2012 Tour of Qatar (5th - 10th February), 2.HC

[shalgo]

Boonen, Cancellara, Flecha...is this Qatar or Roubaix?

 

[jens_attacks]

how cool was that?

roubaix will be again a race to remember,this time with tommeke in super form

 

[BillytheKid]

Boonen, Cancellara, Flecha...is this Qatar or Roubaix?

This is a training ride ending in a live fire sprint. Sorry. Boring racing.

 

[Kvinto]

This is a training ride ending in a live fire sprint. Sorry. Boring racing.

Boring racing WTF

 

[BillytheKid]

I must admit I not watching, but in year's past this race just put me to sleep. I not the biggest fan of "sprint" racing. I'll back read and re-access.

 

[theyoungest]

I must admit I not watching, but in year's past this race just put me to sleep. I not the biggest fan of "sprint" racing. I'll back read and re-access.

You've obviously never watched it.

 

[BillytheKid]

You've obviously never watched it.

Right. The all-seeing eye. No, I watched it last year, in part, but really, Roubaix? The names are there, but this ain't no Roubaix.

 

[Mongolian Torque]

Fatso Cavendish call it off early...

Elected to floss his teeth early maybe?

 

[Mongolian Torque]

Fatso Cavendish calls it off early...

Maybe to floss his teeth before dinner?

 

[Mellow Velo]

I must admit I not watching, but in year's past this race just put me to sleep. I not the biggest fan of "sprint" racing. I'll back read and re-access.

I must admit that it wasn't hard to guess from your first post, that you hadn't seen any of the race.
Your loss, today, I'm afraid.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

I honestly thought before the race that Dekker would end every windy stage in the last echelons. So far he's been in the 1st two times and in the 2nd one at 54 seconds today. Better than expected. I hope he gets to ride the Tirreno.

 

[BillytheKid]

I must admit that it wasn't hard to guess from your first post, that you hadn't seen any of the race.
Your loss, today, I'm afraid.

True enough, maybe I'll catch the highlights. An errant post on my part, based on previous years...

 

[BillytheKid]

You can see what you missed out on.

Today`s stage:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2DSvriw5rA

Thanks for the link.

 

[BillytheKid]

Well fought out. Blythe impressive on that huge attack by Fabs. He must have been on limit though because he didn't help or was beginning to flat. Too bad for him, they might have stayed away.

Missing the crowds though.

Anybody recognize these wee beasties. I wonder if there the culprit causing the flats. They are common here. Nasty thorn. They can even defeat a heavy tire like a Conti Kevlar UltraGatorskin with a liner underneath.

Goat Head Thorns

 

[El Pistolero]

Sven de Leijer already has to ride close to 500km now lol Poor guy XD

I wonder if he has to ride the entire distance of Qatar if Boonen wins the overall.

 

[will10]

Sven de Leijer already has to ride close to 500km now lol Poor guy XD

I wonder if he has to ride the entire distance of Qatar if Boonen wins the overall.

Did he lose a bet or something?

 

[El Pistolero]

Did he lose a bet or something?

Sven has to ride the distance of all the races Boonen wins before the last episode of the Laatste Show.

 

[theyoungest]

Sven has to ride the distance of all the races Boonen wins before the last episode of the Laatste Show.

Of course everyone knows who the hell Sven the Liar is...

 

[Kwibus]

Woah! Just watched the race on Eurosport 2 and wow! What a race!

First 2 echelons within 20 seconds for a long time. While the 2nd one was bigger they just lost a second every km and with 16km to go they gave up.

Then Cancellara putting the hammer down with 5km to go. See riders breaking behind him.. just giving up and falling back. Awesome racing.

All of those in the first group were impressive. I think Farrar had a flat just like Blythe? Unlucky for them though.

Boonen certainly seems ready this year. It's gonna be a nice spring

 

[frandy]

Let's wait till after Milan-San Remo to make your first verdict lol. They're missing out on big winners, instead of trying to get Renshaw they should have gotten someone who can win a few races. Still bummed Rabo didn't give Freire a decent contract. Now he's with Katusha

Same here dude but can see y they didnt he aint got that kick anymore

 

[Kwibus]

Was Baden Cooke in the first group?

Yes. When Cancellara went he was in Boonens wheel, but when they almost closed to gap to Cancellara he cracked.

 

[Kwibus]

Right. The all-seeing eye. No, I watched it last year, in part, but really, Roubaix? The names are there, but this ain't no Roubaix.

Maybe you better just not talk when you didn't see the racing today. It was just excellent.

 

[barmaher]

I had a large-ish bet on Boonen to win MSR at 25/1 just now.

I cannot believe the price, given how the race is made for him, and the form he is in.

There is obviously a need to exercise caution when considering early season form in the context of the Monuments, but 25/1 is a crazy price for Tombo.

 

[maltiv]

I had a large-ish bet on Boonen to win MSR at 25/1 just now.

I cannot believe the price, given how the race is made for him, and the form he is in.

There is obviously a need to exercise caution when considering early season form in the context of the Monuments, but 25/1 is a crazy price for Tombo.

It's pretty good, but nothing sensational really. You can get Thor Hushovd or Oscar Freire at around 20/1 as well. M-SR is pretty hard to predict.

If Boonen had 25/1 for P-R however, it would be quite a bargain.

 

[greenedge]

Unless if Boonen has misfortune i think he can win this. It's good that Steegmans is also close on the overall.

Great win by Boonen and hats off to Veelers for staying with such a strong group.