2012 Tour De France Spolier Thread

Specialized Needs

As a very non-neutral, I would take a 'Tour de Bore' all the way!

Just this once ...

DonDaddyD

Why is no one talking about Sagan?

greg66_tri_v2.0

Blimey! There's no pleasing some people. First British Tour winner ever, and all of a sudden that's "boring".

I'll take "boring" and "winning" over "losing" every time, thanks...

t4tomo

Specialized Needs wrote:

t4tomo wrote:

Question is now will Evans try to attack Brad or settle into his defensive mode as he knows if he attacks and cracks Froome may well nip past him in the GC? Actually Team TT could send Froome past Evans, Sky look stronger than BMC at the moment.

Would love to see Wiggins and Froome (with Porte's help one would assume) just ride away from Cadel on one of the mountain stages.

I didn't think there was a team TT this year? Mind, after that performance, Froome looks likely to take quite some time out of Evans on a 53.5km time trial.

oops my bad - its anotheer individual TT isn't it the day before Paris - for some reason thought it was team one. Commnet still applies but even more so with an individual. Evans can expect to lose similar tme again

EKE_38BPM

t4tomo wrote:

oops my bad - its anotheer individual TT isn't it the day before Paris - for some reason thought it was team one. Commnet still applies but even more so with an individual. Evans can expect to lose similar tme again

Or more as its a longer one.

I'm with Greg. I'd rather be a boring winner than an exciting loser.

tailwindhome

DonDaddyD wrote:

Why is no one talking about Sagan?

For GC?

Never seriously on the radar.

rick_chasey

Greg66 wrote:

Blimey! There's no pleasing some people. First British Tour winner ever, and all of a sudden that's "boring".

I'll take "boring" and "winning" over "losing" every time, thanks...

Depends on what nationality you are innit?

tailwindhome

Greg66 wrote:

Blimey! There's no pleasing some people. First British Tour winner ever, and all of a sudden that's "boring"....

We're not all British.

EKE_38BPM

TailWindHome wrote:

Greg66 wrote:

Blimey! There's no pleasing some people. First British Tour winner ever, and all of a sudden that's "boring"....

We're not all British.

Hey, no-one's perfect.

jonginge

TailWindHome wrote:

Greg66 wrote:

Blimey! There's no pleasing some people. First British Tour winner ever, and all of a sudden that's "boring"....

We're not all British.

Pretty good ride from Roche today

greg66_tri_v2.0

TailWindHome wrote:

Greg66 wrote:

Blimey! There's no pleasing some people. First British Tour winner ever, and all of a sudden that's "boring"....

We're not all British.

Now now, no whining like a pussy, please.

Bit of stiff upper lip required.

Oh. Hold on. Not British, you say?

As you were. Wail and cry as much as you feel you need to. Let it all out.

Poof.

vermin

Greg66 wrote:

TailWindHome wrote:

Greg66 wrote:

Blimey! There's no pleasing some people. First British Tour winner ever, and all of a sudden that's "boring"....

We're not all British.

Now now, no whining like a pussy, please.

Bit of stiff upper lip required.

Oh. Hold on. Not British, you say?

As you were. Wail and cry as much as you feel you need to. Let it all out.

Poof.

I call BS on that. Wiggins showed a horrible lack of class yesterday. As someone observed on the Wiggo thread, he and Murray swapped places - Murray the Scot became Murray the Brit because he lost and blubbed. Some true Brits might prefer to see someone who could demonstrate a little class win. YMMV.

Specialized Needs

I can assure you that Murray would now be considered just as 'British' if he had slaughtered Federer in a boring win.

Win in any way, or lose heroically and display your emotions on your sleeve.

Murray would only have not been embraced had he lost and stayed objective.

We'd even make allowaces for his little provincial foibles; like supporting any other team against England

Wiggins is fine, as long as he keeps going ...

tailwindhome

Greg66 wrote:

TailWindHome wrote:

Greg66 wrote:

Blimey! There's no pleasing some people. First British Tour winner ever, and all of a sudden that's "boring"....

We're not all British.

Now now, no whining like a pussy, please.

Bit of stiff upper lip required.

Oh. Hold on. Not British, you say?

As you were. Wail and cry as much as you feel you need to. Let it all out.

Poof.

Eh?

FoldingJoe

DonDaddyD wrote:

Why is no one talking about Sagan?

Because nobody likes a showoff!!

http://www.joe.ie/sports/cycling/video-peter-sagan-makes-tour-de-france-look-wheelie-easy-0026688-1

greg66_tri_v2.0

Right. So on the highlights prog tonight Gary said that if Bradley held yellow from stage 7 it would be "unprecedented in modern times".

Hmm. Well, a quick canter through wiki reveals that LA took yellow in 2003 on stage 8, and held it to Paris. And in one of his other years he took it on stage 4, let Jens Voight have it for a day a bit later, but otherwise held it all the way.

So, does modern times start in 2006, or is Gary per-emptively airbrushing LA from history? I think we deserve to know.

greg66_tri_v2.0

TailWindHome wrote:

Greg66 wrote:

TailWindHome wrote:

Greg66 wrote:

Blimey! There's no pleasing some people. First British Tour winner ever, and all of a sudden that's "boring"....

We're not all British.

Now now, no whining like a pussy, please.

Bit of stiff upper lip required.

Oh. Hold on. Not British, you say?

As you were. Wail and cry as much as you feel you need to. Let it all out.

Poof.

Eh?

Aberration on my part. When you said "we" I took it literally and thought for a moment you were from the South. Now I've recalled the true position, I realise your were being empathetic towards our non-Brit friends in their hour of crushed defeat.

For which you roundly deserve the epithet: poof.

Sort yerself out, man.

tailwindhome

Greg66 wrote:

TailWindHome wrote:

Greg66 wrote:

TailWindHome wrote:

Greg66 wrote:

Blimey! There's no pleasing some people. First British Tour winner ever, and all of a sudden that's "boring"....

We're not all British.

Now now, no whining like a pussy, please.

Bit of stiff upper lip required.

Oh. Hold on. Not British, you say?

As you were. Wail and cry as much as you feel you need to. Let it all out.

Poof.

Eh?

Aberration on my part. When you said "we" I took it literally and thought for a moment you were from the South. Now I've recalled the true position, I realise your were being empathetic towards our non-Brit friends in their hour of crushed defeat.

For which you roundly deserve the epithet: poof.

Sort yerself out, man.

For a moment I thought there you were suggesting I was a countryman of the quivering lipped Murray.

"I'm getting closer!" pah!



Anyway, race is over. Chalk it up as a first British GT win. Only 2 GT and a sh*tload of Monuments behind Ireland.

Sneaky Edit to Ireland's palmares
Serious question time.

1 When Wiggins wins were does it put him on the all time list of British Cyclists?

2 Where's Britains next GT success coming from?

greg66_tri_v2.0

TailWindHome wrote:

Serious question time.

1 When Wiggins wins were does it put him on the all time list of British Cyclists?

2 Where's Britains next GT success coming from?

1. Well, if he wins from here, I'd say top of the pile. Boardman made a less successful move from track to road. I think he will eclipse Cav. A GT win >> a hat load of stage wins.

However ... there's a good argument that Nicole Cooke slaughters all the men.

2. Kenya.

daviesee

DonDaddyD wrote:

So Wiggins has a target on his back. Attacks from Nibali, Cadel and potentially Froome, who will no doubt stick to him like glue (duh, Vuelta...). Wiggins would do himself some favors by riding off into the Sunset and win a stage putting more time into the above. He won't though, he'll play it safe and that makes him prey to the others.

Touting a Hinault/Lemond style race then?
Might not be that boring :P

greg66_tri_v2.0

daviesee wrote:

DonDaddyD wrote:

So Wiggins has a target on his back. Attacks from Nibali, Cadel and potentially Froome, who will no doubt stick to him like glue (duh, Vuelta...). Wiggins would do himself some favors by riding off into the Sunset and win a stage putting more time into the above. He won't though, he'll play it safe and that makes him prey to the others.

Touting a Hinault/Lemond style race then?
Might not be that boring :P

Didn't team orders always win out in Hinault/Lemond's races? Much to Lemond's chagrin.

Wiggins is being paid many millions of Euros to win this race. Froome is being paid a lot less to help him. Froome won't attack his own teammate. He will leave him under orders if Bradley cracks and Evans might otherwise win, but apart from that he will do his job and take second in Paris.

First.Aspect

I've been watching the Tour for a long time now. Two guys who have been riding up front for several days beating all those meaty time trial specialists by a km or two over just 40km.

Only twice have I been this impressed. Once was Contdor's first tour win - previous year he'd been a mountain goat and then suddently he could also time trial with the best. It was like Frank Schleck turning up and matching Cancellara.

The other time was Floyd's solo stage win.

Love the press conference, btw.

tailwindhome

^

Nip over to Pro Race - there's about 12 threads all discussing wether or not Sky/Wiggins are clean.

rjsterry

TailWindHome wrote:

^

Nip over to Pro Race - there's about 12 threads all discussing wether or not Sky/Wiggins are clean.

Just popped over to Cycling Weekly and there is a comment after today's write up that Sky should tone it down a bit if they don't want everyone think that they are doping. How daft is that? Sky should throw a stage or two just to make it look convincing?

First.Aspect

No I don't think he's doping, I just think its a weak field. Sastre won it once, right? Evans is what, 35? There are several potential contenders in horrific form, injured or suspended, and there is a slightly too young new generation waiting to break through.

But amusing press conferences aside, its not an unreasonable thing to wonder.

daviesee

Greg66 wrote:

[Didn't team orders always win out in Hinault/Lemond's races? Much to Lemond's chagrin.

True.
Not so much to Lemond's chagrin second time around.
But it was an interesting watch none the less.

jonny_trousers

First Aspect wrote:

No I don't think he's doping, I just think its a weak field. Sastre won it once, right? Evans is what, 35? There are several potential contenders in horrific form, injured or suspended, and there is a slightly too young new generation waiting to break through.

But amusing press conferences aside, its not an unreasonable thing to wonder.

I suspect this is the truth of the matter. Blistering TTs were always the plan, but I don't suppose Sky were expecting to control the two mountain stages so far. I'm sure things would have looked a little different if the Schlecks were without their problems.

Apart from anything, is Evans really doing anything different this year to last? Hanging in there's his thing isn't it? The problem for him is, this year's competition can time trial.

rick_chasey

rjsterry wrote:

TailWindHome wrote:

^

Nip over to Pro Race - there's about 12 threads all discussing wether or not Sky/Wiggins are clean.

Just popped over to Cycling Weekly and there is a comment after today's write up that Sky should tone it down a bit if they don't want everyone think that they are doping. How daft is that? Sky should throw a stage or two just to make it look convincing?

Welcome to the Tour, where logic is warped beyond any normal sense.

It's simple really. The better the performance, the more eyebrows are raised.

Some guys over on pro race have got some rough figures from Saturday's climb which suggest they're believable performances and the same performance against early 00s top riders would be way down the pack. Which is good.

okgo

Thing is, people go on about a weak field, Contador aside (because he is a proper contender who can destroy people in the moutains and TT) even Schleck on form wouldn't I doubt take that much time from Wiggo and co in the moutains, they're not shit at climbing the sky boys...And if you think Wiggo took time out of Cadel, imagine what he would have done to Andy Schleck, its no un-reasonable to think that with the prologue, and yesterday he could have taken nearly 4 mins out of him, then add in the final TT and potentially another 2 or so minutes, it suddenly makes it quite an ask for anyone to attack the team of Sky who have two potential winners in Froome and Wiggins, not to mention Porte who can climb better than a lot of blokes too, I just can't see it. Sky are too strong, and there are too many TT's.

jzed

Greg66 wrote:

Froome is being paid a lot less to help him.

Apparantly Froome is on £1.2m a year. Sky had offered him £100k before the Vuelta but had to up it with Nissan Trek. AG2R and Astana after him. Rumour is that Wiggo and Cav are on £1.5m a year.

Its quite interesting reading about Froome. The Sky guys do not think he is performing out of the ordinary. Apparently he was just a rough diamond. Power stats always showed his capabilities, he just couldn't convert those stats in a race situation. With a bit of coaching and development of race tactics, he is now achieving what he's capable of.