Tour of Qatar *SPOILERS*

ClaudeH

56.8km/h average speed. Even with a tail wind that is impressive.

frenchfighter

ClaudeH wrote:

56.8km/h average speed. Even with a tail wind that is impressive.

Terpstra's:

above_the_cows

^Glad you posted that Frenchie I was going to.

Apparently the first hour's average speed was 61kph. :shock:

inseine

Above The Cows wrote:

^Glad you posted that Frenchie I was going to.

Apparently the first hour's average speed was 61kph. :shock:

Awesome......

Paul 8v

Blimey! Wait 'till the tin foil hat brigade get hold of that stat!

above_the_cows

Paul 8v wrote:

Blimey! Wait 'till the tin foil hat brigade get hold of that stat!

Motors. Got to be motors.

As for the Tour of Qatar more generally, I was so excited for this race as I love me some echelons and I've been telling all and sundry that a flat race in a desert can be brilliant and it shouldn't just be seen as one for the hardcore/weirdo (delete as appropriate) fans. However, as happy as I am for Boonen's success and what it portends for the upcoming classics season, I feel thoroughly let down by the coverage. It was really good a few years ago. Now it is just pants. It is like getting all excited about Christmas and finding a lump of coal in your stocking

Paul 8v

Above The Cows wrote:

Paul 8v wrote:

Blimey! Wait 'till the tin foil hat brigade get hold of that stat!

Motors. Got to be motors.

As for the Tour of Qatar more generally, I was so excited for this race as I love me some echelons and I've been telling all and sundry that a flat race in a desert can be brilliant and it shouldn't just be seen as one for the hardcore/weirdo (delete as appropriate) fans. However, as happy as I am for Boonen's success and what it portends for the upcoming classics season, I feel thoroughly let down by the coverage. It was really good a few years ago. Now it is just pants. It is like getting all excited about Christmas and finding a lump of coal in your stocking

Yeah, it isn't the same watching it on a dodgy YouTube clip hours after the event when you have inevitably found out the stage winner already! Not long till the next Eurosport race though

Anonymous

Uk cycling expert:

Loving the shallots at Le Tour de Qatar! In the wind, the peleton breaks up like a giant onion, into small 'shallots'. Cycling at its best!

tailwindhome

Good to see Sam Bennett getting involved at the business end....

specialgueststar

and today
https://twitter.com/cedvasseur/status/433846724012937216/photo/1/large

frenchfighter

Pross

Unfortunately the width of the roads out there seems to mean the echelons aren't as decisive - that picture suggests the whole bunch is in one echelon!

Richmond Racer

Pross wrote:

Unfortunately the width of the roads out there seems to mean the echelons aren't as decisive - that picture suggests the whole bunch is in one echelon!

Uh-uh, cant take that as standard. 70 riders got caught out to the extent of losing 10+ mins on the first stage

frenchfighter

These S-works with this OPQS colour splash is amazing:


This kit has a bit too much white for me but the stripes work really well on Greipel's huge physique:

Tom Dean

It must be windy if even the cars are forming echelons!

ddraver

Tom Dean wrote:

It must be windy if even the cars are forming echelons!

Genuinely starting to think that the helicopter photogropher radios them all to do it as it makes a better photo...

andyrr

RichN95 wrote:

Stannard failed it get into that skinsuit. He ended up using one of Eisel's

Stannard normally looks relatively chunky - looks really pretty small there, shows again how thin and small most pros are.

Richmond Racer

andyrr wrote:

RichN95 wrote:

Stannard failed it get into that skinsuit. He ended up using one of Eisel's

Stannard normally looks relatively chunky - looks really pretty small there, shows again how thin and small most pros are.

I commented on the Mallorca thread about how guys like EBH is looking leaner than I've seen him for a good while - he almost looks more climber lean rather than his chunky classics build. Even Wiggins - who's still a few kgs off his Tour weight apparently - is looking skiiiiny.

The one who always gets me is Dave Millar when I see him at a race. The ultimate beanpole.

blazing_saddles

Greipel with ease.
Coverage commentary in 3 different languages.
Any cycling being better than none.

RichN95.

Stage 5 - 1 Greipel 2 Kruopis 3 Bos 4 Bennati 5 Pelucchi 6 Roelandts 7 Bennet 8 Boonen 9 Terpstra 10 Viviani

Boonen's finished.

Richmond Racer

Pleased with the win for the Gorilla

dish_dash

And Bennet still at the sharp end...

rick_chasey

RichN95 wrote:

Stage 5 - 1 Greipel 2 Kruopis 3 Bos 4 Bennati 5 Pelucchi 6 Roelandts 7 Bennet 8 Boonen 9 Terpstra 10 Viviani

Boonen's finished.

GW win and not much else it is then....

RichN95.

Rick Chasey wrote:

RichN95 wrote:

Stage 5 - 1 Greipel 2 Kruopis 3 Bos 4 Bennati 5 Pelucchi 6 Roelandts 7 Bennet 8 Boonen 9 Terpstra 10 Viviani

Boonen's finished.

GW win and not much else it is then....

Terpstra's going have to fall on his sword in the last stage.

frenchfighter

Dont worry. Boonen will be better than ever.

frenchfighter

Dont worry. Boonen will be better than ever.

Anonymous

frenchfighter wrote:

Dont worry. Boonen will be better than ever.

I can't wait for the spring, it's shaping up to be a good one.

Yellow Peril

Well it's the last stage today. Terpstra with 17s over big Tom. Good showing by Stannard in 4th hopefully he'll be coming into form for the cobbled classics, still needs to make that leap to being a real contender there though.

FJS

Yellow Peril wrote:

Well it's the last stage today. Terpstra with 17s over big Tom.

I'm sure Tommeke will be more than happy for OPQS to defend Terpstra's lead. Terpstra didnt get a single win last year, despite plenty if key work in big races for the team

frenchfighter

Impressive legs but please put a black modesty patch on that crotch area :shock: