Tour de France 2012

[Tumbleweed]

That was 2009 when he finished last in everyone of the mountain stages.His team just left him to ride on his own.He suffered every day but refused to quit like so many of the others.

 

You gotta respect that!

[GrumpyOldGuy]

 

:clap: :clap:

 

Liquigas-Cannondale for the Tour de France:

 

Ivan Basso (Ita), Federico Canuti (Ita), Kristijan Koren (Slo), Vincenzo Nibali (Ita), Dominik Nerz (Ger), Daniel Oss (Ita), Peter Sagan (Svk), Sylwester Szmyd (Pol), Alessandro Vanotti (Ita)

 

Again I dont understand the thinking here, Basso and Szmyd had hard Giro's, these are key riders and I doubt they will be fully recovered. Looks like they too will pin their hopes on Sagan for a few sprint stages, I fear, like Scarpo in the Giro, Nibs will be left to fry in the sun, I dont see anyone there able to support him who didnt ride a hard Giro.

[Imploder]

Great article about the Lantern Rouge:

 

http://billstricklan...-at-being-last/

 

"If second place is the first loser, then last place is, in a way, the final winner. Go get one more loss, Wim. For all of us."

Edited June 27, 2012 by Imploder

[TNT1]

Bunch of two-year-olds:

 

He received word on Monday evening from team manager Johan Bruyneel that he would not be nominated for any further WorldTour races this season. Riders earn points for good results in WorldTour races, and these points transfer with a rider if he goes to a new team. So if Fuglsang were win points this year, they would count for RadioShack this season but also for whatever team he is with next year.

The action is seen as punishment for his critical remarks concerning the team. It will also likely decrease his value for the coming year. It is also a clear indication that RadioShack will not offer him a contract for 2013.

 

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/radioshack-nissan-rules-out-worldtour-races-for-fuglsang?ns_campaign=news&ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=cyclingnews&ns_linkname=0&ns_fee=0

['Dale]

Love this:

 

@TdFLanterne: The last 2 TdF Lanternes Rouges, Fabio Sabatini and Adriano Malori, are NOT riding the 2012 edition. It's wide open.

 

['Dale]

Again I dont understand the thinking here, Basso and Szmyd had hard Giro's, these are key riders and I doubt they will be fully recovered. Looks like they too will pin their hopes on Sagan for a few sprint stages, I fear, like Scarpo in the Giro, Nibs will be left to fry in the sun, I dont see anyone there able to support him who didnt ride a hard Giro.

 

Me sure hope Liquigas gets the Green Jersey to take home this year.

 

GO, SAGAN!!

[GrumpyOldGuy]

Me sure hope Liquigas gets the Green Jersey to take home this year.

 

GO, SAGAN!!

 

Yes, maybe they will, I think the green jersey and possibly the polka will be more of a contest than the Yellow.

 

..but that said I am not a huge tour fan, I'll watch most of the stages I guess, but to me its over hyped and I prefer to watch the smaller events like the Giro or the Vuelta.

[gummibear]

When are the Team presentations?

[petatodd]

Again I dont understand the thinking here, Basso and Szmyd had hard Giro's, these are key riders and I doubt they will be fully recovered. Looks like they too will pin their hopes on Sagan for a few sprint stages, I fear, like Scarpo in the Giro, Nibs will be left to fry in the sun, I dont see anyone there able to support him who didnt ride a hard Giro.

That's a matter for discussion, at no stage could I see them turning themselves inside out. They both looked to be setting a pace at the front then sat up when the going got tougher.

[petatodd]

When are the Team presentations?

Thursday evening from 18:20 CAT. Not sure what that makes it for you Europeans...

 

edit: added CEST picture

Edited June 27, 2012 by petatodd

[gummibear]

Thursday evening from 18:20 CAT. Not sure what that makes it for you Europeans...

 

edit: added CEST picture

 

Thanks,we one same time as you for now.

[G-Unit]

Me sure hope Liquigas gets the Green Jersey to take home this year.

 

GO, SAGAN!!

 

+1

['Dale]

Unfinished business from le Tour 2011:

 

I do not support lawsuits and, yet, is very happy to read this:

 

Hoogerland is said to still suffer from back pain, mood swings and insomnia as a result of the crash.

 

 

http://www.cyclingne...ance-2011-crash

Edited June 27, 2012 by Puncheur

['Dale]

Provocative title.

Interesting read.

 

"Who will finish 3rd in the Tour?"

 

http://inrng.com/2012/06/tour-podium-contenders/

[gummibear]

Bunch of two-year-olds:

 

He received word on Monday evening from team manager Johan Bruyneel that he would not be nominated for any further WorldTour races this season. Riders earn points for good results in WorldTour races, and these points transfer with a rider if he goes to a new team. So if Fuglsang were win points this year, they would count for RadioShack this season but also for whatever team he is with next year.

The action is seen as punishment for his critical remarks concerning the team. It will also likely decrease his value for the coming year. It is also a clear indication that RadioShack will not offer him a contract for 2013.

 

http://www.cyclingne...=0&ns_fee=0

 

Looks like there will be a German based Team next year,so i am sure many of the Lux Team will move over.More space for Americans on Radioshack then

[GrumpyOldGuy]

That's a matter for discussion, at no stage could I see them turning themselves inside out. They both looked to be setting a pace at the front then sat up when the going got tougher.

 

Hmm, I dont know, I am not sure you can sit up and dawdle along and still come 5th in a tough event like the Giro as Basso did.

Most of the time he was pushed to the limit to try and stay with the real climbers like Scarpo and Rodriguez and he was brutally honest in saying he simply couldn't do any more, personally I think he was on the rivet most of the time.

 

Szmyd likewise was also called to do a ton of work at the front for Basso, which he did admirably, I forget which stage it was but he chased down virtually every break and then sat on the front again up the mountains the next day, and the next I just dont think its possible to recover so quickly from such exertions.