Fassa in Portugal

Cyclingnews.com has no reports on the Volta a Portugal (I'm not complaining
- I'm happy even to have the results!), so what I am posting here is purely
speculative based on the hard numbers that the race produced. It doesn't
help that the Volta a Portugal does not have any secondary competitions,
such as the points race or KOM, but nonetheless a few things can be singled
out and they're pretty cut and dry.

Best placed of Fassa Bortolo's entrants on GC was Tom Danielson, 31st at
40:50. His best result in the race was a surprisingly good 7th in the final
31 km time trial. As far as his performance out on the road, he must have
figured in a number of breakaways, but he never made the final selection in
a big way. Dario Frigo was next best, 36th at 45:46. For most of the race
he was finishing ahead of Danielson, but then in one day, he lost 27
minutes, and his time-trial was unimpressive. I don't see any reason to
think he'll be a contender in the Vuelta a España.

There were a couple of bright spots for Fassa besides Danielson's pluck, as
Fabio Sacchi and Alberto Ongarato each took a stage. Sacchi won a two-man
sprint ahead of several scattered chase groups, and Ongarato took a big
field sprint to make up for the lack of Alessandro Petacchi.

This is a race that I would like to know more about. The mix of contestants
is unique, with fledgling Div. II and III teams from all over Europe (and
Africa) sending their best riders.. but it attracted some real talent from
the big guns Fassa and Lampre, too, and of course the Milaneza-Maia team is
always prepared for this event. There were, in fact, three Portuguese teams
represented, one in Div. I, one in Div. II and one in Div. III, and the
rivalry between the two better ones, Milaneza-Maia and L.A. Pecol, seems to
be quite fierce. In the final GC, the two of them had three riders each in
the top 6, wich Milaneza's David Bernabeu taking the top prize.

I'm picturing a pretty intense team battle, raging vehemently over the
course of two weeks, and a glance at the day-to-day stage results seems to
support that notion. The time gaps between the top 10 followed an odd
pattern: rather than opening up with each ensuing mountain stage, they
closed more and more as everybody attacked everybody else and took back the
time they had lost. Coming into the final ITT, the gap between first and
second was 8 seconds. Afterwards it was 2:08. It must have been a thrill
to watch, but we'll never know...

-Sonarrat.

"Sonarrat" wrote in message Coming into the final
ITT, the gap between first and
second was 8 seconds. Afterwards it was 2:08. It must have been a thrill
to watch, but we'll never know...
It is shown on RTPInternacional although due to work I only saw two stages.
The mountain stages are very impressive and usually seem to end at
Observatories or peak top monasteries. The Fassa win was exciting
particularly as the bunch nearly took the vehicle deviation on the
roundabout just before the finish. He would have won but Barbosa and a
couple of others had to do quick U turns. If you do get the chance to see
RTP evr they cover most of the important Portuguese races.
All the best
Dan Gregory


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Sonarrat wrote in message ...

Cyclingnews.com has no reports on the Volta a Portugal

Best placed of Fassa Bortolo's entrants on GC was Tom Danielson, 31st at
40:50. His best result in the race was a surprisingly good 7th in the final
31 km time trial.

... Coming into the final ITT, the gap between first and
second was 8 seconds. Afterwards it was 2:08. It must have been a thrill
to watch, but we'll never know...

No, we won't. Getting only numbers doesn't provide for very
interesting "spectating." FWIW, Apparently the ITT was on a technical
course in the rain. (From an acquaintance who had friend there)

DR