37° Volta ao Algarve 2011 (708k) Feb 16 to 20

[Libertine Seguros]

Pelotão compacto, except they can't find the camisola amarela.

I had an anti-HTC rant half-written before I remembered Greipel doesn't ride for them anymore.

 

[Ryaguas]

Cummings changed bikes! that's why they didnt see him in the finish line...

He arrived with the Peloton... he maintains la camisola amarela!

 

[Iker_Baqueiro]

so, everything will be decided in tomorrow's itt.
what do you think ? who will win ? by how much ?

 

[taiwan]

so, everything will be decided in tomorrow's itt.
what do you think ? who will win ? by how much ?

Der Panzerwagen. By a handful of seconds from Van Gardererenen

Then Bert.

 

[Ryaguas]

Will be a easy win for Tony Martin tho... the parcours is not hilly enough for TVG or Contador...

1. Greipel
2. Matthews (wow! Rabobank)
3. Ravard (AG2R)

 

[Ryaguas]

Stage Classifications

1º Andre Greipe (Omega Pharma), 3h56m55s
2º Michael Matthews (Rabobank), mt
3º Antony Ravard (AG2r), mt
4º Tyler Farrar (Garmin), mt
5º Allan Davis (Astana) , mt
6º John Degenkolb (HTC), mt
7º Gerald Ciolek (Quick Step), mt
8º Boy Van Poppel (United Health Care), mt
9º Borut Bozic (Vacansoleil), mt
10º Baden Cooke (Saxo Bank), mt

GC

1º Stephen Cummings (SKY), 18h27m42s
2º Alberto Contador (Saxo Bank-Sungard), a 6s
3º Tony Martin (HTC-Highroad), a 10s
4º Tejay Van Garderen (HTC-Highroad), a 12s
5º Rein Taaramae (Cofidis), a 18s
6º Andreas Kloden (RadioShack), a 26s
7º Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Cervélo), mt
8º Simon Gerrans (Team SKY), mt
9º Wouter Pouels (Vacansoleil), a 30s
10º Tiago Machado (RadioShack), a 31s

 

[Sasquatch]

Taaramae has done alright.

Smokey for Paris-Nice.

 

[sublimit]

Put your house on Martin to win.
Cummings could hang on for a podium maybe, he's got a track background and can do a reasonable TT at times.

 

[The Hitch]

Whats Haedos excuse this time?

As for tomorow how long is the tt.

People seem to underestimate Contadors tt after a decent one and a very poor one in le tour.

But last year he podiumed most tts he did (they were all short) and won in Dauphine. In Monaco 09 he came 2nd to Canc and beat all other tt specialists in a 18k mostly flat tt.

Granted Martin has improved a lot but if this one is short and has merely a cat 3 climb in it somewhere id say he has every chance to hold of Martin.

Oh and OPl have good chance for MSR. GIlbert to go on Cipressa, kill himself on Poggio, then HTC and Garmin work like mad to bring him back, while OPl rest for the Greipel leadout.

 

[taiwan]

People seem to underestimate Contadors tt after a decent one and a very poor one in le tour.

It's just that I don't expect so much from him in this, his first race of the season. If he was fully fit he'd have crushed everyone on the mountain.

 

[theswordsman]

The TT should be interesting. It was this race last year where Contador had to ride on a model bike he'd never been on before, that his mechanic just made usable right before the race. (Due to UCI declaring his Specialized illegal). I remember the video of him climbing off the bike and rushing straight over to hug his mechanic for getting it done.

Martin is a great TT'er. I didn't follow the TDU - have any of the top guys in this race done a Time Trial already this year? I hope Cummings didn't get too banged up in the crash today.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Whats Haedos excuse this time?

As for tomorow how long is the tt.

People seem to underestimate Contadors tt after a decent one and a very poor one in le tour.

But last year he podiumed most tts he did (they were all short) and won in Dauphine. In Monaco 09 he came 2nd to Canc and beat all other tt specialists in a 18k mostly flat tt.

Granted Martin has improved a lot but if this one is short and has merely a cat 3 climb in it somewhere id say he has every chance to hold of Martin.

Oh and OPl have good chance for MSR. GIlbert to go on Cipressa, kill himself on Poggio, then HTC and Garmin work like mad to bring him back, while OPl rest for the Greipel leadout.

i suspect martin will cream contador.

 

[boomcie]

Really? Lotto are playing with us. Good stuff. Monkey's off the back, it would seem. They might have a pretty effective partnership with Phil Gil and Greipel.

Been a while since they had the luxury of two decent complementary leaders in one race.

 

[Ryaguas]

People seem to underestimate Contadors tt after a decent one and a very poor one in le tour.

Nop is just that He hasnt trained properly... and He is still build up... his form is in 20 or 25% right tho... just to say some %s...

Tony Martin will crush everyone tomorrow... TVG will be in the top 5 for sure... Contador will be in the top 5 but just because his talent...

Hey Da Lotto has started the season rly well... Gilbert and Greipel with wins already... very good news for them! now lets see how Jurgen is for this year...

 

[boomcie]

Oh and OPl have good chance for MSR. GIlbert to go on Cipressa, kill himself on Poggio, then HTC and Garmin work like mad to bring him back, while OPl rest for the Greipel leadout.

Sounds like a sound plan, but I honestly don't think Gilbert will just ruin his chances by attacking on the Cipressa.

 

[Ryaguas]

Pic of the sprint...

 

[Christian]

Whats Haedos excuse this time?

I think Baden Cooke's is now Saxo's new old sprinter

 

[Publicus]

Nop is just that He hasnt trained properly... and He is still build up... his form is in 20 or 25% right tho... just to say some %s...

Tony Martin will crush everyone tomorrow... TVG will be in the top 5 for sure... Contador will be in the top 5 but just because his talent...

Hey Da Lotto has started the season rly well... Gilbert and Greipel with wins already... very good news for them! now lets see how Jurgen is for this year...

Pretty much. AC isn't on form, so I can't see him pulling this one out. He should finish on the overall podium though.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Der Panzerwagen. By a handful of seconds from Van Gardererenen

Then Bert.

is tony martins nickname really "der Panzerwagen"? Because that nickname is too awesome

 

[boomcie]

is tony martins nickname really "der Panzerwagen"? Because that nickname is too awesome

It really is.

 

[Ryaguas]

is tony martins nickname really "der Panzerwagen"? Because that nickname is too awesome

Yeah is an awesome nickname! Every nickname in german sounds great tho

But I'd give that nickname to Greipel... He looks more like a tank!

 

[Christian]

is tony martins nickname really "der Panzerwagen"? Because that nickname is too awesome

I have to say I follow a lot of German media and I have never heard or read that anywhere else but on this forum.

Panzerwagen is also a very rarely used word (I'm not even sure if it really exists), to say "tank" you just say Panzer

 

[joy118118]

Yeah is an awesome nickname! Every nickname in german sounds great tho

But I'd give that nickname to Greipel... He looks more like a tank!

Greipel's is Gorilla

 

[joy118118]

I have to say I follow a lot of German media and I have never heard or read that anywhere else but on this forum.

Panzerwagen is also a very rarely used word (I'm not even sure if it really exists), to say "tank" you just say Panzer

It is said this nickname is from his teammates in Chasing Legends. Havent watched this film. so i am not sure about it.

 

[hrotha]

I have to say I follow a lot of German media and I have never heard or read that anywhere else but on this forum.

Panzerwagen is also a very rarely used word (I'm not even sure if it really exists), to say "tank" you just say Panzer

A Panzerwagen is an armoured car, not a tank.