Go Tommy Go !

itisaboutthebike
itisaboutthebike Posts: 1,120
edited July 2011 in Pro race
Go on and win it lad !

Even if you are a Harry Enfield look-a-like !
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Comments

  • cogidubnus
    cogidubnus Posts: 860
    +1
  • meanmrmustard
    meanmrmustard Posts: 18
    I'd love to see him win it now. He's shown more heart than all of the GCs put together. He was only expected to hold the Yellow Jersey for a few days but he has now become a real contender. Let's hope he rides his socks off in the Alps. That will be the big test.... mind you that's what everyone was saying about the Pyrenees.
    Go Tommy!
  • brucey72
    brucey72 Posts: 1,086
    I would like to see him win but after seeing him climb with the best I just can't help but feel that it is all a little too good to be true.
  • RowCycle
    RowCycle Posts: 367
    He chased when the others were content to sit back. I would've loved to see him attack yesterday when the other kept hanging around, I think he wanted to but given he has the yellow jersey had to play it clever.

    I agree with OP.

    Go Tommy Go
  • B3rnieMac
    B3rnieMac Posts: 384
    He was allowed to get this far ahead in the GC, it wasn't of his own merit. I'm not saying he hasn't defended the jersey admirably, but he's in this position through no fault of his own.
    His own stubbornness may be his own downfall here - I honestly don't think he has a proper chance of winning, but he may fool himself into thinking he's a proper GC contender (Wiggins anyone?), and he'll never be allowed to get into a breakaway again....which is his signature type of ride.
  • Scrumple
    Scrumple Posts: 2,665
    tongues out to Tommy
  • PBo
    PBo Posts: 2,493
    brucey72 wrote:
    I would like to see him win but after seeing him climb with the best I just can't help but feel that it is all a little too good to be true.

    I know what you mean, but I actually think that it's more likely that circumstances are playing in his favour.
    1)The others aren't attacking fast and furious - TV doesn't need to chase all the breaks himself, he only needs one or two of the others to neutralise the attack, and then it stops - the leading group are then coming back together
    2) the middle of the three mountain stages wasn't as tough (or wasn't raced as tough)- I wouldn't exactly call it a recovery day, but it probably allowed TV to hang on, and then not be so depleted for yesterday
    3) Rollands is doing an awsome job for his team leader.
    4) he really does look like he's a guy who is just suffering to hold on as long as he can from shear pride and guts.

    I for one am really enjoying it.
  • paulcuthbert
    paulcuthbert Posts: 1,016
    brucey72 wrote:
    I would like to see him win but after seeing him climb with the best I just can't help but feel that it is all a little too good to be true.

    Then please take your scepticism elsewhere. This is a positive, pro-Voeckler thread
    The most painful climb in Northern Ireland http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs200.snc1/6776_124247198694_548863694_2335754_8016178_n.jpg
  • sherer
    sherer Posts: 2,460
    i'd love to see him win it but I think the reality is he won't be able to do a good enough TT.

    What's his highest placing in the tour so far ?
  • B3rnieMac
    B3rnieMac Posts: 384
    There was me thinking this was a discussion forum...
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,241
    sherer wrote:
    i'd love to see him win it but I think the reality is he won't be able to do a good enough TT.

    What's his highest placing in the tour so far ?

    18th in 2004. Apart from that year, I don't think he's ever bothered with GC.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • brucey72
    brucey72 Posts: 1,086
    paulcuthbert wrote:
    brucey72 wrote:
    I would like to see him win but after seeing him climb with the best I just can't help but feel that it is all a little too good to be true.

    Then please take your scepticism elsewhere. This is a positive, pro-Voeckler thread

    Oops my mistake.
  • Slow Downcp
    Slow Downcp Posts: 3,041
    brucey72 wrote:
    I would like to see him win but after seeing him climb with the best I just can't help but feel that it is all a little too good to be true.

    Or maybe it's because "the best" now do not have the same artificial help as some previous years :roll:

    It's good to see a non favourite doing well, even if the faces he pulls are a little bit eccentric, but I do think that when Contador, Evans and The Schlecks (and maybe even Basso) decide to race then he'll get dropped like a stone.
    Carlsberg don't make cycle clothing, but if they did it would probably still not be as good as Assos
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    He'll run out of talent and energy soon.

    He got lucky the big guns stayed very dry till the last climb, then realised none of them had the legs when they got there.

    Give it a few easy let-the-break-go stages before the alpes to loosen the GC rider's legs and they'll rinse him in the Alps...
    _
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    He'll run out of talent and energy soon.

    He got lucky the big guns stayed very dry till the last climb, then realised none of them had the legs when they got there.

    Give it a few easy let-the-break-go stages before the alpes to loosen the GC rider's legs and they'll rinse him in the Alps...

    Agree, he's ridden well so far and you really can't fault his effort, but he was lucky the Pyrenees played out like they did. I can see him losing 3-4 minutes on the Galibier stage.
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,204
    brucey72 wrote:
    I would like to see him win but after seeing him climb with the best I just can't help but feel that it is all a little too good to be true.

    To me he looks a good build to be a proper climber.

    Also not sure about the Wiggins comment above, after the way the Pyrenees went I suspect he'd have been a contender again this year.
  • sweendog28
    sweendog28 Posts: 113
    Lance has been tweeting that he thinks Tommy has a chance after his ride to Plateau de Beille.

    Personally I would love to see it. After the two Schlecks and Basso he was certainly the strongest for me on that stage.

    If, and it is a big if, he was to hold on to the main favourites in the Alps then interestingly in the Dauphine he lost 1.58 to Evans in the Grenoble TT in the Dauphine.

    All in all makes for an interesting battle this week and I cannot wait!
  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    I know this is the "We <heart> TV" thread, but does anyone know what the peloton's opinion of him is?

    I seem to remember a few years ago there were a lot of complaints about him and he was that popular with his peers...
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • redddraggon
    redddraggon Posts: 10,862
    iainf72 wrote:
    I know this is the "We <heart> TV" thread, but does anyone know what the peloton's opinion of him is?

    I seem to remember a few years ago there were a lot of complaints about him and he was that popular with his peers...

    Don't know whether you saw this Iain?

    http://inrng.com/2011/07/popularity-the ... he-public/
    I like bikes...

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  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    redddraggon wrote:

    Don't know whether you saw this Iain?

    http://inrng.com/2011/07/popularity-the ... he-public/

    Missed that, cheers.

    I'm pretty sure I recall something similar a few years ago where riders said if TV was in a break, he'd do less work than other people.
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • Tom Butcher
    Tom Butcher Posts: 3,830
    Flecha was just having a dig because he felt Voeckler should have waited when the car knocked Hoogerland and him off - said something along the lines of what do you expect from Voeckler he's always one for riding for himself and disrupting breaks.
    it's a hard life if you don't weaken.
  • shinyhelmut
    shinyhelmut Posts: 1,364
    sweendog28 wrote:
    Personally I would love to see it. After the two Schlecks and Basso he was certainly the strongest for me on that stage.

    If that was the case they'd have been well advised to drop Evans and Contador and gain some time on them before the grenoble TT.

    Either they weren't strongest or they are just tactically inept. Could be either.
  • disgruntledgoat
    disgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    ShinyHelmut wrote:
    sweendog28 wrote:
    Personally I would love to see it. After the two Schlecks and Basso he was certainly the strongest for me on that stage.

    If that was the case they'd have been well advised to drop Evans and Contador and gain some time on them before the grenoble TT.

    Either they weren't strongest or they are just tactically inept. Could be either.

    Agreed. Surely even the Schlecks aren't inept enough to realise that they could have buried Bertie by now if they had the legs. He's riding on one leg and only going to get sronger...
    "In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"

    @gietvangent
  • Old Tuggo
    Old Tuggo Posts: 482
    When Tommy gets dropped in the Alps he will not just slide out the back after hanging on as long as he could. Brave battling Tommy will put on a courageous show for his fans. His tongue will be licking the bars, his face will go into contortions and he will fight his way back on a number of times before finally relinquishing the yellow jersey. It will be good viewing and he will collect even more adoring fans.
  • crown_jewel
    crown_jewel Posts: 545
    I am rooting like hell for him as well. I'm not so sure the favorites have been dogging it. I think we have evidence of cleaner riding. TV could not have stayed with the leaders the last time they rode up Luz Ardiden. Different story this week. There are 2 mountain finishes left. The Galibier is long but not overly steep on that side. Then the Alpe. TV should get some help from Evans, Basso, etc in covering the Schleck attacks. Contador has been weakened by the Giro or a lack of Clenbuterol. If it comes down to the TT, Frank is closest to him and Frank could not beat my grandmother in a TT. I think TV can do it. I sure hope so. Would be a great story.
  • jamlala
    jamlala Posts: 284
    I for one would make TV and Thor the (successful) most attacking riders of the race so far, and both have been fantastic to watch. Roy has done well but not successful.ly.

    I'd be happy for TV to win, despite all the whining threads above saying he'll be dropped.
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  • Tusher
    Tusher Posts: 2,762
    I made the mistake of straying into The Clinic this afternoon. Don't go there.

    I too would love to see the plucky little underdog win, even although it's unlikely, he's making the overall interesting. Which is more than the other GT contenders are.
  • sherer
    sherer Posts: 2,460
    Tusher wrote:
    I made the mistake of straying into The Clinic this afternoon. Don't go there.

    I too would love to see the plucky little underdog win, even although it's unlikely, he's making the overall interesting. Which is more than the other GT contenders are.

    in that case you should know all about that TV plus all the others in the Tour are taking :D
  • Tusher
    Tusher Posts: 2,762
    I'm pretty cynical by nature, but it's depressing the amount of (negative) energy put in to that place. A win- any win- apparently merits a thread 30 pages long on why the winner is a doper.
  • sherer
    sherer Posts: 2,460
    Tusher wrote:
    I'm pretty cynical by nature, but it's depressing the amount of (negative) energy put in to that place. A win- any win- apparently merits a thread 30 pages long on why the winner is a doper.

    don't forget the whole team has to dope to help that win. Plus the ones who just make the time cut need to dope to stay in the race.

    I know this stuff does go on in the sport but it I think they have taken it to extremes.

    Lets just enjoy watching TV fight to keep the jersey

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