2012 Grand Prix Cycliste de Quebec/Montreal

[roundabout]

Heh, I can almost see Rabobank going with Gesink, Mollema, Ten Dam, Kruijswijk and Nordhaug all as captains to the Tour in the last attempt to beat the odds.

 

[JRanton]

Moser just passed the 1000 cq points for the season mark.
Not bad for a neo pro!

Talking of CQ points I see that Sky are on course to break the record CQ team points total, ahead of the likes of Mapei, US Postal, Team CSC and Team Columbia-HTC!

 

[El Pistolero]

Talking of CQ points I see that Sky are on course to break the record CQ team points total, ahead of the likes of Mapei, US Postal, Team CSC and Team Columbia-HTC!

That's because the database isn't complete for older races. Mapei had more victories in a year than Sky had in 3 years.

 

[ToreBear]

Which is why I don't really understand his decision to leave Sky. He didn't need to worry about nationalism affecting his chances in the hilly classics because Sky don't have any Brits for those races (well maybe JTL if he joins). He mentioned something about riding the Tour but that shouldn't be a focus for a rider like him.

Anyway, great ride by him today.

The Tour is big TV in Norway. It has been for the last 10 years, so it might be a little dream come true. Perhaps winning a stage or something.

With Cav leaving sky things might have opened up, but still sky has a very good squad.


Anyway I liked the sky EBH/LPN tactics. LPN goes on the attack instead of waiting to counter the next attack, and everyone is watching EBH. EBH is waiting for somebody to tow him up. Nobody wants to tow EBH up. Finally someone goes after LPN without EBH following. LPN saves enough to get on the back wheel, and sprints uphill perfectly. He used those in front of him to jump off of one after the other perfectly.

 

[hrotha]

That's because the database isn't complete for older races. Mapei had more victories in a year than Sky had in 3 years.

Mapei also had a forty-something-strong squad and no official division between the A team and the development squad that competed in semi-professional races.

 

[JRanton]

That's because the database isn't complete for older races. Mapei had more victories in a year than Sky had in 3 years.

It goes back to 1999 so covering Mapei from 1999-2002. I wasn't talking about victories anyway but just for the record I don't remember Mapei winning 101 races in a season (Sky's three year total).

 

[roundabout]

It's not impossible. Columbia-HTC won 85 in 2009.

Edit: the kind wikipedia lists 95 wins in 1997 and 94 wins in 2002 for Mapei.

 

[El Pistolero]

Mapei also had a forty-something-strong squad and no official division between the A team and the development squad that competed in semi-professional races.

Mapei also had competition, Sky didn't.

Mapei never had 40 riders anyway, not in the 2000s at least.

 

[hrotha]

Mapei also had competition, Sky didn't.

Mapei never had 40 riders anyway, not in the 2000s at least.

http://www.memoire-du-cyclisme.net/pelotons/equipes.php?q=9279
http://www.memoire-du-cyclisme.net/pelotons/equipes.php?q=9278

 

[El Pistolero]

http://www.memoire-du-cyclisme.net/pelotons/equipes.php?q=9279
http://www.memoire-du-cyclisme.net/pelotons/equipes.php?q=9278

2 different teams. CQranking doesn't count the wins, they miss out on most of them. CQ ranking isn't even complete for 2011.

 

[hrotha]

2 different teams. CQranking doesn't count the wins, they miss out on most of them. CQ ranking isn't even complete for 2011.

What.

Me: Mapei had 40-something riders.
You: No they didn't.
Me: Totally did. Here, proof.
You: CQ Ranking isn't complete.
?

 

[El Pistolero]

What.

Me: Mapei had 40-something riders.
You: No they didn't.
Me: Totally did. Here, proof.
You: CQ Ranking isn't complete.
?

Yes, you have the Mapei junior team and the real Mapei team. CQranking misses out on half the wins. Is incomplete for pretty much anything. I don't know why people keep using it.

 

[hfer07]

Just got back for the race, I'm disappointed. Although, seeing Nordhaug win was very impressive.

really? how so? to me the race was great-lots of attacks. perhaps not the winner that anyone expected , but the resuts showed how open the race was...

 

[hrotha]

Yes, you have the Mapei junior team and the real Mapei team. CQranking misses out on half the wins. Is incomplete for pretty much anything. I don't know why people keep using it.

Hello, the first thing I said is that, officially, that distinction didn't exist at the time. There was only one Mapei team. Of course Museeuw didn't do the Tour of Rhodes, but Mapei (officially the same team that rode Paris-Roubaix) did.

And I didn't even say anything about how complete CQ Ranking is. I'm not taking part in that discussion at all.

 

[cineteq]

really? how so? to me the race was great-lots of attacks. perhaps not the winner that anyone expected , but the resuts showed how open the race was...

Perhaps because I'm comparing it to the previous ones. But all in all, the atmosphere there is fantastic, it's never boring...

 

[theyoungest]

Congrats to Flaken for calling this on Friday, when some of us dismissed him.

He also said that Quebec was more suited to EBH

Perhaps because I'm comparing it to the previous ones. But all in all, the atmosphere there is fantastic, it's never boring...

Last year was pretty similar, no?

 

[Falken]

He also said that Quebec was more suited to EBH

No I didn't. I said Nordhaugs chance of winning is probably better in Montreal than in Quebec. I never claimed that EBH would stand a better chance in Quebec than in Montreal. My take on it is that EBH can handle both type of courses if they aren't well above 200k (2nd in Quebec 2010, winner of Gent-Wevelgem shows he can handle shorter climbs. Winner of stage 7 in DL 2010 for example shows he also can handle a circuit type course with longer climbs.). And I agreed that Nordhaug can do well on courses with shorter climbs, I just thought his chances of winning would be better in Montreal. That's all.

 

[Wergeland]

Is there video of Montreal anywhere? I wasn't able to watch it live.

Last 18K: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxkHlILzZTA

 

[Falken]

Last 18K: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxkHlILzZTA

Hesjedal leads the chasers in the finish with Sagan on his wheel, but then Sagan is gone and finishes 12th. A bit worrisome for him.

Gerrans and EBH are clearly the strongest in the sprint, behind the 3 infront. That Gerrans manages to beat EBH in the sprint should be a warning to the other contenders in the worlds.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Hesjedal leads the chasers in the finish with Sagan on his wheel, but then Sagan is gone and finishes 12th. A bit worrisome for him.

Gerrans and EBH are clearly the strongest in the sprint, behind the 3 infront. That Gerrans manages to beat EBH in the sprint should be a warning to the other contenders in the worlds.

Definitely agree. Gerrans is a huge contender for the Worlds, probably one of the top favorites.

 

[theyoungest]

Definitely agree. Gerrans is a huge contender for the Worlds, probably one of the top favorites.

Based on current form, maybe the only guy who can follow Gilbert and Purito up the Cauberg? Who knows.

BTW in both Quebec and Montreal, Martens looked really strong. But the commentators generally don't recognize him, and in both races he managed to f.ck up the sprint.

 

[SafeBet]

Last 18K: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxkHlILzZTA

Thanks.


Wow french commentators had no clue about any of the guys in the front until the very last few metres.

 

[pastronef]

nice to see Kolobnev back on a WT podium, after his suspension and injury (he was knocked off the road by a car in Spain a few months ago and ended in hospital)

 

[Pharazon]

Thanks.


Wow french commentators had no clue about any of the guys in the front until the very last few metres.

love the way they're completely talking french.. and then suddenly go to this west coast "Ryder" whenever they said his name

 

[Panda Claws]

Definitely agree. Gerrans is a huge contender for the Worlds, probably one of the top favorites.

Meh

Almost all previous WC's rode the Vuelta, I doubt Gerrans will be an expection.