Criterium International Stage 2/3 *spoiler*

DaveyL

Contador second in a TT? Isn't that a disaster for him?

Vaughters is resplendent.

finchy

Rick Chasey wrote:

johnfinch wrote:

David Millar in first, one second ahead of Contador

I think we all know why David actually won.


http://photos.grahamwatson.com/RaceUpda ... 4841_EBZhd

Touch of god.

frenchfighter

DaveyL wrote:

Contador second in a TT? Isn't that a disaster for him?

Vaughters is resplendent.

Haha. Ha. Hahaha. Haaaaaaa. No.

Always trotting out the same thing, almost verbatim.

DaveyL

Presumably you've changed your mind on that Wiggo performance then. Good boy.

Cumulonimbus

Not bad, both stages for Brit riders today!

dave_1

Really good seeing David Millar win again, a TT stage in that race is fairly decent as early season wins go....I wonder if he will seek Olympic selection via Malta-there are rumours he's looked into it.

blazing_saddles

Millar the only guy to improve on the split time. All the "favourites" went backwards.
Mick Rogers nicks 2nd from Tiara Machado. Now, if only he'd been out training, instead of twittering the other day....

oldwelshman

iainf72 wrote:

calvjones wrote:

Biggest win of his career?

Easily I would say

I would put it behind the tour or Ireland after the stage he won there dropping several top riders.

Tusher

What a lovely day of racing, feel good factor +++
Don't know who I'm most chuffed for- Downing or Eisel.


Nah, definitely Downing.

micron

What a great result for Fedrigo - and a great day for the French riders at CI and on the track. Nice to see a French rider on a low budget team on top of the pile - is the passport finally levelling the playing field a little? Or at least allowing talent to make the difference rather than whether you're a super responder?

Just think it's good to see the supposed has been nations coming back into the mix alongside the 'newer' nations - has to be good for the sport.

prawny

Any story behing Machedo not going to the TdF? Bruneel says not enough experience but if they aren't doing the Giro where's he going to get it? I know I sound like aurelio but my first thought was that he's been a naughty boy on saturday.

Kléber

A good ride by Fedrigo, he attacked and won, leaving many others behind him. He's a real talent, only he's never made the best of his abilities.

Good to see Millar win as well, a nice result.

RichN95.

prawny wrote:

Any story behing Machedo not going to the TdF? Bruneel says not enough experience but if they aren't doing the Giro where's he going to get it? I know I sound like aurelio but my first thought was that he's been a naughty boy on saturday.

Well RS announced their Tour shortlist of 14 riders two months ago, so it's got nothing to do with the weekend.

One thing RS aren't short of is riders who have experience of being in the front group in the mountains - so I guess they prefer riders who have been there, done that on several occasions rather than an unknown quantity who's never ridden a GT. Seems sensible to me.

prawny

Fair enough, might have been Carlton mentioning it during the stage sounded strange to me. I spose they're not the type of team to take a risk during the tour.

Good ride though. I'm pleased for Fedrigo too, I like the french teams way of doing things it appeals to me as a noob.

Pross

I assume Contador took it comfortably due to his hayfever again?

Gazzaputt

Pross wrote:

I assume Contador took it comfortably due to his hayfever again?

moray_gub

Pross wrote:

I assume Contador took it comfortably due to his hayfever again?

Hayfever only applies when you get dropped on a climb.

iainf72

Moray Gub wrote:

Hayfever only applies when you get dropped on a climb.

Did he know he was in poor form before the race and make up the allergies?

http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/3616/ ... ional.aspx

Prior to the race Contador had mentioned his allergy problems, so while no doubt disappointing, it might not have been completely unexpected.

blazing_saddles

Suffering from an allergy over a 5 hour mountain stage, is hardly the same for a sub ten minute burst in an ITT.

prawny wrote:

Any story behing Machedo not going to the TdF? Bruneel says not enough experience but if they aren't doing the Giro where's he going to get it? I know I sound like aurelio but my first thought was that he's been a naughty boy on saturday.

Yes and not just him. Most of their squad, old and young, are stage racers. Not giving some of the younger riders the benefit of riding a GT in support of an experienced leader is a disgrace.
You have to wonder why talented riders such as Brajkovic appear happy to sacrifice personal ambition to ride in the large shadow of a part timer.
Seems it's not just Lance who has to stay in semi hybernation until July, but all of the old guard.

RichN95.

On the weekend there was a team wearing red and led by a man who divides public opinion, is thought to be a bit a of a bully, blacklists some of the media and likes to play mind games with his rivals from Spain, Italy and France. He particularly likes baiting the one from Spain. However, he has undoubtedly been very successful over the last 20 years.

They have a talented youngster called Macheda, but the boss prefers to use several trusted experienced guys who are the wrong side of 35.


They beat Bolton Wanderers 4-0.

jim one

RichN95 wrote:

On the weekend there was a team wearing red and led by a man who divides public opinion, is thought to be a bit a of a bully, blacklists some of the media and likes to play mind games with his rivals from Spain, Italy and France. He particularly likes baiting the one from Spain. However, he has undoubtedly been very successful over the last 20 years.

They have a talented youngster called Macheda, but the boss prefers to use several trusted experienced guys who are the wrong side of 35.


They beat Bolton Wanderers 4-0.

That was very good I must say

chriskempton

+1 where's the applause emoticon when you need it?

blazing_saddles

......and was convincingly beaten by the Spanish upstarts, in Europe's 2009 showpiece event.
So yes, nice parody.

moray_gub

iainf72 wrote:

Moray Gub wrote:

Hayfever only applies when you get dropped on a climb.

Did he know he was in poor form before the race and make up the allergies?

http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/3616/ ... ional.aspx

Prior to the race Contador had mentioned his allergy problems, so while no doubt disappointing, it might not have been completely unexpected.

As i poimted out previously he was feeling good enough to have Vino blasting away at the front for ages setting up his attack so obviously the hayfever was not affecting him at that point, otherwise would have his Astana team knock off the gas. Ok he has suffered from hayfever in the past but for me its nice and handy to cover the fact he was dropped on a climb.

moray_gub

RichN95 wrote:

n. However, he has undoubtedly been very successful over the last 20 years.

Substitute 30 for 20 and you might be nearer the mark.

RichN95.

Moray Gub wrote:

RichN95 wrote:

n. However, he has undoubtedly been very successful over the last 20 years.

Substitute 30 for 20 and you might be nearer the mark.

Ferguson, yes, but not Armstrong, so 30 wouldn't quite have worked.

moray_gub

Blazing Saddles wrote:

You have to wonder why talented riders such as Brajkovic appear happy to sacrifice personal ambition to ride in the large shadow of a part timer.
.

£££££££££££££££££££Sssssssss or is it $$$$$$$$$$$$$$sssss and anyway LA is 39 this is more than likely his last season and also JB has hardly set the heather on fire this last 18 months or so. Seems RS cant win with you though damned if they do damned if they dont you seem to crticise them constantly and most times they are just doing what everybody else is doing.

blazing_saddles

Not at all. I would have been satisfied to see one decent old boy, supported by Brajkovic's babes, at the Giro.
They could all have ridden the GT as training for Qinghai Lake. :P

dave_1

I see on the online cycling weekly that *asthma is contagious. Another Garmin rider appears to have it too

edit-I got their jackanories mixed up , hayfever...smells the same though, Dan Martin appears t have caught it from AC.