Brajkovic completes Dauphine win

Reuters - Sun, 13 Jun 16:30:00 2010

Slovenia's Janez Brajkovic won the Dauphine Libere in Sallanches to put forward an eloquent case for inclusion in Lance Armstrong's team at next month's Tour de France.

- 0

The former under-24 world time-trial champion, who won Wednesday's 49-km individual time trial, held off the challenge of Tour de France champion Alberto Contador to score his first major victory in a stage race.

The 26-year-old Brajkovic is not yet certain to be on his RadioShack team's roster for the Tour, which starts on July 3, but he undoubtedly improved his chances.

"It's a good thing for me. Let's hope I can do the Tour this year. If not, maybe next year?" he said after crossing the line in the final, 148-km stage.

Brajkovic, who has spent almost his entire professional career under the guidance of Armstrong's team director Johan Bruyneel, finished one minute 41 seconds ahead of Spain's Contador overall.

Third place went to American Tejay Van Garderen, who finished another minute adrift.

Brajkovic, impressive against the clock, also showed real climbing skills in the penultimate stage to l'Alpe d'Huez, yet he said he had not yet reached his full potential.

"I was lucky today because Alberto did not attack me. I guess he did not want to risk a crash in the downhills so it was great for us," he said.

"Don't forget Contador did not come here in his best shape but to prepare for the Tour."

The final stage ended with five laps of a bumpy circuit with a tricky descent and the favourites took no chances.

  • Highlights

By contrast, Norway's Edvald Boasson-Hagen, arguably the peloton's greatest prospect, made a bold move in the last lap to win the stage on his own, ahead of Spain's Arkaitz Duran and Russia's Egor Silin.

At 23, Boasson-Hagen already has an impressive record of victories with three Norwegian titles, the Ghent-Wevelgem classic and a Giro d'Italia stage.

"As the Team Sky leader I had to prove myself. I'm really happy I made it. It was risky but I was feeling confident in the descent," he said.

Tour of Switzerland: Watch LIVE on British Eurosport (Sky 410 / Virgin 521) & on the Eurosport Player.

Reuters

Comment 9 - 28 of 28

Sort comments by: Most recent | Most rated

  1. Dertie hasn't looked good all season, but that­ hasn't stopped him winning. The whole year­ he's been lacking something at the top, winning by­ seconds, not minutes - but still winning. There's­ room in the tank yet before July.

    From Thomas, on Tue 15 Jun 3:14

  2. From the reports AC was riding into a strong (very­ strong!) headwind up the Alpe with JB in his wheel­ which will make a difference no matter who you are!­
    Before the race AC stated that he wasn't looking­ to win the race but wanted the win on the Alpe -­ everything is aimed at the TDF so it's safe to­ assume he's got a bit of form to work on!
    I think­ there's far too much being read into the race­ result and the Alpe stage - no way JB competes with AC­ in a 3 week GT at the present time - but­ congratulations on a fine result!

    From RiChArD, on Tue 15 Jun 1:03

  3. My analysis on Dauphine L
    1.The overall result does­ NOT indicate if Contador is weaker or better. Iban­ Mayo and other rivals were little better than Armstrong­ some years ago. When asked by journalists Armstrong­ said "They are pretty good but it is too early,­ you cant keep this form during june then july".­ Armstrong was smarter, he knew when he should be at his­ best. Probably Contador is thinking the same. ( I am­ not Contadors fan, I am just being honest.)
    2. But­ there is something that worries you if you are­ Contador/Astanas fan (which I am not). Contador tried­ but couldnt get rid of Brajkovic in the mountains ( a­ cyclist who doesnt even know if he gets to ride the­ Tour or not). But even that can NOT be 100% indication­ if Contador is better or worse.

    From chem452002, on Mon 14 Jun 21:20

  4. Everybody can say what they mean on this­ forums-that's the purpose of it. I also say that­ Contador is not quite strong as last year, but I'm­ sure that he will be in 20 days. And reason why he won­ last year TdF with 4+ mins margin and why he's­ gonna win this year is simple-he is the best man in the­ peloton...Oh yes and because Piti was absent last year,­ same as this one and next year. Maybe when Andy acquire­ more TT skills situation will change, but until then,­ we'll have spaniard with his gun-shot on­ Champs-Élysées.

    From wienerau69, on Mon 14 Jun 19:02

  5. Trifa, I understand your point, but I think one have to­ look between the headlines a bit. Last year Contrador­ didn't even try and compete up Ventoux. Had he­ tried, I think he would have won the stage­ convincingly. This year Contador tried to attack, but­ effort lacked determination and explosiveness. Of cause­ all this is just speculation and only time will tell­ the true story, as we enter the important TdF season.

    From evenmike79, on Mon 14 Jun 17:05
  6. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    What is Brakjovic on and can I have some please?­ I'm riding a club 25 next Sunday. I would love to­ suddenly improve as much as him and I like getting cups­ at the club dinner. My Italian doctor is not answering­ any 'phone calls!
    Wait for the slovenian screams­ and howls.

    From tuggo, on Mon 14 Jun 16:30

  7. +Why do you people say Contador is not as strong as­ last year.He was 3rd last year in dauphine and won by 6­ minutes.

    From Trifa, on Mon 14 Jun 16:20

  8. contador wins a green jersey.unbelivable!Evans wins the­ red jersey in giro(expectable somewhat).At this rate we­ could see Cavendish win the Tour de France in 5 years

    From Trifa, on Mon 14 Jun 16:16

  9. @dfmcos_mail If he not strong like last year, how is­ possible that he have most wins then ever in one­ season?

    From Bobcha, on Mon 14 Jun 16:09

  10. Brajkovic was simply stronger in all aspects of the­ race in the past week and is a fantastic new winner of­ the Criterium. With Zubaldia gone, Radioshack appears­ to have solved that part of the missing piece in the­ TdF puzzle. Radioshack will do the right thing in­ appointing Armstrong as captain for the TdF until­ performance dictates otherwise. In general Astana looks­ to have a strong team with perhaps their captain a bit­ behind the form curve.

    From evenmike79, on Mon 14 Jun 15:22

  11. Hold on then, Team Sky's website said Geraint­ Thomas would be in Green on Sunday's stage, but it­ was AC. Did Sky get it wrong? What happened­ (I've been away...)?

    From James, on Mon 14 Jun 15:21

  12. Sorry, scotch that, the video cut off before the end­ the first time so I didn't see it.

    From James, on Mon 14 Jun 15:16

  13. Who won the points jersey?

    From James, on Mon 14 Jun 15:14

  14. RS would do well to put resources on Janez rather than­ LAPD for the TDF. It's time to hand over the keys­ Lance.

    From James, on Mon 14 Jun 12:44

  15. Well done Jables, you have officially arrived.

    From Justin, on Mon 14 Jun 9:36

  16. Good win he did deserve it, although lets not get­ carried away as big Magnus said real tour contenders­ ride into form in the first week ...

    From RouleurMartin, on Mon 14 Jun 7:52

  17. Left to their own devices radioshack would have at­ least 2 riders with better GC chances than Armstrong at­ this stage of his career!

    From RiChArD, on Mon 14 Jun 7:32

  18. Bobcha- when you have someone saying he´s out there­ just for training they dont have a team working during­ the stages and even less they increase the pace when­ Sergio Paulinho drops back to pick up water for Janez­ and Horner... I know that Contador is not yet 100% of­ his form but even tho should be enough to leave Janez­ behind. I think tis year he´s not so strong and once­ again i say that i never saw him racing just for­ training...his ambicion is always to win.

    From dfmcos_mail, on Mon 14 Jun 5:51

  19. #6, nobody.

    Cadel Evans was 2nd in the Dauphine last­ year.

    From Thomas, on Mon 14 Jun 5:48

  20. @mercurycu U always talk stoopid things, nothing new­ for U

    From Bobcha, on Mon 14 Jun 5:15
Sort comments by: Most recent | Most rated

Not already a Yahoo! user ? to get a free Yahoo! Account