2009 Tour of Poland

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

mmm they wont controll the race the way they did at the tour, I just value Greipel as a great sprinter. should be more inteersting then the tour sprints anyway

 

[TrudyTas]

mmm they wont controll the race the way they did at the tour, I just value Greipel as a great sprinter. should be more inteersting then the tour sprints anyway

Let's hope so!

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Bozic won.
Greipel second.

 

[ingsve]

DNS Iker Camano (Spa) Fuji-Servetto
DNF Eros Capecchi (Ita) Fuji-Servetto
DNF Robert Kiserlovski (Cro) Fuji-Servetto

3 Fuji-Servetto riders out on the first day. I wonder if something happened? Was there a crash or something?

 

[issoisso]

To anyone who watched, it's very clear, the difference between Cavendish's current leadout train and the crap that Greipel had to make do with today.

Greipel is in no way explosive, yet the sprint started at a very slow speed. It could only be worse for him if he had to lead out from way far out. Oh wait, he did.

And still came second. Mightily well done by him. Clearly the strongest sprinter today.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Why be negative?
Poland is a good interesting race, even if you don't like it.
yeah ok... big riders are going to fly all the way to australia for an average race in the middle of the season? I think not. TDU is in the best postion possible i'd say, as a season warm up - get race fit - race.

I'm not being negative, i'm being a realist. Tour of Poland is a c grade event. I do agree though, tdu won't ever work as the travel is too far away for the big riders to race there.

 

[craig1985]

To anyone who watched, it's very clear, the difference between Cavendish's current leadout train and the crap that Greipel had to make do with today.

Greipel is in no way explosive, yet the sprint started at a very slow speed. It could only be worse for him if he had to lead out from way far out. Oh wait, he did.

And still came second. Mightily well done by him. Clearly the strongest sprinter today.

So Bozic got a better lead out?

 

[Buninyong Bunny]

I'm not being negative, i'm being a realist. Tour of Poland is a c grade event. I do agree though, tdu won't ever work as the travel is too far away for the big riders to race there.

Oh turn it up - If the TDU was held as a late March event in the middle of Europe, it would still a be a **** event because it has a rubbish course in a boring city, and there is nothing that can really be done to counter that. At least this race is genuinely competivite and travels up more than a couple of bumps.

A bit more on topic - I was happy to see Hilton Clarke so high up in the standings, with a bit of luck he might be able to get a really good points result out of this race, which should help him to jump ship next season.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

oh turn it up - if the tdu was held as a late march event in the middle of europe, it would still a be a **** event because it has a rubbish course in a boring city, and there is nothing that can really be done to counter that. At least this race is genuinely competivite and travels up more than a couple of bumps.

+1

top > tdu

 

[53 x 11]

Ok. Off topic now.

The TDU is a boring route because of its time slot not because there is nothing better to be had. Last time they tried to put them up a difficult hill all the riders protested cos it was too early in the season. I wont argue that Adelaide is a boring city, mostly thats to do with all the bloody Sydneysiders moving there to raise their spawn, but that has sweet FA to do with how good the cycling is.

BTW. I like Poland and the Le Tour de Polonge or what ever they want to call it.

 

[MKirilenko]

Furlan took the 2nd stage. Seems like a lot, lot cyclists want to win a sprint. Its little different from what we saw in TdF, no Columbia domination, no trains, very close battle. Nice

 

[Bala Verde]

Furlan took the 2nd stage. Seems like a lot, lot cyclists want to win a sprint. Its little different from what we saw in TdF, no Columbia domination, no trains, very close battle. Nice

Tomorrow's stage seems a little tougher for the pure sprinters. That could add even more excitement to the race.

 

[MKirilenko]

Manuel Quinziato twitter:
2nd stage here in Poland! Looking the people who comes to watch us I'm starting to think that ugly girls are killed as the born!
haha

 

[craig1985]

Plenty of good looking ladies in Poland. Best place.

 

[TrudyTas]

Furlan took the 2nd stage. Seems like a lot, lot cyclists want to win a sprint. Its little different from what we saw in TdF, no Columbia domination, no trains, very close battle. Nice

Anywhere to watch replays and/or live online, preferably in English?

 

[53 x 11]

Plenty of good looking ladies in Poland. Best place.

+1. But Some of the silliest looking men. Too much socks and sandles.

Anyone know of any live steaming? Justin TV perhaps?

 

[MKirilenko]

Anywhere to watch replays and/or live online, preferably in English?

Check worldcyclingchannel1's channel @ YT. Only last K tho.
And live apparently on Eurosport, dunno which one. Or maybe just replays.

 

[ak-zaaf]

i'm watching now @ http://nl.justin.tv/lukkaszewski27/popout

 

[Bala Verde]

ouch! that was almost a liquigash in that sharp right turn!!!

hmm what happened to greipel. He is peed off...

1Guarnieri
2Davis second
3Greipel
4Napolitano
5Abakoumov
6Roelandts
7Haedo
8Patersky
9Brown (one of the ones that could be laid off

 

[Balleballe]

Edvald Boasson Hagen wins today's stage in a massprint, finishing just centimetres ahead of his own teammate Andre Greipel.

Top 10:

1 BOASSON HAGEN Edvald THR
2 GREIPEL André THR
3 ROELANDTS Jurgen SIL
4 NAPOLITANO Danilo KAT
5 CHAINEL Steve BBO
6 ABAKOUMOV Igor ISD
7 FORSTER Robert NRN
8 BROWN Graeme RAB
9 GAVAZZI Francesco LAM
10 CHAVANEL Sebastien FDJ

 

[Balleballe]

Greipel was relegated after a duel with Allan Davis in the final metres. This puts Roelandts in the overall lead.

 

[craig1985]

EBH is going alright this year.

 

[TrudyTas]

EBH is going alright this year.

Good possibility to win the tour ... ???

 

[Buninyong Bunny]

Having now watched that sprint, I would like to say that Davis is a massive softcock. I mean fair enough Griepel sprinted irregually, but surely Davis could have continued and probably got himself in front of Roelandts. I mean if Hagen was able to stay out in front of Greipel, the sprint must not have been very fast, so it couldn't have been too difficult for Davis.

 

[badboyberty]

Oh turn it up - If the TDU was held as a late March event in the middle of Europe, it would still a be a **** event because it has a rubbish course in a boring city, and there is nothing that can really be done to counter that. At least this race is genuinely competivite and travels up more than a couple of bumps.

Back off topic. Judging by the course profiles there's only one stage in this years' Tour of Pologne with any signifcantly bigger bumps than the average TDU stage. The problem with the TDU is the aversion to hard stages in January and a lack of competitiveness largely due to it's position ludicrously early in the season. Comparing the winners lists for both races suggest that the same quality of riders are winning both events so I'm quite happy to see them on equal footing. The only difference is the ToP suits 'classic' rouleurs and the TDU is more suited to sprinters who can hold a wheel over a short sharp climb.

BB you're just miffed that it's one event that Victoria hasn't been able to steal... Adelaide may not be as 'exciting' as Melbourne but we have better beer, beaches, coffee and wine so I for one am not complaining.