Downhill Showdown: Liquigas vs. BMC TdF 2012

[cineteq]

Nibali, Sagan and Capecchi vs. Evans, Hushovd and Gilbert
These two teams can do a lot of damage on these stages against RSNT and Sky.
Cast your vote or else!

Stage 8

Stage 10

 

[Zam_Olyas]

I think no thor in the tour.

 

[Forunculo]

Nibali... more guts and surely needs to attack more than Cadel. I hope he skip the Giro this year.

It's interesting that stage 7 is MTF, 9 is the first ITT and the alps coming after stage 10.

I'm starting to think that this parcours are better than many thought. If Bruyneel and Schleck try some epic moves this gonna be good.


Off topic: I was thinking to start a thread about the tactical battle at mountains, the differents scenarios, radioshack offence and Saxo and BMC defence and of course the TTers podium hunters like Wiggo and Martin but I think is too early

 

[will10]

I think no thor in the tour.

And he certainly isn't going to get over the Grand Colombier with the leaders if they race.

 

[Kvinto]

I like both these stages, but first of all, we still don't know how technical these descents are while on the other hand their position in the race is a bit unfortunate:
- stage 7 - Belles Filles finish 5.9km-8.5%
- stage 9 - 38km hilly tt
- stage 11 - pretty short (140km) but intense mountain stage with Col de la Madeleine, the Col de la Croix de Fer, Col du Mollard and mtf in La Toussuire

Nevertheless at least stage 10 should be pretty entertaining (with big guns being involved) though i hope the 8th stage will offer decent racing too if only that hills are steep enough and the field won't be too busied about the next day time trial, because ridden in a proper way this stage can be awesome...

 

[cineteq]

These guys

or these guys?

 

[ferryman]

Nibali... more guts and surely needs to attack more than Cadel. I hope he skip the Giro this year.

It's interesting that stage 7 is MTF, 9 is the first ITT and the alps coming after stage 10.

I'm starting to think that this parcours are better than many thought. If Bruyneel and Schleck try some epic moves this gonna be good.


Off topic: I was thinking to start a thread about the tactical battle at mountains, the differents scenarios, radioshack offence and Saxo and BMC defence and of course the TTers podium hunters like Wiggo and Martin but I think is too early

Not too early IMO but best wait until we know one way or the other regarding Alberto as that could change everything.

 

[Sciocco]

I think no thor in the tour.

Where might he go? He made two stages last year.

 

[Mellow Velo]

Ha!
Only one fanboy vote for Team Belgian Male Cyclist.

 

[Panda Claws]

The 3 BMC riders are better descenders but can't make it over the mountains as well. So Liquigas wins.

 

[gilbertador]

Sagan is in my opinion the best descender now, he will also get over the mountains where as Hushovd wont, stage 8 descent isn one where time gaps can be made....10 is though and i foresee Nibali doing some serious damage

 

[El Pistolero]

Ha!
Only one fanboy vote for Team Belgian Male Cyclist.

Of course, why? Cause Liquigas won't do sh*t in the Tour. No one fears Nibali's descending skills anyway. I had a great laugh with him at the Giro last year. He's no Salvodelli, but sadly gets treaten like one. As for Sagan, he won't be able to follow the big boys uphill. Has proven that many times before. People vote for Liquigas because of that one Vuelta stage.

The poll is moot anyway as Hushovd likely won't do the Tour.

 

[orangerider]

The 3 BMC riders are better descenders but can't make it over the mountains as well. So Liquigas wins.

Thor for sure won't make it over but Gilbert could, although he would suffer major fatigue the next few days, being useless, so it would have to be wise enough for him to make the sacrifice worthwhile.

 

[El Pistolero]

Thor for sure won't make it over but Gilbert could, although he would suffer major fatigue the next few days, being useless, so it would have to be wise enough for him to make the sacrifice worthwhile.

When has Sagan proven to get over hills better than Thor? Sagan got dropped on most uphill finishes in the Vuelta already while Hushovd survived on Mur de Bretagne and Super-Besse. Never mind Eros Capecchi

 

[killswitch]

When has Sagan proven to get over hills better than Thor? Sagan got dropped on most uphill finishes in the Vuelta already while Hushovd survived on Mur de Bretagne and Super-Besse. Never mind Eros Capecchi

Tour de Suisse 2011.

Of course, why? Cause Liquigas won't do sh*t in the Tour. No one fears Nibali's descending skills anyway. I had a great laugh with him at the Giro last year. He's no Salvodelli, but sadly gets treaten like one.

Nobody has compared him to Savoldelli.

 

[jens_attacks]

there won't be no downhill showdown

 

[El Pistolero]

Tour de Suisse 2011.


Nobody has compared him to Savoldelli.

That was from a breakaway. And Cunego is Il Piccolo Principe with the emphasis on piccolo

Besides, he got dropped uphill. 100% sure Sagan would have been dropped on both Super-Besse and Mur the Bretagne.

 

[Mellow Velo]

Of course, why? Cause Liquigas won't do sh*t in the Tour. No one fears Nibali's descending skills anyway. I had a great laugh with him at the Giro last year. He's no Salvodelli, but sadly gets treaten like one. As for Sagan, he won't be able to follow the big boys uphill. Has proven that many times before. People vote for Liquigas because of that one Vuelta stage.

The poll is moot anyway as Hushovd likely won't do the Tour.

You present your opinion as facts to justify your one-eyed fanboyism for Gilbert.
Example:

100% sure Sagan would have been dropped on both Super-Besse and Mur the Bretagne.

How do you know? Balls of crystal????

Great rider as he is, Phil is more than likely to do more sh*t at the Tour than Nibali and Basso.
As for Sagan, he has won a major stage over an big, Alpine climb, when just 21.
What had Phil G proven at the same age?

I agree to a certain extent, that the poll is moot, because Liquigas have Ivan the Terrible.

 

[El Pistolero]

You present your opinion as facts to justify your one-eyed fanboyism for Gilbert.

Great rider as he is, Phil is more than likely to do more sh*t at the Tour than Nibali and Basso.
As for Sagan, he has won a major stage over an big, Alpine climb, when just 21.
What had Phil G proven at the same age?

I agree to a certain extent, that the poll is moot, because Liquigas have Ivan the Terrible.

The thread is about 2012. Sagan won't turn 28 years old all of a sudden in July. So the bolded argument is irrelevant.

As for Sagan, he got dropped pretty much every time the road went uphill in the Vuelta, even on the first stage which wasn't nearly as steep as the first stage of the Tour. The kid doesn't have it yet, he's too young. Tour of Suisse is a level below Grand Tours. He won that stage out of a breakaway, it doesn't say much about him being able to climb with the best in a Grand Tour. The Vuelta is more telling in that respect than the Tour of Suisse. I use facts, you use a breakaway stage as evidence that Sagan can follow the best uphill.

Take a look at the Luz Ardiden stage of the Tour this year. You'll see Gilbert breaking away at the descend of Tourmalet with Samuel Sanchez and Jelle Vanendert trying to follow(but not able to stay in his wheel).

Great rider as he is, Basso will do the Giro and Nibali is still not sure about whether he'll skip the Giro or not. I think you didn't read the thread: it's only about the Tour 2012.

Ps: riders peak at different times. Just because you peak early and burn out sooner doesn't make you better than someone who peaks later lol. I don't even think Phil turned pro at 21, so how could he have proven him self? Phil doesn't need to prove anything anymore, Sagan on the other hand still needs to prove plenty.

 

[El Pistolero]

You present your opinion as facts to justify your one-eyed fanboyism for Gilbert.
Example:


How do you know? Balls of crystal????

Vuelta a Espana 2011

 

[The Hitch]

Thor for sure won't make it over but Gilbert could, although he would suffer major fatigue the next few days, being useless, so it would have to be wise enough for him to make the sacrifice worthwhile.

Hushovd won a major mountain stage last year.

In 2010 he finished in the main group on a mountain stage that had 2 hcs and 2 cat 1s. Yes he got dropped for 30 seconds on the Tourmalet and they werent going that fast but it was still awesome.

 

[killswitch]

The thread is about 2012. Sagan won't turn 28 years old all of a sudden in July. So the bolded argument is irrelevant.

:facepalm:

 

[El Pistolero]

Hushovd was the only rider in last years Tour to win multiple mountain stages.

Silly Hitch, Tour de Suisse stages >>>>> Tour stages.

 

[El Pistolero]

:facepalm:

Yeah, Sagan is still too young to handle the big climbs/hills/distance. Why should that not count? It's about 2012, not 2020.

Where was Sagan on Valdepenas de Jaen? Where was he on the first Vuelta stage? Where was he on Pena Cabarga? Any mountain stage? Take a look at what hills/mountains come before the stages that end on a descend in the Tour

 

[The Hitch]

People vote for Liquigas because of that one Vuelta stage.

It was awesomme team work. When it comes to teamwork they are the best, no one overperforms in tts like they do and they have the 9 straigt gts no withdrawals record.

FRor this reason people expect Liquigas to work as a team and do well in descents.

Also how many times to teams get the opportunity to show a team descent. Very very few. Liqui got the chance and they showed it, which is why they are obliterating this poll.

As for Nibali well theres the Monte Grappa stage. 1 of the people who couldnt catch him was, well look at the poll.