Tour Med 2013 **Spoiler**

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Comments

  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Crozza wrote:
    apparently Boom used his CX skills to do a bike change from TT to road bike for the final climb

    I like this!

    boom_zpsd0b498b6.jpg
    Contador is the Greatest
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Photos are good viewing:
    http://www.steephill.tv/2013/tour-medit ... /stage-02/

    Jungels there, Lovkvist for IAM, Kreuziger looking very lean for this time of the season, Greipel in clown outfit, lovely podium girls.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • Crozza
    Crozza Posts: 991
    loving this bike/kit combo

    http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/tour-m ... tos/251455
  • LeicesterLad
    LeicesterLad Posts: 3,908
    JC Peraud wins stage 4.
    http://www.twitter.com/InTheGC http://www.InTheGC.com http://www.facebook.com/intheGC
  • specialgueststar
    specialgueststar Posts: 3,418
    does he still ride cross . I forgot his 9th in the 2011 T de F
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Nice win by Peraud on Faron. Quite a lot of time gaps. Mollema in 3rd and Roche in 9th...just behind Rebellin...

    Pinot was riding...came in 11th. Has some ugly shoes.

    Team Colombia was in attendance. The best they could manage was 15th wiht Chaves. I will excuse them based on the cold...
    Contador is the Greatest
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Hmmm. Rogers, Talansky and Dan Martin are all riding this race as well.

    Rogers is 10mins down on GC.

    Martin and Talansky DNS yday.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    2013_tour_mediterraneen_stage2_time_trial_carlos_quintero1_zps2165d4ce.jpg
    Contador is the Greatest
  • inkyfingers
    inkyfingers Posts: 4,400
    frenchfighter wrote:
    Hmmm. Rogers, Talansky and Dan Martin are all riding this race as well.

    Rogers is 10mins down on GC.

    Martin and Talansky DNS yday.

    Nobody from Garmin started yesterday as they had all their bikes stolen.
    "I have a lovely photo of a Camargue horse but will not post it now" (Frenchfighter - July 2013)
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Ah yep, tks for reminder.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • EKIMIKE
    EKIMIKE Posts: 2,232
    Geniez finishing well too. Could be a great lieutenant for Pinot.
    Canyon Endurace CF 2014 | Canyon Ultimate CF 2010
  • Turfle
    Turfle Posts: 3,762
    Roelandts the final stage, and evidently Lofkvist the overall.

    Great to see Lofkvist and IAM starting the season well.
  • Richmond Racer
    Richmond Racer Posts: 8,561
    Turfle wrote:
    Roelandts the final stage, and evidently Lofkvist the overall.

    Great to see Lofkvist and IAM starting the season well.


    Yay! Pleased for Tommy Lofkvist.
  • FJS
    FJS Posts: 4,820
    Good start from IAM. Those years at Sky have not been Lofkvist's best, have they...
  • andyp
    andyp Posts: 10,143
    So what's the deal on Lofkvist then? Back on the dope, or didn't respond well to Sky's doping regime?
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    He was given the opportunity to go for goal and he did it. Quietly. I don't think Sky give many riders opportunities, just high salaries.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • Garry H
    Garry H Posts: 6,639
    frenchfighter wrote:
    He was given the opportunity to go for goal and he did it. Quietly. I don't think Sky give many riders opportunities, just high salaries.

    Post of the day.
  • inkyfingers
    inkyfingers Posts: 4,400
    edited February 2013
    Lofkvist had opportunities at Sky, but didn't seem to take any of them.

    I do agree with Frenchie in one sense though, high salaries on long contracts are bad if you're a rider who hasn't got serious self motivation.
    "I have a lovely photo of a Camargue horse but will not post it now" (Frenchfighter - July 2013)
  • Turfle
    Turfle Posts: 3,762
    frenchfighter wrote:
    He was given the opportunity to go for goal and he did it. Quietly. I don't think Sky give many riders opportunities, just high salaries.

    Lofkvist was leader at the Giro, at Tirreno twice, at Pais Vasco, at Tour de Suisse, and he was protected in many big hilly one dayers. He didn't deliver.
  • Turfle
    Turfle Posts: 3,762
    andyp wrote:
    So what's the deal on Lofkvist then? Back on the dope, or didn't respond well to Sky's doping regime?

    He wasn't THAT bad at Sky in his first two years. His climbing was pretty consistent, his time trialing just went completely to pot.
  • Richmond Racer
    Richmond Racer Posts: 8,561
    Turfle wrote:
    andyp wrote:
    So what's the deal on Lofkvist then? Back on the dope, or didn't respond well to Sky's doping regime?

    He wasn't THAT bad at Sky in his first two years. His climbing was pretty consistent, his time trialing just went completely to pot.


    I think the points about lack of self-motivation and non-delivery are valid. In addition his health has been a bit on and off. Even last year when he was Sky leader at Tour de Suisse, a knee injury threw a spanner in the works for his ride there.

    interesting interview with him from a couple of weeks ago (in French)
    http://www.cyclismactu.net/news-intervi ... 30257.html
  • Turfle
    Turfle Posts: 3,762
    Yeah, the knee injury during the 2011 Giro must have been particularly gutting; finally a chance to lead a team in a GT, and then that.

    If he can get his TTing back to anything like decent he can be a top 5 type rider in some of the prestigious one weekers, but if he can't then he's going to end up with a lot more 11th and 17th overalls.

    Haven't noticed if IAM received wild cards to any of the the hilly classics, but he should get leadership in those too.
  • Richmond Racer
    Richmond Racer Posts: 8,561
    I dont think Fleche Wallonne or LBL wildcards have been awarded yet. Amstel Gold - NetApp-Endura and Katusha have got them, but thats all I've seen.
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Turfle wrote:
    frenchfighter wrote:
    He was given the opportunity to go for goal and he did it. Quietly. I don't think Sky give many riders opportunities, just high salaries.

    Lofkvist was leader at the Giro, at Tirreno twice, at Pais Vasco, at Tour de Suisse, and he was protected in many big hilly one dayers. He didn't deliver.

    Sky couldn't even back Cavendish up so I don't think they would care to back Tom up. Saying 'you are team leader' but not having adequete support in team mates and other things is not the same.

    I suggest you take a look at his ranking while at Columbia. It's pretty good. Then went straight back down when he joined Sky.

    I'm just surprised he was three years at Sky. I suppose money talks then they let him go.

    He is never going to podium on a GT but certainly has good legs.
    Contador is the Greatest

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