Movistar

[42x16ss]

Maybe when Alex learns how to prepare he will have a chance of making the Tour.

As a haemophiliac should he be? Everything is bigger and better at the TdF, including the crashes...

On a more serious note, Unzue does sound genuinely disappointed. Dowsett would have added more to the team than Visconti coming off the Giro. Movistar already has enough climbers going.

 

[happychappy]

Dowsett would have added more to the team than Visconti coming off the Giro. Movistar already has enough climbers going.

It's almost like the teams based around climbers forget that they have to ride on the flat to get to the mountains.

 

[Dear Wiggo]

It's almost like the teams based around climbers forget that they have to ride on the flat to get to the mountains.

Including the very excitement Roubaix stage!!?

Will enjoy watching that one if it hits the fan - could make a real difference there.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

It's almost like the teams based around climbers forget that they have to ride on the flat to get to the mountains.

Teams like Belkin, HotSteppers and even Garmin can exploit this for sure.
But they must go all in and hope for the best.

 

[Dear Wiggo]

Teams like Belkin, HotSteppers and even Garmin can exploit this for sure.
But they must go all in and hope for the best.

*prays for rain*

Can everyone in the clinic promise to wash their bikes the day before?

Thanks!!

 

[Avoriaz]

*prays for rain*

Can everyone in the clinic promise to wash their bikes the day before?

Thanks!!

Do we not want it hot and therefore dusty? Get them all coughing up their TUEs

 

[Dear Wiggo]

Do we not want it hot and therefore dusty? Get them all coughing up their TUEs

Well yes. Hot, dusty and asthma prone, or wet and chock full of snails releasing Bilharzia worms?

hmm hmmm choices, choices.

As long as it's a spectacle and the teams who brought rouleurs make the teams who left them at home pay, and pay dearly.

 

[42x16ss]

I see OPQS, Orica and Europcar being the potential spanner in the works in this regard. If they go berserk at the right times in search of stage wins it could lead to carnage for some squads.

The likes of Voeckler, Rolland, Gerrans, Clarke, Matthews, Bakelandts and Terpstra could have a bigger role than you'd think over the first week or so, especially if Rolland ignores GC.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

I see OPQS, Orica and Europcar being the potential spanner in the works in this regard. If they go berserk at the right times in search of stage wins it could lead to carnage for some squads.

The likes of Voeckler, Rolland, Gerrans, Clarke, Matthews, Bakelandts and Terpstra could have a bigger role than you'd think over the first week or so, especially if Rolland ignores GC.

Voeckler and Rolland will go soft until we hit France imo.

But the others? oh yea.

 

[AICA ribonucleotide]

The path is open now for Valverde.
Movistar stepped it up last year after the final rest day blood bags.
I expect the same this year.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

As a haemophiliac should he be? Everything is bigger and better at the TdF, including the crashes...

On a more serious note, Unzue does sound genuinely disappointed. Dowsett would have added more to the team than Visconti coming off the Giro. Movistar already has enough climbers going.

Gio didn't do the Giro, he was injured.

 

[GuyIncognito]

As a haemophiliac should he be? Everything is bigger and better at the TdF, including the crashes...

On a more serious note, Unzue does sound genuinely disappointed. Dowsett would have added more to the team than Visconti coming off the Giro. Movistar already has enough climbers going.

Only Valverde and Gadret are climbing better than him, he's needed.
And it would never be Dowsett in his stead. Dowsett wasn't selected because he's been ill for a while.

 

[roundabout]

The path is open now for Valverde.
Movistar stepped it up last year after the final rest day blood bags.
I expect the same this year.

Hmmm.

Was Intxausti injured? Funny to see a guy in 100something place on GC suddenly come to life.

 

[hrotha]

Hmmm.

Was Intxausti injured? Funny to see a guy in 100something place on GC suddenly come to life.

On Spanish TV they mentioned something about him having been ill.

Bronchitis is all the rage these days.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

The entire Movistar team at the giro suffered from virus. The sickness went away after the last rest day.

Presumable its the same here.

So Valverde seems to be on a reduced program here or just getting a bit older?

 

[SeriousSam]

Surely he'd be dropping the Young Clean French Riders on a full program.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Hmmm.

Was Intxausti injured? Funny to see a guy in 100something place on GC suddenly come to life.

Intxausti's a very good climber though, so if he'd been told to get his form to be fresh to help Valverde in week 3 it wouldn't be so surprising. He's been 10th in the Vuelta after dropping 4 minutes when Valverde crashed on the Valdezcaray stage. Illness or no illness, he's a guy good enough to do what he did today, it's more surprising that he's been so invisible in helping Valverde to this point than that he was there to do so today.

 

[hrotha]

But it's still suspicious when someone turns around his form like that, regardless of how good they're supposed to be. I'm pretty sure rundabout knows who Intxausti is and what he's capable of.

 

[Big Doopie]

Just praying the creep Piti drops off the podium in next two days.

 

[Tonton]

The entire Movistar team at the giro suffered from virus. The sickness went away after the last rest day.

Presumable its the same here.

So Valverde seems to be on a reduced program here or just getting a bit older?

So TVM stands for Team Valverde Movistar?

 

[pastronef]

I was looking for some twitter post or forum post noticing Nairo coming down from Colombia after 2 months and winning uphill straight away but couldn't fine any...

 

[Benotti69]

I was looking for some twitter post or forum post noticing Nairo coming down from Colombia after 2 months and winning uphill straight away but couldn't fine any...

Nothing to discuss. Obvious as the Bolivian marching powder that flows through the country..............

 

[pastronef]

Nothing to discuss. Obvious as the Bolivian marching powder that flows through the country..............

I would've gladly traded Nairo's win with an healthy Sergio H. win today to see some spumeggiante discussions on the interwebs about the bolivian powder...

 

[Netserk]

I was looking for some twitter post or forum post noticing Nairo coming down from Colombia after 2 months and winning uphill straight away but couldn't fine any...

Most of the contenders today hadn't been racing for some while. It's the nature of the race.

In January you will also see riders winning a race without any race days in their legs.

 

[yespatterns]

Bolvian marching powder that flows through the country? Lame. Go tell it to Crockett, Tubbs, and that idiotic Gator on their boat.