Race Thread: Prologue

Moose11

So it's well underway... Two Russians leading the way so far but Valverde is on the road... Still thinking Wiggins will take it and make it a great day for British Sport what with Hamilton taking pole in the F1 today.

Discuss...

LangerDan

Notwithstanding Stuey's crash, there seems to be alot of road furniture and speed bumps left on the circuit.

bigdawg

well thats the end of a clean tour then... :evil:











imho obviously

bigdawg

and judging by david millar &boardman's comments they think so too....

Even Hincappie couldnt believe the times....

Can someone explain to Pat McQuaid hes not doing his job..

well thats me done with this race im afraid, although might have a nose at the alps next week.....




IMO

Moose11

Until someone tests positive I'm just going to sit back, relax and try just enjoy what I'm watching. I really enjoyed that Prologue, thought it was real exciting at the end when the times began to fall.

dave_1

With all the doping scandals I just struggle to believe what I see. My cynical mind is thinking -Did UK customs may also have an influence on times today? Willy Voet showed what happens when trying to bring a motorised pharmacy across Europe

Rob Sallnow

LangerDan wrote:

Notwithstanding Stuey's crash, there seems to be alot of road furniture and speed bumps left on the circuit.

Lots of mini islands on the road up to Buck Palace....if it had been in France I expect they wouldv'e been taken up.

BenR

Dave - I had a similar thought. If we believe Wiggins and Millar are clean (which I do) and their times are benchmarks for a prologue specialist and a high-quality time trialist respectively then some of the names around them don't add up.

As for customs, everybody learned from Willy Voet - i'm sure they didn't turn up with a carload of go-go juice, but surely it's easy enough to bring enough for a weekend or get ready in advance.

iainf72

BenR wrote:

Dave - I had a similar thought. If we believe Wiggins and Millar are clean (which I do) and their times are benchmarks for a prologue specialist and a high-quality time trialist respectively then some of the names around them don't add up.

Which names?

When I was there I was praying the Klodi's time would get beaten - I pretty much knew Cancellera would win and I'm not surprised at the gap either.

BenR

Ignoring Cancellara, who is very good and appears to have been on a mission to show how good, is Klöden really a second a km better than a prologue specialist on home soil? And Vinokourov outpacing Millar? I know they're both Astana, not intended at a pop at them, but it makes me think hmmm....

Then again, i'm feeling pretty jaded about the whole business at the moment. I'd love to think they all did it on bread and water yesterday, but I don't.

Bronzie

From watching the TV highlights, Cancellara was clearly faster than anyone else, not just sprinting out of the corners, but the lines he took and the amount he was leaning the bike over was extreme.

He is the man to beat at this discipline..........bike handling is a huge factor in the prologue and I don't think Wiggins got his lines right. Not surprising given they only had a couple of hours to pre-ride the course. Cancellara rode the prologue course at the Tour Suisse 8 times, but only had 2 pre-runs at the London one!

As for Kloden's gap to Hincapie................10 secs is huge on such a short course. But looking back at prologues in the Armstrong era, he always put in a good result, even catching Ullrich for 1 minute in 2005.

Is it a level playing field?..................who knows, I very much doubt it, but unless someone tests positive, I shall just have to believe what I am seeing is for real. It's either that or start watching tennis..............................DOOH!

Moose11

BenR wrote:

Ignoring Cancellara, who is very good and appears to have been on a mission to show how good, is Klöden really a second a km better than a prologue specialist on home soil? And Vinokourov outpacing Millar? I know they're both Astana, not intended at a pop at them, but it makes me think hmmm....

There is always the possibility that Wiggins and Millar just didn't have a great day and the nerves cost him a second per km? Maybe? Well at least thats what I hope it was.

steve23

i was lucky enough to be there yesterday!!!

and what an awesome experience it was! the best day out ive had in probably ever!!!

iainf72

"Moose11 wrote:

There is always the possibility that Wiggins and Millar just didn't have a great day and the nerves cost him a second per km? Maybe? Well at least thats what I hope it was.

Millar said even on his best day he wouldn't have matched Cancellara - And they've both said they couldn't have gone any quicker.

I think Wiggins performed at his maximum but FB is just on another level again the clock.

afx237vi

Bronzie wrote:

As for Kloden's gap to Hincapie................10 secs is huge on such a short course. But looking back at prologues in the Armstrong era, he always put in a good result, even catching Ullrich for 1 minute in 2005.

To be fair, that was a much longer course and Jan Ullrich had entered the T-Mobile team car the night before via the rear windshield.

MarcB

Didn't Chris beat Miguel Indurain by 15 secs or so in the '94 prologue in Lille?

A clean rider and you would never say Indurain was a slouch against the clock and a similar result to yesterday?
I think it could be a case of pressure and expectation for the home boys.
It may have been Boardman who said that it will be really difficult for Bradley to hold his top form from the Dauphiné to the Tour.

Mortiroloboy

steve23 wrote:

i was lucky enough to be there yesterday!!!

and what an awesome experience it was! the best day out ive had in probably ever!!!

Yep me too! But I was working at Whitehall, right by the time hut/start. As a billy bonus, my job put me up in the Victoria Thistle, paid for my evening meal on the Friday, and my full English on the saturday,plus my travel costs, now that's what I call a result