2012 Tour de France: Stage 4: Abbeville → Rouen (214.5km)

[karlboss]

Congrats to Greipel. I thought Petacchi could have tried to get out of the slipstream earlier but he probably just wanted to conserve 2nd. Veelers is going well- he should have a role at more races.

I feel sorry for Cav crashing but i still think Greipel would have won.

I don't think anyone other than Cav and Goss are even strong enough to attempt it and I don't think Goss can do it successfully.

 

[thehog]

Uhm she follows cycling and her husband. Don't act like she is stupid ore something She just gave her opinion which is fine.

They are not married. Shows how much you know.

 

[Tigerion]

- RNT are desperate
- GreenEdge are presumptuous
- Greipel has a big ego (rightfully so)

So far they have taken 0 responsibility considering they have the top sprinter and GC candidate but you can't even blame them, it's the other teams that are doing all the work for them ...

RNT currently hold the yellow so it is there responsibility to defend it. Any team (within reason) who holds yellow is going to defend it.
Both OGE and Lotto come to the tour with the sprint stages being the primary goal. They want sprint stages and the trains so they will take control to ensure it is a sprint and then try to position the train.
SKy actually don't care if there are no sprint stages, all they really care about is the GC when they hit the mountains. They have a top sprinter so if there is a chance they he can go for it. It is basically the same position the liqidgas are in.

 

[movingtarget]

Congrats to Greipel. I thought Petacchi could have tried to get out of the slipstream earlier but he probably just wanted to conserve 2nd. Veelers is going well- he should have a role at more races.

I feel sorry for Cav crashing but i still think Greipel would have won.

Petacchi has caught Robbie McEwen syndrome. ........too old to compete with the strong sprinters now. Can't see him winning a stage.

 

[Tigerion]

I see Matt Goss hasn't given up on Green. I would, he just doesn't have it.
Greipel and Cav are clearly faster and Sagan is taking all the stages tha Greipel and Cav can't make it to the finish of and has a good lead already. Greipel and Cav have a chance to catch Sagan, as there are loads of high scoring finishes to come and they can win the intermediates on some of the tough days, but Goss isn't quite there at the level of Greipel and Cav and if a pure sprinter is to win they need stage wins.

It's time to forget about intermediates, and concentrate on the finishes. Get Impey to try the early leadout, it's low percentage, but after these two finishes I don't think Goss can come over Greipel in the last 200.
Sprinters this year
Greipel=Cav>Goss>Host of others including Sagan.

While he is in 2nd place I think he can still have hope. Today's stage is probably the one that suits him best on paper so if the team can get the train organised, put him into position and he still can't get a win (or at least really close) then maybe it is time.
But so long as he is the most consistent sprinter with a train to help keep him away from the crashes he might as well keep targeting it.
There are probably 4 stages after mountains for the sprinters and how Sagan at 22 and his 2nd GT will recover from those is worth gambling on.

It is also the primary focus of the team so they don't have much to fall back on if they drop out of the green jersey race.

 

[burning]

He is only countering the 250 wiggo fanboy rants on this forum

didn't see the stage, other then the crash doesn't seem like missed too much.

You got a point, Sky fans are utterly horrible

 

[UlleGigo]

They are not married. Shows how much you know.

Yeah. He probably doesn't even know Cav's favourite colour either.

 

[Kwibus]

http://www.teamsky.com/gallery/0,27401,25884_7869471,00.html

Some nice inside the bus pictures after the race by Team Sky.

Also a blog by Froome:
http://www.chris-froome.com/diary/43-diary-bring-on-the-mountains

 

[Tigerion]

http://www.teamsky.com/gallery/0,27401,25884_7869471,00.html

Some nice inside the bus pictures after the race by Team Sky.

Also a blog by Froome:
http://www.chris-froome.com/diary/43-diary-bring-on-the-mountains

Was that first pic of Bernie when he was told about @KarstenKroon tweet

 

[webbie146]

They are not married. Shows how much you know.

Yea i know i know whatever.. I think you got me point..

 

[Andy99]

I see Matt Goss hasn't given up on Green. I would, he just doesn't have it.
Greipel and Cav are clearly faster and Sagan is taking all the stages tha Greipel and Cav can't make it to the finish of and has a good lead already. Greipel and Cav have a chance to catch Sagan, as there are loads of high scoring finishes to come and they can win the intermediates on some of the tough days, but Goss isn't quite there at the level of Greipel and Cav and if a pure sprinter is to win they need stage wins.

It's time to forget about intermediates, and concentrate on the finishes. Get Impey to try the early leadout, it's low percentage, but after these two finishes I don't think Goss can come over Greipel in the last 200.
Sprinters this year
Greipel=Cav>Goss>Host of others including Sagan.

Goss also looked r e a l l y s l o w in yesterday's intermediate sprint. Cav came past without trying, yet Gossy appeared to be flat-out.