The 2010 Cycling Thread!

[Probert]

Re: The 2010 Cycling Thread!

ssagard, I understand, and frankly I'd like to see an exciting stage with echelons tomorrow. However, It doesn't look like it will happen. Though I did see a British Forecast calling for rain and wind tomorrow.

One last question, and this is not meant to start any LA/RS war, just a question. I noticed on the leaderboard at Velogames, and even within our own league, a HUGE percent, almost 100%, of the people who took LA also took Brajkovic. I realize he just won the Dauphine, but he is only like the 4th domestique here. Why that specific pairing? In my view it would be like taking Basso or Kruetzinger and Szmyd or something, except that Szmyd is counting as an all-rounder or a climber. Or maybe Schleck and C.A. Sorensen, again where Sorensen counts as a climber or all-rounder (and without the chance for the stage win).

I find that surprising in my opinion the rest of The Shack is there to support, read tow his a** up the big mountains, Armstrong unless he falls way behind really quickly. Brajkovic has no shot of rising to leader status with Levi and Kloden also in the mix. It is possible he gets in a break, although Popo is probably a more likely choice for this, but with the high pt value, he cost 8-10 pts? sounds like a wasted pick.

I took Horner but that was basically because I had 6 pts to spend on 2 guys so I picked my token Frenchman, Cyril GAUTIER who hopefully will get in a break or be aggressive and then took Horner for my 4 pt guy. I wanted to take Amets Txuruxxa because I really like him but I take him for the Vuelta and The Tour every year and he gets me like 10 pts, this year I figure I won't take him so he will win a stage, plus I already have Martinez from Euskatel on my team. Plus I was amazed how fast velogames got the update up I am sure that won't last.

One of the interesting things I noticed on the Versus coverage was that Robbie Ventura was back. Wasn't he Floyd Landis's coach? I wonder if he was involved in running Landis's doping program? Why wasn't he brought into the discussion when they were talking about it in the pre race coverage. Also while it doesn't mean much i really want Hummer to get crushed in their little competition this year.

 

[rufus]

Re: The 2010 Cycling Thread!

One last question, and this is not meant to start any LA/RS war, just a question. I noticed on the leaderboard at Velogames, and even within our own league, a HUGE percent, almost 100%, of the people who took LA also took Brajkovic. I realize he just won the Dauphine, but he is only like the 4th domestique here. Why that specific pairing?

My guess is because most of the people entering this contest aren't that familiar with a lot of the pro cycling teams, but rather like most Americans(and my former neighbor) simply huge Lance fan-bois, and so go with the familiar name by association.

Bit of a downer for me, I had initially picked Geraint Thomas for my team.

 

[CarlS]

Re: The 2010 Cycling Thread!

From looking at the picture of Cardoso it is apparent that he would never make it in soccer - with those injuries he would have been writhing on the pitch for hours.

 

[Titleist]

Re: The 2010 Cycling Thread!

Well he may not make it in cycling, since he abandon today before the start. Also I officially lasted 15 minutes before giving up on Versus and am now streaming Eurosport! It really is amazing how much more cycling you get...

Also just noticed that Cav better win today, his teammate/antagonist Greipel won in Austria today.

 

[Titleist]

Re: The 2010 Cycling Thread!

Cav responds to Greipel's win by causing a massive crash! Petacchi wins ahead of Renshaw and Hushovd.

Also Adam Hanson (HTC) out with a broken collarbone.

Finally, an AG2R man, I think Mondory, got taken out in the last crash, rolled over, jumped up, and flipped off the guy who wrecked him.

Wow, I forgot the most surprising thing, NEITHER Menchov nor Gesink went down! That is just a miracle!

 

[brianvf]

Re: The 2010 Cycling Thread!

Stupid vacations. I'm missing all the Tour fun!
Hopefully there is a replay of tomorrow's cobble stage at night. I want to watch it once we get home.

My team is blowing chunks in last right now. And now it looks like Farrar is injured after today's mega-crash stage. Hope he continues and can fight for the green.

 

[Titleist]

Re: The 2010 Cycling Thread!

I was hugely disappointed in today's stage. Well, I was thrilled for Chava, to take yellow after his crash in L-B-L is phenomenal. But for the peloton to have neutralized the end of the stage was poor. I was OK with waiting for the fallers but to avoid the sprint was awful! Thor rode hard to be at the pointy end and drop Cav but gets no reward. Gesink actually doesn't fall and gets nothing. (EDIT: Scratch that, Gesnik did go down and broke his forearm, though he plans to try and start tomorrow, should be fun on the pave.)

I'm actually now dreading tomorrows stage, will the peloton simply soft pedal if someone goes down? Or will Gesink/Sastre go down and be left behind (after making the split to no end today)?

 

[Probert]

Re: The 2010 Cycling Thread!

I'm a little torn with the equalization yes everybody new about the stage but with the roads the way they are everybody was going to fight for position and some would lose. With a classic if you fall, your day is over you pack it in but to lose a 3 week tour because the guy in front of you wipes out and you crash as a result. I don't see the point of not sprinting though and with a second place finish Thor probably would have close to an insurmountable lead in the green jersey competition.

 

[Probert]

Re: The 2010 Cycling Thread!

The injury list from the Stockeau massacre surprising it only seems as if a couple of guys will be out though some will be hurting on the pave tomorrow.

http://velonews.competitor.com/2010/07/news/the-stockeau-massacre-damage-assessment-after-the-tour-de-frances-second-stage_125976

 

[Titleist]

Re: The 2010 Cycling Thread!

Interestingly it appear that Gesink didn't go down on the Stockeu, but earlier. So that means he navigated down that with a broken Ulna, gives me some small hope for tomorrow.

I think that IF Chava recovers well tonight that QS should push the pace tomorrow. He is a proven quantity on the pave, why not try and cause some panic among the GC guys, you really don't want Chavanel getting 6 minutes up on you.
A couple other things regarding tomorrow. Here are the rating for the pave sectors:
From the 7 sectors only the last 3 are used in P-R. And none of them has 5 star difficulty.
Secteur pavé d'Ormeignies (350 m)
Secteur pavé d'Hollain (1 200 m)
Secteur pavé de Rongy (700 m)
Secteur pavé de Sars-et-Rosières (2 400 m)
Secteur pavé de Tilloy-lez-Marchiennes (2 500 m) - 3 stars
Secteur pavé de Wandignies-Hamage (3 700 m) - 4 stars
Secteur pavé d'Haveluy (2 300 m) - 4 stars

Also a funny graphic illustrating the likely shape of the peloton...

Substitue: Gesnik for Vande Velde now.

 

[sagard]

Re: The 2010 Cycling Thread!

I'm a bit surprised they let Schleck back in the race. Absolutely stunned they didn't sprint it out. Fabian must have threatened to kick all their skinny little *****es if they raced to the line.

 

[pardonme]

Re: The 2010 Cycling Thread!

I'm a bit surprised they let Schleck back in the race. Absolutely stunned they didn't sprint it out. Fabian must have threatened to kick all their skinny little *****es if they raced to the line.

As I read on another board, he just forgot his motor today and didn't want everyone to realize how slow he is without it.

 

[Titleist]

Re: The 2010 Cycling Thread!

Chanvanel is riding in yellow today, with a red number, on a half yellow, half green bike!

Also everyone in the Hushovd/Cance group has been awarded 2 points according to the Eurosport feed.

 

[Titleist]

Re: The 2010 Cycling Thread!

WOW!

F. Schleck is out...A. Schleck is riding like a man possessed on Cance's wheel in a group with Hushovd. LA has a group chasing and AC is chasing him, this is great stuff!

 

[pardonme]

Re: The 2010 Cycling Thread!

WOW!

F. Schleck is out...A. Schleck is riding like a man possessed on Cance's wheel in a group with Hushovd. LA has a group chasing and AC is chasing him, this is great stuff!

Now Lance flatted and is chasing the Contador group. Chavanel also flatted, so depending how much time the front group can get on him he may not actually keep yellow. He did have a pretty big cushion though.

 

[Titleist]

Re: The 2010 Cycling Thread!

Well, Chava punctured again and lost yellow...Thor won the "sprint." Contra punctured inside the last 500 m and Vino dropped him (like the team time trail at the Giro, I think Astana needs to get him some glasses). LA lost about a minute to AC and wow Menchov and 2+ to AS and Evans.

My Fant team is done, but that was great racing though not quite as good at the Montelacino stage in Italy.
Edit:
Top 20 on GC:
1. CANCELLARA Fabian 13 TEAM SAXO BANK 14h 54' 00"
2. THOMAS Geraint 39 SKY PRO CYCLING 14h 54' 23" + 00' 23"
3. EVANS Cadel 121 BMC RACING TEAM 14h 54' 39" + 00' 39"
4. HESJEDAL Ryder 54 GARMIN - TRANSITIONS 14h 54' 46" + 00' 46"
5. CHAVANEL Sylvain 131 QUICK STEP 14h 55' 01" + 01' 01"
6. SCHLECK Andy 11 TEAM SAXO BANK 14h 55' 09" + 01' 09"
7. HUSHOVD Thor 95 CERVELO TEST TEAM 14h 55' 19" + 01' 19"
8. VINOKOUROV Alexandre 9 ASTANA 14h 55' 31" + 01' 31"
9. CONTADOR Alberto 1 ASTANA 14h 55' 40" + 01' 40"
10. VAN DEN BROECK Jurgen 101 OMEGA PHARMA - LOTTO 14h 55' 42" + 01' 42"
11. ROCHE Nicolas 81 AG2R LA MONDIALE 14h 55' 42" + 01' 42"
12. VAN SUMMEREN Johan 58 GARMIN - TRANSITIONS 14h 55' 47" + 01' 47"
13. MENCHOV Denis 191 RABOBANK 14h 55' 49" + 01' 49"
14. WIGGINS Bradley 31 SKY PRO CYCLING 14h 55' 49" + 01' 49"
15. MILLAR David 57 GARMIN - TRANSITIONS 14h 56' 06" + 02' 06"
16. KREUZIGER Roman 44 LIQUIGAS-DOIMO 14h 56' 24" + 02' 24"
17. SANCHEZ Luis-Leon 161 CAISSE D’EPARGNE 14h 56' 25" + 02' 25"
18. ARMSTRONG Lance 21 TEAM RADIOSHACK 14h 56' 30" + 02' 30"
19. LÖVKVIST Thomas 37 SKY PRO CYCLING 14h 56' 34" + 02' 34"
20. ROJAS Jose Joaquin 169 CAISSE D’EPARGNE 14h 56' 35" + 02' 35"

 

[ericredaxe]

Re: The 2010 Cycling Thread!

Maybe I'm not enough of a cyclist to understand... but why have cobblestones in the route? Seems totally stupid. Frank Schleck is out... Lance's chances are largely killed because of a flat tire... shouldn't the goal be to determine a winner based on athleticism, strength, endurance etc etc... and minimize the element of "luck"?

 

[Titleist]

Re: The 2010 Cycling Thread!

There are numerous reasons to include the pave in Le Tour. Firstly, and most artistically, it is a Tour of cycling in France. The biggest one-day race in the world (with due respect to RvV and L-B-L) is Paris-Roubaix. The defining characteristic of Roubaix is pave. Secondly, the stages of pave we saw today were far from the true "hell of the north." The route didn't go into the Forest or over Le Carrefore d'Arbe, both vicious (5 start) sectors. Luck isn't really as big a factor as you would think. When you look at the results from P-R or RvV, the winner is almost never a surprise and almost always the strongest man in the race. For example, today we saw Thor win and Cance as the primary strong man in the defining break. Cance won P-R and RvV this year. Thor was 2nd in P-R. Had Tom Boonen ridden today, he would have been in that break too!

Moreover, riding pave is a skill. It requires bike handling, positioning, power to name but a few. The same can be said for climbing, descending, and riding against the clock. The Tour is looking for a complete cyclist, it is only fair to test the cyclist's complete ability.

Yes it too bad for F. Schleck to have been KO's with the collarbone and 3 breaks in his shoulder and yes, LA lost time due to a puncture, but crashes and punctures happen everywhere. Think Beloki a number of years ago, and on the Eurosport feed, Magnus Backstead, Servais Knaven, and Sean Kelley, all former P-R winners mentioned that riding on the verges or the dirt path on the sides INCREASES the chance to puncture. That was exactly where LA was riding when he punctured.

One last thing, I think Contra may get his 30 seconds back that he lost to Vino due to a puncture inside the last 3 K...

 

[jerphisch]

Re: The 2010 Cycling Thread!

One last question, and this is not meant to start any LA/RS war, just a question. I noticed on the leaderboard at Velogames, and even within our own league, a HUGE percent, almost 100%, of the people who took LA also took Brajkovic. I realize he just won the Dauphine, but he is only like the 4th domestique here. Why that specific pairing?

I guess I'll give this a go since I'm one of them. First is I still think that Lance has a podium finish in him, and the points between he and Contador were a huge difference. As to why Brajkovic, someone on RS will drag LA up all the mountains, and whoever that is will likely end up doing pretty well for themselves in the process (see Heras, Roberto and Hincapie, George). The hope is that Brajkovic will be able to do it often rather than drag LA by committee or someone else taking that role. Where he ranks at the start of the race won't matter, it's how he performs in the mountains that will decide if it was a good choice or total crap.

 

[Titleist]

Re: The 2010 Cycling Thread!

I guess I'll give this a go since I'm one of them. First is I still think that Lance has a podium finish in him, and the points between he and Contador were a huge difference. As to why Brajkovic, someone on RS will drag LA up all the mountains, and whoever that is will likely end up doing pretty well for themselves in the process (see Heras, Roberto and Hincapie, George). The hope is that Brajkovic will be able to do it often rather than drag LA by committee or someone else taking that role. Where he ranks at the start of the race won't matter, it's how he performs in the mountains that will decide if it was a good choice or total crap.

Fair enough. And I'm not saying LA was a bad pick it was more directed at JB. It is generally believed that LL and AK will be LA's top two mountain domestiques and both have better palmares than JB (both having finished on the podium of a GT.) As to your claim that the domestiques end up doing well, your examples are not quite accurate. Certainly Heras did, but he was also a 2-time GT winner (I'll always believe that the Hog brought him to Postal because he though that Heras could beat LA). But Hincapie, well the facts don't back you. His best finish was last year, riding for HTC (19th). His other finishes were 35, 24, 32, 33, 78, 53, and 104. Save for one day as part of a break, where he disgustingly won a stage despite never have taken a pull, he hasn't done much. In fact USPS/Disco/Astana domestique generally do little to distinguish themselves individually.