Spain
23 January 1979
1.87m
77kg
2001
Colchon-Relax Fuenlabrada (2001-2003), US Postal Service-Berry Floor (2004)
Noval´s entire 2005 season can be captured in one lasting image – the top step of the Tour de France podium following the team time trial. Compared with the year before, when he was unable to keep pace with his team mates and was despondent on the podium despite the team’s victory, it was a very different image in Blois on 5 July for the Spanish rider now entering his third year with the team. Noval stepped up and rode strongly in the TTT - and the whole Tour – and was able to celebrate with his team mates following their third straight victory in the key Tour stage. Noval closed out his season at the Tour of Spain, finishing in the top 60.
Noval rode through the early season races and Ardennes Classics (leading the team at Flèche Wallonne in 23rd place) in preparation for the Dauphiné Libéré and the Tour. At the Dauphiné Libéré, a workmanlike effort led to a 50th place finish, highlighted by third place in the event’s fifth stage to Grenoble. At the Tour, it was more of the same for Noval as he joined team mate Pavel Padrnos for the lion’s share of the work on the flatlands and low mountains. Noval was able to redeem himself in the TTT with a strong ride under ideal conditions compared to the stage a year prior in the rain. He closed out the season at the Vuelta, placing 58th overall, one of just four Discovery Channel riders who was able to finish the event.
Noval´s 2004 was highlighted by solid performances in events such as Milan – San Remo, Amstel Gold, Flèche Wallone and Liège-Bastogne-Liège, with his best result a third place at the Clásica de Almeria. At the Tour, the first Grand Tour of his career, he was a familiar sight at the front of the peloton on the mid-level mountains and finished strong with a 27th in the final time trial in Besançon.
In a mostly Spanish-based racing schedule in 2003, Noval turned in his third straight top 20 ride at the Tour of Murcia and finished 12th overall at the Tour of Catalunya. He placed sixth overall while at the Spanish championships and was fourth in the time trial before placing third in the road race. In '02, he finished sixth overall at the Vuelta a la Rioja, ninth at the Tour of Catalunya and in the top 20 at the Tour of Murcia. At the Spanish championships, Noval was the only rider to finish in the top six in both the time trial and the road race. That year, Noval started the Tour of Spain but a late race crash in stage four prevented him from starting the next day.
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14th, Tour of Catalunya
3rd, Stage 5, Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré (ProTour)
107th overall, Tour de France
3rd, Clásica de Almeria, 66th overall, Tour de France |
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