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

[Libertine Seguros]

Denis must have read the bestseller "tips and tricks in sprinting" by JJ Rojas with foreword by Marco Marcato.

"translated from the original Spanish by Daniele Bennati"

 

[jens_attacks]

lol

 

[Fetisoff]

That picture is missing camels in the background

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

That picture is missing camels in the background

Yup, right now it looks more like a TDU sign-on.

 

[skafottet]

Weird that they don't change the stage profile. They are riding along the coast, maybe some wind?

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

Still trying to work out the profile for tomorrow.

Chap on Twitter says lumpy finish, but the road they're on actually goes quite a bit further inland than the overhead map shows for the stage before it gets above 200m, so I wouldn't be shocked if it is arranged to still be a sprint.

 

[Fetisoff]

Still trying to work out the profile for tomorrow.

Chap on Twitter says lumpy finish, but the road they're on actually goes quite a bit further inland than the overhead map shows for the stage before it gets above 200m, so I wouldn't be shocked if it is arranged to still be a sprint.

OK, I guess my prediction for tomorrow's result then will be

Some ***insert epithet here*** will ***insert action here*** Cavendish/Cavendish's lead-out/the person whose wheel Cav was holding (PICK ONE), so it will not be a result Cav will have been looking for. **** happens though.

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

OK, I guess my prediction for tomorrow's result then will be

Some ***insert epithet here*** will ***insert action here*** Cavendish/Cavendish's lead-out/the person whose wheel Cav was holding (PICK ONE), so it will not be a result Cav will have been looking for. **** happens though.

Gosh really - I hate it when that happens.

How sad.

 

[SiAp1984]

Nice to see Greipel in great early season form, with a real train (unlike last year) and winning "sh*tty" races against "mediocre" competition like Farrar, Kittel et al I hope he will be able to battle Cav for most of the season. It will be great to see them head to head again at le Tour when hopefully they both will be at their prime.

 

[Fetisoff]

There we go, here's a proper picture

BTW, looks like Greipel won by a mile

http://cdn0.media.cyclingnews.futurecdn.net//2012/02/14/2/20120214cy0006_600.jpg

 

[palmerq]

There we go, here's a proper picture

BTW, looks like Greipel won by a mile

http://cdn0.media.cyclingnews.futurecdn.net//2012/02/14/2/20120214cy0006_600.jpg

do they tie they camels legs ?

 

[Fetisoff]

do they tie they camels legs ?

WOW, good eye, I didn't even notice that. Yeah, seems like the only front legs are tied together. Interesting. Seems enough to allow it to walk, but not run, maybe?

 

[theyoungest]

Still trying to work out the profile for tomorrow.

Chap on Twitter says lumpy finish, but the road they're on actually goes quite a bit further inland than the overhead map shows for the stage before it gets above 200m, so I wouldn't be shocked if it is arranged to still be a sprint.

Inner Ring posted the correct profile:

 

[More Strides than Rides]

I was being bored earlier today, and read all about the Wadi Dayqah dam here:
http://home.kpn.nl/~lilian_schreurs/oman/Dayqah.htm.

Sounds like a lumpy ascent to an area about 800 ft./200 m. in elevation. (Nearby Al Hasin at 827 ft.)

How to get there: The wadi Dayqah area is within easy driving range from Muscat (about 100 km from the Hatat Roundabout in Mutrah) and covers part of the scenic northeastern foothills of the Eastern Hajar Mountains where deep wadi's cut into the steep edge of the limestone plateau. Take the Quriyat road from the Hatat roundabout at Mutrah and follow the road to Quriyat. Just after the steep descend to the coastal plain at Quriyat turn right (signposted Hail Al Ghaf) just before the Oman Oil Petrol Station (79 km from the Hatat Roundabout). Turn right again some 3.4 km further in the direction of Misfah and next left after 3 km, signposted to Mazara. The new tarmac road climbs gradually and offers some magnificent views over the coastal plain backwards and the Eastern Hajar Mountains in front. The first approach to Wadi Dayqah is some 6 km along the road, but the barrier prevents an easy view down (you could take the road down to Al Hail and enjoy the pools ). At 13.4 km from the junction turn right on the gravel track signposted A'Seeh. The track forks several times, but if you take what looks like the main track, avoiding the houses, you will end up some 1.5 km further in wadi Dayqah, with a little tourist 'resort' (including huts). If you turn left, just in front of the resort, crossing the falaj on two narrow concrete slabs, you can drive into the wadi. It is possible to drive 'upstream' to the right passing a low gravel dam where a falaj starts, crossing the water channel several times, to a higher plateau where the car can be parked safely. From here you can start the wadi Dayqah walk to wadi Tayin, through the "devil's gap" where it meets that wadi. A walk of some 5 to 6 hours (14 km) with a lot of water. Be careful for possible rapid rising floodwaters in case of rain in the mountains. Do not try this walk if there is a real risk of rain. This walk is best doable if there is a car at the other side (see walk from wadi Tayin side

Thats all I have to say about that

 

[djlovesyou]

I tell you what would be a fun fantasy game.

We all pick 5 riders and the first one of us that gets all his riders blamed by Cavendish for him losing a stage is the winner.

We could call it 'Bingo Bingo'.

 

[Fetisoff]

I tell you what would be a fun fantasy game.

We all pick 5 riders and the first one of us that gets all his riders blamed by Cavendish for him losing a stage is the winner.

We could call it 'Bingo Bingo'.

Well I could certainly name one that would NEVER be among the 5.

...


Mark Cavendish.

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

Inner Ring posted the correct profile:

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

I wonder if that last 30m rise is over 3km or 300m.

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

Well I could certainly name one that would NEVER be among the 5.

...


Mark Cavendish.

Stage 10, 2011 TDF. Amongst others.

Being nearly perfect most of the time is a burden most of us will never have to carry, but he does own up on the rare occasions its his fault.

 

[mewmewmew13]

WOW, good eye, I didn't even notice that. Yeah, seems like the only front legs are tied together. Interesting. Seems enough to allow it to walk, but not run, maybe?

Yes, this is so they can amble and not run away if needed. They do /did that in the 'old west' in the U.S. to horses in camp at night...it's called hobbling.
I'm guessing the camels would run pretty darn fast.

AND a nice win for Greipel.

 

[issoisso]

Denis must have read the bestseller "tips and tricks in sprinting" by JJ Rojas with foreword by Marco Marcato.

Joke all you want, but for a guy who's as slow as Rojas to get so many 2nd places, shows his positioning to always follow the best wheel is amazing....he just doesn't have the speed to then get off that wheel and past it.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Joke all you want, but for a guy who's as slow as Rojas to get so many 2nd places, shows his positioning to always follow the best wheel is amazing....he just doesn't have the speed to then get off that wheel and past it.

Good to see you post more again isso, kinda missed you on here last year

 

[El Pistolero]

You contribute to Wikipedia entries? Oh God, I can't bear to look at the Gilbert one.

I only wrote the 2010 part of his season there

Don't worry, I mostly limit my self to updating their palmares and include a classics table if necessary that shows all the placings in the big classics.

 

[The Hitch]

I only wrote the 2010 part of his season there

Don't worry, I mostly limit my self to updating their palmares and include a classics table if necessary that shows all the placings in the big races.

Theres a 2011 part to a season?

 

[El Pistolero]

Stage 10, 2011 TDF. Amongst others.

Being nearly perfect most of the time is a burden most of us will never have to carry, but he does own up on the rare occasions its his fault.

You mean when he lost the stage and made up an excuse to still seem the best?

 

[The Hitch]

I gave Gesink his nickname that way.

The day after I edited it on wikipedia Renaat mentioned it on Sporza

What " The Condor of (wherever the **** hes from)" or something like The Great Robert gesink?