Tour de Romandie

[mitosis]

Ha Ha. I've been waiting to add something to this thread so it will come up in my subscriptions but everyone seems say what I want to before I get a chance. Till now.

After the second last stage I hoped (but didn't think he had a realistic chance) that Evans would have a strong TT and win.

Well he did. He is a class rider. He can climb with the best, he's got a huge heart and he can time trial.

This should give him stacks of confidence. Hope there is more to come.

 

[Virenque]

Amazing "comeback" from Lotto.
I guess they were feeling the pressure.

They certainly were. Especially before McEwen`s win.

I like Romandie`s Prologue and TT with a lot of corners, steep climbs and pave. It makes all a lot more exciting.

 

[mitosis]

if anyone picked Evans, along with the total dominance of Davitamon Lotto in this race (and I didnt ... figured CSC would dominate as they usually do these week-long stagies), then brilliant on them!

i didnt see or hear anyone go with Cadel to win the overall, much less the TT today.
nice ride today also by Bobby Julich. He still demonstrates that he is a fantastic TT'er.

Cycling news hinted that they thought Evans had good chance "Apart from Valverde, some of Contador's biggest challengers will be Australian Cadel Evans, third on GC (@ 0'24) and excellent against the clock"

http://www.cyclingnews.com/road/2006/apr06/romandie06/?id=results/romandie064

 

[mitosis]

Yes, Evans has been out with unusual symtpoms, various diagnoses, and then a diagnosis of migraine which would allow him to take a number of pharmaceuticals. He has been eerily quiet and then blows the doors off a ITT. When was the last ITT he did well at BTW?

Here are some time comparisons:
Stage 5 2004
Tyler Hamilton (Usa-Pho) 26.29
Bradley McGee (Aus-FdJ) 0.35
Ronny Scholz (Ger-Gst) 0.53
Ivan Basso (Ita-Csc)0.58


2006

1 Cadel Evans (Aus) Davitamon-Lotto 26.19.87 (46.485 km/h)
2 Leif Hoste (Bel) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 0.22
3 Bobby Julich (USA) Team CSC 0.38
4 Andrey Kashechkin (Kaz) Liberty Seguros-Würth Team 0.44
5 Serguei Gonchar (Ukr) T-Mobile Team 0.49
6 Jorg Jaksche (Ger) Liberty Seguros-Würth Team 0.50

So Cadel beats a group of the worlds best ITTists.
In a time better that Tyler Hamilton, who let us say was at his "peak" in Romandie in 2004, right.
Any conjectures folks?
Amazing "comeback" from Lotto.
I guess they were feeling the pressure.

He finished with (and ahead) of Armstrong in mountain top finishes in last years tour. Maybe he is on the same thing that Armstrong was on. Or maybe you are just a troll.

 

[limerickman]

Evans is well regarded as a talent in the sport - and it was always a case of not if but when, he'd start to win.

Looking at Romandie - it's profile suits a rider like Evans. Plenty of climbing.
He was in contention throughout Romandie and he did a great ITT.
Nothing more needs to be said, I think.

 

[Dimos]

Yes, Evans has been out with unusual symtpoms, various diagnoses, and then a diagnosis of migraine which would allow him to take a number of pharmaceuticals. He has been eerily quiet and then blows the doors off a ITT. When was the last ITT he did well at BTW?

Here are some time comparisons:
Stage 5 2004
Tyler Hamilton (Usa-Pho) 26.29
Bradley McGee (Aus-FdJ) 0.35
Ronny Scholz (Ger-Gst) 0.53
Ivan Basso (Ita-Csc)0.58


2006

1 Cadel Evans (Aus) Davitamon-Lotto 26.19.87 (46.485 km/h)
2 Leif Hoste (Bel) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 0.22
3 Bobby Julich (USA) Team CSC 0.38
4 Andrey Kashechkin (Kaz) Liberty Seguros-Würth Team 0.44
5 Serguei Gonchar (Ukr) T-Mobile Team 0.49
6 Jorg Jaksche (Ger) Liberty Seguros-Würth Team 0.50

So Cadel beats a group of the worlds best ITTists.
In a time better that Tyler Hamilton, who let us say was at his "peak" in Romandie in 2004, right.
Any conjectures folks?
Amazing "comeback" from Lotto.
I guess they were feeling the pressure.

Compare to us the weather conditions as well, especially the wind, so that we can have ANY picture at all. Otherwise any comparison is just speculation

 

[barnstorm]

Compare to us the weather conditions as well, especially the wind, so that we can have ANY picture at all. Otherwise any comparison is just speculation

indeed. There are two triathlons that I do every year with the bike TT leg in the same spot. My form is different every year and conditions are different every year so you really can't compare times from different years. A 5mph difference in wind or slight difference in wind direction can knock me up or down a couple of mph. (sorry for the miles references.... still struggle with that metric stuff)

I must admit that I am surprised by Cadel's TT. He is a great rider but I just haven't seen him quite making the leap to top tier. Of course, this still is Romandie, not a GT. I still see him as 4th-5th in the Tour as a ceiling but am happy enough to be proven wrong. I think having Aussies succeed in high level sport is just good for sport. Tons of great fight and sporting attitude from their top athletes.

 

[mitosis]

Evans is well regarded as a talent in the sport - and it was always a case of not if but when, he'd start to win.

Looking at Romandie - it's profile suits a rider like Evans. Plenty of climbing.
He was in contention throughout Romandie and he did a great ITT.
Nothing more needs to be said, I think.

Except that I agree entirely.

There has never been any question of Evans ability. Two wins in Tour of Austria, World cup mountain bike champion.

 

[whiteboytrash]

Holder of the pink jersey and almost won the Giro in 2000 with Mapei.......

Except that I agree entirely.

There has never been any question of Evans ability. Two wins in Tour of Austria, World cup mountain bike champion.

 

[whiteboytrash]

....and has a hot Italian wife......

Holder of the pink jersey and almost won the Giro in 2000 with Mapei.......

 

[when eddy ruled]

.....and cadel was a bronze medal winner at the junior worlds in '95 in the ITT and he also won the TT at the comm games in manchester in 2002. he goes ok against the clock and so so up the hills as well

 

[milker]

.....and cadel was a bronze medal winner at the junior worlds in '95 in the ITT and he also won the TT at the comm games in manchester in 2002. he goes ok against the clock and so so up the hills as well

...and he came 7th in the last ITT in the 2005 TdF. Only competitor at the Tour de Romandie who beat him in that race was Julich.

 

[limerickman]

Cycle Sport April 2005 edition carried a very interesting interview with Evans.

Just to set the context, Evans has just joined Lotto from Mobile.
In the interview he is asked about his time at Mobile he says he wasn't happy.
He broke his collr bone at the 2003 Vuelta (having broken it twice in 2000 and
2002).
Evans said that he had a power imbalance because, due to so many breaks, his left should had much less movement and power than his right shoulder.

For the 2004 TDF, Vino crashed (in TDeSuisse) and Evans was not selected.
Asked why Mobile didn't select him - Evans wouldn't disclose.
Evans does say "there is a control thing in that team. For example if they found me talking freely to a journalist, like I am with you now, I would have been in trouble. For every interview, you had to have a PR guy there. It was a very odd experience".
Nick Gates suggests that the Mobile mentally is part of the old East German view that everything ought to be controlled.

Evans talks up his 2005TDF chances by saying "I am comfortable at Lotto. There is a massive Aussie influence here with Gates, McEwen, Vogels and Allan Pieper. Marc Sergeant has been very supportive too".

The interview states that Evans is a serious minded bloke and is quite reserved.
Having nearly won the 2002 Giro, he was at the time of writing expected to do well in the 2005 TDF, (which he did).

 

[cyclingheroes]

For example if they found me talking freely to a journalist, like I am with you now, I would have been in trouble. For every interview, you had to have a PR guy there. It was a very odd experience".
Nick Gates suggests that the Mobile mentally is part of the old East German view that everything ought to be controlled.

I know this is true, i've had some experience with TM, they even control the whole media handling of their women team. It's not easy to work with TM as a journalist (and as a rider...).

 

[DiabloScott]

Cadel's not on the Giro start list.

 

[limerickman]

Cadel's not on the Giro start list.

Indeed he isn't on the start list for the Giro.

I think he's Lotto's main hope for LeTour.

 

[Eldrack]

Problem Lotto have is that they have two areas they have to focus on, now way are they going to the tour without some people to help out Robbie and so Cadel won't have the support that some of the other contenders have. Still, he should be good for the top 10, top 5 even if his current form shows up again at the tour.

 

[Eilert Pilarm]

Nick Gates suggests that the Mobile mentally is part of the old East German view that everything ought to be controlled.

I would suggest to Nick that the entire German mentality is that way.
calculating, exacting, controlling to a fault.
ja wohl!

 

[Virenque]

Old East German view is all about 700 W of power with support of powerful doping products from russian pharmacy industry. Then on a race day it`s all about 54/11 and converting all these watts to the road..

....and has a hot Italian wife......

Really? Can you find a photo for me? I like Virenque`s, Valverde`s, Petacchi`s and Basso`s wifes/girlfriends and would love to see Cadel`s one too if it`s really that hot.

 

[mitosis]

Cycle Sport April 2005 edition carried a very interesting interview with Evans.

Just to set the context, Evans has just joined Lotto from Mobile.
In the interview he is asked about his time at Mobile he says he wasn't happy.
He broke his collr bone at the 2003 Vuelta (having broken it twice in 2000 and
2002).
Evans said that he had a power imbalance because, due to so many breaks, his left should had much less movement and power than his right shoulder.

For the 2004 TDF, Vino crashed (in TDeSuisse) and Evans was not selected.
Asked why Mobile didn't select him - Evans wouldn't disclose.
Evans does say "there is a control thing in that team. For example if they found me talking freely to a journalist, like I am with you now, I would have been in trouble. For every interview, you had to have a PR guy there. It was a very odd experience".
Nick Gates suggests that the Mobile mentally is part of the old East German view that everything ought to be controlled.

Evans talks up his 2005TDF chances by saying "I am comfortable at Lotto. There is a massive Aussie influence here with Gates, McEwen, Vogels and Allan Pieper. Marc Sergeant has been very supportive too".

The interview states that Evans is a serious minded bloke and is quite reserved.
Having nearly won the 2002 Giro, he was at the time of writing expected to do well in the 2005 TDF, (which he did).

I dug out a Cycling Australia column written by Evans just after his non-selection in the 2004 tour. Although he was philosophical he was very disappointed. It was obvious then he wasn't happy at T Mobile - and not just for his non selection but also their tactics.