2012 Tour de France; Stage 1: Liège → Seraing (198km)

[webbie146]

He'd be a boss if he had actually done any work. This way he is simply the fastest guy being dragged to the finish.
Considering how much he has won already this year, a little more style than this can be expected. At least not such a childish celebration at the end.
I'm somewhat disappointed as I actually do like the rider a lot. But celebrating like this after he didn't do any work is lacking style entirely.

Agree with this

+1

Wow Froome lost 1.25 :O

 

[l.Harm]

51. WESTRA Lieuwe 121 VACANSOLEIL-DCM 04h 58' 36'' + 00' 17''
53. COSTA Rui Alberto 163 MOVISTAR TEAM 04h 58' 36'' + 00' 17''
54. LEIPHEIMER Levi 191 OMEGA PHARMA-QUICK STEP 04h 58' 36'' + 00' 17''
58. PINOT Thibaut 146 FDJ-BIGMAT 04h 58' 42'' + 00' 23''
61. KRUIJSWIJK Steven 152 RABOBANK CYCLING TEAM 04h 58' 42'' + 00' 23''
62. COBO ACEBO Juan Jose 162 MOVISTAR TEAM 04h 58' 42'' + 00' 23''
71. COPPEL Jérôme 91 SAUR-SOJASUN 04h 58' 42'' + 00' 23''
95. FROOME Christopher 105 SKY PROCYCLING 04h 59' 44'' + 01' 25''

- oh somebody was earlier

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

What happened to Kruiswijk?

He is not good at this kind of finish at all. Never was

 

[cocteau_ireland]

Dan Martin's going to win stage 3...

Good shout!

 

[Froome19]

Sagan has lost a lot of respect today. I used to like him a lot but, who he thinks he is? JUST A ****ING POOR WHEELSUCKER!

He knows he is THE FASTEST and does not give one turn to Cancellara. What a shame, poor wheelsucker. I wouldn't be proud if I were riding this way.

Respect to Cancellara. He makes cycling attractive and thrilling. No wonder he's called Spartacus. Better a proud second than a poor winner.

That is according to you but many would take the poor winner, including the proud second himself.

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

I don't know. I'd reverse it. Sagan went three times, tried and failed to catch Chavanel, jumped on Cance's wheel, and then went for the sprint. No one pulls for Cance, but he did everything right despite that. Sagan too strong.

Also: Sagan and EBH now tied at one a piece.

one a piece of what?

 

[Ramira]

Sagan actually apologized for not taking the lead in the post-race interview. Honestly I think he knew if he took the lead he would blow up, he had very little left. Sure it would have been more impressive if he took his turns but he might well have lost it. He did what he had to, it's just a shame Fabian doesn't have a slightly better sprint.

 

[thehog]

Before people start throwing stones at others they should understand how bloody hard it is ito win a bike race.

It would be nice if all winners did it with grace and style and made it look easy ... but the fact is it is an amazing achievement to win a stage of the TdF

HAts off from me to SAgan

Correct and it's no different what Cav does year on year.

 

[Rechtschreibfehler]

It is just immaturity nothing more, nothing less..

Indeed it is. But that only explains it, it doesn't make it any better.
He was very strong, and pretty smart. But he owes the win to Cancellara dragging him to the finish also. Therefore he shouldn't behave like this.

But I don't exactly understand Cancellaras riding for second places, he just tells everyone in the field that he'll drag them to the finish to have himself beaten in the sprint.

 

[dlwssonic]

Mildly disappointed with BMC's performance today. Should have positioned themselves better. Only evans was well positioned in the end, and I believe the plan was for him to work for Gilbert. He seemed quite confused at the front. Gilbert was way too far back at the climb to do anything. At least he showed something in the sprint. Stage 3 would be better for him.

 

[la.margna]

In the business of competitive racing, thats just not true.

I wrote what I feel like, not what a majority might consider to be successful or so. Prefer to lose proudly instead of poorly wheelsucking to win. He'd also have won had he given a turn or two to Cancellara. And then he could even be proud. Just poor.

 

[Maxiton]

Would have been nice to see Canc sit up, force sagan to pull, but he couldn't. Likewise, Sagan played it tactically smart for someone who wanted to win the stage. He's obviously a super impressive rider. They were both great.

 

[superconfex]

Sagan has lost a lot of respect today. I used to like him a lot but, who he thinks he is? JUST A ****ING POOR WHEELSUCKER!

He knows he is THE FASTEST and does not give one turn to Cancellara. What a shame, poor wheelsucker. I wouldn't be proud if I were riding this way.

Respect to Cancellara. He makes cycling attractive and thrilling. No wonder he's called Spartacus. Better a proud second than a poor winner.

WOW just WOW

 

[Panda Claws]

Sagan will already be wearing the Green tomorrow

 

[Bala Verde]

Sagan, in the post race interview in Italian apologised that he didn't take over from Cancelara. He had to do it (or rather not do it ) to win the stage.

Tactically savvy. Cancelara, if he had the Sagan sprinting skills, would have done the same.

 

[dlwssonic]

what happened to froome btw??

 

[ChewbaccaD]

Correct and it's no different what Cav does year on year.

Great point Hog!

 

[CasperVg]

Hmm, Cance was a more deserving winner imo, but okay, Sagan was the only one capable of following his accelleration. A nice finish of a rather boring stage. Also good is no falls from GC contenders. Nice finish by Gesink too (is he always this good in such punchy hilly finishes?), fail by Vanendert and Vdb after doing all that work in the last few kms.

 

[cineteq]

Sagan will already be wearing the Green tomorrow

Hope he keeps it for good!

 

[la.margna]

That is according to you but many would take the poor winner, including the proud second himself.

I fully agree with you on this. That's why many things go wrong on this world. No more honor around.

 

[dlwssonic]

Are you telling people that Sagan does'nt make cycling attractive and thrilling?

He makes it slightly boring with him winning so much thats all.

 

[Cerberus]

Shut up with all the Sagan crying, It's not like he would have rode Fabian off his wheel. He played to the strength's he has, not the ones he wishes to have. Easy to armchair quarterback this, but Fabian had one choice. Drop him. He didn't/couldn't do that, and towed a superior sprinter to the line. You guys act like bike racing is a new concept.

Actually he has two choices, he can try to drop Sagan, but failing that he can also just stop pulling, at that point either Sagan takes a pull or they get reabsorbed. I can't really blame Sagan for doing his best to win, but I don't see why Cancellara had to let him, IMO Cancellara doesn't need a second place that much.

 

[ChewbaccaD]

I wrote what I feel like, not what a majority might consider to be successful or so. Prefer to lose proudly instead of poorly wheelsucking to win. He'd also have won had he given a turn or two to Cancellara. And then he could even be proud. Just poor.

Your national pride is showing...

 

[AtletiSK]

Sagan did what he had to do to give himself a chance... he was close to blowing up, just the fact that he could survive that brutal and truly impressive attack as the only one in the field aged 22 years is ridiculous... hats off to Cancellara and Sagan who just absolutely understandably left it for the sprint, as any other rider with his abilities would have done... those criticising him have no idea about how difficult this sport and winning a TdF stage is - especially against Spartacus!!

 

[Frosty]

what happened to froome btw??

No idea. Hope to find out later. He was pedalling hard at the end so he didnt sit up, looks like genuinely lost time.