ken_trekking さん
BASSO! バッソ！！ BASSO!!! [cycle road race]
ゴール直後
去年片山右京のジロ取材番組を観てからロードレースに
興味を持ち始め、にわか自転車ファン真っ最中の僕ですが、
日曜日のレースはもう興奮しっぱなしの展開となりました。
右京もファンということで記憶に残っていた選手イヴァン・バッソ。
いわゆるイケメン。’06のGiro d' Italiaを制し、トップ選手と
なるが、プロ・ツールを巻き込んだドーピング疑惑により
07'から2年間出場停止。09'のGiroから本格復帰を果たして
いたというこの選手がリクイガスというチームのエースとして
参戦していました。第15戦まではもう一人のエース、ニバリに
押されていて今年のジロはエースはニバリでという戦略に
なりかけていた第16ステージ。しかも過去に例を見ないと
いう強烈な難コース「ゾンコラン」。約200km、3つの山を
越えてきた最後に待ち受けるのが「ゾンコラン峠」で、
上り距離は10.1km、平均勾配11.9％、最大斜度22％と
いう激坂を登って頂上ゴールするというレイアウト。いわゆる
「クライマー」のバッソには得意とするステージだが、今の
勢いではどうか？と思っていた。途中下りの苦手なバッソは
ニバリに40秒ほど差を開けられるが、なんとか平坦地で
追いつきゾンコラン峠。リクイガスの強力なアシスト陣の
引きにも助けられて、バッソは足を温存しつつ先頭集団の
前方に位置。一定のペースを保ちながら走れば、周りは
勝手に千切れていった。そしてチーム内のライバル、ニバリ
も前日の疲れもあったのだろうか千切れていった。上りの
得意な4人に絞られて峠の途中まで行ったが、とうとう
エヴァンスとバッソに絞られる。エヴァンスは現世界チャンプ
だ。バッソは座ったままで漕ぎ、エヴァンスはダンシングを
するのがスタイルのよう。2人になってもバッソは一定のペースを
保ち、まだ余裕がありそうだった。そして最後の3.7km地点。
バッソが一気にペースアップをかけると、エヴァンスはたまら
ず千切れていってしまった。ものすごいレース。普段は「微笑」
と称されるレース中のバッソの顔が鬼の形相になっていた。
去年のジロや今年のこれまでのレースでは見たことがない顔。
気迫が前面に出ていて、男から見ても格好良い。やっぱり
必死になっている人間は美しいんだなと思った。僕もこうあら
なければならない。
こうあるべき（クリックして拡大して見てください。是非！！）
実況によれば最難関ステージと目されていたこの日、
何もないだたの山である「ゾンコラン峠」には15万人の
ファンが詰め掛けていたとのこと。ものすごい人気。ゴール
直前はファンからのすさまじい歓声に包まれ、沿道のファンも
体に触りそうなほどエキサイトしていた。そしてゴール。
去年から常に上位に位置して、力を見せてはいたが、
リクイガスの中でも「エース」の地位を手放しつつあった
バッソの会心のレースだった。僕も初めてこの人の強いレース
を目の当たりにしてすっかり興奮してしまったのでした。
第21ステージまで残り6つ。4年ぶりの総合優勝マリア・ローザを
目指してバッソがどういう走りで魅せてくれるのか。
ゾンコラン激坂
"The best day since my return and the team was fantastic"
Italiano Tedesco Spagnolo Francese Olandese Inglese
MONTE ZONCOLAN (Udine), 23 May 2010 - Ivan Basso's eyes speak the only language known by Monte Zoncolan: the language of exhaustion. If his eyes are shining brightly on the podium after the stage that opens up a path towards the final victory, it's because during the most difficult portion of the climb, his eyes were almost squeezed shut. Opening up onto a "vertical" world where a racer can unload his spite and anger onto the asphalt. Four years after his last success (Aprica, 27 May 2006), two years after his involvement in Operación Puerto.
HELLISH. "This is the best day since I got back. The team was fantastic, it pulled for over 100 kilometres. Evans is a great champion, he came in second but he was racing, like me. This climb is hellish, you have to take it at your own rhythm or you'll blow up. It was really tough, it must be attacked and you have to be concentrated all the time. The classification? I'm happy today but there are still alot of very tiring days ahead." Humility. And yet Basso is third, at 3'33" from Arroyo (Porte is less than a minute away),his glance is focused on Tuesday's uphill time trial (tomorrow is a rest day) and on Friday's Aprica stage. The Varese native is now ahead of everyone in the ranking of the front runners, a fact that would make even the most patient of racers froth at the mouth with rage, thinking back on what happened in L'Aquila.
"Basso and Evans front-runners" David Arroyo's eyes are not as happy as they were yesterday. The captain of the Caisse d'Epargne is aware of the fact that making it all the way to Verona with the pink jersey will be quite an enterprise. "Today's goal was to maintain first position in the classification. It was really a terrible stage. I'll think about the uphill time trial later." Among the defeated racers, there is surely Carlos Sastre, whose assessment is enlightening: "Liquigas is an amazing team, I'm maturing, I'm going steady. But my condition is nothing like that of Ivan and Evans. They remain my favourites. Basso is one of the greatest professionals I know. He really put on an awesome show here." Simoni closed his account with Zoncolan (very much in the black) among the applause and cheering of thousands of fans in a festive environment. "This time I really enjoyed the spectators, it was a different feeling."
Basso, a leader with pride: "Now they look at me straight in the eye."
RASUN DI SOTTO (Bolzano), 24 May 2010 - The life of Ivan Basso has not changed since the Zoncolan has given him back the spice of victory. What has changed is the world rotating around him. The team, his public, his rivals. Now the "fallen" champion is recovered, he is now seen in a different light.
"THEY LOOK AT ME STRAIGHT IN THE EYES" During the second and last day of rest, on the eve of the individual uphill time trials from San Vigilio di Marebbe to the ski trails of Plan de Coronnes, Basso explains how his relationship with cycling and his public has changed two years after his disqualification. "I am happy that the people are on my side. In these months, every fan made up his or her own idea of what happened. I respect those who criticize me, but until now I have only received much affection. Even up on Zoncolan I understood that people can only trust you by looking into your eyes. The look in one's eyes tells the truth. You can read the sentiment, there is no hiding or changing. My results, my training charts...Everything is on my website. I am doing everything with the maximum transparency."
CREDIBILITY A necessity in today's cycling. It is different now. More "human", like the difficulties and the efforts that are emerging in the Giro d'Italia. Even more credible? "Certainly, I am speaking for my team and I am saying that we are doing everything possible so that Liquigas-Doimo races the right way. The other teams? Everyone in the Giro is undergoing the same tests we are (the latest UCI biological passport test was just this morning). We must believe that this sport has changed and give it a vote of confidence."
SINK OR SWIM. The position in the classifcation is more than advantageous. Basso is third at 3'33" from pink jersey Arroyo, but above all, he has a 48" lead on Sastre and 1'10" on Evans, his most dangerous adversary. "Being the front-runner has never brought me luck, I'd rather not make any forecasts. We have been preparing this Giro for months now, everyone knows how much this means to Liquigas-Doimo. What counts the most is the team's attitude. We must keep united, I believe in my pack all the way, 100%. If we must sink, we'll do it together, if we win it will be everybody's victory. There was a great reaction after L'Aquila: head and legs have always been connected."
THE CLIMB "The climb up Plan de Corones is a very difficult trial for me. Everyone saw who I am on Zoncolan: an athlete that can maintain speed for a long time, one who gave it all he had on a hellish climb after five hours of racing. Time trials require an enomous effort that perhaps are better suited to other champions. The winner of the Giro is one who is able to be steady overall," concludes the native of Varese, winner of the 2006 Giro. Vincenzo Nibali (seventh at 6'08") adds: "My favourite is Scarponi. He can be more explosive, when compared to Evans, in a brief yet intense climb like the one at Plan de Corones. My role? Staying close to Ivan up until Verona."
去年片山右京のジロ取材番組を観てからロードレースに
興味を持ち始め、にわか自転車ファン真っ最中の僕ですが、
日曜日のレースはもう興奮しっぱなしの展開となりました。
右京もファンということで記憶に残っていた選手イヴァン・バッソ。
いわゆるイケメン。’06のGiro d' Italiaを制し、トップ選手と
なるが、プロ・ツールを巻き込んだドーピング疑惑により
07'から2年間出場停止。09'のGiroから本格復帰を果たして
いたというこの選手がリクイガスというチームのエースとして
参戦していました。第15戦まではもう一人のエース、ニバリに
押されていて今年のジロはエースはニバリでという戦略に
なりかけていた第16ステージ。しかも過去に例を見ないと
いう強烈な難コース「ゾンコラン」。約200km、3つの山を
越えてきた最後に待ち受けるのが「ゾンコラン峠」で、
上り距離は10.1km、平均勾配11.9％、最大斜度22％と
いう激坂を登って頂上ゴールするというレイアウト。いわゆる
「クライマー」のバッソには得意とするステージだが、今の
勢いではどうか？と思っていた。途中下りの苦手なバッソは
ニバリに40秒ほど差を開けられるが、なんとか平坦地で
追いつきゾンコラン峠。リクイガスの強力なアシスト陣の
引きにも助けられて、バッソは足を温存しつつ先頭集団の
前方に位置。一定のペースを保ちながら走れば、周りは
勝手に千切れていった。そしてチーム内のライバル、ニバリ
も前日の疲れもあったのだろうか千切れていった。上りの
得意な4人に絞られて峠の途中まで行ったが、とうとう
エヴァンスとバッソに絞られる。エヴァンスは現世界チャンプ
だ。バッソは座ったままで漕ぎ、エヴァンスはダンシングを
するのがスタイルのよう。2人になってもバッソは一定のペースを
保ち、まだ余裕がありそうだった。そして最後の3.7km地点。
バッソが一気にペースアップをかけると、エヴァンスはたまら
ず千切れていってしまった。ものすごいレース。普段は「微笑」
と称されるレース中のバッソの顔が鬼の形相になっていた。
去年のジロや今年のこれまでのレースでは見たことがない顔。
気迫が前面に出ていて、男から見ても格好良い。やっぱり
必死になっている人間は美しいんだなと思った。僕もこうあら
なければならない。
こうあるべき（クリックして拡大して見てください。是非！！）
実況によれば最難関ステージと目されていたこの日、
何もないだたの山である「ゾンコラン峠」には15万人の
ファンが詰め掛けていたとのこと。ものすごい人気。ゴール
直前はファンからのすさまじい歓声に包まれ、沿道のファンも
体に触りそうなほどエキサイトしていた。そしてゴール。
去年から常に上位に位置して、力を見せてはいたが、
リクイガスの中でも「エース」の地位を手放しつつあった
バッソの会心のレースだった。僕も初めてこの人の強いレース
を目の当たりにしてすっかり興奮してしまったのでした。
第21ステージまで残り6つ。4年ぶりの総合優勝マリア・ローザを
目指してバッソがどういう走りで魅せてくれるのか。
ゾンコラン激坂
"The best day since my return and the team was fantastic"
Italiano Tedesco Spagnolo Francese Olandese Inglese
MONTE ZONCOLAN (Udine), 23 May 2010 - Ivan Basso's eyes speak the only language known by Monte Zoncolan: the language of exhaustion. If his eyes are shining brightly on the podium after the stage that opens up a path towards the final victory, it's because during the most difficult portion of the climb, his eyes were almost squeezed shut. Opening up onto a "vertical" world where a racer can unload his spite and anger onto the asphalt. Four years after his last success (Aprica, 27 May 2006), two years after his involvement in Operación Puerto.
HELLISH. "This is the best day since I got back. The team was fantastic, it pulled for over 100 kilometres. Evans is a great champion, he came in second but he was racing, like me. This climb is hellish, you have to take it at your own rhythm or you'll blow up. It was really tough, it must be attacked and you have to be concentrated all the time. The classification? I'm happy today but there are still alot of very tiring days ahead." Humility. And yet Basso is third, at 3'33" from Arroyo (Porte is less than a minute away),his glance is focused on Tuesday's uphill time trial (tomorrow is a rest day) and on Friday's Aprica stage. The Varese native is now ahead of everyone in the ranking of the front runners, a fact that would make even the most patient of racers froth at the mouth with rage, thinking back on what happened in L'Aquila.
"Basso and Evans front-runners" David Arroyo's eyes are not as happy as they were yesterday. The captain of the Caisse d'Epargne is aware of the fact that making it all the way to Verona with the pink jersey will be quite an enterprise. "Today's goal was to maintain first position in the classification. It was really a terrible stage. I'll think about the uphill time trial later." Among the defeated racers, there is surely Carlos Sastre, whose assessment is enlightening: "Liquigas is an amazing team, I'm maturing, I'm going steady. But my condition is nothing like that of Ivan and Evans. They remain my favourites. Basso is one of the greatest professionals I know. He really put on an awesome show here." Simoni closed his account with Zoncolan (very much in the black) among the applause and cheering of thousands of fans in a festive environment. "This time I really enjoyed the spectators, it was a different feeling."
Basso, a leader with pride: "Now they look at me straight in the eye."
RASUN DI SOTTO (Bolzano), 24 May 2010 - The life of Ivan Basso has not changed since the Zoncolan has given him back the spice of victory. What has changed is the world rotating around him. The team, his public, his rivals. Now the "fallen" champion is recovered, he is now seen in a different light.
"THEY LOOK AT ME STRAIGHT IN THE EYES" During the second and last day of rest, on the eve of the individual uphill time trials from San Vigilio di Marebbe to the ski trails of Plan de Coronnes, Basso explains how his relationship with cycling and his public has changed two years after his disqualification. "I am happy that the people are on my side. In these months, every fan made up his or her own idea of what happened. I respect those who criticize me, but until now I have only received much affection. Even up on Zoncolan I understood that people can only trust you by looking into your eyes. The look in one's eyes tells the truth. You can read the sentiment, there is no hiding or changing. My results, my training charts...Everything is on my website. I am doing everything with the maximum transparency."
CREDIBILITY A necessity in today's cycling. It is different now. More "human", like the difficulties and the efforts that are emerging in the Giro d'Italia. Even more credible? "Certainly, I am speaking for my team and I am saying that we are doing everything possible so that Liquigas-Doimo races the right way. The other teams? Everyone in the Giro is undergoing the same tests we are (the latest UCI biological passport test was just this morning). We must believe that this sport has changed and give it a vote of confidence."
SINK OR SWIM. The position in the classifcation is more than advantageous. Basso is third at 3'33" from pink jersey Arroyo, but above all, he has a 48" lead on Sastre and 1'10" on Evans, his most dangerous adversary. "Being the front-runner has never brought me luck, I'd rather not make any forecasts. We have been preparing this Giro for months now, everyone knows how much this means to Liquigas-Doimo. What counts the most is the team's attitude. We must keep united, I believe in my pack all the way, 100%. If we must sink, we'll do it together, if we win it will be everybody's victory. There was a great reaction after L'Aquila: head and legs have always been connected."
THE CLIMB "The climb up Plan de Corones is a very difficult trial for me. Everyone saw who I am on Zoncolan: an athlete that can maintain speed for a long time, one who gave it all he had on a hellish climb after five hours of racing. Time trials require an enomous effort that perhaps are better suited to other champions. The winner of the Giro is one who is able to be steady overall," concludes the native of Varese, winner of the 2006 Giro. Vincenzo Nibali (seventh at 6'08") adds: "My favourite is Scarponi. He can be more explosive, when compared to Evans, in a brief yet intense climb like the one at Plan de Corones. My role? Staying close to Ivan up until Verona."
と、峠に15万人？ メジャー競技とはいえ恐ろしい集客力ですね～
by Umi-Bozu (2010-05-25 19:43)
ゴンドラで頂上までいけるということなので、行きやすいとの
こと。それにしても、日本では考えられない人数ですよね。
日本のサイクルロードレースは、事業仕分けの対象の影響で
ちょっと大変そうです。
by ken_trekking (2010-05-26 07:30)