No one is in control

Spees said:

No one team has been able to control the finale of the flat stages so
far. I wonder why.

1) In the past, did everyone just allow Cipo's red train or Telekom to
set things up and then just jump on?
2) Is there more parity in the field? Both among the leadout trains
and the sprinters themselves?
3) Are the GC teams getting in the way?

I've read complaints from riders the things are more dangerous this
year because of the lack of a dominant train.

What gives?

-Scott

It's clear. This is the cleanest tour since 1990. The leadout trains
are missing the extra edge.

[email hidden] (Spees) wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

No one team has been able to control the finale of the flat stages so
far. I wonder why.

1) In the past, did everyone just allow Cipo's red train or Telekom to
set things up and then just jump on?
2) Is there more parity in the field? Both among the leadout trains
and the sprinters themselves?
3) Are the GC teams getting in the way?

I've read complaints from riders the things are more dangerous this
year because of the lack of a dominant train.

What gives?

-Scott

I think it has more to do with the sprinters realizing there isn't a
super-Petacchi or super-Cipo amongst them. They believe they all have
a chance. And that's probably the main reason why they aren't all
fighting for the wheel of one dominating sprinter. In previous GT's
everyone wanted to be in Petacchi's wheel. By doing this every rider
who was not in peta' wheel was already eliminated before the actual
sprint, only the guy in his wheel has a chance to beat him. Now,
every sprinter has a little train (Zanini-Boonen, Kirsipuu-Nazon,
Hinault-Hushovd, Vierhouten-McEwen), because they consider that as
more important than fighting for the wheel of a dominating sprinter
'cause there is none. This makes the sprints more chaotic, resulting
in different winners.

Kenny said:

[email hidden] (Spees) wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

No one team has been able to control the finale of the flat stages so
far. I wonder why.

sprint, only the guy in his wheel has a chance to beat him. Now,
every sprinter has a little train (Zanini-Boonen, Kirsipuu-Nazon,
Hinault-Hushovd, Vierhouten-McEwen)

Julian Dean has been leading out Hushovd, and has in fact more or less led
out the entire peloton every time Hushovd has contested the final sprint.

--
Stig Are M. Botterli
[email hidden]