2016 Tour of Qatar 8-12/02 2.HC

[Der Effe]

Re: Re:

The fact Sky are not at this race makes me think Stannard could finally break his February-only classics peak:

2014
1st Omloop Het Nieuwsblad
4th Overall Tour of Qatar

2015
1st Omloop Het Nieuwsblad
4th Overall Tour of Qatar

Stannard won't even ride Omloop this year

Just read he's riding KBK. I cannot understand why he wouldn't defend his title (and go for a record-equalling third win) in favour of riding a race he has very little chance of winning the following day.

Are you sure he'll ride KBK? That makes very little sense. His reasoning for not riding Omloop was that he wanted to peak in april.

I read that he will defend his Omloop title, where did it say he won't?

http://velonews.competitor.com/2016/01/news/stannard-shakes-up-classics-program-to-prep-for-cobbles_393182

 

[TourOfSardinia]

 

[GenericBoonenFan]

Noo Yauheni

 

[carolina]

foto finish

 

[Max Rockatansky]

“It actually makes for quite a good World Championships. The people who write on your internet forums are going to want echelons and that but we’re not *** robots, we’re not going to do that for 260k, no matter who’s there. So it’s quite a nice circuit. I think you’ll be surprised by how exciting it’ll be as a World Championship.”

Haha.

 

[jens_attacks]

He still reads us. Good to know
Ciao cav

 

[DFA123]

“It actually makes for quite a good World Championships. The people who write on your internet forums are going to want echelons and that but we’re not **** robots, we’re not going to do that for 260k, no matter who’s there. So it’s quite a nice circuit. I think you’ll be surprised by how exciting it’ll be as a World Championship.”

Haha.

What a sell out.

 

[Billie]

Van Avermaet is quite critical saying it's no different from a kermiskoers

 

[Kwibus]

Re:

Van Avermaet is quite critical saying it's no different from a kermiskoers

He's right. Allthough I will still most likely watch it's a disgrace bought by oil dollars.
Sure those races in the desert in the pre-season... Fine with me, but it's dissapointing they even sold their precious WC for a lot of dollars, instead of making a proper race.

 

[GenericBoonenFan]

Re: Re:

Van Avermaet is quite critical saying it's no different from a kermiskoers

He's right. Allthough I will still most likely watch it's a disgrace bought by oil dollars.
Sure those races in the desert in the pre-season... Fine with me, but it's dissapointing they even sold their precious WC for a lot of dollars, instead of making a proper race.

I'm fine with it, you should have all types of WC's, ones that climbers could win, ones that cobble-specialists can win, ones that sprinters can win and ones that punchers can win.

 

[Jspear]

Re: Re:

Van Avermaet is quite critical saying it's no different from a kermiskoers

He's right. Allthough I will still most likely watch it's a disgrace bought by oil dollars.
Sure those races in the desert in the pre-season... Fine with me, but it's dissapointing they even sold their precious WC for a lot of dollars, instead of making a proper race.

Hopefully the Olympics will make up for it.

 

[DFA123]

Re: Re:

Van Avermaet is quite critical saying it's no different from a kermiskoers

He's right. Allthough I will still most likely watch it's a disgrace bought by oil dollars.
Sure those races in the desert in the pre-season... Fine with me, but it's dissapointing they even sold their precious WC for a lot of dollars, instead of making a proper race.

I'm fine with it, you should have all types of WC's, ones that climbers could win, ones that cobble-specialists can win, ones that sprinters can win and ones that punchers can win.

I don't agree with that personally. I don't think one dimensional riders like sprinters, or high mountain climbers have any business wearing the World Champions jersey.

For me, the World Championships should aim to find the best one day rider - which means it should offer opportunities for both Ardennes specialists and cobbled specialists. I'm sure Cavendish will want to respond to that in his press conference tomorrow...

 

[Brullnux]

Re: Re:

Van Avermaet is quite critical saying it's no different from a kermiskoers

He's right. Allthough I will still most likely watch it's a disgrace bought by oil dollars.
Sure those races in the desert in the pre-season... Fine with me, but it's dissapointing they even sold their precious WC for a lot of dollars, instead of making a proper race.

I'm fine with it, you should have all types of WC's, ones that climbers could win, ones that cobble-specialists can win, ones that sprinters can win and ones that punchers can win.

I don't agree with that personally. I don't think one dimensional riders like sprinters, or high mountain climbers have any business wearing the World Champions jersey.

For me, the World Championships should aim to find the best one day rider - which means it should offer opportunities for both Ardennes specialists and cobbled specialists. I'm sure Cavendish will want to respond to that in his press conference tomorrow...

I those inclined to slightly harder races should have a go too, like those who'll be good at Lombardy or this year's Olympics. I think Firenze was probably the best mix of recent times, Ponferrada should've been slightly harder and Richmond was made for hardman sprinters. 2013 had Nibali and Sagan 4th and 6th.

 

[Max Rockatansky]

Re: Re:

I don't agree with that personally. I don't think one dimensional riders like sprinters, or high mountain climbers have any business wearing the World Champions jersey.

For me, the World Championships should aim to find the best one day rider - which means it should offer opportunities for both Ardennes specialists and cobbled specialists. I'm sure Cavendish will want to respond to that in his press conference tomorrow...

I really like seeing the World Champion climbing amongst the best riders in the Tour or the Giro. That's so classy to see this jersey shining in the alps in an elite group.
For me it is difficult to define a high mountain climber right now. They don't make riders like El Chava or JM Fuente anymore. And I don't see any type of WCR, that a rider like this would win or could have one besides Medellin or letting Zomegnan plan a WRC with Zoncolan.

On one side riders like Cavendish and Cipollini are great sprinters, but they were in the wind for like 200 meters and got a rainbow jersey. That's not much compared the 7,5h in Firenze or what Hinault suffered in Sallanches. On the other side, they are top sprinters, so from time to time it seems okay to have a course for them and give them the jersey.

It will be interesting what Germany will do in a 270 km race with Kittel, Greipel and Degenkolb. Without Dege in the classics, it could even be that they won't have nine riders for the race. Of course Sky will help them with silly riding for 250k and then falling apart. But that's another story.

 

[TMP402]

Re: Re:

The fact Sky are not at this race makes me think Stannard could finally break his February-only classics peak:

2014
1st Omloop Het Nieuwsblad
4th Overall Tour of Qatar

2015
1st Omloop Het Nieuwsblad
4th Overall Tour of Qatar

Stannard won't even ride Omloop this year

Just read he's riding KBK. I cannot understand why he wouldn't defend his title (and go for a record-equalling third win) in favour of riding a race he has very little chance of winning the following day.

Are you sure he'll ride KBK? That makes very little sense. His reasoning for not riding Omloop was that he wanted to peak in april.

While Team Sky defending Omloop Het Nieuwsblad champion Ian Stannard will be in attendance, Mark Cavendish will not try for a repeat at Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne as Dimension Data is not amongst the teams named.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/no-kuurne-brussel-kuurne-defence-for-cavendish/

 

[jaylew]

Re: Re:

Van Avermaet is quite critical saying it's no different from a kermiskoers

He's right. Allthough I will still most likely watch it's a disgrace bought by oil dollars.
Sure those races in the desert in the pre-season... Fine with me, but it's dissapointing they even sold their precious WC for a lot of dollars, instead of making a proper race.

I'm fine with it, you should have all types of WC's, ones that climbers could win, ones that cobble-specialists can win, ones that sprinters can win and ones that punchers can win.

I don't agree with that personally. I don't think one dimensional riders like sprinters, or high mountain climbers have any business wearing the World Champions jersey.

For me, the World Championships should aim to find the best one day rider - which means it should offer opportunities for both Ardennes specialists and cobbled specialists. I'm sure Cavendish will want to respond to that in his press conference tomorrow...

My thought is that if you're going to occasionally have a completely flat WC for sprinters, you should also have an occasional one with a mtf. If Cav, Greipel, etc..get a shot, then the Nairos and ACs of the world deserve a shot too.

 

[HelloDolly]

Katusha push GVA and headbutt Edvald Bossan Hagan in the finale yesterday...the big bullies..

 

[GenericBoonenFan]

Re: Re:

Van Avermaet is quite critical saying it's no different from a kermiskoers

He's right. Allthough I will still most likely watch it's a disgrace bought by oil dollars.
Sure those races in the desert in the pre-season... Fine with me, but it's dissapointing they even sold their precious WC for a lot of dollars, instead of making a proper race.

I'm fine with it, you should have all types of WC's, ones that climbers could win, ones that cobble-specialists can win, ones that sprinters can win and ones that punchers can win.

I don't agree with that personally. I don't think one dimensional riders like sprinters, or high mountain climbers have any business wearing the World Champions jersey.

For me, the World Championships should aim to find the best one day rider - which means it should offer opportunities for both Ardennes specialists and cobbled specialists. I'm sure Cavendish will want to respond to that in his press conference tomorrow...

My thought is that if you're going to occasionally have a completely flat WC for sprinters, you should also have an occasional one with a mtf. If Cav, Greipel, etc..get a shot, then the Nairos and ACs of the world deserve a shot too.

Exactly what I tried to say, sprinters deserve to have a shot at a rainbowjersey too.

 

[barmaher]

They deserve a shot, just not a free one.

The course at Salzburg struck the right note for a WCRR that gave sprinters a chance. No need for a pan flat effort like Qatar. It is ludicrous. Even Copenhagen was infinitely better as there was a theoretical chance beforehand that Cav and Greipel might struggle on the hills.

 

[RedheadDane]

Isn't there a theoretical chance here that some riders might struggle with the heat?
If the winter in that area is 25 degree C, I'd hate to know what the summer is like...


So... when does the racing start today?

 

[Jakub]

why don't they use TT bikes? Is it forbidden?

 

[Gloin22]

Re:

why don't they use TT bikes? Is it forbidden?

Because logistics. Zero point bringing extra TT bikes across the Dubai/Qatar/Oman stretch when there's just one short tt.

 

[manafana]

strange race, with not being on eurosport, being very flat, and yesterdays awful finish layout on what is supposed to be a worlds trial run.

 

[Jakub]

Re: Re:

why don't they use TT bikes? Is it forbidden?

Because logistics. Zero point bringing extra TT bikes across the Dubai/Qatar/Oman stretch when there's just one short tt.

wow, really? even if it's a question of winning the whole race? that's a bit surprising for me. Or are the top20 gonna have tt bikes? that would make sense to me...

 

[manafana]

Re: Re:

why don't they use TT bikes? Is it forbidden?

Because logistics. Zero point bringing extra TT bikes across the Dubai/Qatar/Oman stretch when there's just one short tt.

isn't it not tt bikes, as in rule is set out that there will be no tt bikes and most people agree with it.