Tirreno-Adriatico 2013 *SPOILERS*
Comments
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Dorset Boy wrote:
That 'll be because the doper's not 'prepared' properly yet. :roll:EKIMIKE wrote:Definitely think Contador has a lot more to come. Definitely not looking on top form. Missing that zip in the attack.
Well, at risk of being type-cast as a Contador fanboy in FF's absence, that was predictable. :roll:0 -
I thought it was quite exiting.
Contador tried his look but went alone, should have taken Nibali with him but wanted to solo.
This will be the way it goes till the tour, so get used to it.
Contador will hatch a plan in the tour (just like the Vuelta) and blow it all apart, following the second rest day.0 -
frenchfighter wrote:Just saw that Kiwatowski is racing. Watch out for him - a mean TT, climbs well and has done excently so far this season.
Nice work.
Agree with most of your points Ekimike.
Sky shi t in the face of cycling fans GLOBALLY
Don't worry about Contador. He is 5kg overweight for starters and is just getting warmed up. It is harder with Sky money and science in the mix but three weeks is a different ball game entirely and recovery is a major issue. Chris-zero to hero-Froome is good in shorter combats but struggles with no team mates and struggles over three weeks when put to the test. Contador also is a pure racer who is prepared to risk everything for victory and has a brilliant tactical mind. Throughout his career, Contador has never been a 1km sprinter and never will be. Froome also looks like he hasn't got much more to give or weight to lose.
Corrupt company comes with millions and buys what could be considered classy and quality riders in their own rights in some instances. Turns them into superdomestiques who set tempo and drag their nominated leader to within a km or so from the line. Aforementioned leader bides his time then sprints to victory. Effective but totally terrible for true cycling fans.
I hope at the Tour half the Sky team fall ill and open the race up to passion, flair, class and unpredictability. The Vuelta was hugely exciting and that was because it was open and was decided over repetitive attacks and fights between the top GC riders.
Bear in mind that many quality riders struggle with a sustained high pace which is what Sky do. So they fade and we don't get to see them attack and shine. When there is no super charged rich donkeys creating slipstream then pulling off, these real cyclists emerge and the fans get value for time invested.
Last 3km: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... A-R37jUwWY
Horner in the mix and he is 41 :shock:
Difficult to imagine that Schleck would have been in groups like this all the time at the Tour.
Nice picture from yesterday.
Suffering vs hands on the bars
Contador is the Greatest0 -
You are very bitter and very twisted, Frenchie.
Your hero is a doper, that's how's he's finished first in a number of GTs.
Froome has come 2nd, 2nd and 3rd in his last 3 GTs hasn't he?
Maybe your doping hero should ride without a team in future as clearly you don't like the idea of a team working for their leader.0 -
frenchfighter wrote:frenchfighter wrote:Just saw that Kiwatowski is racing. Watch out for him - a mean TT, climbs well and has done excently so far this season.
Nice work.
Agree with most of your points Ekimike.
Sky shi t in the face of cycling fans GLOBALLY
Don't worry about Contador. He is kg overweight for starters and is just getting warmed up. It is harder with Sky money and science in the mix but three weeks is a different ball game entirely and recovery is a major issue. Chris-zero to hero-Froome is good in shorter combats but struggles with no team mates and struggles over three weeks when put to the test. Contador also is a pure racer who is prepared to risk everything for victory and has a brilliant tactical mind. Throughout his career, Contador has never been a 1km sprinter and never will be. Froome also looks like he hasn't got much more to give or weight to lose.
Corrupt company comes with millions and buys what could be considered classy and quality riders in their own rights in some instances. Turns them into superdomestiques who set tempo and drag their nominated leader to within a km or so from the line. Aforementioned leader bides his time then sprints to victory. Effective but totally terrible for true cycling fans.
I hope at the Tour half the Sky team fall ill and open the race up to passion, flair, class and unpredictability. The Vuelta was hugely exciting and that was because it was open and was decided over repetitive attacks and fights between the top GC riders.
Bear in mind that many quality riders struggle with a sustained high pace which is what Sky do. So they fade and we don't get to see them attack and shine. When there is no super charged rich donkeys creating slipstream then pulling off, these real cyclists emerge and the fans get value for time invested.
Last km: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... A-R37jUwWY
Horner in the mix and he is 41 :shock:
Difficult to imagine that Schleck would have been in groups like this all the time at the Tour.
Zzzzzzzzzzz....
Frenchie, are you a religious man?0 -
Well the AFLD will do doping controls in the tour, so I doubt any dodgy magic performances will go unpunished this year. Also I doubt there will be any suspect chaperones handing out doping products to riders (a la Vuelta).
So it will be tight, even in the third week. I doubt Contador will be able to make huge gains, only moderate time.0 -
The difference there was surely timing and an ability to make it stick? Contador went too early, then refused to help Nibali when he had an opportunity. Froome bridged and attacked himself, looked pretty exciting. One might even declare that he did it with a bit of panache? What more is he supposed to do?0
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Only saw the last few kms, but Froome and Sky looked pretty ominous. Well done Nibs and Cont for at least trying to break the stranglehold, but in reality they probably damaged themselves more than Froome.
As for this being an "extra-terrestrial" performance by Froome, I think people are barking up the wrong tree. Some old codger of 41 managed to hold Sky pretty well to the line.
Froome just conserved energy better than anyone else and hence had a 1km of explosiveness in the tank. Clever but dull tactics from Sky. They won by using their brains, whereas others tried to use their balls and found they only had an Armstrong to play with...0 -
Watch videos from Tirreno - Adriatico so far including todays Stage 4 - http://bit.ly/W5Mgmo0
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Squirrelpie wrote:Well the AFLD will do doping controls in the tour, so I doubt any dodgy magic performances will go unpunished this year. Also I doubt there will be any suspect chaperones handing out doping products to riders (a la Vuelta).
So it will be tight, even in the third week. I doubt Contador will be able to make huge gains, only moderate time.
Why would the AFLD have any more success? They lucked out with the CERA test. Obviously Pierre B was going to catch 20% of the peloton on retests. And then got no one. But it made for a good sound biteFckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.0 -
Well having just caught the last 10k on Sporza highlights, I for one enjoyed that.
Correlation is not causation.0 -
I put more faith in AFLD than UCI0
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Just watched the race. That's pretty much how I see the Tour going: Contador putting in a lot of sharp attacks but ultimately the Sky train dragging him back. When you consider that Wiggins and Porte will come into the team they had today it's hard to see Contador riding away from that?0
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What a pair of rides from Kwiatkowski and Santambrogio. Uran also looking mighty fine.0
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I thought Froome was genuinely out of that but Bertie refusing / unable to come through when Nibali asked resulted in the 3 up front slowing enough to let him back in. I think Froome is learning that he has a good kick but that he can't do it too far out, presumably learning from the Vuelta. I really don't get Frenchie moaning about Sky yet again though, Bert should have attacked harder / more often to destroy their tactics but only managed one half hearted effort and another that Nibali easily crossed to. It's up to the others to break the Sky dominance otherwise they'll stick to a proven tactic. As for being sponsored by a corrupt organisation a) that's potentially libellous and b) Oleg Tinkov isn't exactly up for sainthood!0
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frenchfighter wrote:frenchfighter wrote:Just saw that Kiwatowski is racing. Watch out for him - a mean TT, climbs well and has done excently so far this season.
Nice work.
Agree with most of your points Ekimike.
Sky shi t in the face of cycling fans GLOBALLY
Don't worry about Contador. He is 5kg overweight for starters and is just getting warmed up. It is harder with Sky money and science in the mix but three weeks is a different ball game entirely and recovery is a major issue. Chris-zero to hero-Froome is good in shorter combats but struggles with no team mates and struggles over three weeks when put to the test. Contador also is a pure racer who is prepared to risk everything for victory and has a brilliant tactical mind. Throughout his career, Contador has never been a 1km sprinter and never will be. Froome also looks like he hasn't got much more to give or weight to lose.
Corrupt company comes with millions and buys what could be considered classy and quality riders in their own rights in some instances. Turns them into superdomestiques who set tempo and drag their nominated leader to within a km or so from the line. Aforementioned leader bides his time then sprints to victory. Effective but totally terrible for true cycling fans.
I hope at the Tour half the Sky team fall ill and open the race up to passion, flair, class and unpredictability. The Vuelta was hugely exciting and that was because it was open and was decided over repetitive attacks and fights between the top GC riders.
Bear in mind that many quality riders struggle with a sustained high pace which is what Sky do. So they fade and we don't get to see them attack and shine. When there is no super charged rich donkeys creating slipstream then pulling off, these real cyclists emerge and the fans get value for time invested.
Last 3km: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... A-R37jUwWY
Horner in the mix and he is 41 :shock:
Difficult to imagine that Schleck would have been in groups like this all the time at the Tour.
Nice picture from yesterday.
Suffering vs hands on the bars
At least you're taking Contador's continuous beatings well.0 -
Personally I think watching Sky impose their will on the race in such a fashion is infinitely better than watching some chancer put in a few half-heated attacks which were never going to stick. If other teams can't think of a way to compete then that's their problem.
But each to their own.0 -
Pross wrote:I thought Froome was genuinely out of that but Bertie refusing / unable to come through when Nibali asked resulted in the 3 up front slowing enough to let him back in. I think Froome is learning that he has a good kick but that he can't do it too far out, presumably learning from the Vuelta. I really don't get Frenchie moaning about Sky yet again though, Bert should have attacked harder / more often to destroy their tactics but only managed one half hearted effort and another that Nibali easily crossed to. It's up to the others to break the Sky dominance otherwise they'll stick to a proven tactic. As for being sponsored by a corrupt organisation a) that's potentially libellous and b) Oleg Tinkov isn't exactly up for sainthood!
They have to keep attacking the train. Nearly everytime a contender does attack it sheds the front guy from the train. The other teams can't just allow Cataldo do 6k at the front. Easier said than done, I know.0 -
Turfle wrote:Pross wrote:I thought Froome was genuinely out of that but Bertie refusing / unable to come through when Nibali asked resulted in the 3 up front slowing enough to let him back in. I think Froome is learning that he has a good kick but that he can't do it too far out, presumably learning from the Vuelta. I really don't get Frenchie moaning about Sky yet again though, Bert should have attacked harder / more often to destroy their tactics but only managed one half hearted effort and another that Nibali easily crossed to. It's up to the others to break the Sky dominance otherwise they'll stick to a proven tactic. As for being sponsored by a corrupt organisation a) that's potentially libellous and b) Oleg Tinkov isn't exactly up for sainthood!
They have to keep attacking the train. Nearly everytime a contender does attack it sheds the front guy from the train. The other teams can't just allow Cataldo do 6k at the front. Easier said than done, I know.
Totally agree, Contador's first attack soon shed Cataldo and Henao finally went on the second attack The problem is that one rider won't be able to attack enough to lose them all on their own so it needs a few contenders to have a go which means forming an alliance with a major rival. Come the Tour that line up will be stronger whilst Saxo and Astana don't have much strength in depth.0 -
I don't think the attacks had any effect really. Sky rode as if there were no other teams on the mountain. The attacks came when the pace eased and by the time the Uran stepped aside they were close enough for Froome to ride to the end any way. Job done.
To make attacks stick a group of four would need to go but Sky had the selection to eight so quick that all Froome would need do is jump train if that happened. Sky have got the tack-ticks spot on, they seem to have figured out the other riders thresholds. No one appears to be capable of riding away from them.0 -
Frenchie.........I love your passion (and your photos) but your hate for SKY is making you a bitter man, and to think they are destroying cycling is a bit rich compared to what Contador, Riis and Tinkoff have done to the sport. Try to get over it and I'll try to like Contador, deal?0
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Squirrelpie wrote:I don't think the attacks had any effect really. Sky rode as if there were no other teams on the mountain. The attacks came when the pace eased and by the time the Uran stepped aside they were close enough for Froome to ride to the end any way. Job done.
To make attacks stick a group of four would need to go but Sky had the selection to eight so quick that all Froome would need do is jump train if that happened. Sky have got the tack-ticks spot on, they seem to have figured out the other riders thresholds. No one appears to be capable of riding away from them.
They almost worked it right today. The Contador attack got rid of Henao, then Nibali and Santambrogio brilliantly went after him, and at that point it was those 3 vs Uran and Froome. But for some reason Contador refused to ride with Nibali.0 -
If Contador is a master tactician he didn't show it today. Will he start engaging brain to deal with Sky's tactics or carry on grandstanding.0
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Contador looked pretty cooked at the end though didn't he? Bertie & Nibbles didn't look like they had much of an answer to Froome. It's no good forcing the train to shed riders if you still have someone there in support with only 1,000m to go.
Surprised at the ease with which Froome bridged then struck for home.0 -
I thought this thread might have gone like this. Surely what Sky are doing is not rocket science. All they are doing is riding the quickest way up the mountain. Blasting off on attacks and then putting yourself in the red and having to recover is slower than setting a high but sustainable pace.
The only gamble is whether the attacker can sustain the attack to the top and as someone earlier said they seem to have a pretty good handle on riders thresholds.
It won't work forever though. Someone will come up with something to defeat it. Human ingenuity always finds a way.0 -
Contador had blown that's why he didn't work with Nibali. It only looked dangerous when Nibali went with Santambrogio. Froome showed he would have caught them anyway and hitched a ride if need be but they offered nothing when he rode past.
Its still early days for the tour protagonists, Froome is well ahead at this time.
Nibali is showing how he has improved since Oman and is on track for Giro.
The question is should Froome be racing against Nibali, when Contador is the benchmark for the tour?
Could he peak too early when his goal much later in the year?
Same questions were asked about Wiggins last year I know but Nibali should be stronger than Contador now as they target different goals.0 -
Just caught up with the race. Super work from Cataldo, and Rigo and Sergio looking so good makes me very happy indeed
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Squirrelpie wrote:Contador had blown that's why he didn't work with Nibali. It only looked dangerous when Nibali went with Santambrogio. Froome showed he would have caught them anyway and hitched a ride if need be but they offered nothing when he rode past.
Its still early days for the tour protagonists, Froome is well ahead at this time.
Nibali is showing how he has improved since Oman and is on track for Giro.
The question is should Froome be racing against Nibali, when Contador is the benchmark for the tour?
Could he peak too early when his goal much later in the year?
Same questions were asked about Wiggins last year I know but Nibali should be stronger than Contador now as they target different goals.
Noo...I cannot believe we're going to have a re-tread of 'he's peaked too soon...'0 -
Richmond Racer wrote:Squirrelpie wrote:Contador had blown that's why he didn't work with Nibali. It only looked dangerous when Nibali went with Santambrogio. Froome showed he would have caught them anyway and hitched a ride if need be but they offered nothing when he rode past.
Its still early days for the tour protagonists, Froome is well ahead at this time.
Nibali is showing how he has improved since Oman and is on track for Giro.
The question is should Froome be racing against Nibali, when Contador is the benchmark for the tour?
Could he peak too early when his goal much later in the year?
Same questions were asked about Wiggins last year I know but Nibali should be stronger than Contador now as they target different goals.
Noo...I cannot believe we're going to have a re-tread of 'he's peaked too soon...'
Enter anti-sky opinions hear:................
Enter hysteria and conjecture (disguised as proof that season long peak is indication of doping) hear...........
Enter statement you know some one with proof hear..........
Retract last statement hear...........
Thanks0
