Le Tour de France 2013: who will win?

[cineteq]

yes. I believe the official wording is that he won and it was taken away.

I thought so! Thus officially he didn't slaughter anyone.

 

[cineteq]

you mean the same rider that has bene seen with ferrari near etna?

He's sicilian, so it makes sense he'd drive his ferrari around the volcano roads.

 

[airstream]

no it doesn't have 2 sides. unless you can come up with an(other) example of a rider that hasn't been in compeition for 8 months and then still managed to win a gt or some other huge race if you like

there's nobody to compare to. gonna expect 10 year more until another really big fish to be popped to make conclusion.

 

[The Hitch]

I thought so! Thus officially he didn't slaughter anyone.

"Officially" doesnt care for the manner of the victory. What we refer to when we use metaphors like "slaughter" is not the latest wikipedia ranking, but what we saw on the road.

I dont know what you saw, I (and everyone else it seems) saw Contador slaughter Nibali at the 2011 Giro.

 

[cineteq]

"Officially" doesnt care for the manner of the victory. What we refer to when we use metaphors like "slaughter" is not the latest wikipedia ranking, but what we saw on the road.

I dont know what you saw, I (and everyone else it seems) saw Contador slaughter Nibali at the 2011 Giro.

After Landis won the 2006 Tour what did you see, a real winner? <---- Rhetorical

 

[Angliru]

there's nobody to compare to. gonna expect 10 year more until another really big fish to be popped to make conclusion.

In other words your argument has no foundation and you're flying by the seat of your pants.

 

[airstream]

In other words your argument has no foundation and you're flying by the seat of your pants.

To poke in the fact with zero alternatives (just because of absence of anological experience) is not a problem.

 

[airstream]

What I think is that you totally choose to not to take into consideration that 6 months away from competition should not be looked at as a positive. I can't recall any rider's preparation for their season's objective being a purposeful avoidance of racing for 6 months.

maybe you can recall any gt rider who had a purposeful avoidance of racing for 6 months or a rider who could go back so easily after getting caught in GT due to political reasons? I know only Contador and Basso. Others hit black list. Basso registered in Mapei center and laid out his blood values in the 2009 Giro. Where Contador registered is unknown, but I have clear assumptions on what he could have answered if one had asked him to show blood numbers

no, i just find it odd towrite that tight fight between 2 off these 6 months entirely. from outside perspective, it looks like an attempt to justify such a tough victory while swimming in sweet memories of 2009.

 

[Angliru]

maybe you can recall any gt rider who had a purposeful avoidance of racing for 6 months or a rider who could go back so easily after getting caught in GT due to political reasons? I know only Contador and Basso. Others hit black list. Basso registered in Mapei center and laid out his blood values in the 2009 Giro. Where Contador registered is unknown, but I have clear assumptions on what he could have answered if one had asked him to show blood numbers

no, i just find it odd towrite that tight fight between 2 off these 6 months entirely. from outside perspective, it looks like an attempt to justify such a tough victory while swimming in sweet memories of 2009.

You do realize that clinic related references are not allowed in the Pro Racing forum? In Contador's case you continually seem to simply ignore this rule and get away with it for whatever reasons. It's really getting tiresome.

 

[airstream]

You do realize that clinic related references are not allowed in the Pro Racing forum? In Contador's case you continually seem to simply ignore this rule and get away with it for whatever reasons. It's really getting tiresome.

Do you want to belittle significance of these numbers and their contribution in Vuelta victory or what?

 

[LaFlorecita]

I agree with Angliru mods where are you?

 

[Alphabet]

Getting back on topic, I think Contador will be the man to beat. I'm not entirely sold on Froome as a contender yet, and there seems to be too much time trialling for Schleck to start as the outright favourite. Sadly, I don't think Cadel has it in him to challenge for the GC anymore. He should really focus on trying to win another GT, instead of turning up to pick up a top 10 place at the 2013 Tour, I just can't see him doing much better than that. Other than that I don't really have a lot to say about the Tour, it's too far away to make many predictions.

 

[airstream]

You do realize that clinic related references are not allowed in the Pro Racing forum? In Contador's case you continually seem to simply ignore this rule and get away with it for whatever reasons. It's really getting tiresome.

Hm, it is strange you didn't give any other names..

What I think is that you totally choose to not to take into consideration that 6 months away from competition should not be looked at as a positive.

In short, freshness is nothing and the Giro gave way more fit = fitness is way more significant than freshness exactly a year after Rodriguez, Nibali and Anton failed in concert in the 2011 Vuelta after the Giro, right? LOL, back then you [fans] shivered from delight, savoring this circumstance and underlining Contador exceptionality. Now, naturally it is forgotten, 'cos racing practice is everything compared to freshness. The things turn upside down very quickly... You know, that would be great to adhere some unified opinion. It's ridiculous up to deformity to handle any fact in a rider's favor.

Contador provokes bigotry.



The Hitch, could you be so kind to explain to me why the 2009 Tour led to the idea sort of 'If Contador is in form, no one can beat him'. I'm sincerely interested in logic of this inference. That Tour was by far strongest, if one says about big guns' general level or what?



Moderators, release the forum from the poster who importunately pursues my modest person instead of discussing cycling in the thread

 

[Angliru]

Do you want to belittle significance of these numbers and their contribution in Vuelta victory or what?

There is a proper place designated for those types of discussions, a rule established so that clinical topics are kept in the clinic, and that you, as a quite frequent visitor to this forum, is well aware of but feels he/she is above.
Should we review your posts and see how often you have been in violation of this rule? Would we find that a ban should have been in order? I would hope that you have been warned already by the mod/admins and if so, if I were them I would take this continued skirting of the rules as completely disrespectful, and is a slap in the face to those in the forum who make an effort to follow the rules that are established to keep order and peace.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

there's nobody to compare to. gonna expect 10 year more until another really big fish to be popped to make conclusion.

so basically you sare saying your argument is **** as you have nothing to back it up with. you are hilarious man. keep up the good work

 

[Angliru]

Getting back on topic, I think Contador will be the man to beat. I'm not entirely sold on Froome as a contender yet, and there seems to be too much time trialling for Schleck to start as the outright favourite. Sadly, I don't think Cadel has it in him to challenge for the GC anymore. He should really focus on trying to win another GT, instead of turning up to pick up a top 10 place at the 2013 Tour, I just can't see him doing much better than that. Other than that I don't really have a lot to say about the Tour, it's too far away to make many predictions.

I thinks it's too early and a mistake to attribute Evans' 2012 Tour performance to his having started the downward slide due to his age. If I'm not mistaken he had some type of illness at a pivotal point of the 2012 Tour and that was the cause of his inability to perform at his 2011 Tour level.

I too am giving Contador the edge as the favorite. I think Andy's year off is going to put him at a disadvantage and it may take until 2014 for him to get back to his top level. Although if we are to subscribe to Airstream's philosophy, Andy should have fresh legs and have an edge on his rivals due to his minimal days of racing in 2012.

 

[Angliru]

Hm, it is strange you didn't give any other names..

What is strange is your singular, obsessive focus of rage on one rider such that it causes you to ignore certain established rules of the forum.

 

[airstream]

so basically you sare saying your argument is **** as you have nothing to back it up with. you are hilarious man. keep up the good work

you know I don't quite get your argument while you ask me to recall other riders clearly knowing that they don't exist.

Say, one can say no one but Wiggins won PN, TR, D and TdF in one season and declare on base of that him the strongest rider ever. However, you would immediately burst from disagreement, by saying he's overrated, low-leagued, hyped etc. It's something similar to Contador and his great Vuelta victory. I can not argue with uniqueness of this achievement and I don't do that. I just wouldn't neglect factor of freshness in comparison to Alex and Purito.

What is strange is your singular, obsessive focus of rage on one rider such that it causes you to ignore certain established rules of the forum.

Oh, very touching taking care of me. Even ban. Thank you! I can go too far sometimes. What to do, if the head is full of satire. I'm quite objective while estimating the Tour chances anyways. As for other subforum matters, that's that. Contador raised up around himself such karma that doping is doomed to be mentioned in the road racing thread. Any socks are cleaner than him and his conscience. That's it, buddy. I have nothing personal against you, Ryo or anyone else.

 

[Angliru]

you know I don't quite get your argument while you ask me to recall other riders clearly knowing that they don't exist.

Say, one can say no one but Wiggins won PN, TR, D and TdF in one season and declare on base of that him the strongest rider ever. However, you would immediately burst from disagreement, by saying he's overrated, low-leagued, hyped etc. It's something similar to Contador and his great Vuelta victory. I can not argue with uniqueness of this achievement and I don't do that. I just wouldn't neglect factor of freshness in comparison to Alex and Purito.

You just posted that Purito, Nibali and Anton had disappointing Vuelta's in 2011 in the same year that they competed in the Giro as supporting evidence to your argument but ignore that Purito had fine performances in this year's Giro and Vuelta, as has Contador and Sastre in the past.

In response to the part of your post in bold, I simply attribute more value to the traditional preparation that riders take to reach top form for their objectives than what you are placing on Contador's consecutive months away from competition and the supposed "fresh legs" that comes with it.

 

[airstream]

You just posted that Purito, Nibali and Anton had disappointing Vuelta's in 2011 in the same year that they competed in the Giro as supporting evidence to your argument but ignore that Purito had fine performances in this year's Giro and Vuelta, as has Contador and Sastre in the past.

In response to the part of your post in bold, I simply attribute more value to the traditional preparation that riders take to reach top form for their objectives than what you are placing on Contador's consecutive months away from competition and the supposed "fresh legs" that comes with it.

But an ideal preparation for the Vuelta is not built via overly intense spring & the Giro, is it? Valverde and Purito is a separate story; true magic which makes one be lost in thought whether something changes change for the better in the sport. Contador and Sastre didn't fight against fresh riders in the 2008 Vuelta. Moreover, Contador was fresher than anybody barring Mosquera.

It's a difficult thingy for discussion as we can not imagine how Contador would have prepared if he hadn't had a ban. He obviously wouldn't of trained in the Tour for the Vuelta. Very likely he could have had an intense spring and then a long vacation until Burgos. And anyway he rode Eneco too. He had a certain racing scope before starting in the Vuelta.

 

[Parrulo]

i like to be liberal and let most stuff slide around here but aristream's constant clinic references are indeed too much. this matter has been forwarded to the higher ups and they will decide what to do.

 

[Carols]

i like to be liberal and let most stuff slide around here but aristream's constant clinic references are indeed too much. this matter has been forwarded to the higher ups and they will decide what to do.

Thank Goodness--he is Relentless in his constant ignoring of the Rules of this forum....and it's not just Contador though almost every one of his Condator posts has clinic material.

But Valverde and Cobo have been fair game also....

When will it Stop??? Only when he is taught that disregarding the rules has Consequences...

 

[airstream]

It will be devilishly funny if administration does something to me because of 4 huge Contador fans [2 of who constantly ridiculed and insulted me since I had joined the forum). One might keep any sembelance of impartiality.

 

[airstream]

Although if we are to subscribe to Airstream's philosophy, Andy should have fresh legs and have an edge on his rivals due to his minimal days of racing in 2012

I just don't globalize a 6 month break. Competing the entire season has its negatives. Yes, lack of practice affected them on him negatively, but to think Valverde and Rodriguez were prepared perfectly and waaaay better is not quite correct. True, their preparation was better, but not that much as one would like to hope soooo much.

 

[Parrulo]

i can see own deleted posts airstream. . . regardless of being fans or not of contador, the rule is pretty simple: "don't take clinic talk into the road racing forum" rule which you have been violating repeatedly so stop playing the victim.