2013 Tour of Oman (11th-16th February), 2.HC

[Angliru]

Well, I don't think Froome is ready to compete against Contador principally. Maybe he will try to do something on pride, but I don't think so. Nibali will try certainly.

You sure jumped ship with great haste. Just the slightest disappointment and you've assigned poor Froome to the "not ready to compete" column.

Seriously though he seemed fine in the earlier head-to-head battle and Sky seems to have confidence enough to hand him the team leadership. I think he may surprise you.

 

[greenedge]

I think Contador will win the race and dominate on the climb.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

That steep

No way Sagan will survive this.

Edit: Here's a profile.

sagan doesn't suffer in steep climbs. he only has problems in long climbs. this one is too long normally

 

[Miburo]

sagan doesn't suffer in steep climbs. he only has problems in long climbs. this one is too long normally

So you think he can handle mende for example?

I think if it's above 10 % for more than 2 km it'll be tough for him.

He'll prob improve though in the next years.

 

[Lance Armstrong]

So you think he can handle mende for example?

Sure. He finished 20-th in Mende stage (Paris-Nice 2010): http://www.letour.fr/2010/PNC/LIVE/us/400/classement/index.html

That was 3 years ago and his first mountain finish ever. He is much stronger now.

 

[Bushman]

So you think he can handle mende for example?

I think if it's above 10 % for more than 2 km it'll be tough for him.

He'll prob improve though in the next years.

well, you're almost saying it yourself. It's the length of the climb, not the gradient, that gives him trouble.

 

[UncleTupelo]

GCN are slow today putting up their highlights video.

But found this, in the meantime

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zX5B7Vy3_wQ

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

So you think he can handle mende for example?

I think if it's above 10 % for more than 2 km it'll be tough for him.

He'll prob improve though in the next years.

he can handle 2km at 10% with the best. see tirreno last year

 

[UncleTupelo]

GCN are slow today putting up their highlights video.

But found this, in the meantime

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zX5B7Vy3_wQ

GCN Highlights

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0A3uOL_8wxw

 

[manafana]

my look at stage 4 in Oman


Real pity no live coverage, this looks a real good climb, pretty damn steep and long enough, Nibali cause gaps all the way down, factor in that their is at least 3or4 climbers as good or better than him this year and its just going make it all much harder.

 

[del1962]

Be interestng to see how Froome does against Contador tomorrow

 

[Parrulo]

it seems like people want to ignore me so i will be pretty clear on this one:

the odd betting talk is fine, like for example:

"yay i just made X on rider Y" or "dyaummmm Parrulo @100 to win every race this season, now that's good value"

but full discussion of betting and posting links to personal websites analysing bets( yes this is to you manafana) goes on this thread:

http://forum.cyclingnews.com/showthread.php?t=7738&page=22

this whole thread has been unreadable with people mostly claiming to be better then other because of their betting predictions.

from this post onwards those that choose to ignore me will face consequences

 

[ferryman]

Be interestng to see how Froome does against Contador tomorrow

Just as interesting to see how Nibs and Evans and maybe JRod go as well.

 

[Parrulo]

i hate races where both contador and nibbles ride . . . makes choosing some1 to cheer for a complete nightmare.

and this is even worse as my main man doctor domenico is also riding

either way i think contador will win and i simply can't see sagan managing to stay close enough to keep is lead or even in contention for the overal.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Just as interesting to see how Nibs and Evans and maybe JRod go as well.

Nibs well. JROD, hard to say what his form is like. Evans, okay.

he can handle 2km at 10% with the best. see tirreno last year

Completely different stage and climb. Silly comparison.

I don't think so. Evans in good form would have finished closer on today's stage.

He will not be terrible but won't win. I think top 10 will be good.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Looking at the finish photos, I think there was some decent gaps in the field where time gaps could have been given.

 

[ferryman]

i hate races where both contador and nibbles ride . . . makes choosing some1 to cheer for a complete nightmare.

and this is even worse as my main man doctor domenico is also riding

either way i think contador will win and i simply can't see sagan managing to stay close enough to keep is lead or even in contention for the overal.

Best not mentioning doctor and Domenico in the same sentence

 

[Parrulo]

Best not mentioning doctor and Domenico in the same sentence

well he has a PhD so that's the right tittle for him

 

[Pippo_San]

Tony Gallopin: “We were full gas once the break was caught. Every team wanted a place in the front. At just the right moment our team moved me into the perfect position to start the climb. Fabian pulled on the climb with Sagan in the wheel and me behind him. When Sagan went I went with him. Then when he went again at 200 meters I just couldn’t go with him. I could see that behind me there was a gap so I continued to give it everything. (Greg) Van Avermaet pulled around me at the end and took second place. There isn’t much you can do against Sagan on a finish like this.”

M O N S T E R

Poor Fabian, he's gonna have a hard time again in the classics this year...and the next...and the next again...

 

[Ferminal]

At least he's buying a teammate.

 

[Carols]

i hate races where both contador and nibbles ride . . . makes choosing some1 to cheer for a complete nightmare.

I'm with you here. The good thing is if either wins we can be happy

 

[ferryman]

well he has a PhD so that's the right tittle for him

He's no doctor. It's still Mr P to you and I.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Cadel Evans to win on his birthday???

 

[Forunculo]

Cadel Evans to win on his birthday???

I think he needs a good result to defend his position on BMC against van Garderen, but Tirreno is the place to hit not Oman

 

[Ferminal]

Cadel Evans to win on his birthday???

I think if he was good enough he would have been right up there the last two days.

Alternatively, he may just be saving everything for today.

In any case, better form than he has shown pre-T-A the last few years.