2012 Tour de France: Stage 2: Visé → Tournai (208km)

[ChewbaccaD]

Anyone know why Wigans, Cav, and some other Sky riders are wearing helmets with vent covers? It looks pretty warm there. Aero is all I can think, but on a stage like this...really?

 

[DominicDecoco]

Anyone know why Wigans, Cav, and some other Sky riders are wearing helmets with vent covers? It looks pretty warm there. Aero is all I can think, but on a stage like this...really?

Leading the team-GC.

Not aero, not warm - just awful

 

[theyoungest]

For those who like cycling trivia. Did you know: Michael Morkov was the winner of Quebec Challenge Sprint 2011?

Yes. I watched that. Quite enjoyable, actually.

More fun than this borefest of a stage.

 

[UpTheRoad]

GOD Phil Ligget is a stupid piece of ****.

Was there something specific that set you off or just a general observation?

 

[Gloin22]

How long to the intermediate ?

 

[Hugo Koblet]

How long to the intermediate ?

Only 30 kms.. Are you excited yet?

 

[therhodeo]

Was there something specific that set you off or just a general observation?

At this point do we need specific examples?

 

[cineteq]

Yes. I watched that. Quite enjoyable, actually.

More fun than this borefest of a stage.

We need more of those!

 

[Gloin22]

Only 30 kms.. Are you excited yet?

Damn, I thought it was soon. Oh well. Will play some PCM 12 then

I will cherish the freaking amazing news - Rome Total War 2 was announced !!!

 

[taiwan]

Lotto mean business.

He's ugly, and German, but my head says Greipel will beat Cav today fair and square-headed.

I'll genuinely be interested to see how it goes today. Cav Kittel Greipel or Goss could all potentially win, and I wouldn't even rule out Petacchi: up until recently he was the only one who could take Cav.

They won't all show up in the top ten though, at least one will go AWOL, they always do.

 

[Trofinios]

So, which riders will lead out Cav today? Sivtsov, Eisel and EBH for sure. Knees and maybe Rogers early on?

And I guess EBH will be the last man to lead out Cav. Or will it be Eisel?

 

[Gloin22]

No lead-out imo. Latching on other trains with EBH as the one that will lead him in last 3km.

 

[richtea]

Wouldn't it be quite a nice surprise to find a sausage roll, a Penguin or a Capri Sun in your musette?

 

[Catwhoorg]

Goss or Renshaw as Cav's last man.

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

No lead-out imo. Latching on other trains with EBH as the one that will lead him in last 3km.

Nah, at the very least Siutsov, Eisel & Eddy will form up with him and leave it late to push forward.

Kittel's train as described by Koen de Kort is a disaster waiting to happen. Any team that things 5 men will last 5km is in dream land, especially with Lotto there getting confused and going 100% 2km too early.

 

[Trofinios]

No lead-out imo. Latching on other trains with EBH as the one that will lead him in last 3km.

Are you joking? I know yellow is skys main objective, but certainly we will see at least 2-3 guys working for Cav the final kilometers. Sivtsov has lead-out experience, and Eisel and EBH will surely be there for Cav.

 

[Morbius]

Sky can't afford to give too big a train

Sky are currently winning the game of bluff and forcing other teams to chase the break. Right now the implicit deal is "you chase and we will let Cav take his chances with minimal lead-out". If they suddenly put out a train at the end of the stage then no other team will chase again.

 

[max_powers]

Anyone know why Wigans, Cav, and some other Sky riders are wearing helmets with vent covers? It looks pretty warm there. Aero is all I can think, but on a stage like this...really?

The yellow helmets need large team logos

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

Sky can't afford to give too big a train

Sky are currently winning the game of bluff and forcing other teams to chase the break. Right now the implicit deal is "you chase and we will let Cav take his chances with minimal lead-out". If they suddenly put out a train at the end of the stage then no other team will chase again.

Yeah, Greenedge & Argos will end their Tour if that is the required action to sufficiently spite their face.

 

[c&cfan]

Sky can't afford to give too big a train

Sky are currently winning the game of bluff and forcing other teams to chase the break. Right now the implicit deal is "you chase and we will let Cav take his chances with minimal lead-out". If they suddenly put out a train at the end of the stage then no other team will chase again.

that's so stupid.

lotto and orica only have sprints as goal. sky?yellow. stages are bonus for them.

lotto orica and kittle's team have no chance if they want a win. they must work, not sky.

 

[Gloin22]

Are you joking? I know yellow is skys main objective, but certainly we will see at least 2-3 guys working for Cav the final kilometers. Sivtsov has lead-out experience, and Eisel and EBH will surely be there for Cav.

We'll see mate Knees, Eisel and EBH will be the only ones. Siutstou doubtful, but definitely no train.

 

[Morbius]

I know the other teams only have one objective this tour so have to ride, but if Sky start abusing the work the other teams do, put out a train at the end, and Cav wins every stage as a result then the other teams will stop racing for second. No-one ever helped HTC even if all they had were sprinters. It's a balance.

Oh and I mean that Sky will give Cav about 2 (Eisel and EBH)

 

[patterson_hood]

I'm not expecting Cav to fight for points here, but we'll see...

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

I'm not expecting Cav to fight for points here, but we'll see...

99% he will.

 

[patterson_hood]

I know the other teams only have one objective this tour so have to ride, but if Sky start abusing the work the other teams do, put out a train at the end, and Cav wins every stage as a result then the other teams will stop racing for second. No-one ever helped HTC even if all they had were sprinters. It's a balance.

I doubt it. They'll work, even if Cav wins everything. Otherwise they have to explain to their sponsors why they took a team for the sprints and then didn't bother trying to bring the breaks back.