Modest Leipheimer forms part of dangerous Astana trio

Image 1 of 8

Leipheimer points to the Passo Manghen, where the overall will be reshaped on Saturday(Image credit: Gregor Brown)

An interview with Levi Leipheimer, May 23, 2008

Franco Pellizotti has been thinking all year about this race, Gilberto Simoni might end his road career if he takes a third career overall win, Riccardo Riccò hopes to turn Italy on its head, Ivan Basso dreams of returning to race here, but Team Astana – with its three foreign leaders Alberto Contador, Andreas Klöden and Leipheimer – are just happy to be participating. Moreover, since it was invited just one week before the race started, it changed the outlook of the Corsa Rosa.

"We had actually given up hope. They [team's directeurs] said that they were going to try to get [us] in, and I was like 'are we going to do the Giro?' I wanted to do the Giro; I wanted to know so I could train properly or pick out a different race schedule. They just said 'no it does not look like it,' so I went to [the Tour de] Georgia and when I came home after Georgia, I was just taking it easy." However, the phone call came and Leipheimer, third in the 2007 Tour de France, was left to pack his bags and board a plan for Palermo, to start the three-week Italian tour. "I got a call on Friday, which was one week before the race started."

The Californian from Santa Rosa has been around, racing for teams Rabobank, Gerolsteiner and Discovery Channel in the Tour de France on different occasions, but he had never taken part in the first Grand Tour of the year. The race where Fausto Coppi and Gino Bartoli battled, the race that Mario Cipollini used to race to sprint super stardom, the race that Marco Pantani set on fire like Jimi Hendrix did to his guitars...

"The negative experience had been the transfers and I kind of feel as if they have made the courses a little bit dangerous." The riders especially complained about the distance between stages in the first week. Leipheimer continued, "Today [stage 12], was good because they said they would take the time at three kilometres to go [due to heavy intermittent rain showers - ed.]. I think that that is what they need to do – the sport is dangerous enough – and I think that everyone wins when they make a decision like that.

"The first thing you think about is if you are okay or not. At first I was thinking 'I'll never come back' [to the other classification riders] because we were really racing at that point. Then there was a steep climb immediately. After a crash it is hard to get going again, and then, luckily, I was with [race leader Giovanni] Visconti. Once we got over the climb, Quick Step and Astana, the guys that were around us, brought us back. When we came back my morale was back."

Even though the day was a medium mountain day, one that was not likely to shake up the overall classification, Italians Riccò and Di Luca took turns delivering punches mid-stage. "No, not at all," responded Leipheimer when asked if the attacks made sense. "I think they raced for the camera. If one attacks the other one has to show he is strong. I guess if they consider that as part of their job then okay, but I think to win the race it is not the best thing to do. I think Alberto, Andreas and I, the way we ride is thinking of the overall win. Waiting and saving our energy."

"There was talk of [Team Barloworld's Mauricio] Soler before the race," he added of the Colombian who was forced to abandon after a crash. "For me I can pick out three favourites: Contador, Klöden and [Team Diquigiovanni's Gilberto] Simoni. [Simoni] is smart; he does not waste energy. I think Riccò and Di Luca waste a lot of energy, for the camera. If that is what they want to do that is fine, but when you are thinking about the overall win you have to race smart."