Tour de France

[ReefTroll]

Who follows cycling? Tips for the year? I think it is definitely Cadel's to lose. Looking forward to seeing wiggins on the steep climbs against Evans, Schleck and Nibali.

Come on Aussie!!! Smash that smug little Belgian/half-Aussie and his Kenyan mate. Oops, sorry Britain, I mean, please beat those two "Englishmen".

 

[IsaacND]

Well I was a HTC supporter, but obviously that's not possible now, SO, I want Cav to win some stages, but not worried about a jersey for him. Wiggins for Yellow, with Boasson Hagen popping up and just making life hard for everyone else. Renshaw is a bad man, so El Diabalo can have him, Evans is ugly, so ditto, and overall, should be a good year for Team Sky-Procycling. Fun times

 

[landshark sa]

Sorry for Schleck, this years route to me looks to like it favours the time trialists. Also, after the first stage Evans does look look like he's got good form. The prologue showed that Wiggins is also going very well. Although he hasn't shown the same form during the year as Wiggins and Evans, Menchov is always a dark horse, and that last time trial looks like it's built especially for him.

Team wise, I'll have to go with with Garmin-Sharp-Barracuda, seeing as it's Robbie Hunters team. Hope they will give him gap to go for a stage win. :thankyou

How's Fabulous Cancellara!? First in the prologue (by 7 seconds!!!), second in the 1st stage... The guy is a machine!!!

 

[IsaacND]

Looking at the profile of todays course, I think it's one for the sprinters; obviously hoping for a win for Cav, but would be interested to see Renshaw as a sprinter after so many years as a lead out man...

To be perfectly honest, I'm not particularly committed to any one team, I just want to see the good riders do well. It just happens that all my favourite riders are in Sky now...

Lets see how Cancellara does against some hardcore sprinting on a flat finish; I think that will give a good indication of his chances...

(Can you guess I'm a sprint cyclist? )

 

[landshark sa]

Have to agree, today's stage is for Cavendish! Although there are some really fast guys (Rojas, Farrah, Greipel) I don't think there is anyone the peloton that can really challenge him in a straight line. Renshaw is fast but there's a reason why he did the leading out for Mark while they were at HTC and not the other way around. Renshaw once admitted that when it comes to kicking the second time during a sprint Cavendish is faster than him.

If I was Cavendish the only guy I would really worry about is Petacchi, not that he's faster than Cavendish but he's just such a clever sprinter, really able read the peloton over the last few km's and usually puts himself in a very competitive position at the end of the sprint.

I would have really loved to see Cavendish versus another true speed demon - Mario Cipollini.

I'm pretty sure Cancellara will be happy just to finish in the pelaton today.

 

[IsaacND]

To be honest, I don't think it's going to be that straight forwards... In all the previous tours, you know s**t's going down when HTC start forming up, but this year, due to the focus on Wiggins, Cav doesn't have a leadout train. With this, coupled with his recent weight loss, I worry it's going to be a lot less tactics and more messy scramble. It could be anyones game. But I reckon someone's going to get hurt...

 

[Jonny250]

well there's some good ideas for the leaders, but i am interested in Chavenel. I have always liked his riding style and he has put in a good effort so far. I think he will probably get buried later in the tour tho

 

[landshark sa]

To be honest, I don't think it's going to be that straight forwards... In all the previous tours, you know s**t's going down when HTC start forming up, but this year, due to the focus on Wiggins, Cav doesn't have a leadout train. With this, coupled with his recent weight loss, I worry it's going to be a lot less tactics and more messy scramble. It could be anyones game. But I reckon someone's going to get hurt...

Whatdoyamean!? He made it look easy!

No, indeed he's having a bit more of difficult time without a proper leadout train...did however still give a master-class performance!

WELL DONE MARK!

 

[landshark sa]

well there's some good ideas for the leaders, but i am interested in Chavenel. I have always liked his riding style and he has put in a good effort so far. I think he will probably get buried later in the tour tho

I'm sure we'll see Chavanel go for some of the individual climbing stages.

 

[IsaacND]

I am indeed glad about this. And after Cavs interview earlier, I'm kind of relieved Sagan didn't compete at the end!
Lots of good riding though; Eisel and Boasson-Hagen helping out Mark as best they could, Roux putting in a tremendous effort a la tete, especially with his wrist broken!!
Won't be watching tomorrow though; not going to do much for Sky, and I don't enjoy the hill stages as much...

But the Manx Missile today... There are maybe 5 things that make me pleasantly happy, and one of these is MARK BLEEDING CAVENDISH TAKING A STAGE!
I love that man.

 

[ReefTroll]

Don't enjoy the hill stages so much? You sound like Wiggins!

 

[ReefTroll]

Oh and in the flesh, and coming from a lot of people I know who have worked with and met him and myself, Evan's is far from ugly, Not 1% photogenic but a damned good looking guy. Especially next to Wiggins.

 

[IsaacND]

Anyone that even slightly resembles my step father is automatically predjudiced against. That includes Cadel Evans. Although you have a point, Wiggins resembles a victorian era barman

But like I said, I'm a Cav-man, and he always drops out of the hills, so I only bother watch the last few minutes, see who wins the stage!

 

[ReefTroll]

So long as nobody give Petacchi a thought we're all good.

 

[IsaacND]

I'm curious to see how Renshaw ends up... He split from Cavendish to become a sprinter in his own right, but I wonder what the plan is if it turns out he can't sprint...

 

[IsaacND]

I am depressed.

 

[landshark sa]

Oops! :head

 

[IsaacND]

I write this through my metaphorical tears. I'm afraid that seeing Cavendish and Wiggins in pain has metaphorically hurt me deep inside, and so, it is with a sad heart, that I am metaphorically going to throw myself bodily off of a metaphorical cliff.

I am depressed.


(For correct pronunciation of the last line, see "Blazing Saddles"; I refer you to a line spoken by Taggart)

 

[ReefTroll]

Racings racing. And how is Wiggins hurt?

 

[IsaacND]

I know, just saw an opportunity to be melodramatic.. They don't come along often around here!!

Wiggins and Cav both were caught up in the crash, only minor bumps and bruises though. To be honest I don't even know if Wiggo went down, by like I said, just wanted to be melodramatic.

Didn't Petacchi do well at something or other? I remember seeing his name on the rankings, but wasn't paying attention. But I remember you mentioned him in a comment earlier. I think.