Tour of California - Spoiler thread

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  • thomthom
    thomthom Posts: 3,574
    edited May 2013
    Cyclists must be the best in coming up with excuses.
  • tailwindhome
    tailwindhome Posts: 19,310
    ThomThom wrote:
    Cyclists must be the best in coming up with excuses.


    IIRC Sagan used the same line after Amstel.
    “New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!
  • thomthom
    thomthom Posts: 3,574
    I could see Sagan had a mechanical and that's a shame but.. too hot, jetlag, cold legs, aircondition was broke in the hotel room, my neck is sore, I lost my left leg in a shark attack.. it's one big plethora of excuses sometimes.

    Would be refreshing if they just did like Chris after finishing 67th in Fleche Wallone.

    0:28
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qxXzcYcy4E
    Chris: I was so incredibly bad today that I really should be ashamed of myself
    - What was the cause that made you perform like this?
    Chris: Well.. I... I don't know.. If I knew then I'd.. I.. Don't know.. I'm.. I'm just so bad. So p'iss poor.
  • danlikesbikes
    danlikesbikes Posts: 3,898
    knedlicky wrote:
    Danlikesbikes wrote:
    Yep, looks likes Sagan is struggling? missed the earlier parts though so might have been a mechanical issue.
    Sagan did have a mechanical towards the end. Afterwards he said he had cramp as they approached the finish and also ...
    ”I’m not used to the heat here, in Europe it’s much colder“

    It wasn’t that hot there yesterday, only about 20 deg C I think, but I suppose he might find it warm, given how unseasonally cool it still is here.

    Cheers - only tuned in late on & just saw him coming back through.
    Pain hurts much less if its topped off with beating your mates to top of a climb.
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,711
    Tonight's stage:
    profile-02.jpg

    Finish climb of the Palms Springs tramway:
    Length: 3.8 miles
    Elevation Gain: 1910 ft
    Average Grade: 9.5%
    Last 1.2 miles: 12%
    Last 1/2 mile: 14.3%
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • alihisgreat
    alihisgreat Posts: 3,872
    roughly what time will it finish?
  • Richmond Racer
    Richmond Racer Posts: 8,561
    ALIHISGREAT wrote:
    roughly what time will it finish?


    Prediction is around 23:50 UK
  • alihisgreat
    alihisgreat Posts: 3,872
    Richmond Racer wrote:
    ALIHISGREAT wrote:
    roughly what time will it finish?


    Prediction is around 23:50 UK

    Thanks, I reckon I can manage that (just!)
  • deejay
    deejay Posts: 3,138
    Slim Boy Fat wrote:
    knedlicky wrote:
    and also ...
    ”I’m not used to the heat here, in Europe it’s much colder“
    It wasn’t that hot there yesterday, only about 20 deg C I think, but I suppose he might find it warm, given how unseasonally cool it still is here.
    Try double that ;)
    I heard Smithy say 37 degrees yesterday.
    Stage 2.
    It started about 20 mins ago and the organisers have a 26 MPH schedule to finish 3.10pm(pacific time) or 11.10pm UK summer time.

    A 20 MPH average to finish at 4.37 PT or midnight+37mins UKST
    Organiser, National Championship 50 mile Time Trial 1972
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,711
    deejay wrote:
    Slim Boy Fat wrote:
    knedlicky wrote:
    and also ...
    ”I’m not used to the heat here, in Europe it’s much colder“
    It wasn’t that hot there yesterday, only about 20 deg C I think, but I suppose he might find it warm, given how unseasonally cool it still is here.
    Try double that ;)
    I heard Smithy say 37 degrees yesterday.
    Stage 2.
    It started about 20 mins ago and the organisers have a 26 MPH schedule to finish 3.10pm(pacific time) or 11.10pm UK summer time.

    LOL: Some Like It Hot:

    http://www.weather.com/weather/hourbyho ... A0828:1:US

    Somehow, I think that their 26mph schedule is a bit..............optimistic!
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,793
    stage 2 mancebo... oh wait dam
    "If I was a 38 year old man, I definitely wouldn't be riding a bright yellow bike with Hello Kitty disc wheels, put it that way. What we're witnessing here is the world's most high profile mid-life crisis" Afx237vi Mon Jul 20, 2009 2:43 pm
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,174
    Blazing Saddles wrote:
    Tonight's stage:
    profile-02.jpg

    Finish climb of the Palms Springs tramway:
    Length: 3.8 miles
    Elevation Gain: 1910 ft
    Average Grade: 9.5%
    Last 1.2 miles: 12%
    Last 1/2 mile: 14.3%

    That mid stage climb looks a monster and from what I can work out from the scale is 1000m elevation in about 16km so over 6% average.
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,711
    Break of 4, including Sylvain Chavanel, have 10 minutes over the bunch.
    Average speed on the flat 24.7mph.

    Yes, that cat 1 is a proper climb. Main section is 16kms, but about 800m elevation, so closer to 5%.
    Should see significant slow down, given it's going to hit 42C.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • RonB
    RonB Posts: 3,984
    Vacansoleil domestiques will be earning their pay today :oops: :oops: :oops:
  • poppit
    poppit Posts: 926
    Thought Mancebo had retired.
    Eddy Merckx EMX-3
    Dolan L'Etape
    Cougar Zero Uno
    Genesis Core 50
    Planet X TOR
  • germcevoy
    germcevoy Posts: 414
    Awesome descent on those curves. Must be brutal in that heat though.
  • RonB
    RonB Posts: 3,984
    poppit wrote:
    Thought Mancebo had retired.

    Lost in translation, apparently he was changing his focus.

    Could we dare hope for a TJVG vs Andy Schleck showdown on the final climb? Gap to the break now at 6mins with 37.5 to go.
  • ocdupalais
    ocdupalais Posts: 4,314
    Rob Hatch = Hospital DJ = Tony Blackburn
  • ocdupalais
    ocdupalais Posts: 4,314
    RonB wrote:

    Could we dare hope for a TJVG vs Andy Schleck showdown on the final climb? Gap to the break now at 6mins with 37.5 to go.

    Andy doing anything on the last climb would be good enough: torching TJ would be too good... on so many levels.
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,711
    Eurosport are now showing a bit of live cycling in between their ad breaks. :roll:
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • DeadCalm
    DeadCalm Posts: 4,242
    afx237vi wrote:
    Didn't see it, but I take it Rob Hatch does an American accent every time he pronounces "team 5 hour energy presented by Kenda", right?
    Personally, I prefer a commentator who is polite enough to try and pronounce someone's name correctly rather than one who panders to the sensibilities of the jingoistic locals but ymmv.
  • RonB
    RonB Posts: 3,984
    No idea why the leaders are attacking each other at the mo. Chavanel looks well cheesed off.
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,241
    Blazing Saddles wrote:
    Eurosport are now showing a bit of live cycling in between their ad breaks. :roll:

    Get a Sky+ box. When the adverts come on rewind and watch the last 3 minutes again - they're exactly the same as the 3 minutes you're missing.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • alihisgreat
    alihisgreat Posts: 3,872
    Blazing Saddles wrote:
    Eurosport are now showing a bit of live cycling in between their ad breaks. :roll:

    They load the ad breaks into the start of the coverage so that they can bring us the last section uninterrupted..

    in this case they're bringing us the last 20km with no ad breaks...



    On a more positive note its refreshing to watch some racing where the sun is out :shock:
  • Turfle
    Turfle Posts: 3,762
    Hope Schleck looks good today. Cam Meyer to win the stage.
  • RonB
    RonB Posts: 3,984
    This neighbourhood looks like the set of The Truman Show.
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    DeadCalm wrote:
    afx237vi wrote:
    Didn't see it, but I take it Rob Hatch does an American accent every time he pronounces "team 5 hour energy presented by Kenda", right?
    Personally, I prefer a commentator who is polite enough to try and pronounce someone's name correctly rather than one who panders to the sensibilities of the jingoistic locals but ymmv.

    It's not either/or. You can pronounce a name correctly without sounding like something from The Fast Show.
  • tailwindhome
    tailwindhome Posts: 19,310
    111 degrees f

    That's hot.


    The state of Thor's jersey as he slips out the back. Looks caked in salty sweat.
    “New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!
  • tailwindhome
    tailwindhome Posts: 19,310
    That climb looks brutal.
    “New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!
  • danlikesbikes
    danlikesbikes Posts: 3,898
    Oh dear Andy going nowhere fast
    Pain hurts much less if its topped off with beating your mates to top of a climb.

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