2013 Cycling Thread

[Titleist]

Re: 2013 Cycling Thread

A last bit of fallout from today: Saw Bram Tankink (Belkin) posted on Twitter that after Saxo rode away, Dawg rode up to Tankink and said "Why aren't you riding anymore?" To which Tankink replied that his leaders were up the road. Nice to see the awareness from Dawgstrong...

 

[sagard]

I think Valverde dropping might hurt Froome worse than the minute to Contador. If Froome maniacally chases all Quintana's attacks going forward, he is going to be extremely vulnerable to Contador countering. Contador is the threat and with the way he improves every rest day he may just destroy everyone the last week.

I hope Froome follows only Contador and at some point gifts him a stage.

 

[XYZ]

Re: 2013 Cycling Thread

Let me guess... did he call Cavendish? Those darn Brits...

What the heck is up with today's stage? Just plain bad luck?

Yes he called Cavendish. Right before he was passed.

As to today's stage, you just saw a wonderful strategic maneuver that can occur in crosswinds. We haven't seen it be a major player in grand tours recently (I think), but it has nothing to do with luck. Rather with being smart and opportunistic.

I couldn't imagine trying to bridge one of those gaps in a small group or if I was one of the few who even cared about trying to bridge. Any of the Twin Cities visitors to this thread go for a ride today and head south? Might as well have been riding in a wind tunnel. It's no wonder that once a gap is formed in these situations that it can be incredibly difficult to close, and credit to the teams that anticipate it and take advantage. Proactivity deserves to be rewarded.

Took it on the chin in velogames today. Dropped from 29th to 41st. Who would have thought so many people had Cavendish AND Sagan? Ah well, their GC guys suck and I'll get it back! Oh wait....I have Porte....

 

[XYZ]

Re: 2013 Cycling Thread

And tomorrow, which probably starts in about four hours.

No clue what to expect on this one. Am I the only one who thinks that ASO has accidentally stumbled itself into a good course design? No way could they have anticipated some of these stages animating things the way they have, but it's happened. Guess that's what we get when a guy goes all gonzo on the first decent climb of the race.

That said, the Ventoux stage is still a travesty.

 

[Probert]

Re: 2013 Cycling Thread

I think Valverde dropping might hurt Froome worse than the minute to Contador. If Froome maniacally chases all Quintana's attacks going forward, he is going to be extremely vulnerable to Contador countering. Contador is the threat and with the way he improves every rest day he may just destroy everyone the last week.

I hope Froome follows only Contador and at some point gifts him a stage.

I kind of feel the opposite with Valverde in second he had 2 credible threats Valverde and Contador to watch with Valverde back he really only has to watch Contador. He put what 4 minutes into Quintana at the TT so barring a Pantani like breakaway in the mountains from Quintana he is not going put enough time into Froome. Plus with Valverde and Costa in the top 10 Movistar had multiple options. Mollema, Kreuzinger, Fugalsang and Ten Dam are probably considered secondary threats at this point.

 

[XYZ]

I find this estimate borderline unbelievable, but evidently they are expecting....a million...people on Ventoux today. Oy.

 

[sagard]

I kind of feel the opposite with Valverde in second he had 2 credible threats Valverde and Contador to watch with Valverde back he really only has to watch Contador. He put what 4 minutes into Quintana at the TT so barring a Pantani like breakaway in the mountains from Quintana he is not going put enough time into Froome. Plus with Valverde and Costa in the top 10 Movistar had multiple options. Mollema, Kreuzinger, Fugalsang and Ten Dam are probably considered secondary threats at this point.

I agree all he needs to do is follow AC. I'm worried his ego and lack of patience will have him follow Quintana on all moves.

 

[XYZ]

Re: 2013 Cycling Thread

I agree all he needs to do is follow AC. I'm worried his ego and lack of patience will have him follow Quintana on all moves.

This is going to be the most interesting aspect of the Alps. Despite its dominance at times over the past two seasons, Sky has never shown itself to be tactically smart. Nearly all of its results have been a product of driving a crushing pace on the front so no one could mount a legitimate attack in the mountains. With Wiggins and now Froome's TT superiority, all they have had to do was train it to the top.

As we saw on the road to Bagnères-de-Bigorre in stage 9, though, there's a bit of refreshing hope. Sky had absolutely no clue what to do with the tactics employed by multiple teams, which might bode well for those of us who want to see Sky unravel. With another TT to go, I still think it's going to be awfully tough to shake Froome, but he's prone to mistakes and the best way to make one happen is to keep putting pressure on him as it severely increases the chances he stubs his dick. Just like on Friday.

Anyone else see the little anecdote written about what happened on Friday after Saxo and Belkin split the field? I'm paraphrasing, but evidently The Dawg asked a Belkin rider why he wasn't helping chase, and the Belkin guy replies "because my leaders are already in that group."

Pressure and isolation and there might be some hope. Contador is the guy I think we have to look for here as he's fearless, is incredibly smart tactically, and you know **** well he won't go down without a fight. Long week ahead though, and pressure applied by anyone has the chance to really open Froome up to mistakes. Should be interesting to see what Sky does tomorrow. In 2012 they'd have driven the pace from the beginning, but I have to wonder if they are capable of that now. I hope someone like Garmin attacks again as if not and it's a sluggish first 200+km, Froome will be able to unleash on Ventoux.

Which is precisely why I don't like this stage design. The length is nice to see and while I don't want to see a four cat 1 lead-in, a nice cat 2 or something somewhere in the middle to soften legs up and also allow for some creative moves that might actually work could go a long way.

Ventoux. A million people? Still can't get over that. I'll believe it when I see it.

Storm the Bastille!!!!

 

[XYZ]

Re: 2013 Cycling Thread

Meh, that cat 3 in there isn't so bad, but I still think it's too flat. I know they are coming down from the north which limits early options for hills, but were I looking to spark action I'd still have sacrificed some of those early fours everyone will soft pedal over for a nice cat 2 spike somewhere in the middle.

 

[XYZ]

Re: 2013 Cycling Thread

The Dawg.

 

[Probert]

Re: 2013 Cycling Thread

Froome looked just like Lance today, having his team set the pace effortlessly leaving the peleton in the dust and catching the man up the road as if he was standing still, leaving his top rival to regroup, constantly checking on the radio with the team manager about everyone's status. Except for Virenque way up the road it was just like 2000's climb up Ventoux except Quintana was Pantani and Ullrich was Contador.

I do not understand why Movistar set the pace there was no threat up front they should have made Sky set the pace all day.

I also find Sky's breaking of the feed station rules interesting. Phil and Paul seemed to think there would not be a time penalty but if that's the case won't every team start doing it? There going to say Sky does it to compete we will have to eat the $1,000 euro penalty or whatever it is.

Looks like barring a crash or not making the cut Sagan has the green jersey wrapped up.

 

[Titleist]

Re: 2013 Cycling Thread

Afew interesting tidbits I've picked up over the last few days. The TT was the 2nd fastest (average speed) over 8K ever. And Dawg's climb today seems to have been 1:20 faster that Dopestrong in '99. Though to be fair that is a bit of an estimate based on his time from 15K to go.

All natural cycling FTW.

EDIT: Err, I didn't mean '99. Whatever year it was that he won up there.
EDITING AGAIN: More info seems to indicate that it isn't 1:20 faster than LA but plus/minus 3 seconds. Still near record territory especially given that Mayo's record is in a TT. So within a week Dawgstrong gose from a near record in the TT to a near record on the hardest climb in Le Tour. Yup, seems legit.

 

[XYZ]

Afew interesting tidbits I've picked up over the last few days. The TT was the 2nd fastest (average speed) over 8K ever. And Dawg's climb today seems to have been 1:20 faster that Dopestrong in '99. Though to be fair that is a bit of an estimate based on his time from 15K to go.

All natural cycling FTW.

EDIT: Err, I didn't mean '99. Whatever year it was that he won up there.
EDITING AGAIN: More info seems to indicate that it isn't 1:20 faster than LA but plus/minus 3 seconds. Still near record territory especially given that Mayo's record is in a TT. So within a week Dawgstrong gose from a near record in the TT to a near record on the hardest climb in Le Tour. Yup, seems legit.

I have decided that to enhance my fledgling low level amateur racing career, I am going to intentionally contract bilharzia. Be shelling guys out the back in no time.

 

[Probert]

Re: 2013 Cycling Thread

As I mentioned above about Sky breaking the feed rules just as an interesting fact I picked up reading 100 Years of the TDF which is a great read, back in the 50's a rider was penalized 25 minutes for taking water from his team car, he would have finished second to Anquitiel but ended up in 9th place. Rider's weren't allowed to get food or water outside an approved feeding station run by the race until the 60's.

 

[Titleist]

Re: 2013 Cycling Thread

XYZ, I'm not sure thats the way to go. My analysis of this Tour is: We all know that Dawg is clean so the other riders, like Conti, must be well off form (since Brailsford said last year that Mountain stages are no longer won by minutes, but seconds, and there can't be multiple or long ranged attacks). So I conjecture that the entire peloton, save Froome, has the badzilla. Next year, or the year after, its going to be the Wild West was those guys recover. You might still be put in your place.

 

[sagard]

I think you guys are a bit tough on the Sky boys. Froome is at least an attacking rider. Froome looks rediculously skinny and extremely awkward at times. He won't last long term at this weight.

Just like Lance, I don't believe he is racing with an advantage over his top rivals. However I'm sure since he has the most to gain, he might be able to take the most risks with his program.

However unlike Lance and Wiggins, he doesn't appear to be butthead when interviewed.

If I'm the rest of the guys I fight like hell for second, one never knows when they will be named champion.

 

[rufus]

Re: 2013 Cycling Thread

I think Contador needs to eat more steak.

 

[Titleist]

Re: 2013 Cycling Thread

I think Contador needs to eat more steak.

Quoted for Truth!

Ao how many times do I get to hear about LA tomorrow when they descend through Armstrong-Beloki corner?

Hope its Chava and Voeckler for the win tomorrow.

 

[XYZ]

Quoted for Truth!

Ao how many times do I get to hear about LA tomorrow when they descend through Armstrong-Beloki corner?

Hope its Chava and Voeckler for the win tomorrow.

I thought they were going to wipe Wonderboy's name off that corner? Either way, as far as Contador and Spanish beef is concerned, I don't recall which publication it was in but he made it clear today that if he goes down he's going to do it exciting and fantastic fashion.

 

[Titleist]

Re: 2013 Cycling Thread

Fun stage, and though I like Rui Costa, I was rooting for about half of the rest of the break to win. Looks like 'Berto has a petite fillet last night, almost broke them at least once. I just hope the crash won't hurt him the next few days.

Porte was a bit ridiculous, almost like Froome last year. Dropped then back, and super strong again.

Finally did anyone else catch Froome whinning about 'Berto's attack on the downhill? Something to the effect of AC must be getting desperate and is riding out of control? Well, Dawg, if its that dangerous, you do have a 4 minute lead, maybe don't follow him that closely. He just opened the door for attacks on the descent of the Saronne.