TDF Stage 4 spoilers

jibberjim

rickyrider wrote:

Hang on a sec... I'd say that Wiggins rode a pretty decent stage today for the type of rider he is. I don't get some people implying he wasn't all that today.

I think Wiggins rode a stunning stage - such a short steep hill totally doesn't suit the sort of power profile he has so he was always going to be in a mode to limit losses, and he did that excellently - had a good position near the front at the bottom and rode very strongly up the climb.

He'll still likely get gapped by real changes of pace on steep ramps in the real mountains, but he's looking much better than he's looked before on that sort of ramp.

iainf72

Yeah, Wigans did a good ride. You can't read much into people being gapped on a climb like that. Evans always excels in that kind of finish.

Of course my inner fanboi notes St Ivan finished a bit ahead of some of the others on a climb that really wouldn't be his cuppa. When the real mountains come he might be in good shape. Or he might not. Who knows.

Tom BB

No class trying to steal a clean riders win. Not a champion.

Cumulonimbus

Doobz wrote:

I don't know why but lately when I see Philippe Gilbert riding, Bernhard Kohl springs to mind..

Maybe its the white hair.. Its kinda spooky because they both ride/rode for Silence Lotto!!

:roll:

[pedant]

Did Kohl ever ride for Lotto? I know he signed after he rode for Gerolsteiner in the tour but did he ever actually race for Lotto?

[/pedant]

Agree with you though, he reminded me of Kohl too, long face perhaps?

Cumulonimbus

jibberjim wrote:

rickyrider wrote:

Hang on a sec... I'd say that Wiggins rode a pretty decent stage today for the type of rider he is. I don't get some people implying he wasn't all that today.

I think Wiggins rode a stunning stage - such a short steep hill totally doesn't suit the sort of power profile he has so he was always going to be in a mode to limit losses, and he did that excellently - had a good position near the front at the bottom and rode very strongly up the climb.

I have heard other people say this but why is this? From the bottom of the climb to the finish line must have taken about the same time as an individual pursuit. I know he has changed a bit since riding on the track but i would have thought he would still be able to put in hard efforts of this length?

dougzz

Isn't this an indication though of the difference between 4 days racing and a series of individual one dayers. Gilbert maybe lacks the recovery of other more genuine climbers, something Evans can suffer from too. Wonder why.......

Iain, as sprints go it was at least a bit of a shake up. While the first stage was predictable that made it no less of a spectacle, Gilbert bang on song. I like many thought today would be more of the same, but Bertie and Cadel had other ideas, as did Vino, a rider that age nor clenliness seem to hinder :?

pb21

Think Gilbert suffered a bit with poor positioning today. When he was behind VdB the others came past him on the outside, he had to wait till they had gone past and get on the back. He seems to normally lead from the front.

calvjones

pb21 wrote:

Think Gilbert suffered a bit with poor positioning today. When he was behind VdB the others came past him on the outside, he had to wait till they had gone past and get on the back. He seems to normally lead from the front.

True, but he also just looked a bit knackered!

frenchfighter

JVB is really a great rider. Done loads for Gilbert this season. Really hope he does well in the mountains.

Kei Tsuji

ddraver

Will someone from Sky ride for the frickin' win one day please - we ve had both Thomas and EBH accelerating off the peloton now and then just stopping because their man is nt there - either check the man is their before going or just sprint for the bloody line and have a go

It's like watching Garmin back in the spring classics where they seemed to not know what was going on. I think they need to try giving people a "get out of jail card" with team orders so they can have a proper crack

frenchfighter

Some seriously good photos coming across today. Always the case on a wet day.

-


Randomly came across this, pretty funny:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNunotJ14o8

frenchfighter

And this from the other day:

frenchfighter

The last 9km:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOs1yw0MwnQ

The first few seconds is of Feillu drafting the VS car at some nutter speed, bloody scary. I keep thinking the video is is fast-mo when he swings round the car.

frenchfighter

Also was Cadel's first ever win in the Tour. He won the TT to Albi in 07 but only after Vino was removed.

frenchfighter

Dave_1 wrote:

frenchfighter wrote:

Dave_1 wrote:

Guimard's comments

That was interesting reading

it was, I really wonder if Contador is mentally broken after reading it..his leaving the chase to Euskatel, am sure Contador will have been hurt by it and from such a strategist as Guimard

Kelly saying Contador is mentally concrete.

http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/8965/ ... -head.aspx

RichN95.

frenchfighter wrote:

Kelly saying Contador is mentally concrete.

http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/8965/ ... -head.aspx

And Andy Schleck has rocks for brains.

mididoctors

rendall had wiggins furious with something post stage?

gilbert just didn't have it today

decent tour so far

Turfle

mididoctors wrote:

rendall had wiggins furious with something post stage?

gilbert just didn't have it today

decent tour so far

Wonder if it was to do with Uran attacking and sparking a few favourites into life. The official Sky site doesn't go overboard with praise for Uran's performance.

calvjones

frenchfighter wrote:

Also was Cadel's first ever win in the Tour. He won the TT to Albi in 07 but only after Vino was removed.

Quite amazing that, considering his current penchant for attacking in the last K of anything steeper & longer than a humpback bridge. The Vino case is illustrative; he would have an great palmares if you stripped out anyone who finished before him that was subsequently fingered*.




*assuming pending investigations continue to fruitful conclusion etc.

csp

thamacdaddy wrote:

As an aside is this "THE" NapD getting retweeted by Cav and Renshaw?

https://twitter.com/markcavendish/statu ... 0125063168

Hmmmm. RT @Mark_Renshaw @NapD: @MarkCavendish yfrog.com/h23hkkbj

Yes.

ddraver

calvjones wrote:

frenchfighter wrote:

Also was Cadel's first ever win in the Tour. He won the TT to Albi in 07 but only after Vino was removed.

Quite amazing that, considering his current penchant for attacking in the last K of anything steeper & longer than a humpback bridge. The Vino case is illustrative; he would have an great palmares if you stripped out anyone who finished before him that was subsequently fingered.

Minor "Hello pot this is kettle" aspect to that post really, isn't there?

jerry3571

Turfle wrote:

mididoctors wrote:

rendall had wiggins furious with something post stage?

gilbert just didn't have it today

decent tour so far

Wonder if it was to do with Uran attacking and sparking a few favourites into life. The official Sky site doesn't go overboard with praise for Uran's performance.

Spot on! Uran's attack was pretty dumb as it sparked the rest of the bunch in to life and started a frenzy, all to which Mr Wiggo easily gets dropped. Uran should have rode near Wiggins and waited for the attacks and then try to pull Wiggins to bridge the gaps.
I think Wiggins puts in to the extreme of following at his own pace and hence losing a bit of time today. Sometimes you have to go with the attacks if it's in the last km; losing seconds here and seconds there adds up at the end in Paris.

-Jerry

frenchfighter

Looks like 3 sprint stages coming up unless a breakaway does the business tomorrow.

Saturday should hopefully be decent and Sunday looks like a nice breakaway stage.

frenchfighter

Evans, Gilbert, Thor and Uran were in the big ring coming up to the line and Contador and Vino in the small as far as I can make out.

frenchfighter

Thor!

“I REALLY HAD TO FIGHT AND I WENT SO SO DEEP TO STAY WITH THE CLIMBERS UP THERE, BUT I’M REALLY HAPPY I MANAGED TO BE THERE AND KEEP THE YELLOW JERSEY.

“THERE WAS A MOMENT ON THE STEEPEST PART JUST BEFORE IT GOT FLAT THAT I STARTED TO LOSE A FEW METRES BUT I JUST DID IT MY RHYTHM, HIT ‘EM BIG RING, AND SPRINTED UP AND CLOSED THE GAP.

“THAT WAS THE BIGGEST EFFORT OF THE DAY AND I HAD NO CHANCE TO PASS AND DO THE SPRINT.”

-Seen on http://www.bigringriding.com/

Pross

Not sure about the criticism of Uran as he only had a short dig after Berth had dragged that small group clear. In fact Uran had to get across the gap himself. If Wiggins was upset I can't imagine it was to do with that as he only lost a few seconds to 3 contenders who were going for it already and lead in the group behind.

inkyfingers

Pross wrote:

Not sure about the criticism of Uran as he only had a short dig after Berth had dragged that small group clear. In fact Uran had to get across the gap himself. If Wiggins was upset I can't imagine it was to do with that as he only lost a few seconds to 3 contenders who were going for it already and lead in the group behind.

It does beg the question over what his role will be in the race though, will he be dedicated to protecting Wiggins or will he get the chance to fight for stage wins and a decent GC placing himself (bearing in mind he's already lost over a minute to the GC leaders)? Personally I think they'll have him working for Wiggins in the high mountains, he was probably allowed to go for the stage today in the knowledge that Thomas and EBH could probably help Wiggins enough on such a short climb.

thamacdaddy

Gotta trust yates and co but wondering if stage wins should be a target for sky to take early in the race. I know EBH is the main focus for stages but he looks off pace or sharpness on what he needs to do. Thomas was in a decent position this week to go out and try and get that yellow, but then again is yellow at this stage a little of a disadvantage if you want to aim for a high GC placing given your team has to do a lot of work at the front of the peloton?

RichN95.

Pross wrote:

Not sure about the criticism of Uran as he only had a short dig after Berth had dragged that small group clear. In fact Uran had to get across the gap himself. If Wiggins was upset I can't imagine it was to do with that as he only lost a few seconds to 3 contenders who were going for it already and lead in the group behind.

He probably shouldn't be having a dig of any sort. Firstly because it's not in Wiggins's interest and secondly he has a pretty decent sprint so following was his best strategy.

I don't think it made much difference. EBH and Thomas seemed to do as much as he could have and Wiggins chased pretty impressively ('dropping' all but Rojas and Basso)

Cumulonimbus

Looked to me like it was EBH in the background (see below) doing most of the chasing with Wiggins on his wheel. Towards the end EBH blew up and freewheeled to the line so finishing near Thomas. He could have tried to take white but i am guessing this is a no-no. On the first stage they were given the same time but only because of the second crash - in the initial standings on stage 1 EBH was about 15 second down on the Hushovd, Thomas group.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_1YxURthD0

(especially at about 54/55 seconds)

Looking at the early part of that clip you can see that Wiggins is quite a way down in the group - maybe he was angry because he lost position at a critical time?

Actually looking back at that video Rojas was on the back of the lead group as they reached the less steep bit but got dropped when some later accelerations happened. Edit: no, he wasnt. That was Leukemans.