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

[El Pistolero]

It's not as if he is trying to get all his wins from group sprints though. He did try to win Flanders, Harelbeke, G-W, AGR and finished 4th in MSR with the shackles on by Liquigas. He also would of done better in Brabantse Pijl only for his crash. His win today was exactly a bunch sprint and neither was his win in T-A earlier in the year.

Not every rider can go on a solo like Cancellara has done and what Boonen did in P-R this year. He is only 22 and maybe this might come in years to come. Who knows. But to find faults and criticism at what he is doing now at 22 is very unfair.

Can we please drop the age argument? Sagan is better than everyone else despite what age.

All I'm saying is he makes races boring and there are many other cyclists out there who attack more. Just a fact. Can't say I've been much entertained by cycling lately. Especially not in races like Suisse and Cali.

I don't think a stage has been exciting just because Sagan took one amazing corner.

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

Apparently when Froome flatted Porte & Knees both waited with him.

Combined with Rogers earlier problem, Eddy's other priorities and Cav & Eisel's inability on this terrain, it's not surprising Wiggins was alone.

What is surprising is that they sent both Porte & Knees back.

 

[El Pistolero]

Apparently when Froome flatted Porte & Knees both waited with him.

Combined with Rogers earlier problem, Eddy's other priorities and Cav & Eisel's inability on this terrain, it's not surprising Wiggins was alone.

What is surprising is that they sent both Porte & Knees back.

It's too early to burn up all your matches for one guy. Wiggins wasn't exactly in much trouble on the climb, so I don't see the problem.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Knees I understand - tough rouleur who can get over some hills, could help Froome back on the false flat, but expendable from Wiggins' point of view. Porte is a surprise.

 

[Azabael]

Vino flatted

Anyway
http://www.trainingpeaks.com/av/HIQP4EPYXBNI67ZPMWBCCZOPHU
Brajkovic data of the finale.

I find the interval max most interesting, it shows how much he put out in the final.
500w for 2 minutes (that's basically the climb)
542w for 1 minute
569w for 30 seconds (probably on the steepest part)
etc
He reached a max of 752w for 2 seconds on the climb

Yikes.

Very interesting data, indeed. I would have expected a higher max heartrate with that wattage, lol.

 

[Angliru]

To speak of something else:

I liked the way Mørkøv all day behaved like a little child, playful with the cameras when getting point and his little happy-go-lucky jump onto the podium when he received the polkadot jersey.

That's one happy tour debutant!

Hasn't been much to be happy about at Saxo this year. This is likely the highlight (of course outside of the Tinkoff sponsorship announcement).

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

It's too early to burn up all your matches for one guy. Wiggins wasn't exactly in much trouble on the climb, so I don't see the problem.

It turned out OK, but with 8km Wiggins was alone at the back of the peloton.

He then worked his way up behind some carrots, then drifted back again.

He then worked his way back to the front during the climb.

He's obviously in very good form, so didn't really need a team today, but it was surprising to see them remove the potential for support like that.

 

[Mellow Velo]

Indeed. Furthermore, i fail to see how Horner sucking *** has anything to do with Bruyneel's tactical skills. Unless he means Bruyneel should have selected Fuglsang instead of Horner. That way Fuglsang could have sucked *** instead of Horner?

That's the logic, Logic.
Better a young sucker than an ancient sucker.

So, another Tour and another questionable example of Sky tactics.
I suppose EBH was around, should there have been a problem.

 

[Pippo_San]

So Liquigas boss, Mr. Zani, told Sagan before the Tour that, should he get at least 2 stages, he'll buy him a Porsche.

Congrats Peter you're just one win short of getting your new toy.

 

[El Pistolero]

It turned out OK, but with 8km Wiggins was alone at the back of the peloton.

He then worked his way up behind some carrots, then drifted back again.

He then worked his way back to the front during the climb.

He's obviously in very good form, so didn't really need a team today, but it was surprising to see them remove the potential for support like that.

I wouldn't worry about it too much, these stages are usually more nervous than climbing stages. Froome and Porte should be ok in the mountains.

 

[Gubby Allen]

While I see your point, I wouldn't call Sagan a wheelsucker in this scenario considering the effort it took to be in the position that the 3 of them were in.
Sagan was the first to chase down Chavanel with Cancellara smartly attacking shorting after that catch was made. Unfortunately for him, Sagan still had something in the tank to answer with. Cancellara seemed frustrated that Sagan was able to respond and all his weaving about the road to shake Sagan likely only made it easier for EBH to catch them. You said that Cancellara wants to win big and be remembered but that hasn't happened that often recently and just maybe he needs to alter his tactics. These young guns like Sagan and EBH and eventually Moser will likely frustrate his efforts at the grande victories that he covets.

By the way we all still like you and cycling too.

Given the two who Cancellara was left with 750m out, I thought he'd just go flat out to keep the 10-15 second lead, which could well have secured the yellow until the middle of next week.

From that point, to ending up with no time gained & EBH taking third by a whisker, it was quite a disappointing finish.

 

[Climbing]

Incredible win by Sagan, not easy to follow Cancellara!
And why in hell Sagan should have helped Spartacus (with the yellow jersey on, if you noticed)? Or you guys out of your minds?
This is cycling, not an holliwood movie like Braveheart or The Last Samurai!

You need the legs and smart-clear mind to win (some luck helps too!).

PS: btw did you see Nibali exulting when Sagan crossed the line? They got over their earlier season problems?

 

[Angliru]

172 Alexandr Vinokourov (Kaz) Astana Pro Team 0:03:41

Vino had a flat at a very inopportune time.

 

[goggalor]

On the yellow helmet issue, apparently it is not required to wear them.

 

[hamperium]

sad day for Tony Martin
we gonna miss him during the time trial
http://www.flickr.com/photos/hamperium_espana/7477741768/
who else can stop Cancellara

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

On the yellow helmet issue, apparently it is not required to wear them.

It's written in the rule book, and every team agreed to it.

Any distinction between that and 'required' is sophistry.

 

[goggalor]

It's written in the rule book, and every team agreed to it.

Any distinction between that and 'required' is sophistry.

Bruyneel says it's optional: https://twitter.com/JohanBruyneel/status/219352114126782464

 

[Azabael]

sad day for Tony Martin
we gonna miss him during the time trial
http://www.flickr.com/photos/hamperium_espana/7477741768/
who else can stop Cancellara

At least Westra can be 2nd again now if he beats Wiggins to it.

 

[AtletiSK]

Sagan explained his rather strange gesture after the win - it was a bet with his friends that he had made before the TdF - if he won a stage he would make a bird wings... so really no disrespectful intention in that...

 

[Angliru]

It's written in the rule book, and every team agreed to it.

Any distinction between that and 'required' is sophistry.

...and here I was thinking when I first saw Sky in them that they were being arrogant by implying that Wiggins ultimate win was inevitable.

 

[goggalor]

lmbo! Wiggo looks like a lego man with those colors and the lid on his head.

 

[El Pistolero]

I never said Sagan was the most exciting rider out there but I don't buy into this boring debate that he only gets his wins in bunch sprints in poor quality fields like California and Suisse. His wins today and in T-A earlier in the year was'nt exactly against B-list riders. If you have noticed from my post above I did'nt mention anything about his wins in Suisse and California when sticking up for Sagan. I do agree with your point about the entertainment of those races though.

Flat sprint, uphill sprints, it's all the same to me really. Stage 3 looks interesting, I want to see action there.

Ps: he didn't exactly win in those races where you mention him attacking, so my point kinda still stands. Although I admit, he was not boring during the cobbled classics. It might get boring next year though...

 

[Gubby Allen]

LL Sanchez has a suspected broken wrist too.

 

[patrick767]

Congratulations to Sagan. He's the real deal. What a finish!

 

[williamp78]

They wear yellow numbers as leaders of the team classification. Surely that would suffice? From their tweets in the morning you get the feeling they were a bit embarrassed to be wearing them especially given another team had the yellow jersey and paris is three weeks away!