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The Pro Cycling Thread
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tso
30-06-2012
Originally Posted by swingaleg:
“Hey tso.........feel free to ask any questions !

Tomorrow is a road race.........they all start off together at the same time in a big bunch and the one who passes the winning line first is the winner

Then the times for the riders tomorrow are added to todays times and the one with the lowest combined time is the race leader (yellow jersey)

Same happens with every race every day..........at the end of each day that days times are added to the running totals

The guy with the lowest time after all the stages is the winner”

Ok Cheers
borodave
30-06-2012
Stage 1 predictions?

Sagan for me, possibly Gilbert who is perhaps coming into some form?
afx237vi
30-06-2012
Originally Posted by borodave:
“Stage 1 predictions?

Sagan for me, possibly Gilbert who is perhaps coming into some form?”

The last 5 km: http://www.letour.fr/PHOTOS/TDF/2012/100/PROFILKMS.jpg

If anyone other than Sagan wins with a finish like that, I'll eat my hat.
tso
30-06-2012
What stage will Cav have a squeak ?
afx237vi
30-06-2012
Originally Posted by tso:
“What stage will Cav have a squeak ?”

Maybes: 3, 5... both a bit steep for him.

Definitely: 4, 6, 13, 15... and if he goes past rest day number two, 18 and 20
tso
30-06-2012
Originally Posted by afx237vi:
“Maybes: 3, 5... both a bit steep for him.

Definitely: 4, 6, 13, 15... and if he goes past rest day number two, 18 and 20”

Ok Cheers
swingaleg
30-06-2012
Originally Posted by afx237vi:
“Maybes: 3, 5... both a bit steep for him.

Definitely: 4, 6, 13, 15... and if he goes past rest day number two, 18 and 20”

Stage 2 as well.............and stage 5 is flat ?............
afx237vi
30-06-2012
Originally Posted by swingaleg:
“Stage 2 as well.............and stage 5 is flat ?............”

Oh yeah, I missed stage 2.

Stage 5 kicks up a bit at the finish... http://www.letour.fr/PHOTOS/TDF/2012/500/PROFILKMS.jpg - it's possible he could do it, but I'd favour Sagan there.

Let's not forget there are other sprinters in the race too
cmq2
01-07-2012
Tony Martin was possibly the only rider on clinchers yesterday. The potentially prologue winning run was thwarted by a glass puncture. Possibly bad luck but not a great advert for the new tyre:

Quote:
“ ...the new tire's highly flexible, 0.28mm-thick, 220tpi nylon casing is carried over from the current S-Works Turbo, making the tread the key part of the formula. Martin has most recently been testing three different versions (Specialized says "more than ten different protos" were made), all with unusually thin and finely patterned tread caps made from a fully synthetic rubber derived from the automotive industry...

The fastest tire is designed exclusively for dry conditions on swept roads and has a barely-there tread depth of 0.6mm (tread thickness greater than 2mm is more typical) and a minimal breaker belt to ward off punctures. The intermediate tire – designed for dry roads that haven't been cleaned – and the wet-conditions variant both add another 0.3mm of tread depth and switch to a triple-compound tread for "a little more reserves and more grip on the sides", according to vorm Walde. Given the greater possibility of punctures, those tires also get a more durable cross-woven polyamide breaker”

http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/...paign=features

Spain had a poor showing in the Prologue yesterday.Valverde will be one of those looking to make amends by targeting the end of today's stage. Gilbert needs the early home win before, like Cavendish, team duties take precedence.
dean michael
01-07-2012
If you want more information on Team Sky performance on the tour go to their website www.teamsky.com . After the prologue Team Sky are leading the team standings.
Cissy Fairfax
01-07-2012
Originally Posted by afx237vi:
“Oh yeah, I missed stage 2.

Stage 5 kicks up a bit at the finish... http://www.letour.fr/PHOTOS/TDF/2012/500/PROFILKMS.jpg - it's possible he could do it, but I'd favour Sagan there.

Let's not forget there are other sprinters in the race too ”

4 could have the risk of crosswinds, so he'll need to stay near the front. I reckon he'll win 6, should have enough for 5 and tomorrow, but there are 5 top class sprinters unlike him being the only one some years.

He's in a good position for wins as I don't think he's going for the green and will abandon next weekend.
Cissy Fairfax
01-07-2012
Originally Posted by borodave:
“Stage 1 predictions?

Sagan for me, possibly Gilbert who is perhaps coming into some form?”

Looks a straight fight between those two, Sagans speed against Gilbert jumping off the.front.

Decent odds for some sprinters if the can get over a hill. Greipel 150/1.

Chavanel will have a pop for yellow. Whoever gets it, if they manage stage 3 should keep it for a week, Fabian even longer.
swingaleg
01-07-2012
Stage 1 today.........198 Kilometres from Liege to Seraing

Looks to be an undulating course, up and down all the way but no climbs big enough to split the peloton

There are 4 categorised climbs, all grade 4

One thing that might happen today is a non climber getting into a break and nicking points to end up in the King of the Mountain jersey

I can't see any break succeeding today, it's too early in the race...........my guess is that the peloton will come into the finish as a bunch and that the final climb to the finish will be too much for the sprinters, leaving the way open to a Gilbert type...........as Harmon will say 'a strong, punchy type'........
cmq2
01-07-2012
Gilbert's said today's finish is not sufficiently tough or selective for him so he needs some luck to win it from a small group.

Froome forgot to remove his aromatic nose buds for the prologue yesterday. Doh!
swingaleg
01-07-2012
Does anybody watch the waffle with the panel on Eurosport whilst they wait for the live pictures to start...........

I've flicked back to the cricket...............

James and Rob and co are hardly likely to say anything interesting................:sleep:
swingaleg
01-07-2012
40 minutes in and they're still waffling............I think I'll go and have my dinner and hope the pictures are in by the time I get back................
tso
01-07-2012
Some of those idiots on the roadside.Accident waiting to happen especially how close the riders get to them
tso
01-07-2012
I presume those at the front will be caught ?
swingaleg
01-07-2012
Well underway now............another 105K to go

Small group in a breakaway abour 2 or 3 minutes ahead, but the peloton are coasting along leaving them at around that time gap

The breakaway guys are sprinting out for the category 4 mountain points............as i said earlier they all want that polka dot jersey !

Cancellera's team are on the front

Sean Kelly has been to look at the finish and reckons it's probably too steep for the sprinters but if they don't ride hard up to the last few K someone like Cav might be able to stay near the front...........
swingaleg
01-07-2012
Originally Posted by tso:
“I presume those at the front will be caught ?”

Yes........they've got no chance

A 'rule of thumb' is that the breakaway riders need about a minute per 10 kilometres left.............so with a 100K left they'd have to be 10 minutes ahead

That's 'rough' - it depends on the terrain, on the type of rider that gets into the break and on wether or not there are teams in the bunch with a reason to work hard to pull them back
afx237vi
01-07-2012
Originally Posted by tso:
“I presume those at the front will be caught ?”

Yeah, almost definitely. The further into the race we go, the breakaway has a better chance of succeeding because teams get more tired and are less willing to chase. But first day, everyone will want a bunch finish.
tso
01-07-2012
Originally Posted by afx237vi:
“Yeah, almost definitely. The further into the race we go, the breakaway has a better chance of succeeding because teams get more tired and are less willing to chase. But first day, everyone will want a bunch finish.”

Cheers
swingaleg
01-07-2012
Originally Posted by tso:
“Some of those idiots on the roadside.Accident waiting to happen especially how close the riders get to them”

wait till we get on the mountains..........you won't believe it !

the riders often end up in single file between the spectators............with a motorbike at the front forcing a way through !
dean michael
01-07-2012
I think Edvald Boasson Hagen may have a chance of the day's stage win.
swingaleg
01-07-2012
Originally Posted by afx237vi:
“Yeah, almost definitely. The further into the race we go, the breakaway has a better chance of succeeding because teams get more tired and are less willing to chase. But first day, everyone will want a bunch finish.”

also of course the time gaps widen out as the race progresses

so all those guys in the break now are only 20-odd seconds off taking the yellow jersey...........so obviously Cancellara's team are going to chase them down to stop that happening

In two weeks time there are going to be riders who are 2 hours down on then yellow jersey...........and if a few of them go off on a break there's no bother for the leaders team to chase them, it doesn't matter if they finish 15 minutes ahead of the pack

Although there might be other teams who want to chase them down for other reasons, eg they think they can win the stage
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