Simoni's not a happy camper
VeloNews | July 28, 2004 | European correspondent
An irritated Gilberto Simoni said he might never return to the Tour de France after a three-week debacle that saw the two-time Giro d'Italia champion never rate as a challenger to Lance Armstrong's dominance.
Simoni said his performance was hampered by the exclusion of Danilo Di Luca, two crashes - first in the team time trial and another crash at Angers -- then the exclusion of his domestique and friend Stefano Casagranda.
"The Tour started badly and then was characterized by all the arguments and the bad weather rather than by the riders," Simoni said in an interview on Saeco's web page. "We didn't suddenly discover that Armstrong was very strong, we all knew he was the one to beat. I'd hoped to show myself but I have to say I was unlucky."
Simoni said he was bothered by the exclusion of Di Luca and later by Casagranda, both caught up in separate doping investigations, prompting Tour de France officials to remove any rider under investigation.
"Before the race we were put under pressure because of what happened to Danilo. His exclusion was unfair but then things were made worse by the exclusion of Stefano. The thing that irritated me the most was the complete uselessness of all the different rider associations," Simoni said. "Nobody stood up for the riders and even the UCI changed their position which isn't fair. The Tour is without a doubt the most important stage race in the world but it's us the riders who put on the show and so we should have been shown more respect."
Simoni went on to say the high speed of the opening half of the Tour took it out on many of the climbing specialists, but that he was feeling good until the Pyrénées.
"As I said it was a tough Tour. The thing that struck me the most was the high average speed, on every stage and right from the start. Something always happened from the first kilometer, a crash, a break and so the team was vital. U.S. Postal, T-Mobile and CSC kept the speed at a record high and this definitely did not help me to stay in form," he said. "I was surprised that in the first ten days I never really worked over my aerobic threshold even when we went hard. That seemed like a good sign but when the weather heated up I suddenly found myself struggling to breath and unfortunately we hit the Pyrénées straight away."
Though he hoped for more, Simoni said he couldn't help but tip his hat to Armstrong.
"He's an incredible professional and was in perfect form. Six Tours in a row are not down to good luck. You need both incredible physical and mental form to do what he did," Simoni said. "However, he was also lucky that things never went against him. You don't win the Tour just with good luck but you can lose it with bad luck."
Simoni also shot down rumors he would leave Saeco following a contentious Giro, that saw the team rally around eventual winner Damiano Cunego.
"As far the Tour is concerned, as long as it's like it is and until riders are not supported and defended properly, I won't be back. I've obviously got the wrong mental approach and that hurts me but I want to understand what my objectives can be and then try and achieve them".
However there is no doubt about Simoni's future."I hope I can stay with Saeco. I've won a lot with them and I've got a contract for another year. I'd still like to be part of the red train".
VeloNews | July 28, 2004 | European correspondent
An irritated Gilberto Simoni said he might never return to the Tour de France after a three-week debacle that saw the two-time Giro d'Italia champion never rate as a challenger to Lance Armstrong's dominance.
Simoni said his performance was hampered by the exclusion of Danilo Di Luca, two crashes - first in the team time trial and another crash at Angers -- then the exclusion of his domestique and friend Stefano Casagranda.
"The Tour started badly and then was characterized by all the arguments and the bad weather rather than by the riders," Simoni said in an interview on Saeco's web page. "We didn't suddenly discover that Armstrong was very strong, we all knew he was the one to beat. I'd hoped to show myself but I have to say I was unlucky."
Simoni said he was bothered by the exclusion of Di Luca and later by Casagranda, both caught up in separate doping investigations, prompting Tour de France officials to remove any rider under investigation.
"Before the race we were put under pressure because of what happened to Danilo. His exclusion was unfair but then things were made worse by the exclusion of Stefano. The thing that irritated me the most was the complete uselessness of all the different rider associations," Simoni said. "Nobody stood up for the riders and even the UCI changed their position which isn't fair. The Tour is without a doubt the most important stage race in the world but it's us the riders who put on the show and so we should have been shown more respect."
Simoni went on to say the high speed of the opening half of the Tour took it out on many of the climbing specialists, but that he was feeling good until the Pyrénées.
"As I said it was a tough Tour. The thing that struck me the most was the high average speed, on every stage and right from the start. Something always happened from the first kilometer, a crash, a break and so the team was vital. U.S. Postal, T-Mobile and CSC kept the speed at a record high and this definitely did not help me to stay in form," he said. "I was surprised that in the first ten days I never really worked over my aerobic threshold even when we went hard. That seemed like a good sign but when the weather heated up I suddenly found myself struggling to breath and unfortunately we hit the Pyrénées straight away."
Though he hoped for more, Simoni said he couldn't help but tip his hat to Armstrong.
"He's an incredible professional and was in perfect form. Six Tours in a row are not down to good luck. You need both incredible physical and mental form to do what he did," Simoni said. "However, he was also lucky that things never went against him. You don't win the Tour just with good luck but you can lose it with bad luck."
Simoni also shot down rumors he would leave Saeco following a contentious Giro, that saw the team rally around eventual winner Damiano Cunego.
"As far the Tour is concerned, as long as it's like it is and until riders are not supported and defended properly, I won't be back. I've obviously got the wrong mental approach and that hurts me but I want to understand what my objectives can be and then try and achieve them".
However there is no doubt about Simoni's future."I hope I can stay with Saeco. I've won a lot with them and I've got a contract for another year. I'd still like to be part of the red train".
