Tour of California - Spoiler thread

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  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,174
    The bunch finally realise they weren't knackered after all and sprint hard for 20th place. Must need the licence points! :roll:
  • RonB
    RonB Posts: 3,984
    Always seems a bit bizarre. Now I see there is some logic involved. I just assumed it was something that riders did to send their DS' into apoplectic rage :D
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,793
    bit of proper racing eh...
    "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
  • Richmond Racer
    Richmond Racer Posts: 8,561
    In the words of the man himself, "I'm motherf&&king Jens Voigt, they're not going to catch me"

    http://www.bicycling.com/video/jens-voi ... /video/all


    :)
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,174
    So now he's thinking of signing for another season. Why not, he's only young.
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Ha, go Voigt! Amazed he still has it. Although it also speaks volumes about the quality of the field.

    Worth noting that Sagan has lost the sprint twice in a row now...
    Contador is the Greatest
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    154646DSC_4919.jpg
    Contador is the Greatest
  • Vino'sGhost
    Vino'sGhost Posts: 4,129
    frenchfighter wrote:
    Ha, go Voigt! Amazed he still has it. Although it also speaks volumes about the quality of the field.

    Worth noting that Sagan has lost the sprint twice in a row now...

    yeah but did you see how much ground he gained in the overhead shot? position was off but that was some kick. Sagan will become a true hero.
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Voigt`s team blowing the peloton into 6 with 50km or so to race. Sprinters did well not to miss it.

    144151DSC_2218.jpg
    Contador is the Greatest
  • Mad_Malx
    Mad_Malx Posts: 5,160
    frenchfighter wrote:
    154646DSC_4919.jpg

    Did the Saxo rider in the background stay upright?
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Yep:
    http://video.nbcsports.msnbc.com/nbc-sp ... 3#51911593
    Contador is the Greatest
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,174
    Looks like Farrar has got his mojo back. Whether he will be up to the rough and tumble of a full on Tour bunch sprint remains to be seen but beating Sagan will be good for his morale.
  • Mad_Malx
    Mad_Malx Posts: 5,160
    Cheers for the link FF.
    Interesting how it was nothing on the film, but looks quite alarming in the photo.
  • RonB
    RonB Posts: 3,984
    Pross wrote:
    Looks like Farrar has got his mojo back. Whether he will be up to the rough and tumble of a full on Tour bunch sprint remains to be seen but beating Sagan will be good for his morale.

    Could be said about Thor as well, assuming he's in the team & stays fit.
  • danlikesbikes
    danlikesbikes Posts: 3,898
    RonB wrote:
    Pross wrote:
    Looks like Farrar has got his mojo back. Whether he will be up to the rough and tumble of a full on Tour bunch sprint remains to be seen but beating Sagan will be good for his morale.

    Could be said about Thor as well, assuming he's in the team & stays fit.

    Now all we need is for them to give Andy a big hug and we can have all 3 back to their better ways
    Pain hurts much less if its topped off with beating your mates to top of a climb.
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,174
    Andy has been showing signs of improvement too. OK he got dropped early on the big climb in the heat but I suspect he wasn't pushing himself fully which was probably the most sensible approach. It will be interesting to see how he goes tomorrow.
  • danlikesbikes
    danlikesbikes Posts: 3,898
    Pross wrote:
    Andy has been showing signs of improvement too. OK he got dropped early on the big climb in the heat but I suspect he wasn't pushing himself fully which was probably the most sensible approach. It will be interesting to see how he goes tomorrow.

    Will be good to see him back & after a few DNF's earlier in the season hope his break from racing and training is starting to come good. Really hope its coming good in time for the tour.
    Pain hurts much less if its topped off with beating your mates to top of a climb.
  • lostboysaint
    lostboysaint Posts: 4,250
    Pross wrote:
    Looks like Farrar has got his mojo back. Whether he will be up to the rough and tumble of a full on Tour bunch sprint remains to be seen but beating Sagan will be good for his morale.

    I'm sorry but that did make me laugh. He'll be nowhere when it comes down to the big sprints with the big boys.
    Trail fun - Transition Bandit
    Road - Wilier Izoard Centaur/Cube Agree C62 Disc
    Allround - Cotic Solaris
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,174
    So is Sagan (who won a load of Tour stages and the green jersey last year) no longer classed as one of the big boys? I know a few people felt that his classics results weren't great but hadn't realised he'd dropped that far down the scale. Whether Farrar can get his head right for the chaos of a TdF bunch sprint is a big question but in terms of actual sprint speed he is capable of taking them on though he'd need to be on a good day and Cav / Greipel to get something slightly wrong to take a sprint against them.
  • RonB
    RonB Posts: 3,984
    Ok here's a bit of a stretch, but someone might be interested in today's TT stage :D

    It is a 32km stage, which ends with the Metcalf Climb (2.7km @ just over 10%). On Strava the record stands at just under 10 mins. It might be interesting to see how the pros do if they have this as a distinct split.

    As you would expect, the current race leader TJVG will be the last of the 113 starters for the stage and he will be setting off at 15:02 Pacific time, which is 23:02 BST.

    For this type of course would you expect riders to be using TT bikes? Guess we'll soon find out.

    Edit - weather forecast is mostly sunny & mild with a high of around 20degC.
  • ellerslierd
    ellerslierd Posts: 266
    Is it the same course as last years? I remember that finishing with a climb too...
  • RonB
    RonB Posts: 3,984
    That one was further South, around Bakersfield. Was more of a hill climb from the start I think, though around the same distance.
  • gpreeves
    gpreeves Posts: 454
    RonB wrote:
    For this type of course would you expect riders to be using TT bikes? Guess we'll soon find out.

    Interesting to see some switched from TT bikes at the start of the climb. Tejay looking very good, breezed up the climb without a bike change.
  • RonB
    RonB Posts: 3,984
    Stage 6 Results
    USA 1 VAN GARDEREN, Tejay (BMC RACING) 48:52
    NED 2 WESTRA, Lieuwe (VACANSOLEIL-DCM) + 23
    AUS 3 DENNIS, Rohan (GARMIN SHARP) + 28
    AUS 4 ROGERS, Michael (SAXO-TINKOFF) + 1:05
    ITA 5 PINOTTI, Marco (BMC RACING) + 1:08

    General Classification after Stage 6
    USA 1 VAN GARDEREN, Tejay (BMC RACING) 22:44:24
    AUS 2 ROGERS, Michael (SAXO-TINKOFF) + 1:47
    AUS 3 MEYER, Cameron (ORICA GREENEDGE) + 2:57
    SUI 4 FRANK, Mathias (BMC RACING) + 3:21
    COL 5 ACEVEDO COLLE, Janier Alexis (JAMIS - HAGENS BERMAN) + 3:31
  • RonB
    RonB Posts: 3,984
    Pretty impressive by TJ. Could be a couple of power struggles at LéTour if Cadel maintains his form in the Giro :wink:
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    This one is for Rick.
    06-155928_VEG4141%20copy-640.jpg
    Contador is the Greatest
  • LutherB
    LutherB Posts: 544
    There's something so right about seeing RonB & his avatar doing the commentary for ToC - can you do at least stage in character before it ends please Ron :D
  • RonB
    RonB Posts: 3,984
    edited May 2013
    Luther just relax and stay classy, Champ Kind does sports!

    (& my best chance was probably that second stage in all the heat).
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    TJVG's baby wearing lipstick is a bit creepy!
  • RonB
    RonB Posts: 3,984
    Stage 7 today, Livermore to Mount Diablo.

    profile-07.jpg

    Weather sunny but not crazy heat at around 21degC. Mt. Diablo is 18km averaging 5.8% with the last 150m kicking up to 16%.

    Ticker news so far is that there is a breakaway of nine riders - Andy Schleck (RadioShack), Melgarejo De la Cruz (NetApp-Endura), Carter Jones (Bissell), Laurent Didier (RadioShack), Quintanilla Verona (Omega Pharma-QuickStep), Kristijan Koren (Cannondale), Chris Butler (Champion System), Nathan Brown (Bontrager), and Nathaniel English (5-hour Energy). They have a lead of around 2'30".

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