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

[Fetisoff]

Of course not, he's a TT specialist. Remember he already did pretty well in a few TTS last year, with hardly any race rhythm.

Short team time trial, road bikes, crosswinds.... Hardly a perfect parcours for a specialist

 

[trevim]

I would also be on a lookout for Offredo from FDJ.

Isn't he suspended for whereabouts violation?

 

[Fetisoff]

Isn't he suspended for whereabouts violation?

Really? I must have missed that.

It shows him on the official start list though
http://www.letour.fr/2012/TQA/RIDERS/us/engages.html


Edit: tried to look for the news on Offredo on FDJ website, but it's in French only, and their twitter feed ends at the 2011 TDF.... Sigh....

 

[theyoungest]

Short team time trial, road bikes, crosswinds.... Hardly a perfect parcours for a specialist

Pisti was talking about him being the weakest link. That would surprise me.

 

[maltiv]

With just a few days till this race starts I though I would bump it back to the first page.

Another sprinter showdown ahead - we all know the big boys will fight it out.

But, what about the smaller teams - who are the main guys to look out for from the likes of Bridgestone Anchor, Champion Systems, FDJ-Bigmat and RTS?

Gabriel Rasch from FDJ is almost a certainty for a top 10 on GC. He never misses a split in the crosswinds (after all, it's admittedly the only thing he's really good at).

 

[Hugo Koblet]

I'm looking forward to stage profiles with camels and palm trees

 

[Nicosix]

Updated startlist :

Tour Of Qatar

By the way, the website is a free betting game. Feel free to 'scrub in' if you don't fear french too much

 

[trevim]

Really? I must have missed that.

It shows him on the official start list though
http://www.letour.fr/2012/TQA/RIDERS/us/engages.html


Edit: tried to look for the news on Offredo on FDJ website, but it's in French only, and their twitter feed ends at the 2011 TDF.... Sigh....

Maybe he wasn't suspended but I recall some issues about that.

 

[Nicosix]

Concerning Offredo, he has 3 no shows indeed but nothing is decided and until he has his trial he can ride

 

[Nicosix]

Provisionnal Startlist of Tour of Oman :

Tour of Oman

 

[search]

thanks, but unfortunately it's totally wrong

at a first glance you can find dozens of riders who won't be in Qatar

 

[LabMonkey]

Griepel out.

 

[Captain_Cavman]

of course they wont ride but my point was if you think TTT abd OPQS then you think Martin Leipheimer Peter Velits

and then it comes back to engines and I am saying BMC and Skys are bigger

Radioshack ftw surely?

 

[Christian]

Markel Irizar replaces Hayden Roulston for RSNT, Roulston picked up some sort of a hip injury Down Under:

http://haydenroulston.co.nz/rolys-blog/

http://www.radioshacknissantrek.com/calendar-results/tour-qatar

 

[mr. tibbs]

Concerning Offredo, he has 3 no shows indeed but nothing is decided and until he has his trial he can ride

What a shame. Dude won me over last spring. What's the deal on the no-shows? Has FDJ or Offredo commented?

 

[Fus087]

What a shame. Dude won me over last spring. What's the deal on the no-shows? Has FDJ or Offredo commented?

Ben Greenwood (British amateur racer, formerly at Recycling/Rapha Condor) has written a piece on the whereabouts, that also sheds more light on Offredo's case:
Unknown Whereabouts

 

[Fetisoff]

Ben Greenwood (British amateur racer, formerly at Recycling/Rapha Condor) has written a piece on the whereabouts, that also sheds more light on Offredo's case:
Unknown Whereabouts

Thanks. Good piece.


I say WADA put a GPS tracking bracelet on every rider's ankle!!!! No, better yet, keep them chained when not riding!

 

[Captain_Cavman]

Thanks. Good piece.


I say WADA put a GPS tracking bracelet on every rider's ankle!!!!

Gets my vote.

 

[skidmark]

What a shame. Dude won me over last spring. What's the deal on the no-shows? Has FDJ or Offredo commented?

Offredo's statement the day after it was announced was something to the effect of "the first 2 were a couple of hours late, the third was the team's fault as they switched me in races and told me they'd deal with the paperwork. I thought it was worked out, honestly, so hearing it in the press from the UCI is a surprise'. There was a cyclingnews story if you care to look it up, but that was the gist of it - to me he seemed fairly casual and not defensive about it (unless you read the clinic thread about it, in which case he's a demon from all hells). Hope it gets sorted (or at least delayed enough that I can see him in the classics).

 

[gustienordic]

Offredo's statement the day after it was announced was something to the effect of "the first 2 were a couple of hours late, the third was the team's fault as they switched me in races and told me they'd deal with the paperwork. I thought it was worked out, honestly, so hearing it in the press from the UCI is a surprise'. There was a cyclingnews story if you care to look it up, but that was the gist of it - to me he seemed fairly casual and not defensive about it (unless you read the clinic thread about it, in which case he's a demon from all hells). Hope it gets sorted (or at least delayed enough that I can see him in the classics).

Honestly I don't think there is a way that he can get punished too badly for that. Sure slap him with a fine or something, but don't ban him for showing up a few hours later. Its not like he was saying he was in France and ends up being in Africa or meeting with Fuentes.

 

[King Of The Wolds]

The Qatar Masters golf tournament, taking place currently, has been shortened to 54 holes, due to the high winds. There's going to be some really tough racing.

 

[Thomsena]

Bronzini with a nasty fall on womens edition.

 

[RedheadDane]

Was she okay?
As in did that car stop in time?

I don't really know much about this race, still very much a novice-cycling-fanatic, jumping right into it, therefore I am being completely openminded towards it. Afterall; you can judge whether or not a race is exciting by watching a few clips and pictures.

 

[Michele]

As reported on their fb of some girls racing there, she's ok and yes, the car stopped in time.

 

[Kwibus]

Was she okay?
As in did that car stop in time?

I don't really know much about this race, still very much a novice-cycling-fanatic, jumping right into it, therefore I am being completely openminded towards it. Afterall; you can judge whether or not a race is exciting by watching a few clips and pictures.

The car is allready standing still. YOu can see that the door on the passenger side is opening.

Looking forward to this race. Winds were crazy for the women, let's hope it's doesn't stop blowing!