2012 Predictions

[Panda Claws]

I guess the pistolman has fallen in love on a Gilbert-fanday and introduced it to CN forum. Perhaps that's still gonna happen. Who knows.
A real man would never choose a nick involving panda. But somehow claws is contrary to sweet panda. A split personality of unknown gender that prefers to post beautyfied stats of his choice.

Good luck to you two anyway. You both complement each other, but panda still needs more Alberto-love.

Cobblestones rule. They count 10x
Gilbert will never win a cobblestone. He is a Schönwetterfahrer and Warmduscher.

Panda Claws = Santa Claus. It is a pun.

This post just simply shows what is so bad about this forum. If you come up with anything, or try to defend anyone you will get called a fanboy.

It is almost like this.

Some guy: "Lance armstrong has won more GT's than Contador."

Other guy: "You cannot be serious you are just saying that because you are a fanboy. Contador is clearly the better rider. "

I just showed that Gilbert is a better classics rider than both Boonen and Cancellara but I still get called a fanboy.

Yeah sure, cobbles count 10x that is why we had such amazing winners in the past. Because of course we all agree that Knaven, Backstedt and Vansummeren were much better cyclists than Valverde, Bettini and Rebellin.

P.S. : I like Gilbert because of his agressive style not because of him riding a bike on his fanday.

 

[El Pistolero]

I guess the pistolman has fallen in love on a Gilbert-fanday and introduced it to CN forum. Perhaps that's still gonna happen. Who knows.
A real man would never choose a nick involving panda. But somehow claws is contrary to sweet panda. A split personality of unknown gender that prefers to post beautyfied stats of his choice.

Good luck to you two anyway. You both complement each other, but panda still needs more Alberto-love.

Cobblestones rule. They count 10x
Gilbert will never win a cobblestone. He is a Schönwetterfahrer and Warmduscher.

Going to be fun to pick up old prediction posts again next year

Come back when cobblestones have as good competition as the hilly races

 

[sublimit]

Which goes to show that even in sub-optimal form he could still make the cut. Gent-Wevelgem can be a difficult and interesting race from time to time, but there have been plenty of recent editions where a good Cavendish could certainly have won (2004, 2006, 2008, 2011). Obviously he isn't a certain victor, but who is?

My prediction of Cav winning G-W was only semi serious.- Its boring just going with the obvious choice on every race anyway.

But He might of had a chance this year though I think he punctured and got distanced? I cant remember exactly.

 

[El Pistolero]

My prediction of Cav winning G-W was only semi serious.- Its boring just going with the obvious choice on every race anyway.

But He might of had a chance this year though I think he punctured and got distanced? I cant remember exactly.

He was riding at the back this year and someone crashed holding him back. Then he was having a hissyfit and blaming the cyclist that crashed. But the truth is, if he wanted to win that edition of G-W he shouldn't have been riding at the back... And if he already needed to ride at the back at such an easy race then I doubt he'll win when the race is 35km longer and more hills in the final.

From what we've seen from Cavendish so far, he's just a terrible one day racer.

 

[sublimit]

He was riding at the back this year and someone crashed holding him back. Then he was having a hissyfit and blaming the cyclist that crashed. But the truth is, if he wanted to win that edition of G-W he shouldn't have been riding at the back... And if he already needed to ride at the back at such an easy race then I doubt he'll win when the race is 35km longer and more hills in the final.

From what we've seen from Cavendish so far, he's just a terrible one day racer.

Not terrible, but clearly not the best as of yet.
I haven't seen the course but if its harder then great, I'm all for a proper race and hopefully a win for a Sky rider if not a British one.

 

[El Pistolero]

Not terrible, but clearly not the best as of yet.
I haven't seen the course but if its harder then great, I'm all for a proper race and hopefully a win for a Sky rider if not a British one.

EBH, Jan Antoon Pijl and GT could win here

Pretty good team actually for the cobbles, just missing that top guy.

 

[Cobblestoned]

Panda Claws = Santa Claus. It is a pun.

This post just simply shows what is so bad about this forum. If you come up with anything, or try to defend anyone you will get called a fanboy.

It is almost like this.

Some guy: "Lance armstrong has won more GT's than Contador."

Other guy: "You cannot be serious you are just saying that because you are a fanboy. Contador is clearly the better rider. "

I just showed that Gilbert is a better classics rider than both Boonen and Cancellara but I still get called a fanboy.

Yeah sure, cobbles count 10x that is why we had such amazing winners in the past. Because of course we all agree that Knaven, Backstedt and Vansummeren were much better cyclists than Valverde, Bettini and Rebellin.

P.S. : I like Gilbert because of his agressive style not because of him riding a bike on his fanday.

You showed what ? This is what you've showed us --->

About those fanboys, well, there are people who fell in love with cycling, and there are people who fell in love with a special rider and everything that surrounds him. Blind from love.
Thats dangerous ground. Things can go very fast, you know.

Gilbert is aggressive ? Did he throw pink cottonwool balls at you or what ?

Hinault is aggressive. Or Cavendish. Or Renshaw. Or Boom.

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

From what we've seen from Cavendish so far, he's just a terrible one day racer.

I wish I was terrible enough to win a worlds and a monument. We need a new word for the 99% of cyclists who are worse than terrible.

 

[Panda Claws]

You showed what ? This is what you've showed us --->

About those fanboys, well, there are people who fell in love with cycling, and there are people who fell in love with a special rider and everything that surrounds him. Blind from love.
Thats dangerous ground. Things can go very fast, you know.

Gilbert is aggressive ? Did he throw pink cottonwool balls at you or what ?

Hinault is aggressive. Or Cavendish. Or Renshaw. Or Boom.

The "I showed" was about your post not mine.
Hopefully you are simply mocking me with the last two sentences because surely you should know what I mean with an agressive style of riding.

Let me explain it to you anyway. So you have got the riders that never do much they just sit in the peleton and let others drag them to finishes and whatnot and then you have the riders that go all out in attacks like Gilbert which is why I like him.

I will not deny that Gilbert is my favorite rider but I am not blind. I do not expect him to win 10 stages at the tour for example.

Despite your ignorance I will explain it again.

It all boils down to this: agressive = someone who attacks in a race.

Do not miss the point next time.

 

[El Pistolero]

I wish I was terrible enough to win a worlds and a monument. We need a new word for the 99% of cyclists who are worse than terrible.

Was the WC any harder(or different) than your typical flat Tour stage? Nope, not my fault UCI decided to make a mockery of the WC.

The thing that makes Cavendish so bad is the fact that he can't even top 50 any classic outside San Remo(and he usually fails there as well). He's a pretty terrible one day racer, I stand by my point. The day he actually does something in a classic like the Ronde van Vlaanderen, Paris-Roubaix, the Amstel Gold Race(not impossible for fast men), Omloop het Nieuwsblad and Paris-Tours I'll take my words back. I'd be happy with a top 20, if he can manage that.

I'll make this even easier for him: the day he makes it to the finish line of Paris-Roubaix(in the time cut) I'll stop calling him terrible.

 

[will10]

Was the WC any harder(or different) than your typical flat Tour stage? Nope, not my fault UCI decided to make a mockery of the WC.

If the WC was so easy, why didn't someone else win it?

 

[El Pistolero]

If the WC was so easy, why didn't someone else win it?

The WC was so easy that everyone was still together without getting tired. Thus the fastest man was always going to win bar crashes or mechanical problems.

Under your logic a flat stage is as hard as a mountain stage Because someone's always going to win it...

Let's order the classics in terms of dificulty under your logic:

Milan-San Remo = Gent-Wevelgem = Ronde van Vlaanderen = Paris-Roubaix = Amstel Gold Race = Flèche Wallonne = Liège-Bastogne-Liège = Clasica San Sebastian = Paris-Tours = Giro di Lombardia

What a coincidence, they're all just as hard! Because you know... If Lombardia was harder than Gent-Wevelgem, why didn't someone else win it?

 

[The Hitch]

Let me guess, AGR isn't a classic now Yeah, Cancellara was there. For the win.

Cancellara crashed as I remember about 20k from the ned and was left behind the lead group after that.

 

[The Hitch]

Panda Claws = Santa Claus. It is a pun.

This post just simply shows what is so bad about this forum. If you come up with anything, or try to defend anyone you will get called a fanboy.

Totally agree. The number of idiots who believe they can dismiss any argument by accusing its poster of being a fanboy is too large.

Let me guess, AGR isn't a classic now Yeah, Cancellara was there. For the win.

Cancellara crashed as I remember about 20k from the ned and was left behind the lead group after that.

 

[williamp78]

.
I'll make this even easier for him: the day he makes it to the finish line of Paris-Roubaix(in the time cut) I'll stop calling him terrible.

I don't particularly want to get involved in this little argument but has Cavendish ever rode roubaix with a view to placing well in it? I though i read somewhere about him acting as a domestic?

Though I have to agree that cav isn't a great one day racer though his aim most seasons are not onde dayers (minus MSR I suppose) but the Grand Tours though he has stated that that may change as he gets older similar to boonen (though I doubt he will ever develop the stamina that boonen has)

 

[will10]

The WC was so easy that everyone was still together without getting tired. Thus the fastest man was always going to win bar crashes or mechanical problems.

Under your logic a flat stage is as hard as a mountain stage Because someone's always going to win it...

Let's order the classics in terms of dificulty under your logic:

Milan-San Remo = Gent-Wevelgem = Ronde van Vlaanderen = Paris-Roubaix = Amstel Gold Race = Flèche Wallonne = Liège-Bastogne-Liège = Clasica San Sebastian = Paris-Tours = Giro di Lombardia

What a coincidence, they're all just as hard! Because you know... If Lombardia was harder than Gent-Wevelgem, why didn't someone else win it?

You seem to have drawn some interesting conclusions from a one line post. I'll leave you to it.

 

[El Pistolero]

Totally agree. The number of idiots who believe they can dismiss any argument by accusing its poster of being a fanboy is too large.



Cancellara crashed as I remember about 20k from the ned and was left behind the lead group after that.

Yes, he did crash with 23km to go. But that's part of the game in AGR, staying on your bike

Gilbert had a flat tire at the Ronde right before Hushovd/Boonen/Cancellara attacked. That's also part of the game.

 

[El Pistolero]

I don't particularly want to get involved in this little argument but has Cavendish ever rode roubaix with a view to placing well in it? I though i read somewhere about him acting as a domestic?

Though I have to agree that cav isn't a great one day racer though his aim most seasons are not onde dayers (minus MSR I suppose) but the Grand Tours though he has stated that that may change as he gets older similar to boonen (though I doubt he will ever develop the stamina that boonen has)

Cavendish has never helped anyone at Roubaix, certainly not his team mates. Eisel even said Cavendish should stop wasting team spots at the Ronde and Roubaix(although in a more friendly manner of course). But yeah, he started with the intention of helping his team-mates, but you can't be of much help if you get dropped so early in the race.

Johan Vansummeren, now THAT is a domestique.

 

[trevim]

Cancellara crashed as I remember about 20k from the ned and was left behind the lead group after that.

I remember that one. He crashed with Frank Schleck and surprise! it wasn't Schleck who caused the crash

 

[Parrulo]

Johan Vansummeren, now THAT is a domestique.

actually i have been thinking. what will be johan's role next year with garmin for the cobbles?

if haussler finds his old form garmin may have 3 outsiders for some good placings in haussler, johan, and vanmarcke and with so many outsiders some aggressive tactics may pay off.

it would certainly bee a shame to see johan go back to his super dom role in roubaix as i personally rate him at the same level of a guy like flecha

 

[El Pistolero]

actually i have been thinking. what will be johan's role next year with garmin for the cobbles?

if haussler finds his old form garmin may have 3 outsiders for some good placings in haussler, johan, and vanmarcke and with so many outsiders some aggressive tactics may pay off.

it would certainly bee a shame to see johan go back to his super dom role in roubaix as i personally rate him at the same level of a guy like flecha

Now Thor is gone, he should be a protected rider along with Sep Vanmarcke. Haussler only if he finally shows something again. They can definitely get in the top 10 both, but winning will be hard. Podium might be possible.

 

[Parrulo]

Now Thor is gone, he should be a protected rider along with Sep Vanmarcke. Haussler only if he finally shows something again. They can definitely get in the top 10 both, but winning will be hard. Podium might be possible.

ya thats exactly what i thought, on normal conditions the win in roubaix will be again contested by canc and boonen with every1 else just lurking around hoping for a mircale(kind of like this year) but the rest of the top placings are up for grabs and a top 5 isn't that far fetched for a guy like johan imo. i am also eager to see what sep can do

 

[gregrowlerson]

Panda Claws = Santa Claus. It is a pun.

This post just simply shows what is so bad about this forum. If you come up with anything, or try to defend anyone you will get called a fanboy.

It is almost like this.

Some guy: "Lance armstrong has won more GT's than Contador."

Other guy: "You cannot be serious you are just saying that because you are a fanboy. Contador is clearly the better rider. "

I just showed that Gilbert is a better classics rider than both Boonen and Cancellara but I still get called a fanboy.

Yeah sure, cobbles count 10x that is why we had such amazing winners in the past. Because of course we all agree that Knaven, Backstedt and Vansummeren were much better cyclists than Valverde, Bettini and Rebellin.

P.S. : I like Gilbert because of his agressive style not because of him riding a bike on his fanday.

My 2012 prediction is that Andreas Kloden is going to win the Tour De France in a canter. It goes without saying that he will totally dominate the two lengthy individual time trials, but where he will really make his mark is on the Grand Columbier, where he will ride everyone off his wheel, and then, using his outstanding descending skills, increase his lead further. Klodi has been waiting for the inclusion of this climb ever since he became a GC contender, but instead he has had to put up with that God awful Col de la Columbierre, which to Klodi is like his kryptonite.

And I am not a fanboy at all

 

[jobiwan]

I've been busy for a couple months, but I gotta make me some predictions!

Olympic Road: Cavendish
Olympic TT: Cancellara

World Road: Gilbert
World TT: Martin
TTT: Garmin

MSR: Gilbert
RvV: Cancellara
PR: Cancellara
LBL: A. Schleck
GL: Gilbert
GW: Boonen
AMG: Gilbert
FW: Valverde
CSS: Gilbert
PT: Boonen

Giro: Basso
Tour: Contador (Andy if no Pistolero )
Vuelta: Valverde

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Going to be fun to pick up old prediction posts again next year

Come back when cobblestones have as good competition as the hilly races

I think that comes down to the more difficult nature of cobblestones tho, very tough area, generally why you see such big selections in these races.

Still, cobblestoned is talking bs again. But.. ardennes imo have become oh so bland and boring in recent years. At the cobbles we see selections and chaos. At the ardennes we see action in the dying stages. Terrrible racing imo. One of teh reasons I like GlB more probably, it is more chaotic.