2016 Paris - Nice, March 6th - 13th, WT

[StryderHells]

Re: Re:

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how am i being ridiculous? chapeau to contador for gutsy ride and lots of entertainment but thomas' win deserves a very big respect too.

It is ridiculous to suggest Thomas deserves this win more than Contador because he hasn't won as much as Contador. Contador was the strongest rider hands down and deserved the win, unfortunately he got defeaten by the parcours.

If he was the strongest rider of the race he would of won, if he was defeated by the parcours then he wasn't the strongest rider for these parcours

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re: Re:

Ehm what? I believe there was one big group between his teammate and him.

Yes, and anyone with more than 3 brain cells could have put 2 and 2 together and realized that with Thomas and Henao back in the group, that group would have a larger chance of coming back to the front group.

 

[Jakub]

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Inner ring on Twitter: Gallopin tells Eurosport he chased in case of a sprint for the stage plus "I get on well with Thomas, we talk rugby, messages each other"

Chapeau lad, brilliant reason to chase down a teammate...

Ehm what? I believe there was one big group between his teammate and him.

Omg and what do you think, that Dylan Thomas would not chase the first group just because there was a Gallopin's teammate? It was a dumb and risky move from Gallopin and he should be very happy the first group stayed away.

 

[killswitch]

From CN ticker


And the final GC for the 2016 Paris-Nice:

1 Geraint Thomas (GBr) Team Sky 27:26:40

2 Alberto Contador (Spa) Tinkoff-Saxo 00:00:04

3 Richie Porte (Aus) Team Sky 00:00:12

4 Ilnur Zakarin (Rus) Team Katusha 00:00:20

5 Ion Izagirre (Spa) Movistar Team 00:00:37

6 Sergio Luis Henao (Col) Team Sky 00:00:44

7 Simon Yates (GBr) Orica GreenEdge

8 Tony Gallopin (Fra) Lotto Soudal 00:00:51

9 Romain Bardet (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 00:01:00

10 Rui Costa (Por) Lampre-Merida 00:01:07

 

[Orbit501]

Re: Re:

Inner ring on Twitter: Gallopin tells Eurosport he chased in case of a sprint for the stage plus "I get on well with Thomas, we talk rugby, messages each other"

Chapeau lad, brilliant reason to chase down a teammate...

I think he only put the bit about Thomas, rugby and texting in to wind you up

 

[Bernie's eyesore]

Re: Re:

Ehm what? I believe there was one big group between his teammate and him.

Yes, and anyone with more than 3 brain cells could have put 2 and 2 together and realized that with Thomas and Henao back in the group, that group would have a larger chance of coming back to the front group.

In which case, Gallopin would have won the stage.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re: Re:

If he was the strongest rider of the race he would of won, if he was defeated by the parcours then he wasn't the strongest rider for these parcours

Your reasoning would be sound if it wasn't for the cancelled stage.

 

[HelloDolly]

Thomas is a descent fellow and a very strong rider ...He is in the mode of Wiggins and not a natural climber ...If he wins stage races and GTs he will need a very very strong team. SKY had by far the strongest team in this race

In Catyluna thye have an even stronger team

Its going to be hard for any other team to beat them

 

[Bernie's eyesore]

What a disgrace Porte was for riding on the front and helping Contador. Oh sorry, that argument doesn't apply because he wasn't helping Sky.

 

[Jakub]

Re: Re:

\
how am i being ridiculous? chapeau to contador for gutsy ride and lots of entertainment but thomas' win deserves a very big respect too.

It is ridiculous to suggest Thomas deserves this win more than Contador because he hasn't won as much as Contador. Contador was the strongest rider hands down and deserved the win, unfortunately he got defeaten by the parcours.

If he was the strongest rider of the race he would of won, if he was defeated by the parcours then he wasn't the strongest rider for these parcours

Cancel all mountain stages of TdF and then say: shame, Contador, Froome, you were not the best on these parcours, congratulations Marcel Kittel. Yes, logical, but still we would expect a bit more from PN, wouldn't we?

 

[StryderHells]

Re: Re:

Thomas interview: "to beat Contador, one of the best stage races ever... it's unbelievable, the biggest win of my career for sure"

Snotty brat. Yeah sure, go on and rub some salt in the wound. He should be thanking his lucky stars that stage 3 got cancelled.

Come on! He wasn't being nasty and was subdued when he said it, it is a big deal for him to have beaten Contador.

 

[pastronef]

Re: Re:

they all raced the parcours. he was beaten by Thomas who evidently planned on the need to chase back on todays stage by using a 54 ring today. Tactics and planning worked out well for him.

thanks

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re: Re:

In which case, Gallopin would have won the stage.

Wellens' sprint win was as sure as they come. Titchy Richie and Contador don't do sprinting. It was very stupid by Gallopin to bet on himself winning the sprint.

 

[KyoGrey]

Some cold sweating is running down the spine of David Brailsford today...it looks like Contador is going to have one of those years...

 

[Jakub]

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What a disgrace Porte was for riding on the front and helping Contador. Oh sorry, that argument doesn't apply because he wasn't helping Sky.

Had it been Zakharin with Dylan Thomas, noone would habe said a word.

And yes, you are right: noone should help sky

 

[DNP-Old]

At least Henao got a shout out on Twitter.

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

Re: Re:

Inner ring on Twitter: Gallopin tells Eurosport he chased in case of a sprint for the stage plus "I get on well with Thomas, we talk rugby, messages each other"

Chapeau lad, brilliant reason to chase down a teammate...

It is his job to get the best result he can for himself or his team, he got 4th on the stage and 8th in GC for himself, without damaging his team-mate's stage win. How much better than that could he have done.

You wanted Contador to beat Thomas, Gallopin had no dog in that fight.

 

[TourOfSardinia]

If Contador retires at season's end
what a lot we will have lost.

 

[Gigs_98]

Dont misunderstand me, the stage was great without any doubt and Geraints effort on the last descent was really impressive, but I don't know if I would say the win was deserved for Geraint. Lets be honest, this race was won by his team not by him. If he would have been isolated from the beginning of the Eze on he wouldnt have had a chance. The win was deserved for the team which was as usually superb, but the rider himself, who was maybe the 15th best on the final climb of the last stage and only managed to rescue his victory with the help of a teammate and a rugby fellow didnt really deserve a win in my opinion.

 

[dacooley]

Re:

Thomas is a descent fellow and a very strong rider ...He is in the mode of Wiggins and not a natural climber ...If he wins stage races and GTs he will need a very very strong team. SKY had by far the strongest team in this race

it's truly a nonsensical classification as 'real' climbers can be born only in spain, italy and colombia.

 

[StryderHells]

Re: Re:

\
how am i being ridiculous? chapeau to contador for gutsy ride and lots of entertainment but thomas' win deserves a very big respect too.

It is ridiculous to suggest Thomas deserves this win more than Contador because he hasn't won as much as Contador. Contador was the strongest rider hands down and deserved the win, unfortunately he got defeaten by the parcours.

If he was the strongest rider of the race he would of won, if he was defeated by the parcours then he wasn't the strongest rider for these parcours

Cancel all mountain stages of TdF and then say: shame, Contador, Froome, you were not the best on these parcours, congratulations Marcel Kittel. Yes, logical, but still we would expect a bit more from PN, wouldn't we?

There were still 2 climbing stages so in the race so it isn't a logical leap to the scenario you created. Anyway who says Contador drops Thomas on stage 3? Outside of today Thomas and Sky looked comfortable

 

[Orbit501]

Re: Re:

Inner ring on Twitter: Gallopin tells Eurosport he chased in case of a sprint for the stage plus "I get on well with Thomas, we talk rugby, messages each other"

Chapeau lad, brilliant reason to chase down a teammate...

He chased down the first chase group, ffs. Not the front group!

Lotto-Soudal rode a perfect race, regarding of the classification.

Precisely.

Bert fans seem determined to make Gallopin the villain, as if he was riding for Thomas against their man. They know full well why Gallopin rode the way he did but it spoils their narrative to accept that.

 

[KyoGrey]

Re: Re:

Thomas is a descent fellow and a very strong rider ...He is in the mode of Wiggins and not a natural climber ...If he wins stage races and GTs he will need a very very strong team. SKY had by far the strongest team in this race

it's truly a nonsensical classification as 'real' climbers can be born only in spain, italy and colombia.

Add France, and bar exceptions, you've got it right.

 

[cantpedal]

Dont misunderstand me, the stage was great without any doubt and Geraints effort on the last descent was really impressive, but I don't know if I would say the win was deserved for Geraint. Lets be honest, this race was won by his team not by him. If he would have been isolated from the beginning of the Eze on he wouldnt have had a chance. The win was deserved for the team which was as usually superb, but the rider himself, who was maybe the 15th best on the final climb of the last stage and only managed to rescue his victory with the help of a teammate and a rugby fellow didnt really deserve a win in my opinion.

So Alberto doesn't deserve 2nd because of all the work Majka did?

 

[HelloDolly]

Re: Re:

Thomas is a descent fellow and a very strong rider ...He is in the mode of Wiggins and not a natural climber ...If he wins stage races and GTs he will need a very very strong team. SKY had by far the strongest team in this race

it's truly a nonsensical classification as 'real' climbers can be born only in spain, italy and colombia.

I am not sure what your point is

I am sure Thomas will concur that he is not a natural climber ...he is not built like one
He can win stage races if he has a strong team ...

But that does not take away form his win....He is a great all rounder