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93rd Tour de France - presented by

11 July

Simoni and Saunier Duval-Prodir Updates
Experience and Knowledge of La Bici

Simoni and Saunier Duval-Prodir Updates
Stage List, Stage Profile

Simoni rides during Stage 7, photo: Makoto.Ayano/ CyclingTime.com

A day of rest was a day to reflect... Why did Gibo not ride the Pink Plasma in the Tour de France time trial to Rennes? For answers we talked with Saunier Duval-Prodir mechanic, Rober Gonzalez, before the start of stage 9, in Bordeaux.

"Gibo will change his mind from one minute to the next, and always at the last minute," Gonzalez explained. "One minute he was going to use the pink frame and the other the black. At the last minute he told me to prepare the black frame, thinking it would be better for the crono."

One thing we remembered is that Gibo likes to fiddle with his machine; he is even part owner of a bike shop in his hometown in the Trento region. Ask the Italian any question about a moving part on his bike and he can answer with details. Gibo has experience and knowledge of "la bici."

This experience and knowledge will come into play over the next two days in the high Pyreneen mountains. The Tour de France hits the mountains for the first time in this 2006 edition and the team has options.

"We will ride for Simoni's GC but don't forget we have guys for stages," explained Joxean Matxin, Team DS. "We have Marchante, De La Fuente, Millar and also Lobato... We have to play our cards. We will see for sure if Gibo will ride for the classification after we pass the stage to Pla-de-Beret."