Tour of Catalunya - *Spoilers*
Comments
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Enjoyed that, despite the rotten pictures and uncertainty of distance remaining - "is that the flame rouge? No, still about 5k left"!
Just a shame that valverde got in on the bonus points.0 -
Little ironic that Froome basically lost adriatico on a descent and I think it's a bit obvious of a small power struggle there (as much as it's denied), maybe it's a bit of a statement that wiggo is a different rider and he isn't as weak on the descent (but perhaps more so on the explosive climbing).
Wiggins is aiming for the Giro so I expect any racing he is doing now he is going to be quite aggressive as he was in the lead up to the tour. He doesn't use them just for training but to show everyone he intends to win.
I already liked wiggo but I have to say this season I am liking him more - seems a bit more confident in taking stuff on. I know a lot criticise the sky tactics because it's boring or whatever but personally I prefer seeing a team putting the hurt on than contador racing off the front, breaking his opponents will then easing off to narrow the field. Seeing him try that in oman etc and getting pulled back by hard team work is equally entertaining for me.0 -
Crankbrother wrote:Turfle wrote:Bonus seconds suck.
Or make the protagonists race to the line rather than roll over en mass glad they won whatever battle they were riding ...
Watching Schleck/Contador ride over the line hand in hand the other year was pathetic, give them something to race for ... Last year's Vuelta showed how bonus seconds can enliven a race right to the finish line ...
They give too much incentive for the likes of Valverde to sit on until the finish. That he ends up 4 seconds ahead of Wiggins, Gesink and others who emptied themselves is a farce.
They work against aggressive racing far more often than they work for it, imo.0 -
PS I think wiggo was after the stage win ala romandie yesterday. He was riding just the same at the front.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=le8rfpFu6TM0 -
Well live feed coming up soon as looks like the curling has finished earlyPain hurts much less if its topped off with beating your mates to top of a climb.0
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dont think the live coverage can ever start early, so time to watch the finish of yesterday againenigma esprit
cannondale caad8 tiagra 20120 -
ianbar wrote:dont think the live coverage can ever start early, so time to watch the finish of yesterday again
ES do if buying in from the host broadcaster & have on ES HD but not on ES1 or 2 and their other live events being broadcast on ES 1 or 2 finish early they do switch over to live earlier than expected. Did it a few times last year & think once this year already in T-A if I remember correctly but might have been PN.
Good of them to show the last 15 minutes of yesterday though, still an exciting stage finishPain hurts much less if its topped off with beating your mates to top of a climb.0 -
Oh well early or not Carlton & Brian having to do some infill as no live race coverage as of yet just static cameras of the finish line & mobile ones of the crowd.
If your recording might want to f/forward the first partPain hurts much less if its topped off with beating your mates to top of a climb.0 -
Carlton Kirby and Brian Smith are brilliant together - theyre really doing well with absolutely naff all happening - I cant wait for brian smiths paella recipeThe dissenter is every human being at those moments of his life when he resigns
momentarily from the herd and thinks for himself.0 -
Cleat Eastwood wrote:Carlton Kirby and Brian Smith are brilliant together - theyre really doing well with absolutely naff all happening - I cant wait for brian smiths paella recipe
Maybe he made it up - I will tweet him mine if this keeps up for much longer & he can call it his ownPain hurts much less if its topped off with beating your mates to top of a climb.0 -
Hopeless coverage. What chance once they hit those big mountains tomorrow?"Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.0
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Well today's 4 loops over the finish are making it a sprinters day. 3 man breakaway just rolled over the line followed by a peloton riding about 20 riders wide gives you the idea they are just letting them hang out just in front to stop others from breaking away.
Oh well to be expected I guess when you look at the profile, fair point being made that it looks pretty simple into the finish so could have some issues with the barrier feet if there are lots competing for the sprint.Pain hurts much less if its topped off with beating your mates to top of a climb.0 -
We have a kms to go caption!0
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And speed - yeahPain hurts much less if its topped off with beating your mates to top of a climb.0
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Break has been caught & all one big group now - sorry for the delay!
Sky, Blanco & Lotto all drilling it on the front and keeping the pace upPain hurts much less if its topped off with beating your mates to top of a climb.0 -
Not a whole lot of sprinters here.0
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Blanco - at the bell , but too much too early perhaps?http://veloviewer.com/SigImage.php?a=3370a&r=3&c=5&u=M&g=p&f=abcdefghij&z=a.png
Wiliers: Cento Uno/Superleggera R and Zero 7. Bianchi Infinito CV and Oltre XR20 -
Turfle wrote:Not a whole lot of sprinters here.
True but thats the way its going to pan out or so it looks. Guess most teams do have people that can sprint pretty well though even though they might not be sprinters & their GC riders will let them go for it today.Pain hurts much less if its topped off with beating your mates to top of a climb.0 -
Who have we got? Guardini, Wagner, Meersman/Fenn, Koldo Fernandez, Ahlstrand, then the likes of Simon and Dumoulin.0
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Last 5 kms blanco & bmc look to be doing most of the workPain hurts much less if its topped off with beating your mates to top of a climb.0
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Guardini was gutted not to make it yesterday apparentlyhttp://veloviewer.com/SigImage.php?a=3370a&r=3&c=5&u=M&g=p&f=abcdefghij&z=a.png
Wiliers: Cento Uno/Superleggera R and Zero 7. Bianchi Infinito CV and Oltre XR20 -
a lot of work needed to stay near the front when it is only 4 riders widehttp://veloviewer.com/SigImage.php?a=3370a&r=3&c=5&u=M&g=p&f=abcdefghij&z=a.png
Wiliers: Cento Uno/Superleggera R and Zero 7. Bianchi Infinito CV and Oltre XR20 -
One long line and 2 blanco riders off the front but not going to lastPain hurts much less if its topped off with beating your mates to top of a climb.0
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So its Meersman for 2 in a row & a crash further back in the bunchPain hurts much less if its topped off with beating your mates to top of a climb.0
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looks like all the riders in the crash are up now, bit of road rash but can't see anyone else still downPain hurts much less if its topped off with beating your mates to top of a climb.0
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Proper messy.0
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ouch that must hurthttp://veloviewer.com/SigImage.php?a=3370a&r=3&c=5&u=M&g=p&f=abcdefghij&z=a.png
Wiliers: Cento Uno/Superleggera R and Zero 7. Bianchi Infinito CV and Oltre XR20 -
From the overhead, Guardini was there, then went backwards at a rate of knots."Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.0
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that stash of bikes against a lampost with 500 to go was stupidhttp://veloviewer.com/SigImage.php?a=3370a&r=3&c=5&u=M&g=p&f=abcdefghij&z=a.png
Wiliers: Cento Uno/Superleggera R and Zero 7. Bianchi Infinito CV and Oltre XR20 -
Blazing Saddles wrote:From the overhead, Guardini was there, then went backwards at a rate of knots.
Yeah I was doubting it was actually him.0