Bettini to miss Ronde

calvjones

Paulo to miss racing the one event he swears he still wants to win, to prepare for a race he's won twice. Clearly in form if his attack on the Cipressa was anything to go by.

Team politics? Or something else?

timoid.

Dunno. I would have thought that RVV would have been his number one priority to add to his palmares.

iainf72

He says he's not 100% and he doesn't think you can do it unless you're 100%

calvjones

iainf72 wrote:

He says he's not 100% and he doesn't think you can do it unless you're 100%

That's what I find odd, as Bettini is a rider whose ridden through numerous problems & injuries, often with good results. Maybe he just doesn't want to be there as a sacrifice for Tom, as in M-SR.

dave_1

staying off the radar?

iainf72

calvjones wrote:

That's what I find odd, as Bettini is a rider whose ridden through numerous problems & injuries, often with good results. Maybe he just doesn't want to be there as a sacrifice for Tom, as in M-SR.

I don't know - If his slightly injured still, you don't want to be bouncing around on cobbles? No point messing up your body for the Ardennes when you're not likely to survive til the end.

terongi

Dave_1 wrote:

staying off the radar?

what radar?

publicity? Bettini not racing makes bigger headlines than Bettini finishing Flanders in the bunch.

if that is supposed to be a reference to drug testing, then I would have thought that Bettini missing Flanders for no apparent reason would warrant a speedy visit from the out of competition testing people if they are as suspicious as you are, Dave.

takethehighroad

If the various comments being banded around this season are to be believed, Paolo intends to bow out in August with a defence of his Olympic title. So it may be he's doing a final world tour of all his favouite races in a bid to win them once last time, rather than turning up in Bruges on the 6th of April to find he's got to sacrifice his final chance in the race he wants to win most dearly for his predominantly more Belgian team-mate.

dave_1

terongi wrote:

Dave_1 wrote:

staying off the radar?

what radar?

publicity? Bettini not racing makes bigger headlines than Bettini finishing Flanders in the bunch.

if that is supposed to be a reference to drug testing, then I would have thought that Bettini missing Flanders for no apparent reason would warrant a speedy visit from the out of competition testing people if they are as suspicious as you are, Dave.

i meant biketradar no, you are correct...a big name missing a big event is a red flag and testers will be in his bedroom before he knows it...

LangerDan

iainf72 wrote:

He says he's not 100% and he doesn't think you can do it unless you're 100%

In the recent interview in ProCyling with Peter van Petegem, he mentions the need to be , IIRC, " a bit of a bastard" in elbowing your way to the front of the climbs late in RVV. Certainly its a race that tends to favour the larger, more physical rider. At less than 100% form Bettini still probably has a fitness / speed advantage over some of the contenders but he doesn't have the buk to go elbow to elbow with the larger riders.