brilliant start to the tour so far

dave_1

Monty Dog wrote:

Apart from Cadel and Berties' attacks it was a return to the boring Tours I'd hoped we'd lost - give me the Giro any day. What worries me is that with only 2 more mountain finishes, we've got another 2 weeks of this - this isn't racing, this is a procession or negative, defensive riding.

at least the race isn't decided by a crash on a corner 5km from the finish, the riders can regain the time at the TDF...Paris Roubaix was a joke this year after Hushovd came down...the best man wins the TDF...not perhaps so the 09 Paris Roubaix! I suggest you try the doping angle against the TDF for if you put them side by side as events...the TDF an true all round test

Pokerface

Dave_1 wrote:

Monty Dog wrote:

Apart from Cadel and Berties' attacks it was a return to the boring Tours I'd hoped we'd lost - give me the Giro any day. What worries me is that with only 2 more mountain finishes, we've got another 2 weeks of this - this isn't racing, this is a procession or negative, defensive riding.

at least the race isn't decided by a crash on a corner 5km from the finish, the riders can regain the time at the TDF...Paris Roubaix was a joke this year after Hushovd came down...the best man wins the TDF...not perhaps so the 09 Paris Roubaix! I suggest you try the doping angle against the TDF for if you put them side by side as events...the TDF an true all round test

What does the Giro have to do with Paris-Roubaix?

As to your comment on riders being able to pull back time in the Tour - SOME riders can - but for the most part, the main contenders will be neutralized for the rest of the race. Only place left to pull back time may be the next TT - and with Contador being one of the best in that disciple, it will be tough for anyone to gain time on him.

Again - this would be a much more interesting and open race if not for the TTT. Instead it's going to be negative, defensive racing until the penultimate day.

deejay

Pokerface wrote:

Again - this would be a much more interesting and open race if not for the TTT. Instead it's going to be negative, defensive racing until the penultimate day.

Well armstrong is back, what more did you expect.
I agree with you that this Tempo riding is a Bore and at this speed then he will last the three weeks with ease.
No Teams are putting astana under any pressure and this time their not even riding for 2nd place as when Bradley drops out they will have the top 4 places.
That's not a Tour de France I'm used to before the cancer man started to perform.

Prudhomme is a bore.
The Tourmalet tomorrow and no finish anywhere near it, so will we see a GC race or more Tempo stuff. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz let me know when they get to Provence.

mgcycleguy

NapoleonD wrote:

... Fabian's descent to catch up with the group was breathtaking, amazing to watch amidst that unbelievable backdrop. I'll never forget that...

... better still after averaging 90kph on the decent, he stops at the bottom to change his front rim to match the colour to his earlier replacement rear one.... that is style.... legendary

RichN95.

andyp wrote:

As for the TTT it is an important aspect of the Tour and has been for many, many years. Most of the main contenders recognise this and ensure they have a balanced team that can do well in this discipline and support them in the mountains. Silence-Lotto seem unable to do either (although both Wegelius and Van den Broeck were there for Evans on the last climb yesterday so that might be changing).

Andy I agree that the TTT is an important aspect, and that's why I I hate it. The Tour should be about who is the best cyclist, not who's team has the biggest budget. Astana aren't the biggest (Katusha and Columbia are) but they dwarf Silence Lotto for example.* The TTT is the biggest stage so far for GC and it has distorted everything until Ventoux. I don't like it.

*Anyone who follows football will know how money can destroy competition.

dave_1

andyp wrote:

Top_Bhoy wrote:

There have been interesting racing days every day so far, even when the main contenders haven't been at the forefront but as I concluded early last week...it was over after the TTT. Evans et al lost because of their teams performance on a 45 minute course and not on 3 weeks of their own individual efforts. ASO should look at removing the TTT from future tours and consign it to history.

If the Schleks, Evans et al go on the attack early on the next stage or two to try and nullify the Astana procession over the mountains and to regain some of their lost time, I'll be more than happy to admit I am wrong. I just think they all have too much to do even with ITT still to go.

An alternative view would be to argue that Evans should move to a team that can support his ambition. Silence-Lotto have repeatedly failed him when it comes to providing him with the support he needs to win the Tour so why does he stay with them? I'm sure there are many teams who'd take him on and build a team around him. Being a Belgian team Silence-Lotto have to do well in the spring classics which means there are two parts of the team, neither of which seem to be quite up to it.

As for the TTT it is an important aspect of the Tour and has been for many, many years. Most of the main contenders recognise this and ensure they have a balanced team that can do well in this discipline and support them in the mountains. Silence-Lotto seem unable to do either (although both Wegelius and Van den Broeck were there for Evans on the last climb yesterday so that might be changing).

Evans has been unlucky...losing two dopers that would have otherwise have been a help to him...also, fair point...why should the team TTT continue unless it is national teams... many don't care for the team they're on, just get paid by them. Still, you'll have all the answers I am sure, you numpty

Fergus

GemmaAtkinson1

loved yesterdays stage finish, was really good and tense until the end! great riding by LLS... hoping to see more finishes like that. Alsdo loving the success of breakaways this year! roll on the next two weeks

top_bhoy

GemmaAtkinson1 wrote:

loved yesterdays stage finish, was really good and tense until the end! great riding by LLS... hoping to see more finishes like that. Alsdo loving the success of breakaways this year! roll on the next two weeks

I was disapointed by the attitude of Cancellara and Hincapie ordering Evans back to the peleton. Sure the break was doubtful to succeed if Evans was in it but as it was Evans who instigated the break, it was up to Evan to decide...not a pair of Johnny-come-latelys. When they ordered everyone not to work and leave Evans to do it on his own, Evans had no choice left. I find myself despising these two characters for their antics and glad they got shunted backwards yesterday.

alanmcn1

I have to say I am finding this years tour rather mince!!! Astana train keeping bunch in check, TTT putting contenders out before the mountains, Col'dAgnes and Tourmalet 40-50km from stage finish (WTF!!!!). It might as well have been a 3 day race.............Monaco, TTT, and Ventoux

Lats year was far superior IMHO

GemmaAtkinson1

Top_Bhoy wrote:

GemmaAtkinson1 wrote:

loved yesterdays stage finish, was really good and tense until the end! great riding by LLS... hoping to see more finishes like that. Alsdo loving the success of breakaways this year! roll on the next two weeks

I was disapointed by the attitude of Cancellara and Hincapie ordering Evans back to the peloton. Sure the break was doubtful to succeed if Evans was in it but as it was Evans who instigated the break, it was up to Evan to decide...not a pair of Johnny-come-latelys. When they ordered everyone not to work and leave Evans to do it on his own, Evans had no choice left. I find myself despising these two characters for their antics and glad they got shunted backwards yesterday.

hmmm yep not the nicest of attitudes to have. also i find its oddthe more i see of cadel the more i find him weirdly endearing this year, i didnt care much at all for him last year!

kerryman

I agree that this is a boring tour.
the last 3 days in the mountains have done nothing to the GC apart from Contador gaining 19 seconds.

we have to wait until the last 2-3 days of the tour before we see any showdown between the contenders(if that even happens!)

the giro was way more exciting with lots of attacking

Monty Dog

This weekend has been a wasted opportunity - mogadon for the eyes - riding down from the Tourmalet and failing to finish the stage at Luz Ardiden or Hautacam is a travesty. I would hate to think that the time gaps at the finish could be down to a TTT result and an opportunistic break in the 1st week.

kerryman

the 3 days in the pyrenees have indeed been a wasted opportunity.

can you believe we will have a sprint finish to a 'mountain' stage?!