2012 Tour of Oman (14th - 19th of February), 2.HC

[La Pandera]

The best way to have approached that sprint, would've been Sagan sprinting way earlier, leading Lastras to aborting any attempt to go for the win, and then Nibali either taking 2nd, or Sagan stopping just before the finish and letting Nibali get full bonus points. Of course, this is after the fact...

It's easy for us to second guess their actions. We're not in the heat of the action, with adrenaline flowing.

 

[La Pandera]

Fuglsang.........

Thanks El Pistolero!

 

[wirral]

Peter Sagan gets the overall points jersey. The plot thickens.

 

[maltiv]

Seems like Sky's leadout is really lacklustre here at this race despite not bringing a single climber. I assume they will do much better once G gets going again though.

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

Seems like Sky's leadout is really lacklustre here at this race despite not bringing a single climber. I assume they will do much better once G gets going again though.

Not much use when he's skipping the tour.

 

[Gloin22]

Not much use when he's skipping the tour.

He's doing Giro and Vuelta this year though

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

He's doing Giro and Vuelta this year though

Well, I'm sure that thought will keep Cav feeling warm in July.

Wouldn't be surprised if his failure to even fight for a result this week is internal politics to try and emphasise that he does need a working leadout.

 

[Carols]

Wow just arrived and got all excited thinking Nibali had scored at the sprint ...oh well now I know it was Sagan....What is the deal with him? Doesn't he know who the team leader is????

 

[Kvinto]

Yeah, something strange had happened on the first intermediate sprint, if we have Boonen, Sagan, Van Keirsbulck there, two QST guys and Sagan. Or maybe not that strange?

Of course the first thought that comes to my mind is the last stage of Tirreno 2010, when, knowing that Garzelli is hands down a better sprinter than Scarponi, Androni set Ginanni and J.Rodriguez for preventing Garzelli from gaining bonus seconds but they obviously failed because being third two times Stefano gained that necessary 2sec to win the overall.

But now is different since P.Velits is not a weaker sprinter than Nibali, so i suspect Velits was marking Nibali to make sure he won't contest time bonuses; Boonen and Van Keirsbulck sprinted for security while Peter Sagan - just for fun

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

Yeah, something strange had happened on the first intermediate sprint, if we have Boonen, Sagan, Van Keirsbulck there, two QST guys and Sagan. Or maybe not that strange?

Of course the first thought that comes to my mind is the last stage of Tirreno 2010, when, knowing that Garzelli is hands down a better sprinter than Scarponi, Androni set Ginanni and J.Rodriguez for preventing Garzelli from gaining bonus seconds but they obviously failed because being third two times Stefano gained that necessary 2sec to win the overall.

But now is different since P.Velits is not a weaker sprinter than Nibali, so i suspect Velits was marking Nibali to make sure he won't contest time bonuses; Boonen and Van Keirsbulck sprinted for security while Peter Sagan - just for fun

But apparently Nibali was 4th.

So if Sagan had applied his breakes - just for fun , his teammate would have been tied for the win, and presumably the stage win would give him it?

 

[Kvinto]

But apparently Nibali was 4th.

tbh, i didn't know that Nibbali was 4th. If so then i doudt Vincenco has appreciated Peter's humour

EDIT: it seems Paolini was a better lead-out man for Garzelli in Tirreno 2010 than today's Sagan for Nibbali

 

[hrotha]

tbh, i didn't know that Nibbali was 4th. If so then i doudt Vincenco has appreciated Peter's humour

EDIT: it seems Paolini was a better lead-out man for Garzelli in Tirreno 2010 than today's Sagan for Nibbali

Maybe he did it for the evulz rather than for the lulz.

 

[saosinfangirl]

Vincenzo Nibali @VincenzoNibali

Ci abbiamo provato!! Grazie @Peter_Sagan e compagni per avermi aiutato, era difficile vincere una volata così contro l'omega pharma!!

sarcasm?

 

[dlwssonic]

wrong post

 

[Kvinto]

Maybe he did it for the evulz rather than for the lulz.

Maybe, i dunno. Looking at Peter i'd never say he did it for the evulz though, but it may be one of examples when appearances are deceptive

Vincenzo Nibali @VincenzoNibali

Ci abbiamo provato!! Grazie @Peter_Sagan e compagni per avermi aiutato, era difficile vincere una volata così contro l'omega pharma!!

sarcasm?

he clearly hasn't appreciated the humour

 

[oboy77]

Sagan

I believe Sagan was leading Nibali in that sprint and the latter one couldn't hold his wheel. After the race Peter Velits said he thought he was ahead of Nibali in that first sprint. He was surprised afterwards to hear from the radio about Nibs getting second place.

 

[The Hitch]

Eurosport showing yesterdays mtf.

This is what Carton Kirby had to say when Andy appeared on screen.

" Andy Schleck, well, been busy, good supporting role Andy Schleck tries to lay as much as he possibly can down and and does so on behalf of others I think you might say , but not gonna be a good finish for Andy Schleck today thats for sure".

WTF???? Andy Schleck a team player who isnt suited to mtfs? Is Kirby totally mad?

 

[The Hitch]

Also did people say Velits was with Nibali? Cos in the highlights Velits is 17 seconds behind Nibali with Jeannoson and Slagter. Shark is on his own the whole way.

 

[Panda Claws]

Eurosport showing yesterdays mtf.

This is what Carton Kirby had to say when Andy appeared on screen.

" Andy Schleck, well, been busy, good supporting role Andy Schleck tries to lay as much as he possibly can down and and does so on behalf of others I think you might say , but not gonna be a good finish for Andy Schleck today thats for sure".

WTF???? Andy Schleck a team player who isnt suited to mtfs? Is Kirby totally mad?

So Andy was working for Cancellara?

 

[La Pandera]

Also did people say Velits was with Nibali? Cos in the highlights Velits is 17 seconds behind Nibali with Jeannoson and Slagter. Shark is on his own the whole way.

According to stage report, Nibali attacked twice on the climb. The first time Velits and others responded and reeled him back in. The second time, Velits hesitated before responding and was never able to close the gap so Nibili was solo from the start of his second attack to the finish.

 

[Ruudz0r]

Also did people say Velits was with Nibali? Cos in the highlights Velits is 17 seconds behind Nibali with Jeannoson and Slagter. Shark is on his own the whole way.

Do you have a link to the highlights of that stage?

 

[killswitch]

Do you have a link to the highlights of that stage?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M97gq1XJgdw

 

[phanatic]

In other news, Sagan has made it look rather like he was more interested in Slovakia than Liquigas.

That, and Points had his own jersey to be concerned about. But Pistolero may be right about Sagan just being too young and enthusiastic.

 

[cineteq]

Vincenzo Nibali @VincenzoNibali

Ci abbiamo provato!! Grazie @Peter_Sagan e compagni per avermi aiutato, era difficile vincere una volata così contro l'omega pharma!!

sarcasm?

It might only mean Sagan was trying to lead him up, but failed to get out of the way because it was a very chaotic sprint.

And the report from CN, confirms it:

"Nibali himself admitted that he didn't know where he had placed when he crossed the line amid the phalanx of Omega Pharma-QuickStep and Liquigas-Cannondale jerseys at the sprint.

"Sagan, Velits and I all arrived together, and Chavanel was saying that I had finished fourth," Nibali said after wheeling to a halt at the finish line. "If I've understood right, they did a photo finish and I think that was the right thing to do."

 

[theyoungest]

Do you have a link to the highlights of that stage?

The entire climb.