Evans

[theyoungest]

Vino will lose minutes on the steeper climbs and Basso isn't ET anymore.
Nibali didn't prepare for this race, but I think he's the only real threat to Evans.
Evans might suffer from having no team in the mountains, but I think Phonak and Caisse were always good friends and now Bruseghin is out he might have that.

In short: if Evans doesn't win this, he'll never win a GT.

Nibali isn't exactly one for the steeper climbs, either. I think neither Basso nor Nibali are capable of beating Evans, who is probably a little stronger on the climbs, and much stronger in the TTs. I agree about Vino, though. He won't be able to hang on.

 

[53 x 11]

Evans must be getting old. He keeps forgetting how to lose.

But I'm sure he'll find some way. The world just wouldn't feel right otherwise.

 

[Zen Master]

To be honest I didn't like him at all, but after this year's Ardennes classics and first week of Giro I have deep respect for Cadel.
I don't know what happens to him but now he definitely rides like a man with cojones

 

[maltiv]

The best for Cadel is in my opinion to get that pink jersey as late in the race as possible, as he doesn't have a team that's able to defend it.

 

[Andy.G]

Evans is doing the rainbow jersey truly proud ... He has transcended with the experiences and the celestial wheel of luck has slowly turned back in his favour. No talk of curses this year !!! Consider recent years past ... When did we last see the rainbow in the real hunt for GC in a GT ?? It makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end ... and to take a spring classic too !!! (ok yep, I recognise Bettini took Lombardia, and Boonen took RVV) ... and he is an Aussie from my hometown ... and he shook my hand and chatted at TDU start in Stirling ... but the strength and courage in the Tuscan fango the other day was nothing short of inspirational, especially coming after the disappointment of yet another TTT, showed true grit and composure.

I think he has outspoken his every critic ... really ... don't you ??

 

[53 x 11]

Evans is doing the rainbow jersey truly proud ... He has transcended with the experiences and the celestial wheel of luck has slowly turned back in his favour. No talk of curses this year !!! Consider recent years past ... When did we last see the rainbow in the real hunt for GC in a GT ?? It makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end ... and to take a spring classic too !!! (ok yep, I recognise Bettini took Lombardia, and Boonen took RVV) ... and he is an Aussie from my hometown ... and he shook my hand and chatted at TDU start in Stirling ... but the strength and courage in the Tuscan fango the other day was nothing short of inspirational, especially coming after the disappointment of yet another TTT, showed true grit and composure.

I think he has outspoken his every critic ... really ... don't you ??

This has more to do with the topography of the WC than anything else.

And its a semi-classic. Just cos an Australian wins it does not make it a classic.

Evans is making his own luck now through riding with some brains and determination. Something he rarely did before.

 

[movingtarget]

Dunno why I bother commenting on the ever present Evan's the wheel sucker comments. If you don't like him just say so, don't make statements that make you seem more than a little ignorant. He pulled his team through the team trial. Whenever he has been in a crash or been dropped, he has chased with little help from others. Vino told his team to ride when Evans was held up on the Dutch stage wearing the Pink jersey but then asks riders from other teams to wait for Nibali on Stage 7. Evans did as much work on stage 7 as Vino, and led out the sprint. Then yesterday he suffers, if looks are anything to go by and could not attack. More importanly he did not have to. But who was clawing back the attacks and closing the gaps on the climb.........that's right the wheelsucker.

 

[Kender]

ever had a job where you just did the grind day to day and didn't have much interest in it only to change and get motivated to work again?

that's what's happened with Cadel. he didn't like his old team, and now he's happy. he looks like a different rider this year because he's enjoying himself again

 

[Four Winds]

I have been well impressed with Evans this year. He has well and truely put to bed the myth of the Rainbow jersey as his performances seem to have improved this year.

 

[Kender]

Cadel knows there is a good chance Vino will be popped in the months to come, and so his 2nd place will be moved up to 1st... I mean, he must be thinking this from the moment Vino had a lead over him.. don't wear yourself out chasing the man with the magic in his veins, just ride for 2nd and give it a few months and it'll all work out right. That's what I would do anyhoo...

never heard so much BS. if you ride for second that's the best you'll ever get.

dopers ride for years on the sauce and don't get caught. others ride on the sauce and never get caught. just ask zabel or riis who never tested positive and we only know doped because they confessed

 

[Kazistuta]

Well, everyone but one in this thread has the same (newfound, granted) opinion, so why don't just let it go.... Guess who hasn't made one single post in this thread after starting it??

 

[auscyclefan94]

Toto has something to say about Vino's and Evans' battle

 

[Notso Swift]

And its a semi-classic. Just cos an Australian wins it does not make it a classic.

I am not sure how long you have been following cycling but the WC is More than a classic and less than a Monument, it has been that way for at least 30 years and more like 50

 

[53 x 11]

I am not sure how long you have been following cycling but the WC is More than a classic and less than a Monument, it has been that way for at least 30 years and more like 50

I'm not sure how long you have been following this thread but seeing as you are so old and your eye sight is probably failing please go back and read my post as well as the post I was responding to.

You will see that we were referring to Cuddles's season IN the WC strip and his performance in the SEMI-CLASSIC fleche.

 

[auscyclefan94]

I'm not sure how long you have been following this thread but seeing as you are so old and your eye sight is probably failing please go back and read my post as well as the post I was responding to.

You will see that we were referring to Cuddles's season IN the WC strip and his performance in the SEMI-CLASSIC fleche.

It's a classic, but not a monuement.

 

[53 x 11]

It's a classic, but not a monuement.

If you read Wikipedia its a classic.

 

[Ferminal]

I'm not sure how long you have been following this thread but seeing as you are so old and your eye sight is probably failing please go back and read my post as well as the post I was responding to.

You will see that we were referring to Cuddles's season IN the WC strip and his performance in the SEMI-CLASSIC fleche.

Don't be silly, Lance won it, therefore it's the most coveted one day race on the calender.

 

[53 x 11]

Don't be silly, Lance won it, therefore it's the most coveted one day race on the calender.

i retract all my previous statements and will go and sit in the naughty stool.

 

[Winterfold]

much as it pains me to big up an Ozzie, especially a (former) Grade A whiner like Cadel, he has been the most exciting, go for it, gutsy rider this year. And not by a small margin either. I would have loved him to catch the spinters and Vino with their pants down yesterday, and he was sooo close. Good work fella.

He still rides ugly like you'd expect from an MTBer though - can someone get him some lessons from eg Millar in how to ride pretty?

 

[Sasquatch]

If you read Wikipedia its a classic.

I wouldn't listen to anything wikipedia says. At the moment I could go in there and change classic to anything I wanted.

 

[Black-Balled]

I wouldn't listen to anything wikipedia says. At the moment I could go in there and change classic to anything I wanted.

No you can't.

 

[53 x 11]

I wouldn't listen to anything wikipedia says. At the moment I could go in there and change classic to anything I wanted.

Yeah that was the point I was making. The grand high wizards of wiki can pretty much do as they please, it cannot be used for anything except playing "three clicks to Hitler"

 

[Potomac]

If a one day race is on a Wednesday it can't be a classic.

 

[Night Rider]

I look past the cartoon character voice (quote borrowed from another poster) and the fact he's not 'one of the boys', and the fact he seems to operate in a different head space to others (maybe something to with being kicked in the head by a horse?) and give him credit for what he actually does on the bike.

I think this season and the end of last year has seen him step up to another level, and anyone calling him a wheel sucker (the OP) just doesn't understand bike racing that much, it takes all types to ride a bike and he's just playing to his strengths.

I hope he wins the Giro, he deserves it. Just don't win the TdF!

 

[blaxland]

Evans is doing the rainbow jersey truly proud ... He has transcended with the experiences and the celestial wheel of luck has slowly turned back in his favour. No talk of curses this year !!! Consider recent years past ... When did we last see the rainbow in the real hunt for GC in a GT ?? It makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end ... and to take a spring classic too !!! (ok yep, I recognise Bettini took Lombardia, and Boonen took RVV) ... and he is an Aussie from my hometown ... and he shook my hand and chatted at TDU start in Stirling ... but the strength and courage in the Tuscan fango the other day was nothing short of inspirational, especially coming after the disappointment of yet another TTT, showed true grit and composure.

I think he has outspoken his every critic ... really ... don't you ??

Good post Andy.G and i to am looking forward to the rest of the Giro...