2010 Vuelta al Pais Vasco

[Hugh Januss]

Poetic licence But the point is that these guys have no idea what they're talking about.

Oh, no argument there.

 

[Ferminal]

Typical!

What is up with his form especially with L-B-L coming soon?


Nice analogy. Though their are a lot of dutch posters on here so you may get your head chopped off!

Pretty good result, just a little test - he doesn't seem like the guy who can "hold a peak" for weeks/months.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

No, but Gesink was a minute back in the hill stage back then and of course 2 years weaker than he is now, he was 21 at the time (!!!!)

And already on par with Horner there. I'm not going to say who will be better, but to say like Velonews that 'Gesink is not on the same level as Horner' in the ITT, is not stretching the truth, but just flat out bull poo.

+1

anyway just watched the highlights.

collusion; what a joke, if horner were strong enough he would have responded to that final attack by ss. I hope he gets his a$s handed to him in the itt. (and stage 5)

and yeah what a dreadful descend by gesink

I could be wrong but I think he may be talking about the vuelta last year when their were some rumours that valverde and sanchez were able to draft in the motorbikes slipstream.

that's all they were

What is up with his form especially with L-B-L coming soon?

I'd say this is a good indication of form, he wants to peak for the ardennes.
Also I'm pretty sure he stated he would be leader for F-W and frank for L-B-L

 

[Arnout]

If there was collusion, it is just a part of cycling.

That's the consequence of the sport in which all competitors ride in the same peloton, make enemies, make friends and make deals. That's the nice thing about cycling. You don't just have to battle your opponents like in football or another random sport, but you have to work together as well. Be strong, and be smart. Its the essence of road cycling.

 

[Mellow Velo]

Horner ran out of ideas, after his uphill attack. Races are usually won inside the final km or so.
Yesterday was no different.
Horner lost because it was Samu who turned up on his back wheel.
Samu is not someone you can attack on the downhill.

ACF: I know you are a young fan, but you are being naive, even by your standards.

Samu was always the guy in the four who Valverde would allow some leeway.
Nothing to to with nationality, all to do with GC timings.
Samu would also beat Horner in a sprint, every time.

It's just the whinings of a sore old loser, who knows that time is running out.

 

[Aguirre]

difficult to believe Horner being a 38 years old cyclist, rather looks a twentysomething naive one influenced by Cav

 

[ak-zaaf]

What a great read this thread. Horner is a sad little man.

read more on his blog 4-08truth.org

 

[python]

just watched a recap of stage 4. damn i missed i great stage.

my hat off to sammy, andy schleck and gesink. i wonder why kloeden and wiggins finished so far back. i expected a more inspired riding from them.

horner's comments are entertaining. nothing more. the guy's been next to tossers like levi for too long.

 

[Angliru]

In cycling, if someone is going down to a sprint, blocking only seems fair when it is done by a "team mate" not a country man. it is collusion.

Its simply whining something that you are obviously quite familiar with being an Evans worshiper.

As was stated Horner foolishly chose the wrong wheel to follow. He pretty much blocked himself by doing so. Who at that moment was more likely to launch an attack-Valverde who had just bridged or Sanchez who had bridged moments earlier? Simply put it is just an excuse for not getting the win. Casting blame elsewhere to pacify himself for his failure to produce in the end.
He then follows that with much bravado about the time trial that if he once again fails to produce makes him look even more foolish. Better to admit that the better man won and try again tomorrow instead of whining about this vast Spanish conspiracy against him.

 

[koolkinks]

Interestingly looking into the results of much hyped Team Sky the results for Stage 4:

Thomas Lokquist 2:34
Bradley Wiggins 4:23

Wiggins is supposed to be new great big GC contender for the Tour. Looking into this result he is still a long way off.

 

[Angliru]

You ride for your team who you are paid by, not your country.Happens all the time? really?

You've obviously never raced before or simply choose to ignore or forget these things if they are contrary to your argument at that moment. I really can't believe that you've never seen this exact thing occur before in a race if you follow the sport as passionately as I do and I know that you do. It is an accepted practice regardless of how you feel about it. The primary problem is that the one at who's feet that you worship has failed to cultivate the relationships within the peloton to even consider having a circumstance such as this occur in his favor. Likely due in large part to his incessant whining, excuse making and emotional outbursts that are common from him. Not that he isn't respected for his abilities which can't be denied. If you are in a break with 2 Belgians or 2 Italians or 2 Frenchmen and you are of another nationality you can expect that they will attempt to work you over.

 

[karlboss]

Its simply whining something that you are obviously quite familiar with being an Evans worshiper.

As was stated Horner foolishly chose the wrong wheel to follow. He pretty much blocked himself by doing so. Who at that moment was more likely to launch an attack-Valverde who had just bridged or Sanchez who had bridged moments earlier? Simply put it is just an excuse for not getting the win. Casting blame elsewhere to pacify himself for his failure to produce in the end.
He then follows that with much bravado about the time trial that if he once again fails to produce makes him look even more foolish. Better to admit that the better man won and try again tomorrow instead of whining about this vast Spanish conspiracy against him.

maybe there was collusion maybe there wasn't, fact is sanchez went, valverde didn't respond and horner just sat there.

 

[Angliru]

Aw jeez Aus, cricket? Does anybody really understand the rules of cricket?

Not I, that's why I ignored that analogy all together.

 

[python]

i like gesink's words after the stage, something like this - 'i never redlined and it was my impression valverde struggled to stay with my pace. last year it was the other way around'.

a good confidence builder if you ask me.

 

[maikel]

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x534za_vuelta-al-pais-vasco-alto-de-aia_sport

Nice movie about the Alto de Aia, especially from 6.30, there you see how steep it is, unbelievable hard. And then imagine there are 2 of this hills in the final today

 

[Angliru]

maybe there was collusion maybe there wasn't, fact is sanchez went, valverde didn't respond and horner just sat there.

This reminds me, not the "collusion" part, but the circumstances of when Armstrong had made a long bridge to an elite group on a climb in last year's Giro that included Sastre. Just as he made contact with the group you could see Sastre look back and notice Armstrong had joined them. Sastre immediately attacked, everyone in the group responded with the exception of a spent Armstrong who was immediately dropped. Textbook moves by both Sastre and Sanchez. As was stated earlier Horner had the choice of responding to Sanchez's move but he either didn't have the legs and couldn't or had a bout of Evansitis circa 2009 Dauphine/Ventouz stage and was waiting on Valverde to pull him up to Sanchez's wheel.

 

[issoisso]

Cunego retired.

Where are the conspiracy theorists when you need them?

 

[maikel]

Cunego retired.

Where are the conspiracy theorists when you need them?

Ballan also retreated from sundays PR

 

[Susan Westemeyer]

It had been announced before the race that Cunego had intestinal problems and didn't sleep much last night.

And Ballan has been put on inactive status by his team.

Susan

 

[issoisso]

It had been announced before the race that Cunego had intestinal problems and didn't sleep much last night.

I wonder why


Thanks for the update

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

They usually invent an illness when a rider has to be withdrawn pending dope investigations.

We can all see the signs

 

[Dr. Maserati]

Cunego retired.

Where are the conspiracy theorists when you need them?

Sorry I'm late.... what a shame, he was only 39 seconds back on GC.

It had been announced before the race that Cunego had intestinal problems and didn't sleep much last night.
......
Susan

Is 'intestinal' a new Italian word for legal? .... Hopefully its not contagious.

 

[issoisso]

They usually invent an illness when a rider has to be withdrawn pending dope investigations.

We can all see the signs

Quite. In fact, just last weekend Bernucci had a fever caused by the "little men in blue uniforms ransacking my house" virus

 

[Mellow Velo]

Cunego retired after 24km, so at least he made the start.
Valverde must have a cast iron stomach........

 

[ak-zaaf]

Cunego retired after 24km, so at least he made the start.
Valverde must have a cast iron stomach........

Not giving a shit apparently means that you also can't get the shits.