Dauphine no shows

[red_flanders]

With Andy Schleck's performance in the Dauphine, I can't help but be reminded of previous years when so many top contenders have been no shows for this race and show up strong as an ox for the Tour. Often the reason has likely been that they've recently withdrawn blood and are weak for the next couple of weeks.

I know Schleck has shown no form all year, and his troubles have been well publicized, but this performance is suspiciously bad to me. If he shows up at the Tour with form, it will have been several times in recent years that he shows magic form. Very suspicious.

 

[Maxiton]

With Andy Schleck's performance in the Dauphine, I can't help but be reminded of previous years when so many top contenders have been no shows for this race and show up strong as an ox for the Tour. Often the reason has likely been that they've recently withdrawn blood and are weak for the next couple of weeks.

I know Schleck has shown no form all year, and his troubles have been well publicized, but this performance is suspiciously bad to me. If he shows up at the Tour with form, it will have been several times in recent years that he shows magic form. Very suspicious.

Agreed. If Andy shows up super strong at the Tour and goes on to win it, it will make a mockery of the sport - even for those who thought that no longer possible.

 

[Neworld]

Agreed. If Andy shows up super strong at the Tour and goes on to win it, it will make a mockery of the sport - even for those who thought that no longer possible.

Same for the guy who finished right beside Andy today (Vino), no shocker there.

 

[Polish]

With Andy Schleck's performance in the Dauphine, I can't help but be reminded of previous years when so many top contenders have been no shows for this race and show up strong as an ox for the Tour. Often the reason has likely been that they've recently withdrawn blood and are weak for the next couple of weeks.

I know Schleck has shown no form all year, and his troubles have been well publicized, but this performance is suspiciously bad to me. If he shows up at the Tour with form, it will have been several times in recent years that he shows magic form. Very suspicious.

Only 8 riders in history have won the Dauphine and the Tour in the same year:

Louison Bobet, Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Louis Ocaña, Bernard Thévenet, Bernard Hinault, Miguel Indurain and Lance Armstrong.

Maybe this year we will see #9? You are right though - if it happens it will not be Andy. And to be honest, I do not think Andy is tough enough to be on that List anyway.

 

[Maxiton]

Only 8 riders in history have won the Dauphine and the Tour in the same year:

Louison Bobet, Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Louis Ocaña, Bernard Thévenet, Bernard Hinault, Miguel Indurain and Lance Armstrong.

Maybe this year we will see #9? You are right though - if it happens it will not be Andy. And to be honest, I do not think Andy is tough enough to be on that List anyway.

Never mind winning, I'd settle for contending, at least a little bit.

 

[FabulousCandelabra]

Maybe he wants to do a massive breakaway so he lost 3 minutes deliberately?? Is there any reasonable explanation here? I mean, if he's that weak he should at least fake a chain drop or something so it doesn't look so suspicious... pop his own tire or something..

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

Same for the guy who finished right beside Andy today (Vino), no shocker there.

Yea because Vino does only do well in the tour
Look at his palmares before you write such nonsene

 

[Lanark]

Maybe he wants to do a massive breakaway so he lost 3 minutes deliberately?? Is there any reasonable explanation here? I mean, if he's that weak he should at least fake a chain drop or something so it doesn't look so suspicious... pop his own tire or something..

He's just doing what he does every year (maybe a little more extreme this year, but barely). If you don't care about any race but the Tour (and Liège for a little bit), why would you need to fake anything when you treat every other race like a training ride?

 

[thehog]

Maybe he wants to do a massive breakaway so he lost 3 minutes deliberately?? Is there any reasonable explanation here? I mean, if he's that weak he should at least fake a chain drop or something so it doesn't look so suspicious... pop his own tire or something..

I think not a problem with the legs but a problem with the mind. He hasn’t raced since Liege. He told Sportza over the weekend that Bruyneel has forced him to reduce his race calendar against his will. Hog also suggested not use too much energy until 2nd week of the Tour. Take from that what you will but in this day and age riders want to race and to perform. Andy was suggesting he doesn’t know how this new preparation style will work out.

 

[red_flanders]

I think not a problem with the legs but a problem with the mind. He hasn’t raced since Liege. He told Sportza over the weekend that Bruyneel has forced him to reduce his race calendar against his will. Hog also suggested not use too much energy until 2nd week of the Tour. Take from that what you will but in this day and age riders want to race and to perform. Andy was suggesting he doesn’t know how this new preparation style will work out.

Interesting. Has his program changed much from previous years? I don't follow his comings and goings much beyond Liege, TdSuisse and the Tour.

 

[will10]

Interesting. Has his program changed much from previous years? I don't follow his comings and goings much beyond Liege, TdSuisse and the Tour.

Well he normally rides Pais Vasco, this year he rode Sarthe instead, then he's typically ridden California but hasn't raced since Liege as mentioned above. Today was only his 13th race day of the season as he didn't finish Paris - Nice or Catalunya.

I think we'll see him soft-pedalling most of the week, he should be having a good go at the TT but wouldn't surprise me to see him not bother with that. He'll show his face with a so-so performance on Joux-Plane I expect, but that's it.

 

[mewmewmew13]

Only 8 riders in history have won the Dauphine and the Tour in the same year:

Louison Bobet, Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Louis Ocaña, Bernard Thévenet, Bernard Hinault, Miguel Indurain and Lance Armstrong.

Maybe this year we will see #9? You are right though - if it happens it will not be Andy. And to be honest, I do not think Andy is tough enough to be on that List anyway.

I'm thinking the only reason your hero Lance shows up on this list is because he knew how to prepare himself better w/r to timing his peaks than Andy.

 

[Neworld]

Yea because Vino does only do well in the tour
Look at his palmares before you write such nonsene

Easy Tiger, or Tigress. It wasn't nonsense but was below board, sorry. Hey I like Vino and his tenacity while racing. Hopefully once he retires, and his political future doesn't pan out he'll be one of the guys to spill his guts, I could see him doing that and riding against the wind so to speak.

I just don't see "Vino" finishing 3 minutes down on an average day in the alps within one month of the Tour. He must be just saving himself.

I'll remember to stay clear of any Vino insinuations in the future. I like my kneecaps.

 

[mewmewmew13]

Didn't Vino allude to himself riding as 'support' so it does not matter what he is doing in this race?

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

Easy Tiger, or Tigress. It wasn't nonsense but was below board, sorry. Hey I like Vino and his tenacity while racing. Hopefully once he retires, and his political future doesn't pan out he'll be one of the guys to spill his guts, I could see him doing that and riding against the wind so to speak.

I just don't see "Vino" finishing 3 minutes down on an average day in the alps within one month of the Tour. He must be just saving himself.

I'll remember to stay clear of any Vino insinuations in the future. I like my kneecaps.

I am sorry if I was a bit harsh
I am just getting abit anoyed when his last season (witch he came to with a broken bone) at the age of 38 is used as an argument for how bad he "really" is without doping

 

[Neworld]

I am sorry if I was a bit harsh
I am just getting abit anoyed when his last season (witch he came to with a broken bone) at the age of 38 is used as an argument for how bad he "really" is without doping

Got it. I'd take Vino, at 38, with a healing fractured femoral neck, and his 'saucy' attacking style over half the pack it terms of sheer entertainment value.

As for no shows, what happened to Daniel Martin today, 16:30 back...did he crash with Sanchez?

 

[mewmewmew13]

Got it. I'd take Vino, at 38, with a healing fractured femoral neck, and his 'saucy' attacking style over half the pack it terms of sheer entertainment value.

As for no shows, what happened to Daniel Martin today, 16:30 back...did he crash with Sanchez?

I saw him getting back on his bike and looking pained also with a hole in his jersey. Did not see the crash though.

 

[Not Riding Enough]

Got it. I'd take Vino, at 38, with a healing fractured femoral neck, and his 'saucy' attacking style over half the pack it terms of sheer entertainment value.

As for no shows, what happened to Daniel Martin today, 16:30 back...did he crash with Sanchez?

Different crash but he was down for a while and looked very tentative getting going.

It looked like his fault and he brought down Gerrans and a couple of others.

 

[ellenbrook2001]

wiggins

i am shock the way WIGGINS ride he ride same has LANG ASMTRONG he look so easy on the mountain or before was always dropped the improvement seem not right ,hes on the top of everyone so strong he can win the tour de france with 5 minutes so easy ,then hes team so strong they all ride has a bullet the rider did again beat the drug cheating they go faster and faster what a joke???

 

[Fetisoff]

Yea because Vino does only do well in the tour
Look at his palmares before you write such nonsene

LOL, why do you bother, this is the clinic.


Rider A did "X" - he's certainly doping
Rider A did not do "X" - he's certainly doping

Choire in the background: Who cares if rider A did or did not do "X", they're all dopers anyway.

Just a good read for a chuckle once in a while, that's all

 

[Panda Claws]

i am shock the way WIGGINS ride he ride same has LANG ASMTRONG he look so easy on the mountain or before was always dropped the improvement seem not right ,hes on the top of everyone so strong he can win the tour de france with 5 minutes so easy ,then hes team so strong they all ride has a bullet the rider did again beat the drug cheating they go faster and faster what a joke???

 

[Berzin]

Yea because Vino does only do well in the tour
Look at his palmares before you write such nonsene

You are absolutely right.

Here is a rider who crashed and was seriously hurt in last year's Tour and decided to un-retire to finish on somewhat of a high note, and instead of people applauding his efforts he gets the same crap thrown in his face by the haters.

Vino lives!!!

 

[doolols]

i am shock the way WIGGINS ride he ride same has LANG ASMTRONG he look so easy on the mountain or before was always dropped the improvement seem not right ,hes on the top of everyone so strong he can win the tour de france with 5 minutes so easy ,then hes team so strong they all ride has a bullet the rider did again beat the drug cheating they go faster and faster what a joke???

I'll reserve judgement. He does have a strong team, and they're all riding for him. How this will pan out at Le Tour, when the domestiques have to ride for Cav in the early flat sprints, chase down breakaways for Wiggo in the hills, AND drag Cav through the hills so he can have his 15 minutes (again) in Green on the Champs Elysees. Something don't add up. But there's no doubt Wiggins has done a lot of training, at altitude, and up and down hills. And he's always been a good TTer. As I say, reserving judgement.

 

[argyllflyer]

With Cav finishing the Giro (having aimed to win red) and having vocally targeted the Olympics, will he even finish TDF? I haven't seen anything to say either way but it seems an awful lot of conflicting priorities.

 

[ellenbrook2001]

WIGGINS performance

yes i do agree hes one of the best on time trial but have you see the way he was on the mountain all this team was going so fast only 10 riders was able too follow hes domestic was flying ?????WIGGINS was going same speed has L-ASMTRONG how could you justify such performance even you do a lot altitude training you cannot in one year become an elite climber even CONTATOR woud be shock such performance???something fishy here he look so easy even talk too hes mate not even out of puff common guys impossible?sure he got the best doping undetected yet?
hope he get caught he so stupid too shown how strong hes it everyone going too be suspicious.