Tour of Oman *spoilers*

afx237vi
afx237vi Posts: 12,630
edited February 2010 in Pro race
Stage 1 crit won by Jimmy Casper, EBH 2nd, Kenny de Haes 3rd.

Anyone able find any profiles for the next 5 stages? I keep hearing Oman has hills, but that doesn't necessarily mean the race will go up any of them. Britain, California and South Australia have hills too...

Comments

  • greeny12
    greeny12 Posts: 759
    The Tour of Oman mini-site on the TDF website shows where the hills fall on the various stages, but not how high they are! I believe the biggest is just under 1,000 metres, but don't quote me.

    Merckx said they looked at a 2,000 metre climb but felt it was too early in the season to send the riders up it for a summit finish...must have mellowed in his old age! They should have got Hinault to plan the route, the buggers would have been up and down it a couple of times!!
    My cycle racing blog: http://cyclingapprentice.wordpress.com/

    If you live in or near Sussex, check this out:
    http://ontherivet.ning.com/
  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    I think it's going to be fairly lumpy. Looks like 2 or 3 stages are rolling at the very least.

    The BMC DS posted a photo on twitter with the comment it looked like the Alps or Dolomites.
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • Doobz
    Doobz Posts: 2,800
    its a bit of a high class affair isn't it? The podium photo's look super posh :P
    cartoon.jpg
  • greeny12
    greeny12 Posts: 759
    Doobz wrote:
    its a bit of a high class affair isn't it? The podium photo's look super posh :P

    Giant video screen behind the stage, all the dignitaries in their best national costume, Eddy Merckx on hand - dunno, what more do you want? They had all the fireworks and lasers before the start, and you're not going to get Champers in a muslim country...
    My cycle racing blog: http://cyclingapprentice.wordpress.com/

    If you live in or near Sussex, check this out:
    http://ontherivet.ning.com/
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    edited October 2012
    Scenery looks nicer than Qatar and there are more people around.

    Youngest podium girls ever!
    Contador is the Greatest
  • dulldave
    dulldave Posts: 949
    greeny12 wrote:
    Doobz wrote:
    its a bit of a high class affair isn't it? The podium photo's look super posh :P

    Giant video screen behind the stage, all the dignitaries in their best national costume, Eddy Merckx on hand - dunno, what more do you want? They had all the fireworks and lasers before the start, and you're not going to get Champers in a muslim country...

    I don't think he was being sarcastic.
    Scottish and British...and a bit French
  • greeny12
    greeny12 Posts: 759
    dulldave wrote:
    greeny12 wrote:
    Doobz wrote:
    its a bit of a high class affair isn't it? The podium photo's look super posh :P

    Giant video screen behind the stage, all the dignitaries in their best national costume, Eddy Merckx on hand - dunno, what more do you want? They had all the fireworks and lasers before the start, and you're not going to get Champers in a muslim country...

    I don't think he was being sarcastic.

    Maybe you are right - just that sniping and sarcasm are pretty much the modus operandi on this section of the forum!!
    My cycle racing blog: http://cyclingapprentice.wordpress.com/

    If you live in or near Sussex, check this out:
    http://ontherivet.ning.com/
  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    Bennatti takes stage 2
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • Pokerface
    Pokerface Posts: 7,960
    ^^^ Beating out Farrar and EBH.
  • stefrees
    stefrees Posts: 137
    farra 2nd ebh 3rd

    at a guess that puts ebh into lead, although im bound to be wrong
  • Pokerface
    Pokerface Posts: 7,960
    stefrees wrote:
    farra 2nd ebh 3rd

    at a guess that puts ebh into lead, although im bound to be wrong

    Should do - on time bonuses and placings?
  • Kléber
    Kléber Posts: 6,842
    Interesting comment from Johnny Weltz on the opening crit stage:
    The Sultan decided to make an appearance at the opening ceremony and it pushed the start back an hour. It got dark much earlier into the race which made it hard to race in, so the riders decided not to race for real except for the last sprin.
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Really pleased for Bennati...first win for a year. EBH is too strong.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • Pokerface
    Pokerface Posts: 7,960
    With EBH in the leader's jersey - will be interesting to see if Sky actually try and defend this one, especially as this race is run by ASO and Sky will want to look good for them.
  • sonny73
    sonny73 Posts: 2,203
    Small article here from CW on todays stage: http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/latest/442756/boasson-hagen-moves-into-lead-in-oman.html
  • FransJacques
    FransJacques Posts: 2,148
    Man that Bennati - Chichi double one-two punch rocks!
    Milram should have done that more with Petacchi/Zabel but I reckon they thought Zabel was past it at that point - but he wasn't.
    When do Petacchi and Cav start their seasons I wonder? Could be a good sprinting year with many in contention.
    When a cyclist has a disagreement with a car; it's not who's right, it's who's left.
  • redddraggon
    redddraggon Posts: 10,862
    Petacchi has already racked up 2 or 3 victories already this year
    I like bikes...

    Twitter
    Flickr
  • Pokerface
    Pokerface Posts: 7,960
    redddraggon wrote:
    Petacchi has already racked up 2 or 3 victories already this year

    Enough already! :)
  • shinyhelmut
    shinyhelmut Posts: 1,364
    redddraggon wrote:
    Petacchi has already racked up 2 or 3 victories already this year

    wise move, getting the wins in early before Cav wakes up from hibernation :wink:
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,463
    Cav was due to start at the Tour of Qatar but had to drop out due to an infected absess IIRC so should be back soon I would have thought.
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    edited October 2012
    So cool. I missed the winners salute.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    Pross wrote:
    Cav was due to start at the Tour of Qatar but had to drop out due to an infected absess IIRC so should be back soon I would have thought.

    Ruta del Sol next week.
  • calvjones
    calvjones Posts: 3,850
    OK, can anyone tell me why ES just showed the Crit not today's stage :evil:
    ___________________

    Strava is not Zen.
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    calvjones wrote:
    OK, can anyone tell me why ES just showed the Crit not today's stage :evil:

    Dunno, but I bet it was more bollocks from JC.

    Here's the final sprint from stage 2:

    http://nos.nl/video/137042-bennati-snel ... -oman.html

    For a moment I thought it was the same clip of Chicchi winning that sprint in Qatar, the way he went wide on the left and just blitzed everyone.
  • greeny12
    greeny12 Posts: 759
    calvjones wrote:
    OK, can anyone tell me why ES just showed the Crit not today's stage :evil:

    For reasons best known to themselves, Eurosport are showing every stage a day late. Might be production issues I guess, becuase that was not your normal ES highlights show, definitely bought in complete with rare (thankfully!) Matt Rendell commentary....
    My cycle racing blog: http://cyclingapprentice.wordpress.com/

    If you live in or near Sussex, check this out:
    http://ontherivet.ning.com/
  • Pokerface
    Pokerface Posts: 7,960
    Something to do with results, footage, etc being slow to get out of Oman I think. Really, really slow.
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    afx237vi wrote:
    http://nos.nl/video/137042-bennati-snelste-sprinter-in-oman.html

    Thanks. That will be his easiest and slowest win this year!

    Seriously it looked like all the other guys were soft pedalling....not sure why Boonen didn't follow either.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,463
    I was impressed by the organisation and nice to see a nocturne on TV. Scenery there is stunning especially after last week's race around what looked like a giant version of Barry Island. It was also good thinking to sort out a rent-a-crowd to give it some atmosphere. I can see this becoming a decent early season fixture.
  • Bernie S
    Bernie S Posts: 118
    Funny it was only on British Eurosport all the others were showing Basketball ..even France who invariably have plenty of cycling ... show French Cup races live

Categories