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The Pro Cycling Thread
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swingaleg
23-08-2012
We're underway on ES

67k to go, breakaway 3 minutes up the road

Rodrigues in the leaders jersey and should hold on today

We've got a steep and tricky descent off the last main climb followed by a few kilos uphill to finish

Might be interesting if someone makes a dash for it on the descent...................
Electra
23-08-2012
Woah! A clean Contador really is a different animal, isn't he?
TheFridge
23-08-2012
Originally Posted by Electra:
“Woah! A clean Contador really is a different animal, isn't he?”

Good to see that , he didn't seem to have anything there at the end , to early to come to proper conclusions though.

Pity Froome couldn't win it but never the less a nice ride from him and Sky.
Electra
23-08-2012
Originally Posted by TheFridge:
“Good to see that , he didn't seem to have anything there at the end , to early to come to proper conclusions though.

Pity Froome couldn't win it but never the less a nice ride from him and Sky.”

The stage win would've been good but Froome will knock lumps out of Rodriguez in the TT.
grassmarket
23-08-2012
Originally Posted by Electra:
“The stage win would've been good but Froome will knock lumps out of Rodriguez in the TT.”

I'm sure Froome is happy to have someone else in the leader's position at this stage, as long as he can chip away at Contador.
grassmarket
23-08-2012
Originally Posted by Electra:
“Woah! A clean Contador really is a different animal, isn't he?”

We discussed this back during the TdF about 40 pages ago. It's just not possible anymore for riders to put in a burst, get a lead, and then keep widening it the way Pantani etc used to.
TheFridge
24-08-2012
Originally Posted by Electra:
“The stage win would've been good but Froome will knock lumps out of Rodriguez in the TT.”

He could well knock more lumps out of Contador on Saturday , hopefully he does.

It looks like Froome should pick up the leaders jersey after the TT early next week then a few days wait until all the fun starts in the mountains.

Will Froome tire/struggle in the 3rd week ? somethings telling me no.
cmq2
24-08-2012
Originally Posted by grassmarket:
“We discussed this back during the TdF about 40 pages ago. It's just not possible anymore for riders to put in a burst, get a lead, and then keep widening it the way Pantani etc used to.”

Matching Pantani is obviously impossible as his fuel is no longer undetectable.

I think it applies when a strong team like Sky decide to set a consistent high pace on most of the climbs. As Liquigas said in the Tour they could send a rider off the front of the group led by Rodgers/Porte with a 500W burst. But 200m up the road they would fall back to a sustainable pace that expendable, quality lieutenants would exceed.

Fortunately, from a race POV, the climbs in La Vuelta are not as tightly marshalled by the top teams. On their day some of the top riders, or a stage win hopeful, has a chance to escape the GC group before the final pace setter drops off.
swingaleg
24-08-2012
Should be another stage for the sprinters today.........gently undulating but no classified climbs

They appear to be finished on a motor bike racing circuit

Good chance of a breakaway today as long as no one too high up in GC gets into the break.............I expect a lot of riders will be looking for an easy day before the ride into Andorra tomorrow which looks pretty nasty. if the break can establish a decent lead it might put the sprinter teams off from chasing
John259
24-08-2012
Five minutes of highlights of the second stage of the US Pro Challenge/Tour of Colorado - Montrose to Crested Butte:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFaTgnF5snA

Also the third stage, Gunnison to Aspen:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9T-wAJd5NH8

Fourth stage, Aspen to Beaver Creek:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4DfDaz2vy8
cmq2
24-08-2012
Swift looked out of his depth as he was swamped by a half dozen sprinters accelerating around him. As in the Tour, the Sky lead out drops off a little early and it is a long way to the line.

Degenkolb looked too far back, and boxed in, to win at the start of the sprint.
John259
24-08-2012
Originally Posted by cmq2:
“As in the Tour, the Sky lead out drops off a little early”

I'm definitely no expert, but as a theory could that be because the team was chosen to maximise Chris Froome's chances of winning the G.C. rather than Ben Swift winning stages, same as in the TdF with Wiggo and Cav respectively?
aggs
24-08-2012
Originally Posted by John259:
“I'm definitely no expert, but as a theory could that be because the team was chosen to maximise Chris Froome's chances of winning the G.C. rather than Ben Swift winning stages, same as in the TdF with Wiggo and Cav respectively?”

With apologies to Ben , but when you see a race without Cav sprinting it does make you realise just how special Cav actually is.
John259
24-08-2012
Originally Posted by aggs:
“With apologies to Ben , but when you see a race without Cav sprinting it does make you realise just how special Cav actually is.”

Agreed but Cav is always very quick to acknowledge how much his victories are due to his leadout train.
the_lostprophet
24-08-2012
The British ex rider pundit on ITV4 (can't remember his name) said that Swift's still finding his feet with sprinting at this level. I think he might have said this is his first grand tour?
TheFridge
24-08-2012
Originally Posted by aggs:
“With apologies to Ben , but when you see a race without Cav sprinting it does make you realise just how special Cav actually is.”

Definatly , the sprints are almost a non event with him not there.

Swift is getting worse by the stage in this tour , that was woeful from him at the end there , way out of his depth against these sprinters who are far from the cream of the crop , Sky shouldn't bother wasting anymore energy trying any leadouts for him again.
John259
24-08-2012
Originally Posted by the_lostprophet:
“ I think he might have said this is his first grand tour?”

According to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Swift he's ridden the TdF.

I think it's fair to say that this is his first grand tour as lead sprinter though.
TheFridge
24-08-2012
Originally Posted by the_lostprophet:
“The British ex rider pundit on ITV4 (can't remember his name) said that Swift's still finding his feet with sprinting at this level. I think he might have said this is his first grand tour?”

He has ridden in other GTs before , whether that was as the main sprinter though i dont know.
TheFridge
24-08-2012
Apparantly he was beating the matey in the Poland tour whos winning all the sprints here.
swingaleg
24-08-2012
Seeme to be a similar pattern in the three (?) sprint finishes so far............Swift just goes too early and Sky take up the lead out too early

It does seem to be a problem with the lead out..........I thought Stannard would be the perfect 'last man' but he was going full pelt on the front with 2K still to go and it ended up with Froome as last man and he was probably only up the front to keep out of trouble
Lucidia2011
24-08-2012
Yep, 3 sprints Degenkolb has won now, he's in awesome form and his lead out looks great. Skyfail again, their timing isn't right, they are there and pushing things so good signs, but they need to improve to give Ben the best chance possible, he still looks very raw himself.
dao
24-08-2012
What the hell are Sky playing at, having Froome taking turns on the front and then playing leadout man for Ben Swift when there is a big mountain stage tomorrow? I'm amazed they'll let their big GC hope waste energy on Ben bloody Swift. With so many climbs on this tour, and after having done the TDF and Olympics he needs to save energy wherever he can. Don't do that again please.
Lucidia2011
24-08-2012
Lol, Froome is an alien, normal human rules don't apply.

Uran was dropped, so they were one man down, but still they went too early, again. I'm pleased they are there and fighting but if they aren't going to get it right it makes their decision look unwise to use guys, especially Froome, to do so much work for no reward.
Lucidia2011
24-08-2012
Could it be that Sky are used to having stronger guys on the front leading out Cav, and they aren't changing their tactics at all, but the train and the sprinter just aren't quick enough to make the lead out work?
aggs
24-08-2012
Originally Posted by Lucidia2011:
“Could it be that Sky are used to having stronger guys on the front leading out Cav, and they aren't changing their tactics at all, but the train and the sprinter just aren't quick enough to make the lead out work?”

I don't think so - Cav had to shift for himself for the Tour ... it was just that he could.
Nicholas Roche still tells the tale
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