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Tour de France 2012: Pre-Race thread
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| wackojackohighcliffe |
Posted on 14-06-2012 22:44
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ianrussell wrote:
Errrr...ok I know I'm way way off the pace (extreme satellite delay blamed on the demands of 2 small children) but having just been randomly bought the official Tour programme and having a quick flick through I'm counting only 3 mountain finishes of which all are cat 1 not HC climbs 
I know this is old news for 99% of you and this isn't the Giro or Vuelta but still, couldn't be more Wiggins and Evans friendly if it tried. Of course so many things can still go wrong but I was very belatedly shocked and needed somewhere to air it so...
Last year we had tons of tough climbs throughout the Pyrenees and Alps. And they only attacked in the last couple of stages. If the climbers go for it, they can still win...the onus is on them to shake things up though.
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| ianrussell |
Posted on 14-06-2012 22:51
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wackojackohighcliffe wrote:
ianrussell wrote:
Errrr...ok I know I'm way way off the pace (extreme satellite delay blamed on the demands of 2 small children) but having just been randomly bought the official Tour programme and having a quick flick through I'm counting only 3 mountain finishes of which all are cat 1 not HC climbs
I know this is old news for 99% of you and this isn't the Giro or Vuelta but still, couldn't be more Wiggins and Evans friendly if it tried. Of course so many things can still go wrong but I was very belatedly shocked and needed somewhere to air it so...
Last year we had tons of tough climbs throughout the Pyrenees and Alps. And they only attacked in the last couple of stages. If the climbers go for it, they can still win...the onus is on them to shake things up though.
Yes totally agree anything is possible but as routes of the Tour go if you were Wiggin's you couldn't hope for any more - HC climbs seem to be largely in the first half of stages, nothing too steep and over 100km of TTing. That's a long way from him actually winning though.
Edited by ianrussell on 14-06-2012 22:52
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| wackojackohighcliffe |
Posted on 14-06-2012 23:05
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ianrussell wrote:
wackojackohighcliffe wrote:
ianrussell wrote:
Errrr...ok I know I'm way way off the pace (extreme satellite delay blamed on the demands of 2 small children) but having just been randomly bought the official Tour programme and having a quick flick through I'm counting only 3 mountain finishes of which all are cat 1 not HC climbs
I know this is old news for 99% of you and this isn't the Giro or Vuelta but still, couldn't be more Wiggins and Evans friendly if it tried. Of course so many things can still go wrong but I was very belatedly shocked and needed somewhere to air it so...
Last year we had tons of tough climbs throughout the Pyrenees and Alps. And they only attacked in the last couple of stages. If the climbers go for it, they can still win...the onus is on them to shake things up though.
Yes totally agree anything is possible but as routes of the Tour go if you were Wiggin's you couldn't hope for any more - HC climbs seem to be largely in the first half of stages, nothing too steep and over 100km of TTing. That's a long way from him actually winning though.
Yeah, it's the best route ever for Wiggins, undoubtedly, but it's not there to guarantee he wins, it's there to try and force the climbers to attack properly.
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| ianrussell |
Posted on 14-06-2012 23:18
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wackojackohighcliffe wrote:
Yeah, it's the best route ever for Wiggins, undoubtedly, but it's not there to guarantee he wins, it's there to try and force the climbers to attack properly.
Here's hoping for both the attacks and the win. |
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| EdvaldBoassonHagen |
Posted on 15-06-2012 00:30
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I found very awful that Cavendish will make Hagen work for him in the bunch sprints of the Tour and finally will quit to prepare for Olympics (True ?) And Hagen could me more interesting for breakaways win and he knows how to sprint without a train.
Hagen should leave Sky : he had a wonderful season 2011 without the stupid Cavendish. Oops
Edited by EdvaldBoassonHagen on 15-06-2012 00:41
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| CountArach |
Posted on 15-06-2012 03:26
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EdvaldBoassonHagen wrote:
I found very awful that Cavendish will make Hagen work for him in the bunch sprints of the Tour and finally will quit to prepare for Olympics (True ?) And Hagen could me more interesting for breakaways win and he knows how to sprint without a train.
Hagen should leave Sky : he had a wonderful season 2011 without the stupid Cavendish. Oops
I've missed Norwegian nationalism.
Cavendish needs a good lead out to be at his best. With so much of the team devoted to Wiggins Hagen must work for Cavendish or else he really won't have a lot of people with him. I also doubt that Sky will be in too many breaks anyway as they will be controlling the race for the majority of days. Hagen also has nowhere even close to the top speed of Cavendish so claiming that he could win stages without is just ludicrous.
Edited by CountArach on 15-06-2012 03:57
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| Teddy The Creator |
Posted on 15-06-2012 03:33
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CountArach wrote:
EdvaldBoassonHagen wrote:
I found very awful that Cavendish will make Hagen work for him in the bunch sprints of the Tour and finally will quit to prepare for Olympics (True ?) And Hagen could me more interesting for breakaways win and he knows how to sprint without a train.
Hagen should leave Sky : he had a wonderful season 2011 without the stupid Cavendish. Oops
I've missed Norwegian nationalism.
Cavendish needs a good lead out to be at his best. With so much of the team devoted to Wiggins Hagen must work for Cavendish or else he really won't have a lot of people with him. I also doubt that Sky will be in too many breaks anyway as they will be controlling the race for the majority of days. Hagen also has nowhere even close to the top speed of Cavendish so claiming that he could winstasheds without is just ludicrous.
Got nothing on the "patriotism" of the men and women of the US of A. 
Edited by Teddy The Creator on 15-06-2012 03:34
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Posted on 22-11-2024 17:42
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| Ian Butler |
Posted on 15-06-2012 07:43
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EdvaldBoassonHagen wrote:
I found very awful that Cavendish will make Hagen work for him in the bunch sprints of the Tour and finally will quit to prepare for Olympics (True ?) And Hagen could me more interesting for breakaways win and he knows how to sprint without a train.
Hagen should leave Sky : he had a wonderful season 2011 without the stupid Cavendish. Oops
I don't know if he should quit Sky. But I agree he shouldn't be a helper his entire career, I think he's ready to do some leading himself. |
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| Gulvplanke |
Posted on 15-06-2012 09:41
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Teddy The Creator wrote:
CountArach wrote:
EdvaldBoassonHagen wrote:
I found very awful that Cavendish will make Hagen work for him in the bunch sprints of the Tour and finally will quit to prepare for Olympics (True ?) And Hagen could me more interesting for breakaways win and he knows how to sprint without a train.
Hagen should leave Sky : he had a wonderful season 2011 without the stupid Cavendish. Oops
I've missed Norwegian nationalism.
Cavendish needs a good lead out to be at his best. With so much of the team devoted to Wiggins Hagen must work for Cavendish or else he really won't have a lot of people with him. I also doubt that Sky will be in too many breaks anyway as they will be controlling the race for the majority of days. Hagen also has nowhere even close to the top speed of Cavendish so claiming that he could winstasheds without is just ludicrous.
Got nothing on the "patriotism" of the men and women of the US of A.
Oh believe me, it does.
How hard can it be?
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| Teddy The Creator |
Posted on 15-06-2012 09:46
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Ian Butler wrote:
EdvaldBoassonHagen wrote:
I found very awful that Cavendish will make Hagen work for him in the bunch sprints of the Tour and finally will quit to prepare for Olympics (True ?) And Hagen could me more interesting for breakaways win and he knows how to sprint without a train.
Hagen should leave Sky : he had a wonderful season 2011 without the stupid Cavendish. Oops
I don't know if he should quit Sky. But I agree he shouldn't be a helper his entire career, I think he's ready to do some leading himself.
Uhhhh, he's won two TdF stages, the Eneco Tour, 2 stages in the Dauphine and Tirreno each and not to mention a Giro stage and Gent-Wevelgem. I think he's done a bit of leading already.
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| Alakagom |
Posted on 15-06-2012 09:47
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Ian Butler wrote:
EdvaldBoassonHagen wrote:
I found very awful that Cavendish will make Hagen work for him in the bunch sprints of the Tour and finally will quit to prepare for Olympics (True ?) And Hagen could me more interesting for breakaways win and he knows how to sprint without a train.
Hagen should leave Sky : he had a wonderful season 2011 without the stupid Cavendish. Oops
I don't know if he should quit Sky. But I agree he shouldn't be a helper his entire career, I think he's ready to do some leading himself.
He's not doing quit Sky  Why ? Well, he loves it there 2nd, he signed 3 year extension to his contract in Decemenber 2011
The only race EBH has to work for Cav is the Tour. And even that, EBH will have about 3-4 opportunities to go for himslef. 2 in uphill sprint and I guess 2 breaks. The rest, he's usually the leader. This year, there's special focus on Wiggins on stage races and he has to help. But he was the leader at Classics and will lead in races later in the year.
Sorry to say EdvaldBH, but EBH is having better season terms of scoring points than in 2011 so far
Edited by Alakagom on 15-06-2012 09:48
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| ianrussell |
Posted on 15-06-2012 10:12
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As above, EBH has a very rounded role in the team. Work for Cav in the flater sprint stages, potentially go for the tough sprint stages himself, work for Wiggins during part of the mountain stages and even potentially go in a break or 2!
Not sure how many of those boxes he will tick given those demands over a 3 week race but from what little I know he has some impressive stamina and decent recovery to help him.
Yes there is a compromise for him but that's the case for almost everyone in such a big team and he will nonetheless get his chances. |
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| Ian Butler |
Posted on 15-06-2012 10:32
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Well, there are enough races for everyone, aren't there? |
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| Avin Wargunnson |
Posted on 15-06-2012 10:36
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Ian Butler wrote:
Well, there are enough races for everyone, aren't there?
No, there are races for Sagan and than for the rest 
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| Ian Butler |
Posted on 15-06-2012 10:37
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Avin Wargunnson wrote:
Ian Butler wrote:
Well, there are enough races for everyone, aren't there?
No, there are races for Sagan and than for the rest
Good point
The other riders will have to divide the other races between them, there aren't many left  |
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| EdvaldBoassonHagen |
Posted on 15-06-2012 13:42
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Sagan has a leadout train ? |
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| Avin Wargunnson |
Posted on 15-06-2012 13:56
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EdvaldBoassonHagen wrote:
Sagan has a leadout train ?
It seems like he doesnt need one or not a big one, Oss should do the job.
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| EdvaldBoassonHagen |
Posted on 15-06-2012 14:00
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He could be favorable for him contrary to Cavendish. If he takes Cavendish's wheel he can win many stages. |
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| Spilak23 |
Posted on 15-06-2012 18:52
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Will Tony Martin complete the whole tour? I could see him surpising and finishing in the top 10 as he weighs 4 kilo's lighter and due to the timetrials..
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| jsh312mufc |
Posted on 15-06-2012 18:59
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Spilak23 wrote:
Will Tony Martin complete the whole tour? I could see him surpising and finishing in the top 10 as he weighs 4 kilo's lighter and due to the timetrials..
Will probably leave early for the olympics |
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