2014 Tour De France stage Stage 2: York – Sheffield: 201km

[ILovecycling]

I'm mad at Greg,he could have won it at 51/1...duhh at least eachway

 

[Parrulo]

All races are not on the level of a Tour de France. Especially not PN this year.

Costa as a team leader is a good rider, but not a guy who can fight against the biggest riders a whole year. He will finish the Tour on his level, so a place between 6 and 10th. Really good, but not a real factor in this race.

Valverde?

And exactly where did anyone say he would finish in any other place?

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Why do you hate Sagan? Even though he is a favourite he still lightens up the race most of the times and takes responsibility. Because he is a showboater?

The opposite to why I dislike Gerrans. Gerrans is by most accounts a nice guy who happens to race horribly, Sagan is quite an interesting racer who by everything he's shown in public is an absolutely unlikable ******bag. Meat Puppet brought up RVV'13, and yes that was bad, but if it was a one off thing it would be forgivable. He did the same thing at E3. Everything about him is designed to make you look at him. He's like a hyperactive kid at a school who has to mess about to get attention in the classes he can't do well at. At first we cut him some slack due to his youth but this is his 5th pro year now and he's still just as childish and narcissistic. He's a Backpfeifengesicht, and therefore it is better for me never to have to see his stupid face.

 

[Bushman]

Exactly, if you have multiple riders and one has a reasonable chance to win why would you not want to?

Yes, I think it is quite common these days that the chance of victory is just let go of because 'our rider is not the favourite; we dont have to take responsibility'.

 

[MBotero]

Funny that poor Froome is slammed no mater what he's doing attacking,riding in the peloton,being dropped like a stone,showboating the level of hate directed towards him is insane.No escape for him ,he should just retire

 

[veji11]

yea, you were right. Helped by Garmin of course.

Perfect situation for the rest of the race.

Other observations. Tinkoff and Movistar looks weak team wise.

Thank god for Garmin, they blew the race open.

Movistar worries me. Saxo just ate wind all day long + Majka, Rogers and Roche have done the Giro and therefore probably had a long lay off and will get better with time. So although a bit worrying, I'd give them a pass.

Indeed, if we see breakaways of 8/10 riders being able to go because GC teams don't care, some things might be possible.

 

[Hugo87]

I'm not hating Costa at all. I think he's a class rider, but not a rider who is of the level of Contador/Froome/Valverde. So no surprise that he's not really making a impact in these kind of races. However, he could become in the future.

And i don't like Mollema at all. I don't like Dutch riders at all, but that's just some deeper thing in me which we have to discuss more properly

Off course he isn't at that level, but if he finishes Le Tour at 7th or 8th on the final GC would be huge for him, no one truly believes he will fight for top-5 this year.

I mentioned Mollema, because I saw some posts of you on the Mollema Thread, but I guess you probably were criticizing him too.

Purito to win a stage or he will just spend his time watching the landscapes?

 

[Jagartrott]

Because they didn't want sacrifice TVG to do so.

Erm, did you notice who actually won?

Feel a bit disappointed for Greg, he's always so close and this one was not his own fault. If he had a teammate willing to do a 500 m effort or so, he could've won. Feel happy for Nibali though, he really has one of the best instincts out there. His timing is often spot on.

Great parcours today, but a bit nerve-racking for the riders I guess (with the crowds everywhere).

 

[Parrulo]

I'm not hating Costa at all. I think he's a class rider, but not a rider who is of the level of Contador/Froome/Valverde. So no surprise that he's not really making a impact in these kind of races. However, he could become in the future.

And i don't like Mollema at all. I don't like Dutch riders at all, but that's just some deeper thing in me which we have to discuss more properly

You seem to think i was expecting him to follow Froome and Contador.

He should be able to follow guys like TJVG, VdB and Mollema which are the guys he will be fighting for the top 10, but it looked like he was struggling so i wasn't impressed by his performance.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Off course he isn't at that level, but if he finishes Le Tour at 7th or 8th on the final GC would be huge for him, no one truly believes he will fight for top-5 this year.

I mentioned Mollema, because I saw some posts of you on the Mollema Thread, but I guess you probably were criticizing him too.

Purito to win a stage or he will just spend his time watching the landscapes?

What's with all the hate on Mollema anyway. He is just a limited hard working rider making the best of it. The Dirk Kuyt of cycling

 

[Bushman]

The opposite to why I dislike Gerrans. Gerrans is by most accounts a nice guy who happens to race horribly, Sagan is quite an interesting racer who by everything he's shown in public is an absolutely unlikable ******bag. Meat Puppet brought up RVV'13, and yes that was bad, but if it was a one off thing it would be forgivable. He did the same thing at E3. Everything about him is designed to make you look at him. He's like a hyperactive kid at a school who has to mess about to get attention in the classes he can't do well at. At first we cut him some slack due to his youth but this is his 5th pro year now and he's still just as childish and narcissistic. He's a Backpfeifengesicht, and therefore it is better for me never to have to see his stupid face.

That is understandable. However I dont agree, but I have always liked Sagan since he came on to the big stage, so it might be that I see his actions in another light.

 

[thehog]

Erm, did you notice who actually won?

Feel a bit disappointed for Greg, he's always so close and this one was not his own fault. If he had a teammate willing to do a 500 m effort or so, he could've won. Feel happy for Nibali though, he really has one of the best instincts out there. His timing is often spot on.

Great parcours today, but a bit nerve-racking for the riders I guess (with the crowds everywhere).

Exactly. Because TVG is stronger on the long climbs not these types of stages.

Nibilai & team were playing to his strength.

 

[SeriousSam]

Where did Valverde finish? I kinda hoped he'd be there at the end.

 

[Arredondo]

And exactly where did anyone say he would finish in any other place?

Did i put it as a counter-argument to people who are saying he could finish top-5?

Someone said he didn't made a impact, i'm saying his maximum level is place 6th-10th. My answer has nothing to do with yes or no top-5, but the Tour-level and the strenght of a rider like Costa.

 

[Hugo87]

What's with all the hate on Mollema anyway. He is just a limited hard working rider making the best of it. The Dirk Kuyt of cycling

I like Mollema, Rabobank was my favourite team some years ago when Freire, Leipheimer and Menchov were racing, so even today I like Belkin and dutch riders like Gesink and Thomas Dekker.

 

[willbick]

Funny that poor Froome is slammed no mater what he's doing attacking,riding in the peloton,being dropped like a stone,showboating the level of hate directed towards him is insane.No escape for him ,he should just retire

And my fav is when guys sat in their bedroom in their pants think they are cycling experts slagging off all and sundry and calling other people 'arrogant'!!

 

[veji11]

My big what if for the stage is "what if some riders had countered when Slagter parked himself after having blown the peloton to smitherens at 30ks ?" Imagine Rolland, Fuglsang, Bardet and Geraint Thomas going right then ? Wouldn't that have been awesome ?

Again the Garmins save the day, without them we would have had no 50 but 120 guys at Jenkin Road's foot. Thank JV and guys !

 

[Arredondo]

Purito to win a stage or he will just spend his time watching the landscapes?

He will start to do something in the Vogues-stages i guess. If he gets his form underway, he will fight for a stage win or more in the Alpines and definitely the Pyrenees-stages.

 

[Don't be late Pedro]

Exactly. Because TVG is stronger on the long climbs not these types of stages.

Nibilai & team were playing to his strength.

That does not explain anything. No one expected TVG to win. That still does not stop him from working for a few hundred metres to help his teammate.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Where did Valverde finish? I kinda hoped he'd be there at the end.

17th, in the group at 2". Think he realised he wasn't going to get anything out of the sprint and sat up, content to be in the same group and not lose time like Pinot, Horner, Fränk and Rolland did.

And my fav is when guys sat in their bedroom in their pants think they are cycling experts slagging off all and sundry and calling other people 'arrogant'!!

You would describe Peter Sagan as self-deprecating and wear a T-shirt, I trust?

 

[SeriousSam]

Funny that poor Froome is slammed no mater what he's doing attacking,riding in the peloton,being dropped like a stone,showboating the level of hate directed towards him is insane.No escape for him ,he should just retire

It's almost as if the dislike directed towards Froome has little to do with any of the things you've mentioned.

 

[MBotero]

Off course he isn't at that level, but if he finishes Le Tour at 7th or 8th on the final GC would be huge for him, no one truly believes he will fight for top-5 this year.

I mentioned Mollema, because I saw some posts of you on the Mollema Thread, but I guess you probably were criticizing him too.

Purito to win a stage or he will just spend his time watching the landscapes?

I don't know it's first time for Costa as a leader in a GT,even him doesn't know what to expect,but with a bit of luck he could get a 5th place after the big 4.I don't think Talansky,JVDB,TVG and Mollema are a lot stronger than him.

 

[Arredondo]

You seem to think i was expecting him to follow Froome and Contador.

He should be able to follow guys like TJVG, VdB and Mollema which are the guys he will be fighting for the top 10, but it looked like he was struggling so i wasn't impressed by his performance.

Then i'll give you a wrong impression. I think you're wise enough

Agree, he didn't looked to good. Should have no problems to drop TJVH though. VDB would be too difficult i guess.

 

[Zam_Olyas]

Where did Valverde finish? I kinda hoped he'd be there at the end.

My prediction was this

 

[Hugo87]

He will start to do something in the Vogues-stages i guess. If he gets his form underway, he will fight for a stage win or more in the Alpines and definitely the Pyrenees-stages.

Hope you are right, I can't stand to watch Purito at the back at the bunch and carrying bottles to his teammates, he must avoid at all costs to crash on the 5th stage, even if he finishes last.