Ninja of the Tour

[gregrowlerson]

Re:

Contador playing with fire as he finished 11th today.

And to think that Contador's entire over hyped career has merely been a stepping stone towards his ultimate objective: Ninja Of The Tour

 

[Alexandre B.]

Mathias Frank FTW!

Fantastic job.

 

[hrotha]

I feel the imaginary points you score should be inversely proportional to how highly placed in the GC you are. With that in mind, Van Garderen is impressing more in this competition than Froome in the regular one. He's making Bobby Julich blush.

 

[Finn84]

I have not seen every Eurosport feed until the end but I'm not sure if Finnish commentators have ever mentioned Eduardo Sepulveda - he's 20th now.

 

[Gogojv]

Current NInja Jersey.
1: Frank (12) Over 7 min lead and hardly any TV coverage.
2: Talensky(18) Garmin can not even win this competition.
3: Sepulveda(20) New in the top 10. Impressive did not notice him yet in any TV coverage.
4: Kreuziger (23) Only in with TT top 3 and not 5.
5: Pinot (24) his refound climbing legs could destroy the new French hope.
6: Rogers. (25) TT top 3 or top 5.
7: Pantano (27)
8: Morabito (28)
9: Peraud (30)
10: Losada (32)
....
15: slowly making up ground

 

[phanatic]

Re:

Current NInja Jersey.
1: Frank (12) Over 7 min lead and hardly any TV coverage.
2: Talensky(18) Garmin can not even win this competition.
3: Sepulveda(20) New in the top 10. Impressive did not notice him yet in any TV coverage.
4: Kreuziger (23) Only in with TT top 3 and not 5.
5: Pinot (24) his refound climbing legs could destroy the new French hope.
6: Rogers. (25) TT top 3 or top 5.
7: Pantano (27)
8: Morabito (28)
9: Peraud (30)
10: Losada (32)
....
15: slowly making up ground

Talansky gets too much coverage as he drops off the back. Kreuziger and Rogers shouldn't count as being part of Contador's team; Pinot and Peraud also can't be ninjas with their podiums last year; there's just too many eyes on them. Frank and Sepulveda are doing well: I just hope they don't try to be heroes.

 

[Hakkapelit]

Re:

Current NInja Jersey.
1: Frank (12) Over 7 min lead and hardly any TV coverage.
2: Talensky(18) Garmin can not even win this competition.
3: Sepulveda(20) New in the top 10. Impressive did not notice him yet in any TV coverage.
4: Kreuziger (23) Only in with TT top 3 and not 5.
5: Pinot (24) his refound climbing legs could destroy the new French hope.
6: Rogers. (25) TT top 3 or top 5.
7: Pantano (27)
8: Morabito (28)
9: Peraud (30)
10: Losada (32)
....
15: slowly making up ground

Good sumup, Frank seems to be sneaking home this one.

 

[FoxxyBrown1111]

Ninja killing stage that was... My personal favourite Morabito DNF, and Sepulveda... well... messed it up I guess.

 

[Kokoso]

Re:

Current NInja Jersey.
1: Frank (12) Over 7 min lead and hardly any TV coverage.
2: Talensky(18) Garmin can not even win this competition.
3: Sepulveda(20) New in the top 10. Impressive did not notice him yet in any TV coverage.
4: Kreuziger (23) Only in with TT top 3 and not 5.
5: Pinot (24) his refound climbing legs could destroy the new French hope.
6: Rogers. (25) TT top 3 or top 5.
7: Pantano (27)
8: Morabito (28)
9: Peraud (30)
10: Losada (32)
....
15: slowly making up ground

I see Kreuiziger quite a lot at the TV, but maybe only thanks to Kreuziger-selective eyes.

 

[Gogojv]

Re:

Indeed a ninja killing stage.

Current NInja Jersey.
1: Frank (12) Over 7 min lead and hardly any TV coverage. - Increased lead, but climbing with top 10GC should consoladate.
2: Talensky(18) Garmin can not even win this competition. - flat tire saved him from stage top 10.
3: Sepulveda(20) New in the top 10. Impressive did not notice him yet in any TV coverage. -- pure panic after the tv showed him with mechanical. Tried to hide in ag2r car but his cover was already blown. OUT
4: Kreuziger (23) Only in with TT top 3 and not 5. OUT top 5 rule
5: Pinot (24) his refound climbing legs could destroy the new French hope. OUT
6: Rogers. (25) TT top 3 or top 5. OUT top 5 rule
7: Pantano (27) new 3 place, solid ninja performance with 12 place today
8: Morabito (28) OUT
9: Peraud (30)
10: Losada (32)
....
15: slowly making up ground

 

[Knutsen]

Sepulveda actually thought he was a Ninja and could ride in the car without anyone notice.

 

[LosBrolin]

Re:

 

[Carl0880]

I almost forgot about it but i was watching some old stages from previous TDfs before and almost forgot that our famous Ninja almost was a TDF stage winner without being noticed. The Stage into Loudenville in 2007, He finished half a wheel behind Kim Kirchen for the sprint for 2nd, with the winner at the time being Vino. Of course Vino was disqualified. I remember that they hardly showed Kirchen and Zubeldia because they while they were on the descent, they were either showing Vino or switching back to Contador doing the multi attacks on Rasmussen and hardley showed those 2. Damn near had our ninja be a TDF stage winner and never make it to a podium to celebrate or been seen other then name on paper.

 

[gregrowlerson]

Re:

I almost forgot about it but i was watching some old stages from previous TDfs before and almost forgot that our famous Ninja almost was a TDF stage winner without being noticed. The Stage into Loudenville in 2007, He finished half a wheel behind Kim Kirchen for the sprint for 2nd, with the winner at the time being Vino. Of course Vino was disqualified. I remember that they hardly showed Kirchen and Zubeldia because they while they were on the descent, they were either showing Vino or switching back to Contador doing the multi attacks on Rasmussen and hardley showed those 2. Damn near had our ninja be a TDF stage winner and never make it to a podium to celebrate or been seen other then name on paper.

This is why Kloden lost to Armstrong into Le Grand Bornand in '04. To avoid the podium, and he knew that - down the track - he'd end up with the stage victory anyhoo. I mean seriously, no rider could possibly lose a sprint without trying to whilst having such a huge advantage that close to the line

 

[Hugo Koblet]

I wonder how the universe would react if Zubeldia won a stage with Sagan finishing second. Would Zubeldia actually be caught on camera? Or would Sagan finally be touted as a stage winner? Sounds like quite a paradox to me.

 

[No_Balls]

Re: Re:

Posted in the race thread. Old sensei is back with a serious assault on the Ninja-jersey!

 

[PremierAndrew]

Frank attacking way too much

 

[Finn84]

Frank attacked himself out of contention today.

 

[Gogojv]

With Frank and Talensky out Bak is the new leader. 18 min lead on a small group led by Losada.

 

[johnymax]

I think today was the end of the last real ninja of this Tour. Bak and the others are just too far back and many of them were in the break. That brings us back to the original ninja in Zubeldia. Sure he lost a step or two, but he still has real ninja skills.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Actually for me a ninja would be somebody in the top 10 who's been barely noticable.
Mollema and Frank are still the biggest candidates. Mollema only putting in one attack when nobody was caring. And Frank slipping into todays break.

 

[MikeTichondrius]

Re:

I think today was the end of the last real ninja of this Tour. Bak and the others are just too far back and many of them were in the break. That brings us back to the original ninja in Zubeldia. Sure he lost a step or two, but he still has real ninja skills.

Agreed, anything below top 15 is hardly worth mentioning. That was the beauty of Zubi's ninja skills. Also agreed on Mollema. Much more than Frank even. He just popped a major attack today, Mollema on the other hand is just anonymous. Even Gesink got a dig in on PSM (if I remember correctly)!

EDIT: I think Samu is a good one too BTW

 

[hrotha]

I think Frank's move today was too good. It should be between Samu and Mollema now.

I mean, if they don't qualify as per the rules, the rules were obviously wrong.

 

[Hakkapelit]

Re:

I think Frank's move today was too good. It should be between Samu and Mollema now.

I mean, if they don't qualify as per the rules, the rules were obviously wrong.

I think Samu is the moral leader atleast if he has scored top 10s i haven't noticed atleast, great lurking. My fear is that he will go in breakaway now when TJ is gone.

 

[FoxxyBrown1111]

Yes, sure SSanchez is (may) the last ninja still standing... (Sorry Zubeldia fans, but him is wayyyy out of contention)...
But here is the real sleeper still left: Roman-the-passport-Kreuziger. No T-10s, no mention on TVs, no interviews, not even mentioned in the ninja thread itself , and yet laying pretty in position 22 CG.

He is the true "black ninja"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38zmdwd5K3E