Boonen back in the Tour

Pokerface
Pokerface Posts: 7,960
edited June 2009 in Pro race
Seems Boonen has now gotten the OK from the Tour organizers to race in the Tour this year.

I look forward to seeing him humiliated day in and day out by Cav. :)

Comments

  • takethehighroad
    takethehighroad Posts: 6,821
    I dunno, there's no doubt Cav is the fastest but there's some lumpy stages that won't suit him, so I'd say that if he does race, Boonen will be able to pick up points for Green on days Cav can't.
  • Pokerface
    Pokerface Posts: 7,960
    TakeTheHighRoad wrote:
    I dunno, there's no doubt Cav is the fastest but there's some lumpy stages that won't suit him, so I'd say that if he does race, Boonen will be able to pick up points for Green on days Cav can't.

    Last time I checked, Cav wasn't having any problems getting over the lumpy bits this year. His weight is down and climbing ability is up. In fact - hasn't he dropped Boonen on some climbs this year!?
  • Harry182
    Harry182 Posts: 1,170
    Pokerface wrote:
    TakeTheHighRoad wrote:
    I dunno, there's no doubt Cav is the fastest but there's some lumpy stages that won't suit him, so I'd say that if he does race, Boonen will be able to pick up points for Green on days Cav can't.

    Last time I checked, Cav wasn't having any problems getting over the lumpy bits this year. His weight is down and climbing ability is up. In fact - hasn't he dropped Boonen on some climbs this year!?

    re: Cav + hills - Please refer to 2009 Milan - San Remo
  • takethehighroad
    takethehighroad Posts: 6,821
    Harry182 wrote:
    Pokerface wrote:
    TakeTheHighRoad wrote:
    I dunno, there's no doubt Cav is the fastest but there's some lumpy stages that won't suit him, so I'd say that if he does race, Boonen will be able to pick up points for Green on days Cav can't.

    Last time I checked, Cav wasn't having any problems getting over the lumpy bits this year. His weight is down and climbing ability is up. In fact - hasn't he dropped Boonen on some climbs this year!?

    re: Cav + hills - Please refer to 2009 Milan - San Remo

    All true. I've beeen put in my place, I'm just an arch optimist who hopes that the racing will be exciting and different people win each day.

    I don't like seeing the same guys win time after time, even if they are British.
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    edited June 2009
    Really glad Boonen is back in the mix as he is a great rider. The more high calibre sprinters in the Tour the better for the viewers.

    As for Boonen challenging Cavendish, I don't think he really can, but then neither can anyone except Bennati IMO.

    Boonen is highly un-aerodynamic when sprinting which Cav is, and which makes a huge difference at those speeds and when there is little to pull amoungst the competitors.

    Anyone have news on Bennati re. Tour? Looks like he will be in Tour de Suisse before then too hopefully.

    He was on great form this year. If you haven't seen his finish here it is well worth a watch - the run-in is crazy:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ok58w_u0T5Q&eurl=

    (If anyone knows how to embed a YT video in a post can they let me know - much better than just the link).
    Contador is the Greatest
  • heavymental
    heavymental Posts: 2,091
    I don't mind if Cav wins all the time. I hope he kicks Boonens ass every chance he gets. The guy shouldn't even be on the starting line. Who's going to be cheering if Boonen wins a stage ffs!?
  • Croxted Avenger
    Croxted Avenger Posts: 837
    It says a lot about the totally rotten state of pro cycling that Boonen sneaks back into the fold for the tour with barely a raised eyebrow. A month ago there was talk of being fired or arrested - someone clearly did the math and though 'fuck that'. :o
    \'You Come At the King,You Best Not Miss\'
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    What Cavendish needs as a challenge is this fella :wink:
    hgb.jpg
    Contador is the Greatest
  • Tom Butcher
    Tom Butcher Posts: 3,830
    No problem with Boonen being in the Tour - he was done for a non-cycling related offence - if it was that serious he'd be in jail and unable to compete anyway.
    it's a hard life if you don't weaken.
  • Pokerface
    Pokerface Posts: 7,960
    frenchfighter wrote:
    What Cavendish needs as a challenge is this fella :wink:
    hgb.jpg

    Yup - he'd definitely beat Cav. If the race was 200m long.

    Unfortunately he'll have a little trouble with the first 150KM or so getting to the finish! :)
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    edited June 2009
    I know :lol:

    These track sprinters can have a lot to offer with regards to technique. A lot of Cav's qualities were honed on the track.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • teagar
    teagar Posts: 2,100
    Have a look at what Cippo said about Cav in this week's procycling.

    He felt Cav's achilies heel was against the power sprinters like Petacchi who have a massive train to keep the speed at around 70kph, so a jump that Cav makes is much harder to do, since you can't really jump when you're doing 70-kph.

    I think that's how Cav didn't win those first two sprint finishes.


    Then again, he always gets better at the sprints as the GTs go on, and there isn't really a massive Cippo train anyway.

    I can see him shitting on everyone.

    Apparantly he reads forums about him occasionally too, accoridng to procycling, so a *wave* to him if he reads this!
    Note: the above post is an opinion and not fact. It might be a lie.
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    teagar wrote:
    He felt Cav's achilies heel was against the power sprinters like Petacchi who have a massive train to keep the speed at around 70kph, so a jump that Cav makes is much harder to do, since you can't really jump when you're doing 70-kph.

    This too was (is) Bennati's tactic at the start of the year, as per an excellent interview with him in CycleSport magazine.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • Croxted Avenger
    Croxted Avenger Posts: 837
    Tom Butcher wrote:
    No problem with Boonen being in the Tour - he was done for a non-cycling related offence - if it was that serious he'd be in jail and unable to compete anyway.

    Sounds so much like MPs bleating on about claiming what was withing the rules; isn't there a moral point to answer? And there *was* talk of Boonen going to jail, but that - like the talk from QS business manager that he was going to get the Fleetwood Mack evaporated strangely in the last month.

    Mind you, its not like he's bringing the sport into disrepute...
    \'You Come At the King,You Best Not Miss\'
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    "Should Boonen be allowed in the Tour in his best interest?"

    Interesting post here: http://www.europeloton.com/2009/05/in-h ... oonen.html
    Contador is the Greatest
  • Pokerface
    Pokerface Posts: 7,960
    OK - so it NOW appears that the UCI has said Boonen can race. ASO have not. They 'will be meeting in the next few days to decide if he will get an invite". UCI basically just said they won't be able to get proceedings against him for bringing the sport into disrepute underway before the start of the Tour.


    Can't see ASO agreeing to allow him to show up.
  • takethehighroad
    takethehighroad Posts: 6,821
    teagar wrote:
    Have a look at what Cippo said about Cav in this week's procycling.

    He felt Cav's achilies heel was against the power sprinters like Petacchi who have a massive train to keep the speed at around 70kph, so a jump that Cav makes is much harder to do, since you can't really jump when you're doing 70-kph.

    I think that's how Cav didn't win those first two sprint finishes.

    OK. Couple of points here.

    True Cav can't accelerate from past 70kph....BUT WHO CAN??? If you're travelling at that speed anyway you deserve to win the stage.

    Also, if you're talking about the Giro. The first stage on the Sunday he didn't win because Pettachi got the jump on him, it was a schoolboy error. His team were leading out the sprint and he got done by Pettachi pinching his wheel. The second stage he didn't win cos he got held up behind a crash, and it was left to AleJet to polish off the rest of a weak field on that terrain.
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Bennati also said in the interview mentionned above that they reach 70km/h+ but not by much - if I remember correctly his max ever was 73.8km/h.

    The point is that if it is being led out at 60-65 km/h then Cav can jump to 68-72km/h faster than anyone. Lead it out at 70km/h and his 'jump' is much less of an issue.
    Contador is the Greatest

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