2011 Critérium du Dauphiné, Stage 7: Pontcharra - La Toussuire, 117.5 km

[movingtarget]

Not lsoing hope. Just unhappy with those muppets being morabito, moinard and santaromita.

It is on ACF's to do list to write a very angry rant about the hoplessness of those 3.

There just seems to be such a big gap between Evans and his team mates when they start climbing. In my mind, Horner was the only one worth anything. VDB was not the rider he is now but he was pretty good, Popovych was useless and Lloyd was okay up to a point but he is another rider who has improved since Evans changed teams. There is some talk he may be going to BMC ?

Dunno why Evan's teams have such a hard time locating climbing talent. Throw a rock in Spain and you'll hit one ! Maybe it's money or they are too late off the mark, signing riders ? I think Gerrans would have been better than any of his current so called mountain men but he may be off to Green Edge especially if he misses a Tour ride which could happen as Sky team is riding well. I think he should be there but he will be gutted if he misses out.

 

[Mellow Velo]

Purito brings his best form to the wrong race.
Wiggins looks fine.
Cadel looks pained.
JVdB looks eager.
Vino looks threatening.
Gesink looks enigmatic.
Sanchez looks lost.

Has the light just gone on at ACF's house?

 

[Libertine Seguros]

There's a light over at the Frankenstein place...

Seriously, Wiggins ought to perhaps target one week races from here on in. Over 3 weeks there tends to be too much or too tough climbing for him, but on a race like this he is fresh enough to be able to defend what he is able to gain in the time trial.

 

[hfer07]

Purito brings his best form to the wrong race.
Wiggins looks fine.
Cadel looks pained.
JVdB looks eager.
Vino looks threatening.
Gesink looks enigmatic.
Sanchez looks lost.

Has the light just gone on at ACF's house?

Agreed 100% with the bold phrases- & BTW ACF might be watching the race in a public library

 

[hfer07]

There's a light over at the Frankenstein place...

Seriously, Wiggins ought to perhaps target one week races from here on in. Over 3 weeks there tends to be too much or too tough climbing for him, but on a race like this he is fresh enough to be able to defend what he is able to gain in the time trial.

+1000
He should find great success in his career by riding the most suitable races to his talent-the TDF fantasy is just that-a fantasy.

 

[hatcher]

Nothing wrong with targeting your fantasy.

Besides, I think winning the Dauphine has shown he can compete in the best one week races whilst targeting bigger things. He doesn't need to be at his very best to take time out of people in long TTs.

 

[spalco]

1-week races aren't as sexy as the bigger ones though.

 

[hrotha]

1-week races aren't as sexy as the bigger ones though.

Well, most of us don't even try to bone rich supermodels.

 

[Captain_Cavman]

Nothing wrong with targeting your fantasy.

Besides, I think winning the Dauphine has shown he can compete in the best one week races whilst targeting bigger things. He doesn't need to be at his very best to take time out of people in long TTs.

I don't think it is pure fantasy. But there are some things that have to fall into place. I can think of five off the top of my head.

1. He needs to build on the 2009 showing.
2. He needs a team capable of supporting a TdF contender.
3. He needs a TT heavy parcours.
4. He needs the most complete GT rider of thge age to miss the race.
5. He needs it to not be an olympic year.

Well he failed to check any of the first 4 last year.

This year 1, 2 & 5 are in place, 3 is missing and 4 is in the air.

Next year 5 rears its ugly head. How old will he be in 2013? but then 4 comes into play again. Fantasy it is.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

I don't think it is pure fantasy. But there are some things that have to fall into place. I can think of five off the top of my head.

1. He needs to build on the 2009 showing.
2. He needs a team capable of supporting a TdF contender.
3. He needs a TT heavy parcours.
4. He needs the most complete GT rider of thge age to miss the race.
5. He needs it to not be an olympic year.

Well he failed to check any of the first 4 last year.

This year 1, 2 & 5 are in place, 3 is missing and 4 is in the air.

Next year 5 rears its ugly head. How old will he be in 2013? but then 4 comes into play again. Fantasy it is.

He needs and easier course then 2009.
He can limit his damages in the mountain but he just isn't a good enough climber in the cols.

 

[hatcher]

It's fantasy for him to contend for the win, and imo fantasy for him to podium. But just battling with the big names for a top 10 at the Tour is not a bad thing. If he can do that then I think it's worth doing.

3rd at Paris-Nice
1st at Dauphine
10th at Tour

would be an excellent year for all but about 5 GC riders.

(edit: maybe a few more than 5 actually)

 

[Captain_Cavman]

He needs and easier course then 2009.
He can limit his damages in the mountain but he just isn't a good enough climber in the cols.

He's not Tony Martin in the cols either. Put in an early long TT while he's fresh and a team to help him on the Grand Bornand and who knows...

As I said, it's not going to happen anyway so it's all a bit academic.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

I think Wiggins, though a tempo climber, is pretty good when reasonably fresh, but the more consecutive race days, the less good he looks in the hills. Hence why the one week format can suit him well (yes, the climbs are often managed more aggressively because of less time, but he can limit losses well).

 

[El Pistolero]

1 HTC-Highroad 624 Goss (203), Martin (203), Pinotti (110), Sivtsov (58), Bak (50)
2 Omega Pharma-Lotto 541 Gilbert (356), Greipel (78), Van Den Broeck (69), Vanendert (22), De Clercq (16)

OPL in second place

I have no clue where Pinotti got 110 points of though?

 

[goggalor]

Funny how Gesink started the race like Andy Schleck, but finished it more like Evans in 2009, with Purito playing the part of Valverde and the French Contador.

 

[jobiwan]

Missed today's stage, but chapeau to Purito and Brad!!

 

[happychappy]

Has Cadel got a cold or something? Looks very white. Should have an ozzy tan!

 

[Libertine Seguros]

1 HTC-Highroad 624 Goss (203), Martin (203), Pinotti (110), Sivtsov (58), Bak (50)
2 Omega Pharma-Lotto 541 Gilbert (356), Greipel (78), Van Den Broeck (69), Vanendert (22), De Clercq (16)

OPL in second place

I have no clue where Pinotti got 110 points of though?

6th at Tirreno-Adriatico, 4th at Romandie.

He just did it without doing anything especially memorable.

 

[Liquigas]

Purito brings his best form to the wrong race.
Wiggins looks fine.
Cadel looks pained.
JVdB looks eager.
Vino looks threatening.
Gesink looks enigmatic.
Sanchez looks lost.

Has the light just gone on at ACF's house?

Yeah, like last year when he was nowhere in Dauphiné and then in Tour de France he was flying

 

[jens_attacks]

lol i wouldn't be worried for sammy sanchez or andy schleck for that matter.

 

[El Pistolero]

lol i wouldn't be worried for sammy sanchez or andy schleck for that matter.

I find it incredibly suspicious how one can suck so hard so close to the Tour and then be one of the best. But hey, who knows if they're giving it their everything.

 

[Bielers]

1 HTC-Highroad 624 Goss (203), Martin (203), Pinotti (110), Sivtsov (58), Bak (50)
2 Omega Pharma-Lotto 541 Gilbert (356), Greipel (78), Van Den Broeck (69), Vanendert (22), De Clercq (16)

OPL in second place

I have no clue where Pinotti got 110 points of though?

If Gilbert were a team on his own (ignoring the fact that his team helped him to achieve those points), where would he come?

 

[El Pistolero]

If Gilbert were a team on his own (ignoring the fact that his team helped him to achieve those points), where would he come?

13th place, but he hasn't entered World Tour event anymore since Luik. Points will start coming in again at the Tour and Clasica San Sebastian.

I could see him come top 10 easily in the teams classification if he keeps going like this

Fun fact: he's better than Quickstep and Vacansoleil combined

 

[jens_attacks]

anyone clocked the final climb?

 

[Michielveedeebee]

13th place, but he hasn't entered World Tour event anymore since Luik. Points will start coming in again at the Tour and Clasica San Sebastian.

I could see him come top 10 easily in the teams classification if he keeps going like this

Fun fact: he's better than Quickstep and Vacansoleil combined

poor quickstep thank god they got Bakala to pay next year