Tour de France 2013 - Race Chat
Comments
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Somebody give me a reason to get excited about this Tour, as I haven't even had the motivation to have a proper look at the stages since October.
I dislike Froome, I really dislike Contador, I like Evans but can't see him doing anything... Somebody, help me out."In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"
@gietvangent0 -
disgruntledgoat wrote:Somebody give me a reason to get excited about this Tour, as I haven't even had the motivation to have a proper look at the stages since October.
I dislike Froome, I really dislike Contador, I like Evans but can't see him doing anything... Somebody, help me out.
And apparently no Harmon.
Chuckle brothers MK1 on ITV4 or MK2 on Eurosport. Can someone teach me Dutch or Italian in 3 days please?0 -
disgruntledgoat wrote:Somebody give me a reason to get excited about this Tour, as I haven't even had the motivation to have a proper look at the stages since October.
I dislike Froome, I really dislike Contador, I like Evans but can't see him doing anything... Somebody, help me out.
KOM competition. Lots of lovely mountains and I get the impression many riders who are pretty tasty may want to go for them.
Look out for the younger generation - lots of handy riders right now.Contador is the Greatest0 -
disgruntledgoat wrote:Somebody give me a reason to get excited about this Tour, as I haven't even had the motivation to have a proper look at the stages since October.
I dislike Froome, I really dislike Contador, I like Evans but can't see him doing anything... Somebody, help me out.
Its the Tour!!!!! Man up. You cant only get excited cos someone you like will win. Its three weeks and almost anything can happen. Imagine, all the favorites crash out in the first two days......then what?
Or Tommy V goes on an epic break and takes 20 mins out of the rest. Dream, its the Tour.0 -
frenchfighter wrote:"As I've said every year: A year without a Tour de France is a lost year," Eisel told Sky Sports. "The last nine years, it has never really affected me. Of course there have been times when it was down to the last minute and you did not know… And this year is the first time that I'm definitely not there."
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/eisel-a ... -lost-year
A team cant take everyone so bound to be people disappointed
Maybe he should have performed better early season and showed he deserved to come
Maybe riders should also focus on other races rather than just trying to get into the Tour to enjoy the glitz and glammer
Should have talked to your buddy Cav about how Sky dont give a shi t
Wow! Poor Bernie! He should have gone to OPQS with Mark
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The Mad Rapper wrote:frenchfighter wrote:"As I've said every year: A year without a Tour de France is a lost year," Eisel told Sky Sports. "The last nine years, it has never really affected me. Of course there have been times when it was down to the last minute and you did not know… And this year is the first time that I'm definitely not there."
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/eisel-a ... -lost-year
A team cant take everyone so bound to be people disappointed
Maybe he should have performed better early season and showed he deserved to come
Maybe riders should also focus on other races rather than just trying to get into the Tour to enjoy the glitz and glammer
Should have talked to your buddy Cav about how Sky dont give a shi t
Wow! Poor Bernie! He should have gone to OPQS with Mark
Says in the same piece he doesn't have the form though."In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"
@gietvangent0 -
disgruntledgoat wrote:Says in the same piece he doesn't have the form though.
is that through lack of use? Could he have had a busier pre-TdF calendar at another Team?0 -
The Mad Rapper wrote:frenchfighter wrote:"As I've said every year: A year without a Tour de France is a lost year," Eisel told Sky Sports. "The last nine years, it has never really affected me. Of course there have been times when it was down to the last minute and you did not know… And this year is the first time that I'm definitely not there."
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/eisel-a ... -lost-year
A team cant take everyone so bound to be people disappointed
Maybe he should have performed better early season and showed he deserved to come
Maybe riders should also focus on other races rather than just trying to get into the Tour to enjoy the glitz and glammer
Should have talked to your buddy Cav about how Sky dont give a shi t
Wow! Poor Bernie! He should have gone to OPQS with Mark
Very farking sad face from this quarter
That's Fenton's choice, that is.0 -
disgruntledgoat wrote:Somebody give me a reason to get excited about this Tour, as I haven't even had the motivation to have a proper look at the stages since October.
I dislike Froome, I really dislike Contador, I like Evans but can't see him doing anything... Somebody, help me out.
C'mon DG. Raise your spirits. I cant stand Froome or Bert either. I'm hoping that Porte gets the nod through circumstances to do something special. And likewise Quintana. That Garmin pull off something crafty on a stage or two. That Pinot goes rampaging up the Alpe. All sorts of stuff.0 -
All I ask, is that we get the unexpected."I have a lovely photo of a Camargue horse but will not post it now" (Frenchfighter - July 2013)0
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Richmond Racer wrote:disgruntledgoat wrote:Somebody give me a reason to get excited about this Tour, as I haven't even had the motivation to have a proper look at the stages since October.
I dislike Froome, I really dislike Contador, I like Evans but can't see him doing anything... Somebody, help me out.
C'mon DG. Raise your spirits. I cant stand Froome or Bert either. I'm hoping that Porte gets the nod through circumstances to do something special. And likewise Quintana. That Garmin pull off something crafty on a stage or two. That Pinot goes rampaging up the Alpe. All sorts of stuff.
Don't get me wrong, it's not a cycling thing. It's a Tour thing, I'm just not feeling it."In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"
@gietvangent0 -
At least a contest between Froom and Contador will make sure there will be some attacks in the mountains. The only way is up after last year's TdF in that respect...0
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FJS wrote:At least a contest between Froom and Contador will make sure there will be some attacks in the mountains. The only way is up after last year's TdF in that respect...
That's true. It's hard to imagine a tour less entertaining than last year's.0 -
Poor Bernie, that's really sad
Does anyone know if he had the opportunity to go to OPQS with Cav? Would Sky not release him? Did OPQS not want him? Did Bernie want to get out from being Cav's wing-man?
I remember thinking at the time that it wouldn't end well from him.
I would think that he'd be a good edition to OPQS, while they're slowly getting the team together for Cav I think Eisel could still help there. Plus he might not be number one cobbled classics man at OPQS - not that he was at Sky (what was Sky's classics plan again, oh yes there wasn't one really was there) - but at least he'd be with a team that knew what it was doing in that regard and he may get more of a chance to race in a Vansummeren kind of a way.Correlation is not causation.0 -
Above The Cows wrote:Poor Bernie, that's really sad
Does anyone know if he had the opportunity to go to OPQS with Cav? Would Sky not release him? Did OPQS not want him? Did Bernie want to get out from being Cav's wing-man?
I remember thinking at the time that it wouldn't end well from him.
I would think that he'd be a good edition to OPQS, while they're slowly getting the team together for Cav I think Eisel could still help there. Plus he might not be number one cobbled classics man at OPQS - not that he was at Sky (what was Sky's classics plan again, oh yes there wasn't one really was there) - but at least he'd be with a team that knew what it was doing in that regard and he may get more of a chance to race in a Vansummeren kind of a way.
There was no question of Sky not releasing him - combo of OPQS not showing real interest vs Sky showing a hell of a lot more in him. Bernie had a half-hearted call last summer from OPQS (Bernie's description of it). In the meantime he and Surdave had much more concrete discussions about him not only staying through rest of his contract to 2014, but actually extending it to 2015 - which it was happened. From interview he gave later on, intimations of him taking up a DS role at Sky post-retirement too.0 -
Richmond Racer wrote:Above The Cows wrote:Poor Bernie, that's really sad
Does anyone know if he had the opportunity to go to OPQS with Cav? Would Sky not release him? Did OPQS not want him? Did Bernie want to get out from being Cav's wing-man?
I remember thinking at the time that it wouldn't end well from him.
I would think that he'd be a good edition to OPQS, while they're slowly getting the team together for Cav I think Eisel could still help there. Plus he might not be number one cobbled classics man at OPQS - not that he was at Sky (what was Sky's classics plan again, oh yes there wasn't one really was there) - but at least he'd be with a team that knew what it was doing in that regard and he may get more of a chance to race in a Vansummeren kind of a way.
Bernie had a half-hearted call last summer from OPQS (Bernie's description of it). In the meantime he and SurDave had much more concrete discussions about Bernie not only staying through rest of his contract to 2014, but actually extending it to 2015 - which Bernie ended up doing. From interview he gave later on, intimations of him taking up a DS role at Sky post-retirement too.
I wonder if he's reconsidering that?Correlation is not causation.0 -
Above The Cows wrote:Richmond Racer wrote:Above The Cows wrote:Poor Bernie, that's really sad
Does anyone know if he had the opportunity to go to OPQS with Cav? Would Sky not release him? Did OPQS not want him? Did Bernie want to get out from being Cav's wing-man?
I remember thinking at the time that it wouldn't end well from him.
I would think that he'd be a good edition to OPQS, while they're slowly getting the team together for Cav I think Eisel could still help there. Plus he might not be number one cobbled classics man at OPQS - not that he was at Sky (what was Sky's classics plan again, oh yes there wasn't one really was there) - but at least he'd be with a team that knew what it was doing in that regard and he may get more of a chance to race in a Vansummeren kind of a way.
Bernie had a half-hearted call last summer from OPQS (Bernie's description of it). In the meantime he and SurDave had much more concrete discussions about Bernie not only staying through rest of his contract to 2014, but actually extending it to 2015 - which Bernie ended up doing. From interview he gave later on, intimations of him taking up a DS role at Sky post-retirement too.
I wonder if he's reconsidering that?
(sorry, edited by earlier reply to you)
Well, he didnt have an offer from OPQS anyway. The Classics didnt work out this year, though to be fair to Sky, Eisel had his chances, including being the best placed Sky rider at the sharp end of P-R - however, I dont think he was much taken with the 'train more up volcanoes-race less' approach. Now he's been left out of the Tour - and I still think they'll end up regretting, leaving out him / Knees, because of the lack of experience in the squad being taken combined with the loss of Yates in the team car.
I'd imagine he'll want to have a serious discussion with DaveB. post-Tour0 -
Contador is the Greatest0 -
Nice. Nice and, erm, blue.It's only a bit of sport, Mun. Relax and enjoy the racing.0
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How can one not say that's a beautiful jersey.0
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No interest in the Garmin line-up? Not even the fact that they seem to have finally given up on the idea that is Tyler Farrar and sprints? It's a potentially decent squad I think:
Andrew Talansky
Christian Vande Velde
Dan Martin
David Millar
Jack Bauer
Ramunas Navardauskas
Rohan Dennis
Ryder Hesjedal
Tom Danielson0 -
DeadCalm wrote:No interest in the Garmin line-up? Not even the fact that they seem to have finally given up on the idea that is Tyler Farrar and sprints? It's a potentially decent squad I think:
Andrew Talansky
Christian Vande Velde
Dan Martin
David Millar
Jack Bauer
Ramunas Navardauskas
Rohan Dennis
Ryder Hesjedal
Tom Danielson
Assumed it had already been posted.
Dan Martin 'protected rider' status. Wonder will he fight for a GC place or stage hunt?
Lot of potential stage winners in there....
Wonder what the Millar/JV spat was about on Twitter...I assumed it was about a TDF spot“New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!0 -
I use ...... too frequently in posts......“New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!0
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Me too.TailWindHome wrote:DeadCalm wrote:No interest in the Garmin line-up? Not even the fact that they seem to have finally given up on the idea that is Tyler Farrar and sprints? It's a potentially decent squad I think:
Andrew Talansky
Christian Vande Velde
Dan Martin
David Millar
Jack Bauer
Ramunas Navardauskas
Rohan Dennis
Ryder Hesjedal
Tom Danielson
Assumed it had already been posted.
Dan Martin 'protected rider' status. Wonder will he fight for a GC place or stage hunt?
Lot of potential stage winners in there....
Wonder what the Millar/JV spat was about on Twitter...I assumed it was about a TDF spot
Looks like they're going with the usual Garmin strategy of naming several protected riders and seeing how it shakes out on the road which has been good for a top 5 spot or two in the past. Would love to see Dan Martin high on GC but would have thought Talansky the better bet.0 -
disgruntledgoat wrote:Richmond Racer wrote:disgruntledgoat wrote:Somebody give me a reason to get excited about this Tour, as I haven't even had the motivation to have a proper look at the stages since October.
I dislike Froome, I really dislike Contador, I like Evans but can't see him doing anything... Somebody, help me out.
C'mon DG. Raise your spirits. I cant stand Froome or Bert either. I'm hoping that Porte gets the nod through circumstances to do something special. And likewise Quintana. That Garmin pull off something crafty on a stage or two. That Pinot goes rampaging up the Alpe. All sorts of stuff.
Don't get me wrong, it's not a cycling thing. It's a Tour thing, I'm just not feeling it.
I quite like the froome vs bertie soap opera thing even though like you I am not a major fan of either.
it is a good match up
ok Jrod whats happening there?"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 pm0 -
DeadCalm wrote:No interest in the Garmin line-up? Not even the fact that they seem to have finally given up on the idea that is Tyler Farrar and sprints?
Bad news for anyone with shares in Elastoplast. I presume they couldn't get permission for Tyler to use stabilisers this year?0 -
Starting to feel that little bit of excitement that le Tour brings ... The Giro is a better race but has an awful lot of 'who cares' stages ... The TdF is 'go' from the gun and apart from the 2nd or 3rd last flat/rolling stage it never lets up with something to play for ...
If SKY strangle the race then I'm just gonna accept it and look to the other competitions or rivalries for entertainment ... I have faith that the 3 amigos (AC, J-Rod, Valv) and their supporting cast will mix things up on the GC ...
It also helps I'm not having to go into the office for the whole 3 weeks ... Only the kitchen being refitted at the start of week 2 can ruin my viewing ...0 -
I'm really excited about it. It's the 100th Tour: the racing and attacking for most of the non-pan flat stages is going to be awesome. I can't wait for that Alpe D'Huez stage.
You've got pure climbers vs strong punchy riders vs random mad frenchmen. You'll love it trust me.0
