Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré. Stage 5. *Spoiler*

blazing_saddles

I felt it only justified to post the above, as I imagined what would be said if the yellow jersey had done that, to the current green jersey wearer.

Millar? Chapeau that man. Best bit of climbing I can remember.
Even Duffers, with his inane ramblings managed to spot him, while Kathy Kirby can't tell Szymd from Basso.

mididoctors

Kléber wrote:

Blazing Saddles wrote:

Right.
Hands up all those who think Contador is a boring, wheel-sucking tw*t?
Turned a potentially exciting stage into a damp squib.
Never off Evan's wheel, until Cadel finally got the better of the limp limpet.

No? a tactical genius no doubt. :roll:

Maybe he's having a bad day and certainly he looks a bit off form, following Evans is all he needs to do. He said he's here as a "spectator".

the wind up there doesn't suit him compared to some of the more chunky guys is one excuse...but I think he ain't got it.

if some of the more lively guys in that lead group keep up the pressure I think he could crack big time in the next few days..

gesink and whathaveyou have nothing to lose...

mididoctors

Blazing Saddles wrote:

I felt it only justified to post the above, as I imagined what would be said if the yellow jersey had done that, to the current green jersey wearer.

Millar? Chapeau that man. Best bit of climbing I can remember.
Even Duffers, with his inane ramblings managed to spot him, while Kathy Kirby can't tell Szymd from Basso.

another year of watching cadel lose for the want of a team... OTOH he is not the sort of rider who can benefit from on the road deals because he is incapable of really attacking... say compared to valvi

moray_gub

Blazing Saddles wrote:

Right.
Hands up all those who think Contador is a boring, wheel-sucking tw*t?
Turned a potentially exciting stage into a damp squib.
Never off Evan's wheel, until Cadel finally got the better of the limp limpet.

No? a tactical genius no doubt. :roll:

Well if he blasts away tommorrow after letting Cadel do all the work then we shall have the answer to that.

moray_gub

Blazing Saddles wrote:

I felt it only justified to post the above, as I imagined what would be said if the yellow jersey had done that, to the current green jersey wearer.

Millar? Chapeau that man. Best bit of climbing I can remember.
Even Duffers, with his inane ramblings managed to spot him, while Kathy Kirby can't tell Szymd from Basso.

This guy Kirby is ridiculous its as if they have picked a punter off the street to commentate on a sport he knows nothing about he even refered to Szymds Valmares ? ............its painful to listen too. Rams it home just how good Dave Harmon is

DavMartinR

It must be like Statler & Waldorf in the eurosport commentary box. But NOT funny.

timoid.

Kléber wrote:

Looked like Szymd dropped his chain. Valverde waited for the Pole to come back and take the stage. They clearly had an agreement to share the work on the exposed windy section from Chalet Reynard.

Millar very impressive today.

He may be a doper, but he really is a gentleman.

Anonymous

I enjoyed todays stage, Millar was excellent!

Bad news today though, I believe Laurent Fignon has been diagnosed with cancer

mididoctors

Timoid. wrote:

Kléber wrote:

Looked like Szymd dropped his chain. Valverde waited for the Pole to come back and take the stage. They clearly had an agreement to share the work on the exposed windy section from Chalet Reynard.

Millar very impressive today.

He may be a doper, but he really is a gentleman.

but only if you play down the gift

frenchfighter

Shame the only two stages I can't watch live are this one and tomorrow's. Looking forward to the highlights although it doesn't sound so good.

Bravo to Moncoutié, finishing with Contador.

Valverde has now passed Contador on CQ's ranking.

Basso finished 8mins back!! The Giro obviously took its toll. He has raced an awful lot this season too - 51 race days. 2010 is when I think he will shine more.

Funny to see Pereiro at 18mins - I never understood how he won the Tour.

speedbump

It was so obvious that Valv and Schmit (spelling?) had an agreement about the stage win. Duffers and Carlton kept on about how unhappy Valv would be after having been tricked by a clever bluff - why then did he punch the air in triumph after crossing the line in 2nd place!!!!!!!!!!! French TV new what was going on as they kept repeating the conversations lower down the hill and then the pictures of Valv looking back and waiting as he approached the line.

Harmon and Kelly are great. If they insist on having a holiday between the giro and tour, those 2 guys who did the tour of Turkey should take over things. Duffers is past it and Carlton Kirby seems to know nothing about pro cycling.

Philip S

Looks like Garmin have been practising their climbing (except Dan Martin?) - be interesting to see if Millar and Wiggins can keep up the good climbing work.

Can only agree with the comments already made on the commentary - witless wittering most of the time... it looked pretty clear that Valverde paused both just before the final hairpin and on the last ramp to let Szmyd catch-up - of course, no suggestion of that from the commentary team... Big Sean would certainly have spotted that...

iainf72

Basso has abandoned this evening. Hasn't been well with throwing up etc.

Probably worn out - Trentino / Giro / Dauphine is a pretty big block of racing.

stefrees

great ride by millar

one for the future had a great ride too today-jakob fulsgang (sp?)

takethehighroad

stefrees wrote:

one for the future had a great ride too today-jakob fulsgang (sp?)

Yeah I just think he's gona do some good stuff. I know he's a Fab Four-er but he's impressed me more than anyone else they've ever had. This year's bunch are a good selection, and put Tristan Hoffman and Dario Pieri to shame. To shame

oldwelshman

speedbump wrote:

It was so obvious that Valv and Schmit (spelling?) had an agreement about the stage win. Duffers and Carlton kept on about how unhappy Valv would be after having been tricked by a clever bluff - why then did he punch the air in triumph after crossing the line in 2nd place!!!!!!!!!!! French TV new what was going on as they kept repeating the conversations lower down the hill and then the pictures of Valv looking back and waiting as he approached the line.

Harmon and Kelly are great. If they insist on having a holiday between the giro and tour, those 2 guys who did the tour of Turkey should take over things. Duffers is past it and Carlton Kirby seems to know nothing about pro cycling.

I also thought this was obvious.
Harmon is usually ok but missed the agreement.
The two of them chatted way before the finish and obviously agreed who would win as it was Valv who had most to gain, he even looked round and stopped pedalling on the last bend, he would not have stopeed pedallg had he been going for it, and the type of finish suited Valv also, he just got back on the wheel to finish together.
I think he may be hard to beat as Contador did not look too good and Evans looked pissed off and will have to attack more to win.

csp

speedbump wrote:

It was so obvious that Valv and Schmit (spelling?) had an agreement about the stage win. Duffers and Carlton kept on about how unhappy Valv would be after having been tricked by a clever bluff - why then did he punch the air in triumph after crossing the line in 2nd place!!!!!!!!!!! French TV new what was going on as they kept repeating the conversations lower down the hill and then the pictures of Valv looking back and waiting as he approached the line.

Harmon and Kelly are great. If they insist on having a holiday between the giro and tour, those 2 guys who did the tour of Turkey should take over things. Duffers is past it and Carlton Kirby seems to know nothing about pro cycling.

It's Szmyd, and pronounced "smeed" and not "shmit"

nferrar

Have to agree with the annoying commentary, was the same in the TT yesterday, Duffers really does need the sack. The comment he made that Valverde was proving his doubters wrong?! Lol, does he even know what the controversy over Valverde is about?

The Valv/Szmyd agreement was so obvious to but apparently not for an ageing commentator who would seem more at home waffling on at a club dinner than commentating on TV. It was nice of Basso to join Valv in his break away to for a while, oh wait no it was still Szmyd (although to be fair I think even the caption guy had it as Basso for a short time). Then apparently no one had a team mate in the first bunch (apart from about 4 of the guys it turned out on closer inspection).

As for Contador - he's proven in the past he'll attack if he has the legs, I guess he just didn't have them or has bigger plans for today. Cadel was struggling to but did a decent job to limit the losses without any assistance (and nor should he expect assistance...).

cswebbo

Agree with most of the postings here.

Whatever Valverde may have done at Kelme in 2003, at least he was honourable in his agreement with Szmyd on the stage. On cyclingnews site it says Szmyd had a panic attack with 200m to go when he realised he was going to win and blew. Valverde then kept to the agreement ,and waitied ,losing valuable gc time and the win bonus. I think this says a lot about the guy even with the ban almost certainly coming up. Did anyone else notice Valverde was on the big chainring on several occasions in the last 8km!!! Compare his interview comments with what Armstrong said when he gifted the win to Pantani a few years ago.

Very pleased that Szmyd won. For several years in the Giro he has done incredible work for his team leaders on the climbs, so to see him get a win on this legendary climb was great.

Eurosport- Please get rid of Duffers and Kirby now. They virtually ruined yesterdays coverage with their inaccurate comments. What a casual listener/someone with only basic knowledge of the sport must think of these morons? Unfortunately Ant Mc Crossan and Brian Smith are commentating on itv4 criteriums so are not available.

Contador was clearly not trying as hard as Evans. I guess he was at 90% and has more important things on his mind like winning the tdf next month (and trying to beat Armstrong, Leipheimer, Kloden, Popovich,etc).


The last 3 stages should be good- i think i'll change the commentary.

Kléber

cswebbo wrote:

Did anyone else notice Valverde was on the big chainring on several occasions in the last 8km!!!

It's 6% from Chalet Reynard to the top average but with some 9% ramps, there are other moments that are almost flat.

Still, the way they rode up is impressive, when I've done it you just watch everyone honk, winch and grind their way to the top but the pros looked very smooth as usual.

deejay

cswebbo wrote:

Agree with most of the postings here.


Eurosport- Please get rid of Duffers and Kirby now. They virtually ruined yesterdays coverage with their inaccurate comments. What a casual listener/someone with only basic knowledge of the sport must think of these morons? Unfortunately Ant Mc Crossan and Brian Smith are commentating on itv4 criteriums so are not available.

Duffield has now become an embarrassment and he is well past his useful sell by date and should now just ride a bike around the Wiltshire Lanes and do his "After Dinner Speeches". These speeches are not welcome anymore on Air.
The Motorbike Idiot Kirby should be locked in the Dungeon with the keys thrown away and left to the News Items.
His sidekick Harmon another motorbike Idiot should join him and after the time he has struggled to sound impressive as a cycling commentator ii's a failure.
Replace Harmon with a previous soundtrack and he will not be missed.

cswebbo wrote:

Contador was clearly not trying as hard as Evans. I guess he was at 90% and has more important things on his mind like winning the tdf next month (and trying to beat Armstrong, Leipheimer, Kloden, Popovich,etc).

The last 3 stages should be good- i think i'll change the commentary.

I cannot see a problem with him having to beat that crowd.
I really enjoyed the "Payback wheel-sucking" Berie gave to Evans and more today.
To see a Yellow Jersey Squirm like that and the commentator Kirby say "poor Cadel being left on the front" raised a hearty laugh here.

Cumulonimbus

Anyone got any idea how the times compare to previous ascents of the Ventoux?

Tom Butcher

I think Kirby is OK, he does a good job on the motorbike racing and with a bit more backup I think he'd be a good stand in for Harmon - he needs a knowledgeable pundit alongside him though - at the moment he has Duffers which can't be easy.

frenchfighter

Valverde is and always was a classy, quality rider so am not surprised by his actions today. Never heard of someone getting a panic attack from excitement before a win!

If you can understand French then you should listen to ES FR. Quality stuff from guys who definitely know what they are on about.

prawny

Tom Butcher wrote:

I think Kirby is OK, he does a good job on the motorbike racing and with a bit more backup I think he'd be a good stand in for Harmon - he needs a knowledgeable pundit alongside him though - at the moment he has Duffers which can't be easy.

I like Carlton, but I reckon he's worse on the motorbikes than he was yesterday. He's great at DTM and F3 euroseries, No offence carlton mate but stick with what you know eh.

Agree that he could be good, he was ok on the tour of turkey with brian.

At least Duffers explained what on the rivet meant - I'm a bit new to all this y'see

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thamacdaddy

Duffers really annoys me with his wittering. You only have had to watch a few seasons to know for example that contador is an accomplished time trialist (you have to be for GC in giro or tour really) and the other day duffers said it isn't something he can do and contador will be trying to limit his losses to evans. I am pretty sure duffers commentated on last years giro when contador won the final time trial too.

dave_1

can anyone stick the two clips side by side 2000 TDF ventoux and 2009 Dauphine...and take the times from the same point on the road...IMO Lance's A acceleration would make he and Pantani's ascent 20 or 30 seconds faster than what we saw the other day from valverde on the same stretch...that kick in the drops and the looking round LA does...still jawdropping to watch http://www.videopeloton.com/dettaglio.a ... File=50534

frenchfighter

I do like that look, especially the time he did it on the Alpe d'Huez. That acceleration was incredible: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2o5UxDs ... re=related

I still like Virenque's ascent: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Jc70TeXr3s