|
Tour De France 2014 Pre-race thread
|
| Anderis |
Posted on 27-06-2014 23:14
|
Domestique
Posts: 471
Joined: 13-09-2010
PCM$: 200.00
|
jacobjc88 wrote:
Talansky hasn't impressed me in the GTs yet. When I ham see him he has lacked consistency which a GT requires. Therefore I really can't see him doing a top 8....He drove well in Dauphine, no doubt. But being a good short stage race rider doesn't mean he will be able to last in the GTs.
Well, he actually lasts in GTs very well, he was a top6 level in the last couple of days in both Vuelta 2012 and TdF 2013. His ability to recover in 3rd week is one of the best in the peloton.
Last year he was ill at the beginning of the Dauphine and that disrupted his preparation quite a bit. He was clearly not at his best shape somewhere between 10th and 15th day of the Tour, it was clear. Yet, he recovered very well and finished 10th overall, being stronger than Mollema and around Kreuziger's level in the last 3 mountain stages.
A 24 years old places himself 10th overall despite not having an ideal Tour, being quite a bit of his peak form in the 2nd week for some reason, yet you can't see him doing a top8 next year despite showing the form of his life on Dauphine. That's not... wise IMO.
Edited by Anderis on 27-06-2014 23:20
|
| |
|
|
| Shonak |
Posted on 27-06-2014 23:16
|
Tour de France Champion
Posts: 15615
Joined: 16-07-2013
PCM$: 350.00
|
StevenGreen wrote:
i think sky made the better team selection. froome will have much more support in the cobble stage, which could give him the advantage of up to 2 minutes or something like that
Froome crashed because of a hole in the road in the Dauphine. Contador managend quite well 2010 cobblestage, where Cancellara went full berserk-style against him after Contador lost contact because of Fränk Schleck's crash. So odds are, Contador has a slight advantage. Still if I had to pick anyone to get time on other contenders, it'd be of course Valv.
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
|
| |
|
|
| b3n3v3nt3 |
Posted on 27-06-2014 23:16
|
Stagiare
Posts: 160
Joined: 27-07-2011
PCM$: 200.00
|
About Purito... if he's in top shape, he could do some great stuff, especially since there's just 1 ITT stage this year, and no TTT at all. I guess it all depends on how he feels. |
| |
|
|
| ruben |
Posted on 27-06-2014 23:44
|
Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 7721
Joined: 23-10-2006
PCM$: 200.00
|
Anderis wrote:
jacobjc88 wrote:
Talansky hasn't impressed me in the GTs yet. When I ham see him he has lacked consistency which a GT requires. Therefore I really can't see him doing a top 8....He drove well in Dauphine, no doubt. But being a good short stage race rider doesn't mean he will be able to last in the GTs.
Well, he actually lasts in GTs very well, he was a top6 level in the last couple of days in both Vuelta 2012 and TdF 2013. His ability to recover in 3rd week is one of the best in the peloton.
Last year he was ill at the beginning of the Dauphine and that disrupted his preparation quite a bit. He was clearly not at his best shape somewhere between 10th and 15th day of the Tour, it was clear. Yet, he recovered very well and finished 10th overall, being stronger than Mollema and around Kreuziger's level in the last 3 mountain stages.
A 24 years old places himself 10th overall despite not having an ideal Tour, being quite a bit of his peak form in the 2nd week for some reason, yet you can't see him doing a top8 next year despite showing the form of his life on Dauphine. That's not... wise IMO.
Mollema was a bit ill in the last week though. Especially on Alpe d'Huez.
But yeah. Talansky does have awesome recovery. And I think he's definately on a higher level than Mollema this year |
| |
|
|
| Jacdk |
Posted on 28-06-2014 00:37
|
Breakaway Specialist
Posts: 910
Joined: 20-07-2011
PCM$: 200.00
|
StevenGreen wrote:
Jacdk wrote:
StevenGreen wrote:
I dont see the schlecks in almost any of your top tens. Andy had a terrible season last year and finished 20th overall without fraänk by his side. This season wasn't really good either, but better. So maybe he could improve and get a top ten result, especially with fränk riding next to him. Now I know, that he is lined up as a domestique, but that might change as soon as he shows a good form (maybe better than zubeldia). Fränk on the other hand had a decent season so far and could as well finish among the top ten. As everybody knows, the schlecks thrive in tour, especially Andy, who is pretty much just motivated for the tour.
So here is my top ten.
1. Contador (he is smarter and abetter climber then froome)
2. Horner (just for fun )
3. Froome (will have a really bad day)
4. Mollema
5. F. Schleck
6. Talansky
7. Costa
8. Pinot
9. Bardet/TVG
10. A. Schleck
Plus: the schlecks got cnacellara, rast and irizar who could help them gain some time in the cobble-stage..
When one of the closets friends and allies says that Schleck has lost the drive, the spark, the thing that makes a winner out of decent rider. You know the train has gone and it won't come back so yes Schleck might go to start but i am betting that this friend isn't wrong and Schlecks will not even be in the top 20 at the end.
Also don't let Daphunie fool anyone, Froome has a bag of tricks and he will open it and show that his froomstrong juice isent over. Unfortunately.
Because i like Contador a hell a lot of more then team crapski.
well, correct me if i am wrong, but i think that close friend of andy said that in 2012/beginning 2013. andy finished 20th in 2013. fränk got a top ten in crit. international. and they are always 50% better at the tour
Actually no Fuglsang said it in mar. 14 so only 3 months ago.
And Franck? you mean when he was doping himself? but yes Schelck did win Critique in 2011 which was his only win if i dont remember wrong.
But look at Andy and Frank and tell me that they are living up to the up after going 2nd and 3rd during Riis before they backstabbed him and ran to Leopard-trek. |
| |
|
|
| Jacdk |
Posted on 28-06-2014 00:41
|
Breakaway Specialist
Posts: 910
Joined: 20-07-2011
PCM$: 200.00
|
Shonak wrote:
Talansky has been fantastic last year. Actually, he has been so good, that I have been fairly disappointed this year by his results until he made a home-run with the Dauphine. Now I'm all hype.
Just remember that Talansky won Dauphine not because he was best but because Sky and Contador failed and too late saw him as a threat. |
| |
|
|
| baseballlover312 |
Posted on 28-06-2014 00:43
|
Tour de France Champion
Posts: 16429
Joined: 27-07-2011
PCM$: 10438.70
|
Jacdk wrote:
Shonak wrote:
Talansky has been fantastic last year. Actually, he has been so good, that I have been fairly disappointed this year by his results until he made a home-run with the Dauphine. Now I'm all hype.
Just remember that Talansky won Dauphine not because he was best but because Sky and Contador failed and too late saw him as a threat.
He was still 3rd best. And beat Froome on stage 7.
RIP Exxon Duke, David Veilleux, Double Feature, and Monster Energy |
| |
|
|
| ruben |
Posted on 28-06-2014 03:28
|
Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 7721
Joined: 23-10-2006
PCM$: 200.00
|
Froome was already injured and weakened at that point. |
| |
|
|
| baseballlover312 |
Posted on 28-06-2014 03:29
|
Tour de France Champion
Posts: 16429
Joined: 27-07-2011
PCM$: 10438.70
|
ruben wrote:
Froome was already injured and weakened at that point.
Even so he beat literally EVERYONE besides Contador.
RIP Exxon Duke, David Veilleux, Double Feature, and Monster Energy |
| |
|
|
| Kirchen_75 |
Posted on 28-06-2014 07:00
|
Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 7702
Joined: 24-07-2009
PCM$: 200.00
|
Talansky wasnt the strongest rider at the Dauphine, he was being opportunistic which you have to praise him for that. Saw his chance and took it 100%.
As for his Tour chances, He might have peaked too early but we'll see. I'm confident Nibbles will be ready and Valv.Piti wins ITT Spanish champs which shows how strong he is right now. It's gonna be a fantastic Tour
Edited by Kirchen_75 on 28-06-2014 07:02
|
| |
|
|
| Shonak |
Posted on 28-06-2014 07:38
|
Tour de France Champion
Posts: 15615
Joined: 16-07-2013
PCM$: 350.00
|
Jacdk wrote:
Shonak wrote:
Talansky has been fantastic last year. Actually, he has been so good, that I have been fairly disappointed this year by his results until he made a home-run with the Dauphine. Now I'm all hype.
Just remember that Talansky won Dauphine not because he was best but because Sky and Contador failed and too late saw him as a threat.
So, you mean that Talansky is riding for Tour victory now? What counts is that he was better than guys like VdB and TVG and Nibali. Whatever his goal is, those are the guys he will have to beat for it. Talansky has said right after his Dauphine-victory that he will not have a chance against Bertie and Vroome at le Tour, and neither BBL nor I have implied that he will finish podium - but then again, who knows what's gonna happen. 
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
|
| |
|
|
| Ad Bot |
Posted on 22-11-2024 22:16
|
Bot Agent
Posts: Countless
Joined: 23.11.09
|
|
| IP: None |
|
|
| Failured |
Posted on 28-06-2014 15:26
|
Breakaway Specialist
Posts: 796
Joined: 27-06-2011
PCM$: 200.00
|
Yep, this just happened...
https://www.tinkof...kreuziger/
Edited by Failured on 28-06-2014 15:27
|
| |
|
|
| TankNL |
Posted on 28-06-2014 15:31
|
Domestique
Posts: 440
Joined: 19-03-2007
PCM$: 200.00
|
that's a big blow... for him, for the team and for Contador. |
| |
|
|
| jacobjc88 |
Posted on 28-06-2014 15:37
|
Domestique
Posts: 424
Joined: 13-03-2010
PCM$: 200.00
|
Why is it this first comes around now? It was in 2011 and 2012 the abnormalties occured....Come on UCI. Really this slow?
Bad for Tinkoff Saxo but so is life, if he cheated, he must be punished by the rules, no matter what.
Present:
Tinkoff-Saxo - AG2R - Colombian riders
Past:
Francisco Mancebo - Illes balears - Carlos Sastre - Kelme - Robbie McEwen
|
| |
|
|
| b3n3v3nt3 |
Posted on 28-06-2014 15:43
|
Stagiare
Posts: 160
Joined: 27-07-2011
PCM$: 200.00
|
I seriously don't believe that this timing was just a coincidence...
Maybe Brian Cookson pulling some strings in favor of SKY?  |
| |
|
|
| Riis123 |
Posted on 28-06-2014 15:45
|
Grand Tour Specialist
Posts: 5075
Joined: 07-08-2008
PCM$: 200.00
|
Havent heard about this case before, but this sounds like bullshit. They have basically have had a year to decide whether or not the two experts' explanations were right and then decides to bring it up 1 week before the Tour.
I hope someone who actually know something about this case would post something which explains this better (Aquaris), but so far, Im not impressed by how they have handled that. This is obviously a huge blow for Saxo and the race in general. |
| |
|
|
| ShortsNL |
Posted on 28-06-2014 16:15
|
Breakaway Specialist
Posts: 898
Joined: 17-11-2011
PCM$: 200.00
|
A quick timeline of the incidents described:
-March '11 - August '11: abnormalities in Roman's blood passport occured during this period, found later by CADF. Roman was Riding for Astana.
-April '12 - End of Giro '12: abnormalities in Roman's blood passport occured during this period, found later by CADF. Roman was Riding for Astana.
-Winter '12 - '13: Roman transfers to Saxo/Tinkoff
-28th June '13: Roman recieved letter from CADF about aforementioned abnormalities. Roman tells his team and denies doping. Roman doesn't tell the press, and currently, fails to specify what abnormalties.
-July '13 - October '13: Roman gets the opinion of two 'trustworthy, independent, unbiased, objective' experts and also his team staff check on him. All conclude that he didn't dope and that his abnormalities were caused in another way. He fails to specify what other cause.
-October '13: Roman sends the reports of aforementioned experts and his team to the UCI.
-30 May '14: Roman recieves a letter from UCI that his explanation offered by said experts is not accepted, they give him 10 days to respond.
-June '14: Roman gets an extension until 30 June '14 to respond. He gets a third expert, described similar to the previous two, to check his bio passport data. Said third expert concludes that the data is 'normal' and that there is no ground for suspecting doping. The press release fails to mention again what other cause there was to his anomaly, and this is a contradiction with the word 'normal' provided by the third expert.
-Today: Tinkoff-Saxo pulls him from any future racing until they recieve more info (supposedly from the UCI). The team is not suspending him unless instructed by UCI or the Czech federation. Roman states he is going to defend himself.
-No information is given on any furher action undertaken by Roman/TCS, regarding the submission of the third expert statement to the UCI.
-No information is given on any further action undertaken by the UCI.
Conclusion: The team has pulled him based on blood values, after the UCI/CADF informed him about it, but didn't suspend him yet. Roman/the team failed to bring up a valid explanation for his values according to the UCI, even though he/the team have tried studying the values.
Henao much?
|
| |
|
|
| Riis123 |
Posted on 28-06-2014 16:25
|
Grand Tour Specialist
Posts: 5075
Joined: 07-08-2008
PCM$: 200.00
|
Good work and yeah, that definetely reminds you of Henao. I just dont still get how they can spend THAT (almost a year) literally doing nothing but look at 2 explanations from experts and conclude whether its valid or not....
|
| |
|
|
| Dizzle |
Posted on 28-06-2014 16:32
|
Neo-Pro
Posts: 378
Joined: 30-06-2011
PCM$: 200.00
|
Hello, Cookson.
|
| |
|
|
| TimoCycling |
Posted on 28-06-2014 16:32
|
Sprinter
Posts: 1765
Joined: 27-08-2012
PCM$: 200.00
|
Hope it's not true, I like him as a rider  . |
| |
|
