide open. A stage like today would normally be suited for the sprinters because they have few chances to slip on a Yellow Jersey. Sprinters are quick and can usually beat the climbers and the all arounders because they have no reason to preserve energy --- it's just win, win, win (stages that is - they have no hope of winning the Tour).
But because this Tour started without a winner from the previous year (they generally have special priviledges at the start of the next year's Tour) -- the stakes were high to have someone step out and assert dominance. That man was Alejandro Valverde - a man who is widely believed to be a major contender for the podium in Paris - if not someone who could finish in Yellow as number one. Valverde had a huge finish, out in front all by himself without a slew of sprinters crashing down on him... Good on ya Valverde...
1 comment:
a very good stage indeed! I enjoyed it! What a great ending...thought it was gonna be the columbia guy, but Valverde showed him who was better :). Did you happen to catch the footage of him getting the yellow jersey...he did the usual kiss for the girls, and then kissed the lion :) how cute!
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