April 1st

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Comments

  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,661
    Does it? Hmm, i was thinking of going down for that....
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • ddraver wrote:
    Does it? Hmm, i was thinking of going down for that....

    Well, it is only a forecast and we all know how accurate they are! I'm quite happy for bad weather on the Sunday, just don't really want it for the Friday and Saturday as I'll be out on the course.
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,661
    Oh I really cannot decide who to go for with PTP - Canc will be any break aways but if no one significant does anything on the final circuits, boonen is going to up there in the sprints...

    I'm back to flipping coin territory again - and that does nt often work well for me!
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,241
    There's a lot excitement on this thread about Sunday, so I feel I have to work the ruthlessly practical killjoy perspective that FF for one rightly considers that I hold.

    It's a new course.
    The favourites have all said its hard as nails
    In times of uncertainty, the status quo rules
    There's over 10k after the last berg
    One of the two big favourites has a great team

    I'm calling it right now. A fairly dull race of attrition - no attacks, just riders failing to match the pace - won by Tom B. (The alternative is an early break being underestimated and succeeding).

    In summary - it will be a dud.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    RichN95 wrote:
    There's a lot excitement on this thread about Sunday, so I feel I have to work the ruthlessly practical killjoy perspective that FF for one rightly considers that I hold.

    It's a new course.
    The favourites have all said its hard as nails
    In times of uncertainty, the status quo rules
    There's over 10k after the last berg
    One of the two big favourites has a great team

    I'm calling it right now. A fairly dull race of attrition - no attacks, just riders failing to match the pace - won by Tom B. (The alternative is an early break being underestimated and succeeding).

    In summary - it will be a dud.

    Sounds about right.



    In other news - it looks like I won't be able to watch it live!! :(
  • RichN95 wrote:
    In summary - it will be a dud.

    Bah, you'll be telling us there's no Santa next!
  • In other news - it looks like I won't be able to watch it live!! :(

    Ehh? What's going on there? The World's No. 1 Flanders Fan not watching live! Maybe we can get them to reschedule to Monday?
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    In other news - it looks like I won't be able to watch it live!! :(

    Ehh? What's going on there? The World's No. 1 Flanders Fan not watching live! Maybe we can get them to reschedule to Monday?


    I know, I know.

    A good friend has finally made it over to London (for my birthday). I really can't blow him off for a bike race.
  • I know, I know.

    A good friend has finally made it over to London (for my birthday). I really can't blow him off for a bike race.

    Yeah, of course not. You introduce him to the joys of cycle racing!

    :D
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,241
    RichN95 wrote:
    In summary - it will be a dud.

    Bah, you'll be telling us there's no Santa next!

    Let's be honest. Nothing will live up to the frenzy Rick et al are whipping up. I'm just lowering expectations.


    (I still have mussels, frites, mayo and Leffe ready for tomorrow. I'm just holding off on the orgasm).
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    Haha, for me the build up is as fun as the actual race.

    How often do we get a build up like this for a race? The Tour's not quite the same since the stages that matter are always a week or two away from the beginning, and a lot can happen between the start and when it matters.

    More interviews (in English).

    http://www.sporza.be/permalink/1.1259695

    Boonen, Cancellara - putting the other as favourite.

    Cancellara definitely looks more relaxed.
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,241
    Cancellara definitely looks more relaxed.

    He's bluffing. He knows that he has no team and that OPQS are killing everyone.

    (I'm a fellow Tom fan - more a Sky fan - but I'm rooting for Tom for this one)
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    RichN95 wrote:
    Cancellara definitely looks more relaxed.

    He's bluffing. He knows that he has no team and that OPQS are killing everyone.

    (I'm a fellow Tom fan - more a Sky fan - but I'm rooting for Tom for this one)

    It's true, but let's put it this way.

    If Cancellara is on his own with that final 10km to go, you'd get pretty long odds on anyone but him winning - and that's not an unlikely scenario.

    You can't say that for any other rider.

    Given the route, I think guys like Chavanel and Terpstra will get shuffled out before then. It will be just the pure strongest left - likely Boonen, Cancellara, and possibly a Pozzato or Gatto or Devolder.
  • Did I hear that right? Cancellara is going to attack in Brugge? A 255km lone break! Now that's panache!
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,241
    If Cancellara is on his own with that final 10km to go, you'd get pretty long odds on anyone but him winning - and that's not an unlikely scenario.

    If...


    (I think I'm more confident for Tom than you are)
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    The cyclo-tourists riding today are saying there was a big block-headwind between the Paterberg and the finish. The same is predicted tomorrow.

    And on that actaully relevant note, I shall go to bed.
  • pottssteve
    pottssteve Posts: 4,069
    IT IS HERE.............
    Head Hands Heart Lungs Legs
  • Yellow Peril
    Yellow Peril Posts: 4,466
    pottssteve wrote:
    IT IS HERE.............


    It most certainly is. Any weather updates? It's bright and breezy here in the middle of the Irish Sea (not as though that counts for anything) Any live stream updates would be good too. I wouldn't mind watching some pre-race jibber jabber in flemish if it was available online.
    @JaunePeril

    Winner of the Bike Radar Pro Race Wiggins Hour Prediction Competition
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    pottssteve wrote:
    IT IS HERE.............


    It most certainly is. Any weather updates? It's bright and breezy here in the middle of the Irish Sea (not as though that counts for anything) Any live stream updates would be good too. I wouldn't mind watching some pre-race jibber jabber in flemish if it was available online.

    Less wind than yesterday.
  • dsoutar
    dsoutar Posts: 1,746
    A good friend has finally made it over to London (for my birthday). I really can't blow him off for a bike race.

    Whooa...that's wayyyy beyond "good friend" if you ask me
  • TMR
    TMR Posts: 3,986
    Just an update from my earlier posts in this thread; my wife delivered our 2nd child on Wednesday morning. However, having being told we were having a girl at the final scan 4 months ago, a boy popped out! So much for Sonographers eh? ;)

    We hadn't picked any boy names, so I tried to convince her George was a great idea (naturally!), but she would have none of it. We settled on Alex in the end. 8lbs 7oz (so amazing PWR) and he definitely has sprinter's legs ;)
  • Yellow Peril
    Yellow Peril Posts: 4,466
    Congratulations Mad Rapper to you and your lady wife.
    @JaunePeril

    Winner of the Bike Radar Pro Race Wiggins Hour Prediction Competition
  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 14,550
    Congrats!
    Warning No formatter is installed for the format
  • Cleat Eastwood
    Cleat Eastwood Posts: 7,508
    congrats mad wrapper - boy that eisel has been busy. :D
    The dissenter is every human being at those moments of his life when he resigns
    momentarily from the herd and thinks for himself.
  • ratsbeyfus
    ratsbeyfus Posts: 2,841
    Congratulations - Alex is a lovely name.


    I had one of them red bikes but I don't any more. Sad face.

    @ratsbey
  • Tusher
    Tusher Posts: 2,762
    Congratulations!! Alex is a super name.

    You're only the second person I've heard of where the sex of the baby was wrong. The first was my sister- expecting a little boy, they had the nursery decorated, a plethora of baby blue kit...............and she had a girl.
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,661
    Yay for mad Rapper! Alex and Delilah can become playmates!

    My old man's a GP and he can determine the sex of the baby just by feeling the shape or position in the womb. He says he's no idea exactly how he's does it but he must have been practising for nearly 30 years now and he says he's never been wrong. If the parents don't want to know the sex, he won't tell them his guess, because history suggests he's right.
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver