Who is going to have a howler

Homer J

Evans again?

ridgerider

Anyone who says that they will ride themselves into fitness by the third week...and therefore loses loads of time in the first two.

So that will be Menchov then.

carl_p

greasedscotsman wrote:

BikingBernie wrote:

Mark Cavendish?

It might be stating the obvious, but I think this very much depends on if he win's the first stage. If he doesn't he'll try to hard and make mistakes, whereas if he will relax more and pick up more stages and have a good shot at the point comp.

I think Cav will struggle this time, though I wouldn't go so far as to call it a howler. From what I've seen he hasn't had great preparation this year what with his dodgy tooth and we don't know how he will react following that horrendous crash a couple of weeks back. It will be also be interesting to see how other riders race against him.

jocksyboy

menchov

verylonglegs

Ridgerider wrote:

Anyone who says that they will ride themselves into fitness by the third week...and therefore loses loads of time in the first two.

So that will be Menchov then.

Has anyone won a GT by doing this or at least claiming to do it? Is it just a 'get your excuses in first' thing?

ms_tree

RichN95 wrote:

Ms Tree wrote:

Karpets.

Is anyone expecting anything from him? I'm not.

Possibly Katusha are why would they pick him?

ms_tree

BikingBernie wrote:

On reflection, I think Armstrong is unlikely to have a 'howler'. As the truth about how he 'won' his Tours is now common knowledge he has been forced into a corner and he will come out fighting. In fact he has already made it clear that he actually thrives in such a situation. He has nothing to lose and will probably do 'anything' necessary to help him win, including pushing the doping envelope as far as he can.

Have to agree with some of above. Always feel that when people run him down they are in fact playing into his hands. Best keep stum when asked about him.

Airmiles

I still feel three days in Holland/Belgium could play a part - teams that can't handle echelons or cobbles could easily drop a clanger. Stage 2 last year, Mayo in, what was it, 2003? spring to mind. Even more so if it rains on Tuesday.

So: Contador, Wiggins....

Speaking of "that" year, did I read somewhere that the Passage du Gois is back in in 2011??

RichN95.

Airmiles wrote:

I still feel three days in Holland/Belgium could play a part - teams that can't handle echelons or cobbles could easily drop a clanger. Stage 2 last year, Mayo in, what was it, 2003? spring to mind. Even more so if it rains on Tuesday.

So: Contador, Wiggins....

Speaking of "that" year, did I read somewhere that the Passage du Gois is back in in 2011??

Yeah, it's back, but it's right at the beginning of the stage (it may even be the neutral zone), so kind of pointless.

I'm not sure why Wiggins will struggle with cobbles, he's the only GC contender to ever ride Paris-Roubaix - doing quite well too.

cooper.michael1

BikingBernie wrote:

On reflection, I think Armstrong is unlikely to have a 'howler'. As the truth about how he 'won' his Tours is now common knowledge he has been forced into a corner and he will come out fighting. In fact he has already made it clear that he actually thrives in such a situation. He has nothing to lose and will probably do 'anything' necessary to help him win, including pushing the doping envelope as far as he can.

'Broken record' 'Broken record' 'Broken record' 'Broken record'

Can't you just accept that during that period of cycling from say 1998-2007, virtually everyone in the peloton was on something, so what, its in the past, if Armstrong was doping, he was beating others who were also doping (Pantani, Ullrich, Virenque, Mayo blar blar) who cares, its a new era for cycling now, so stop droning on about the past and Armstrong, you have to judge todays peloton by a different frame of reference, from years ago.

Do you really think Armstrong would risk his whole reputation, the reputation of his charity, the legacy of his wins by doping now?

andyp

cooper.michael1 wrote:

Do you really think Armstrong would risk his whole reputation, the reputation of his charity, the legacy of his wins by doping now?

Yes, as there is still no test for autologous blood transfusions. What makes you think he wouldn't?

As to him cheating alongside everyone else, it was still against the rules regardless of the erroneous fact that everyone else was doing it (many weren't but had to be content with the scraps from the table).

dg74

andyp wrote:

cooper.michael1 wrote:

Do you really think Armstrong would risk his whole reputation, the reputation of his charity, the legacy of his wins by doping now?

Yes, as there is still no test for autologous blood transfusions. What makes you think he wouldn't?

As to him cheating alongside everyone else, it was still against the rules regardless of the erroneous fact that everyone else was doing it (many weren't but had to be content with the scraps from the table).

Grasping at straws. But anything to run Armstrong down, eh?

andyp

dg74 wrote:

Grasping at straws. But anything to run Armstrong down, eh?

Let's see if the Feds think that's grasping at straws, eh?

ms_tree

Ms Tree wrote:

Wiggins (made plans - never make plans - life has a way of kicking you in the teeth when you least expect it.). Vandervelde. (sorry Christian 'cos you're a nice guy). Karpets.

I'm doing well here too!

dennisn

BikingBernie wrote:

On reflection, I think Armstrong is unlikely to have a 'howler'. As the truth about how he 'won' his Tours is now common knowledge he has been forced into a corner and he will come out fighting. In fact he has already made it clear that he actually thrives in such a situation. He has nothing to lose and will probably do 'anything' necessary to help him win, including pushing the doping envelope as far as he can.

Interesting theory BB. I've pretty much written him off for even being close to the podium and placed my faith in him helping Levi get on one of those steps. And thereby having montydog owe ME that $20.00. But your post has given me hope that maybe, just maybe,
EITHER LA or LL might sneak in there. Nah, LA?? Too far back. Although he could have a good showing. Just not podium. We shall see if you are really physic or not.

ms_tree

Ms Tree wrote:

Ms Tree wrote:

Wiggins (made plans - never make plans - life has a way of kicking you in the teeth when you least expect it.). Vandervelde. (sorry Christian 'cos you're a nice guy). Karpets.

I'm doing well here too!

I've checked back through this thread and several people picked 1 or 2 riders but as I picked 3 who had a shocker I definitely think I won this one!
As I say, never make plans