Discussion
I think this deserves a specific thread in this forum as the sports one tends to be quite general...
Reading yesterday that the course was actually longer than quoted so the avg speed wasn't in fact record breaking? Either way that was a big ride from Dennis, massive in fact.
Looking forward to the first week, rain, cobbles etc, I personally think this is the only part of the tour that favours Nibali, I suspect he might be out the back come a mountain - Quintana did a pretty decent TT despite all the doom mongering about what he might lose, 1 min down for a bloke weighing under 60kg aint bad in my book!
Interestingly I see the usual suspects on twitter calling out various performances that must be superhuman, in fact some IAM cycling bloke tweeted about doing 390W and getting smashed to bits, this was re-tweeted by Digger Forum and such, sad that many people seem to think whatever these people say is gospel!
Anyway - I think Froome will win, he has a great team and no reason not to be in great shape...
What does Pedal Powered think?
Reading yesterday that the course was actually longer than quoted so the avg speed wasn't in fact record breaking? Either way that was a big ride from Dennis, massive in fact.
Looking forward to the first week, rain, cobbles etc, I personally think this is the only part of the tour that favours Nibali, I suspect he might be out the back come a mountain - Quintana did a pretty decent TT despite all the doom mongering about what he might lose, 1 min down for a bloke weighing under 60kg aint bad in my book!
Interestingly I see the usual suspects on twitter calling out various performances that must be superhuman, in fact some IAM cycling bloke tweeted about doing 390W and getting smashed to bits, this was re-tweeted by Digger Forum and such, sad that many people seem to think whatever these people say is gospel!
Anyway - I think Froome will win, he has a great team and no reason not to be in great shape...
What does Pedal Powered think?
No, the Skandi bloke, amatiphily or something? And Digger forum - if you want to remain in a steady blood pressure state, probably best to avoid the accounts!
Yes they have a fantastic team, I think 2012 was the only way they could win with Brad, Froome seems fine to attack and ride aggressively which is ideal for the viewer! Though I don't doubt Sky will ride some of the main climbs en masse on the front at a very high pace, that will not be enough to drop everyone this year, unless porte has improved a huge amount I can't see a repeat of when Porte and Froome rode everyone off the wheel on Ax 3 Domaines (sp?) before Froome romped off to win by a huge margin.. Also looks like there are more contenders this time round based on what we have seen of TJVG, Contador, Pinot etc, plus I'm sure Quintana will be strong.
Back to today, I'd love to see what Kirby and Sean are suggesting in terms of a rock hard finish and a win by a classics man like Sep VM or Fabian, but the gale they're talking about on twitter looks like a stiff breeze at best currently - still 100km to go mind you - if it doesn't get that bad then I can't see beyond Cavendish!
Yes they have a fantastic team, I think 2012 was the only way they could win with Brad, Froome seems fine to attack and ride aggressively which is ideal for the viewer! Though I don't doubt Sky will ride some of the main climbs en masse on the front at a very high pace, that will not be enough to drop everyone this year, unless porte has improved a huge amount I can't see a repeat of when Porte and Froome rode everyone off the wheel on Ax 3 Domaines (sp?) before Froome romped off to win by a huge margin.. Also looks like there are more contenders this time round based on what we have seen of TJVG, Contador, Pinot etc, plus I'm sure Quintana will be strong.
Back to today, I'd love to see what Kirby and Sean are suggesting in terms of a rock hard finish and a win by a classics man like Sep VM or Fabian, but the gale they're talking about on twitter looks like a stiff breeze at best currently - still 100km to go mind you - if it doesn't get that bad then I can't see beyond Cavendish!
s
te leadout from Renshaw I thought - big kudos to Fabian though, didn't get out of the saddle and apparently he was going fastest in the sprint (left it too late obvs) !
I think Froome has probably had it drilled into him HARD from the team to stay out of trouble near the front, that was evident today, a GC rider coming 8th on a stage like that is good going I think, he perhaps has learned his lesson. But lets not speak too soon - cobbles await (though I bet he has been practicing like hell!).
te leadout from Renshaw I thought - big kudos to Fabian though, didn't get out of the saddle and apparently he was going fastest in the sprint (left it too late obvs) !I think Froome has probably had it drilled into him HARD from the team to stay out of trouble near the front, that was evident today, a GC rider coming 8th on a stage like that is good going I think, he perhaps has learned his lesson. But lets not speak too soon - cobbles await (though I bet he has been practicing like hell!).
Madness60 said:
Why do the crosswinds make it so easy to fracture the pelaton and so hard for a bigger group to close up even a smallish distance?
All it takes is for someone to lose a wheel coming out of a turn or roundabout (which is what it was today apparently) and suddenly you're faced with a wall of wind, nobody wants to take it on alone and before you know it the group in front is moving out of sight - if a team are committed and working then it can be closed, but when you have strong riders driving the pace in the front group then as you saw the gap goes out and not a lot anyone can do about it. Its hard to explain how horrid strong crosswinds are generally, but when you're a smaller rider and you lack the absolute firepower of a bigger rider it really makes it hard, so when Quickstep eventually BMC, Sky and Saxo were pushing on it was really moving, and there wasn't really much the others could do about it!
Its that, but also that the classics riders are strong riders, Cancellara, Martin, Stannard etc are all big units that will be able to withstand the wind somewhat better than the small GC boys, that is why Froome should be commended I think, 66kg and 6,1 is not idea in strong winds!
Ghent WVG this year is a good example of how strong the winds can be over there...!
Ghent WVG this year is a good example of how strong the winds can be over there...!
2 mins down for Quintana, I'd almost say its over for him - to be honest I think we're going to possibly see a repeat of 2013 where Froome decimates the other GC lot. I've never really doubted that when in shape he is the best GT rider there is right now, but seems many did judging from the quotes I've read etc.
But as we all know, the cobbles today will probably animate things. Now Fabian is out I hope perhaps Van Marke shows us something, not sure if Sagan will be allowed to go for a win?
But as we all know, the cobbles today will probably animate things. Now Fabian is out I hope perhaps Van Marke shows us something, not sure if Sagan will be allowed to go for a win?
anonymous said:
[redacted]
They are tweeting the occasional interesting bit of info, the twitter account is this https://twitter.com/letourdataGreat stuff from Martin today, good of sky to let him go too, smart from them and it certainly helped martin stay away!
Not sure how Lotto could get away with that as I think I read the only reason the Saxo kit has the cammo look to it was because they were told it looked too much like yellow jersey in an existing design?
I see Etixx didn't go to great lengths for Tony, only changed his bartape! Cheap bstards, at least give him a yellow bike ffs!
I see Etixx didn't go to great lengths for Tony, only changed his bartape! Cheap bstards, at least give him a yellow bike ffs!
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