Dauphine *spoilers*

Turfle

Ridgerider wrote:

Turfle wrote:

Bert just about hangs on to 2nd. Nice fight from Wilco - the people's champion.

He's not the people's champion, he is my PTP pick for GC.

Mine.

Not everybody elses.

Where were you all in April when I was in Maastricht stalking him at the Volta Limburg chipper

Hey don't make me go back through my posts to find the one where I incredibly perceptively said the 18/19 year old winning u23 races might turn out to be quite good!

I'm willing to let you join the fan club though.

Macaloon

the article don wrote:

Every time I saw "Yea Boi" above I couldn't help but think of Flavor Flav. I'm not sure if that was the intention.

He got game

frenchfighter

Ridgerider wrote:

Turfle wrote:

Bert just about hangs on to 2nd. Nice fight from Wilco - the people's champion.

He's not the people's champion, he is my PTP pick for GC.

Mine.

Not everybody elses.

Where were you all in April when I was in Maastricht stalking him at the Volta Limburg chipper

Good job RR. Others will always claim they were always a backer when someone starts winning and keep quiet at all other times!

FJS

inseine wrote:

Great ride from Kelderman.
Hope he can keep this up, especially if he's going to the Tour.

He won't do the Tour. He's just done the Giro! He will ride the Vuelta though, which is a busy enough schedule for a 23 year old

ridgerider

Turfle wrote:

Ridgerider wrote:

Turfle wrote:

Bert just about hangs on to 2nd. Nice fight from Wilco - the people's champion.

He's not the people's champion, he is my PTP pick for GC.

Mine.

Not everybody elses.

Where were you all in April when I was in Maastricht stalking him at the Volta Limburg chipper

Hey don't make me go back through my posts to find the one where I incredibly perceptively said the 18/19 year old winning u23 races might turn out to be quite good!

I'm willing to let you join the fan club though.

Fair enough. Can I have Hofland?

blazing_saddles

Turning out to be a very good Dauphine.
GC action on a transition stage.
Great to see Contador try and rattle the mighty Sky train, with
a daring attack off the penultimate climb.
A pity his panache backfired somewhat, getting isolated in the lead group.
Ultimately meant that Kelderman was able to take the bonus seconds, which brought him level with Bertie in the GC.

Had a feeling Porte was taking his return to racing gently, rather than being still out of form.
He'll be fine, come Le Tour.

Turfle

Ridgerider wrote:

Turfle wrote:

Ridgerider wrote:

Turfle wrote:

Bert just about hangs on to 2nd. Nice fight from Wilco - the people's champion.

He's not the people's champion, he is my PTP pick for GC.

Mine.

Not everybody elses.

Where were you all in April when I was in Maastricht stalking him at the Volta Limburg chipper

Hey don't make me go back through my posts to find the one where I incredibly perceptively said the 18/19 year old winning u23 races might turn out to be quite good!

I'm willing to let you join the fan club though.

Fair enough. Can I have Hofland?

It's a deal.

And I'm putting Kruijswijk up for sale.

inseine

FJS wrote:

inseine wrote:

Great ride from Kelderman.
Hope he can keep this up, especially if he's going to the Tour.

He won't do the Tour. He's just done the Giro! He will ride the Vuelta though, which is a busy enough schedule for a 23 year old

I realise that, that's why I mentioned it. There have been rumours that he might.

Turfle

Blazing Saddles wrote:

Turning out to be a very good Dauphine.
GC action on a transition stage.
Great to see Contador try and rattle the mighty Sky train, with
a daring attack off the penultimate climb.
A pity his panache backfired somewhat, getting isolated in the lead group.
Ultimately meant that Kelderman was able to take the bonus seconds, which brought him level with Bertie in the GC.

Had a feeling Porte was taking his return to racing gently, rather than being still out of form.
He'll be fine, come Le Tour.

It was good. Bert is either very confident in his form, or very unconfident that he can take time in the mountains. I've no idea which.

inseine

Turfle wrote:

Blazing Saddles wrote:

Turning out to be a very good Dauphine.
GC action on a transition stage.
Great to see Contador try and rattle the mighty Sky train, with
a daring attack off the penultimate climb.
A pity his panache backfired somewhat, getting isolated in the lead group.
Ultimately meant that Kelderman was able to take the bonus seconds, which brought him level with Bertie in the GC.

Had a feeling Porte was taking his return to racing gently, rather than being still out of form.
He'll be fine, come Le Tour.

It was good. Bert is either very confident in his form, or very unconfident that he can take time in the mountains. I've no idea which.

Me neither, but you'd think that if he wasn't confident he'd keep tricks like this up his sleeve until the Tour, since this is essentially a 'warm up race' (though I hate that notion).

Vino'sGhost

inseine wrote:

Turfle wrote:

Blazing Saddles wrote:

Turning out to be a very good Dauphine.
GC action on a transition stage.
Great to see Contador try and rattle the mighty Sky train, with
a daring attack off the penultimate climb.
A pity his panache backfired somewhat, getting isolated in the lead group.
Ultimately meant that Kelderman was able to take the bonus seconds, which brought him level with Bertie in the GC.

Had a feeling Porte was taking his return to racing gently, rather than being still out of form.
He'll be fine, come Le Tour.

It was good. Bert is either very confident in his form, or very unconfident that he can take time in the mountains. I've no idea which.

Me neither, but you'd think that if he wasn't confident he'd keep tricks like this up his sleeve until the Tour, since this is essentially a 'warm up race' (though I hate that notion).

Fantastic race and i suspect contador might be very confident AND unsure he can take time in the mountains. Hopefully hell be aggressive on rolling stages and make the tour awesome.

eh

Public Enemy track for the next few days for Froome and the rest of the Sky team:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQ7gE7seeOA

dsoutar

eh wrote:

Public Enemy track for the next few days for Froome and the rest of the Sky team:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQ7gE7seeOA

"Defense is pressurized
They don't want it to be
Another attack"

Chuck D

Macaloon

Vino'sGhost wrote:

Fantastic race and i suspect contador might be very confident AND unsure he can take time in the mountains. Hopefully hell be aggressive on rolling stages and make the tour awesome.

He's just testing the systems. Hors-cat wheelsucking in full working order, it was time to put the train under pressure - see if Richie can hack it, which he did without Mick Rogers and Roman this time. He's not going to lose wondering what if.

ridgerider

I thought today's return to 2013 tactics was a way to see how Sky would react rather than a last throw of the dice to win the event...

tuneskyline

Missed todays race was out riding and broke a spoke, first one in 3 years. Not sure what to make of Contadors attack but the fact he got brought back doesn't look good for him unless he's just trying to waste some of Froomes energy. Whatever the reason , Contador knows how to light up a race. He's nearly as good as king Andy Schleck.

Macaloon

tuneskyline wrote:

Missed todays race was out riding and broke a spoke, first one in 3 years. Not sure what to make of Contadors attack but the fact he got brought back doesn't look good for him unless he's just trying to waste some of Froomes energy. Whatever the reason , Contador knows how to light up a race. He's nearly as good as king Andy Schleck.

He was obviously trying to force Froome to accept Wiggins as an essential engine for protection against lumpy stage ambushes. Nightmares, if not sleepless nights.

tuneskyline

Macaloon wrote:

tuneskyline wrote:

Missed todays race was out riding and broke a spoke, first one in 3 years. Not sure what to make of Contadors attack but the fact he got brought back doesn't look good for him unless he's just trying to waste some of Froomes energy. Whatever the reason , Contador knows how to light up a race. He's nearly as good as king Andy Schleck.

He was obviously trying to force Froome to accept Wiggins as an essential engine for protection against lumpy stage ambushes. Nightmares, if not sleepless nights.

Maybe Wiggins will go to Saxo next year could you imagine?

Macaloon

tuneskyline wrote:

Maybe Wiggins will go to Saxo next year could you imagine?

Cycling needs an all-star wildcard team: the Kilburn GlobeStroppers. The team gets automatic entry into GTs and can select any discards - Wiggins, Quintana, Kelderman, Demare/Bouhanni - overlooked by trade teams. One or two details to iron out yet, but I feel this plan has legs.

Give me more

Ridgerider wrote:

I thought today's return to 2013 tactics was a way to see how Sky would react rather than a last throw of the dice to win the event...

That was how I read it too.

I doubt Bertie is that desperate to try win the Dauphine. It was a good way to take the measure of the sky train, and if nothing else now they at least know that Porte is in good enough form to take some big pulls after all.

woody1545

Macaloon wrote:

tuneskyline wrote:

Maybe Wiggins will go to Saxo next year could you imagine?

Cycling needs an all-star wildcard team: the Kilburn GlobeStroppers. The team gets automatic entry into GTs and can select any discards - Wiggins, Quintana, Kelderman, Demare/Bouhanni - overlooked by trade teams. One or two details to iron out yet, but I feel this plan has legs.

The Kilburn GlobeStroppers. Genius.

Can we have an allstar team of disgraced over the hill drug cheats too? They're allowed to dope to make up for the age gap. Armstrong, Landis, Hamilton, Ulrich, Ricco, Di Luca etc. Oh and Chris Horner.

tuneskyline

Macaloon wrote:

tuneskyline wrote:

Maybe Wiggins will go to Saxo next year could you imagine?

Cycling needs an all-star wildcard team: the Kilburn GlobeStroppers. The team gets automatic entry into GTs and can select any discards - Wiggins, Quintana, Kelderman, Demare/Bouhanni - overlooked by trade teams. One or two details to iron out yet, but I feel this plan has legs.

That's what I am talking about. Wiggo and Quintana is something I would love to see. A bit of Wiggo's power train experience then Quintana finishing it off ,,,that could be mighty fine.

tuneskyline

woody1545 wrote:

Macaloon wrote:

tuneskyline wrote:

Maybe Wiggins will go to Saxo next year could you imagine?

Cycling needs an all-star wildcard team: the Kilburn GlobeStroppers. The team gets automatic entry into GTs and can select any discards - Wiggins, Quintana, Kelderman, Demare/Bouhanni - overlooked by trade teams. One or two details to iron out yet, but I feel this plan has legs.

The Kilburn GlobeStroppers. Genius.

Can we have an allstar team of disgraced over the hill drug cheats too? They're allowed to dope to make up for the age gap. Armstrong, Landis, Hamilton, Ulrich, Ricco, Di Luca etc. Oh and Chris Horner.

Just add Pantani to your list and you just about nailed it.

inseine

tuneskyline wrote:

woody1545 wrote:

Macaloon wrote:

tuneskyline wrote:

Maybe Wiggins will go to Saxo next year could you imagine?

Cycling needs an all-star wildcard team: the Kilburn GlobeStroppers. The team gets automatic entry into GTs and can select any discards - Wiggins, Quintana, Kelderman, Demare/Bouhanni - overlooked by trade teams. One or two details to iron out yet, but I feel this plan has legs.

The Kilburn GlobeStroppers. Genius.

Can we have an allstar team of disgraced over the hill drug cheats too? They're allowed to dope to make up for the age gap. Armstrong, Landis, Hamilton, Ulrich, Ricco, Di Luca etc. Oh and Chris Horner.

Just add Pantani to your list and you just about nailed it.

And take Horner off......

Squaggles

Please Eurosport get rid of Carlton Kirby or at least tell him he isn't talking to his mates in the pub

I think Brian Smith reads this forum and he actually does a good job despite Carlton

I get more from Flemish commentary and I only understand a few words in that language but they know how to commentate on cycling

ddraver

Give me more wrote:

Ridgerider wrote:

I thought today's return to 2013 tactics was a way to see how Sky would react rather than a last throw of the dice to win the event...

That was how I read it too.

I doubt Bertie is that desperate to try win the Dauphine. It was a good way to take the measure of the sky train, and if nothing else now they at least know that Porte is in good enough form to take some big pulls after all.

Did I read somewhere that he was going to test himself on Today. I may be mistaken but if so I don't think he impressed much.

The so called greatest stage racer of his generation reduced to Tommy Voeckler style showing off? Never! :P

Macaloon

Inner Ring's breakway bit is a good read, especially the first person comments on break formation.

Then we race for 10-30 km with breakaways being caught and other groups trying, the compositions keep changing until someone in the peloton seems to go: “Okay, let’m go…” and they slip away.

BR 1979

Macaloon wrote:

tuneskyline wrote:

Maybe Wiggins will go to Saxo next year could you imagine?

Cycling needs an all-star wildcard team: the Kilburn GlobeStroppers. The team gets automatic entry into GTs and can select any discards - Wiggins, Quintana, Kelderman, Demare/Bouhanni - overlooked by trade teams. One or two details to iron out yet, but I feel this plan has legs.

Love it.

frenchfighter

They went through this lovely place yesterday:


Very composed celebration:

above_the_cows

frenchfighter wrote:

Very composed celebration:

Spilak auditioning to be the next Spider-Man.