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Vuelta Notebook: Ballerini confident; Barry eyes world's; Gerdemann impressive; what's next

Published: Aug. 31, 2005
Barry, shown leading Wednesday's break, hopes for a world's berth
Barry, shown leading Wednesday's break, hopes for a world's berth
Photo: Graham Watson

Italian national team coach Franco Ballerini can leave the Vuelta a España confident that Alessandro Petacchi is on track for the Madrid world championships.

Somewhat surprisingly, Ballerini was still holding out judgment on the Italian sprinter. Back-to-back victories Monday and Tuesday went a long way toward shoring up his confidence in the Fassa Bortolo sprinter.

“These victories give us confidence in Petacchi that we can build a team entirely around him. Because if he’s not where he needs to be, we might bring a team with two leaders,” he said. “Petacchi still needs to prove he’s strong.”

Ballerini said Petacchi and Olympic champion Paolo Bettini are the only two riders assured of a spot on the nine-man Italian team. The remaining selection won’t be made until the middle of September.

“The Vuelta will tell us a lot,” Ballerini said. “We want to wait to see who is truly strong enough to deserve a spot on the team.”

This year’s selection will be somewhat complicated by new UCI rules that limit teams to nine riders. In the past, Italy enjoyed 12 or even 13 riders as defending champion. A cap of nine was introduced to make the field more competitive.

One name all but sure to start is Giovanni Lombardi, the veteran set-up artist who led Mario Cipollini to victory in the 2002 world championships in Zolder. Lombardi lives in Madrid and wanted to ride the world’s as his final race as a pro, but has decided to extend his career after recently signing a two-year contract extension with Team CSC.

“He’s very smart and he’s so experienced,” Ballerini said. “We won’t choose him just because he lives in Madrid, but because he deserves a place on the team.”

Ballerini was also sure the Madrid course will conclude in a sprint.

“It’s a sprinter’s course, don’t think otherwise,” he said. “With three or four teams interested in bringing it to a sprint, it’s all but certain to be a sprint.”

Ballerini was also sizing up the talent among the rivals, but he said one rider not in the Vuelta is the most dangerous to Petacchi.

“The most dangerous rider is McEwen,” Ballerini said. “There’s a dangerous turn close to the finish and McEwen is the best at coming out of corners. Of all the contenders, he’s the one I’m most worried about.”

Barry expects world’s bid
Michael Barry said he’s expecting a bid to start the world championships set for Madrid a week after the Vuelta concludes. The Discovery Channel rider – who animated Wednesday’s fifth stage as part of the day’s main breakaway - said Canada will only have one spot this year.

“I think it’s a pretty good chance I might be going. I have this race to get ready and it’s close right after Madrid,” Barry said. “It looks like it will be an interesting race. It’s long and everyone is expecting it will be a sprint, but it’s extremely long race and it will be hard for the teams to control.”

Gerdemann: Germany’s next big thing
Linus Gerdemann is a name few outside Germany have heard of, but that’s sure to change in the coming years. Team CSC manager Bjarne Riis calls the 22-year-old from Munster “the best German rider since Jan Ullrich.”

That’s a lot of pressure for a young rider, but Gerdemann seems quietly confident in his abilities. Thanks to a tip from Jens Voigt, Riis invited the German protégé to Team CSC’s training camp in January and quickly offered him a contract after seeing him hold his own during the team’s brutal workouts.

Gerdemann joined the team in May and quickly left a mark, taking the leader’s jersey for one day and finishing fifth overall in Four Days of Dunkirk in his first pro race. He followed that up with a third-place podium spot in the Bayern Rundfahrt and then improved on that by winning a stage at the Tour de Suisse.

Gerdemann is making his three-week tour debut during the Vuelta a España without any pressure. Team CSC officials simply want him to arrive to Madrid and help team captain Carlos Sastre when he can.

“I am not at 100 percent fitness here, so the most important thing is to try to finish the race. I want to stay at the front and help Carlos finish strong in the overall,” he said. “I want to pay back the team. They were supporting me in my first races and it’s almost never heard of a team to support a neo-pro in their first races.”

Gerdemann said he hears the comparisons to Ullrich, but he insists he’s nowhere near that level now. In the future, he’d like to shine in the grand tours, but for now he’s content on learning the ropes.

“In a few years, I want to focus on the stage races. I still need some time to develop into a stage racer. I’ve started late in my career as a cyclists, so I don’t want to put too much pressure on me,” he said. “It’s one thing to say, but it’s much harder to actually do. I think I can do it in the next few years, but I don’t want to make a big show. I will take it step by step.”

Where it stands
Thor Hushovd (Credit Agricole) won his first career victory in the Vuelta and moved into the points leader’s jersey ahead of Alessandro Petacchi (Fassa Bortolo). Brad McGee (FDJeux) finished 16th in the lead group to retain both the leader’s jersey and the combined jersey while Joaquin Rodriguez (Saunier Duval) retained the climber’s jersey. Liberty Seguros retained the lead in the team’s competition.

Three riders abandoned – Iban Mayo (Euskaltel), Quique Gutierrez (Phonak) and Mirco Lorenzetto (Domina Vacanze) – leaving 190 riders in the Vuelta.

What’s next
The 60th Vuelta a España continues Thursday with the 217km sixth stage from Cuenca to Estación de Esquí Aramón Valdelinares, a climb regularly featured in the Tour of Aragon.

Vuelta Notebook: Ballerini confident; Barry eyes world's; Gerdemann impressive; what's next
Vuelta Notebook: Ballerini confident; Barry eyes world's; Gerdemann impressive; what's next

The rolling four-climb stage features the Vuelta’s first summit finish in a day that’s sure to reveal who doesn’t have the legs to win this Vuelta. There’s a category three climb in the opening 27.5km followed by a category-two climb at 66km that’s sure to spring some early attacks.

From there the course pushes east through Teruel, hitting the Cat. 2 Alto de San Rafael at 203km. There’s a quick descent ahead of the 9km, 570m climb to Valdelinares. The climb pushes through dense pine forests, with grades as steep as eight percent for an average of 6.2 percent.

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