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

[Der Effe]

It's Bouhanni time to shine.

I'd love to see him win. The future of French cycling seems bright, so many amazing talents.

 

[SafeBet]

That makes sense. Thanks.

For some reason I had it mind at the start of this race that stages 1 & 6 were Kittel type stages. I'm not so sure tomorrow is for him after all now.

Everything about that bump is a guess. Profiles can be misleading at times, especially on such small portions of the parcour.

 

[Orbit501]

Everything about that bump is a guess. Profiles can be misleading at times, especially on such small portions of the parcour.

True enough, but the team quote on it is perhaps quite telling. It's also the fact that it's on the final circuit and so has to be gone over more than once that has me doubting Kittel now.

 

[roundabout]

if the climb is 10% then the downhill is almost a vertical drop

 

[Publicus]

Slightly better highlights of stage 5 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9W1dVcrciEY or http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BieXRXFgvCU
Shows Contador's attack up the 3rd climb, Froome and Rodriguez cracking Evans on the way up to reach Contador, and parts of the final sprint

Contador really does know how to light up a race. Froome handled that sprint beautifully, though Contador waited a touch too long before making his move.

 

[Pentacycle]

Slightly better highlights of stage 5 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9W1dVcrciEY or http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BieXRXFgvCU
Shows Contador's attack up the 3rd climb, Froome and Rodriguez cracking Evans on the way up to reach Contador, and parts of the final sprint

Who's the better time-triallist now?

 

[The Hitch]

]

if the climb is 10% then the downhill is almost a vertical drop

Lol great point.

 

[The Hitch]

Didnt see the first sprint so dont know how he did it but Appolonio came 2nd. Does anyone see him with a chance for tomorrow?

 

[auscyclefan94]

Just watched the green mountain stage. Honestly, you got to love Froomey (and Evans) for what they did inside the last km. AC and Nibali was completely finished and JRod looked like he had controll even though he looked tired after the finish line

Yeah, it was a great stage. Where did Evans come from? Froome's acceleration was amazing. When Contador initially attacked, Evans was way back so he had to fight a bit to get back up to the wheel. Maybe Evans being further back at the start helped him a bit?

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

Yeah, it was a great stage. Where did Evans come from? Froome's acceleration was amazing. When Contador initially attacked, Evans was way back so he had to fight a bit to get back up to the wheel. Maybe Evans being further back at the start helped him a bit?

sastre 0.2

 

[Don't be late Pedro]

Was mighty impressed with Cadel. Been out for a while and showed some good form. Not only that but his determination to pull himself back to the contenders was top notch. If Andy had half that kind of resolve he would be twice the rider he is.

 

[wirral]

if the climb is 10% then the downhill is almost a vertical drop

Final Km's, that bump looks like it won't amount to anything, I think Kittel will survive barring he doesn't mechanical or crash. Sagan, Goss, Bouhanni, ect. to be the other competitors in the sprint.

Sagan isn't in the race anymore and that hill is 500m@10%

Actually you are all partially right. The organisers have thrown in a large berm approx. 3 km from the finish in the hope that the more punchy sprinters will leap to the flamme rouge. It's all about making each stage different, folks.

 

[The Hitch]

Shame sagan left.the race. He could have ski jumped the last 3k off that ramp

 

[JRanton]

ASO deserve some ''props'' for the parcours.

Shame it wasn't televised of course but in professional cycling you can't have everything!

 

[Ferminal]

Eddy probably more responsible than Pescheux.

 

[Jelantik]

Was mighty impressed with Cadel. Been out for a while and showed some good form. Not only that but his determination to pull himself back to the contenders was top notch. If Andy had half that kind of resolve he would be twice the rider he is.

Andy is going down hill now. Instead of racing, he prefers training in Malorca. Maybe he is just recovering from his sickness. Who knows? I'm glad to read news about Froome for a chance. I'm tired to read about wiggins this and that. I wish they have live feed next time. With this caliber field, it's just to bad we can't watch the battle. I hope Andy sees on youtube how his opponents are already thirsty for win for their early season program. Happy to see Evans back in from. I haven't heard about him since wiggin won the tour.

 

[greenedge]

Contador isn't that bad in the sprint. He almost beat Cadel Evans in the Tour 2 years ago and Evans has a good sprint for a grand tour rider. It's not like Contador's on the level of Levi Leipheimer who I can't recall ever winning any kind of sprint!

It was uphill in that one. Also both occasions the sprints were 500m efforts from Froome/Evans.

I'm hoping Goss can rack up win number 5 for OGE (other than Aussie Nats) and show he can go well at the Classics.

 

[Captain Sensible]

shame sagan left.the race. He could have ski jumped the last 3k off that ramp

lol :d:d....

 

[webvan]

Just watched the "Green Mountain" long Eurosport highlights on steephill...nice...and clearly not the same type of racing we had 10 years ago and that took too long to go away completely...no more gunning at the bottom and see you at the top, gotta love that!

 

[Miburo]

Hernandez deserves kudos for yesterday's stage, he was pretty awesome. Just like Porte does.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Just watched the "Green Mountain" long Eurosport highlights on steephill...nice...and clearly not the same type of racing we had 10 years ago and that took too long to go away completely...no more gunning at the bottom and see you at the top, gotta love that!

To be honest I always thought that was more exciting than riding to the top together and then sprinting the final km. Will the chasers catch him? Will the attacker manage to take enough time? Did he go too early? Will he implode? Apparently I was wrong and it isn't exciting after all? Or maybe it is exciting but there's another reason why you hate it....? I will cry at night over the loss of balls-out racing and long-range attacks, be it from the start of the climb or from 40k out, **** the sky train, they kill the excitement.

 

[wwabbit]

To be honest I always thought that was more exciting than riding to the top together and then sprinting the final km. Will the chasers catch him? Will the attacker manage to take enough time? Did he go too early? Will he implode? Apparently I was wrong and it isn't exciting after all? Or maybe it is exciting but there's another reason why you hate it....? I will cry at night over the loss of balls-out racing and long-range attacks, be it from the start of the climb or from 40k out, **** the sky train, they kill the excitement.

I think it's fairly obvious that you are overinvested in your support of Alberto Contador that you have fully convinced yourself that anything he does to win must be exciting and anything his rivals have done to beat him must be boring stuff. Maybe, just maybe, not everyone is obliged to see things the way that you see things.

 

[airstream]

I'm sure the Tour won't suffer from lack of excitement. It even won't be a miracle if Saxo bank will have to build a defensive train. But will people be satistied with such an excitement? I highly doubt...

 

[webvan]

Yeah I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder but everyone here should be happy that we no longer have to watch and think "this is not normal"...funny to think that the man who really blew that out of proportions had the same comments about others!

 

[LaFlorecita]

I think it's fairly obvious that you are overinvested in your support of Alberto Contador that you have fully convinced yourself that anything he does to win must be exciting and anything his rivals have done to beat him must be boring stuff. Maybe, just maybe, not everyone is obliged to see things the way that you see things.

I'm sorry I think attacks are exciting. I'm sorry it won't happen again.