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

[El Pistolero]

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.

Gesink: what did he do again in the Tour last year? Peaking in February, priceless.

As for Schleck, we all know he won't do sh*t this race. I'm having a hard time taking him serious

Now Nibali is indeed an exception. I guess he's doing Oman to get some early form because he's Italian and will want to get his first peak at Milano-San Remo.

 

[Maaaaaaaarten]

Gesink: what did he do again in the Tour last year?

Crashing?

10char

 

[cineteq]

Gesink: what did he do again in the Tour last year? Peaking in February, priceless.

Now Nibali is indeed an exception. I guess he's doing Oman to get some early form because he's Italian and will want to get his first peak at Milano-San Remo.

Forgiven then re: Nibali
Hey Gesink crashed, so it doesn't count. Tough to say what he could've done or not
Schleck..well what can I say...he was more like a filler in making the point

 

[Christian]

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

To be honest he should already have won a second one in a similar fashion if you consider Di Luca's hormone levels at the time

As for Schleck, we all know he won't do sh*t this race. I'm having a hard time taking him serious

Last year he was in quite a few breaks in the early season races IIRC ... wouldn't surprise me if we saw him again up the road in Oman

 

[El Pistolero]

Forgiven then re: Nibali
Hey Gesink crashed, so it doesn't count. Tough to say what he could've done or not
Schleck..well what can I say...he was more like a filler in making the point

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.

 

[The Hitch]

To be honest he should already have won a second one in a similar fashion if you consider Di Luca's hormone levels at the time

What babble. Di Luca didnt fail a test in the 2007 Giro so he must have been clean - under the same logic that presumes that Andrew was clean cos he didnt fail a tet.

 

[Christian]

What babble. Di Luca didnt fail a test in the 2007 Giro so he must have been clean - under the same logic that presumes that Andrew was clean cos he didnt fail a tet.

Huh? I'm presuming Di Luca was doped, what are you presuming?!

 

[jens_attacks]

To be honest he should already have won a second one in a similar fashion if you consider Di Luca's hormone levels at the time

you're an intelligent poster,why did you post that crrap?next time clinic please

 

[frandy]

Hardly a troll just think wiv the mtf this is better than qatar surely u can see that

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

If the image referred to the mode of expression, then fine, but the content was hardly objectionable - this race has a bloody great mountain in it.

 

[The Plediadian]

I think Phinney, Ballan, and Cancellera will make this race interesting.
As far as the big GT guys go who cares. The races in Arabia are interesting.
The roads are not to good and exposed, they take different riding styles and skills.

 

[The Hitch]

Huh? I'm presuming Di Luca was doped, what are you presuming?!

That Andy was.

 

[Fetisoff]

/fanboy mode on/

Purito coming back from injury, missed the split right before the climb, but still ended up reasonably high up at the end. So yeah, I pick him to win

/fanboy mode off/

*** And unlike most of my posts, this one I have nothing to say with the fanboy mode off***

 

[Swede1]

Cancellara to do suprisingly well on the climb. A top 3 and then ride well in the wind to take the overall! Also, andy to surprise us all and actually finish top 5, pacing Canc on the climb. Maybe because he has Bruyneel who beat him into shape.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Cancellara to do suprisingly well on the climb. A top 3 and then ride well in the wind to take the overall! Also, andy to surprise us all and actually finish top 5, pacing Canc on the climb. Maybe because he has Bruyneel who beat him into shape.

Yes, because Bruyneel is well reputed for making sure his riders ride to their utmost on a full racing calendar.

 

[Christian]

That Andy was.

Probably - but since there seems to have been no irregularities with his tests he must have "got his hands on the good stuff" as Dr. House would say

@mods Sorry for the clinic talk, I will stop it now

 

[Swede1]

Yes, because Bruyneel is well reputed for making sure his riders ride to their utmost on a full racing calendar.

Yeah exactly! Just like Horner, Kloden, Brajkovic, and Machado have done the past 2 seasons. They are always in pretty good shape for the short stage races. Johan makes sure they are.

 

[palmerq]

Probably - but since there seems to have been no irregularities with his tests he must have "got his hands on the good stuff" as Dr. House would say

@mods Sorry for the clinic talk, I will stop it now

damn right you will(you all will :S)... but i like the doctor house reference


is andy in the tour of oman? I will have to watch the green mountain stage to see if i can see him... where's andy is the cycling early seasons version of wheres wally/waldo :S

 

[greenedge]

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

Don't forget GreenEdge.

 

[Panda Claws]

Hooray for epic Cavendish vs Greipel battles?

 

[greenedge]

Now Nibali is indeed an exception. I guess he's doing Oman to get some early form because he's Italian and will want to get his first peak at Milano-San Remo.

He usually has good enough form in early season races. He should be favourite here.

 

[Flamin]

Don't forget GreenEdge.

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

 

[maltiv]

Does anyone know if Farrar is riding here? Alex Rasmussen said that he's going here to leadout Farrar, but he's not on the startlist and is on the startlist for Algarve...

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Farrar is going to be here. Most of the Garmin-Qatar guys are going to be here.

Only Dekker will head off to Haut-Var

 

[El Pistolero]

Boonen said he won't be doing much in Oman. He'll work for team-leader Sylvain Chavanel. Apparently the latter really wants to win this race. Let's see if he can.