Samuel Samu Sanchez official awesomness thread.

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Samu will be out of contention by the 1st week. Euskaltel will be back looking for breakaway wins.

elaboration required

[Michielveedeebee]

let's hope he doesn't get screwed over by being in the wrong echelons in Bretagne

GO GO SAMMY!!

[Lanark]

Is used to really like him, but the last couple of years he's got a bit boring. His patented 'getting dropped at the bottom of a climb, and slowly make your way up at your own pace' garantuees zero action and tv-time. During last years Tour he was about as interesting as Menchov, which is never a good thing, i.e. if they wouldn't have participated, the race would have unfolded exactly the same, just everyone behind them would move up one place. Well, I guess his attack at Morzine wasn't so bad, so Sanchez gave us about two minutes of action last year.

Let's hope he races this year to earn an official awesomness thread.

[Euskaltel!]

Here's hoping for a MTF win =)

[nesocip]

Is used to really like him, but the last couple of years he's got a bit boring. His patented 'getting dropped at the bottom of a climb, and slowly make your way up at your own pace' garantuees zero action and tv-time. During last years Tour he was about as interesting as Menchov, which is never a good thing, i.e. if they wouldn't have participated, the race would have unfolded exactly the same, just everyone behind them would move up one place. Well, I guess his attack at Morzine wasn't so bad, so Sanchez gave us about two minutes of action last year.

Let's hope he races this year to earn an official awesomness thread.

That climbing style was patented by Haimar Zubeldia.

[Havetts]

elaboration required

Team Time Trial and Euskaltel, do the math .


And I totally wouldnt mind if there was someone to podium and it were Gesi.. eh Samu .

[Alpe d'Huez]

I too like the guy and would love to see a MTF win.

[gregrowlerson]

Not one of my favourites, but congratulations Hitch on another marvellous thread into.

Hang on, I almost forgot about that gift to Klodi in the 'Queen' stage of Paris-Nice. Suddenly Samu seems quite likeable afterall. :-)

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Team Time Trial and Euskaltel, do the math .


And I totally wouldnt mind if there was someone to podium and it were Gesi.. eh Samu .

The TTT won't be a deal breaker tho. He shouldn't lose much more a minute. I see no reason why that would take him out of contention, certainly not for his main objective the podium.

[auscyclefan94]

elaboration required

Don't get me wrong, I like Samu but I think Euskaltel will do quite badly in the ttt. I don't see it turning out to be good for Samu. I also fear for him during the 1st week that he will lose time and that he doesn't have guys who can keep him up the front out of danger in the crosswinds.

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Don't get me wrong, I like Samu but I think Euskaltel will do quite badly in the ttt. I don't see it turning out to be good for Samu. I also fear for him during the 1st week that he will lose time and that he doesn't have guys who can keep him up the front out of danger in the crosswinds.

A weaker team lost 1.13 to the strongest team at the giro. They should do a tad better here i think. But even if they do lose that, he easily take that from the wiggo, Evans, vdvs and martins of the peloton I'n the mountains. A disadvantage yes, deal breaker no chance.

As for the first week, he used to be one of the best classics rider I'n the world, he won't lose much or any time there.

And for the wind, the advantage of a team is
A) cause carnage I'n the peloton
B) strong enough to bring it back together if their leader misses the cut.
Eusk can fo neither I'll concede, but a select few can.
But my point is Samu won't need his team if he rides attentively and at the front of the peloton. He has enough experience to know where he has to be.
It requires an error for him to lose here or a moment of poor concentration, it isn't valid to expect this.

He should be fine after the first week no problem .

[Cimber]

One of my absolute favorite riders. Incredible decender and also a great climber. Would love to see him on the podium.

[auscyclefan94]

A weaker team lost 1.13 to the strongest team at the giro. They should do a tad better here i think. But even if they do lose that, he easily take that from the wiggo, Evans, vdvs and martins of the peloton I'n the mountains. A disadvantage yes, deal breaker no chance. As for the first week, he used to be one of the best classics rider I'n the world, he won't lose much or any time there.

And for the wind, the advantage of a team is
A) cause carnage I'n the peloton
B) strong enough to bring it back together if their leader misses the cut.
Eusk can fo neither I'll concede, but a select few can.
But my point is Samu won't need his team if he rides attentively and at the front of the peloton. He has enough experience to know where he has to be.
It requires an error for him to lose here or a moment of poor concentration, it isn't valid to expect this.

He should be fine after the first week no problem .

In your opinion he will be easily able to do that. Hypothetically lets say he does then he still has Gesink, Schleck and Contador to bring back time to so I still don't see a podium for him let alone a top 5.

[Angliru]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKgcYHXOzvo

The more important question is, who whill he lose a sprint to this year's Tour? Is it Bradley Wiggins? Kloden? Leipheimer?

Or will he get outdescended by Moncoutie at the descend of the Tourmalet?

All these questions will be answered in the next episode of the Tour. On your tv in July.

Why do you want to pee on our parade? What a killjoy.

[The Hitch]

CVV http://forum.cyclingnews.com/showthread.php?t=12027

Say what you will, but on this quote alone I would think it would qualify

Yeah, I knew there were lots more, but I just looked at the first 2 pages of forum and took the ones that were there.

[Angliru]

Hitch this picture will be my next avatar. Love it! Great opening to your thread too!

Big, big Samu and Euskaltel fan here. It is well within his talents to make the podium this year. Samu has shown a steady progression in his rise up the Tour gc. Samu standing on the podium would make my cycling year a great one. Go Sammie!!

[Angliru]

Don't get me wrong, I like Samu but I think Euskaltel will do quite badly in the ttt. I don't see it turning out to be good for Samu. I also fear for him during the 1st week that he will lose time and that he doesn't have guys who can keep him up the front out of danger in the crosswinds.

Didn't you just say in the Tour TTT thread that you don't think that the "differences will be overly significant"? Was that just applying to BMC or all the teams?:confused:

[johngoat]

I think Sammy also has an opportunity to win the difficult Gilbert stages in first week.

[biopass]

I don't know with Samu. Euskaltel with or without Samu in a GT, is two different teams. Without Samu, they'll provide the entertainment and try to win their moments of glory by riding the beautiful way. But since Samu can do a bit of TT, they no longer ride beatiful. Instead their objectives is to protect Samu, support him whenever he needs it, and deliver him safely to mountains.

That is not the way an eleven year old wants to win the races.

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

In your opinion he will be easily able to do that. Hypothetically lets say he does then he still has Gesink, Schleck and Contador to bring back time to so I still don't see a podium for him let alone a top 5.

Samu has already proven that he can beat Gesink by a significant margin in the mountains. I for one hope he'll do it again.

He doesn't have to bring back time to Contador and baby Schleck for a podium finish.