2014 Tour of California May 11-18

[willbick]

looks like dennis will win the GC here. Dont think Wiggins is that bothered, its more about proving his form for le tour. You dont ride 5 miles up a mountain in the wind with yr GC rivals on yr wheel if you are trying to win the GC

 

[BigMac]

Thanks for the Mountain High profile, it's longer but doesn't look a lot harder than today? It's certainly higher so that could be a factor as some riders don't cope well with 2000+ altitudes.

Yes you're right, it is longer but not as steep so there is not that much of a difference in difficulty. The last 3 kilometers are much harder though.

 

[red_flanders]

I didn't think Rohan Dennis was as good a climber as that,not a strong field but even still i am slightly surprised by him there.Are we looking at a future GT contender?

What does everyone think?

We're looking at a second-rate field.

 

[BigMac]

We're looking at a second-rate field.

If you think Machado the Almighty is second rate then you might as well block me.


pfft...

 

[Richeypen]

looks like dennis will win the GC here. Dont think Wiggins is that bothered, its more about proving his form for le tour. You dont ride 5 miles up a mountain in the wind with yr GC rivals on yr wheel if you are trying to win the GC

You never seen Wiggins ride before?

 

[willbick]

You never seen Wiggins ride before?

not in front like that no

 

[JRanton]

not in front like that no

That's because he's never had as weak a team as this when in the leader's jersey.

 

[Jspear]

looks like dennis will win the GC here. Dont think Wiggins is that bothered, its more about proving his form for le tour. You dont ride 5 miles up a mountain in the wind with yr GC rivals on yr wheel if you are trying to win the GC

Rohan could very well win the GC here, but still, I do believe Wiggins wants to. Wiggins has stated this as his big goal for the year. He wants to win it, his sponsors want him to....supposedly this Sky's 2nd biggest race of the season.

 

[willbick]

That's because he's never had as weak a team as this when in the leader's jersey.

exactly. the weakness of the team shows that wiggins and sky arent too bothered about winning the GC

 

[Pricey_sky]

Even though the GC battle is wide open now I think Wiggins will be pretty happy with that, he has laid down a marker of his form here and shown he will be very useful to Froome in July.

 

[willbick]

Rohan could very well win the GC here, but still, I do believe Wiggins wants to. Wiggins has stated this as his big goal for the year. He wants to win it, his sponsors want him to....supposedly this Sky's 2nd biggest race of the season.

with THAT team? lol

 

[Anderis]

Dennis was 8th in Dauphine last year, his first year as a WT rider at the age of 23, so he is definetely some kind of climbing talent, even if people see him as a TT specialist mainly. He was also 5th at Willunga stage of TdU at the age of 21. I wouldn't be shocked if he podiums a GT one day.

 

[JRanton]

exactly. the weakness of the team shows that wiggins and sky arent too bothered about winning the GC

This is the best team Sky can pur out with the Giro going on and the Tour squad training in Tenerife after Romandie.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Even though the GC battle is wide open now I think Wiggins will be pretty happy with that, he has laid down a marker of his form here and shown he will be very useful to Froome in July.

Yes, a solid day's work by him. Also Dennis and Machado.

 

[webvan]

Well that was an interesting climb, Wiggo vs a 20+ pack, didn't work out too bad, needs to work on his "surge" though ;-)

Oh, and no time bonus, so Rohan is at 24 seconds, should be exciting. Signing off now ;-)

 

[Pricey_sky]

with THAT team? lol

Apparently so, of course it may just be sponsor PR brown-nosing.

 

[Scott SoCal]

We're looking at a second-rate field.

Maybe, but I'd like to see some VAM numbers from the climb. Looked to me like they were flying although I could be wrong.

 

[Pricey_sky]

Yes, a solid day's work by him. Also Dennis and Machado.

Very impressed with Dennis, that was some kick in the final 500m.

 

[Jspear]

with THAT team? lol

I'm just telling you what they (Sky) said.

 

[willbick]

steep sections will always be wiggo's achilles heel coz he hasnt got a big power surge

 

[willbick]

I'm just telling you what they (Sky) said.

to be fair thats pretty easy for sky to say coz their season is always 99% about le tour so choosing a 2nd most important target is pretty arbitrary!

 

[Vino's Mum]

I didn't know Wiggo was still riding for Garmin.

 

[red_flanders]

I didn't know Wiggo was still riding for Garmin.

Well played.

 

[JRanton]

I've seen some people say that was Wiggins' best climbing performance since the 2012 Tour but he was pretty good in Catalunya and Trentino last year.* It wasn't a steep climb so if there was any kind of headwind the drafting benefit would have been pretty significant wouldn't it?

* Against much stronger fields.

 

[Angliru]

with THAT team? lol

Who else would they send with so many of their riders sick, injured or temporarily suspended from racing?