Moldovans
David Smith | Tuesday 1st June, 2004
David Smith |   |
Things have been a bit hectic since my last diary entry! May has been stage race month, I've had 4 of them and a round of the French cup!
I think in my last peice I'd got as far as the French cup, after that it was Le Tréfle de Dordogne, followed by Le Tour d'Auvergne and this weekend was Le Tour des Combrailles. All three were E3/Nat category but attracted strong fields from all over the south of France including Andrew Murphy's former team VC Cévenol and his former flat mates, the Moldovan's Ruslan Sambris and Vlaceslav Talasimov. Now these pair get a special mention because they have basically cleaned up and they are the same age as me!, 18!! Such was thier domination of Combrailles, between them they won the overall, both road stages, the team time trial, best espoir, points jersey and climber's jersey!! On the final stage of the race I got to experience their tactical know-how and awesome power first hand when I found myself along side them, 2 Chambéry riders and an Ambert rider in the winning break. I'm not entirely sure how I managed it but I rode across to them on the final GPM of the day, a 3km hairpinned ramp that reduced most to the 39*23!! At the top there was 30km to go and we had a minute on the remains of the bunch.
I always knew it was going to be very difficult for any of us to beat them, they were too strong to get dropped and we were outnumbered. On a long descent they both moved ahead and Talasimov launched on the breaks in a hairpin allowing Sambris to get 50metres or so. Surprisingly, I've found the most of the French riders to be pretty bad descenders even in the dry and well, it was wet and they were even worse! I stupidly had positioned myself too close to the back, none of the French riders could shut the gap and by the bottom Sambris had a good 200metres on us. With Talasimov hindering the chase it was game over and before we knew it he was 45seconds up the road with only 5km to go! With the win no longer a possibility I had to think of a way to beat Talasimov in the sprint, no easy task when the previous week he had thrashed Florian Vachon, (current leader of the French espoir series!!) in a head to head! Fortunately it was an uphill sprint which a knew would suit me better, unfortunately I didn't know the finish at all as it twisted up through a village. Suddenly we saw the 500m sign and Talasimov jumped (imagine a 250cc motor bike accelerate!) and I dived for his wheel. Already too late, the finish was fast approaching and I couldn't come round him or the Ambert rider and I finished a dissapointing 4th.
It had been probably the toughest of the stage races we'd done in terms of terrain and format (mountainous, 96km saturday, 21km team time trial sunday and to make it a real 'belle course' 116km in the afternoon!) but I'd managed my best stage placing and GC position of 11th and I think the team were pleased with how I'd done. I have to take my hat off to the Moldovans, they are by far the most impressive riders here and I can thoroughly sympathize with Andrew. Living with them when the racing isn't going well for you must be really demoralizing because they win all the time, Combrailles made their 16th victory of the season between them, not to mention all the Sprints and Mountains competitions they've won! Something to aim for I guess.....getting closer anyway!
The plan now after a crit on Thursday is to have a few days off then go back to doing some volume and strength work, can't wait!! (no sarcasm intended!)
à bientot!
