2012 Tour De France Spolier Thread

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Comments

  • First.Aspect
    First.Aspect Posts: 16,963
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    Who said Nibs would follow Froome?

    Wiggins should be following Nibs. Froome can climb faster than nibs.

    Send Froome out with 20km to go, or at the bottom of a big climb.

    See what happens.
    I've picked this post at random - nothing particular about RC.....

    Everyone seems to be confusing a 50m acceleration away from a group of riders who would not imagine any attack coming from Froome, with an attack by a contender for the race (i.e. a team leader). Its kind of like taking a free kick when the goalie is still setting up the wall. Was Wiggins unable to respond, or of the riders present did he and only he have the option to use his radio to shut the whole thing down?

    Also, a gap following an attack, unexpected or otherwise, is not necessarily the same as a gap 4km later and so all this talk of Froome being the guy who should really win is somewhat premature I think. Similarly a sprint on the last few hundred m of a stage - there is simply no point in the yellow jersey wasting the energy.

    Froome was pretty close to blowing when Wiggins was driving the pace for the preceding 2k (despite having essentially the same level of protection during the race as Wiggins) and so its completely unclear whether going into the red for 100-200m to launch an attack would have had the same effect on him as it did on Evans, for example.

    There is also a lot of talk about the Vuelta last year. That was an exceptional climb and Wiggins (and Sky as a whole) made a shocking mistake regarding gearing. I've never seen that happen to a pro rider before and it was pretty embarrasing. You will note that Wiggins in this tour has much lower gearing than either Evans or Nibali because he doesn't want to run out of gears again.

    It really does remain to be seen whether Chris Froome will appear as strong as he does now, if he is seen by the rest of the field as a team leader.
  • cjcp
    cjcp Posts: 13,345
    Agreed re the gearing. All the more strange given the comments in, I think, Richard Moore's book about how they chose gearing.

    @TWH - yes to Contador, *maybe* to A Schleck, but no to F Schleck. Wiggo dealt with the latter in 2009 and has handed it out again this year. Next year will be very good if the first of those two are in it, with TJVG, Pinot, Ryder H, JVDB, Froome and Wiggo.
    FCN 2-4.

    "What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
    "It stays down, Daddy."
    "Exactly."
  • Specialized Needs
    Specialized Needs Posts: 802
    Nice turn of speed there on the lead out by the maillot jaune
  • DonDaddyD
    DonDaddyD Posts: 12,689
    Cavendish needs to find some form...
    Food Chain number = 4

    A true scalp is not only overtaking someone but leaving them stopped at a set of lights. As you, who have clearly beaten the lights, pummels nothing but the open air ahead. ~ 'DondaddyD'. Player of the Unspoken Game
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    DonDaddyD wrote:
    Cavendish needs to find some form...

    He's never been good at those kind of hills in fairness to Cav.

    It's not he's outa form.

    He's only messed up one sprint, and the other he was in contention for he won.
    _
  • DonDaddyD
    DonDaddyD Posts: 12,689
    Over the course of the race so far Cavendish hasn't looked confident or happy. There hasn't been more than one sprint where it seems/feels/looks like Cavendish has been a real contender.

    He is also the least useful person on his team and that's got to be playing with his confidence.
    Food Chain number = 4

    A true scalp is not only overtaking someone but leaving them stopped at a set of lights. As you, who have clearly beaten the lights, pummels nothing but the open air ahead. ~ 'DondaddyD'. Player of the Unspoken Game
  • clarkey cat
    clarkey cat Posts: 3,641
    Team Sky seem to be doing fine with Cav doing his own thing. He has to be on the TdF as he is World Champ. His aims were to get a stage win and to win on the Champs Elysses - he's achieved the first and it will be a fine sight seeing Wiggo leading out Cav, Renshaw style, in Paris. Yellow and Rainbow thundering over the cobbles. Sky and GB will go crazy. They do have a plan - they are executing it perfectly.
    Dolan Mythos
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    clarkey cat wrote:
    They do have a plan - they are executing it perfectly.

    It's particularly unsexy, isn't it?

    Successful sure, but bugger me it's unromantic.
    _
  • iclestu
    iclestu Posts: 503
    Unromantic? Sure

    almost British even

    :-)
    FCN 7: Dawes Galaxy Ultra 2012 - sofa-like comfort to eat up the miles

    Reserve: 2010 Boardman CX Pro
  • mtb-idle
    mtb-idle Posts: 2,179
    who cares, great tour ~IMO.

    Just got back from a week in the Alps. Rode and cheered on Wiggo with my two boys on Grand Colombier (very hard), La Toussuire (hardish) and Col du Granier (very hard). Here's a few pics. Stop me if you are bored or I have more if you ain't.

    grand_colombier_02.jpg

    grand_colombier_03.jpg

    grand_colombier_05.jpg

    la_toussuire_01.jpg

    la_toussuire_02.jpg

    la_toussuire_03.jpg

    col_du_granier_01.jpg

    col_du_granier_02.jpg

    and one for Rick

    la_toussuire_09.jpg
    FCN = 4
  • cjcp
    cjcp Posts: 13,345
    Fantastic shots.

    What exactly did you say to Nibali to gain his attention like that? :)
    FCN 2-4.

    "What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
    "It stays down, Daddy."
    "Exactly."
  • mtb-idle
    mtb-idle Posts: 2,179
    cjcp wrote:
    Fantastic shots.

    What exactly did you say to Nibali to gain his attention like that? :)

    I dunno but I obviously did the same thing the next day too!

    la_toussuire_06.jpg
    FCN = 4
  • Flyingbogey
    Flyingbogey Posts: 352
    Great photo's.
    Bianchi Nirone C2C FCN4
  • First.Aspect
    First.Aspect Posts: 16,963
    Excellent.

    What did you do with the flares you had left over? :D
  • roger_merriman
    roger_merriman Posts: 6,165
    that fairy has been working overtime today!
  • suzyb
    suzyb Posts: 3,449
    roger merriman wrote:
    that fairy has been working overtime today!
    Think she's been suffering a little PMS.
    Whippet
  • suzyb
    suzyb Posts: 3,449
    They found tacks on the road :(
    Whippet
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    Sabotage!
    _
  • daviesee
    daviesee Posts: 6,386
    Find out where Perthshire church elders have went on holiday............. :evil:
    None of the above should be taken seriously, and certainly not personally.
  • mtb-idle
    mtb-idle Posts: 2,179
    First Aspect wrote:
    Excellent.

    What did you do with the flares you had left over? :D

    I had no idea what this comment meant until I heard channel 4's commentary this afternoon. :oops:

    More pics now loaded

    :arrow:
    FCN = 4
  • CiB
    CiB Posts: 6,098
    suzyb wrote:
    They found tacks on the road :(
    Don't mention road tacks. You'll have the Daily Mail commentards after you.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    Frank_Schleck_1814594c.jpg

    See ya!
    _
  • Gizmo_
    Gizmo_ Posts: 558
    Very sad news.

    Looking forward to today though :)
    Scott Sportster P45 2008 | Cannondale CAAD8 Tiagra 2012
  • Fat-Boy-Roubaix
    Fat-Boy-Roubaix Posts: 413
    Anyone else been wondering why Wiggo keeps dumping his Dogma, "problems with the bike" I reckon it is when he thinks he won't need his MTB Doggma anymore http://bicycling.com/blogs/thisjustin/2 ... leur-hack/ :-) 36-11 anyone lol
  • PBo
    PBo Posts: 2,493
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    Frank_Schleck_1814594c.jpg

    See ya!

    Why? was he even in this Tour? Really?????

    You see, without Andy looking back over his shoulder, he's impossible to locate......well, he certainly has been on this tour.

    Oh no, just remembered - if you want to find him, maybe he's talking to a journo about how all TdF parcours should be 15% gradient and no TT kms.
  • jonginge
    jonginge Posts: 5,945
    Well, he was quoted as saying this year's tour was boring. It's suddenly got a bit spicier for him.

    "I was poisoned, m'lud"
    FCN 2-4 "Shut up legs", Jens Voigt
    Planet-x Scott
    Rides
  • DonDaddyD
    DonDaddyD Posts: 12,689
    So if Frank has been on the sauce what was Andy on?

    And it beings again...
    Food Chain number = 4

    A true scalp is not only overtaking someone but leaving them stopped at a set of lights. As you, who have clearly beaten the lights, pummels nothing but the open air ahead. ~ 'DondaddyD'. Player of the Unspoken Game
  • First.Aspect
    First.Aspect Posts: 16,963
    It is one of the weakest "I didn't do it" excuses in years.

    The milk tray man climbed into his hotel room with spiked chocolates. Or was it the man from Del Monte handing out spiked orange juice at the top of a climb?

    Who is he kidding?
  • jonny_trousers
    jonny_trousers Posts: 3,588
    Has he made a statement then? Any links?

    Very sad.
  • jonginge
    jonginge Posts: 5,945
    Jonny_Trousers wrote:
    Has he made a statement then? Any links?

    Very sad.
    http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/frank-schleck-requests-b-sample-will-claim-hes-been-poisoned
    FCN 2-4 "Shut up legs", Jens Voigt
    Planet-x Scott
    Rides

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