General News Thread

[El Pistolero]

Greipel?

....

 

[Gloin22]

The "It's too hard for Gilbert" question is coming up in every single race thread.

Yet the same people argued that Gerrans was a favorite for the WC lol. Or even better, Nordhaug.

Gerrans ia an enigma. Performs well in once race, and is **** in other.

Nordhaug got sick before Worlds ( as he usually does ... ) and still came in the first bunch.

Anyway, we'll see in Janaury

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

The "It's too hard for Gilbert" question is coming up in every single race thread.

Yet the same people argued that Gerrans was a favorite for the WC lol. Or even better, Nordhaug.

yeah I remember in lombardia how wrong we were oh wait...

 

[theyoungest]

Given how Gilbert climbed in the Tour last year, if he has reasonable form Willunga should be within his reach. After all, EBH wasn't very far off this year, and he's not a real climber either.

Gerrans is a strange rider, can't really compare him to Gilbert.

 

[El Pistolero]

yeah I remember in lombardia how wrong we were oh wait...

You mean how he crashed out while he was leading the race? Yeah, I'd say you were wrong.

Given how Gilbert climbed in the Tour last year, if he has reasonable form Willunga should be within his reach. After all, EBH wasn't very far off this year, and he's not a real climber either.

Gerrans is a strange rider, can't really compare him to Gilbert.

Yes, although I don't think Phil will be in winning shape already. Since 2009 he's always had a slower build-up towards his real goals: the Ardennes classics. Before 2009 he was always peaking too soon though. But maybe he just wants to win as early as possible to get the pressure of the rainbow jersey off him. If you can drop the worlds best riders on La Roche aux Faucons which is 1.5km at 10% you can handle Willunga hill in good shape surely...

Gerrans ia an enigma. Performs well in once race, and is **** in other.

Nordhaug got sick before Worlds ( as he usually does ... ) and still came in the first bunch.

Anyway, we'll see in Janaury

Gerrans was never really going to compete without the Vuelta in his legs. EBH was the only rider in the top 5 that did it, but he's more talented than Gerrans and he probably surprised a lot of people.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

lol @ your pathetic excuse. gilbert was already dropped hard before he crashed. that's the reaosn why he crashed, he had to take risks to get back to the front

 

[El Pistolero]

lol @ your pathetic excuse. gilbert was already dropped hard before he crashed. that's the reaosn why he crashed, he had to take risks to get back to the front

He was a few seconds behind on the Sormano, so was Samu Sanchez yet he was second that day. The hills after that climb were all in Phil's territory, so he could've won without that crash.

Phil always takes risks in a descent. He won Lombardia in 2010 by taking risks on the descent.

He was already back at the front and had a nice gap on the rest of the field. So no he wasn't taking risks to get back, he was taking risks to win the race. It's not that hard to understand now is it? He's not a coward and descends like a crazy man sometimes.

He was leading the race before he crashed, get that through your thick skull.

You're acting like the race finished on Sormano.

 

[Arnout]

Yeah and Samu Sanchez was second, but without any chance of winning.

 

[El Pistolero]

Yeah and Samu Sanchez was second, but without any chance of winning.

Luckily Phil is better than him on hills like the final one in Lombardia. Although Ryo's conclusion is that the race is too hard for Phil because he got dropped on Sormano. Are you saying the race is too hard for the rider that was second(Samu)? That's ridiculous.

 

[maltiv]

The "It's too hard for Gilbert" question is coming up in every single race thread.

Yet the same people argued that Gerrans was a favorite for the WC lol. Or even better, Nordhaug.

Well Nordhaug was between 5th and 7th on the top of Cauberg, so to have named him as one of the favourites wouldn't be all that ridiculous.

But of course, any climb of a reasonable length might be too hard for Gilbert. I think Willunga hill is within his limits, though. It's not exactly a mountain...An out-of shape EBH was 6th there last year, although he is more of a "tempo-climber" than Gilbert.

 

[Pentacycle]

Luckily Phil is better than him on hills like the final one in Lombardia. Although Ryo's conclusion is that the race is too hard for Phil because he got dropped on Sormano. Are you saying the race is too hard for the rider that was second(Samu)? That's ridiculous.

Both Samu and probably Gilbert(if he hadn't stressed out after the Sormano and crashed) would have probably gotten stronger in the last 50 kilometers, while the rest was suffering more. Phil is also a good rain rider, although he might have taken a little bit too much risk to get back. It's the longer climbs that don't suit Gilbert, not the race itself.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

He was a few seconds behind on the Sormano, so was Samu Sanchez yet he was second that day. The hills after that climb were all in Phil's territory, so he could've won without that crash.

Phil always takes risks in a descent. He won Lombardia in 2010 by taking risks on the descent.

He was already back at the front and had a nice gap on the rest of the field. So no he wasn't taking risks to get back, he was taking risks to win the race. It's not that hard to understand now is it? He's not a coward and descends like a crazy man sometimes.

He was leading the race before he crashed, get that through your thick skull.

You're acting like the race finished on Sormano.

with few seconds you mean 30 seconds and in 15h position?

 

[theyoungest]

Luckily Phil is better than him on hills like the final one in Lombardia.

You mean the hill where he got dropped like a stone last year (best year in his career) by the great Oliver Zaugg?

 

[Gloin22]

You mean the hill where he got dropped like a stone last year (best year in his career) by the great Oliver Zaugg?

On a hill that many pure climbers like Rodriguez have been dropped too last year by Zaugg ?

 

[theyoungest]

On a hill that many pure climbers like Rodriguez have been dropped too last year ?

He got dropped later than Gilbert. If Gilbert's form was on a downward slope, then sure Purito's was, ever since the first week of the Vuelta.

 

[El Pistolero]

You mean the hill where he got dropped like a stone last year (best year in his career) by the great Oliver Zaugg?

He also got dropped at Paris-Tours and Piemonte. Those races too hard for him as well?

His form was downhill. The riders that came from the Vuelta were much better than him at that point.

You also forget to mention that Phil had already been in the attack prior to that hill and Rodriguez had not. Are you really saying that Phil was in April shape at Lombardia? Come on now...

He was much better this year in the fall than last year. Too bad he crashed at Lombardia and didn't enter Piemonte and Paris-Tours, but that's cycling. Unpredictable.

 

[Arnout]

Luckily Phil is better than him on hills like the final one in Lombardia. Although Ryo's conclusion is that the race is too hard for Phil because he got dropped on Sormano. Are you saying the race is too hard for the rider that was second(Samu)? That's ridiculous.

Race was not too hard for Samu, he just didn't have the legs. He came second, but was 15th best at most. Would be the same for Gilbert, had he not crashed. Anyway, pointless discussion is pointless.

 

[El Pistolero]

Yeah, hill is too hard, too bad the hill is comparable to where he made his winning move in 2009 and 2010.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Yeah, hill is too hard, too bad the hill is comparable to where he made his winning move in 2009 and 2010.

no it is not and in 2010 it was horrible weather, which was a huge advantage to him as he could win the race in downhil

 

[El Pistolero]

Lol, this year was horrible weather as well and he could also take huge advantage on the downhill - he just crashed.

San Fermo della Bataglia is 2.2km with an average gradient of 8.2%. That's very similar to Willunga hill for starters.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Gerrans ia an enigma. Performs well in once race, and is **** in other.

Nordhaug got sick before Worlds ( as he usually does ... ) and still came in the first bunch.

Anyway, we'll see in Janaury

What a load of rubbish!!! Let's look at Simon's record from this year.

http://www.cqranking.com/men/asp/gen/rider_palm.asp?riderid=267&year=2012&all=1&current=0

Certainly proves your theory wrong.

 

[El Pistolero]

Relax guys, the only reason I didn't see Gerrans as a genuine contender was because he didn't have the Vuelta in his legs.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Daniel Freibe: "Rui Costa (the cyclist, not the ex-footballer) named Portuguese sports person of the year, ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo (via @AlexandreMignot)"


https://twitter.com/friebos/status/269373533031907328

 

[Parrulo]

Daniel Freibe: "Rui Costa (the cyclist, not the ex-footballer) named Portuguese sports person of the year, ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo (via @AlexandreMignot)"


https://twitter.com/friebos/status/269373533031907328

indeed, indeed shame he couldn't be on the gala because of the team camp, his girlfriend went to pick up the price.

 

[trevim]

Daniel Freibe: "Rui Costa (the cyclist, not the ex-footballer) named Portuguese sports person of the year, ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo (via @AlexandreMignot)"


https://twitter.com/friebos/status/269373533031907328

This is just because no one can't stand Ronaldo's soap opera in Portugal