Critérium du Dauphiné Stage 4

[afpm90]

OK but let it go man, he is a quality rider. And watch for him on those descents

Did I say he wasn't a quality rider?

 

[ferryman]

Did I say he wasn't a quality rider?

A bit of fun bud. But let it go he is top 10 (five in my op) potential)

 

[peloton]

Well I guess I won't argue with what he said, i was just basing it off what he did.

If he can toy with these guys that easily, we are in store for one boring TdF.

TdF is boring.
Giro rocks!

 

[auscyclefan94]

God, I hate this time of year. We have a number of Lance fanboys coming in, childish bickering in one thread, we have ACF still crying because Evans was too busy sulking at nobody doing his work for him on Ventoux last year here, and turning everything into a Clinic thread because he's upset that Valverde might just be a better rider than his hero (look at the palmarès and CAS saying that there is no evidence of any results being ill-gotten, budski).*

*as a side note, I've been told off for unnecessarily Clinicizing things, so if ACF hasn't received at least one warning for that I'm crying foul as loud as ACF cries when Evans loses to a Spaniard.

WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA.

I feel your pain. Your star is a cheat but you can not handle it.

You're expecting evenhandedness from THESE mods?

Well, I think I am allowed especially when I have been given warnings against me by the moderator Bala Verde. Some mods could be more stricter but the non CN mods are not the best. They are very inconsistent.


Funny, when alberto says he is not at 100% it is poor alberto or he is saving himself for something else. Some posters have their heads stuck up there backsides when it comes to alberto.

 

[Potomac]

LMAO at the complaint of "childish bickering"

 

[Winterfold]

I'm very interested to see what Alberto decides to do at Alpe d'Huez, I would imagine he would like to win that stage.

For a race he is not even trying to win - he seems well in there still.

He is such a natural competitor I find it hard to believe he will not go for the win on the Alpe. And I think, in this year's Dauphin, if he decides to go for it, noone will get close to him.

Great to see Geraint up there. Such a nice young man.

 

[Winterfold]

Tejay lost 40 seconds.

David Millar's Dauphine is over. I honestly don't know why he was talking so much about targeting the GC here, even if he had managed to stay with the top riders today he would have lost minutes on the Alpe.

+1 I think a stage win and Top 10 is a great result for him on a hilly week long stage race.

Not sure why he was bigging himself up either tbh.

Will he get either?

 

[peloton]

WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA.

I feel your pain. Your star is a cheat but you can not handle it.


Well, I think I am allowed especially when I have been given warnings against me by the moderator Bala Verde. Some mods could be more stricter but the non CN mods are not the best. They are very inconsistent.


Funny, when alberto says he is not at 100% it is poor alberto or he is saving himself for something else. Some posters have their heads stuck up there backsides when it comes to alberto.

I'm sure Evans is very proud to have you as his #1 fan....
Insult others, whine, and even fist them once you can't control yourself, is okay.

16 is a tender age.

 

[auscyclefan94]

I'm sure Evans is very proud to have you as his #1 fan....
Insult others, whine, and even fist them once you can't control yourself, is okay.

16 is a tender age.

Yes it is. How are you handling it?

 

[peloton]

Yes it is. How are you handling it?

Pretty well, since I'm over 40.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Pretty well, since I'm over 40.

then why were you talking about being 16? IMBECILE!

 

[peloton]

then why were you talking about being 16? IMBECILE!

that's what I was looking for...
you are insulting everyone who don't like your boy.

 

[Andre.J]

I'm curious what VDB can do in the mountains...
His TT was not bad (but should be better).

He had an excellent day.

 

[auscyclefan94]

that's what I was looking for...
you are insulting everyone who don't like your boy.

no you were insulting me!

 

[alberto.legstrong]

This race is a practice session for the real Tour contenders. Alberto could still win this race, but he won't dig deep to do it.

A rider like JB should be giving 100% in a race like this.

it would probably make the sponsor happy, too. How much do they have to show for their 'investment' so far? (And no, I am not looking to open up yet another thread on the Landis investigation,) I mean what have they won since RS came on board?

 

[alberto.legstrong]

no you were insulting me!

your boy is OK, you MIGHT be a different story ....

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

He had an excellent day.

He said he didn't feel that good though (cf. sporza.be)


I noticed yesterday he tried to follow menchov when he first jumped, but had to go back in the saddle to quick.

 

[theyoungest]

He said he didn't feel that good though (cf. sporza.be)


I noticed yesterday he tried to follow menchov when he first jumped, but had to go back in the saddle to quick.

I reckon none of them felt great, they're not supposed to if they are to be in top form a month from now.

 

[kurtinsc]

it would probably make the sponsor happy, too. How much do they have to show for their 'investment' so far? (And no, I am not looking to open up yet another thread on the Landis investigation,) I mean what have they won since RS came on board?

RS's victories this year:

Stage 4 - Volta ao Algrave (Rosseler)
Brabantse Pilj (Rosseler)
Stage 2 part B - Circuit Cycliste de Sarthe (Machado)
Stage 1 - Tour of Gila (Leipheimer)
GC - Tour of Gila (Leipheimer)
Stage 6 - Pais Vasco (Horner)
GC - Pais Vasco (Horner)
Stage 5 - Ronde van Belgie (Hermans)
Stage 3 - Dauphine Libere (Brajkovic)

Not the best in the pro ranks by any stretch... but not completely pathetic either. Without the TOC win that meant so much to them though... probably on the disappointing side that this point.

 

[Anonymous]

RS's victories this year:
Stage 4 - Volta ao Algrave (Rosseler)
Brabantse Pilj (Rosseler)
Stage 2 part B - Circuit Cycliste de Sarthe (Machado)
Stage 6 - Pais Vasco (Horner)
GC - Pais Vasco (Horner)
Stage 5 - Ronde van Belgie (Hermans)
Stage 3 - Dauphine Libere (Brajkovic)

Ive removed the irrelevant result.. the tour of gila really shoudlnt count.

Your really looking at Brabantse, Pais Vasco and the Dauphine stage for meaningful results.. Good to see lance has made his contribution to the palmares

 

[kurtinsc]

Ive removed the irrelevant result.. the tour of gila really shoudlnt count.

Your really looking at Brabantse, Pais Vasco and the Dauphine stage for meaningful results.. Good to see lance has made his contribution to the palmares

Those arent' the full meaningful results... the guy simply asked what RS won.

Other top 10 GC finishes that were at least decent:

3rd in Tour of Luxembourg (Armstrong)
8th in Luxembourg (Kloden)
9th in Luxembourg (Rast)
4th in Murcia (Kloden)
7th in Murcia (Armstrong)
3rd in Algrave (Machado)
4th in Algrave (Leipheimer)
8th in Algrave (Kloden)
3rd in TOC (Leipheimer)
4th in TOC (Horner)
9th in TOC (Brajkovic)
2nd in Sardegna (Horner)
4th in Sardegna (Brajkovic)
3rd in Crit Int (Machado)
7th in Crit Int (Horner)
9th in Crit Int (Hermans)
8th in Liege-Bastogne-Liege (Horner)
10th in Amstel Gold (Horner)
9th in Catalunya (Brajkovic)
6th in Romandie (Brajkovic)
7th in Romandie (Machado)
4th in Castilla y Leon (Brajkovic)
7th in Castilla y Leon (Machado)
10th in Castilla y Leon (Rubiera)
2nd in Circuit de Sarthe (Machado)
6th in Ronde van Belge (Hermans)
9th in Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne (Rast)

Is that great? Not really, no. But it's not pathetic either... it's just an average set of results with a lot of top 10's but not many podiums when it comes to the GC. It likely will be enough (assume 3 guys finish in the top 20 at the Tour) to keep a Pro-Tour license and get an automatic Tour invite next year.

RS seems to be following the path of gearing all their riders to a small amount of races. The guys they have simply aren't good enough to win against other top riders at a similar or higher fitness level. Most of the better results are coming from their "second string" riders who were peaking at times that many other top guys weren't fit. If they did more of that... with Kloden and Leipheimer trying to peak for races like Paris-Nice or Romandie... perhaps they would have a bit more in the way of podium results.