EF Education-EasyPost : Chirps, Opinions, Updates

['Dale]

Me too - plenty of talk around Cav vs Sagan.

 

I sure hope he kicks Cav's azzz in the sprints.

 

Greipel reportedly said Sagan is the fave rider for the green jersey.

He was just awarded with the lead out train to take some stages.

 

Gamesmanship at its best...

:-)

Edited June 19, 2012 by Puncheur

['Dale]

"We will aim for a place of honor in general classification, supporting Vincent until the last stage, and we will try to put Peter in the best position to win at least one stage. In his (Sagan's) case, it is right to be ambitious but do not forget the difficulties and pressures of a race like the Tour, The role of Basso, finally, will be crucial for Nibali in the toughest stages. His experience and charisma will be essential in helping the team at times of pressure."

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)

[Cav']

I do hope they give Sagan the support to take a couple of stages or green - even though its only his second grand tour after a Vuelta.

['Dale]

I do hope they give Sagan the support to take a couple of stages or green - even though its only his second grand tour after a Vuelta.

 

Yah, they have declared that priority goes to Nibs for the GC challenge.

Like Team SKy.

 

Sagan seems to do well with just about one leadout rider.

Then again, this is the TdF.

[kosmonooit]

From Cyclenews:

 

The Grand Tour veteran Ivan Basso will provide a road captain's role for the team following his fifth place finish at this year's Giro d'Italia.

 

Daniel Oss, Kristijan Koren, Alessandro Vanotti and Sylwester Szmyd all provide Tour de France experience, while Frederick Canuti and Dominik Nerz will be making their Tour debuts.

 

"We are presenting a group determined and ready to support the aspirations of our captains," said directeur sportif Stefano Zanatta. "We will race the Tour de France firstly to accommodate the ambitions of Nibali and Sagan and we're well aware of the responsibilities that lie ahead.

 

"We will aim for a place of honor in general classification, supporting Vincent until the last stage, and we will try to put Peter in the best position to win at least one stage. In his (Sagan's) case, it is right to be ambitious but do not forget the difficulties and pressures of a race like the Tour, The role of Basso, finally, will be crucial for Nibali in the toughest stages. His experience and charisma will be essential in helping the team at times of pressure."

['Dale]

Slovakian humour... it's dry but you can drink it:

 

 

Liquigas is trying to drum up a new sponsor for 2013. Sagan is due to stay onboard and the team, according to his spoof Twitter feed, will be called ‘Sagan’.

@TweeterSagan: “ANNOUNCEMENT: Liquigas-Cannondale also change name for Tour de France. Now please refer to as ‘Liquigas-Sagan’ or just ‘Sagan.’”

 

 

http://cyclingtipscontent.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/edt5ie9khyo0dqmzg0s0.jpeg

['Dale]

hmmm... two alpha males...

 

http://cdn2.media.cyclingnews.futurecdn.net/2012/06/28/2/bettiniphoto_0114128_1_full_600.jpg

[pad man]

Sagan for 2 stages in the tdf

[GrumpyOldGuy]

I see Nibs had a good Pro Log, I doubt he can win but I hope he is given the support he needs, - I am sure he will be, few managers I have seen behave as Bruyneel did recently, but until it gets going one never knows.

['Dale]

Saaaaaaagaaaaaaannnnnn.......!!!

[Spinnekop]

Sagan's bike for tomorrow: http://ow.ly/i/JM8K

[petatodd]

http://static.ow.ly/photos/normal/JM8K.jpg

 

Peter Sagan shows Spartacus his teeth

['Dale]

Sagan explained his rather strange gesture after the win - it was a bet with his friends that he had made before the TdF - if he won a stage he would make a bird wings...

['Dale]

Nice piece on velonews.com:

 

 

1. Peter Sagan is really that good.

 

The Liquigas-Cannondale man of many talents is hardly an unknown, having already scooped up five of the Amgen Tour of California’s eight stages and four stages of the Tour de Suisse in the lead-up to the Tour to go with previous stage wins at the Vuelta a España and Paris-Nice. Still, some expressed lingering doubts about the true extent of the young Slovak’s abilities: most of the stages he’d won were in second-tier events. The real competition really wasn’t there, or was just training for something else.

They’re the same criticisms that could be leveled at about 80 percent of pro cycling wins, of course, but they carry even less veracity now that Sagan’s knocked back his first Tour stage win in his first attempt. In taking the grinding uphill finale into Seraing, he downed pure sprinters, Ardennes champions, and grand tour contenders in one fell swoop.

What’s perhaps more impressive than Sagan’s strength and speed is his composure. Despite repeated entreaties from breakaway companion Fabian Cancellara (RadioShack-Nissan), one of the peloton’s patrons, to pull through in the closing kilometer, Sagan held fast on the yellow jersey’s wheel as the peloton closed in. By doing so, he executed his strategy perfectly, and took the first step toward a likely run at the green jersey.

[petatodd]

Sagan’s Tourminator Origin

 

Sagan’s nickname is “Terminator” but not for the reason you might think. Cannondale press liaison Rory Mason says the name comes from Sagan’s time racing mountain bikes, when he was famous for being hard on gear, “terminating” wheels, tires, and other parts. Sagan kept asking for a special bike and made a bet: win a fifth stage at the Tour of California and he’d have a bike for the Tour de France.

http://www.bicycling.com/sites/default/files/images/IMG_3272.JPG

['Dale]

Sagan’s Tourminator Origin Sagan’s nickname is “Terminator” but not for the reason you might think. Cannondale press liaison Rory Mason says the name comes from Sagan’s time racing mountain bikes, when he was famous for being hard on gear, “terminating” wheels, tires, and other parts. Sagan kept asking for a special bike and made a bet: win a fifth stage at the Tour of California and he’d have a bike for the Tour de France. http://www.bicycling.com/sites/default/files/images/IMG_3272.JPG

 

Check out this custom spec:

 

It's not just the paint that makes Sagan's bike special, though. Cannondale provides him with a custom geometry (shared with teammate Daniele Bennati, thankfully) that pairs a long 58cm top tube with the rear end of a 54cm frame.