Tour of Qatar Stage 5 *SPOILER*

Quite Frankly
Quite Frankly Posts: 386
edited February 2010 in Pro race
Sky caught out in the crosswinds again.

7km to go. Group of 12 including the race leader in the front group. O'Grady, Cancellara, Bennati, Hammond also in there. No Boonen.

Comments

  • Quite Frankly
    Quite Frankly Posts: 386
    Chicchi helping Sky to close the gap on Bennati. :roll:

    He definitely wasn't soft pedalling as far I could tell.
  • Quite Frankly
    Quite Frankly Posts: 386
    All back together with 1km to go.....
  • Quite Frankly
    Quite Frankly Posts: 386
    edited February 2010
    Boonen wins it

    Napolitano second, EBH third.
  • calvjones
    calvjones Posts: 3,850
    Boonen, Nap, EBH.

    Theo has a lot to learn about this road sprinting!
    ___________________

    Strava is not Zen.
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,725
    A fascinating stagette.
    Only the last 20 kms, but we had echelons, Sky nowhere, chasing, Boonan blown out by Cancellara, O'Grady and Liquigas, cat 'n mouse, more cat 'n mouse, all back together within the final 500 metres, for Boonan to nick the stage.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • teagar
    teagar Posts: 2,100
    :D Boonen


    Slightly worrying Canc et all blew Boonen out in the wind.

    Early days though - maybe he's worked a little more on his sprint in the winter? Any thoughts?
    Note: the above post is an opinion and not fact. It might be a lie.
  • sonny73
    sonny73 Posts: 2,203
    calvjones wrote:
    Theo has a lot to learn about this road sprinting!

    Indeed he does, going way too early 2 days on the trot now.
  • Quite Frankly
    Quite Frankly Posts: 386
    In fairness to Sky they led the chase and did well to close the gap. EBH finished strong but started from too far back to win it.

    Very entertaining last 25km. Chapeau to Mol.
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    Yeah, good effort by Mol.

    Cancellara looked very good, although I'm a little confused about Saxo's tactics. Was Cancellara working for O'Grady or what?
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,908
    Quite Frankly wrote:
    In fairness to Sky they led the chase and did well to close the gap. EBH finished strong but started from too far back to win it.

    Very entertaining last 25km. Chapeau to Mol.

    its good for morale that they at least reacted....still missing the moves though

    even better why aren't they making them?


    still Garmin took a couple of seasons to win me over but their (garmins) progression was a joy to watch... i suspect watching Sky learn to put it all together may actually be entertaining

    I think they will have a modicum of success this season....
    "If I was a 38 year old man, I definitely wouldn't be riding a bright yellow bike with Hello Kitty disc wheels, put it that way. What we're witnessing here is the world's most high profile mid-life crisis" Afx237vi Mon Jul 20, 2009 2:43 pm
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,908
    afx237vi wrote:
    Yeah, good effort by Mol.

    Cancellara looked very good, although I'm a little confused about Saxo's tactics. Was Cancellara working for O'Grady or what?

    i think cancellara was trying to ride himself into form and see where he was at...

    O'grady had his hands full in that break with Bennati and Nap...


    mol rode intelligently
    "If I was a 38 year old man, I definitely wouldn't be riding a bright yellow bike with Hello Kitty disc wheels, put it that way. What we're witnessing here is the world's most high profile mid-life crisis" Afx237vi Mon Jul 20, 2009 2:43 pm
  • Art Vandelay
    Art Vandelay Posts: 1,982
    Here's the last 5km:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fcoboB3aaHI&feature=player_embedded
    Liquigas post race team talk would be interesting to hear.
  • oldwelshman
    oldwelshman Posts: 4,733
    Good old eurosport :D Just turned on eurosport 2 at 3:55 to watch highlights and the result was on the news show just before they show the highlights, with no warning, just anouncer saying Boonen won :D Good job I don't mind knowing :lol:
    http://s290.photobucket.com/albums/ll245/oldwelshman/
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aK5Bfqj5fxY
  • oldwelshman
    oldwelshman Posts: 4,733
    Just watched it, no idea why Bos tried to sprint for 400m there's no way he will win from that far out.
    EBH looked as if he was blocked a bit about 100m out as he freewheeled for a bit before kicking again. No chance after that when that close to finish.
    http://s290.photobucket.com/albums/ll245/oldwelshman/
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aK5Bfqj5fxY
  • teagar
    teagar Posts: 2,100
    oldwelshman wrote:
    Just watched it, no idea why Bos tried to sprint for 400m there's no way he will win from that far out.
    EBH looked as if he was blocked a bit about 100m out as he freewheeled for a bit before kicking again. No chance after that when that close to finish.

    http://www.sporza.be/cm/sporza/wielrenn ... atar_rit_4 - the bottom bit with Gilbert "Wat is nu 350 meter?"

    He's giving advice to his sprinter friend on going quite early.

    "Maar wat is nu 350 meter? Zes keer trappen tegen 60 km/u en je was er geweest."
    Translated as, roughly: 350m? Six pedal strokes at 60kph and you'd have been there.

    Bos probably had a similar idea.
    Note: the above post is an opinion and not fact. It might be a lie.
  • FransJacques
    FransJacques Posts: 2,148
    You ladies have to get over this taboo about pre-knowledge of results. Sounds as obsessive compulsive as Jack Nicholson in As Good As It Gets. We're cycling fans not footie fans. If cycling was for softy whiners they'd call it soccer.

    Brasilford shows that anything more uncontrollable than NASCAR-cycling is too much for his brain. I would LOVED to hear him swear and splutter into his mic as his team came apart. They'll regroup and learn.

    It is amazing that once again pure peoloton savvy pays off. I didn't see the stage but it sounds like he get shelled from the lead group then catch a train back up to the front. If so that's good conservative riding.
    When a cyclist has a disagreement with a car; it's not who's right, it's who's left.
  • pontarlier_pete
    pontarlier_pete Posts: 195
    FransJacques wrote:
    You ladies have to get over this taboo about pre-knowledge of results. Sounds as obsessive compulsive as Jack Nicholson in As Good As It Gets. We're cycling fans not footie fans. If cycling was for softy whiners they'd call it soccer.

    Brasilford shows that anything more uncontrollable than NASCAR-cycling is too much for his brain. I would LOVED to hear him swear and splutter into his mic as his team came apart. They'll regroup and learn.

    It is amazing that once again pure peoloton savvy pays off. I didn't see the stage but it sounds like he get shelled from the lead group then catch a train back up to the front. If so that's good conservative riding.

    Does Brailsford have any involvement on that side of things? Isn't that Sutton/Yates's job? Which one was in the car for Qatar?
  • Rodrego Hernandez
    Rodrego Hernandez Posts: 1,436
    Pontarlier Pete wrote:
    FransJacques wrote:
    You ladies have to get over this taboo about pre-knowledge of results. Sounds as obsessive compulsive as Jack Nicholson in As Good As It Gets. We're cycling fans not footie fans. If cycling was for softy whiners they'd call it soccer.

    Brasilford shows that anything more uncontrollable than NASCAR-cycling is too much for his brain. I would LOVED to hear him swear and splutter into his mic as his team came apart. They'll regroup and learn.

    It is amazing that once again pure peoloton savvy pays off. I didn't see the stage but it sounds like he get shelled from the lead group then catch a train back up to the front. If so that's good conservative riding.

    Does Brailsford have any involvement on that side of things? Isn't that Sutton/Yates's job? Which one was in the car for Qatar?

    Brailsford will be there on a jolly but won't be able to provide much more than management sound bites. Rumour has it that Sutton is being sent out to Oman so expect to see them getting into breaks and taking part in the racing side of the sport.
  • avoidingmyphd
    avoidingmyphd Posts: 1,154
    was boonen blown out of the lead group? or did he (as cyclingnews are reporting) drop back to await the catch and save his strength for the bunch sprint?
  • FransJacques
    FransJacques Posts: 2,148
    Brailsford aside, mood lighting aside, I am skeptical of how far Sky can go this year, their learning year. It's the riders I worry about, none of them (besides Boassen Hagen, who's like a Haussler - strong, talented and bloody hungry) are big winners. Arvesen won a tour stage but they lack a Valverde\Bennati\Schleck or someone else who can win and win big when - and this is what matters - all the other top notch riders are caring. Garrans could be the outlier - he has a stage in all 3 I think. Anyway, enuf talk. Good on Boonen. Roll on K-B-K and H-V (or whatever it's called now).
    When a cyclist has a disagreement with a car; it's not who's right, it's who's left.
  • cyclecraig
    cyclecraig Posts: 26
    I have to say that I thought the Tour Of Qatar was going to be pretty boring but its turned out to be pretty compulsive viewing.

    I like Magnus on the commentary as well...get him in for the TDF..

    Fed up with Sean Kelly saying "it certainly is" or "he certainly is" all the time!!!!
    Riding wise ive been Making Mediocre cool since 2003.

    HIGHLIGHT..Raid Pyrenean 2005!!!

    LOWLIGHT..To many to mention!!!
  • pottssteve
    pottssteve Posts: 4,069
    avoidingmyphd wrote:
    was boonen blown out of the lead group? or did he (as cyclingnews are reporting) drop back to await the catch and save his strength for the bunch sprint?

    Boonen is either very clever or very lucky. He looked out of it until the last few hundred metres. Maybe his version of "The Bluff"? :wink:
    Head Hands Heart Lungs Legs
  • teagar
    teagar Posts: 2,100
    avoidingmyphd wrote:
    was boonen blown out of the lead group? or did he (as cyclingnews are reporting) drop back to await the catch and save his strength for the bunch sprint?

    According to Sporza he missed the split and the other Quick-Step boys stepped up.
    Note: the above post is an opinion and not fact. It might be a lie.
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    edited October 2012
    EBH showing another side of his qualities...I remember when he outsprinted Greipel at Tour of Poland.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    The camera crew don't do a very good job on the finishes...always difficult to make out anyone.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Boonen on Bos:
    "You've never had the build of a real sprinter," said Boonen to Bos in a conversation overhead by De Telegraaf. "I always watched the World Cup track events on television and saw you racing against the 100kg giants.

    "It was amazing. You are such a little guy but you are efficient, you know how to generate a lot of power with very little weight. I am also convinced that you'll be a great road racer."

    "How did you win all your races?" asked Bos. Boonen said, "You just have to kick harder than the rest. You should know that already."

    http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/3073/ ... dvice.aspx
    Contador is the Greatest

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