2012 Speculation (and confirmation) thread - rider schedules and parcours

[simo1733]

The TDU generates a lot of debate all things considered.

 

[theyoungest]

I wonder how The Hog feels about that.

Well, since his own riders use the very same race as preparation (even Armstrong did, last year) I think he agrees.

 

[The Hitch]

Yes, if there's a break like the Evans-Sanchez-Valverde one last year, Goss can forget it.

Dont forget Sagan.

Maybe, but most importantly it's one long training ride two weeks before the Tour.

Obviously I meant, why they do TDS instead of Dauphine.

 

[Gloin22]

Dont forget Sagan.



Obviously I meant, why they do TDS instead of Dauphine.

Don't forget Hagen

 

[theyoungest]

Don't forget Hagen

Hagen wasn't in that break...

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

Well, since his own riders use the very same race as preparation (even Armstrong did, last year) I think he agrees.

Armstrong changed his schedule last year.

Maybe because he lacked racing miles, decided that he didn't want to face Contador before the Tour, or for Clinic reasons. Who knows. In any case, it was a change of plans.

 

[Gloin22]

Hagen wasn't in that break...

Thought Hitch was mentioning Sagan as one of the favourites for TDU... so I metnioned Hagen as well

 

[Tank Engine]

According to a Guardian cycling journalist, Geraint Thomas has confirmed he will ride the Giro and not the Tour next year before concentrating on the team pursuit in London.

Velo Nation has an article which implies that Froome will ride the Tour in support of Wiggins and will then lead the team at the Vuelta.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/cycling/15208779.stm

Geraint's programme hasn't been decided yet, but he's talking about missing the classics as well as the tour to concentrate on the track for the olympics. He seems to be planning to ride the Vuelta.

 

[El Pistolero]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/cycling/15208779.stm

Geraint's programme hasn't been decided yet, but he's talking about missing the classics as well as the tour to concentrate on the track for the olympics. He seems to be planning to ride the Vuelta.

That kid can't combine anything huh?

Why not focus on the Olympic road race instead and ride the classics and the Tour?

 

[theyoungest]

Armstrong changed his schedule last year.

No sh.t, Sherlock. That's why I said "even Armstrong".

That kid can't combine anything huh?

Why not focus on the Olympic road race instead and ride the classics and the Tour?

Because he can't win a medal in the road race?

 

[El Pistolero]

No sh.t, Sherlock. That's why I said "even Armstrong".


Because he can't win a medal in the road race?

He already has a gold medal at team pursuit. Seems like a waste to me to sacrifice your entire road season for another track medal.

 

[The Hitch]

He already has a gold medal at team pursuit. Seems like a waste to me to sacrifice your entire road season for another track medal.

Contador already has 3 TDF's. Seems like a waste to me to sacrifice his entire season for another yellow jersey.

 

[Tank Engine]

He already has a gold medal at team pursuit. Seems like a waste to me to sacrifice your entire road season for another track medal.

I think the chance of a medal at the Olympics in your home state is certainly worth sacrificing being in the July-August Sky/GB train, wouldn't you? I was hoping that he would be doing the spring classics, as those are the races that suit him the best and then there's still 3-4 months to focus on the olympics.

 

[El Pistolero]

Contador already has 3 TDF's. Seems like a waste to me to sacrifice his entire season for another yellow jersey.

When has he ever done that?

 

[El Pistolero]

I think the chance of a medal at the Olympics in your home state is certainly worth sacrificing being in the July-August Sky/GB train, wouldn't you? I was hoping that he would be doing the spring classics, as those are the races that suit him the best and then there's still 3-4 months to focus on the olympics.

I guess I just don't rate track cycling all that highly

And I'm not convinced Olympics road race will end in a sprint because of the 5 man teams.

 

[theyoungest]

I guess I just don't rate track cycling all that highly

It's the Olympics. Britain have indeed found themselves a niche sport where they can work on their medal tally, but who can blame them.

I know as a Belgian you've learned to not care about the Olympics, because you suck at all Olympic sports

 

[The Hitch]

I guess I just don't rate track cycling all that highly

So he shoudlnt do the olympics because your ignorant *** doesnt like it?

Thomas will get more out of 1 home olympic gold than he would if he were to win Ronde-Roubaix 5 years in a row.

It's the Olympics. Britain have indeed found themselves a niche sport where they can work on their medal tally, but who can blame them.

Kind of like you guys with speedskating

 

[theyoungest]

Kind of like you guys with speedskating

The difference being that speedskating has been massively popular in Holland for years now. It's not a sport that we jumped on to get some medals.

 

[Tank Engine]

I guess I just don't rate track cycling all that highly

And I'm not convinced Olympics road race will end in a sprint because of the 5 man teams.

I'm not a great fan of the track either , I would much prefer a podium in RvV or P-R, hence the initial post questioning the apparent decision not to race the classics (although, admittedly Geraint has a better chance of a podium finish at the Olympics).

As for the Olympics road race, you may well be right, but unless a certain Manxman is injured, team GB's tactics are obvious and I don't think it will be that hard for them to find 4 other decent riders. Geraint's chance of a medal ranks alongside Belgium's chances of beating New Zealand at rugby.

 

[Nielsa]

Thomas will get more out of 1 home olympic gold than he would if he were to win Ronde-Roubaix 5 years in a row.



Kind of like you guys with speedskating

Agree on the first, for sports fans in general, "Olympic cycling gold medallist" means a whole lot more than anything bar the TdF GC.

Don't agree on the second, speed skating is not really a niche sport. Sports Illustrated had two speed skaters as sportsman & -woman of the year in '94, and neither of them were Dutch.
Depends on your definition of niche, of course. Discus is maybe niche to some, but it's one of the original Olympic events.

 

[El Pistolero]

So he shoudlnt do the olympics because your ignorant *** doesnt like it?

Thomas will get more out of 1 home olympic gold than he would if he were to win Ronde-Roubaix 5 years in a row.



Kind of like you guys with speedskating

So GT should only do what his ignorant British olympic only fans tell him to do? He's going to become a great cyclist that way

I guess I forget cyclists are only allowed to ride for a team of their nationality and that the only important thing is to be popular in your own country. But luckily for GT that country also rules the waves right?

I think GT has picked the wrong sport if that's true however.

Why should I like it that a decent cyclist decides to focus his entire season on the Olympics? I don't like it that Andy does the same with the Tour and I don't like GT doing it for the very same reasons.

Giving up the Olympic road race and Tour is one thing, but also giving up on the classics just for track cycling? Tell me, why should anyone be glad with that?

 

[will10]

Hitch why do you give Pisterolo the pleasure of responding?

 

[Dutchsmurf]

An Olympic medal ranks higher than anything else in any sport except soccer. We cycling fans might rank the Tour higher, but in the eye of the general public a (second) golden medal outranks it by far. Anything outside the Tour isn't even worth noticing when it comes to cycling. Not doing the classics to focus on the Olympics is the only right choice. Besides, he will have more than enough years to focus on the classics after this year.

 

[El Pistolero]

An Olympic medal ranks higher than anything else in any sport except soccer. We cycling fans might rank the Tour higher, but in the eye of the general public a (second) golden medal outranks it by far. Anything outside the Tour isn't even worth noticing when it comes to cycling. Not doing the classics to focus on the Olympics is the only right choice. Besides, he will have more than enough years to focus on the classics after this year.

The general public has never heard of track cycling.

And no one in its right mind ranks Olympic gold in cycling higher than the Tour. Otherwise Bradley Wiggins is by far the best and most famous cyclist in the world

Who's more famous in Great Britain? Cavendish or Wiggins?

 

[Boardslide]

The general public has never heard of track cycling.

And no one in its right mind ranks Olympic gold in cycling higher than the Tour. Otherwise Bradley Wiggins is by far the best and most famous cyclist in the world

Who's more famous in Great Britain? Cavendish or Wiggins?

Until these last two months Wiggins