Volta a Catalunya 2016 *Spoilers*

No_Ta_Doctor

Is it just me, or is there something of the Andy Schleck about Louis Vervaeke?

RichN95.

All these big names in the race and the TV director chooses not to show them

RichN95.

When Froome has four teammates with 4km to go you have to attack him.

ddraver

Well played Mr Martin!

Not a good day for Sky...

topper_harley

Froone not looking that strong

No_Ta_Doctor

Froome looked like he might have had a slight mech problem.

No_Ta_Doctor

So, did anyone have money on Shane McGowan?

RichN95.

No tA Doctor wrote:

Froome looked like he might have had a slight mech problem.

He always looks like he's got a mech problem.

Anyway Hugh Carthy 9th -that's a bloody good ride.

No_Ta_Doctor

RichN95 wrote:

No tA Doctor wrote:

Froome looked like he might have had a slight mech problem.

He always looks like he's got a mech problem.

Anyway Hugh Carthy 9th -that's a bloody good ride.

Yep.

What's his story? Caja Rural isn't your typical Brit youngster destination....

hanshotfirst

My Man!

Seriously, that face. He looks like a burglar's dog.

TheBigBean

Contador looking reasonably strong, but then he always seems to all season.

blazing_saddles

That stage highlighted how superior are the Spring one day races.

Richmond Racer 2

No tA Doctor wrote:

RichN95 wrote:

No tA Doctor wrote:

Froome looked like he might have had a slight mech problem.

He always looks like he's got a mech problem.

Anyway Hugh Carthy 9th -that's a bloody good ride.

Yep.

What's his story? Caja Rural isn't your typical Brit youngster destination....

Was with the Heretic and Rapha Condor JLT as was, won Tour of Korea in 2014 & showed his climbing legs even more at Tour of Japan (won the Mountains jersey, 2nd on both major climby stages). Caja Rural being all about the climbers, came a-knocking with a pro contract, and the rest is history...

No_Ta_Doctor

Richmond Racer 2 wrote:

No tA Doctor wrote:

RichN95 wrote:

No tA Doctor wrote:

Froome looked like he might have had a slight mech problem.

He always looks like he's got a mech problem.

Anyway Hugh Carthy 9th -that's a bloody good ride.

Yep.

What's his story? Caja Rural isn't your typical Brit youngster destination....

Was with the Heretic and Rapha Condor JLT as was, won Tour of Korea in 2014 & showed his climbing legs even more at Tour of Japan (won the Mountains jersey, 2nd on both major climby stages). Caja Rural being all about the climbers, came a-knocking with a pro contract, and the rest is history...

Cheers.

onyourright

http://www.miracing.co.uk/2011/04/17/pr ... g-cyclist/

skyblueamateur

Great finish by Gail Platt. Balls to his looks this bodes well for the Ardennes.

Love Dan Martin.

dish_dash

So is Richie gonna have to play #2 again here? 12 seconds behind BMC's team leader

specialgueststar

dish_dash wrote:

So is Richie gonna have to play #2 again here? 12 seconds behind BMC's team leader

http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=40002&t=13041292&hilit=BMC

No_Ta_Doctor

Well it's actually only 7 seconds between Van Ladygarden and Porte, so I'd guess it's all about who has the legs today. On yesterday's showing it was TJVG, though Porte certainly softened the front of the race up.

More interesting, perhaps, is how Sky and Froome ride when they have to attack instead of defend.

Alex99

RichN95 wrote:

When Froome has four teammates with 4km to go you have to attack him.

Thought he was bluffing at first, but you're probably right. We'll see what goes down today.

No_Ta_Doctor

For the life of me, I don't understand what Sky were trying yesterday. If Froome didn't have the legs then why let Poels explode the race? Just to check out the other riders, at the cost of a fair few seconds?

inseine

No tA Doctor wrote:

For the life of me, I don't understand what Sky were trying yesterday. If Froome didn't have the legs then why let Poels explode the race? Just to check out the other riders, at the cost of a fair few seconds?

I guess he didn't know exactly how he was going, relative to the other big guns, until it was too late. We're only talking 7 seconds, it's not like he popped.

Paul 8v

No tA Doctor wrote:

So, did anyone have money on Shane McGowan?

Harsh, but funny. He has got bloody awful gnashers bless him

No_Ta_Doctor

inseine wrote:

No tA Doctor wrote:

For the life of me, I don't understand what Sky were trying yesterday. If Froome didn't have the legs then why let Poels explode the race? Just to check out the other riders, at the cost of a fair few seconds?

I guess he didn't know exactly how he was going, relative to the other big guns, until it was too late. We're only talking 7 seconds, it's not like he popped.

Fair enough, but it was just inviting attacks he'd have to defend. There didn't seem to be much to gain from it, not that late on the climb, and not on a climb that hadn't shaken many out of the lead group.

d_o_g

So pleased to see him get the win yesterday - I always seem to see him go for a big attack, then get pipped - or at least that happened a lot last year in the big races. I was starting the think he had lost it.

milton50

inseine wrote:

No tA Doctor wrote:

For the life of me, I don't understand what Sky were trying yesterday. If Froome didn't have the legs then why let Poels explode the race? Just to check out the other riders, at the cost of a fair few seconds?

I guess he didn't know exactly how he was going, relative to the other big guns, until it was too late. We're only talking 7 seconds, it's not like he popped.

That's pretty much the story of Froome's pro career. During those couple of years when he first became a genuine GT rider he was constantly attacking without seemingly knowing his own limits and just blew up most of the time.

No_Ta_Doctor

Milton50 wrote:

inseine wrote:

No tA Doctor wrote:

For the life of me, I don't understand what Sky were trying yesterday. If Froome didn't have the legs then why let Poels explode the race? Just to check out the other riders, at the cost of a fair few seconds?

I guess he didn't know exactly how he was going, relative to the other big guns, until it was too late. We're only talking 7 seconds, it's not like he popped.

That's pretty much the story of Froome's pro career. During those couple of years when he first became a genuine GT rider he was constantly attacking without seemingly knowing his own limits and just blew up most of the time.

Indeed, though I thought he was pretty much past that now. I guess it is his first race of the season, so a little rustiness and uncertainty still need to be shaken out.

Unless of course it's a tactical masterplan to gauge where his opponents are while lulling them into a false sense of security, while holding back everything for a devastating attack today. "Now witness the firepower of this fully ARMED and OPERATIONAL battle station"

dish_dash

Meintjes has pulled out with illness...

inseine

Milton50 wrote:

inseine wrote:

No tA Doctor wrote:

For the life of me, I don't understand what Sky were trying yesterday. If Froome didn't have the legs then why let Poels explode the race? Just to check out the other riders, at the cost of a fair few seconds?

I guess he didn't know exactly how he was going, relative to the other big guns, until it was too late. We're only talking 7 seconds, it's not like he popped.

That's pretty much the story of Froome's pro career. During those couple of years when he first became a genuine GT rider he was constantly attacking without seemingly knowing his own limits and just blew up most of the time.

It's true that SKY don't seem to have another game plan, though they have launched late attacks in the last few races with Kwiatkowski at M-SR, Roche on stage 1 and Poels yesterday.

blazing_saddles

Geraint Thomas was dropped almost at the start.
Back in group 2, but Sky are, as usual, the choo choo on the first big climb.