Criterium International: Evans looking good again
peterst6906
Posts: 530
After a pretty lack lustre T-A, Evans looks good again.
Frank Schleck blew up today, but with Michael Rogers breathing down his neck a lot of the way, Evans showed who's the boss. Finished third in the stage after dragging a few up the mountain at the end, but he was in control.
Good stage to watch in replay.
Frank Schleck blew up today, but with Michael Rogers breathing down his neck a lot of the way, Evans showed who's the boss. Finished third in the stage after dragging a few up the mountain at the end, but he was in control.
Good stage to watch in replay.
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With the mute button pressed.
Evens looked though. Seemed to be toying with them with 3-4 km to go. Remember when he always used to be criticised for his negativity?
1a/b quick highlights:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdnR71QP ... r_embedded
Pretty nasty crash there just before the line
Stage 3 Results
1 FEDRIGO, Pierrick (FDJ-BIG MAT) 4h 52' 34"
2 NOCENTINI, Rinaldo (AG2R LA MONDIALE)
3 NORDHAUG, Lars Petter (SKY PROCYCLING)
4 EVANS, Cadel (BMC RACING)
5 LEVARLET, Guillaume (SAUR - SOJASUN) + 00' 08"
6 LE MEVEL, Christophe (GARMIN-BARRACUDA)
7 ANTON HERNANDEZ, Igor (EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI)
8 ROGERS, Michael (SKY PROCYCLING)
9 PERAUD, Jean-Christophe (AG2R LA MONDIALE) + 00' 20"
10 DUPONT, Hubert (AG2R LA MONDIALE) + 00' 21"
Final General Classification
1 EVANS, Cadel (BMC RACING) 7h 03' 43"
2 FEDRIGO, Pierrick (FDJ-BIG MAT) + 00' 08"
3 ROGERS, Michael (SKY PROCYCLING)
4 NORDHAUG, Lars Petter (SKY PROCYCLING) + 00' 09"
5 NOCENTINI, Rinaldo (AG2R LA MONDIALE)
6 MONFORT, Maxime (RADIOSHACK-NISSAN) + 00' 23"
7 ANTON HERNANDEZ, Igor (EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI) + 00' 38"
8 LÖVKVIST, Thomas (SKY PROCYCLING) + 00' 42"
9 DUPONT, Hubert (AG2R LA MONDIALE) + 00' 47"
10 RIBLON, Christophe (AG2R LA MONDIALE) + 01' 11"
I know it's a commonly heard refrain during the season, but it deserves repeating, Carlton Kirby is a terrible lead commentator. He could barely identify any of the escapees on the final climb and what was he banging on about when discussing the Colombians? Something about them only being good for 'smuggling' now they'd been dropped from the lead group'? You could almost hear his thought process: Colombians - Drugs - Smuggling. Think he realised his mistake a few moments later. I do actually like his wacky anecdotes/streams of consciousness when he plays third string to Harmon and Kelly during the Tour but he can't be trusted on his own or when leading the commentary.
Strava is not Zen.
Or a ballet dancer.
Always a good sign when big favourite for later on in the season are already winning.
Agreed, Evans laid the foundations for last year's tour with good early season wins. Wiggins, Valverde and Nibali also already have some good results in the bag. As usual the Schlecks are yet to do anything of note other than get dropped. Alhough there is nothing new in that it's a risky strategy considering that the TDF is hardly suited to them.
Will be interesting to see Evans goes in the Ardenne classics, unless Gilbert sorts his health problems and finds some form very quickly it looks like Evans may have to carry the flag for BMC. A win in la Doyenne would pretty much complete Evan's palmares, Valverde of course will have other ideas.
Its good yes, and I like Evans, but there are GT riders going better than him, and he has a way to go.
Who?
I can only think of Wiggins.
Valverde doesn't count because a) he always has a day off in France and b) the course doesn't remotely suit him.
I didn't say he was there yet, just that like last year he looks like he's starting to lay some good foundations for the year unlike many other big name riders (Schlecks, Basso, Gesink etc). I know he wasn't up against the best, but he looked very comfortable going uphill yesterday.
Obv not all podium material, but easily top ten top 20 material. All have done reasonably well this year and shown some form (and are ahead of Evans pointswise).
Winwise, Nibs, Valverde, Wiggins are ahead, but number of wins isnt that important to me at this point as if you have one win but have been out of any sort of contention in most races compared to a rider who has been up there more or less but has no wins, I'd say the 2nd rider is better atm.
Evans got smoked big time earlier this year so was very surprised when I saw him come back and win so soon...
Generally I've felt many GT top 10 riders haven't done very well this year.
The Schlecks are censored and never perform all season apart from a spike of form in the Ardennes then at the Tour. Basso well he isn't often up there. Gesink would have expected more.
He broke his leg in September so he was always going to be lagging behind the others.
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xpoeig ... 12-3_sport
Ahh, i'd forgotten about that.