End of Season Review

Yellow Peril

Well the season is just about at an end for another year. I thought it might be time to reflect on highs and lows.

I particlarly enjoyed the end of MSR this year and the race itself was fully of controversy as the riders had to contend with the most horrendous conditions. A good hard opener.

P-R had thrills and spills with a nail biting finish.

I thought Nibs showed himself generally to be a cut above the rest as a GT rider and although I enjoyed seeing Nico ROche discover self belief I am still concerned about Horner.

anybody got any thoughts?

MrTapir

I would say I was a bit disappointed by Flanders, apart from the inevitable Cancellara acceleration.

The way P-R developed as the groups were gradually whittled down was fascinating.

FDJ did well at various points in the season, I was most impressed I think by Elissonde's win on L'Angliru. also Barguil as another exciting young French rider.

The Vuelta was brilliant pretty much for the whole race.

Oh and Boar Man.

MrTapir

ALso Dan Martin's victory in LBL was fantastic, I actually thought most of the early season classics were really exciting.

Mad_Malx

Weather-affected races at both ends of the the season - horrible for competitors but made for some hard-man racing.

I've seen more echelons than any other year. Good to see Quintana coming to the fore, & Roche looking promising. Really feel for Purito - deserves a truckload of cheese for being such an outstanding competitor.

Bit sad to see Cadel, Thor, Gilbert, ... not in contention.

Yellow Peril

Ah the echelon stage of the Tour1 what an exciting stage that was. Great to see Saxo drill the front and then all the politics around Belkin doing the initial drive when Valverde punctured.

LBL was superb for Martin. I think that gave him the confidence to take that Tour stage.

Paul 8v

Mad_Malx wrote:

Bit sad to see Cadel, Thor, Gilbert, ... not in contention.

BMC not great at all this season. Saying that, I loved Phinney's win at the tour of Poland, a proper nail biter!

Enjoyed all the big tours this year for all different reasons and the classics were great.

Coach H

Great pictures (Cav getting in the bus was my favorite) and final sprint at MSR but horrible conditions for riders.
Did not like the new Flanders curcuit, but Canc's attack made up for it a bit.
Roubaix was very good

The exitement on the Spoiler thread on the day of the TDF echelons, the trip and 'Boar Man' were as good as the racing, which overall was pretty good.

Perhaps I should not be as cynical but the Vuelta victory by Horner didn't really ring true and spoiled was was otherwise a good race.

I actually have more sympathy for Nibali from the WC than Purito, but I guess thats racing (the strongest does not always win)

Daz555

Yellow Peril wrote:

I thought Nibs showed himself generally to be a cut above the rest as a GT rider and although I enjoyed seeing Nico ROche discover self belief I am still concerned about Horner.

I saw nothing to make me think Nibs could have touched Froome in 2013.

Yellow Peril

Daz555 wrote:

Yellow Peril wrote:

I thought Nibs showed himself generally to be a cut above the rest as a GT rider and although I enjoyed seeing Nico ROche discover self belief I am still concerned about Horner.

I saw nothing to make me think Nibs could have touched Froome in 2013.

Good point of debate. Nibs did ride more GT's and was unlucky not to have two wins due to Horner's miracle form and although it was a one dayer performed better at the WC's. That aside Froome ticked all his boxes in the pre Tour build up and swon the blue riband event.

I suppose the point I'm really making is that Nibs seemed a bit more exciting in his attacking riding.

Richmond Racer

Yellow Peril wrote:

Daz555 wrote:

Yellow Peril wrote:

I thought Nibs showed himself generally to be a cut above the rest as a GT rider and although I enjoyed seeing Nico ROche discover self belief I am still concerned about Horner.

I saw nothing to make me think Nibs could have touched Froome in 2013.

Good point of debate. Nibs did ride more GT's and was unlucky not to have two wins due to Horner's miracle form and although it was a one dayer performed better at the WC's. That aside Froome ticked all his boxes in the pre Tour build up and swon the blue riband event.

I suppose the point I'm really making is that Nibs seemed a bit more exciting in his attacking riding.

Can we debate this a bit? When people criticised Wiggins for not being an attacking rider, fair enough - with his wins last year and in 2011, he slammed the TTs and then defended, or climbed well enough to be in touching distance to then take the jersey at or near the end of a race in the TT. But Froome does attack, and has done so over and over again this year, no?

r0bh

Richmond Racer wrote:

Yellow Peril wrote:

Daz555 wrote:

Yellow Peril wrote:

I thought Nibs showed himself generally to be a cut above the rest as a GT rider and although I enjoyed seeing Nico ROche discover self belief I am still concerned about Horner.

I saw nothing to make me think Nibs could have touched Froome in 2013.

Good point of debate. Nibs did ride more GT's and was unlucky not to have two wins due to Horner's miracle form and although it was a one dayer performed better at the WC's. That aside Froome ticked all his boxes in the pre Tour build up and swon the blue riband event.

I suppose the point I'm really making is that Nibs seemed a bit more exciting in his attacking riding.

Can we debate this a bit? When people criticised Wiggins for not being an attacking rider, fair enough - with his wins last year and in 2011, he slammed the TTs and then defended, or climbed well enough to be in touching distance to then take the jersey at or near the end of a race in the TT. But Froome does attack, and has done so over and over again this year.... :?:

Agreed. He won the Tour by attacking in the mountains. He won the Criterium International by attacking on the final stage. He won Romandie by attacking in the mountains (stage 4). Stage wins on uphill finishes in Oman, Tirreno-Adriatico.

Hard to know what else he could have done to persuade the "Sky are boring" crowd really... :roll:

RichN95.

r0bh wrote:

Agreed. He won the Tour by attacking in the mountains. He won the Criterium International by attacking on the final stage. He won Romandie by attacking in the mountains (stage 4). Stage wins on uphill finishes in Oman, Tirreno-Adriatico.

Hard to know what else he could have done to persuade the "Sky are boring" crowd really... :roll:

But he's the only Sky rider that's won by attacking like that this season*


* If you discount Porte, Thomas, Henao, Uran, Siutsou, Lopez and Kiriyenka

Anonymous

It's amazing how people can still say Froome wasn't exciting, he won 3 stages and 2 of them were MTF's. the other was a great TT. He performed at this level all year.

I loved the second last stage of Terrino Adriatico, brutal finish. Would love to see it in the dry.

Yellow Peril

sjmclean wrote:

It's amazing how people can still say Froome wasn't exciting, he won 3 stages and 2 of them were MTF's. the other was a great TT. He performed at this level all year.

I loved the second last stage of Terrino Adriatico, brutal finish. Would love to see it in the dry.

I don't dispute the Froome comments in fact I think Froome's best stages were those where he found himself isolated and had only himself to rely on. Wiggins was never in that situation because he always had...Froome

thomthom

The classics were, as always, above everything else.

cal_stewart

MSR was great, Flanders new route is not great, PR was good but still thinking what if stybar didn't get hit. Is there a season after that?

cal_stewart

MSR was great, Flanders new route is not great, PR was good but still thinking what if stybar didn't get hit. Is there a season after that?

LeePaton

Classics, Styby... Rest was a bit meh for me, not taking as much joy from the rest of the season these days.

Bo Duke

Interesting season because I want to say it wasn't a good one but it was!

M-SR in the worst weather, getting on the bus then getting off again! What....?! When will we see that again?

Nibs in the Giro was masterful when some of those climbs were gruelling. Sadly we didn't realise when Wiggo blew up it was for the season in the race sense at least.

Froome in the TdF was magnificent despite the atrocious rumour mongering within the media and loutish behaviour of some of the roadside fans, but some of those stages where Froomie was either alone or soldered on with Lil' Ritchie will become stuff of legends. What was the stage up into the clouds past heaven where Froome simply decided it was time to go.... sheer pleasure to watch.

The VEsp, sadly covered so badly by the media (makes you appreciate how well the Giro and TdF are covered) a real scrappers race and all credit to Horner for showing that awl'buggers can occasionally sock it to the youngsters. Masterful riding by CH on some very difficult climbs in the last week when most of us old boys would have been in the back of the bus enjoying a beer. No suggestion of steaks but maybe the UCI might want to check the chilli con carne next time.

The Worlds, great races for the U23's time trial and roadrace, womens as well. Herr Martin in a league of his own on the TT bike as we know but the week was spoilt by the perception of folks getting off their bikes too quickly in the mens roadrace. My pride is still hurt by that one... the lads who stuck it out and went home with medals showed as usual that you have to want to win more than the next guy to make it become a reality.

So yes, a great season really. Sorry to Uran Uran leaving Sky, we haven't seen anything like the best of him yet as he showed us in the Giro and I expect to see him coming back to haunt Big Dave from the word go next season. I don't expect the same of the Frank and Andy show, Cadel etc... I expect we're on the brink of a major changing of the guard.

Can't wait for next season.

TheBigBean

Someone needs to get organising those end of season drinks.

Coriander

TheBigBean wrote:

Someone needs to get organising those end of season drinks.

Well volunteered, young man...

ddraver

Bo Duke wrote:

Interesting season because I want to say it wasn't a good one but it was!

would appreciate and explanation of that please....?

Bo Duke

ddraver wrote:

Bo Duke wrote:

Interesting season because I want to say it wasn't a good one but it was!

would appreciate and explanation of that please....?

Read the rest of the post then!

ddraver

I did...there is nothing there that says why you "wanted to say it wasnt a good one"

Why would anyone want to say that the season "wasnt a good one"? Do you like being bored or something?