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

[theyoungest]

Surprisingly few teams have chosen to send a single climber to this race. Neither Sky nor Garmin for example are sending anyone who can top 10 under normal circumstances. As a result there are only like 10 guys in this race who can be considered climbers, so we could get pretty interesting results on Green Mountain.

For the GC Nibali is the big favourite in my opinion, although Jrod will probably win on Green Mountain (but lose time in crosswinds).

Last year I think the only stage where crosswinds played a major role was the Green Mountain stage (affecting, for instance, Purito )

Garmin have sent Vande Velde, BTW.

 

[Mellow Velo]

I think this race is a bit boring. Profiles don't look too great either.

Translation:
Contador can't ride, but Nibali is riding and worse, might win.
Gilbert, who could do the climb, isn't riding, but Boonan, who can't do the climb, is.

 

[palmerq]

is tehre a time trial in the tour of oman? I thought there was one last year but I cant remember, I quite enjoyed last years race too :S

 

[theyoungest]

is tehre a time trial in the tour of oman? I thought there was one last year but I cant remember, I quite enjoyed last years race too :S

There was one last year, not now. Basically who wins on the Green Mountain, wins the race.

 

[palmerq]

There was one last year, not now. Basically who wins on the Green Mountain, wins the race.

bah, well I will still follow the stages, stage wins are more interesting to me than the gc many times anyway :S

 

[El Pistolero]

Translation:
Contador can't ride, but Nibali is riding and worse, might win.
Gilbert, who could do the climb, isn't riding, but Boonan, who can't do the climb, is.

Chavanel is riding and I like him, so no this race is just boring. Contador, nor any other serious GT contender, would never decide to ride here, so what does he have to do with this?

 

[maltiv]

Last year I think the only stage where crosswinds played a major role was the Green Mountain stage (affecting, for instance, Purito )

Garmin have sent Vande Velde, BTW.

I know, but the crosswinds being most extreme on the Green Mountain stage last year was only a coincidence. Must admit I didn't see Vande Velde on the start list, but I highly doubt he will be a factor anyway.

 

[theyoungest]

I know, but the crosswinds being most extreme on the Green Mountain stage last year was only a coincidence. Must admit I didn't see Vande Velde on the start list, but I highly doubt he will be a factor anyway.

Vande Velde was 5th last year. And being one of the few climbers here he'll almost have to be a factor.

 

[Christian]

Chavanel is riding and I like him, so no this race is just boring. Contador, nor any other serious GT contender, would never decide to ride here, so what does he have to do with this?

Gesink is pretty decent

 

[Carols]

Nibali FTW!!!!

 

[El Pistolero]

Possible winners:


BMC RACING TEAM

BALLAN Alessandro Italy
PINOTTI Marco Italy


KATUSHA TEAM

RODRIGUEZ OLIVER Joaquin Spain


LIQUIGAS - CANNONDALE

NIBALI Vincenzo Italy
SAGAN Peter Slovakia


OMEGA PHARMA - QUICKSTEP CYCLING TEAM

CHAVANEL Sylvain France
VELITS Peter Slovakia



RABOBANK CYCLING TEAM

TEN DAM Laurens Netherlands


RADIOSHACK - NISSAN

CANCELLARA Fabian Switzerland
FUGLSANG Jakob Denmark
POPOVYCH Yaroslav Ukraine


GARMIN - BARRACUDA

VANDEVELDE Christian United States

 

[El Pistolero]

Gesink is pretty decent

I like to think he learned from his mistakes last year.

 

[cineteq]

Chavanel is riding and I like him, so no this race is just boring. Contador, nor any other serious GT contender, would never decide to ride here, so what does he have to do with this?

Hmmm...any other serious GT contenders....So who are Gesink, Schleck or Nibali?

Translation:
If Contador is not riding a race, then it's not a serious race.

 

[Flamin]

GC field is a joke, but the first Lotto vs Sky (vs QSOP) lead-out showdown of the year. That's a start.

 

[The Hitch]

Chavanel is riding and I like him, so no this race is just boring. Contador, nor any other serious GT contender, would never decide to ride here, so what does he have to do with this?

How many gts has Nibali got to win to become a serious GT contender?

 

[The Hitch]

Chosen by your careful selection process of "pick first ex-doper on the startlist"

lol, though I think you mean "caught doper".

there were 30 minutes highlights on eurosport.just like this year
also eurosport will have algarve and catalunya live

Whats Catalunya like this year?

Andy Schleck could do many things, but most of the things he does do involve cruising around in the bunch until July, with a short perk-up in the Ardennes.

As for what he should be doing, most of them probably involve a TT bicycle and possibly a wind tunnel.

What Andy Schleck should be doing is preparing to win his first GT at IL Giro.

 

[The Hitch]

I like to think he learned from his mistakes last year.

the point is you said no gc contender would ride this race. So Gesink who won it is no gc contender?

 

[palmerq]

What Andy Schleck should be doing is preparing to win his first GT at IL Giro.

2nd gt mate :S............ hehehe

 

[cineteq]

2nd gt mate :S............ hehehe

He might win another one in the same emphatic fashion, there's always hope

 

[jens_attacks]

Whats Catalunya like this year?

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

 

[frandy]

it would be boring without gilbert for u tho no. if u ask me these stages r better than quatar or do u like all pan flat stages now

 

[frandy]

Hmmm...any other serious GT contenders....So who are Gesink, Schleck or Nibali?

Translation:
If Contador is not riding a race, then it's not a serious race.

So true dude if u ask me this is better than quatar but pistolet probably loved the pan flat quatar.I wonder why lol
Boonen anyone?

 

[frandy]

I think this race is a bit boring. Profiles don't look too great either.

it would be boring without gilbert for u tho no. if u ask me these stages r better than quatar or do u like all pan flat stages now

 

[The Hitch]

2nd gt mate :S............ hehehe

lol good point. My bad

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

I mean the whole race.

Is it like last year just one selective stage and 5 stages for Rojas to come 2nd?

 

[will10]

it would be boring without gilbert for u tho no. if u ask me these stages r better than quatar or do u like all pan flat stages now