2011 Criterium du Dauphine Libere - 5th to 12th of June, 2.WT

[blaxland]

I really hope he doesn't go for the win here. As you pointed out, he flunked the 2009 Tour, big time, because he left his climbing legs at this race.

This year, with several established big names left out, the Tour needs Evans in his best form, to compete with the likes of Sanchez, Gesink and JvDB, for third place.
Otherwise, the undercard looks a bit thin.


+1
Looks a bit beefier than the usual fare.

Completley agree Mellow Velo,he should ride for prep only and save all his energy for the tour....Which at best he will finish 2nd/3rd.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

they did it in 1992 and 1994

I see. Seems a pity to have gone so long without it though. How about the Tour? We're always moaning that there aren't enough truly steep, challenging climbs in the Tour, but there clearly are a few they could use a bit more frequently if at all (Mont du Chat, anyone?)

 

[auscyclefan94]

Amazing at some people's confidence in their favourite riders.

Anyway, surely their are some more steeper climbs in the Pyrenees which are not used as well for the tour? DO you have a profile to the Mont du Chat, LibertineS?

 

[theyoungest]

I see. Seems a pity to have gone so long without it though. How about the Tour? We're always moaning that there aren't enough truly steep, challenging climbs in the Tour, but there clearly are a few they could use a bit more frequently if at all (Mont du Chat, anyone?)

I get the feeling that the Tour has a concept they're trying to conform to. And long steep climbs aren't part of that concept. I'm not even sure they make the race that much more exciting.

 

[just some guy]

Amazing at some people's confidence in their favourite riders.

 

[auscyclefan94]

What do you think I am reffering to?

 

[LugHugger]

Its acf. Hes old school. Still calls Het Neiuwsblad, Het Volt ;D

Nowt wrong with that lad (apart from all of the names ). Now, where did I leave the penny farthing?

 

[LugHugger]

Martin will top 10 in a GT. HTC seem to have this magic ability to say somebody's a GC rider and hey presto, they get a top 10. He can ITT well and climb well enough to hit the lower end of a top 10, simply by riding defensively, so we can add another passenger to the heads of state group. The team will probably start chasing down breakaways to protect his 10th place like Garmin did for Hesjedal last year.

Actually, they need every man they can get for ruining the race, even if they're in the top 10 on GC, so I suspect he'll be on leadout duty anyway.

That's a bit harsh isn't it? If you have the best sprinter in the peloton on your team, what are you supposed to do? Not provide him with the opportunity to win stages? And how does that ruin the race. I understand where you're coming from on sprint stages but your comment seems ill considered really.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

the time trial is too long for a one week race in my opinion

of course not. there are multiple hard mountainstages so a long itt is important and still not decisive

 

[Libertine Seguros]

That's a bit harsh isn't it? If you have the best sprinter in the peloton on your team, what are you supposed to do? Not provide him with the opportunity to win stages? And how does that ruin the race. I understand where you're coming from on sprint stages but your comment seems ill considered really.

There are enough teams who want a sprint that it's likely going to be brought back anyway, so would it kill them to let the break get enough of a headstart that we can even pretend there's some suspense, rather than just hold it at 2-3 minutes for 150km while the TV commentators witter about glass and vines because nothing's happening?

Every race without HTC in it is better than every race with HTC in it.

 

[theyoungest]

of course not. there are multiple hard mountainstages so a long itt is important and still not decisive

There's only one final climb where you can really make a difference, so the TT is definitely long-ish. But it's good training for the Tour (exactly the same TT, I think?)

 

[rxgqgxnyfz]

Amazing at some people's confidence in their favourite riders.

Made my day, hilarious.

 

[just some guy]

There's only one final climb where you can really make a difference, so the TT is definitely long-ish. But it's good training for the Tour (exactly the same TT, I think?)

Tour TT Profile

Dauphine TT Profile

Looks the same but ASO can not decide the heights different in each profile

 

[theyoungest]

Looks the same but ASO can not decide the heights different in each profile

They found a road right next to the one they use for the Tour

The distances are also different on the horizontal axis, so we can safely assume it's the same one.

 

[King Of The Wolds]

There are enough teams who want a sprint that it's likely going to be brought back anyway, so would it kill them to let the break get enough of a headstart that we can even pretend there's some suspense, rather than just hold it at 2-3 minutes for 150km while the TV commentators witter about glass and vines because nothing's happening?

Every race without HTC in it is better than every race with HTC in it.

You mean would it kill them to decrease their chances of winning the race?

It's hardly just HTC though, is it? They're the best at controlling a race, but Sky, Lampre and Garmin would all do the same if they were as good at is as HTC. The fact they don't is because HTC do it for them.

 

[Bavarianrider]

There's only one final climb where you can really make a difference, so the TT is definitely long-ish. But it's good training for the Tour (exactly the same TT, I think?)

If the Glandon is riden gard, you surely can make a difference in Toussuire.

 

[Bavarianrider]

So Top 10 contenders should be:

Evans, Sanchez, Brajkovic,Karpets,Kashechkin,Basso,Gutierez,van den Broeck,Vinokourov,Gesink,Rogers, Uran,Zabrsikie?,Bushe,Martin

 

[dlwssonic]

So Top 10 contenders should be:

Evans, Sanchez, Brajkovic,Karpets,Kashechkin,Basso,Gutierez,van den Broeck,Vinokourov,Gesink,Rogers, Uran,Zabrsikie?,Bushe,Martin

i corrected it for you

 

[jobiwan]

So Top 10 contenders should be:

Evans, Sanchez, Brajkovic,Karpets,Kashechkin,Basso,Gutierez,van den Broeck,Vinokourov,Gesink,Rogers, Uran,Zabrsikie?,Busche,Martin

 

[Bavarianrider]

i corrected it for you

I don't get it?

 

[El Pistolero]

There are enough teams who want a sprint that it's likely going to be brought back anyway, so would it kill them to let the break get enough of a headstart that we can even pretend there's some suspense, rather than just hold it at 2-3 minutes for 150km while the TV commentators witter about glass and vines because nothing's happening?

Every race without HTC in it is better than every race with HTC in it.

2009 Tour de France stage 3.

Who cares about the breakaway. I hate breakaways unless it's like Aquila or something.

Guess what, the Giro's last week with all it's mountain stages was more boring to me than Cav winning his 6th stage in a Tour. I really am serious here. Colle delle Finestre and Sestriere stage was one epic yawn. Would it kill them to not suck wheels?

 

[TeoSheva]

So Top 10 contenders should be:

Evans, Sanchez, Brajkovic,Karpets,Kashechkin,Basso,Gutierez,van den Broeck,Vinokourov,Gesink,Rogers, Uran,Zabrsikie?,Bushe,Martin

I go for these:

Evans,S. Sanchez, Brajkovic,Basso,van den Broeck,Vinokourov,Gesink, Uran, T. Martin, D. Martin, Coppel, Peraud, Siutsou, Niemiec, Le Mevel, LL Sanchez

 

[El Pistolero]

Is Chris Horner riding? If so, I pick him. Gonna be someone from Radioshack imo.

 

[dlwssonic]

Hope moinard will be allowed to do something

 

[maltiv]

Wow, poor Sivtsov. Just came home after battling to an impressive 10th overall at the Giro, and then they send him to the dauphine...