Category VII Cycling

If yesterday’s stage helped exorcise the demons of a horrific early season start for Euskadi, today showed that the Basque Tour could well be the national celebration the squad was hoping for. Samuel Sanchez for the second day in a row outsprinted Alberto Contador (although that characterization is being generous in its description of Contador’s ability in the final few meters…) taking again the day’s honors and holding the leader’s jersey. Contador and a handful of others remains a threat for the overall, given Sanchez’s limited time trialing ability (similar to Contador’s sprinting prowess), but Sanchez has clearly salvaged Euskadi’s honor and will keep the flag waving high through the end.

Today’s stage also reminded why the Basque Tour today has a rep as a solid preparation race for Liege-Bastogne-Liege and the other Ardennes races – the end straight ascended one of those sick, short, but ultra steep freaks of nature that the Belgian and Dutch countryside seems so adept at creating. That Rebellin was hard charging up the final ascent, certainly bodes well for Gerolsteiner’s prospects at Fleche Wallone and Liege. And similarly, Cadel Evans’ strong showing has to boost morale at Davitamon-Lotto. Along with Valverde (who lost contact with the front group on the final ascent today), Ivan Basso (winner of the short TT at Sarthe today) and Paolo Bettini, these riders will likely be the core protagonists at La Doyenne in a few weeks’ time.