Viewing 40 posts - 1 through 40 (of 48 total)
  • TdF (The Real) Stage 1 – Setting The Tone [Spoilers]
  • RealMan
    Free Member

    This stage is no leg breaker, but it still is bumpy enough to dampen the hopes of pure sprinters. In other words, I do not think Cavendish will be among those fighting for the win. I hope I am wrong, but I think he will be dropped before reaching Seraing. The course is less demanding than in 1995, when Bruyneel and Indurain blew the race apart on the road to Liège, but it comes very close to the Ardennes and, at 198 km, the stage distance is nothing to sneeze at. In short, we wanted to preserve the peloton’s energy while setting the tone for the rest of the race. We will see…

    Gilbert seems the obvious one today, however no one will want him to get away as he will threaten for yellow, so I’m gonna be watching Sagon to counter off Gilbert for the win. You heard it here first.

    http://www.steephill.tv/2012/tour-de-france/photos/stage-00/

    Still plenty of time to mock warton for not having any points, or to gloat if you stuffed your team full of tters.

    http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/stw-tour-de-france

    A few useful links

    http://live.cyclingnews.com/
    http://www.steephill.tv/tour-de-france/
    http://www.letour.fr/le-tour/2012/us/live/aso/

    I’m off to ride my bike, should make it back in time for the start of ITVs coverage. Hopefully.

    mrmo
    Free Member

    Gilbert has had a crap season so far, but he did show some form yesterday, He will be on home territory and the course is perfect for him….but he has had a crap season…he will want the win, although i can see Sagan getting it, mind you Cadel might decide to make a point.

    higthepig
    Free Member

    Just about to go to the Cote de Lierneux to watch it, first time I will see the Tour live, I’m a little excited!

    Fresh Goods Friday 696: The Middling Edition

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    warton
    Free Member

    Gilbert, Sagan, or you can see Evans having a pop, he loves races that end with a sharp sharp dig.

    rOcKeTdOg
    Full Member

    I’d love to see Cancellara prove a point today after his ruined early classics campaign

    gooner69
    Full Member

    Gotta be Sagan today, he`s been hoovering up wins like this all season. Failing that cant see past Phil or possibly Valv, no way sky will let Cuddles go surely?

    jonba
    Free Member

    Cav in his slimmed down form might be a much bigger contender in this type of race than he would have been in previous years. He should stay with the bunch (as if he doesn’t he’ll never get the olympic gold) but I can’t see him sprinting up that hill.

    I expect Cuddles to do something. He’s going to lose time in the TT and needs to grab seconds whenever he can. I think he’ll try to make use of any confusion and splits.

    Eddie the Boss for the win to get my score up!

    clubber
    Free Member

    +1 on Cuddles trying to make something of this stage – it’s very similar to others that he’s helped split the field up and gain time even if not the actual stage win.

    martinhutch
    Full Member

    RealMan
    Free Member

    Gonna be an exciting one today, no matter what the outcome. Too many who want it, I’m expecting a big fight. Although then again, someone might just jump out the pack early on and surprise everyone.

    headfirst
    Free Member

    I’ve found the right thread now, apologies RealMan for doubting you.

    Gilbert will cry himself to sleep if he doesn’t win today. I predict he attacks at 5k out and gets caught in a little Tommy V kinda way.

    (Yes I know this is different to the prediction I made in my other thread, but i can change my mind if I want to. And Cancellara to hang on to yellow too).

    Margin-Walker
    Free Member

    Cuddles ….no chance. Stage 1, teams watching him like a hawk, everyone fresh.

    Can believe so many top riders lost huge chunks of time on a 7 min course yesterday (Scarponi, Sanchez, cry baby Schleck)

    A non GC contender will win today. Will be perfect for a Sanchez, Valv, Sagan or Gilbert.

    Gilbert will be up for it given his poor season to date and Belgian finish.

    People forget that Evans can TT and by Wiggins’ own admission, there’ll be no fireworks from him in the mountains. I suspect it’ll be indurain type riding fronm Twiggo, with his team simply riding so fast as to deter attacks.

    I still have concerns over Wiggins performing every day in the mountains given his Vuelta performace. He has a fantastic team this year though. Good ride from Tejay yesterday and no doubt he will be glued to Evans when it goes uphill. Hope Ryder has recovered as his team is also strong.

    Hope it isnt a 2 horse race to Paris.

    Froome for podium ??? (dont think so but would be nice if he drags Wiggo round the hills and finishes high)

    RealMan
    Free Member

    Good ride from Tejay yesterday and no doubt he will be glued to Evans when it goes uphill.

    Yeah, got him as one of my climbers, so was very pleased to see him do so well in the TT.

    I’ve found the right thread now, apologies RealMan for doubting you.

    😀 That’s ok, I did post it very early. Wasn’t sure what time I was going to be back.

    atlaz
    Free Member

    Can believe so many top riders lost huge chunks of time on a 7 min course yesterday (Scarponi, Sanchez, cry baby Schleck)

    You can’t believe climbers lost time to generalists or time trial specialists? I hope you say the same when people lose 10 mins on big mountains to climbers on the final ascent of the day.

    atlaz
    Free Member

    Double post

    flippinheckler
    Free Member

    Although Cav has shed some weight for Box hill so this may stand him in good stead for todays stage and other more bumpier ones.

    crazy-legs
    Full Member

    Slightly out on a limb but Edvald Boassen Hagen maybe? He’s a fantastic all-rounder and capable on those uphill finishes. Seems tailer made for Gilbert but everyone else is going to know that too!

    Reckon anyone could do it from a lone break? Catch the bunch by surprise a few km out and just about hold onto it? I love those nail-biting will-he-won’t-he finishes. 🙂

    flippinheckler
    Free Member

    Slightly out on a limb but Edvald Boassen Hagen maybe? He’s a fantastic all-rounder and capable on those uphill finishes. Seems tailer made for Gilbert but everyone else is going to know that too!

    Reckon anyone could do it from a lone break? Catch the bunch by surprise a few km out and just about hold onto it? I love those nail-biting will-he-won’t-he finishes.

    How could I forget about EBH :roll:good call Crazy, he has a good sprint finish as well.

    RealMan
    Free Member

    I love those nail-biting will-he-won’t-he finishes.

    [video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azsjYk_iCOM&feature=player_embedded[/video]

    crazy-legs
    Full Member

    RealMan: exactly although the one I was thinking of was David Millar’s suicide break heading into a rain-soaked Barcelona a few years ago – he got caught about 300m from the line…

    Margin-Walker
    Free Member

    atlaz – Member

    Can believe so many top riders lost huge chunks of time on a 7 min course yesterday (Scarponi, Sanchez, cry baby Schleck)

    You can’t believe climbers lost time to generalists or time trial specialists? I hope you say the same when people lose 10 mins on big mountains to climbers on the final ascent of the day.

    ??

    I can believe that nibali, ryder , menchov all managed to limit their losses yesterday.

    As for other GC riders Schleck, Basso, Sanchez, Scarponi, V D Broeck. Are they any less of ‘specialist’ than Menchov (who generally falls off) or Hesjedal. Just amazed that on such a short course they could lose heaps of time.

    RealMan
    Free Member

    Goss seemed to hold off Cav quite easily there. Hmmmm.

    flippinheckler
    Free Member

    Cav’s been beaten a few times lately in the Tour de Romandie, make you wonder if he has lost some power or the others have gained perhaps both. Not writing him off by any means, going to be an interesting Tour.

    Margin-Walker
    Free Member

    Cav not going for green.

    Will want stage wins, then pull out. Then win Olympics 🙂

    mrmo
    Free Member

    make you wonder if he has lost some power or the others have gained perhaps both.

    Wouldn’t be surprised, the olympic course isn’t a flat sprinters course, If he is serious about the olympics, loosing a bit of weight and a bit of power might make some sense. It would mean his sprinting suffers but he will still be in contention at the end.

    crazy-legs
    Full Member

    This is getting scrappy…

    crazy-legs
    Full Member

    Wow, that’s steep!

    RealMan
    Free Member

    Told you so 😀

    Loved the celebration too.

    Pook
    Full Member

    I think he looked a bit of a bell during the celebration.

    RealMan
    Free Member

    Look into those eyes..

    Margin-Walker
    Free Member

    Pook – Member

    I think he looked a bit of a bell during the celebration.

    looked a bell….ha ha, whatever.He has just given fabu and EBH a lesson in riding and picked up his 340th win of the season.

    He’s f’ckin class.

    Pook
    Full Member

    I wasn’t debating that.

    Margin-Walker
    Free Member

    do you want him to do a pistolero, or a cav making a phonecall,cleaning his glasses etc etc etc.

    Awesome ride from an awesome rider.

    atlaz
    Free Member

    I don’t really think he gave them “a lesson in riding”. Certainly showed that the Swiss and Californian wins were not because he was lacking quality opposition.

    atlaz
    Free Member

    BTW, is the yellow helmet for the leading team a new thing? Can’t remember it before

    RealMan
    Free Member

    BTW, is the yellow helmet for the leading team a new thing? Can’t remember it before

    Think it might just be a thing sky are doing.

    Margin-Walker
    Free Member

    RealMan – Member

    BTW, is the yellow helmet for the leading team a new thing? Can’t remember it before

    Think it might just be a thing sky are doing.

    No its not.

    Its the leading team…new for this year (helmets that is..not competition).

    (do you watch with the sound off ??)

    RealMan
    Free Member

    So all teams have to come with a supply of yellow helmets? That seems a bit odd. Fair enough though.

    (do you watch with the sound off ??)

    Most of the time, yeah.. 🙂

    Margin-Walker
    Free Member

    what …an extra 9 helmets in yellow per team. Not sure that’ll cripple the likes of sky and radio shack. Bearing in mind that about 15 teams wont even bother (cofidis, sojur, europcar etc)

    Not sure why you find it odd.

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