Team Katusha rider Joaquim Rodriguez was expected to make a move on yesterday’s queen stage of the Vuelta al Pais Vasco, using his explosive strength to eke out an additional advantage. Tomorrow’s stage is a time trial and with rivals Andreas Klöden, Samuel Sanchez and Chris Horner expected to be faster there, it was thought that the would try to bolster his lead prior to the race against the clock.
That expectation was further fuelled by his performance on the opening stage, when he was strongest on the climb of the Alto de la Antigua and then won a four-man sprint to the line.
However, rather than being able to reproduce that power, he was one of the quieter riders in the group of favourites. Xavier Tondo (Movistar) and Frank Schleck (Leopard Trek) were the main aggressors, with Tondo staying clear until one kilometre to go, while others such as Alexandre Vinokourov (Astana), Andy Schleck (Leopard Trek) and Samuel Sanchez (Euskaltel-Euskadi) also went on the attack.
They all finished together at the end, preserving things as they were heading into the stage.
“It was a a very tough day due to the hot weather we faced,” Rodriguez said, explaining his quiet showing. “I suffered with the accelerations in the finale because I think I am lacking a little bit of power.”
He had a slower start to the season than last year, due mainly to a cyst on his leg, and is still building condition. He believes he’ll have a fight on his hands on today’s undulating 177 kilometre stage from Eibar to Zalla. It doesn’t really offer the terrain he would need to gain time, but could make things complicated for him and his Katusha squad to monitor all his rivals.
“It’ll be very difficult to control the whole stage because I think a lot of teams are going to try to go in breaks,” he said, thinking ahead. “However I´ll try to reach the final ITT on Saturday as GC leader and try to fight for a good position in the final overall ranking.”
Rodriguez is locked on time with Klöden and Sanchez, and is one second ahead of last year’s champion, Chris Horner.