2012 Criterium International, 2.HC, 24th - 25th of March

[JRanton]

Nordhaug clearly the strongest today, as I predicted. Also not surprised to see how stressed he was about leaving Rogers behind...Sky obviously wanted an english-speaking rider to win

He was stressed about Rogers because Rogers was Sky's best chance of winning the race (GC). Nordhaug wasn't going to be able to stay away from Evans (nobody was) so he wasn't going to be able to win the race. Having said that with 1km to go he should have just concentrated on winning the stage because Rogers was too far back at that point. You have Nordhaug to blame for that, not Sky.

 

[Geraint Too Fast]

Nordhaug clearly the strongest today, as I predicted. Also not surprised to see how stressed he was about leaving Rogers behind...Sky obviously wanted an english-speaking rider to win

Nordhaug can speak English...

 

[movingtarget]

Evans clearly had something left in reserve. He did enough to win. No one was going to ride away from him.

 

[goggalor]

Nordhaug can speak English...

True!

maltiv, I think you're reaching if you think the reason Nordhaug didn't ride away is Sky really wanted an Aussie to win!

 

[hatcher]

I really don't think Evans did have anything left to give, otherwise he would have given it when he had the gap. No reason at all to give the chasers a chance to get back up.

 

[dlwssonic]

I think Evans is going to do ardennes, romandie than dauphine and finally le tour.
I hope he wins romandie, I would like to see how he would go in FW. Gilbert might work for him.

 

[Lexman]

great work of Moinard on the climb, apparently greatly appreciated by Evans who wants him in the TDF team..

 

[dlwssonic]

great work of Moinard on the climb, apparently greatly appreciated by Evans who wants him in the TDF team..

Yeah its the best I have ever seen him in BMC after a pretty dissapointing last year. Im not sure if he will get a space, BMC after all might not put a lot of climbing domestiques inside, I think they want more strong men for the flats. Still there are other good climbing domestiques like TJVG, Cummings, Frank, Morabito. I hope Moinard can hit his form in July.

 

[theyoungest]

Nordhaug clearly the strongest today, as I predicted. Also not surprised to see how stressed he was about leaving Rogers behind...Sky obviously wanted an english-speaking rider to win

Nordhaug was clearly the strongest, in the same way that EBH is always the strongest and the team is to blame if he doesn't win.

 

[movingtarget]

I really don't think Evans did have anything left to give, otherwise he would have given it when he had the gap. No reason at all to give the chasers a chance to get back up.

I disagree. He was weaving all over the road looking for Rogers, and the other three that finished with him were not a threat on GC. He didn't need to kill himself to win the race. Fedrigo will always win those types of sprints and Evans would jhave known that.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Nordhaug was clearly the strongest, in the same way that EBH is always the strongest and the team is to blame if he doesn't win.

lol. this is true

 

[BillytheKid]

I just saw the final climb of this year's CI last night. BMC and Evans defended very well against a volley of attacks. It did not matter wether Cadel could ride away or not. He played it defensively, but there was no need to gain time....

Evans will be the man to beat come July.

Glad to see this finish in next year's TdF.

 

[Lexman]

Yeah its the best I have ever seen him in BMC after a pretty dissapointing last year. Im not sure if he will get a space, BMC after all might not put a lot of climbing domestiques inside, I think they want more strong men for the flats. Still there are other good climbing domestiques like TJVG, Cummings, Frank, Morabito. I hope Moinard can hit his form in July.

Well FRANCE 3 presentators including Laurent Jalabert were pretty sure about Moinard being part of the TDF team but they may be biased because Moinard is french after all...

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

of course he is going to be in the tour team. he was last year and evans really likes him for whatever reasons

 

[LaFlorecita]

Glad to see this finish in next year's TdF.

?? Isn't that a bit too early for the ASO?

 

[hatcher]

I disagree. He was weaving all over the road looking for Rogers, and the other three that finished with him were not a threat on GC. He didn't need to kill himself to win the race. Fedrigo will always win those types of sprints and Evans would jhave known that.

But why? If you're strong, and you have a gap on your rivals with only 2k to go, you ride. It makes no sense to let others across, especially considering the ease with which Nordhaug and Fedrigo bridged the gap in about 200 metres.

He was definitely one of, and quite probably the strongest, but to me it didn't look to me like he had much more to give.

 

[Lexman]

I just saw the final climb of this year's CI last night. BMC and Evans defended very well against a volley of attacks. It did not matter wether Cadel could ride away or not. He played it defensively, but there was no need to gain time....

Evans will be the man to beat come July.

Glad to see this finish in next year's TdF.

Him and Wiggins are sure the men to beat in July

Yes a TDF with a mountainous start will be a great novelty and very interesting!

 

[LaFlorecita]

So the ASO is really going to put in a mountain in the first week. Surprising.

The 2013 Tour will be great with a certain Spaniard back.

 

[BillytheKid]

?? Isn't that a bit too early for the ASO?

True enough. And that comment did come from Phil or Paul. ASO used to announce some stages well in advance. Perhaps they have gone back to the old formula?

 

[dlwssonic]

Well FRANCE 3 presentators including Laurent Jalabert were pretty sure about Moinard being part of the TDF team but they may be biased because Moinard is french after all...

of course he is going to be in the tour team. he was last year and evans really likes him for whatever reasons

hmm but Im not sure if there is space for him. And he is pretty incosistent. This year they have added good riders into team and there might be better/more consistent climbers in BMC.
Lets see

Evans
Gilbert
Hushovd
Hincapie
Burghardt
Tejay van Garderen
Stephen Cummings
Moinard?
Morabito?
Pinotti?
Schar?
Frank?
Santamorita??

 

[The Hitch]

So the ASO is really going to put in a mountain in the first week. Surprising.

The 2013 Tour will be great with a certain Spaniard back.

All the rumors i have seen going back 2 years now is that the 2013 start in Corsica will suck. I remember some early profiles being released here in 2010 I think and everyone complained that it was a criminal misuse of Corsican terrain.

But maybe there will be someone clever enough in the ASO to point out that making use of the uphill they have there is a good idea.

Maybe.

 

[LaFlorecita]

True enough. And that comment did come from Phil or Paul. ASO used to announce some stages well in advance. Perhaps they have gone back to the old formula?

Na I meant to early in the Tour for ASO. I mean they're only in Corsica for the first three days right?

 

[LaFlorecita]

All the rumors i have seen going back 2 years now is that the 2013 start in Corsica will suck. I remember some early profiles being released here in 2010 I think and everyone complained that it was a criminal misuse of Corsican terrain.
.

Yeah I think I saw those profiles too. Pretty boring.

 

[The Hitch]

These are the stages



> Saturday 29th June: Porto-Vecchio - Bastia, 200 km
> Sunday 30th June: Bastia - Ajaccio, 155 km
> Monday 1st July: Ajaccio - Calvi, 145 km

http://www.letour.fr/2012/TDF/COURSE/us/actus.html#zone184929

So it seems yesterdays finish is not there.

Crappy 200km flat stage to start. What a disgrace.

Oh and the Andy Schleck organization has refused to put in a prologue and instead a long ttt so that riders on teams with more money or whose nationalities happen to care about the Tour, are favoured over ones who actually are good at cycling (what I thought the name of the game was).

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

hmm but Im not sure if there is space for him. And he is pretty incosistent. This year they have added good riders into team and there might be better/more consistent climbers in BMC.
Lets see

Evans
Gilbert
Hushovd
Hincapie
Burghardt
Tejay van Garderen
Stephen Cummings
Moinard?
Morabito?
Pinotti?
Schar?
Frank?
Santamorita??

evans decides. simple as that