Criterium International - St 1: Porto Vecchio Col de lÂ’Ospedale, 176km

[Frosty]

Paris-Nice prologue was a similar distance to tomorrow's stage. The order tomorrow may well be a bit different but maybe it can give us a few clues on some of the contenders for the GC? That course was generally a bit rolling whereas tomorrow's has a hill at the start.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/68th-paris-nice-his/prologue/results

Contador at 6 seconds
Millar 11 seconds
Sanchez 15 seconds
Machado 26 seconds

So Millar was faster than Sanchez but only by 4 seconds. Machado was 11 seconds slower than Sanchez.

 

[pmcg76]

So much for the anticipated showdown, I guess Lance was as bad as expected but Alberto worse than predicted. I had a feeling Alberto wouldnt be up for this one, I think he will be taking some down time now before cranking it up again. Was anyone really expecting him to be winning the whole way to the Tour!! Not quite as predictable as some make out.

Well done Fedrigo, would love to see him take it. I know its still early season but the French seem to be perfroming better than usual. Any theories why this is?

Personally I am going with Evans for the win (awaits howls of derision) He has a more than decent TT and I think its time BMC showed something and Evans winning Criterium International wouldnt be a bad attention grabber.

 

[Señor_Contador]

Contador...

Having seen the stage yet but... Methinks Alberto's looking to peak later this year. Let's not forget what happened to him in PN2009 and what he did later that year...

 

[python]

all i can say im disappointed with berto's performance and i was wrong (like so many others) projecting his past form this season into today.

he looked strained, he stood up on the pedals more often than id expect him on a 6% grade, he still was the top finisher on his team and he got an unwavering support from vino who rode his heart out for him constantly checking back where his #1 was. bravo vino. i respect loyalty.

regarding polish's baits about vino... well, we should know better. he and ripper are interchangeable and will throw a hook for any one willing to swallow it.

vino rode for berto this race. berto would never be allowed to change his schedule if vino said no. nuff said.

 

[altark123]

The Shack with 3 in the top 10...

so much for the name calling and hating during the stage. 3 riders in the top 10 is pretty solid. Lance, Jani, and Popo all sucked but the other guys saved face for the team today. Who is Hermans?

 

[Publicus]

So much for the anticipated showdown, I guess Lance was as bad as expected but Alberto worse than predicted. I had a feeling Alberto wouldnt be up for this one, I think he will be taking some down time now before cranking it up again. Was anyone really expecting him to be winning the whole way to the Tour!! Not quite as predictable as some make out.

Well done Fedrigo, would love to see him take it. I know its still early season but the French seem to be perfroming better than usual. Any theories why this is?

Personally I am going with Evans for the win (awaits howls of derision) He has a more than decent TT and I think its time BMC showed something and Evans winning Criterium International wouldnt be a bad attention grabber.

I'm picking Evans for the overall as well, but AC to win the TT.

 

[issoisso]

Paris-Nice prologue was a similar distance to tomorrow's stage. The order tomorrow may well be a bit different but maybe it can give us a few clues on some of the contenders for the GC? That course was generally a bit rolling whereas tomorrow's has a hill at the start.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/68th-paris-nice-his/prologue/results

Contador at 6 seconds
Millar 11 seconds
Sanchez 15 seconds
Machado 26 seconds

So Millar was faster than Sanchez but only by 4 seconds. Machado was 11 seconds slower than Sanchez.

Yes, but Paris-Nice had hard climbs and tomorrow is flat, so we can't take much more than a ballpark figure from it.

 

[Escarabajo]

As much as I like Vino, he's lucky he has a job with a Pro Tour team. He could have easily went the way of Tyler and 'Roid Floyd. He should be thanking Contador for not leaving when everyone else did because then there would be no team left for him to ride for.

...

+1. I have to agree with you this time.

On another note, I am very happy that Juan Mauricio Soler Hernandez is back riding his bike. Not bad after his injury. He came in 16th 31 seconds behind.

 

[python]

so much for the name calling and hating during the stage. 3 riders in the top 10 is pretty solid. Lance, Jani, and Popo all sucked but the other guys saved face for the team today. Who is Hermans?

no so fast pardner. i'll give you that shack finished better than astana and horner deserves praise.

but you need to look into the race dynamics before getting too far praising the shack vs. dissing astana.

all shack top finishers sucked wheels whilst astana actively contributed fofo, navarre, and finally vino to pull every one along.

had they sucked wheels as the shack, you'd see a different gc.

that much should be clear.

 

[Frosty]

Yes, but Paris-Nice had hard climbs and tomorrow is flat, so we can't take much more than a ballpark figure from it.

I dont call a 63 metre hill in 1.2km within a 7.7km tt flat?

I dont see where i wasnt saying that we could take more than a ballpark figure...

 

[altark123]

no so fast pardner. i'll give you that shack finished better than astana and horner deserves praise.

but you need to look into the race dynamics before getting too far praising the shack vs. dissing astana.

all shack top finishers sucked wheels whilst astana actively contributed fofo, navarre, and finally vino to pull every one along.

had they sucked wheels as the shack, you'd see a different gc.

that much should be clear.

I never said a word about Astana, from the sounds of it, they played a key role today, just nobody wanted to change their story and give the TEAM a bit of credit for the day. You can rip Lance and others all you want as they did nothing, but the fact of the matter is that 3 shack riders finished in the top 10. I don't care how they did it, they are there. Isn't it better to suck wheels and finish high then blow yourself up?

 

[Polish]

No suprises, Lance in March Mode and RadioShack TEAM #1.


Rang Équipe Temps Écarts
1. TEAM RADIOSHACK 15h 59' 56"
2. CAISSE D’EPARGNE 16h 00' 25" + 00' 29"
3. BBOX BOUYGUES TELECOM 16h 00' 38" + 00' 42"
4. EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI 16h 01' 41" + 01' 45"
5. TEAM HTC - COLUMBIA 16h 01' 41" + 01' 45"
6. VACANSOLEIL PRO CYCLING TEAM 16h 02' 57" + 03' 01"
7. COFIDIS LE CREDIT EN LIGNE 16h 03' 33" + 03' 37"
8. BMC RACING TEAM 16h 03' 49" + 03' 53"
9. AG2R-LA MONDIALE 16h 04' 19" + 04' 23"
10. GARMIN - TRANSITIONS 16h 04' 54" + 04' 58"
11. SAUR-SOJASUN 16h 06' 40" + 06' 44"
12. FRANCAISE DES JEUX 16h 08' 29" + 08' 33"
13. ASTANA 16h 10' 17" + 10' 21"
14. TEAM SKY 16h 16' 09" + 16' 13"
15. ROUBAIX LILLE METROPOLE 16h 17' 00" + 17' 04"
16. BRETAGNE - SCHULLER 16h 24' 28" + 24' 32"
17. SKIL-SHIMANO 16h 30' 00" + 30' 04"

 

[bianchigirl]

Python, well said - Fofo's turn was immense today, Vino the exemplary teammate. Project to July and Astana still win the GC.

But I forgot, the team classification is now the most important in any race - at least any race that RS participate in

 

[issoisso]

I dont call a 63 metre hill in 1.2km within a 7.7km tt flat?

I dont see where i wasnt saying that we could take more than a ballpark figure...

I wasn't disagreeing, just adding

 

[Señor_Contador]

No suprises, Lance in March Mode and RadioShack TEAM #1.


Rang Équipe Temps Écarts
1. TEAM RADIOSHACK 15h 59' 56"
2. CAISSE D’EPARGNE 16h 00' 25" + 00' 29"
3. BBOX BOUYGUES TELECOM 16h 00' 38" + 00' 42"
4. EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI 16h 01' 41" + 01' 45"
5. TEAM HTC - COLUMBIA 16h 01' 41" + 01' 45"
6. VACANSOLEIL PRO CYCLING TEAM 16h 02' 57" + 03' 01"
7. COFIDIS LE CREDIT EN LIGNE 16h 03' 33" + 03' 37"
8. BMC RACING TEAM 16h 03' 49" + 03' 53"
9. AG2R-LA MONDIALE 16h 04' 19" + 04' 23"
10. GARMIN - TRANSITIONS 16h 04' 54" + 04' 58"
11. SAUR-SOJASUN 16h 06' 40" + 06' 44"
12. FRANCAISE DES JEUX 16h 08' 29" + 08' 33"
13. ASTANA 16h 10' 17" + 10' 21"
14. TEAM SKY 16h 16' 09" + 16' 13"
15. ROUBAIX LILLE METROPOLE 16h 17' 00" + 17' 04"
16. BRETAGNE - SCHULLER 16h 24' 28" + 24' 32"
17. SKIL-SHIMANO 16h 30' 00" + 30' 04"

Once you see Lance Armstrong's name above Alberto Contador's at the TdF THEN you will have your brownie point.

Until then you're kinda beating a dead horse here.

 

[altark123]

Python, well said - Fofo's turn was immense today, Vino the exemplary teammate. Project to July and Astana still win the GC.

But I forgot, the team classification is now the most important in any race - at least any race that RS participate in

I didn't even mention about Team classification nor care, just the top 10.

 

[python]

I never said a word about Astana, from the sounds of it, they played a key role today, just nobody wanted to change their story and give the TEAM a bit of credit for the day. You can rip Lance and others all you want as they did nothing, but the fact of the matter is that 3 shack riders finished in the top 10. I don't care how they did it, they are there. Isn't it better to suck wheels and finish high then blow yourself up?

if you, as you said ' idont care how they, the shack, did it' you openly and publicly admitting to being ignorant of the race dynamimics in favour of the results that meet a fanboys desired outcome. i have a suggestion - watch more races than the american versus telle outfit is willing to feed you.

 

[bianchigirl]

No suprises, Lance in March Mode and RadioShack TEAM #1.


Rang Équipe Temps Écarts
1. TEAM RADIOSHACK 15h 59' 56"
2. CAISSE D’EPARGNE 16h 00' 25" + 00' 29"
3. BBOX BOUYGUES TELECOM 16h 00' 38" + 00' 42"
4. EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI 16h 01' 41" + 01' 45"
5. TEAM HTC - COLUMBIA 16h 01' 41" + 01' 45"
6. VACANSOLEIL PRO CYCLING TEAM 16h 02' 57" + 03' 01"
7. COFIDIS LE CREDIT EN LIGNE 16h 03' 33" + 03' 37"
8. BMC RACING TEAM 16h 03' 49" + 03' 53"
9. AG2R-LA MONDIALE 16h 04' 19" + 04' 23"
10. GARMIN - TRANSITIONS 16h 04' 54" + 04' 58"
11. SAUR-SOJASUN 16h 06' 40" + 06' 44"
12. FRANCAISE DES JEUX 16h 08' 29" + 08' 33"
13. ASTANA 16h 10' 17" + 10' 21"
14. TEAM SKY 16h 16' 09" + 16' 13"
15. ROUBAIX LILLE METROPOLE 16h 17' 00" + 17' 04"
16. BRETAGNE - SCHULLER 16h 24' 28" + 24' 32"
17. SKIL-SHIMANO 16h 30' 00" + 30' 04"

Wow, a whole 44" ahead of BBox - great that that huge budget buys such an advantage over a pro conti team - and they still can't win on GC - which, after all, is the classification that really matters

Far better to have some places in the top ten rather than the overall lead - sorry, too funny. Chapeau Fedrigo - a great stage by BB. And 2 Frenchmen in the top 5. When did that last happen on such a prestigious stage.

Of course Armstrong wasn't trying at 5'01" back - yeah, right. That clenched jawbone and grey pallor is such a giveaway.

 

[Señor_Contador]

Most important race: Tour de France.

Most important price: Coming in # 1 at the TdF.

There is no point in redefining what is a well-established consensus within the cycling, and cycling fanatic, community.

If anyone wants to contest that the Giro or the Vuelta are more important than the TdF or that the team classification is most important there is a place for that in the General section, and it's called "Bull$hit all you want".

Leave this section to serious arguments and those who seek interesting commentary.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

6. VACANSOLEIL PRO CYCLING TEAM 16h 02' 57" + 03' 01"
7. COFIDIS LE CREDIT EN LIGNE 16h 03' 33" + 03' 37"
8. BMC RACING TEAM 16h 03' 49" + 03' 53"
11. SAUR-SOJASUN 16h 06' 40" + 06' 44"
14. TEAM SKY 16h 16' 09" + 16' 13"

> Why Vacansoleil deserves a wildcard in the Tour de France
Also strong in E3 Prijs today.
Cmon ASO

 

[theyoungest]

Wow, a whole 44" ahead of BBox - great that that huge budget buys such an advantage over a pro conti team - and they still can't win on GC - which, after all, is the classification that really matters

Far better to have some places in the top ten rather than the overall lead - sorry, too funny. Chapeau Fedrigo - a great stage by BB. And 2 Frenchmen in the top 5. When did that last happen on such a prestigious stage.

Of course Armstrong wasn't trying at 5'01" back - yeah, right. That clenched jawbone and grey pallor is such a giveaway.

You can't deny they had a decent ride today. Even if the fat guy from Texas didn't.

 

[altark123]

You can't deny they had a decent ride today. Even if the fat guy from Texas didn't.

Thank you, everyone else is trying to insult me personally instead of paying attention to what I posted.

 

[altark123]

if you, as you said ' idont care how they, the shack, did it' you openly and publicly admitting to being ignorant of the race dynamimics in favour of the results that meet a fanboys desired outcome. i have a suggestion - watch more races than the american versus telle outfit is willing to feed you.

Race dynamics are less important to me than results, you can have a different opinion, that is fine. Once again, the big Shack riders sucked hardcore today, that make you feel better?

 

[python]

Race dynamics are less important to me than results

this tells me all i need to know about you. thanks.

 

[altark123]

this tells me all i need to know about you. thanks.

Well what do people remember 10 years down the road, the classification, or some good work at the front of the peleton?