Kuurne Brussels Kuurne 1.1 26/02

[Andy99]

Last Km
http://www.sporza.be/cm/sporza/videozone/MG_sportnieuws/MG_wielrennen/1.1231104

Cav Interview (English)
http://www.sporza.be/cm/sporza/videozone/MG_sportnieuws/MG_wielrennen/1.1231107

 

[gingerwallaceafro]

Whereas I disagree, and consider that most of that 'marginal gain drivel' has been discarded or at least is no longer talked about, and instead they've got rid of extraneous nonsense and concentrated on how to do better at bike races.

Putting out the best numbers in the world can't help you if you have no tactical sense or are racing the wrong races in the wrong form. It's that that Team Sky have sorted out.

Team Sky are not a revolution, nor are they even a change. They are just another bike racing team, and have developed into a very good one.

I know what you're saying, bike racing essentially boils down to turning those pedals with some grunt when it matters and thinking smart and they've improved at that too, I haven't said differently. But I think it's apparent to most that their organisation and rider care is second to none, and they really do think about preparation. As a team and a set up I think they've set the benchmark. They're committed to improvement and justified in naming it if it helps them. I think they are still very much about marginal gains in all departments and it's amounted to them being successful. It doesn't happen by magic!

 

[thehog]

Not even wearing skinsuits was a novelty. Theo bos already did that regularly at Rabobank last year.

Dave Z was wearing skin suits at Paris-Tours circa 09. Nothing new at all.

Besides if you want to bring science to the sport go get an Italian Doctor..... hey WIGGO?

 

[gingerwallaceafro]

To be fair, the PR it generated was almost entirely self-created. Nobody else gave a damn about the Cancer Council Classic, except for the guys probably being paid to be in the break (I'm not saying it wasn't a natural break, but very interesting that it included Armstrong and Pereiro, the 2 TDF winners present, and Evans, the Aussie WC, in a pancake flat crit). The win they got in the TDU proper was also a crit. Then they won the Qatar TTT.

By the time they'd actually won something meaningful (Henderson's win in Paris-Nice after Caisse d'Epargne formed echelons and broke the race up), they were no longer celebrating so egregiously. From the way they celebrated the Cancer Council Classic you'd have thought they'd just won San Remo.

I agree, the spin machine in motion.

 

[ultimobici]

Dave Z was wearing skin suits at Paris-Tours circa 09. Nothing new at all.

Besides if you want to bring science to the sport go get an Italian Doctor..... hey WIGGO?

ANdy Hampsten did it way way back in 85.

 

[The Hitch]

Mark Cavendish leapfrogs Peter Sagan and Tony Martin into 4th in the world rankings.

 

[gingerwallaceafro]

One of the few World Champs in any sport to use the words '**** off' in an interview! What a breath of fresh air he is.

 

[Panda Claws]

Mark Cavendish leapfrogs Peter Sagan and Tony Martin into 4th in the world rankings.

5th*

There is still Evans.

 

[oldcrank]

Boy Cav seems to have Farrar psyched out. Are we going to
see Tyler going for long solo breaks in the hope that he can
win a race which Cavendish is in?

 

[Mambo95]

5th*

There is still Evans.

Only if you include Contador, who will lose all his points sometime soon.

 

[Mellow Velo]

One of the few World Champs in any sport to use the words '**** off' in an interview! What a breath of fresh air he is.

Surely, that would be foul air?

 

[CobbleStoner]

Hats off to the Vacansoleil and Vöckler. Cav, their leader, should be grateful to them.

ya I was wondering about that myself. Voeckler, we all know, was doing it for tv time glory, but why was Vac so organised in it's chase when they had a couple guys up the road? weird, did they really think VanHummel was going to beat Cav and Andre? a hard counter, or attack at 3.5k would have been better use of their resources.
kind of a frustrating race to watch and too easy for Cav in the final, but kudos to Sky for keeping him upright and in front when needed

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Boy Cav seems to have Farrar psyched out. Are we going to
see Tyler going for long solo breaks in the hope that he can
win a race which Cavendish is in?

No need for that. He just needs a race with a few hills in it.

 

[Froome19]

ya I was wondering about that myself. Voeckler, we all know, was doing it for tv time glory, but why was Vac so organised in it's chase when they had a couple guys up the road? weird, did they really think VanHummel was going to beat Cav and Andre? a hard counter, or attack at 3.5k would have been better use of their resources.
kind of a frustrating race to watch and too easy for Cav in the final, but kudos to Sky for keeping him upright and in front when needed

If they didn't try it would have been defeatist.
It would be going along with what cav always says about the other teams giving up.
There's always hope especially with a rising sprinter such as Van hummel

 

[will10]

No need for that. He just needs a race with a few hills in it.

Oude Kwaremont not good enough?

 

[killswitch]

Surely, that would be foul air?

Literally foul air considering his (past) dental problems

 

[Panda Claws]

Shame Greipel waited so long to start his sprint. He would probably have won otherwise.

There is no way Cavendish can hold out for 300meters vs Greipel.

 

[hatcher]

Also Sagan, Kittel, and JTL weren't even there.

 

[Panda Claws]

And thus begins the wait 'till Strade Bianchi

 

[The Sheep]

If they didn't try it would have been defeatist.
It would be going along with what cav always says about the other teams giving up.
There's always hope especially with a rising sprinter such as Van hummel

van Hummel is rising?

 

[hatcher]

there's a good joke about Van Hummel and going uphill in there somewhere, but I can't get it.

 

[greenedge]

I think Farrar will win ( he has got to be the one of the strongest sprinters here so if any splits happen i think he will make them ).
I'm not considering Greipel as i think his train will be outmuscled this time/ he does not have Hansen/ Roelandts.
Huta could also go well.

I did not pick the overall winner but i got Farrar for splits, Huta to go well and Greipels' train outmuscled/ him boxed in.

Good work to Cav, Huta and Van Hummel ( though he was dangerous in the sprint ).

Great ride by Eckehout.

 

[will10]

there's a good joke about Van Hummel and going uphill in there somewhere, but I can't get it.

Same here, it's been a long day.

 

[jens_attacks]

just seen the race,nice win by cav and sky boys.too bad we still have to wait for a perfect fight between cav and greipel,god damn you van hummel

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Great win for Cav. Not a fan, but always good to see the rainbow jersey cross the finish line first.