Dubai Tour 2014 *SPOILERS*

1235

Comments

  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,163
    phil s wrote:
    Pross wrote:
    Didn't know there were hills in Dubai. Are they man made?


    Hills aplenty outside city http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Hatta001.jpg

    You live and learn! I always think of Dubai being just the city, some man-made islands and a bit of sand.
  • outcastjack
    outcastjack Posts: 237
    phil s wrote:
    Pross wrote:
    Didn't know there were hills in Dubai. Are they man made?


    Hills aplenty outside city http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Hatta001.jpg


    How can they have mountains like that and rather than use them, have a parcors that runs one stage twice in opposite directions and uses another bit of road three times?
  • MartinGT
    MartinGT Posts: 475
    Lack of roads I would think.
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,661
    Have to say I thought Ryder pulled of those glasses, not sure many other people could but he did.

    Those helmets are just too much though
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • tailwindhome
    tailwindhome Posts: 19,310
    One of the Ned/Chris segments during the TDF regarded the benefits of aero equipment and it was pointed out that TT style helmets were legal for use in road stages.

    But no one did.

    Because they didn't want to be teased by the bigger boys.
    “New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,241
    outcastjack wrote:
    How can they have mountains like that and rather than use them, have a parcors that runs one stage twice in opposite directions and uses another bit of road three times?
    The stage that runs twice in opposite directions is the Tour of Qatar, I think.

    But the reasons are:
    a) It's early February - no-one really wants a hard race at this time of year.
    b) Races act partly as a tourism advert - so the organisers want to show off the city of Dubai, not some remote bedouin village
    c) Not every race has to be for climbers
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,661
    Pross wrote:
    phil s wrote:
    Pross wrote:
    Didn't know there were hills in Dubai. Are they man made?


    Hills aplenty outside city http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Hatta001.jpg

    You live and learn! I always think of Dubai being just the city, some man-made islands and a bit of sand.

    Think it is, but theyre all condensed into the United Arab Emirates now...
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • MartinGT
    MartinGT Posts: 475
    Plus, if you look at the maps, no many roads in the mountains and like Rich says, from Dubai to the Mountains, there is nack all, mind you, thats the same for Qatar!

    Plus some roads to the mountains cross the border so that rules that out.
  • thomthom
    thomthom Posts: 3,574
    Imagine if Lasse ends third in his first pro race.
  • salsiccia1
    salsiccia1 Posts: 3,725
    MartinGT wrote:
    dolph-lundgren.jpg

    "I must brake you"

    (he says to his bike)
    It's only a bit of sport, Mun. Relax and enjoy the racing.
  • hommelbier
    hommelbier Posts: 1,555
    Marcel Kittel comes from nowhere to take another stage.
    Lobato second and Sagan third.
  • andytee87
    andytee87 Posts: 414
    hommelbier wrote:
    Marcel Kittel comes from nowhere to take another stage.
    Lobato second and Sagan third.

    Yeh he out-Saganned Sagan sticking with the group over that last climb- I wonder if Sagan knew knew he was there or not, because the cameramen/commentators didn't have a Scooby
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,710
    Just had my afternoon watch.
    OK, so now Kittel can get over the lumps when it's all kicked off
    and indeed, out Sagan, Sagan.
    It is the end of the world as we know it...
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • gpreeves
    gpreeves Posts: 454
    Richmond Racer wrote:
    Frenchie, the Garmin lids and glasses are APPALLING

    Even my sensibilities are offended

    Has that picture been photoshopped, or are they really that bulbous?
  • argyllflyer
    argyllflyer Posts: 893
    The mountains extend into Oman and give that race its own characteristics.

    Dubai being one of seven emirates that make up the UAE I guess wanted to focus their race on that one, but it's good they have gone East into a few others to liven it up.
  • Paul 8v
    Paul 8v Posts: 5,458
    I rather enjoyed the closing stages of that race. Kittel is a bloody ninja, didn't even know he was in that group!
    Road
    MTB
    NEW Cross
    Track/Grass Track/Winter bike
  • gpreeves
    gpreeves Posts: 454
    6km to go in today's stage.

    The trains are starting to push to the front, probably worth watching for the first time today now.
  • gpreeves
    gpreeves Posts: 454
    Sagan down. Not as good at parking his bike as Wiggins.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    gpreeves wrote:
    Sagan down. Not as good at parking his bike as Wiggins.

    Surprised he didn't take anyone else down.

    Nibs and Valverde leading the peloton out.

    Looked like sagan's bike broke.
    _
  • ad_snow
    ad_snow Posts: 469
    Kittel wins again. No one even there to challenge really
    www.adriansnowcycling.blogspot.com
  • gpreeves
    gpreeves Posts: 454
    Kittel and Giant-Shimano made that look far too easy.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    Led it out for 350m and still won.
    _
  • gpreeves
    gpreeves Posts: 454
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    Led it out for 350m and still won.

    Renshaw was in the perfect spot but seemingly knew he had no chance of coming round.
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Great job by Kittel who found himself isolated at 2km to go before Veelers found him. Nice to see Renshaw 2nd and Guardini 3rd. Cavendish apparently hit a bollard and dropped his chain giving him a good excuse not to sprint against the Beast.

    Etoille de Besseges has Coquard, Bouhanni and Degenkolb racing - three stages done, all sprints.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    I love how the Saxo kit sticks out a mile.
    tumblr_n0mojpq4df1rrr83oo1_1280.jpg
    Contador is the Greatest
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    gpreeves wrote:
    Richmond Racer wrote:
    Frenchie, the Garmin lids and glasses are APPALLING

    Even my sensibilities are offended

    Has that picture been photoshopped, or are they really that bulbous?

    Yes they are really that monstrous:
    Screen-shot-2014-01-31-at-4.04.20-PM.png
    Contador is the Greatest
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    SPTDW404-3.jpg

    SPTDW403-2_zps08f06c42.jpg

    02.jpg
    Contador is the Greatest
  • Yellow Peril
    Yellow Peril Posts: 4,466
    Some great kits. I love the Saxo kit (lots of yellow of course) and the BMC kit above with the blue top section looks good too. Nice to see a move away from the black that has got a grip the last few years.
    @JaunePeril

    Winner of the Bike Radar Pro Race Wiggins Hour Prediction Competition
  • Crankbrother
    Crankbrother Posts: 1,695
    Except that's the leaders jersey ...
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,241
    frenchfighter wrote:
    02.jpg
    We need a new thread dedicated to photos of Alonso tapping up riders
    Twitter: @RichN95

Categories