Re: Cycling : Thu Jul 21, 2011 7:42 pm  

Hopie wrote:

What a stage, I wish I wasn't working because one hour of highlights isn't enough
Stop the Race, Voeckler deserves the win!

It was class.
Have to admire Schleck, he went for it so far from home.
Just as well Evans chased him down otherwise it could have all been over and great effort from TV to hang onto his shirt tails. His face said it all as he crossed the line.

Re: Cycling : Thu Jul 21, 2011 11:35 pm  

All beautifully set up for a battle royale going up the Alpe tomorrow.

One of the best stages I've seen in years, finally somebody went on an all out attack to try and win the tour. Voeckler somehow managed to keep the maillot jaune.

Re: Cycling : Fri Jul 22, 2011 6:59 am  

Schleck needs more seconds with the time trial to come.

If he's got the strength to take more time out of CE and TV today then he'll be a worthy winner in Paris.

Re: Cycling : Fri Jul 22, 2011 8:20 am  

If Schleck has it in his legs to take more seconds today then he deserves it. Finally some panache from one of the 'original' contenders.

The peleton is going to expect a Schleck attack today though so it might be harder to get the original break. Maybe it might have to be a Frank attack who will have plenty in his legs today.

Other option is for Basso to go on the attack. We've not seen much of him yet. Maybe he'll take Cadel with him. He might have a face you'd never tire of punching but I'd love Cuddles to to it.

Wiggins.....where would he have been on GC right now if the stories were right about him being on the upward curve form wise?

Re: Cycling : Mon Jul 25, 2011 12:42 pm  

Couple of post-Tour talking points for the cycling fans.

Is it time that one or more of the three time trials (prologue, Team TT and individual TT) made way for more racing stages on Le Tour?

With the 2012 Olympic road race course being relatively flat and suited to the sprinters, is there merit in GB picking a team to deliver the likes of Cav to the front and give the team best chance of a gold medal, rather than just picking the best individual riders and leaving them to it?

Re: Cycling : Tue Jul 26, 2011 10:36 am  

To be fair they did leave out the prologue this year and the TTT last year. I do think however that having it on the last proper day of yellow jersey riding that it can benefit the stronger TT rider who can afford to lose a good few seconds in the mountains. I wonder how it would influence the teams riding if it was much earlier in the race. Would it ensure more attacking in the mountains as a strong TT rider like Cadel/ Wiggins can afford to keep a steady momentum up the hill knowing they can claw seconds back in the TT.

As for the Olympics I'm sure that the course has been specifically routed with Cav in mind and Team GB will be going all out to deliver him across the line first. He's the only rider we have who you could definitely say has the potential to win a road race as long as he is well protected around the circuit. You could argue he doesn't even need a lead out train as he's shown on numerous occasions that he knows how to jump trains to keep in the position he needs to be in to kick out to the finish.

Oh and thank you Cadel for winning me £40 at the bookies

Re: Cycling : Tue Jul 26, 2011 5:52 pm  

I'f I'm honest I wouldn't have picked Cadel to win the tour before it started if I'm honest, but for whatever reason I'd convinced myself at the end of the 1st stage, that he would win it. After being alert enough to stay out of trouble, his 2nd place just behind Gilbert seemed to be a statement of intent to me.

As someone has mentioned, he's got a face you could punch all day (the whiny voice doesn't help), but I was delighted to see him win it.

Re: Cycling : Thu Jul 28, 2011 1:33 pm  

Been listening to the Spokesmen round table podcast today and I can't believe the schtik Cadel Evans is getting for winning.

Let's look at the facts.

2 TT stages. Yes - that's 2. Countless uphill finishes and several proper high mountain stages. Cadel deserves the highest level of Chapeaux for winning this Tdf against several mountain goats.

Andy Schleck should have won. But he didn't have the b@lls to make it happen. He was far more worried about losing than winning. If he stays like that he will never win the Grand Boucle.

So in answer to the question about TT's. This year was a year where the TT should have had even less impact on the GC. The issue is that if Frandy had spent less time looking behind them than powering up the climbs the TT would have been meaningless. Instead - they played into Cuddles hands.

I won £67 on Cuddles - top work fella - I'd happily spend it all getting close enough to him to punch him relentlessly in the face - the whiney, characterless goon. Top bike rider though.

Re: Cycling : Fri Aug 05, 2011 12:27 pm  

Team HTC folding at the end of the year.

Is it all now set for Cav to join Team Sky, maybe even Mark Renshaw going with him?

It would be some lead out train for him with Wiggins, Thomas and EBH already there.

Re: Cycling : Fri Aug 05, 2011 9:46 pm  

If he does join it will be very interesting to see how they balance their priorities of looking after Wiggins as a GC contender, and getting Cav stage wins.