2014 Tour of California May 11-18

[Tournesol]

Dunno about co-leadership but it will be nice to at least see him battling for the ITT with Tony Martin and Taylor Phinney.

Tony Martin isn't riding Cali is he?

 

[Netserk]

Tony Martin isn't riding Cali is he?

He was talking about the Tour

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

This is it for me. Sitting here listening to 'Starman' by Bowie with a bottle of Red inside me I read this forum and I feel like I am being told my woman has left me. But I just can't accept it. If Wiggo doesn't podium then I am truly alone.

Great post.

 

[The Hitch]

Will Wiggins have the support though in the mountains? Garmin and the others will be active and of the front attacking him particularly if he beats phinney to take the jersey after the tt

Can't believe people still make such a big deal out of support in the mountains. Most people who top 10 gts have no support in the mountains. Half of them are supporters themselves. 95% of mountain stages in the last 5 years are one climb affairs were everybody rides in the slipstream of one team setting tempo up front then someone attacks and it's everyman for himself in the final 4 k or so.

 

[Tournesol]

He was talking about the Tour

Oops.Wasn't paying attention to the general conversation.

 

[manafana]

lookign forward to these always something nice about watching racing before heading to the bed.

 

[VeloHuman]

lookign forward to these always something nice about watching racing before heading to the bed.

For those of us stateside, there's always something nice about watching racing after lunchtime!

 

[argyllflyer]

If Ten Dam was able to outclimb Contador, Quintana and Rodriguez on a first serious mountain stage of their main goal of the season race, then it's just silly to even suggest he would be unable to outclimb Wiggins in a race that isn't his main goal.

Quintana was not going for the win that day as he'd been (I'd say misguidedly) sacrificed for Valverde with that long range attack on the Col de Pailheres. Purito was ill. And it was hardly vintage Contador that did the Tour last year.

 

[Zam_Olyas]

Can't believe people still make such a big deal out of support in the mountains. Most people who top 10 gts have no support in the mountains. Half of them are supporters themselves. 95% of mountain stages in the last 5 years are one climb affairs were everybody rides in the slipstream of one team setting tempo up front then someone attacks and it's everyman for himself in the final 4 k or so.

Doping needs no help in ze maountain.

 

[De Snelle Duif]

Marc De Maar seems to be in every non-WT stage race I've seen

The sprints could be nice, between Hofland, Sagan, Cavendish, Degenkolb and others, way better spri t field than usual. If Cav doesn't take a win here it will be painful.

 

[WillemS]

Marc De Maar seems to be in every non-WT stage race I've seen

But he'll not be here, he did not arrange his work visa properly, so he was send back to Europe by US customs.

Link: http://nos.nl/artikel/646282-de-maar-in-cel-door-visumprobleem.html (Dutch)

 

[De Snelle Duif]

But he'll not be here, he did not arrange his work visa properly, so he was send back to Europe by US customs.

Link: http://nos.nl/artikel/646282-de-maar-in-cel-door-visumprobleem.html (Dutch)

He was on the start list in the first post, that's why I assumed he would be at this race. Hope it works out from him, because I like his frecquent attacks.

 

[Anderis]

Quintana was not going for the win that day as he'd been (I'd say misguidedly) sacrificed for Valverde with that long range attack on the Col de Pailheres. Purito was ill. And it was hardly vintage Contador that did the Tour last year.

Still, he outclimbed men who finished 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th that race and all of them were compromised by any kind of something out of his control.

He outclimbed Tour podium finishers in a straight fight during the Tour they did finish on the podium and that shows he is capable of outclimbing pretty much everyone in the peleton if circumstances are for his favour.

 

[Tournesol]

Still, he outclimbed men who finished 2nd, 3rd and 4th that race and only one of these three was compromised by any kind of something out of his control.

He outclimbed Tour podium finishers in a straight fight during the Tour they did finish on the podium and that shows he is capable of outclimbing pretty much everyone in the peleton if circumstances are for his favour.

Is Laurens ten Dam really any good? I have never rated him against top climbers,would expect him to get dropped when racing in GT's against big favourites,pretty mediocre stage racer IMO.

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

Is Laurens ten Dam really any good? I have never rated him against top climbers,would expect him to get dropped when racing in GT's against big favourites,pretty mediocre stage racer IMO.

think thats unfair. I wouldn't be too suprised if he grabs something like a 10th 11th place in the tour. Over that is a bit more suprising, but far from impossible.

 

[Tournesol]

think thats unfair. I wouldn't be too suprised if he grabs something like a 10th 11th place in the tour. Over that is a bit more suprising, but far from impossible.

Yeah,top 10 in a GT does make him (think he's top 10'd in Vuelta before) one of the best riders in the world relatively speaking but he's a stranger to the winner's enclosure,doesn't raise his arms very often and has never even been close to a GT podium.Still a good rider,maybe calling him mediocre is a bit unfair.

 

[BigMac]

Yeah,top 10 in a GT does make him (think he's top 10'd in Vuelta before) one of the best riders in the world relatively speaking but he's a stranger to the winner's enclosure,doesn't raise his arms very often and has never even been close to a GT podium.Still a good rider,maybe calling him mediocre is a bit unfair.

Take Rui Costa's for instance. His best GT placement was an 18th. Yet he is one of the best stage racers around, when it comes to one week. California is a one week race and LTD should perform here.

 

[Tournesol]

Take Rui Costa's for instance. His best GT placement was an 18th. Yet he is one of the best stage racers around, when it comes to one week. California is a one week race and LTD should perform here.

Fair point,he can get a good final GC placement here,top 10 should be possible,such a likeable rider,was disappointed in the way he fell away at last year's Tour after sitting 5th (with TGBM in 2nd) after the first two weeks,both of them just fizzled out.If LTD podiums here it would be an incredible result for him.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Fair point,he can get a good final GC placement here,top 10 should be possible,such a likeable rider,was disappointed in the way he fell away at last year's Tour after sitting 5th (with TGBM in 2nd) after the first two weeks,both of them just fizzled out.If LTD podiums here it would be an incredible result for him.

He did well here before

http://cqranking.com/men/asp/gen/race.asp?raceid=20396
http://cqranking.com/men/asp/gen/race.asp?raceid=20398

if it wasn't for the long ITT he'd probably have finished top 3 already

 

[Tournesol]

He did well here before

http://cqranking.com/men/asp/gen/race.asp?raceid=20396
http://cqranking.com/men/asp/gen/race.asp?raceid=20398

if it wasn't for the long ITT he'd probably have finished top 3 already

If we assume Wiggins lead after this year's ITT can't be overhauled on the climbs,then its a fight among 6-7 riders for the podium,clearly LTD likes it here and in the recent CN interview he says this is his main goal of the season after the Tour so hopefully he goes well DT.

Belkin looking to impress the sponsors,set Wookie loose.

 

[whittashau]

So any thoughts about today? Can we expect a reduced peloton at the finish due to the early climbs or is that unrealistic?

 

[miketrout27]

Wiggins have to gain big time on the ITT if he wants to have a shot at GC.

 

[Morbius]

What time are the finishes due? I'm hoping before midnight UK time

 

[Dazed and Confused]

What time are the finishes due? I'm hoping before midnight UK time

Scheduled to finish around 11:30pm UK time.

 

[tomorrow]

sagan new jersey for the tour of cali, he really has some vision, if he really suggested the core himself