Re: Cycling : Fri Apr 13, 2012 12:53 pm  

Fungus The Muffin Man wrote:

To be fair to Sky they had 4 riders in the break, you could argue that they should have rode it slightly differently. However no one else was going to help chase Boonen down with them being so strong in the chasing group. The main problem they had was that EBH was goosed. Flecha actually looked strong, but he has no kick to win a sprint. Next year will be different if Spartacus is fit and also they (sky) have a fully ready G man. You will see a very different race. G man will win a classic sooner rather than later IMO.

As for BMC your right Ballan has spared them. However they now have chuckles to bring them back some glory and I'm pretty sure that Gilbert has been saving himself for the Ardenne classics and an eye on winning a few early stages of the TDF which are prime for him and his abilities.

Actually I was going to change my statement about Sky after watching the highlights again. I originally thought they were setting a tempo which kept Boonen at less than a minute and expecting Boonen to blow up in the last 30km. I may still be right about that but agree EBH was goosed. Poor classics season from him this year - maybe this year is all about Tdf stage wins for him?

But when you watch agin you see how little effort the other teams are making to close the gap. Maybe they all thought Boonen would blow up or maybe they thought Sky would tow them to the finish.

As for the G man - yes. He's got it in him to win a cobbled classic. Wish we could have seen him there this year but understand his reasons for choosing to be in Melbourne.

As for Gilbert - I really don't think he's the same man as he was last year. With him and Hushovd way off the pace and BMC being all about Cuddles at the Tdf I can't see either of them making the same waves this season.

Re: Cycling : Tue Apr 17, 2012 8:22 am  

So.....did anyone have Gasparotto in their fantasy team?

Re: Cycling : Wed Apr 18, 2012 8:36 am  

I scored 1 point!!!!

But had voeckler, friere and sagan in it until a rethink

Re: Cycling : Mon Apr 23, 2012 10:09 am  

Not a lot of chat on here over what many people consider to be the most exciting period of the season (bar the Tdf). I just wondered what your views were on the classics season just gone?

Re: Cycling : Mon Apr 23, 2012 12:39 pm  

Interestingly different is my view of them. Apart from Boonen all the big names seem to have not turned up.

Great for the riders involved, not bloody good for my fantasy team lol.

Fleche wallone was pretty boring with the race neutralized until the last hill into the finish. However the end 1 km was fantastic viewing. Same yesterday with LBL. Thank god Nibali went for it as it made for a more entertaining finish. There was some commentary on ES about how the riders have commentated on how these races are not like they used to be with teams playing for UCI world tour points. The end result is a more controlled less watchable race.

So onto Italia for the giro now. I notice people are saying its a much depleted race this year with not many big names. I also note the big climbs are much more towards the end. Will this make for a much tighter race? And even make it not worth watching till the hills appear. Lets face it the hillier the race the better the spectacle IMO anyway.

Also nearly tour of romandie and the only thing I have to say is " Go Wiggo, Go Team Sky"

Re: Cycling : Tue Apr 24, 2012 9:27 am  

Interestingly different? I know what you mean.

I think what it does show is that unless you have one strong man who can hoover up all the races, see Gilbert, Cancellara etc then the rest of the peloton have no idea how to race (look how ineffective they were against a strong Boonen) or......they are not being allowed to due to TM's and DS's in the car worrying about UCI points.

We know that the UCI want to do away with race radios and I'm starting to agree with them. The riders are being told when to go and when to hold. The result is we have a race full of people not wanting to show their hands until its too late.

Listening to the Real Peloton this week they were talking about Russ Downing at team Endura hoovering up UCI points in the far east. The chat is that we can expect him at a pro tour team again next year as teams look to buy in points. The way Saxo Bank are going they will have to if they are to have any hope of surviving.

Last year the Giro was made interesting by having the best rider in the world there and having good quality opposition. Not excited about it yet but I keep looking forward to a race in France in July where a certain Bradley Wiggins will never have a better chance to win the Tdf.

Re: Cycling : Thu Apr 26, 2012 8:57 am  

Haggis Fax wrote:

Bradley Wiggins will never have a better chance to win the Tdf.

Looked strong again yesterday.

Re: Cycling : Thu Apr 26, 2012 9:38 am  

I had to laugh yesterday when I received a text alert to tell me Bradley Wiggins had won the 'sprint'.

Does this mean now that Sky can support a rider going for green and yellow?

Seriously - he does look good doesn't he?

Re: Cycling : Thu Apr 26, 2012 2:54 pm  

Was one of the funniest things I've ever saw. He didn't even know how to celebrate it. I think he was in that much shock lol. I guess he was just in the right place and thought he'd pull for the line and take a chance. It worked!!!

I'm surprised that Sky went for the yellow jersey so early as it means they now have to control the peloton. Especially with it now being wiggo in yellow. I don't think they would be happy for him to lose it now. Where as G losing wouldn't seem as bad ( thats if wiggo wasn't the one taking it) and actually be expected for him to lose it as the hills played into it more.

[John_D]

Re: Cycling : Fri Apr 27, 2012 2:33 pm  

Sky named their team for the Giro: Cav, Eisel, Flecha, Henao, Kennaugh, Stannard, Swift, Thomas, Urán.
They're going for the sprint jersey then? That said, the two Colombians are decent climbers.