ToC

Bikeridindude said:

When I saw the finish of the race today, I thought it was a hell of a tactic. The luxury of having 2 sprinters, everyone thought Cavendish was leading out Ciolek, but Ciiolek let the gap open up and that's when Cavendish went for the line. Then I though, "they tried that way the hell too early!" So what was it, on purpose or an accident? He almost won the stage, just didn't have quite enough.

Ciolek did not have the legs, and I think if he did, Cav opened it up too early anyhow. But Cav may not have had any choice, because the last QS rider was pulling off.

thunder said:

Ciolek did not have the legs, and I think if he did, Cav opened it up too early anyhow. But Cav may not have had any choice, because the last QS rider was pulling off.

CAVENDISH ANGRY AFTER SPRINT MIX-UP

Slipstream in yellow, good god!

Some serious time-trialing power now in the top ten, with Leipheimer, Cancellara, Millar, and Zabriskie within 20 seconds of each other.

kennf said:

Some serious time-trialing power now in the top ten, with Leipheimer, Cancellara, Millar, and Zabriskie within 20 seconds of each other.

How does Cancellara lose this?

It has turned out to be a good, tight race.

Bro Deal said:

How does Cancellara lose this?

It has turned out to be a good, tight race.

Levi has the time checks, but that will not help him unless the tt is very very lumpy.

Cancellara can take 2 seconds per km out of Levi with not much trouble.

Wow, didn't know Cancellara could climb. Millar, sort of, Dave Z again sort of. But i'd always put down Cancellara as a big guy who was great on the flat but not on the really steep climbs like the Sierra grade.

The TT should be interesting, Levi's got some tt punch, and the course isn't entirely flat either so who knows.

Someone mentioned seeing Hamilton, Sevilla, and Botero riding with the Rock Racing kit going over the top of Mt. Hamilton. I think someone was saying this was in protest of them not being invited to ride. Can anyone confirm?

AlvChen said:

Someone mentioned seeing Hamilton, Sevilla, and Botero riding with the Rock Racing kit going over the top of Mt. Hamilton. I think someone was saying this was in protest of them not being invited to ride. Can anyone confirm?

I bet it's true. The three have been riding on the courses and hanging out with the Rock team, signing autographs.

Eldrack said:

Wow, didn't know Cancellara could climb. Millar, sort of, Dave Z again sort of. But i'd always put down Cancellara as a big guy who was great on the flat but not on the really steep climbs like the Sierra grade.

The TT should be interesting, Levi's got some tt punch, and the course isn't entirely flat either so who knows.

the guy is Indurain weight, and climbed like him last year at Tour de Suisse to hold his leaders jersey.

Should be able to win any tour on the calendar besides the GTs in the next decade. He climbs much better than Hincapie and Voigt at the same stage of their careers.

Levi beat Cancellara on the same course by 37 seconds last year.

However, I think Fabian's form this year is better than last year for the TOC. Last year he was just building. This year, he's bringing it on.

Look out for Paris-Roubaix!

I, for one, will be cheering for Fabian, Dave Z and David Millar.

Levi lost me as a fan when he joined Disco last year and seemed to produce unbelievable results as if by magic. Call me a disenchanted Disco fan who got into cycling (as a fan) via Lance but that has faded.

hawkeye87 said:

Levi beat Cancellara on the same course by 37 seconds last year.

However, I think Fabian's form this year is better than last year for the TOC. Last year he was just building. This year, he's bringing it on.

Look out for Paris-Roubaix!

I, for one, will be cheering for Fabian, Dave Z and David Millar.

Levi lost me as a fan when he joined Disco last year and seemed to produce unbelievable results as if by magic. Call me a disenchanted Disco fan who got into cycling (as a fan) via Lance but that has faded.

Welcome to CF Hawk. This is not thepaceline.com however... 😉

hawkeye87 said:

Levi beat Cancellara on the same course by 37 seconds last year.

However, I think Fabian's form this year is better than last year for the TOC. Last year he was just building. This year, he's bringing it on.

Look out for Paris-Roubaix!

I, for one, will be cheering for Fabian, Dave Z and David Millar.

Levi lost me as a fan when he joined Disco last year and seemed to produce unbelievable results as if by magic. Call me a disenchanted Disco fan who got into cycling (as a fan) via Lance but that has faded.

nope, Cancellara was not in GC contention. You cannot take his effort into account as he was not riding for the overall.

Put the GC win in front of him, he probably goes one minute faster.

Hawkeye, dont get down on Levi, he must be given props, probably the greatest product from a measure of talent in the peloton. Tour of Germany, high place in Dauphine, I think he might have won actually, Tour of California. If you take out GTs, Levi has been the best classification rider in the current peloton. Which is a plaudit.

He is not doing anything anyone else is. Go back to 2000 at the Vuelta. The guy can ride a great tt. He was 3rd that year in the worlds tt. So, get some background and reassess. I am of the opinion he is not great talent, but his results speak otherwise, doped or not.

So, they timetrial at the tour was no doubt rocket fuelled, but hey, that is how Armstrong laid it down, and no one complained. Rass was unlucky.

Levi is boring, a whiner, and probably a prodigious doper. He sucks more wheel that Evans, who has atleast attacked is some selective classics on the calendar.

But Levi's results are all class, and he is no different to most riders in the peloton, bar the whining, which he shares with Evans with the penchant for cautious riding.

If he worked with Gesink to get away on the climb, he would have one more minute up his sleeve. As it is, Gesink did all the work, and the commentary was [censored], they should have chewed him out, and given credit to the Dutchman.

Crankyfeet said:

Welcome to CF Hawk. This is not thepaceline.com however... 😉

Can I say thank God!

I joined that forum last year and went on hiatus for months. I come back and it's Astana-mania.

I'm posting over there a bit but feel more brain cells die as I remain. Just reading Jeff Vader's posts makes me wonder where his parents are. He has to be a kid.

Vader is either a kid, or a brilliant mole.

I'm glad to see to Dave Z climbing like most people always thought he should be able to, given his build.

I'm surprised how badly Hincapie exploded after his attack.

I'd like to see Cancellara stomp Levi in the time trial, but I think it'll be damn close.

hawkeye87 said:

Can I say thank God!

I joined that forum last year and went on hiatus for months. I come back and it's Astana-mania.

I'm posting over there a bit but feel more brain cells die as I remain. Just reading Jeff Vader's posts makes me wonder where his parents are. He has to be a kid.

Welcome aboard. We pride ourselves in being smarter than Vader.

I think Hincapie attacked because he was in trouble. He'd lost contact for a bit on the mount Hamilton climb, so attack on the descent to arrive at the last climb before the others. Once his 30 second or so advantage was made up, well, he's a big guy on a steep climb and as a general rule that means you go backwards fast (unless you're cancellara apparently).

Of note I think is Oscar Freire's performance on this stage, coming in only 4:20 down. Looks like he's in excellent for for Milan San-Remo when that comes around.

Then there's these two who I honestly have never heard of before. Jurgen Vandewalle, Kevin Seeldraeyers. Third and fourth place respectively. Also never heard of Oliver Zaugg (11th). Will be interesting to see how these guys get on in the TT.

Interesting racing so far. A botched finish in Sacramento with Boonen coming out on top, interesting climbing yesterday, and an open competition for the tt.

When I lived in the Bay Area, I once tried to climb Mt Hamilton from San Jose and once from the other side (starting in the Tri Valley area). I never managed (I'm just a recreational rider and I'm not really built for cycling). I should also say that I tried it during summertime when the heat is merciless. It doesn't do anything for my ego to see how 'easy' the pros went over it.

And I like the commentary on this page better than Phil&Paul's. They're schmucks pandering to the old Disco now Astana crowd. Yesterday they even brought up 'LetLevyRide.com' or whatever it's called (might have been Bob Roll). I muted my TV set.

A last word about 'SLOW PED XING', this is really standard in CA at any pedestrian crossing. I never thought to read it that way:
Slow?? P.E.D.!! and XING!!! :p :p :p
(ZING would be better though).

Eldrack said:

I think Hincapie attacked because he was in trouble. He'd lost contact for a bit on the mount Hamilton climb, so attack on the descent to arrive at the last climb before the others. Once his 30 second or so advantage was made up, well, he's a big guy on a steep climb and as a general rule that means you go backwards fast (unless you're cancellara apparently).

I was suprised to see that Fabian finished in the 19" group, too.

But he wasn't out in front like George was on his own. Plus, while George is a good descender, I think Fabian is a maniac about it. I recall him going a bit wide in the TDF and sticking a leg out to save a complete wipeout.

hawkeye87 said:

Levi beat Cancellara on the same course by 37 seconds last year.

However, I think Fabian's form this year is better than last year for the TOC. Last year he was just building. This year, he's bringing it on.

Look out for Paris-Roubaix!

I, for one, will be cheering for Fabian, Dave Z and David Millar.

Levi lost me as a fan when he joined Disco last year and seemed to produce unbelievable results as if by magic. Call me a disenchanted Disco fan who got into cycling (as a fan) via Lance but that has faded.

Call me a cynic, but I don't think it is his form that has improved.