XYZ
Smoking in the selection room.
Wow, not sure how I managed to get so twisted up on that. Thanks.
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2013 Cycling Thread
- Thread starter Titleist
- Start date
Wow, not sure how I managed to get so twisted up on that. Thanks.
XYZ
Smoking in the selection room.
Might not be the worst idea, though at the moment I suspect contador won't be given much of a leash by the skyborgs.
Re: 2013 Cycling Thread
Note that I'm writing this while the stage is still underway but what a huge error from Movistar and Saxo (and Belkin I guess). Froome is isolated 160K from the end and no one attacks until the last climb? It was a perfect time for Nairo or Kreuziger to go with two cols to go and force Froome to react. Instead they'll wait till Ancizan and Froome will shed them for 2 minutes since he hasn't had to work.
I guess I'm mad they turned a stage that had the potential for the greatest stage in recent GT memory (Gardeccia) and made it a regular TdF stage.
Note that I'm writing this while the stage is still underway but what a huge error from Movistar and Saxo (and Belkin I guess). Froome is isolated 160K from the end and no one attacks until the last climb? It was a perfect time for Nairo or Kreuziger to go with two cols to go and force Froome to react. Instead they'll wait till Ancizan and Froome will shed them for 2 minutes since he hasn't had to work.
I guess I'm mad they turned a stage that had the potential for the greatest stage in recent GT memory (Gardeccia) and made it a regular TdF stage.
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Re: 2013 Cycling Thread
They definitely should have attacked. Today showed that SKY isn't unbeatable Kirienka didn't make the time cut so that's one less helper in the mountains but they won't have many days to take advantage, granted Froome seemed to mark Quintana's moves on the final climb but if they had started on the previous climbs who know what would have happened on the last climb.
Phil needs to consider retiring, constantly during the stage where Porte was trying to catch up to the leaders he mentioned that Froome was trying to rejoin the Porte group up front and then during the podium celebration he called Dan Martin Neal Martin, his father, at least 3 times. I know it's live tv but these things seem happen every day
They definitely should have attacked. Today showed that SKY isn't unbeatable Kirienka didn't make the time cut so that's one less helper in the mountains but they won't have many days to take advantage, granted Froome seemed to mark Quintana's moves on the final climb but if they had started on the previous climbs who know what would have happened on the last climb.
Phil needs to consider retiring, constantly during the stage where Porte was trying to catch up to the leaders he mentioned that Froome was trying to rejoin the Porte group up front and then during the podium celebration he called Dan Martin Neal Martin, his father, at least 3 times. I know it's live tv but these things seem happen every day
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Re: 2013 Cycling Thread
Exactly! For Conti and Val in particular, they needed to be willing to lose the Tour or at least their Top 5 positions in order to win. OR failing that sent Kreuziger and/or Nairo on the attack (and be willing for that to fail) to make Froome do something.
Exactly! For Conti and Val in particular, they needed to be willing to lose the Tour or at least their Top 5 positions in order to win. OR failing that sent Kreuziger and/or Nairo on the attack (and be willing for that to fail) to make Froome do something.
I think Moviestar and Saxo were presented a great chance chip away at Froome and blew it. At a minimum one of those teams should have had some at least try to bridge to Martin and Fuglsang.
As it is unless Porte has a go at the TT, the rest of Sky team gets a lot of time off until they need to work again.
As it is unless Porte has a go at the TT, the rest of Sky team gets a lot of time off until they need to work again.
XYZ
Smoking in the selection room.
Contador will at some point. He's stated numerous times in the past that if he can't take first he would rather take a swing and finish 40th than wheelsuck his way to 2nd.
And so much for my Porte pick. Probably will still get me some tt and stage points, but goodbye gc points. Breaks my heart.
Re: 2013 Cycling Thread
I know that Contador will attack at some point, but today was such a perfect chance I'm not sure he'll have a better time anywhere in Le Tour. I think the next multi-mountain stage isn't until the last Thursday or Friday.
EDIT: Totally forgot to mention, possibly the most important thing to come out of today, Vasily Kirienka was HD'd.
I know that Contador will attack at some point, but today was such a perfect chance I'm not sure he'll have a better time anywhere in Le Tour. I think the next multi-mountain stage isn't until the last Thursday or Friday.
EDIT: Totally forgot to mention, possibly the most important thing to come out of today, Vasily Kirienka was HD'd.
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XYZ
Smoking in the selection room.
Re: 2013 Cycling Thread
I'll give the Spaniards some sliver of a chance, but I'll believe Schleck being near the leaders in a flat TT once I see it. What are the odds that Porte rips things up today?
I'll give the Spaniards some sliver of a chance, but I'll believe Schleck being near the leaders in a flat TT once I see it. What are the odds that Porte rips things up today?
FlagDUDE08
Banned
Re: 2013 Cycling Thread
What else are those two Brits on NBCSN going to talk about? It's always Cavendish this, Cavendish that...
What else are those two Brits on NBCSN going to talk about? It's always Cavendish this, Cavendish that...
Re: 2013 Cycling Thread
Today was fine. Froome is good. No sympathy for Contador or Valverde. Just like during the Armstrong era, I still think it's a fair fight at the top of the GC. Froome may be willing to take more risks than the others, but he hasn't been popped yet so it wouldn't be a lifetime ban.
Today was fine. Froome is good. No sympathy for Contador or Valverde. Just like during the Armstrong era, I still think it's a fair fight at the top of the GC. Froome may be willing to take more risks than the others, but he hasn't been popped yet so it wouldn't be a lifetime ban.
Re: 2013 Cycling Thread
Its a joke when the best climber is putting time into the best TT specialist in the world most of the way around the course. As for a fair fight at the top, Froome is 3:30 ahead, the next like 9 riders are all within a minute. Its a fair fight for second. I almost feel like that explains Saxo and Movistars tactics the other day, they were racing like Dawgstrong didn't exist.
Its a joke when the best climber is putting time into the best TT specialist in the world most of the way around the course. As for a fair fight at the top, Froome is 3:30 ahead, the next like 9 riders are all within a minute. Its a fair fight for second. I almost feel like that explains Saxo and Movistars tactics the other day, they were racing like Dawgstrong didn't exist.
Re: 2013 Cycling Thread
I still don't get it. Are you suggesting that Froome is doping and the other's aren't?
I still don't get it. Are you suggesting that Froome is doping and the other's aren't?
Re: 2013 Cycling Thread
I think there are two questions at play.
The first question is whether or not Froome is taking more risks with his medical program. He certainly has the most to gain and the least to lose.
The second question is more sinister and centers on whether Froome/Sky have the "permission" to dope from the UCI/ASO/etc...
I'm not super offended by Froome's success. Since Indurain we've had great climbers TT well, or great TT climb well. It's just the way it is. Heck even Lemond was great at both.
I think there are two questions at play.
The first question is whether or not Froome is taking more risks with his medical program. He certainly has the most to gain and the least to lose.
The second question is more sinister and centers on whether Froome/Sky have the "permission" to dope from the UCI/ASO/etc...
I'm not super offended by Froome's success. Since Indurain we've had great climbers TT well, or great TT climb well. It's just the way it is. Heck even Lemond was great at both.
Re: 2013 Cycling Thread
Maybe Dawgstrong is on AIGLE
maybe just a standard more aggressive cocktail, maybe Liender's program is just better (does he have a swimming coach like Wiggo?). But when one is up 3:30 over the field in a mear 38K (about 5K from Ax3 and 33 today) it makes a mockery out of things.
But outside of LeMond who had any semblance or credibility?
Indurain was one of the most most impressive physical specimens ever and would crush all in the TT and defend in the mountains. (If today's TT were 60 K like in the days of Miguel we'd be talking about a 4-5 minute beating and a 7 minute lead after 9 stages.)
Riis was a good climber with an OK TT, an unbelievable domestique, and freak short stage.
Ullrich was a great TT who defended in the mountains.
Pantani was the climber par excellence and usually a poor TTer.
The less said about LA the better.
Leaving aside LA we have strong TTer OR strong climbers both with the exception of Pantani with a reasonable ability in the other. Now we have someone who climbs like Pantani and TTs like Indurain.
Plus he has started giving interviews that say things like I'll still be clean when tested 10 years from now and because I can win, it proves that the peloton is clean. At least when most of these guys where doping there that the appearance of equality.
At least with Wiggo it was obvious that he wasn't the best climber.
Maybe Dawgstrong is on AIGLE
maybe just a standard more aggressive cocktail, maybe Liender's program is just better (does he have a swimming coach like Wiggo?). But when one is up 3:30 over the field in a mear 38K (about 5K from Ax3 and 33 today) it makes a mockery out of things. But outside of LeMond who had any semblance or credibility?
Indurain was one of the most most impressive physical specimens ever and would crush all in the TT and defend in the mountains. (If today's TT were 60 K like in the days of Miguel we'd be talking about a 4-5 minute beating and a 7 minute lead after 9 stages.)
Riis was a good climber with an OK TT, an unbelievable domestique, and freak short stage.
Ullrich was a great TT who defended in the mountains.
Pantani was the climber par excellence and usually a poor TTer.
The less said about LA the better.
Leaving aside LA we have strong TTer OR strong climbers both with the exception of Pantani with a reasonable ability in the other. Now we have someone who climbs like Pantani and TTs like Indurain.
Plus he has started giving interviews that say things like I'll still be clean when tested 10 years from now and because I can win, it proves that the peloton is clean. At least when most of these guys where doping there that the appearance of equality.
At least with Wiggo it was obvious that he wasn't the best climber.