Garmin - I say... "F**k em!!!"

[elapid]

And why should they protect the jersey for another team?

It is not an issue of "gifting" the jersey--it is an issue of specifically taking it away. Were the other 18 teams trying to "gift" it to him? Nope--there was no reason for them to go to the front and pull, so they didn't. No one (that I know of) is saying that Garmin was wrong because they were pursuing a race objective that just happen to conflict with Hincapie's. The problem is, there was no reasonable objective that they were pursuing except preventing George from taking the jersey. That is the only benefit from their efforts. And in a 3 week GT (or any other race for that matter), a reasonable team would only be putting out efforts to achieve an actual race purpose, not on a personal vendetta.

What about Silence-Lotto's pull? Why are Garmin the criminals when Silence-Lotto did exactly the same thing as Garmin? Vaughters, who was not DS for this day, proposed the possibility that Garmin pulled towards the end of this stage was to avoid a break and time loss like in stage 3. I originally doubted the credibility of this excuse considering the lack of crosswinds, but not so certain now considering both Silence-Lotto and Garmin were pulling towards the end of the stage and both were burned badly in the aftermath of the stage 3 break. So maybe Garmin, and Silence-Lotto, had valid reasons for driving the peloton rather than carrying out a personal vendetta against Hincapie and Columbia.

 

[egtalbot]

Let's just assume for a moment that both Garmin and Silence Lotto didn't want Hincapie in yellow. Let's even assume that at least Garmin made the move because of the trash Columbia has been talking. There are at least a couple of other possible reasons, but let's make that assumption.

So what? It's a frigging bike race, not a leisurely tour. Are you telling me that Garmin acting on a little bit of rivalry is a bad thing?

That kind of stuff makes the Tour interesting. If Garmin shoves a water bottle in Cav's spokes, that will be different, but until then, enjoy the moments where things don't go as expected.

 

[unsheath]

It's pretty simple. You reap what you sow.

 

[stephens]

And why should they protect the jersey for another team?... The problem is, there was no reasonable objective that they were pursuing except preventing George from taking the jersey.

The real tactical reason was to make Astana have to pace the race the following day. If George gets the yellow, then Columbia would ride up front and Astana would expend less energy. If Nocentini holds on to it, then Astana would go to the front (AG2R wasn't going to do it because they know Nocentini is done anyway).

The questions is why White or JV doesn't just admit this. Or were they really too stupid to think of this and just happened to have done the "right" thing for their GC hopefuls?

 

[runninboy]

What about Silence-Lotto's pull? Why are Garmin the criminals when Silence-Lotto did exactly the same thing as Garmin?

QUOTE]

Well simply this
Silence-Lotto does not have a top sprinter like Tyler Farrar or CAV.
Garmin refused to work to bring back breaks even though they have one of the few sprinters to beat CAV this year.
JV claimed it was not true despite versus airing footage of Garmins pre race meeting for a flat stage where Matt White said
"we don't have anything to do with working at the front today, let the other teams work"

Then lo & behold they decide it is time to work when it is a sprint for 13th place. The run in to the finish was not technical so there were not going to be any time split, that was grappling for an excuse. And if someone faults George for not taking the initiative to gain those 5 seconds i would agree.

But the problem is Garmin refused to work on several sprint stages where tactically & traditionally it would have made sense and yet when they don't have much to gain but others have alot to lose they go right to the front & hammer

 

[Futuroscope]

Let's just assume for a moment that both Garmin and Silence Lotto didn't want Hincapie in yellow. Let's even assume that at least Garmin made the move because of the trash Columbia has been talking. There are at least a couple of other possible reasons, but let's make that assumption.

So what? It's a frigging bike race, not a leisurely tour. Are you telling me that Garmin acting on a little bit of rivalry is a bad thing?

That kind of stuff makes the Tour interesting. If Garmin shoves a water bottle in Cav's spokes, that will be different, but until then, enjoy the moments where things don't go as expected.

exactly. too much whining.

 

[runninboy]

Let's just assume for a moment that both Garmin and Silence Lotto didn't want Hincapie in yellow. Let's even assume that at least Garmin made the move because of the trash Columbia has been talking.

.

OK but please be more specific of the "trash" talk.
Are you alluding to the refusal of Garmin to work? Something they deny
but then there was footage showing it was part of their strategy. Is it "trash" talk to tell the truth?

 

[Kennf1]

It's pretty simple. You reap what you sow.

And a big b-bump for this.

I have lost all respect I had for Stapleton.

 

[colwildcat]

I was at the Garmin team launch in Boulder this year. Vaughters got up and said that this was the year that it would be about more than just the fact that they are "clean." This would be the year they won races.

Aside from the BS of whether they chased down Columbia, they've fallen short in that aspect in my opinion. At some point, it has to be about real victories and not just getting press because somehow we're supposed to believe you're not doping, superhuman efforts from Bradley Wiggins aside.

 

[LaBici]

I say F*ck Garmin.

Anyone else feel the same way?

no! i like wiggo and his chances for a win in the final days of TdF.

besides george got what he gave oscar pereiro in 2005

 

[Animal]

And Farrar has been impressive. He never gives up. Cav seems unbeatable, but Farrar had an impressive run at the uphill finish in Saint Fargeau. He finished alongside Cav instead of a bike length behind, and then gave Cav a sporting pat on the back for the win.

Blowhards? Don't disrespect the riders.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Columbia - I say "Phuck em"!
Stapelton should keep to running the team not making opinion's on things he knows little about.
I'm glad Mark Cavendish is not going to realisticly be able to challenge for green. He was getting to big for his boots...

 

[Mellow Velo]

Such a lot of drivel. Expecting the entire peloton to sit up, just to get this specific rider into yellow for a day.
If it had been Bernard Eisel, for instance, there would be no thread.
Very dangerous for the peloton to swan around in the last couple of kms.

You have to keep the tempo fairly high, not slow, slow, quick, quick, slow.
A recipe for crashes.

 

[mercuryrising]

I didn't see Columbia HTC letting up on stage 3 when Garmin's Bradley Wiggins, at that time only 19 s from yellow and third on GC, was the wrong side of the split. Result was he lost 41 s and the chance at a potential yellow jersey after the TTT.
That's bike racing, no gifts.
Hincapie lost yellow by 6s, either he should have put his chances of the stage win to one side and chased the leaders earlier or Columbia should not have contested the sprint. But rather left Cav to sit on Hushovd's wheel. Both those factors, that were in direct control of Columbia, cost Hincapie yellow.

 

[**Uru**]

What is up with Vaughters' side burns?

 

[Red Ace]

What did Garmin do that was so wrong? Why should they gift the yellow jersey to any rider, regardless of who that rider is or their nationality, not on their team or not according to their plans? .

Go to any local club race and watch some fit thick-headed Hubbard with the whole bunch sitting on, chase down a break just because there is a gap there. Then watch the pair of them roll in at the back of the race with the attacking rider asking the chase police “what did you do that for idiot”.

Sound familiar Garmin!!

Columbia as per common etiquette have been asking to get Garmin to put a rider in the bunch sprint chase all tour (because of Farrar good finish) with no luck.. then they go and do that amateur move

It is also worth noting that getting the yellow for big George was more important for Columbia than protecting the green.. Just because of his standing in the team and the sport.

 

[Anonymous]

It is also worth noting that getting the yellow for big George was more important for Columbia than protecting the green.. Just because of his standing in the team and the sport.

Yea, well it was 6 seconds up the road. Guess he should have put some of his own skin in the game with 5K left and not waited on a gift.

 

[Deagol]

I have always respected Hinacapie from what I could see. However, this drama does seems contrived a bit. What does the yellow jersey represent, anyway? Seems like it wouldn’t really “mean” what it supposed to mean if the thing is gifted because everybody in the peleton likes someone (in this case George H). I sort of like Garmin, but am not a die-hard fan of any team….. way too cynical for that these days. However, I can see a little payback against Columbia being justified by Cav’s trash-talk prior to the Giro TTT and then Columbia going on to beat Garmin in that race. It’s sport, it’s OK to try to beat the opponent and not take it personally, but then again, you know how people are ….

 

[schadenfreude]

I was a big fan of Garmin last season by in part of being a big fan of D. Zabriskie, but this entire season has been one disappointment after another.

So much talk from J Vaughters and D Millar and very little results to back it up.

Even Brad Wiggins, who I previously liked, recently compared the Hincapie incident to 911. What the hell was he thinking? I felt like I was watching an interview with Paris Hilton. It's apparent that he has spent his whole life riding a bicycle in lieu of education. What a complete moron.

Now after seeing that interview with Matt White after the Hincapie fiasco, I've thrown off the gloves. I say F*ck Garmin.

Anyone else feel the same way?

no. .............

 

[Aguirre]

What is up with Vaughters' side burns?

you trust this guy, vaughters? I don't, same for stapleton and columbia.
Today to see Zabrieskie with th top 20 at Gran SB was a joke, not to mention "skeleton" Wiggo.

sorry american fans, but you should at least to suspect a bit... or suspicions only work for Valverde????

wiggings the new kohl? new rumsas? new landis? in few weeks

 

[Anonymous]

you trust this guy, vaughters? I don't, same for stapleton and columbia.
Today to see Zabrieskie with th top 20 at Gran SB was a joke, not to mention "skeleton" Wiggo.

sorry american fans, but you should at least to suspect a bit... or suspicions only work for Valverde????

wiggings the new Armstrong? new Armstrong? new Armstrong? in few weeks

There, fixed that for you...

 

[colwildcat]

There, fixed that for you...

Your single minded obsession is getting rather tiresome. Oh, and calling him the Uniballer might have been funny, 8 years ago.

 

[Anonymous]

Your single minded obsession is getting rather tiresome. Oh, and calling him the Uniballer might have been funny, 8 years ago.

No, its still funny now. Funnier still is that my posts cause you to write a high percentage of your posts. I think you have a crush on me. Just so you know, I am married.

 

[colwildcat]

No, its still funny now. Funnier still is that my posts cause you to write a high percentage of your posts. I think you have a crush on me. Just so you know, I am married.

5 of my posts have been to address your obsession with this man. Yes, you are obsessed. I have posted about many other topics. You take topics which have nothing to do with LA, and insert LA into them. This thread is about Garmin, not LA. If you have nothing to add, don't add. You're like the boy who pushes down the girl in the playground he has a crush on. What are you over compensating for?

 

[Anonymous]

5 of my posts have been to address your obsession with this man. Yes, you are obsessed. I have posted about many other topics. You take topics which have nothing to do with LA, and insert LA into them. This thread is about Garmin, not LA. If you have nothing to add, don't add. You're like the boy who pushes down the girl in the playground he has a crush on. What are you over compensating for?

Funny, I just searched all of your posts, and the great majority are to me, or others who think Armstrong is a fraud. You need to defend him much more than you seem to want to talk about cycling. Funny, what are you over compensating for? (Its that whole "Physician heal thyself" thing that fanboys like you seem never to get.)