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

[Frosty]

To the earlier question, Monfort got back because he was able to draft the cars on the way back (TV showed him a few times).

Reminded me of MSR a bit actually - although that was downhill towards the finish. Canc in front, someone wheel sucking in second and then someone struggling in third. Sagan had to watch that from behind and then win the bunch sprint to finish 4th. Looks like he took note of the winning tactic from that time.

 

[El Pistolero]

With luck and bar accidents or incidents, until the stage finish.
After that, all bets are off and it becomes troll central.

Is this a euphemism for never?

 

[jens_attacks]

I'm not trying to be aggresive but if he's caught doping, will you like him?

have no idea.he's a beast though no doubt.
he will change the opinion of today's stage with some agressive riding later in the tour i'm sure.

 

[Froome19]

Can anyone explain what Lotto were doing in the run up to the finale? They all sacrificed and were out before the hill. Could not figure it out.

They messed up badly simple as that..
Pretty disappointing by Vanendert dont know where he finished but they should be content that VDB came in safe and high up..

 

[theyoungest]

They messed up badly simple as that..
Pretty disappointing by Vanendert dont know where he finished but they should be content that VDB came in safe and high up..

They didn't mess up, their goal was to keep their guys out of trouble, which they did. If the peloton is strung out, it's safer.

 

[dlwssonic]

lotto were incredibly fail today.
Hopefully they will get it right tomorrow.

 

[red_flanders]

They messed up badly simple as that..
Pretty disappointing by Vanendert dont know where he finished but they should be content that VDB came in safe and high up..

Thx, thought I might have been missing some intrigue, but I'm sure y'all are right.

 

[la.margna]

yeah. Lotto worked *** off for Jelle Vanendert and Orica-Greenedge for Albasini and both disappeared into nowhere... But **** happens... 2morrow is another day...

 

[El Pistolero]

have no idea.he's a beast though no doubt.
he will change the opinion of today's stage with some agressive riding later in the tour i'm sure.

Not so sure, every time he didn't wheel-suck this season he lost the race and every time he doesn't attack and waits for the sprint/wheel-sucks he wins.

 

[burning]

have no idea.he's a beast though no doubt.
he will change the opinion of today's stage with some agressive riding later in the tour i'm sure.

If he went way early like AGR, people would have said that he's not smart etc, I think he did the right thing to take the win, the winner is always right imo

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

The fact that the DS's of Lotto are a bunch of tactical morons has been known since long. It's a tradition they have been proudly holding high for decades. That said, they did manage to get the only two guys that needed to be in the front, where they needed to be and helped making the finish tough.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Me neither, clueless those guys...

In the interview on sporza JvdB said that he and Vanendert wanted to try and
win the stage

 

[theyoungest]

lotto were incredibly fail today.
Hopefully they will get it right tomorrow.

You know what's a fail? If you let the defending Tour champion work on the front, and then Gilbert doesn't finish it off.

 

[El Pistolero]

If he went way early like AGR, people would have said that he's not smart etc, I think he did the right thing to take the win, the winner is always right imo

I'm glad Hitler didn't win then.

 

[la.margna]

Sportsmanship, honor and class are loanwords nowadays it seems as wheelsucking is dubbed as savvy, smart or amazing.

Viva il ciclismo | Vive le cyclisme!

 

[dlwssonic]

I wonder whether sagan will go for the stage win tomorrow.
I hope he does, I want to see how good his sprint really is against the big boys.

After looking at stage 3, it seems ideal for Gilbert.
It will be between him and sagan. Maybe valverde and some others like gerrans or even EBH.

 

[burning]

I'm glad Hitler didn't win then.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godwin's_law

 

[la.margna]

the winner is always right imo

So Lance can relax then I guess

 

[dlwssonic]

You know what's a fail? If you let the defending Tour champion work on the front, and then Gilbert doesn't finish it off.

lol Lotto's fail was way worse than BMC's fail please....
Gilbert got a 4th what did lotto get????

 

[burning]

So Lance can relax then I guess

Sooner or later, he wont be a winner

 

[gjb483]

Sportsmanship, honor and class are loanwords nowadays it seems as wheelsucking is dubbed as savvy, smart or amazing.

Viva il ciclismo | Vive le cyclisme!

get a clue.

 

[la.margna]

So Lance can relax then I guess

So please forgive me if I have no put Lance on the same level as Hitler according to Godwin's law

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

I wonder whether sagan will go for the stage win tomorrow.
I hope he does, I want to see how good his sprint really is against the big boys.

After looking at stage 3, it seems ideal for Gilbert.
It will be between him and sagan. Maybe valverde and some others like gerrans or even EBH.

He'll go for it.

He went for the points on the intermediate and was beaten by Kenny.

 

[AtletiSK]

Sportsmanship, honor and class are loanwords nowadays it seems as wheelsucking is dubbed as savvy, smart or amazing.

Viva il ciclismo | Vive le cyclisme!

I mean you maybe don´t know it but you have just expressed the greatest of the compliments to anybody who can suck the wheel of Spartacus!!! it´s much more than "good job", because anyone who can do that is a true great rider

 

[Gloin22]

lol Lotto's fail was way worse than BMC's fail please....
Gilbert got a 4th what did lotto get????

They got 11th, not bad.

Gilbert was epxected to win such stages when he signed up for BMC, now he's not even close