14 DAY TRIAL // Cyclists are once more asked to get on their time trial bikes for this stage and I am faced with a difficult question: do I push my riders as hard as I can in order to keep up with the other favorites or do I take it easy in order to have some energy left for the coming days?
The other problem with this rather short time trial is that I need to use some of my team to try to get a feeling of how hard I can push, to establish some time targets to aim for with Andy Schleck and with Andreas Kloden.
Irizar is already weakened so I push him much too hard on the first third of the course and I don’t get all the information I need for a successful Tour stage.
I do the same with Cancellara and then I am much too careful with Montfort and even as my leader leaves the starting ramp, I don’t know exactly how to pace him.
I end up doing things half right and he ends up with a solid time considering his lack of ability in the discipline.
Andreas Kloden is the big disappointment and his weak performance is all my fault.
Seeing his +5 daily form, I get the idea that I can try to challenge for the stage with him and I have manage to get third place at the second intermediate time check, which is a very good result.
Unfortunately, I up the tempo rather than reduce it in the final third and my German rider ends the stage one minute down on eventual winner Wiggins (who is not even part of the real Tour).
I still have much work to do, but the coming two days are sprint focused, so I will take it easy.
Here’s a look at the rides against the clock of two team members and the leader of the race.
