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

[airstream]

Exactly. That is what has to be done to derail the Sky train. It wasn't the train that reeled in Contador's attacks as far what I understand from the posts here and the cn race report. Make the Sky leader do the work of bringing back the attacks without the benefit of his team's protection.

Porte localized first pull very impressively

 

[King Boonen]

but in the Tour Saxo can derail the train and then Alberto can attack

The point still stands. If Berto can't make an attack stick he's just setting it up for someone else or Froome. If it comes down to the tt who's your money on?

Berto needs more miles in his legs, he needs to get a gap and keep it, not get one and get brought back by Froome riding tempo.

 

[Gloin22]

Well tbh Porte brought plenty of attacks from Nibs and Conta yesterday after watching the stage fully. The train wasn't that 'raped' after watching the full video At 2km Porte brought all the attacks and then went off pace as Froome was in ideal position.

 

[Angliru]

Well let's just say it's pretty hard to suck more in a sprint than Alberto. You're going on and on about Froome beating Alberto, yes indeed he did. It's amazing that Alberto even came close. Anyone on this forum would predict a 1 Purito 2 Froome 3 Alberto order out of those three. Well except maybe you

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!

 

[LaFlorecita]

The point still stands. If Berto can't make an attack stick he's just setting it up for someone else or Froome. If it comes down to the tt who's your money on?

Berto needs more miles in his legs, he needs to get a gap and keep it, not get one and get brought back by Froome riding tempo.

But he can't. Froome is just stronger. so he has to try something different. He tried to make attacks stick the whole time last Vuelta. It didn't work.

 

[LaFlorecita]

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!

That was an uphill sprint which is a different story of course

 

[LaFlorecita]

Well tbh Porte brought plenty of attacks from Nibs and Conta yesterday after watching the stage fully. The train wasn't that 'raped' after watching the full video At 2km Porte brought all the attacks and then went off pace as Froome was in ideal position.

The train was "raped" today

 

[Gloin22]

The train was "raped" today

Well I will wait until I see the highlights

Tbh if Porte brings back the attacks and positions Froome with best, there's no need of any train.

Froome is not Wiggins, he's more explosive and can follow the attacks much better than Wiggins.

 

[Fearless Greg Lemond]

The point still stands. If Berto can't make an attack stick he's just setting it up for someone else or Froome. If it comes down to the tt who's your money on?

Berto needs more miles in his legs, he needs to get a gap and keep it, not get one and get brought back by Froome riding tempo.

Spot on, it will be a boring Tour.

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

Spot on, it will be a boring Tour.

Right, so someone attacking and everyone knowing the stage is over is exciting.

Someone attacking, getting caught and attacking again in a fight whether either can win is dull.

Gotcha.

 

[airstream]

Contador and Evans were sprinting at about 100-150 m 3-4% piece at Mur-de-Bretagne. Cavendish would win such a sprint if it had been after flat stage. Though, I don't know he would probably lose to Sagan nowadays, but I would bet on him. But the talk in not about that. There is no global difference between flat sprint and hilly sprint. A better sprinter is someone who practises more often at it and succeeds. It is like a 6% av. climb and a 10% av. one. Either one is able to do well on both, or one can't do. That's it. Surely, attacking riders have advantage, but Evans. Though I can't call Evans non-attacking rider too.

 

[theyoungest]

Contador and Evans were sprinting at about 100-150 m 3-4% piece at Mur-de-Bretagne. Cavendish would win such a sprint if it had been after flat stage. Though, I don't know he would probably lose to Sagan nowadays, but I would bet on him. But the talk in not about that. There is no global difference between flat sprint and hilly sprint. A better sprinter is someone who practises more often at it and succeeds. It is like a 6% av. climb and a 10% av. one. Either one is able to do well on both, or one can't do. That's it. Surely, attacking riders have advantage, but Evans. Though I can't call Evans non-attacking rider too.

Are you saying it doesn't matter whether you're sprinting uphill or on the flat?

Because that would be b.llocks.

 

[Fearless Greg Lemond]

Right, so someone attacking and everyone knowing the stage is over is exciting.

Someone attacking, getting caught and attacking again in a fight whether either can win is dull.

Gotcha.

You answer your own question: when the outcome is known beforehand it is boring.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Are you saying it doesn't matter whether you're sprinting uphill or on the flat?

Because that would be b.llocks.

Kittel just needs a bit of training....

 

[airstream]

Are you saying it doesn't matter whether you're sprinting uphill or on the flat?

Because that would be b.llocks.

If we are looking into GT riders, yeah, I think so. All of them practise at sprint really seldom so there is unlikely to be a significant difference.

 

[VinoRoche]

Although hang on, i'll take it back. do the maths based on the profile

looks about 500 meters long and starts at just about 25 metres to 75 so a difference of 50...

so for arguments sake, 500 metres at 10% but with 3 kilometers thereafter to go.

fast moving peleton will counteract anything but a sprint finish but would Kittel and Argos have sufficient time to get back on?

Predictions?? My Top 5

1. Goss
2. Degenkolb
3. Bouhanni
4. Gallopin
5. Boonen

Question is if we can trust the profile?

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Question is if we can trust the profile?

the hill has been thrown in there to fucc with the betting cos. Real or not? Thats the question.

 

[The Hitch]

Mikkel Condé v2.0 ‏@mrconde
Contador again alone in front. Keeps on attacking. What a spirit!

Indeed

First time.i read this post, i thought it was froomes squeeze.

 

[VinoRoche]

the hill has been thrown in there to fucc with the betting cos. Real or not? Thats the question.

Yeah - there have been many examples on hills on the profile with big percentages, but not at all challenging for the riders.

The hill in Oman here has not got any name, as I know. Maybe someone can find the last kilometres on street view?

 

[The Hitch]

Sometimes it seems people here are desperate and clutching at straws i'm seeing a bit of Stolkholm Syndrome here

Theyve been kidnapped by contador held.for.a prolonged period of.time and come.to.develop an emotional attachment due to lack of other human contact?

Don't quite get that.

Besides, most of these posters always were part of the FARC. The Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Contador.

 

[Parrot23]

He tried to make attacks stick the whole time last Vuelta. It didn't work.

I've noticed that too. Maybe more vulnerable than before.

Maybe has to be more selective in his attacks, none of this multi high octane attacks, just one big one carefully chosen.

Well, he did that to Purito in that one brilliant attack at the Vuelta to take the race, but very nearly got caught at the line by Valverde.

 

[The Hitch]

Exactly. It's diffrent from last year when he 'had a peak' at PN and then a peak a Tour.

This year he wants to peak in May and try to be the best he can be in July.

That obivosuly means he shouldn't do that well in early races.

Its not like anyone else is on 100% form either. If you are good enough to win the tdf by 6 minutes you are good.enough to top 20 this kind of race even without form.

Because you have such a huge advantage over.most of these guys as a climber that even a big gap.in form won't overturn that.

 

[The Hitch]

As usual some people are already predicting grand tour results on the basis of the Tour of Oman. As usual in these early season events, class compensates for fitness. Look at the top four riders on the overall. They are competitive in any race they contest.

Actually froome is not (or was not anyway). This is the first time he has shown anything outside of a gt peak.

 

[Ferminal]

He was OK in Copenhagen and London, though they were immediately post-GT.

 

[The Hitch]

He was OK in Copenhagen and London, though they were immediately post-GT.

And dauphine and first half of 2012 vuelta but.i count both as part of the wider peak building up and then slowly melting away. 2 weeks later in worlds he was nothing and chrono des nations, pff, forgetaboutit.