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tombeej

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Everything posted by tombeej

  1. It's been a blistering start, as we expected because of all the attacks trying to form the big break. They are currently 10 minutes ahead of the expected time so far.
  2. Chavanel and GVA have made it across the gap too. And the break has got it up to 3 minutes. The peloton have let it go (for now).
  3. NEW DEVELOPMENT: Boasson Hagen, Gallopin, Durbridge and Impey have also got across the gap, making a 13-rider attack. This is getting interesting.
  4. Ja, absolutely. So much for a come-back this year for the Olympics and the Vuelta. Dammit, that's bad news for Oom Bertus.
  5. That's a very strong group. The sprinters teams - at least the ones who have an eye on the green jersey at least - have to get onto the front now to pull this back, if no-one else wants to. But then it will tire them out for the finale. If they do manage to bring it back then Tinkoff and OBE and DDD should still have fresh legs in their sprint trains. BUT: it's all about that last short, steep little climb at the end. Who can get over it first?
  6. A reminder of who is in the break: Vincenzo Nibali (Astana)Peter Sagan (Tinkoff)Mikel Landa (Sky)Gorka Izagirre (Movistar)Samuel Dumoulin (Ag2R-La Mondiale)Damiano Caruso (BMC)Stephen Cummings (Dimension Data)Rui Costa (Lampre-Merida)Michael Matthews (Orica-BikeExchange)
  7. The peloton seems to have eased, allowing the break to extend its lead. Also in the move are Landa (Team Sky( and Caruso (BMC). The overall contenders are marking each other via their teammates. Back up to 30 seconds.
  8. We might soon be Gruppo compacto again. The main peloton is only 15 seconds behind the break now.
  9. Come on bling, time to pay me back for the faith I've showed in you by keeping you in my team!
  10. And of course all the guys going after the polka dot jersey: Majka, Pinot, De Gent. They'll have to make sure they're in the break as well.
  11. My prediction: whoever wins today will come from the break. Sagan, Coquard, Matthews, GVA, Alaphilippe, Gerrans, Gallopin, Chavanel, Voekler, Styvens: they all have to be vying for a place in the break. That climb at the start is going to be manic. I wish we could see it live - it's going to be all out - attack after attack as soon as they're out of the neutral zone. The lighties I was hoping to see feature in this TDF - Vakoc and Gougeard - will hopefully be in the mix as well.
  12. One of the reasons why Quick-Step remains my favourite team. Such an awesome team spirit - no prima donnas there, no overblown egos - everyone (including the big stars) will bury themselves for each other depending on who is the best prospect for the win on the day. A legend like Tom Boonen working happily as a domestique for someone like Matteo Trentin in a race. Kittel doing the same for DTM. Lefevere and his DS team seem to have the magic touch when it comes to pulling a team together.
  13. I've been picturing what a descent like that one tomorrow must be like: basically non-stop for 60km and dropping 2 vertical kilometres in altitude. 60km should be nearly an hour of solid descending, eish. It must start getting pretty uncomfortable after a while, trying to hold the tuck for so long. Might even start wishing for a bit of climbing relief.
  14. Post edited: Comment on spokes removed to bring it back to the subject of the thread.
  15. Ja if one goes, rule of thumb is to always respoke the whole wheel. EDIT: Esp. where we live (salty coast). Corrosion is always an issue. And get your wheel builder to respoke with brass nipples.
  16. Let's entertain ourselves with a mini comp to see who can come up with the best chirps / photoshopped pics / memes / new nicknames for riders, etc. from the first week of the TDF.
  17. Ja, the Ventoux stages always seem to be the same profiel: a very long flat run to the base of the mountain and then the race explodes. One of my favourite quotes about the approach to Ventoux: ”It’s very hot. I’m going to hell. Not a word. Nothing is more impressive than a silent peloton. Nobody says a word, nobody laughs. Lifting your head slightly you can make out the shape in the distance, through the mist, of the Ventoux….You can smell the fear of the men going to a lingering death. Tomorrow, we ride.” Jean Bobet, brother of three time Tour winner Louison Bobet
  18. "I like to attack and fight for the win even if this means getting dropped, instead of sitting behind and fighting for second." Dan The Man
  19. The sort of textbook stage the organisers create for the breakaway specialists: start with a big climb right off the bat, followed by a loooong downhill, and then a few bumps in the finale to promote those in the break to start attacking each other. And the finish has been created specially for a punchy type like Sagan, Matthews, Alaphilippe to attack on the last hill which looks like it comes straight out of a spring classic: short and steep.
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