Spring Classics
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Discussion

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

83 months

Sunday 4th March 2012
quotequote all
Wiggo was second in the ITT for Paris-Nice today, he is probably favourite but it will be a good test. An impressive Time Trials from Chavanel too...
http://www.letour.fr/us/homepage_coursePNC.html

okgo

42,126 posts

227 months

Sunday 4th March 2012
quotequote all
Prefer the one day races tbh. The strade bianchi was awesome.

Rocksteadyeddie

7,971 posts

256 months

Monday 5th March 2012
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+1 for the Strada Bianchi

My excitement for the classics proper is reaching fever pitch already!

Agree Wiggo probably favourite for Paris-Nice now but a long way to go. He put a lot of time into Tony Martin yesterday. Kelly reckoned the weather cost him at least 15 seconds. If he had won by 14 seconds it would have been even more impressive.

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

83 months

Monday 5th March 2012
quotequote all


Love Wiggos new jersey. hehe

Rocksteadyeddie

7,971 posts

256 months

Monday 5th March 2012
quotequote all
From that pic:

1) He's a fat knacker isn't he wink
2) Look how oval his chainrings are.

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

83 months

Monday 5th March 2012
quotequote all
Rocksteadyeddie said:
2) Look how oval his chainrings are.


Very.

http://kingbikefit.com/buy-o-symmetric-chain-rings...

Why don't all road/TT bikes have these?

okgo

42,126 posts

227 months

Monday 5th March 2012
quotequote all
A lot of people don't like the way it forces you to pedal, and also I've heard it gives out duff power readings.

On the flipside a mate of mine swears by them, and he's an awesome rider, but I think he'd still be an awesome rider without them.

I might try them at some point to see what they're like.

Rocksteadyeddie

7,971 posts

256 months

Monday 5th March 2012
quotequote all
I remember them being all the rage back in the 90s...

Rouleur

7,415 posts

218 months

Monday 5th March 2012
quotequote all
Egg Rings and Biopace. They died away after a few years.

What happened to Martin yesterday, I was distracted during his ride?

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

83 months

Monday 5th March 2012
quotequote all
Rouleur said:
Egg Rings and Biopace. They died away after a few years.
FFS someone better tell tam SKY.hehe

ArnageWRC

2,334 posts

188 months

Monday 5th March 2012
quotequote all
Good question about Martin – he went out after Wiggins, but was slow (by his standards) and it’s not the first ITT he’s been beaten in this year. I wonder if he’s concentrating on the Olympic ITT, and is not worried about the early season.
However, he is also at a new team, has he decided do become a different rider? Up until now, he’s been a ITT rider, and one of the Cavendish/HTC ‘train’. Has he got other aims? At the moment I can’t imagine him as a GT rider.

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

83 months

Monday 5th March 2012
quotequote all
It was wet during both Wiggo and Martin's runs. It looked pretty slippy and windy, that must be at least 15 seconds.

okgo

42,126 posts

227 months

Monday 5th March 2012
quotequote all
Surely not trying to pass Sean Kellys opinion off as your own? wink

He said it was 15 secs or so. But who knows, only the riders know what more they could have given.

WRT to Martin, if Cancellera can make a great classics rider, why can't he?

ArnageWRC

2,334 posts

188 months

Monday 5th March 2012
quotequote all
okgo said:
Surely not trying to pass Sean Kellys opinion off as your own? wink

He said it was 15 secs or so. But who knows, only the riders know what more they could have given.

WRT to Martin, if Cancellera can make a great classics rider, why can't he?
Agree about Cancellara - great TT & Classics rider....Good point about Martin. What are his career aims?

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

83 months

Monday 5th March 2012
quotequote all
okgo said:
Surely not trying to pass Sean Kellys opinion off as your own? wink


Yes that's where I heard it. Obviously i'm not really in a position to judge how much faster a pro rider would be in the dry over a TT course without listening to experts commenting on the race hehe

Don't you get some of your extensive knowledge of cycling from the press, commentary reviews etc or is every comment you make based on your own findings?

okgo

42,126 posts

227 months

Monday 5th March 2012
quotequote all
el stovey said:
Yes that's where I heard it. Obviously i'm not really in a position to judge how much faster a pro rider would be in the dry over a TT course without listening to experts commenting on the race hehe

Don't you get some of your extensive knowledge of cycling from the press, commentary reviews etc or is every comment you make based on your own findings?
All on my own findings obvs wink

Rocksteadyeddie

7,971 posts

256 months

Monday 5th March 2012
quotequote all
Re TM's career aims there was lots of talk a year or so ago about him trying to turn himself into a GC rider. Judging by his thighs he's got some weight to come off if he wants to step up in the high mountains.

Highway Star

3,615 posts

260 months

Monday 5th March 2012
quotequote all
Spartacus was pretty awesome (again) on Saturday, though I got the impression from watching that the chase wasn't especially well organised between BMC and Astana.

Still, Boonen must be crapping it ahead of Flanders and Roubaix. I wonder what we'll see from Gilbert in the Ardennes, he's not been looking good so far.


mcelliott

10,489 posts

210 months

Monday 5th March 2012
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Highway Star said:
Spartacus was pretty awesome (again) on Saturday, though I got the impression from watching that the chase wasn't especially well organised between BMC and Astana.

Still, Boonen must be crapping it ahead of Flanders and Roubaix. I wonder what we'll see from Gilbert in the Ardennes, he's not been looking good so far.
No mention of the God of Thunder! Really love to see Hushovd give Spartacus a bloody nose on the Pave. As regards the other classics, definitely Gilbert - loads of time to get his legs back to form; Peter Sagan also, and if it's in his programme, I wouldn't mind betting Evans turns up and puts in a good ridein something like the Flanders or Liege.

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

83 months

Wednesday 7th March 2012
quotequote all
Paris - Nice is ticking along nicely, no change at the top... nothing to suggest that wiggo will get dropped in the coming days but the stage win time bonus will suit Valverde and Rojas...

http://www.letour.fr/2012/PNC/LIVE/us/400/classeme...