Paris-Nice 2012 - Stage 7: Sisteron - Nice, 219.5 km

[Beech Mtn]

Matty Lloyd is the Lampre w/ Levi group. Must've been the guy who crashed on moto corner - jersey is dirty

 

[Libertine Seguros]

This.
And Movistar were NOT drilling it on the front. When Guti drills it on the front, dude does all kinds of crazy stuff on a bike. We saw none of that today. They went to the front and rode, but nothing unsportsmanlike or crazy.

To be fair, the idea of pushing the pace is to pressurise opponents into making mistakes; it's then unfair to expect people to stop if their tactic is successful. They didn't exactly keep an infernal pace or the gap to de Gendt would have come down, they just kept riding.

 

[luckyboy]

Hope it gets close between Westra and Wiggins tomorrow otherwise this'll be another boring edition for the history books.

 

[screaming fist]

Here comes poor old Levi rolling in.

Hats off for that. I would have climbed into the team car after that last crash.

 

[Beech Mtn]

Valverde just moved onto the podium today with this.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

explain please

because he's the most cowardish wheelsucker out there. the man never races to win. no he races not to lose. there's everything wrong with that and therefore I thoroughly enjoyed his exit today especially reading the bs he was saying in interviews. only 2 riders out of the top of the gc deserve to win paris nice. westra and wiggins. they rode to
win. especially westra btw.

he also makes me sick to my stomach in that he never works for any of his teammates. ask contador at the vuelta 2008. or this paris nice. the stage boonen won chavanel did a huge turn. they all tried to make boonen win except leipheimer dta did absolutely nothing. so afraid to even waste the smallest amount of energy.

 

[Beech Mtn]

To be fair, the idea of pushing the pace is to pressurise opponents into making mistakes; it's then unfair to expect people to stop if their tactic is successful. They didn't exactly keep an infernal pace or the gap to de Gendt would have come down, they just kept riding.

Agree with this.

Hats off for that. I would have climbed into the team car after that last crash.

Also agree. Good on Levi for finishing the stage. Wouldn't blame him if he DNS tomorrow. Got to be sore after crashing 3x.

 

[Moviefan1203]

Valverde just moved onto the podium today with this.

Until Van Garderen snatches it from him tomorrow.

 

[Richeypen]

Agree with this.



Also agree. Good on Levi for finishing the stage. Wouldn't blame him if he DNS tomorrow. Got to be sore after crashing 3x.

He will satrt. Still my favourite for tomorrow

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

He will satrt. Still my favourite for tomorrow

 

[Fetisoff]

Oh, **** off, Ryo. Now I got half a cup of tea on my white t-shirt

 

[WillemS]

Vacansoleil has three stage wins at Paris-Nice; wow, I did not expect that. Maybe they'll actually start winning races this year, they've got some interesting riders. If Westra remains sharp, he'll might be able to get some wins in smaller races* and the rest of the riders also seem sharp. On the other hand, I think the team specifically targets these early season races for main targets to be able to show themselves. Most other riders, the absolute top like Gilbert, seem to have chosen a later peak moment in order to be able to peak again at the Worlds.


*) One of the main reasons he was that good was, I think, that he choose to peak during paris-nice, while other guys use this race to get ready for the early season. Westra was already talking about Paris-Nice as early as December, so he's really in good shape right now.

 

[Beech Mtn]

Honestly surprised to see Thor that far up there for the field sprint. Must have gotten over the illness and be feeling better. Good omen.

 

[Moviefan1203]

I really hope Levi kills it tomorrow and takes the stage. Lay out all the anger on the road.

 

[Richeypen]

Good counter argument

 

[Geraint Too Fast]

I'll go with De Gendt (from the break) ftw.

Wow, I actually got a prediction right.

 

[RedheadDane]

I am such a bad person! This quote from the race report send me into a bit of a giggling mode:

The final crash saw much of his team, trying to escort him back after the second crash, go down on a curve and hitting the pavement hard as they tried to avoid a stopped motorcycle.

I can just imagine it!

 

[Gloin22]

Good counter argument

Well he's defitnely not going to win. Would bet my life on that

 

[Richeypen]

Well he's defitnely not going to win. Would bet my life on that

It al depends on how hurt he was after the crash, personally I dont think he looked that bad, just soft pedalled coz he knew that the GC was gone.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

It al depends on how hurt he was after the crash, personally I dont think he looked that bad, just soft pedalled coz he knew that the GC was gone.

 

[Fetisoff]

Wow, I actually got a prediction right.

Doesn't happen too often on this forum

 

[Gloin22]

It al depends on how hurt he was after the crash, personally I dont think he looked that bad, just soft pedalled coz he knew that the GC was gone.

Wiggins looked better in opening prologue and trough the whole race compared to Levi. Do you think Levi will beat him ?

 

[jsem94]

because he's the most cowardish wheelsucker out there. the man never races to win. no he races not to lose. there's everything wrong with that and therefore I thoroughly enjoyed his exit today especially reading the bs he was saying in interviews. only 2 riders out of the top of the gc deserve to win paris nice. westra and wiggins. they rode to
win. especially westra btw.

he also makes me sick to my stomach in that he never works for any of his teammates. ask contador at the vuelta 2008. or this paris nice. the stage boonen won chavanel did a huge turn. they all tried to make boonen win except leipheimer dta did absolutely nothing. so afraid to even waste the smallest amount of energy.

All you said there is true, Levi kills races by racing so boring. Still, I don't want him to crash for that.

 

[Richeypen]

Wiggins looked better in opening prologue and trough the whole race compared to Levi. Do you think Levi will beat him ?

If it was a flat TT then I would say Wiggins wins every time, however the slope adds an unknown element into the mix.






Mainly though I want Wiggins to win and I always make pessimistic predictions.

 

[CobbleStoner]

...in that he never works for any of his teammates.

I'm no Levi fan, watching him descend is both painful and hilarious, but he helped Redneck win ToC last year so that statement is incorrect