2011 Tour de Suisse, Stage 8: Tübach - Schaffhausen, 167.3 km

[El Pistolero]

Contador was fully right to drop Andy when he had his chain incident. It's clear Andy would've done the same if the situation was reversed.

I hope Andy gets a flat somewhere in the first week and Saxo Bank and Rabobank decide to ride full gas like LeoTard did today

I mean he's going to beat the crap out of Andy

I just don't believe in AS. Can't close down a gap on De Gendt and then all of a sudden dropping the world best climbers in the big mountains? No ****ing way.

 

[Spine Concept]

I mean he's going to beat the crap out of Andy

I just don't believe in AS. Can't close down a gap on De Gendt and then all of a sudden dropping the world best climbers in the big mountains? No ****ing way.

...or he's putting in quite the oscar-worthy performace. I have my reservations about him as well, however something tells me he'll be in tip top shape come July. He is the king of peaking after all...

 

[Ruudz0r]

@ Zamasailo Tirreno-adriatico so not really long ago he only rode the Giro in between (1 day races not included).

@ El Pistolero Boonen isnt there yet Belgium Championships still have to come!

 

[BeachBum]

This year's Cali, but only because stage 1 was cancelled.

Tour of Switzerland
3rd Stage 1
1st Stage 3
2nd Stage 4
3rd Stage 5
1st Stage 8

That's just ****ing amazing. What a talent. Biggest talent (non GT rider) I've seen since VDB.

I would put Gilbert ahead of Sagan, but Sagan is right up there. In fact, if I were Lefevre I would want Sagan before I tried to resign Boonen.

 

[El Pistolero]

I would put Gilbert ahead of Sagan, but Sagan is right up there. In fact, if I were Lefevre I would want Sagan before I tried to resign Boonen.

Sagan definitely is a bigger talent than Gilbert. But Gilbert, right now, is a better cyclist obviously. Talent alone is not enough in cycling, you also need to dedicate your self to your work and Gilbert is good at that. He always wants to win more. Compare that to Cancellara who usually takes it more easy after he had some big successes.

 

[Spine Concept]

I would put Gilbert ahead of Sagan, but Sagan is right up there. In fact, if I were Lefevre I would want Sagan before I tried to resign Boonen.

Mate, Gilbert has probably reached a plateau whereas Sagan is just starting. I would compare him to Gilbert in about 5-6 years and then see.

 

[Flamin]

Bah Andy what a ****ing disgrace.

The moment he was caught by the 2nd group did it though, when on top of everything, he started *****ing at the motorbike because he was riding too close in front of that group (actually that motorbike held perfect distance). pathetic

 

[Spine Concept]

Gilbert has probably reached a plateau in his career - though I wouldn't bet on that knowing him - whereas Sagan is just starting. He definitely has more potential in my opinion, but we'll see in about 5-6 years for a proper comparison.

 

[jens_attacks]

Cav *****ing about Greipel again:

Stupid comment of the year goes to Andre Greipel. To me: "why the **** you drop the wheel in front on the climb?" #nowweknowwhostartsthe****

http://twitter.com/#!/markcavendish

that's good for cycling.some good drama always has a large audience.go gorilla!

 

[Anonymous]

@ Zamasailo Tirreno-adriatico so not really long ago he only rode the Giro in between (1 day races not included).

@ El Pistolero Boonen isnt there yet Belgium Championships still have to come!

tirreno-adriatico this year or last year?

 

[theswordsman]

I mean he's going to beat the crap out of Andy

I just don't believe in AS. Can't close down a gap on De Gendt and then all of a sudden dropping the world best climbers in the big mountains? No ****ing way.

Based on Andy's form here, and in California, I expect we're going to see some unbelievable performances from him at the Tour

 

[Anonymous]

I think there is very little chance that AS would beat a fit and healthy Contador.

 

[jobiwan]

Based on Andy's form here, and in California, I expect we're going to see some unbelievable performances from him at the Tour

How would they be any different from 2009 and 2010, where he did the exact same thing?

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Bauke Mollema verloor vandaag zijn tweede plaats in het algemeen klassement door een lekke band. De Groninger zakte terug naar de vijfde plaats achter Steven Kruijswijk, Fränk Schleck en Levi Leipheimer.

"Balen dat ik op zo’n cruciaal moment een lekke band krijg," zo zegt de renner van Rabobank in De Telegraaf, "De titelkansen zijn verkeken, maar ik ga de tijdrit vol rijden voor een podiumplaats."

Leopard-Trek trok vol door nadat Mollema moest afhaken. Dit is niet goed gevallen bij de jonge Nederlander. "In de Tour de France van vorig jaar neutraliseren ze de koers als een van hun mannen valt en nu geven ze gas. Onbegrijpelijk? Dit zijn we volgende maand in Frankrijk zeker niet vergeten."

--

Translation: "It sucks I get a flat tire at such a crucial time. The chances for the win are gone now, but I'm going to ride flat out for a podium spot."

About the Leopard Trek team, that rode full after his flat tire. "In the Tour the France last year they neutralised the race when one of their guys fell. Now they give full gas.... Next month in the Tour de France we won't forget this."

 

[YoRUsh]

LTD tweeted that Mollema had a flat...disgrace from Leopard..

 

[Spine Concept]

I think there is very little chance that AS would beat a fit and healthy Contador.

I think Conti can beat him at 90% by staying with him in the mountains and besting him in the ITT.

 

[goggalor]

The rabo fans on this forum need to take a deep breath and count to ten. Leopard started riding when the group split on the 4th cat. climb, not when Bauke had a mechanical.

 

[Anonymous]

I think Conti can beat him at 90% by staying with him in the mountains and besting him in the ITT.

at 90% i am not so sure.

 

[theyoungest]

The rabo fans on this forum need to take a deep breath and count to ten. Leopard started riding when the group split on the 4th cat. climb, not when Bauke had a mechanical.

The only reason for them to go full gas was to stop Bauke from returning. Or did they expect Fränk to win the sprint

It's bike racing, of course, but I can perfectly understand Bauke when he says that next month in France they will remember this.

 

[hrotha]

I'm all for Rabobank wanting revenge on Leopard but I can't believe we've had a whole year of "cycling is not for whiners" and "don't wait, just ride", only for that to change the moment a Dutch rider (not any Dutch rider, I admit - he's our little pet after all) is involved.

 

[The Sheep]

The rabo fans on this forum need to take a deep breath and count to ten. Leopard started riding when the group split on the 4th cat. climb, not when Bauke had a mechanical.

It's just DT tbh but I don't think Leopard would have been riding if Mollema wasn't dropped.

 

[SolitaryShell]

The rabo fans on this forum need to take a deep breath and count to ten. Leopard started riding when the group split on the 4th cat. climb, not when Bauke had a mechanical.

But of course.

And with what purpose?

 

[The Hitch]

He gained 1 minute on Tourmalet, the toughest stage of the Tour. (and that was to JRod, the best TT Menchov was 1:40 down)

Ah but lets remember who broke his wrist on that stage. Samu was severely depleted. He still only finished about 1.34 minutes down on that stage, and obviously a broken wrist totally ****ed him on the tt.

Not that hell challenge Schleck, especially with Andy getting a minute head start in Les Essarts, but yeah, there was one other back in 2010.

 

[SolitaryShell]

I'm all for Rabobank wanting revenge on Leopard but I can't believe we've had a whole year of "cycling is not for whiners" and "don't wait, just ride", only for that to change the moment a Dutch rider (not any Dutch rider, I admit - he's our little pet after all) is involved.

No one is asking for the peloton to wait, just that a team doesn't get to the front and starts riding all the way up to the finish with the SOLE purpose to distance a rider who had a flat tire.

 

[El Pistolero]

I'm all for Rabobank wanting revenge on Leopard but I can't believe we've had a whole year of "cycling is not for whiners" and "don't wait, just ride", only for that to change the moment a Dutch rider (not any Dutch rider, I admit - he's our little pet after all) is involved.

Well, the thing is Andy Schleck cried like a little baby because Contador didn't wait for him(doesn't even speak about Menchov and Samu, the little *****) and now he and his team do the same to someone else. The only difference is that the race wasn't on and that TGBM's mechanical wasn't his fault. So yeah, I hope they get ganged up on in the Tour. I can already see quite a few teams racing against Leopard at the Tour. Astana, Saxobank and now Rabobank.