13/05 - 19/05: Tour of California

[DNP-Old]

Wow, that would have been a massive win for Walscheid.
Bernal was imperial but Martinez impressed me even more. I expected him to be among the best climbers but that TT performance was something else.

Dani is a TT'er first though. He won several nationals titles and stood out in the junior ranks with his TT. He started developing as a climber lateron.

 

[Koronin]

I'm more impressed by Martinez than Bernal in this race. Bernal did what was expected and really was not impressive in doing so, plus had a not very good TT. Martinez had a very good TT and did well in the climbs without much help from his team.

Then Gaviria and Ewan dominating the sprints. It was also nice to see Cav actually stay on his bike.

 

[Sestriere]

Re:

Lmao, total domination by the two biggest talents in cycling. Nice stuff by Bernal and Gaviria.

Dominant lead out, three times narrowly beating Ewan, who showed equal top speed. Could easily be the other way around in July.

 

[Akuryo]

First time since 09 that not a single stage was won by Sagan. And that is only, cause Sagan went pro in 2010. So he won a stage in EVERY year until now in California. It ended thanks to a guy named Gaviria, who won every sprint he entered. Only lost out on stage 3, cause of a flat tire, but the peloton let Smukulis get away that day.

 

[tobydawq]

Re:

First time since 09 that not a single stage was won by Sagan. And that is only, cause Sagan went pro in 2010. So he won a stage in EVERY year until now in California. It ended thanks to a guy named Gaviria, who won every sprint he entered. Only lost out on stage 3, cause of a flat tire, but the peloton let Smukulis get away that day.

The profiles of the stages were very anti-Sagan this year (except for the stage won by Skujins).

 

[GenericBoonenFan]

Re:

First time since 09 that not a single stage was won by Sagan. And that is only, cause Sagan went pro in 2010. So he won a stage in EVERY year until now in California. It ended thanks to a guy named Gaviria, who won every sprint he entered. Only lost out on stage 3, cause of a flat tire, but the peloton let Smukulis get away that day.

Skuijns you mean?

 

[GuyIncognito]

Zabel actively screwed Kittel over....again.
Unintentionally, I'm sure, but at this point it's looking like he doesn't learn

 

[Cance > TheRest]

Re:

Zabel actively screwed Kittel over....again.
Unintentionally, I'm sure, but at this point it's looking like he doesn't learn

Not only Kittel, but everyone bar Gaviria was put in great disadvantage because of his maneuver. It looked almost comical.
Anyway, super impressive speed by Walscheid. Now he just needs to learn bike throwing so he doesn't 'throw' away any more big wins

 

[jaylew]

Re: Re:

Zabel actively screwed Kittel over....again.
Unintentionally, I'm sure, but at this point it's looking like he doesn't learn

Not only Kittel, but everyone bar Gaviria was put in great disadvantage because of his maneuver. It looked almost comical.
Anyway, super impressive speed by Walscheid. Now he just needs to learn bike throwing so he doesn't 'throw' away any more big wins

Yeah, Zabel handed that to Gaviria by letting that gap go. He screwed over Kittel, Ewan, Sagan...everyone else really. It looked like he just couldn't hold the Quickstep train's wheel when they came by. Gaviria is a stud but it's no coincidence that anyone they have sprinting dominates. Cavendish, Kittel, Gaviria, Trentin, Viviani, even the young guys who've won sprints this year. That team is just so good at what they do.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Re:

[quote="Koronin Bernal did what was expected and really was not impressive in doing so, plus had a not very good TT.[/quote]

Not impressive? You have tough standards.

 

[Koronin]

Re: Re:

[quote="Koronin Bernal did what was expected and really was not impressive in doing so, plus had a not very good TT.

Not impressive? You have tough standards.[/quote]


When you take into account what he did in Romandie and Catalonia this isn't as impressive as those two races.

 

[Akuryo]

Re: Re:

[quote="Koronin Bernal did what was expected and really was not impressive in doing so, plus had a not very good TT.

Not impressive? You have tough standards.[/quote]

He is not Valverde. That is enough reason for Koronin. Every other rider is okay~ish at best.

 

[Koronin]

Re: Re:

[quote="Koronin Bernal did what was expected and really was not impressive in doing so, plus had a not very good TT.

Not impressive? You have tough standards.

He is not Valverde. That is enough reason for Koronin. Every other rider is okay~ish at best. [/quote]


:lol: :lol: Well there is that, but come on, I thought he was impressive in Romandie and Catalonia. I also thought Soler was impressive at Paris-Nice. Now don't talk about when Valverde retires because I still can't find anyone to replace Cancellara as my 2nd favorite rider, no idea what I'll do when Valverde retires.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Wow, that would have been a massive win for Walscheid.
Bernal was imperial but Martinez impressed me even more. I expected him to be among the best climbers but that TT performance was something else.

Dani is a TT'er first though. He won several nationals titles and stood out in the junior ranks with his TT. He started developing as a climber lateron.

I didn't know this! Kinda surprises me, he is so small

 

[Bot. Sky_Bot]

He rode 1:30 into the next rider in 10kms. Wtf is this monster

He went full gas at 14,4 km to go, and gained:
+ 25 sec - at 12,8 km to go;
+ 35 sec - 12,3 km;
+ 45 sec - 11,6 km;
+ 60 sec - 10,8km;
+ 75 sec - 10,4km (top of penultimate climb).
Vuelta? - Kwiatkowski answered such question a week ago, GT will be a leader. I hope (but I'afraid it wouldn't be true) Bernal would be a joker, not domestique.

 

[Bot. Sky_Bot]

Re: Re:

[quote="Koronin Bernal did what was expected and really was not impressive in doing so, plus had a not very good TT.

Not impressive? You have tough standards.

He is not Valverde. That is enough reason for Koronin. Every other rider is okay~ish at best. [/quote]

This.

 

[Red Rick]

Geraint Thomas.

As leader

For the Vuelta?

 

[Bot. Sky_Bot]

Re:

Geraint Thomas.

As leader

For the Vuelta?

It looks like, and I'm full astonished.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Vuelta? - Kwiatkowski answered such question a week ago, GT will be a leader. I hope (but I'afraid it wouldn't be true) Bernal would be a joker, not domestique.

I can't imagine Sky being that dense. They shouldn't make him a leader (if only to keep the pressure away), but they shouldn't make him a domestique. They need to let him do his thing, see what's in the tank, how far he can go. And should GT fail, he might still be in contention.

 

[jaylew]

Re: Re:

Geraint Thomas.

As leader

For the Vuelta?

It looks like, and I'm full astonished.

No Sky plans will be finalized until Froome's clinic issue is resolved.

 

[Leinster]

Re: Re:

Quite a good route imo. Although one more hilly stage instead of a sprint would've been cool.
.

Nah, I think a 50/50 split between hills and sprints, with a TT in the middle, is a decent mix. Also, if the wind whips up in the Central Valley, that Elk Grove stage could get echelon-y.

Three completely flat stages are too much, but otherwise its a superb route. Four really nice and really different stages in very varied terrain. Like it very much.

I think a medium-hilly stage would have been nice in the mix; the 3 climbing stages look too tough for a puncheur to mix in, and the flat stages are, as you say, dead flat.

If Kittel is in form, Sagan may not win a stage!

I was right, but also wrong.

Went to the finale in Sacramento. We were near where the race entered the finishing circuit, and on the last lap the Katusha train was hammering through, and it looked all go for Kittel. By the time I'd turned around to check out the big screen, Quickstep had just swamped them.

I was convinced at first glance that Gaviria was 3rd. Walscheid just came out of nowhere, but I think Gaviria pulled off the best bike throw I've ever seen.