2012 Giro d'Italia, May 6th, stage 2: Herning → Herning, 206K

[Ryo Hazuki]

But by far the 2 strongest ones are Goss and Farrar, and they were there.

how would you know? and farrar one of the strongest? ROFL he sprinted more backwards than lars boomb did in roubaix this year

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

How disappointing of Haedo. Not even close to anything. I don't even think he got caught up by the crash.

as long as saxo can't fix a train for him he stands no chance. all they do is have 2 guys bring him forward where he gets boxed out of it quicker then he got in.

 

[El Pistolero]

Its not about Renshaw, you were trying to **** on Thomas, who you clearly hate with a passion, becuase he decided that an olympic gold medal was more prestigious than your beloved cobbles.

Yeah Renshaw did better in the sprint? Why, Because he is a more of a sprinter.

Maybe you will start ridiculing Thomas when he starts losing to Agnoli in the mountains.

I assume your justification will go something like this

Erm, it's just a fact that Renshaw did much better lead-outs. That's not hating. Perhaps you're just too much in love with a guy that treats us all as idiots(why else would he be the face of a product made to steal our money) to see the truth.

This is about lead-outs only and not the other stuff you're making up here.

 

[Froome19]

Renshaw is not a sprinter. Clearly lacks the speed. He's a lead out man, can position him self well during a sprint, isn't slow either, so sometimes that gets him a win. His second place at the Champs was all because of the domination HTC train. Cancellara would have ended up in second place there as well and he's not a sprinter.

It's not hating, it's an observation and Renshaw clearly lacks speed to be a sprinter. What has a prologue to do with sprinting? Or leading someone out for that matter? Renshaw has done much better lead-outs for Cavendish than Geraint Thomas today.

Renshaw has many sprint wins to his name? Really? Where? I can count them on one hand.

You think you can understand?

I ignored it originally because it was obviously a bait at Renshaw, but the fact is Renshaw is a sprinter. I know the TOB isnt much of a race but if you watched him there then you would realise that he is actually a good sprinter.

I assume you only have 5 fingers on each of your hands yet....
2006 1st Stage 3, Tour Méditerranéen
1st Tro-Bro Léon
Geelong Bay Classic Series 1st Stage 5
2007 1st Overall Bay Classic Series 1st Stage 2
1st Down Under Classic
1st Stage 2 Tour de Picardie
2008 1st Overall Bay Classic Series
1st Stage 3
1st Stage 1 Tour Down Under
1st Stage 4 Danmark Rundt
2011 1st Overall Tour of Qatar
1st Stage 4
1st Stage 5 Tour of Britain 2012
1st Stage 4 Tour of Turkey

Rather in your opinion you may not consider him a good sprinter but he is a sprinter. And of course he specialises and trains in sprinting (making him a sprinter) something which Thomas does not.

 

[El Pistolero]

how would you know? and farrar one of the strongest? ROFL he sprinted more backwards than lars boomb did in roubaix this year

Apparently he only looks at how big their name are.

Farrar has indeed been a very bad sprinter for over a year now. He still won a stage in the Tour, but that was about it... I think the death of WW is still bugging him because he can't be past it already.

 

[CQmanager]

in the last 400m he didnt have the legs, sure. but when he was trying to get a position in the train(s) he didnt have the respect - people were leaning all over him and pushing him around like a neo pro

he is strong but he will never fight anybody on narrow technical finish ... he is just too nice and thats why he get pushed around

 

[Zam_Olyas]

http://www.gazzetta.it/Speciali/Giroditalia/2012/classifiche/it/t_02_class.shtml?lang=en

 

[El Pistolero]

I ignored it originally because it was obviously a bait at Renshaw, but the fact is Renshaw is a sprinter. I know the TOB isnt much of a race but if you watched him there then you would realise that he is actually a good sprinter.

I assume you only have 5 fingers on each of your hands yet....

1st Down Under Classic
1st Stage 2 Tour de Picardie
1st Stage 1 Tour Down Under
1st Stage 4 Danmark Rundt
1st Stage 4 Tour of Qatar
1st Stage 5 Tour of Britain 2011
1st Stage 4 Tour of Turkey

Rather in your opinion you may not consider him a good sprinter but he is a sprinter. And of course he specialises and trains in sprinting (making him a sprinter) something which Thomas does not.

Not all those were won in mass sprints and I don't count Bay Classic series

Tour de Med stage 3 was a TTT for example. And an overall win isn't really a sprint win now is it?

Ok, he has 7 wins in sprints from a big bunch. Make it two hands then!

Didn't Lars freaking Boom win a sprint at Tour of Britain?

 

[jens_attacks]

Andrew Talansky ‏ @andrewtalansky
Getting help from the car is not "cheating" for those of u saying that. Not Phinney's fault bike malfunctioned. He is the deserving leader

can't take seriously that guy thoguh

it's the same guy whining on twitter about juanjo cobo while looking the other way on froomy.the kid is a joke like tejay van garderen

thanks god taylor phinney seems to grow up now because i really like him

 

[Mellow Velo]

But by far the 2 strongest ones are Goss and Farrar, and they were there.

Wow.
This is a first. I find myself agreeing with El P and Ryo, at the same time.
How would you know?
What do you base this assumption on?
It certainly can't be results.
The sprinters in/behind the crash have won a lot of races, this year, unlike the two you cite.
Farrar was beaten today by Demare's lead out man.

 

[The Hitch]

Erm, it's just a fact that Renshaw did much better lead-outs. That's not hating. Perhaps you're just too much in love with a guy that treats us all as idiots(why else would he be the face of a product made to steal our money) to see the truth.

This is about lead-outs only and not the other stuff you're making up here.

Yeah he is, just like Agnoli is a better climber.

Its what he specialises in, so duh he is better.

 

[cycladianpirate]

how would you know? and farrar one of the strongest? ROFL he sprinted more backwards than lars boomb did in roubaix this year

the subtext is that Cavendish won by default because the 'best' weren't there to challenge him.

Who, exactly, are 'the best'?

 

[The Sheep]

the subtext is that Cavendish won by default because the 'best' weren't there to challenge him.

Who, exactly, are 'the best'?

wiggins wasn't there

 

[Mellow Velo]

http://www.gazzetta.it/Speciali/Giroditalia/2012/classifiche/it/t_02_class.shtml?lang=en

As I thought. Guardini went down behind Bos and Kristoff. Hope he's OK.

the subtext is that Cavendish won by default because the 'best' weren't there to challenge him.

Who, exactly, are 'the best'?

I thought they were just question the accuracy of the statement that Goss and Farrar are the next best sprinters in the Giro.
Based on this season's results, they clearly are not.
Or is current form less important than previously established reputation?

 

[hatcher]

Cav does always seem to manage to beat everyone except someone.

 

[The Hitch]

Wow.
This is a first. I find myself agreeing with El P and Ryo, at the same time.
How would you know?
What do you base this assumption on?
It certainly can't be results.
The sprinters in/behind the crash have won a lot of races, this year, unlike the two you cite.

They simply have way greater palmares than anyone else in the race. Its sprinting so you dont need to be on form beforehand to perform well. What did Goss do before he came 2nd in worlds last year?

 

[Captain Sensible]

he is strong but he will never fight anybody on narrow technical finish ... he is just too nice and thats why he get pushed around

I agree when the finish line is in sight a sprinter should not care about any body else but himself if he is to win .

 

[El Pistolero]

Yeah he is, just like Agnoli is a better climber.

Its what he specialises in, so duh he is better.

I never said Geraint Thomas was a bad cyclist

I said his lead-out wasn't as good as Renshaw's, nothing more nothing less. You can debate over the fact whether Renshaw is a sprinter or not... I still think he misses the speed to be considered a sprinter and he has been nowhere this year. One stage in the Tour of Turkey doesn't make up for that.

Might as well call Luis Leon Sanchez a sprinter then because of his 2 stage wins when half the peloton was still there. Or Kreder in Tour de Med...

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

As I thought. Guardini went down behind Bos and Kristoff. Hope he's OK.


I thought they were just question the accuracy of the statement that Goss and Farrar are the next best sprinters in the Giro.
Based on this season's results, they clearly are not.
Or is current form less important than previously established reputation?

Personal choice where you draw the line.

Every year Cav loses 1 sprint and half this board wants to believe that means the other guy is now the best.

Personally I'd say Goss has enough pedigree to be given some wiggle room on form, and his sprint today was very good compared to everyone bar Cav. Farrar does seem a bit of a bum.

 

[Froome19]

Didn't Lars freaking Boom win a sprint at Tour of Britain?

Not against Cavendish.

 

[El Pistolero]

Not against Cavendish.

Obvious gift was obvious.

 

[BrianD]

So 100% flat with no difficulties, except maybe a few corners on the last couple of K.

And that's how it went: No real hills, no real winds, but corners and crashes. Guess that's what the organizers wanted?

Video from the finish (alternative angle) here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vSryzOpaV4&feature=youtu.be

Good view of the crash.

Brian

 

[superconfex]

Team Gadret moved up 5 places....GAME ON!!

 

[Libertine Seguros]

And that's how it went: No real hills, no real winds, but corners and crashes. Guess that's what the organizers wanted?

If that's what the organisers wanted, they're complete idiots.

Bore the audience to sleep for hours, then injure a bunch of riders at the end, thus making a complete mess of the sprint, the only interesting part of the day?

 

[Lexman]

spectacular crash, if it wasn't for the riders i thought of it as comedy capers...

what happened to Hermans, losing 9 minutes in a flat stage? Sick, injured?