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

[FreeWheelin]

Hooray for epic Cavendish vs Greipel battles?

And Kittel... should be fun.

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

i didn't i just don't rate them yet.

+ 1

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

lol vintage pickle. arguing non-sense.

we'll have this,it will be cool if someone has the balls to attack early

http://www.altimetrias.net/aspbk/verPuerto.asp?id=375

nice.

Crashing?

10char

pfft, no excuse. It was just crap form. same goes for jvbd, vino, wiggo etc.

I can't read Gesink's mind, but the reason why he did Oman, in my opinion, was to get an early season win in memory of his father. Because of that, he peaked too early and wasn't good enough by the time the Ardennes classics started which is normally his first season goal.

while that might have been a factor, there was more to it then.

He was struggling mentally, at T-A despite being in a great position really lacked motivation and wanted to quit. Between TA and Basque he didnt even touch his bike. Ideal prep ey.

 

[greenedge]

I didn't I just don't rate them yet.

What about just Goss though? The fact that Cav crashed/Greipel was sick for Qatar and that Kittel has not competed against the best 4 sprinters ( Farrar as well ) all together and he was just under intense scrutiny ( doping investigation ) should help Goss.

 

[Kvinto]

It depends on Matt's current shape. If he finds his form it'll be interesting to watch him (together with Greipel and Kittel) against the background of 'not that protected' Cavendish, or since Cav is still the best but he won't be there in every sprint it would be interesting to see Goss vs Greipel vs Kittel, just to evaluate who's faster

 

[theyoungest]

while that might have been a factor, there was more to it then.

He was struggling mentally, at T-A despite being in a great position really lacked motivation and wanted to quit. Between TA and Basque he didnt even touch his bike. Ideal prep ey.

Don't bother, this has been said about a million times now on this forum, but facts don't hinder a guy like El Pickle.

 

[dlwssonic]

Damn.... Gilbert should have come to Oman.

 

[theyoungest]

Damn.... Gilbert should have come to Oman.

I don't think Gilbert could win a single stage in Oman. It's either a bunch sprint or an MTF.

 

[dlwssonic]

I don't think Gilbert could win a single stage in Oman. It's either a bunch sprint or an MTF.

stage 4? Gilbert just needs a little slope

 

[theyoungest]

stage 4? Gilbert just needs a little slope

I doubt a 1% incline will do

 

[Kvinto]

Yeah, ASO likes to mislead people with stage profiles. Stage 1 also has a great uphill section before the finish with thrilling steepness of <1%

 

[theyoungest]

Yeah, ASO likes to mislead people with stage profiles. Stage 1 also has a great uphill section before the finish with thrilling steepness of <1%

That 2nd stage looks to be heading into the mountains, sort of. But we don't have a profile for it.

 

[dlwssonic]

I doubt a 1% incline will do

actually a speed bump is enough. But the 4th stage looks hard enough even with an exaggerated profile

 

[Kvinto]

actually a speed bump is enough. But the 4th stage looks hard enough even with an exaggerated profile

yup, it seems really hard if they put intermediate sprints at the top of their 'climbs'

 

[El Pistolero]

I doubt a 1% incline will do

You clearly didn't watch the Belgian Nats. But don't let facts hinder you

 

[will10]

You clearly didn't watch the Belgian Nats. But don't let facts hinder you

I can't see any cobbles on the Oman profile though, can you?

 

[theyoungest]

I can't see any cobbles on the Oman profile though, can you?

The climb in the Belgian nats may not have been much, it was still a climb. This here is really nothing, based on the profile. The riders won't even notice the road is going up.

edit: stage 4 is different, of course. These are hills (I believe one of them was also included in last year's TT)

 

[El Pistolero]

I can't see any cobbles on the Oman profile though, can you?

It was a bump of 1.5% incline with really nice and easy cobbles(the only cobbled sector in the race). Those cobbles had zero influence in the race.

 

[More Strides than Rides]

At least the GC field sounds a little deeper than last year. EBH was the second fastest guy up green mountain...

The second stage does look like it finishes on a hill. It s route along the coast could be vulnerable to winds, though. Also stage 1

 

[Flamin]

What about just Goss though? The fact that Cav crashed/Greipel was sick for Qatar and that Kittel has not competed against the best 4 sprinters ( Farrar as well ) all together and he was just under intense scrutiny ( doping investigation ) should help Goss.

Goss will probably give it a go, as Oman is his first and last test before Tirreno and MSR. And he might win a stage. But I don't expect some kind of GreenEdge lead-out train will have anything to do with it, if he would. That's why I didn't include them. Not that it's that important though. It's February after all.

 

[maltiv]

At least the GC field sounds a little deeper than last year. EBH was the second fastest guy up green mountain...

Is it? Last year the decent climbers on paper were Gesink, Rodriguez, Vinokourov, ,Vandevelde and Fuglsang. This year you have Nibali, Rodriguez, Vandevelde, Fuglsang and Peter Velits. I don't see how that's a better GC field.

 

[stefrees]

Sky will have no gc ambitions here so I expect cav may actually have a lead out

 

[theyoungest]

Is it? Last year the decent climbers on paper were Gesink, Rodriguez, Vinokourov, ,Vandevelde and Fuglsang. This year you have Nibali, Rodriguez, Vandevelde, Fuglsang and Peter Velits. I don't see how that's a better GC field.

Exactly. Although the field is probably a little more leveled this year. We won't see someone take 50 seconds on the field in the last 2 k.

 

[Fetisoff]

Exactly. Although the field is probably a little more leveled this year. We won't see someone take 50 seconds on the field in the last 2 k.

Isn't Andy Schleck riding? He's gonna tear the field apart, attacking right from the foot of the climb, to win the stage by 2 minutes.




Nooooooot.

 

[hatcher]

Similar field to last year, and just like last year the classics types will be further ahead in their seasons than the climbers. Makes it quite hard to predict.