Armstrong himself said Michael Barry and Stijn Devolder could win the Tour. Popovych too I guess.Saint Unix said:Didn't Chris Comical say to a young Wonderboy that he would win the Tour one day?
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Armstrong himself said Michael Barry and Stijn Devolder could win the Tour. Popovych too I guess.Saint Unix said:Didn't Chris Comical say to a young Wonderboy that he would win the Tour one day?
Gung Ho Gun said:Armstrong himself said Michael Barry and Stijn Devolder could win the Tour. Popovych too I guess.Saint Unix said:Didn't Chris Comical say to a young Wonderboy that he would win the Tour one day?
He isn't as greedy as Froome who always wanted to prove how superior he is to everyone and tried to crush people whenever he had the chance, Thomas was just following wheels and outsprinting his opponents after he had a decent lead, I wouldn't compare him to Froome or Wiggins, he raced like prime Menchov (2009 Giro).Cookster15 said:It is the strength of Thomas at this Tour which is most suspect. At 32 he has risen to be not simply competitive but untouchable in the mountains - it is way beyond Wiggins in 2012. Has he had even a mediocre day? No climber has laid a glove on him and if he doesn't win tomorrow's very hilly TT he will go close.
Angliru said:So when exactly did this new clean era begin where mountain goats don't have a chance? I see Bardet and Quintana with 4 Tour podiums between them in the past few years. Does that mean that those years were dirty years? It seems quite convenient that coinciding with a certain team's success in the grand tours we have their supporters spouting that the racing is clean now as a way to legitimize their heroes victories.
Think you're onto somethingThe Hitch said:Angliru said:So when exactly did this new clean era begin where mountain goats don't have a chance? I see Bardet and Quintana with 4 Tour podiums between them in the past few years. Does that mean that those years were dirty years? It seems quite convenient that coinciding with a certain team's success in the grand tours we have their supporters spouting that the racing is clean now as a way to legitimize their heroes victories.
I think these days the fans know it stinks. But they still cling to the technicality that they haven't been caught, because all those years we were telling them they were wrong they came to hate us. And they can't forgive that so even though they don't actually defend sky or put forward any arguments why they believe they still deflect bait and annoy to the max in attempts to get back at those they hope never get "proven" right
Yeah it's quite something else. 2012 Wiggins basically only won ITTs and rode the Sky train on easy as hell climbs, and he actually got pushed by pre Astana Nibali at some point.Cookster15 said:It is the strength of Thomas at this Tour which is most suspect. At 32 he has risen to be not simply competitive but untouchable in the mountains - it is way beyond Wiggins in 2012. Has he had even a mediocre day? No climber has laid a glove on him and if he doesn't win tomorrow's very hilly TT he will go close.
Red Rick said:Yeah it's quite something else. 2012 Wiggins basically only won ITTs and rode the Sky train on easy as hell climbs, and he actually got pushed by pre Astana Nibali at some point.Cookster15 said:It is the strength of Thomas at this Tour which is most suspect. At 32 he has risen to be not simply competitive but untouchable in the mountains - it is way beyond Wiggins in 2012. Has he had even a mediocre day? No climber has laid a glove on him and if he doesn't win tomorrow's very hilly TT he will go close.
gmedina said:I think the days of the mountain goats (e.g. Bardet, Landa, Quintana etc) are over at the TdF. We are in the "new clean era" in which 65kg+ riders dominate every terrain with their "TT" skills (just look at the top 5 right now). Tomorrow, I expect a spectacular performance from GT to seal the deal!
Dumoulin dropped 50 seconds on Mur-de-Bretagne after a puncture and got a 20 second time penalty for drafting, and then dropped another 20 on the first MTF.TheSpud said:Didn't follow the first 10 days but aware there were some crashes - has GT made time on DuMoulin, Froome, etc. because of that?
Barney said:Is there a rule that the Brits have to have **** stupid Oasis hair circa 1997?
MartinGT said:gmedina said:I think the days of the mountain goats (e.g. Bardet, Landa, Quintana etc) are over at the TdF. We are in the "new clean era" in which 65kg+ riders dominate every terrain with their "TT" skills (just look at the top 5 right now). Tomorrow, I expect a spectacular performance from GT to seal the deal!
Wasn't LA a similar weight to. Dumo?
Wonderboy didn't anoint Landis thoughBillie said:Gung Ho Gun said:Armstrong himself said Michael Barry and Stijn Devolder could win the Tour. Popovych too I guess.Saint Unix said:Didn't Chris Comical say to a young Wonderboy that he would win the Tour one day?
Don't forget George Hincapie
If I was SKY I'd pull outClassicomanoLuigi said:Cookster15 said:Has he had even a mediocre day? No climber has laid a glove on him and if he doesn't win tomorrow's very hilly TT he will go close.This is a French journalist's photo of what actually happened on the Col de Portet.
Funny that the spectator is wearing an Ag2R jersey
Cuddles was 34, but he had a long history of contending the GC, and bettered Thomas' previous best GC result in his very first year as a road cyclist by finishing 14th at the Giro. This is GT's first top 10 ever, with his previous best being 15th in the Tour twice. I don't think any other rider has been older or had more attempts at a GT before getting their first top 10. The fact that Thomas didn't just break into the top 10 for the first time, but won the whole race tells you all you need to know about how incredibly out of the ordinary this is.SafeBet said:Apart from Horner and Wiggo how many riders were older than GT when they won their first Grand Tour?
He said before winning his first Tour, not before turning 30.roundabout said:Contending? He did not have a single top 5 before getting his first podium at age 30.