Impressive legs ... shame his head didn't match them ... WTF did he keep looking back for?
Nice job by Fabu to stick one to the immediate competition ...
What are you talking about? Almost keeping the peloton off with such a small margin, after a long solo effort is incredible; nothing wrong with his head.
If he doesn't look back a minimum of 4 times in the last KM he wins ... So kind of his own fault ...
Yes, because it's well-known that cyclists cannot pedal while looking back :roll:
What you teach juniors doesn't necessarily apply to pros....
After only 12 km, Tony Martin out on his own has a 3 min lead. Maybe he's having a day of practice for the WC TT?
After the stage, it was stated that Martin did indeed intentionally set out today to do a form of training for the WC TT in Florence.
Just the longer he stayed ahead and the closer the finish became, especially when it got under 20 km away, the more he hoped to be able to ride all the way through and win the stage.
reminds me of the vuelta stage back in 1990-somethink when ugramov got pipped on the line after persisting insanely in a solo break....
I think it was the same year that jaja caught bertie dietz on the line but slowed up to let him win.
"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
What a performance by Tony! I started following at about 25 km to go, and kept on coming back in disbelief when it was less than 10 km to go and he kept holding them off!
I was screaming at Tony to win and had to watch the replay to see who beat him as I was so focused on him getting to the line first.
If you were watching on Eurosport (which I can do online via Sportlemon), did you notice how quiet the commentators were after Martin was denied? (well, okay, not so much Sean Kelly, as he pretty much seems devoid of emotion). You would have thought someone just died...
Anyhow, lots of fun watching this all unfold, and I definitely have jumped on the "Tony Martin bandwagon". Is there a tougher rider out there? Crashing out in TdF stage 1 finish "bus fiasco mixup", and then winning the ITT how many days later?
Aero road helmet and skinsuit, but a Tarmac? Why no Venge? Wonder if that would have made enough of a difference over 175km?
I think the peleton would not have let him get the lead he had if he came kitted up full aero!
You can tell the peloton lacks sprinter characters when they, instead of just catching him 10km before the finish, let him have another go using him as a rabbit to prevent further attacks..
It's the biggest engine in the sport we are talking about ere afterall.
“I had never participated in a bunch sprint like this before so I just tried because I was the only one in the team who can sprint,” Morkov told TVE. “In the end I had a really good position, I got on the wheel of Cancellara and I knew I would have a last kick and in the end it was enough.
“It feels amazing, it’s fantastic to race in this national Danish jersey and I just feel so proud and lucky to do so.”
So cool. Very happy for him. Imagine how boring it would be if Farrar had won that one.
“I had never participated in a bunch sprint like this before so I just tried because I was the only one in the team who can sprint,” Morkov told TVE. “In the end I had a really good position, I got on the wheel of Cancellara and I knew I would have a last kick and in the end it was enough.
“It feels amazing, it’s fantastic to race in this national Danish jersey and I just feel so proud and lucky to do so.”
So cool. Very happy for him. Imagine how boring it would be if Farrar had won that one.
I like Morkov. He never really stood out, event though his palmares is nothing to be ashamed of. Winning a hardly organised bunch sprint like that sure takes luck, but skill as well. I wonder if people would have felt less sorry for Martin had he been caught 5-10k earlier.
Aero road helmet and skinsuit, but a Tarmac? Why no Venge? Wonder if that would have made enough of a difference over 175km?
Again, it's not like the peloton just couldn't do anything against Tony. Rather than just catching him with with 10 to go they just let him stay in front of the peloton as a rabbit - now, as the peloton is on the weaker side with sprinters and big engines, they mistimed it a bit (well, they did catch him but I'm sure they would like to have caught him a bit earlier)..
Can't help thinking if he'd got out of the saddle and sprinted with 100/150m to go he'd have got it. He was looking around thinking when am I going to get caught
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Gary Fisher Aquila '98
Front half of a Viking Saratoga Tandem
Only just watched highlights programme and stayed off the thread. Incredible by Tony Martin. Probably one of the most memorable flat stages in a GT in years. Such a crying shame he didn't make it a win.
“At the end, it was bitter-sweet. On the one hand I lost but on the other I also felt like a winner, because at the finish everyone wanted to speak to me. I had the feeling that I had done something great.
There (20 km out) I thought to give up on my break, but then I pushed myself again and after a while, when they (the peloton) hadn’t closed the gap, I thought, well perhaps it’ll work.
I think it was a good breakaway. I managed very well, although I must say the following wind helped. Without it I wouldn’t have had any chance of getting through to the finish.
Five kms before the finish I was very tired. Towards the end, the route didn’t play into my hands, because there were a couple of small rises, and by then the peloton was at full speed.
It was a strange feeling, because I could see the finish line and at the same time hear the peloton behind me. My legs gave everything they could. I just couldn’t go any quicker in the last 200 m. Unfortunately, they caught me.
It was an unusually long time-trial over 4 hours, but I never lost control and the whole time I had my energy expenditure in check. If one wants to see it positively, then one can consider that it was good training for the World Championships.”
Again, it's not like the peloton just couldn't do anything against Tony. Rather than just catching him with with 10 to go they just let him stay in front of the peloton as a rabbit - now, as the peloton is on the weaker side with sprinters and big engines, they mistimed it a bit (well, they did catch him but I'm sure they would like to have caught him a bit earlier)..
Oh for sure, it's all just speculation. But the point is the bunch did sit up when they got his lead down to what they thought was manageable (which is a common tactic, they did exactly the same thing the day before) and all Martin was looking for was a few seconds. Would a different bike have made that difference. Maybe, maybe not.
Just seems a bit odd to use a skinsuit and aero road helmet (not sure how warm it was yesterday), but not an aero road frame.
Only just caught up with this - fantastic effort from Tone.
So - who will Cav really cheer for at the World TT - Team mate and train member (driver?), or old buddy who could help him to get the elusive Olympic gong?
Can't help thinking if he'd got out of the saddle and sprinted with 100/150m to go he'd have got it. He was looking around thinking when am I going to get caught
His legs were truly empty. Impossible for him to put any more effort than he did.
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What you teach juniors doesn't necessarily apply to pros....
Exactly.
Just the longer he stayed ahead and the closer the finish became, especially when it got under 20 km away, the more he hoped to be able to ride all the way through and win the stage.
There he is at the finish, left of Cancellara.
I think it was the same year that jaja caught bertie dietz on the line but slowed up to let him win.
I was screaming at Tony to win and had to watch the replay to see who beat him as I was so focused on him getting to the line first.
If you were watching on Eurosport (which I can do online via Sportlemon), did you notice how quiet the commentators were after Martin was denied? (well, okay, not so much Sean Kelly, as he pretty much seems devoid of emotion). You would have thought someone just died...
Anyhow, lots of fun watching this all unfold, and I definitely have jumped on the "Tony Martin bandwagon". Is there a tougher rider out there? Crashing out in TdF stage 1 finish "bus fiasco mixup", and then winning the ITT how many days later?
Aero road helmet and skinsuit, but a Tarmac? Why no Venge? Wonder if that would have made enough of a difference over 175km?
I think the peleton would not have let him get the lead he had if he came kitted up full aero!
It's the biggest engine in the sport we are talking about ere afterall.
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“It feels amazing, it’s fantastic to race in this national Danish jersey and I just feel so proud and lucky to do so.”
So cool. Very happy for him. Imagine how boring it would be if Farrar had won that one.
Sounds like the return of ukcyclingexpert perhaps?
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I like Morkov. He never really stood out, event though his palmares is nothing to be ashamed of. Winning a hardly organised bunch sprint like that sure takes luck, but skill as well. I wonder if people would have felt less sorry for Martin had he been caught 5-10k earlier.
Comfort &/or weight I suspect. Venge is a brutal ride.
Again, it's not like the peloton just couldn't do anything against Tony. Rather than just catching him with with 10 to go they just let him stay in front of the peloton as a rabbit - now, as the peloton is on the weaker side with sprinters and big engines, they mistimed it a bit (well, they did catch him but I'm sure they would like to have caught him a bit earlier)..
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Gary Fisher Aquila '98
Front half of a Viking Saratoga Tandem
Regarding his aero equipment, does he use invisible TT bars a la Spartacus?
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Believe in miracles
And cures and healing wells
“At the end, it was bitter-sweet. On the one hand I lost but on the other I also felt like a winner, because at the finish everyone wanted to speak to me. I had the feeling that I had done something great.
There (20 km out) I thought to give up on my break, but then I pushed myself again and after a while, when they (the peloton) hadn’t closed the gap, I thought, well perhaps it’ll work.
I think it was a good breakaway. I managed very well, although I must say the following wind helped. Without it I wouldn’t have had any chance of getting through to the finish.
Five kms before the finish I was very tired. Towards the end, the route didn’t play into my hands, because there were a couple of small rises, and by then the peloton was at full speed.
It was a strange feeling, because I could see the finish line and at the same time hear the peloton behind me. My legs gave everything they could. I just couldn’t go any quicker in the last 200 m. Unfortunately, they caught me.
It was an unusually long time-trial over 4 hours, but I never lost control and the whole time I had my energy expenditure in check. If one wants to see it positively, then one can consider that it was good training for the World Championships.”
Oh for sure, it's all just speculation. But the point is the bunch did sit up when they got his lead down to what they thought was manageable (which is a common tactic, they did exactly the same thing the day before) and all Martin was looking for was a few seconds. Would a different bike have made that difference. Maybe, maybe not.
Just seems a bit odd to use a skinsuit and aero road helmet (not sure how warm it was yesterday), but not an aero road frame.
Doesn't seem to stop other riders using them all the time.
MTB
NEW Cross
Track/Grass Track/Winter bike
In another life maybe I could have been a sports headline writer.
So - who will Cav really cheer for at the World TT - Team mate and train member (driver?), or old buddy who could help him to get the elusive Olympic gong?
His legs were truly empty. Impossible for him to put any more effort than he did.