Tour of Oman *Spoiler*

FJS
FJS Posts: 4,820
edited February 2014 in Pro race
Oman starts on Tuesday. Just looking at the startlist http://www.procyclingstats.com/race/Tou ... -Startlist I'm thinking, will this be the strongest GC field of 2014? Froome, Nibali, J-Rod, Moreno, Van den Broeck, Pozzovivo, Konig, Kreuziger, Pinot, Uran, Henao, Van Garderen, Gesink. Which race will top that?

Of course they're all happy to race each other because thy dont mind losing too much in February....

No TT again this year, but the Green Mountain is there, and that tough stage were Froome, Bertie and J-Rod broke away are there again. Looking forward to this (and the fact that it means we're only 2 weeks away from the real start of the year)
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Comments

  • Yellow Peril
    Yellow Peril Posts: 4,466
    Quality field. I for one can't wait to read far too much into early season form!
    @JaunePeril

    Winner of the Bike Radar Pro Race Wiggins Hour Prediction Competition
  • Richmond Racer
    Richmond Racer Posts: 8,561
    Yellow Peril wrote:
    Quality field. I for one can't wait to read far too much into early season form!


    :) Quite

    Grown to like this race more over last couple of years with the Green Mountain action. And there tend to be some cracking photos from this race.
  • joelsim
    joelsim Posts: 7,552
    Looking forward to it, guess it will be whoever hasn't been with Ullrich & Betancur for Xmas in this one.
  • tailwindhome
    tailwindhome Posts: 19,455
    Tell me there's TV coverage. Please.
    “New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!
  • argyllflyer
    argyllflyer Posts: 893
    TailWindHome wrote:
    Tell me there's TV coverage. Please.

    30 mins highlights on Eurosport, 24hrs delayed.

    I get the impression that Froome will be topping up his tan in Oman rather than racing to win, going by comments from Brailsford on Richard Moore's podcast this week. He basically said Froome needed to impress his teammates whenever he could in 2013 in order to get them behind him but added that that's not the case going into 2014.
  • above_the_cows
    above_the_cows Posts: 11,406
    argyllflyer wrote:
    TailWindHome wrote:
    Tell me there's TV coverage. Please.

    30 mins highlights on Eurosport, 24hrs delayed.

    Is it just me or is TV coverage getting worse for the shoot small races? I know there hasn't historically been coverage of Oman, but it seems what there was coverage of has been reduced, e.g. Qatar.

    Or maybe I'm just desperate to have some actual racing to watch instead of some of the other Groundhog Day antics that seem to be order of the day around here.

    Anyway looking forward to this so that we can write off people's seasons on the back of one mountain performance. Hopefully any majestic display won't send this place into meltdown...
    Correlation is not causation.
  • argyllflyer
    argyllflyer Posts: 893
    edited February 2014
    Above The Cows wrote:
    argyllflyer wrote:
    TailWindHome wrote:
    Tell me there's TV coverage. Please.

    30 mins highlights on Eurosport, 24hrs delayed.

    Is it just me or is TV coverage getting worse for the shoot small races? I know there hasn't historically been coverage of Oman, but it seems what there was coverage of has been reduced, e.g. Qatar.

    Or maybe I'm just desperate to have some actual racing to watch instead of some of the other Groundhog Day antics that seem to be order of the day around here.

    Anyway looking forward to this so that we can write off people's seasons on the back of one mountain performance. Hopefully any majestic display won't send this place into meltdown...

    I guess it's swings and roundabouts. This time last year, Eurosport did not have Qatar after a fallout over rights. They now have Dubai which was covered live. Last year there was 30 mins of Algarve on the day and 30 mins of Oman the day after. This year there is no coverage of Algarve at all but there is instead live coverage of Andalucia. Oman remains the same as last year.

    So I make it, compared to 2013, two more live races by mid/late Feb. Overall, Eurosport covered a lot more in 2013 than they did in 2012, even allowing for losing a few events (in UK) to Sky (Romandie / TdS) and Worlds to BBC.
  • joelsim
    joelsim Posts: 7,552
    edited February 2014
    It says there are highlights of Oman on Sky, but can't see it on the schedule.

    Highlights of Oman and live Andalucia on ES on Wednesday.
  • argyllflyer
    argyllflyer Posts: 893
    Joelsim wrote:
    It says there are highlights of Oman on Sky.

    I think that will be a one-off retrospective once it's done and dusted, rather than daily though.
  • joelsim
    joelsim Posts: 7,552
    argyllflyer wrote:
    Joelsim wrote:
    It says there are highlights of Oman on Sky.

    I think that will be a one-off retrospective once it's done and dusted, rather than daily though.

    Oh well I guess a combination on the PC, ES, and Sky will just about work out.
  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    There are daily highlights of Oman on ES.
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • argyllflyer
    argyllflyer Posts: 893
    iainf72 wrote:
    There are daily highlights of Oman on ES.

    But they are from the day before.
  • snowley
    snowley Posts: 149
    Quite looking forward to this race too. Should be good to see all the big names together...

    Hopefully there will be some exciting racing
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Hoping for a few fireworks here. Contador is not racing to light up the race like he did last year. Agreed RR about the photos.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • Macaloon
    Macaloon Posts: 5,545
    Absolutely love the helicopter shots in this - especially the rollercoaster at 2:00
    http://www.steephill.tv/players/youtube3/?title=Stage+2+Highlights&dashboard=tour-of-oman&id=IPzNZCaiFlU&yr=2013
    ...a rare 100% loyal Pro Race poster. A poster boy for the community.
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Ha that looks so cool!
    Contador is the Greatest
  • above_the_cows
    above_the_cows Posts: 11,406
    I have to say this is one cycle race that does its job of really making you want to go to the place on holiday. Those oases and medinas are just majestic. More TV coverage would be even better!
    Correlation is not causation.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,660
    It is faintly ridiculous that this race gets the best gc peloton.


    Also, having lived in Oman for a year, I can testify that it's an utter dump and corrupt as hell.
    _
  • above_the_cows
    above_the_cows Posts: 11,406
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    Also, having lived in Oman for a year, I can testify that it's an utter dump and corrupt as hell.

    But... but... but... it looks so pretty from the helicopter shots. :cry:
    Correlation is not causation.
  • thomthom
    thomthom Posts: 3,574
    Gutted there's yet again no live coverage of Algarve.
  • andyrr
    andyrr Posts: 1,823
    Also RAI (Sport 2) doing a highlights program each evening.
    Thursday they've Trofeo Laigueglia (45 mins) also.
  • Richmond Racer
    Richmond Racer Posts: 8,561
    ThomThom wrote:
    Gutted there's yet again no live coverage of Algarve.


    Dodgy livestreams no good, Thom Thom?
  • thomthom
    thomthom Posts: 3,574
    Only if it's Sporza.

    Not sure there are any dodgy livestreams for this, eh?
  • Richmond Racer
    Richmond Racer Posts: 8,561
    ThomThom wrote:
    Only if it's Sporza.

    Not sure there are any dodgy livestreams for this, eh?


    I'll check with Pete at Cyclingfans and report back
  • andyp
    andyp Posts: 10,573
    The same Pete who was moaning about the Tour of the Med organisation using his photo without credit on their poster? Yet runs a site that aggregates illegal streams of content on the internet?

    My irony meter exploded.
  • Richmond Racer
    Richmond Racer Posts: 8,561
    yep

    I love the service he provides

    helps me watch many a race
  • andyp
    andyp Posts: 10,573
    So do I. I just found it wryly amusing that he was complaining about illegal use of media.
  • specialgueststar
    specialgueststar Posts: 3,418
    Is his Nibs ready ?

    BgqU5efCUAAAiRU.jpg
  • Richmond Racer
    Richmond Racer Posts: 8,561
    andyp wrote:
    So do I. I just found it wryly amusing that he was complaining about illegal use of media.


    Hypocrisy in cycling? How dare! :wink:
  • TheBigBean
    TheBigBean Posts: 21,990
    andyp wrote:
    So do I. I just found it wryly amusing that he was complaining about illegal use of media.

    I take your point, but as there is no legal live coverage I consider it fair game.

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