Borut Božič, no, I didn’t know much about him either, ‘til I checked him out.
He turned pro in 2004 with Perutnina Ptuj (Ptuj being the capital of Slovenia) and took four wins that year — a stage in the Jadranska Magistrala in Croatia; two stages in the Tour of Slovenia and a stage in the Tour of Serbia.
In 2005 he took three wins; including one in the Tour de L’Avenir — the L’Avenir is one of the main events which the talent scouts for the big teams pay attention to.
In his third and final season with Perutnina in 2006 he took ten wins — DS’s like men that can win ten races in a season!
LPR snapped him up for 2007, and in his first year in the big league he took three wins, including the GC in the Tour de Wallonie and a stage in the Tour of Ireland.
Last year saw another three wins — for Collstrop — one of them being the Slovenian championship; he was also top ten at Kuurne.
This year, with new Dutch team, Vacansoleil, he’s won stages in the Tours of Belgium, Limousin and Poland — and today, la Vuelta.
Not a bad rider, then.
It’s been mixed fortunes for the guys I’ve been interviewing; Charly Wegelius is out — I’m not sure why, you don’t ring guys up and ask; ‘why did you chuck it?’
However, reading between the lines, three Grand Tours is too much for a rider like Charly, he’s no ‘bear’ like Tyler Farrar.
And Cadel, well, those negative noises he’s making about the team aren’t what you hear from a man that’s going to win.
Dominique Rollin is riding well; he got himself into the top ten yesterday.
We first noticed him back in the spring; he was battling it out with the best of them on the hard roads of Holland and Flanders.
He’s a big strong boy in the Farrar mode — you need to be study to be a good pro.
Martin Velits isn’t at the same level as his brother, but Pro Tour contracts don’t grow on trees; so he’s not a bad rider.
Martin and the bruv move over to Columbia for 2010; I’ll have to ask him about that next time we talk.
Adam Hansen very kindly spoke to us at VR the other day, he’s another big, strong boy — his Team Columbia is on fire.
When Greipel won stage five yesterday that was 75 wins for them, year to date — wow!
Chrono tomorrow — ‘Bert Grabsch,’ I’m thinking, maybe — but it’s hard to see past Cancellara; and with only 18 seconds between the Swiss and gold, he could well take the jersey back. But only overnight — stage 8 finishes at the top of the Aitana!
Via con Dios!