2012 Tour De France Spolier Thread

tailwindhome

ONE MORE BIG SLEEP!

Welcome to the Annual Commuting Forum - Tour De France Spoiler Thread

Well are you excited?

A British rider goes into the race justifiable as the favourite for the race. His forms been immense, his team are strong, the competition ain't great and the course is tailor made for his TT abilities

Cavendish goes in to the race in the World Champions Jersey and is still arguably the best sprinter in the world. Will he stay the course and go for green or turn up win a couple of stages and drop out to focus on the Olympics?

The exciting new rider is Peter Sagan. The Slovak rider has dominated the shorter stage races he has enter this year and was particularly impressive in the Tours of California and Switzerland. He can climb, sprint and has a mean time trial over the shorter Prologue distances.

Oh. And there'll be 2 Irish riders in the race this year.


I can't wait.

jzed

Having had 24 months of disappointment with football, I can't wait.

I was reading yesterday that Cav's aim for the Tour is to win "a" stage. He's shed a lot of weight (weighs the same as Wiggins) and lost his top end speed as his goal is the Olympics. Think he said something along the lines of its a once in a lifetime chance to win a gold medal in the road race on home soil and he wants it. There was also some speculation whether his new physique (and expectation he'll go over the climbs alot easier) would make him more of a Thor and open up different types of stages for him to win.

With Cav not really aiming to defend the Green Jersey, Sky can focus on bringing the Yellow Jersey home.

jonny_trousers

I was a bit worried you were going to tell us who won it when I saw the title.

So excited I may pee myself.

I reckon we're going to see some exciting (and possible scrappy) sprint finishes this year with Cav being on his own and the likes of Sagan looking so strong. Should be plenty of interesting tactical play too. Barring crashes taking out the big contenders we should be in for an incredible race.

Come on Wiggo!

pangolin

TailWindHome wrote:

ONE MORE BIG SLEEP!

I like that this implies you're having a nap this afternoon.

I hadn't heard about Cav, sounds interesting! Will have a read.

jonny_trousers

JZed wrote:

Having had 24 months of disappointment with football, I can't wait.

I was reading yesterday that Cav's aim for the Tour is to win "a" stage. He's shed a lot of weight (weighs the same as Wiggins) and lost his top end speed as his goal is the Olympics. Think he said something along the lines of its a once in a lifetime chance to win a gold medal in the road race on home soil and he wants it. There was also some speculation whether his new physique (and expectation he'll go over the climbs alot easier) would make him more of a Thor and open up different types of stages for him to win.

With Cav not really aiming to defend the Green Jersey, Sky can focus on bringing the Yellow Jersey home.

Will be really interesting to see how his style has changed, but I can't see him riding like Thor Hushovd just yet.

My cynical side tells me the olympic gold aim is a blow-softening pay-off for not getting in the way of Brad's GC contention, but I do think Sky have played that right.

rick_chasey

Jonny_Trousers wrote:

Will be really interesting to see how his style has changed, but I can't see him riding like Thor Hushovd ever

FTFY.

jzed

Here's the cav link:

http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/lat ... mment.html

rick_chasey

TBH, if Cav has 4 kilos to lose then Cippo was right, he was overweight.

notsoblue

Any Londoners found a good place to skive off and watch this years tour? I'll probably be taking my lunches in LMNH for the next couple of weeks...

jonny_trousers

Rick Chasey wrote:

Jonny_Trousers wrote:

Will be really interesting to see how his style has changed, but I can't see him riding like Thor Hushovd ever

FTFY.

Yeah, that is what I was thinking.

EKE_38BPM

Rick Chasey wrote:

TBH, if Cav has 4 kilos to lose then Cippo was right, he was overweight.

Not really. Maybe he is less muscley as sprinters need the muscle. Going for the road race gold the big power is less important, so he's slimmed down. Less muscle mass so less explosive power, but better all round speed.

I don't think he was carrying around 4kg of lard.

gabriel959

In Spain, Cav is referred as culogordo or fat arse.

The fact that he needs to be pushed up the hills by bystanders, cars and mechanics (like at the last Giro) doesn't win him many supporters IMO

jonny_trousers

notsoblue wrote:

Any Londoners found a good place to skive off and watch this years tour? I'll probably be taking my lunches in LMNH for the next couple of weeks...

I've really been getting into watching road racing over the last year, but I still struggle to sit down and watch a whole race live unless it is a pivotal one, and so I tend to stick my fingers in my ears and go "la-la-la" when any cycling fan friends are around until I can get home and watch a recorded highlights show. Does that make me a lightweight?

bigmat

Rick Chasey wrote:

Jonny_Trousers wrote:

Will be really interesting to see how his style has changed, but I can't see him riding like Thor Hushovd ever

FTFY.

Let's hope not, eh? Sprint stages should be interesting. Has Sagan consistently beaten anyone of note? Second best sprinters at ali and Suisse were Haussler and Swift respectively. If Cav has genuinely changed his style, puts him into the Sagan / Goss category arguably, those three will be coming up against Kittel and Greipel as the out and out flat-track bullies.

Don't want to jinx GC, just hope there isn't a repeat of the spate of crashes last year.

jonny_trousers

BigMat wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

Jonny_Trousers wrote:

Will be really interesting to see how his style has changed, but I can't see him riding like Thor Hushovd ever

FTFY.

Let's hope not, eh?

Hushovd's riding style is among my absolute favourites (probably just because he is bigger than the featherweight climbers and therefore slightly easier to identify with to an ordinary shaped bloke like me) and his stage 13 victory last year was probably my favourite of all.

bigmat

gabriel959 wrote:

In Spain, Cav is referred as culogordo or fat ars*.

The fact that he needs to be pushed up the hills by bystanders, cars and mechanics (like at the last Giro) doesn't win him many supporters IMO

You're coming across a bit bitter about the British riders lately, Gabriel. Obviously fat arse Cav is doing something wrong compared to the top Spanish sprinters. Any of your GC guys not been caught yet?

gabriel959

All within reason I hope. I don't treat the Spaniards any better mind you...

I do like Michael Hutchinson a lot if that helps. And Graeme Obree is one of my heroes, up there with Big Mig. Probably even better because he was clean.

I really like Peter Sagan too.

bigmat

Jonny_Trousers wrote:

BigMat wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

Jonny_Trousers wrote:

Will be really interesting to see how his style has changed, but I can't see him riding like Thor Hushovd ever

FTFY.

Let's hope not, eh?

Hushovd's riding style is among my absolute favourites (probably just because he is bigger than the featherweight climbers and therefore slightly easier to identify with to an ordinary shaped bloke like me) and his stage 13 victory last year was probably my favourite of all.

He was very good last year to be fair. The previous couple of years I was underwhelmed - wasn't impressed by his "mountain attack" the year before when in truth he was gifted green by a very harsh commissaire's decision. Gutsy rider though and seems like a nice guy.

notsoblue

Jonny_Trousers wrote:

notsoblue wrote:

Any Londoners found a good place to skive off and watch this years tour? I'll probably be taking my lunches in LMNH for the next couple of weeks...

I've really been getting into watching road racing over the last year, but I still struggle to sit down and watch a whole race live unless it is a pivotal one, and so I tend to stick my fingers in my ears and go "la-la-la" when any cycling fan friends are around until I can get home and watch a recorded highlights show. Does that make me a lightweight?

Probably makes you someone who has a job :P

I can dip in and out. I try to catch the last hour for weekday races. I think its quite exciting to watch the whole thing though, you get a better feel of how strategic races are.

bigmat

gabriel959 wrote:

All within reason I hope. I don't treat the Spaniards any better mind you...

I do like Michael Hutchinson a lot if that helps. And Graeme Obree is one of my heroes, up there with Big Mig. Probably even better because he was clean.

I really like Peter Sagan too.

Big Mig was one of my childhood idols. I'm wearing an old Reynolds jersey today in fact. Shame he was probably not clean, but he was such a classy guy I can almost forgive it. Are you a time trialler? Seems that way based on that list - - can recommend Hutch's book on the hour if you've not read it.

gabriel959

I love watching TTs but am no TTer myself. I have read it thanks - very telling.

I used to like Geraint Thomas until he started promoting crappy armbands and doing gay adverts, and not racing the proper races but focusing on track racing when he is such a big talent. Such a waste.

thespanishadam

notsoblue wrote:

Any Londoners found a good place to skive off and watch this years tour? I'll probably be taking my lunches in LMNH for the next couple of weeks...

I will be popping in here to watch it...

http://www.lookmumnohands.com/

notsoblue

gabriel959 wrote:

And Graeme Obree is one of my heroes, up there with Big Mig. Probably even better because he was clean.

I heard Obree speak at BikeBath last week, really interesting chap.

jzed

EKE_38BPM wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

TBH, if Cav has 4 kilos to lose then Cippo was right, he was overweight.

Not really. Maybe he is less muscley as sprinters need the muscle. Going for the road race gold the big power is less important, so he's slimmed down. Less muscle mass so less explosive power, but better all round speed.

I don't think he was carrying around 4kg of lard.

Cav basically said that he never really did the whole diet and sports science bit full heartedly, and its only since joining sky that they are communicating it in a way that is beneficial to him (or something to that effect).

I think they've sat down with him, agreed a plan and he's seeing lots of user friendly info to judge where he is at in his development towards whatever goals he has and as a competitive chap, he seems to be exceeding them.

I think the message seems to be if I'd kept clear of my 5 a day (Mars bars and beers that is) then I would have been a better cyclist.

bompington

Am I the only obsessive (I am in fact a very, very long way from OCD) who's going to go demented looking at the spelling mistake in the thread title every day for 3 weeks?

jonginge

bompington wrote:

Am I the only obsessive (I am in fact a very, very long way from OCD) who's going to go demented looking at the spelling mistake in the thread title every day for 3 weeks?

Haha, but no. "Spolier" is a meme over on pro race.

optimisticbiker

notsoblue wrote:

Any Londoners found a good place to skive off and watch this years tour? I'll probably be taking my lunches in LMNH for the next couple of weeks...

Funnily enough was thinking just the same thing....

and the V+ box is primed and ready...

rick_chasey

JonGinge wrote:

bompington wrote:

Am I the only obsessive (I am in fact a very, very long way from OCD) who's going to go demented looking at the spelling mistake in the thread title every day for 3 weeks?

Haha, but no. "Spolier" is a meme over on pro race.

we're an educated bunch.

tailwindhome

Rick Chasey wrote:

JonGinge wrote:

bompington wrote:

Am I the only obsessive (I am in fact a very, very long way from OCD) who's going to go demented looking at the spelling mistake in the thread title every day for 3 weeks?

Haha, but no. "Spolier" is a meme over on pro race.

we're an educated bunch.

DDD's first TDF thread had the same spelling mistake.

It was agreed at the time that it added a continental feel to the thread.

I've included it deliberately.

Don't knock tradition.

bompington

Rick Chasey wrote:

JonGinge wrote:

bompington wrote:

Am I the only obsessive (I am in fact a very, very long way from OCD) who's going to go demented looking at the spelling mistake in the thread title every day for 3 weeks?

Haha, but no. "Spolier" is a meme over on pro race.

we're an educated bunch.

Oh, right, a quick search found the answer in a year-old thread. I speak some french but I'm clearly not Euro enough, I just can't be bothered to go calling something a bidon when it's actually a bottle, for example.

mattsaw

As the Mrs is dragging me out tomorrow, which highlights programme should I Sky+?

I like the slickness of ITV, but Eurosport have weirder adverts

/can of worms