TdF 2015 - Stage 4 - Seraing - Cambria ***Spoilers***
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On The Cycling Podcast for Stage 4, Richard Moore interviewed Rolf Aldag:[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19645099#p19645099]disgruntledgoat[/url] wrote:as for right-front vs left-front brakesWould make sense to me - that's the euro way. It's back to front from the motorbike way though which is the usual reason given for Britons (and it only is the british) running theirs the other way round
... and the Australians and traditionally the Italians! (check some photos of Pantani)
Which would explain why Trentin and Martin's bikes were cabled up differently.
Full circle!
Richard Moore: Are they identical sized bikes, Trentin and...?
Rolf Aldag: Not exactly but they are both reverse, so they both like left and right braking because otherwise you couldn't even do it, you wouldn't get in one piece to the finish line
Sounds like both Martin and Trentin have their bikes set up the British way rather than the Euro way. I suspect Martin would have coped otherwise, but it must have made things a little more comfortable for him - might have been a bit hairy taking those tight corners at speed with his brakes backwards.0 -
Can't imagine Tony Martin did much braking yesterday. Also, on a road bike it is rarely that important - it would be pretty impressive to either go over the handle bars or lock the rear wheel.
Did read somewhere that he locked the back on one of the corners coming in to the finish and came pretty close to hitting the barriers as a result, can't say I noticed anything when watching though0 -
GCN talked about the brake when they did a video on Tony's bike before Stage 4:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w24nj7ldGSc"One thing that is worse than Carlton Kirby: people complaining about Carlton Kirby.
Talk about first world problems."
The_Boy, 13/4/14, Paris-Roubaix 2014 "spoiler" thread0 -
"It was a difficult day, especially because of the positioning, but it went well," Quintana said. "We have defended ourselves well and luckily nothing happened. I am very happy with the team, with Valverde at my side; and my assessment (of the stage) is good."Contador is the Greatest0
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"I am very happy with the team, with Valverde at my side; and my assessment (of the stage) is good."
Indeed - with Valverde at your side, it's harder for him to stab you in the back
@shraap | My Men 2016: G, Yogi, Cav, Boonen, Degenkolb, Martin, J-Rod, Kudus, Chaves0 -
Love it that forumites think they know better than someone who was at the race. Furthermore it is not Valverde's job to be Quintana's helper in any case.Contador is the Greatest0
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"It was a difficult day, especially because of the positioning, but it went well," Quintana said. "We have defended ourselves well and luckily nothing happened. I am very happy with the team, with Valverde at my side; and my assessment (of the stage) is good."
Quintana did so well yesterday but also had a massive dose of luck. Hanging on right at the back of that group all day, one crash in front and he could be 5+ minutes down by now.0 -
Btw, on Porte issue. G is turning himself inside out for Froome and is still very well placed on GC. The two are not mutually exclusive. Porte is just not a GT rider.Contador is the Greatest0
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Love it that forumites think they know better than someone who was at the race. Furthermore it is not Valverde's job to be Quintana's helper in any case.
what this post shows is that googling imaging "surprised Quintana" is nt very fruitful. he is the original man of 1 face. Jaqhen Hagar would be stumped!We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
- @ddraver0 -
Btw, on Porte issue. G is turning himself inside out for Froome and is still very well placed on GC. The two are not mutually exclusive. Porte is just not a GT rider.
I agree that Porte probably isn't a GT rider but Thomas was always going to be prominent in these stages (and will I'm sure also play a key role in the mountains). Porte will play more of a role when we reach the Pyrenees/Alps.
Thomas does look exceptionally strong at the moment though, wouldn't be surprised to see him stay with the head of the field high up on the big climbs.
On Pinot, he should just have grabbed him teammates bike even if it didn't suit him ffs, too much hissy fitting about0 -
Uran's hand after the stage - that'll sting a bit!0
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Porte's about the same weight as Quintana right? Many comments yesterday that the lighter riders (like Quintana) were struggling on the terrain compared to the heavier riders, so if you were Porte and you were supposed to be saving yourself to be a mountain domestique why would you bother expending loads of energy trying to stay up when you didn't need to? He might even have been told not to push for all we know. He certainly looked a lot happier than Quintana (but then I suppose Porte always looks happy).
I suppose the proof or otherwise will come when we get to the mountains.0 -
Love it that forumites think they know better than someone who was at the race.
This is amazing.0 -
Porte's about the same weight as Quintana right? Many comments yesterday that the lighter riders (like Quintana) were struggling on the terrain compared to the heavier riders, so if you were Porte and you were supposed to be saving yourself to be a mountain domestique why would you bother expending loads of energy trying to stay up when you didn't need to? He might even have been told not to push for all we know. He certainly looked a lot happier than Quintana (but then I suppose Porte always looks happy).
I suppose the proof or otherwise will come when we get to the mountains.
It'll be interesting to see what his form is like when we hit the big climbs. Poels and Konig will be right up there too but yeah maybe he is just in the role of mountain domestique rather than worrying about GC classification. To be honest in 2013 I think that's partly why he suffered a bit, not backing off after hard efforts for Froome when possibly having one eye on GC. Axe 3 Domain springs to mind.0 -
Like Tony Martin did as an experienced professional should do. :roll:On Pinot, he should just have grabbed him teammates bike even if it didn't suit him ffs, too much hissy fitting aboutOrganiser, National Championship 50 mile Time Trial 19720 -
Do you remember the first week of last year's Tour? You spent a lot of it slagging off Rafa Majka's efforts - he was almost lanterne rouge. You were told he was probably saving his efforts for the mountains. How did that turn out?Btw, on Porte issue. G is turning himself inside out for Froome and is still very well placed on GC. The two are not mutually exclusive. Porte is just not a GT rider.
Well, now we have the same situation with Porte. When him and Poels sort the men from the boys on stage 10, remember this.Twitter: @RichN950 -
So Porte's going for the Polka Dots? Well if he is then that will be great and his poor performance will be justified. We shall see wont we.Contador is the Greatest0
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Ha, yes. I have an English bike and a French one set up as per national norms. I'm so used to switching between the two that I just realised I didn't know how my one week old Thai bike was set up despite having ridden several hundred kilometers on it. Confusingly, having just checked, it is set up the continental way despite Thailand driving on the left.Anyone else daft enough to have different bikes with both setups? Gradually converting to all LHD as cables need replacing, but I find it's pretty easy to switch between bikes with different setups...0 -
So Porte's going for the Polka Dots? Well if he is then that will be great and his poor performance will be justified. We shall see wont we.
You're being obtuse. You know he meant "saving his efforts as last man for Froome"."In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"
@gietvangent0 -
I don't think Rich means Porte will be after the polka dots, just that the true test of his form in this Tour will be how well he performs doing a job for Froome in the mountains. That's his only real job. With Majka it was different because he had no GC leader to worry about after Contador abandoned, so he was free to go for the jersey.So Porte's going for the Polka Dots? Well if he is then that will be great and his poor performance will be justified. We shall see wont we.0 -
So Porte's going for the Polka Dots? Well if he is then that will be great and his poor performance will be justified. We shall see wont we.
I think the aim is probably to blow things apart like he did on Axe 3 Domains and Mt Ventoux. Konig and Poels take the pressure off a bit though0 -
No. I saying he's saving his energy for when it's needed. (Had Contador not crashed, Majka wouldn't have been going for polka dots/stages, he would have been using the form he clearly had for his leader).So Porte's going for the Polka Dots? Well if he is then that will be great and his poor performance will be justified. We shall see wont we.Twitter: @RichN950 -
Er no. Majka went for the Polka dots and won some excellent stages, Job done.
Lets see what >1m pound Porte does for his money. Mountain train riders are not hard to come by.Contador is the Greatest0 -
Er no. Majka went for the Polka dots and won some excellent stages, Job done.
It's clearly a different situation than Porte is in...I voiced my displeasure with him on numerous occasions. Not sure what it has to do with my post though. He had an easy start to the race before the mountains where he would have been useful. He is a super rider so instead of having to race for a team leader totally he rode for himself. You could argue that him coming straight from the Giro as a young ridee and having short notice for the Tour are genuine reasons for not doing well early...I suspect so but also suspect he was sulking a little. Like I said I am not a fan but he has talent.0 -
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When Porte goes go to BMC will the forum spend less time talking about him and how well he might do in a GT?0
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Probably depends if Frenchie continues to nurse this grudge against him!When Porte goes go to BMC will the forum spend less time talking about him and how well he might do in a GT?0 -
Well people thought he would beat Contador in the Giro.Contador is the Greatest0
