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tombeej

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Everything posted by tombeej

  1. tombeej
    One of my lighties, Alexis Gougeard is in the break today.
  2. tombeej
    When using those digital bathroom scales, remember that you need to 'zero' the scale first before using it. Otherwise you get those different readings (and some of them could be off by a few kilos). How to zero the scale: Turn it on (normally by standing on it) but just enough for the digits to appear. Just a medium press with 1 foot should do it. Then step back - away from the scale - and wait for it to turn off. Then step on it again to turn it on for a second time. You can now take your reading. That first step helps to zero the scale. You should find that 2 or 3 readings in a row will now be exactly the same. I've found that in the past with these things (esp. the cheap ones) the readings vary so wildly that I just can't trust what I'm looking at. So the scale might say I'm down 1 or 2 kg, but that could be a totally false reading. Next day I stand on the thing and it says I've gained 2 kg overnight. Moral of the story: either buy a top of the line digital scale for over R1K. Or weigh yourself at the gym (just needs to be first thing in the morning before breakfast).
  3. tombeej
    Matthews/Gerrans rivalry. I reckon it started here.
  4. tombeej
    Apparently the finish is a 500m uphill sprint at 5% gradient.
  5. tombeej
    Puzzling how Matthews has been so quiet up to now. Some of these finishes looked to have been tailormade for him. Maybe carrying a niggle or chest cold or something. But I was expecting to see a lot more of him.
  6. tombeej
    I know I've been repeating myself a bit about Sagan needing to be in a team with big strong Classics stars. Now this is a really positive development -- exactly what I'd been talking about. And an inspired signing from Bora if they pull it off. As we know Tony Martin started his Classics career this year for the first time (better late than never), and one of his big contributions for Quick-Step was in Paris-Roubaix when he pulled Tommeke away from the Sagan group when they were held up by Spartacus' crash. He almost singlehandedly opened that gap, refusing to come off the front even when Tommeke suggested to him that he'd done enough work and he could chill a bit. So now let's picture P-R 2017: Tony Martin doing big turns on the front for Sagan to open that same type of gap from his chasing rivals. Or Sagan punctures and Martin pulls him right back to the front again. Sagan arrives at the velodrome pretty fresh with all the main attacks neutralised by his big lieutenants. A relatively straightforward sprint from the final bend to finish it all off. It would be interesting to see how effective TM is during a race like Flanders which is more like 30-odd interval sprints over 7 hours compared to the long sustained big-watt pulls they do in P-R. So that's one key link in the chain added. Looking forward to seeing what others they're going to be adding in the coming weeks....
  7. tombeej
    Maybe he means they throw high heeled shoes at each other....
  8. tombeej
    Wow, very interesting
  9. tombeej
    100% - it was a hugely important effort by him there, really earned his salary yesterday.
  10. tombeej
    "I can’t be downbeat but my morale is not intact." AC
  11. tombeej
    Sagan can smell blood
  12. tombeej
    He's gonna get caught!
  13. tombeej
    Oh no Porte
  14. tombeej
    I see that 'G' is back in the mix, good to see.
  15. tombeej
    Jeez, Rohan Dennis has a big motor. His turn on the front was at 70 km/h. Hells bells.
  16. tombeej
    At this rate the winner is going to come from the break. Advantage Stuyven.
  17. tombeej
    OK so my prediction of a super fast start (with lots of attacks) was completely wrong . I hope I'm not going to end up 0 - 2 with my Quick-Step win prediction. They will be thinking they 'lost' the first stage, so they'll be extra motivated for todays win. Julian Alaphilippe... Petr Vakoc... Dan Martin.... Let's see if they can beat Sagan, Valverde or GVA in a head-to-head hill sprint. Or maybe someone sneaks away from an attack at the bottom of the climb while all the big names watch each other.... (Spartacus).
  18. tombeej
    Yip
  19. tombeej
    From the Inner Ring: "After 1.3km there’s a roundabout and the road turns left onto a smaller road lined by rowhouses, this is where the 10% gradient arrives. The 14% section cited above? Perhaps if you take the inside line on one right-hand bend it’s there… but it’s not that steep, the finish is mostly 5-6% all the way."
  20. tombeej
    Ja he's been very quiet since the spring. Just that one appearance on the winners podium for the stage 1 TT at Tour de Suisse, but besides that he's been flying under the radar. And with this being his last TDF, no ways he's just there to make up the numbers.
  21. tombeej
    One person we haven't mentioned yet is Cancellara. The old dog might still have the odd trick up his sleeve yet.
  22. tombeej
    Yes there's a whole list of people who believe they have a chance of yellow today. From breakaway specialists to the Classics stars, as well as the sprinters who can climb. So I reckon today is going to be raced full gas from the gun. Everyone and his dog will want to be in the break. So there's going to be attack after attack until one eventually manages to get away. Expect to see reports of the first hour being over 50km/h average speed. Then in those rollers in the final 65km, another list of people who think they can get away there (Gallopin, Gougeard, Vakoc, etc., etc.). And then finally the big attacks on the final climb to the finish. Guys sprinting from the bottom to the top. Just like a world champs finish on the Cauberg.... Gilbert will be crying into his packet of frites that he's not there today.
  23. tombeej
    Even better news for the Classics guys.
  24. tombeej
    The other scenario for today is for someone in the break to win it. This is a perfect stage for a small group of committed strongmen to get away in those last 65km (see profile below). Gallopin would be a perfect candidate. I'm sure we're going to see him. Those two lightys I agonised about putting in my team (but didn't) should be there too: Gougeard and Vakoc. And if Tony Martin manages to get into the small break they'll have an excellent chance of staying away. Vakoc and Martin are teammates, along with Alaphilippe. Quick-Step have to be eyeing this stage - it's perfect for them. Martin and Vakoc in the break. Alaphilippe in the main bunch waiting for the end sprint if the break is pulled back.
  25. tombeej
    Not today unfortunately. For the most part it does look flat, but the finale rules out the pure sprinters. This one is for the real punchy Classics guys who love sprinting up climbs. So if EVBH is feeling up to it after yesterday's crash he might be in line to take yellow from his teammate at the end of the day.... Other names looking to win this one: ValverdeAlaphilippeGVASaganMatthewsGerransCoquard?Here's what the finish looks like: 1.9 km climb @ 6.5%, then a very short 500m downhill followed by the final 600m uphill ramp to the line.
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