Paris Nice - Stage 7 - Brignoles → Biot - Sophia Antipolis - 216km

[Sasquatch]

So Paris-Nice is definitely live on Eurosport. It's just if we're lucky we may see the end of Tirreno? That's not bad. If we see the climb, that's good enough.

 

[Christian]

If Tony Martin wins it will be because he is a good enough climber. Stage 5 had a solid uphill finish and who was setting the pace? Tony Martin! Kloden is a TTer Brajkovic is a TTer. Sanchez the sitter is not.

I wonder if the fact that he is German and doesn't give a huge number of interviews to Phil&Paul and to Cyclingnews.com is the reason for you and many others failing to warm to him! This is a consequence I feel of SA's and others idolisation of LA to the detriment of the sport.

What I like about Tony Martin is his committment to the team as shown by his leadouts for Cavendish in the last two years at the TdF.

+1 Well said!

I saw the guy on the podium yesterday and afterwards, he seemed like a genuinely nice guy.

Tony Martin deserves the win because he is a decent climber and the best TT'er.

Plus he's won mountain classification in P-N and TdS, got 2nd on Mont Ventoux ...

 

[theswordsman]

So Paris-Nice is definitely live on Eurosport. It's just if we're lucky we may see the end of Tirreno? That's not bad. If we see the climb, that's good enough.

Both races have been live on Eurosport (different UK channels) at the same time, with T-A starting earlier with Carlton Kirby and Magnus Backstedt, who's off racing today, and Sean and David a bit later at Paris-Nice. After that's over, they've added a bit more T-A. Fromsport.com has had nice quality feeds for both.

 

[craig1985]

If Tony Martin wins it will be because he is a good enough climber. Stage 5 had a solid uphill finish and who was setting the pace? Tony Martin! Kloden is a TTer Brajkovic is a TTer. Sanchez the sitter is not.

I wonder if the fact that he is German and doesn't give a huge number of interviews to Phil&Paul and to Cyclingnews.com is the reason for you and many others failing to warm to him! This is a consequence I feel of SA's and others idolisation of LA to the detriment of the sport.

What I like about Tony Martin is his committment to the team as shown by his leadouts for Cavendish in the last two years at the TdF.

Isn't that a pretty presumptuous post? What makes you think I give two ****s about Phil or Paul, or LA himself? I would like to know if Ryo thinks he is coward like he thinks that of Menchov and Gesink.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

If Tony Martin wins it will be because he is a good enough climber. Stage 5 had a solid uphill finish and who was setting the pace? Tony Martin! Kloden is a TTer Brajkovic is a TTer. Sanchez the sitter is not.

I wonder if the fact that he is German and doesn't give a huge number of interviews to Phil&Paul and to Cyclingnews.com is the reason for you and many others failing to warm to him! This is a consequence I feel of SA's and others idolisation of LA to the detriment of the sport.

What I like about Tony Martin is his committment to the team as shown by his leadouts for Cavendish in the last two years at the TdF.

First bit: Tony Martin is a good enough climber, especially on a parcours like this, which is not very selective in the climbing and provides a TT long enough that you knew he was going to win as soon as he was in the front group. Hell, Wiggins got dropped and he's comfortably rolled back in to a podium place. There is nowhere for the climbers to even attempt to gain the best part of 2 minutes back. If they had the chance to attack Martin to get the time back and failed, so be it. The finish on Thursday was not a 'solid uphill finish'. It was best part of 10km from the climb, meaning that it was inevitable you'd get small groups together rather than individual finishes breaking up the time gaps. The other problem is that those riders who ARE close enough to Martin to attack him are not riders who are known for attacking. The likes of Wiggins will more than likely be happy to just roll in in 3rd and quash any attack that threatens their podium place. If somebody like Samu was in that position, then he could think about attacking Martin viably for the win. If Martin is up to the challenge, then fair enough. But the parcours has sure made it simple for him from here on in and if he doesn't win it's due to throwing it away because of stupidity.

I actually don't mind Tony Martin, I think he's a good rider, and his nationality is of no consequence to me - you'll find me cheerleading a great many German competitors from a range of sports throughout this board. I speak German, lived in Germany, I like the Germans, certainly more than most of the people who get the big interviews for CN or with Phil and Paul, who I don't like. But I loathe the team he races for, and am enormously disappointed by the parcours. Like I said, if I thought there was a chance anybody could make him fight for it from here on in, I'd say fine, but frankly it's a waste of time even bothering with stage 7, it's a 2009 Tour level unfunny joke of a stage.

I don't think he should even have been asked to lead Cavendish out last year, but then again this is the team that had Velits do a massive turn on the front the day before the final MTF of a Grand Tour he was sitting on the podium of, so I shouldn't be surprised. At HTC you are either Cavendish, Goss, a leadout man, or a peloton pacing TT specialist. If you win races cos of your TT skills then all the better, and if you can climb a bit then that's just bonus cos it means there are more races you can win because of your TT skills. I despise that team.

 

[craig1985]

I do agree with Libertine, I don't think Martin is a bad rider, he obviously isn't, but maybe it is because who he rides is why I can't warm to him. In any other team Velits wouldn't be doing a turn on the front in the Vuelta last year, he only did it because he was made to do it, despite what Cav will tell you.

TBH I think next year we can go back to having a prolouge and scrap the mid race TT, I'm not really a fan of it.

 

[Lanark]

The route has been very disapointing this year, but the field isn't that exciting either. Sure, it has some big names, but guys like LL Sanchez and Samuel Sanchez don't appear to be in great shape (Samuel seemed to have a lot of trouble keeping pace with Martin in the mountains a couple of days ago, Lulu couldn't even do that). We've seen some attacks by guys like Kiserlovsky, Taaramae and Carrara, the rest just seem happy to follow. I don't think a more difficult route would change much. This race is lacking in offensive climbers in good shape.

 

[MajorTom]

David Harmon

Absolutely raging headwind today for the riders on Paris-Nice

http://twitter.com/spokesmen

 

[timmers]

Isn't that a pretty presumptuous post? What makes you think I give two ****s about Phil or Paul, or LA himself? I would like to know if Ryo thinks he is coward like he thinks that of Menchov and Gesink.

Well mate how is that presumptuous? I made the mistake of assuming as an Australian you had very little understanding of the world of cycling and had gained your knowledge from the television. I note you have what I consider stupid and immature comments as a signature.

Since your first post I see it is that you don't like HTC. A team owned by an american millionaire and managed by a confessed German cheat. I can see how this might be an issue but they do have Australian and NZ riders so why not support them.

@Libertine Seguros who says "The other problem is that those riders who ARE close enough to Martin to attack him are not riders who are known for attacking." Is this not the challenge of racing? Sanchez is not an attacker. Wiggins is riding above his ability on a course like this. The riders make the race.

 

[kukiniloa]

This is the worst Saturday Paris-Nice stage for quite a while. Eurosport is right not to show it live.

Wow, do you have a time machine?

Prediction: old school RS control: 1. Klodie 2. Brakkie

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Isn't that a pretty presumptuous post? What makes you think I give two ****s about Phil or Paul, or LA himself? I would like to know if Ryo thinks he is coward like he thinks that of Menchov and Gesink.

anyway I really like tony martin, he reminds me so much of ullrich

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Well mate how is that presumptuous? I made the mistake of assuming as an Australian you had very little understanding of the world of cycling and had gained your knowledge from the television. I note you have what I consider stupid and immature comments as a signature.

If you cast aspersions due to assuming something, and that turns out to be wrong, then you are being presumptuous. You are ascribing reasons onto us for not liking the race based on nothing but your own prejudices. We have prejudices of our own, thank you very much.

Since your first post I see it is that you don't like HTC. A team owned by an american millionaire and managed by a confessed German cheat. I can see how this might be an issue but they do have Australian and NZ riders so why not support them.

I'm not Australian, I'm not from New Zealand, I'm not from America. And even if I was, I'll support who I want thank you very much. Why would somebody I don't like from my country garner my support more than somebody I do like who isn't from my country? Why should the country a rider is from decide whether I like them or not?

@Libertine Seguros who says "The other problem is that those riders who ARE close enough to Martin to attack him are not riders who are known for attacking." Is this not the challenge of racing? Sanchez is not an attacker. Wiggins is riding above his ability on a course like this. The riders make the race.

The challenge is only partially right as you say. The riders make the race, but they can only race on the parcours the organisers give them. And the parcours of this race has been utter garbage, which makes it hard for the racers to make it interesting, even if they want to - and most of those in the best positions now simply don't want to.

 

[thirteen]

I do agree with Libertine, I don't think Martin is a bad rider, he obviously isn't, but maybe it is because who he rides is why I can't warm to him. In any other team Velits wouldn't be doing a turn on the front in the Vuelta last year, he only did it because he was made to do it, despite what Cav will tell you.

i agree with both you and Libertine. and i happen to like Martin a lot. i warmed to him a couple of years ago when i saw him behind the scenes the last day of the Tour. he seems to genuinely love what he does.

(and, honestly, to timmers who brought it up -- nationality means very little to me. i root for a rider or a team because i like them. i could give a $hit where they were born or where the team comes from.)

but the team, bah!!! i may have teams that i root for, like more than others, etc., but there's rarely a team i hate. HTC has changed that

 

[thirteen]

anyway I really like tony martin, he reminds me so much of ullrich

that's exactly what i was thinking this morning!

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

that's exactly what i was thinking this morning!

to me not only his way of racing but also his whole personality he seems a bit simple and naieve and has no idea of his own powers. the guy seems more surprised everytime he wins than everyone watching it. ullrich had that too in beginning of his career especially in 1996 tour. he also seems to wait for orde3rs everytime like he's afraid to do anything wrong but when he goes he is naturally not afraid and really gives his all and doesn't look back for others to take over. same with ullrich

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Except Ullrich was already at Tour-contendor level when he was 21. Tony Martin is now 25 and still has quite the way to go.

 

[craig1985]

Well mate how is that presumptuous? I made the mistake of assuming as an Australian you had very little understanding of the world of cycling and had gained your knowledge from the television. I note you have what I consider stupid and immature comments as a signature.

Since your first post I see it is that you don't like HTC. A team owned by an american millionaire and managed by a confessed German cheat. I can see how this might be an issue but they do have Australian and NZ riders so why not support them.

@Libertine Seguros who says "The other problem is that those riders who ARE close enough to Martin to attack him are not riders who are known for attacking." Is this not the challenge of racing? Sanchez is not an attacker. Wiggins is riding above his ability on a course like this. The riders make the race.

My sig is what I consider some funny posts, you'll find that I'm very seldom serious on here, and I'm here to have a laugh, and I think there were funny posts. As for team support, I don't care if they owned by an American, I've never been there myself (although I do intend to), some of my fav posters on here are American, and Zabel's past has nothing to do with it. I don't actually support a team, but I would cheer on Euskaltel Euskadi because I also ride an Orbea, and they are generally an underdog, and I don't speak a word of Spanish, let alone any Basque.

As for the bolded bit, I take that an offence to my intelligence, I find Phil and Paul rather cringeworthy, and whilst I'm no expert, I believe I have a pretty good understanding of the history of cycling. I'm not Australian either, but I don't expect to know this, so I won't hold it against them.

 

[Lance Armstrong]

Sagan easily - after two energy saving stages.

 

[thirteen]

to me not only his way of racing but also his whole personality he seems a bit simple and naieve and has no idea of his own powers. the guy seems more surprised everytime he wins than everyone watching it. ullrich had that too in beginning of his career especially in 1996 tour. he also seems to wait for orde3rs everytime like he's afraid to do anything wrong but when he goes he is naturally not afraid and really gives his all and doesn't look back for others to take over. same with ullrich

i could not have put it better -- spot on!

Except Ullrich was already at Tour-contendor level when he was 21. Tony Martin is now 25 and still has quite the way to go.

i'm not yet convinced he ever will be, but i'd love to be proven wrong and he's most definitely not on the right team to nurture him...

 

[Tuarts]

50-70 to arrive at the line together, whichever sprinter has stayed with the bunch will win.

If its a breakaway, expect Vino though I expect he'll target tomorrows stage. Possibly Gerrans.

 

[Tuarts]

Laurens Ten Dam (Rabobank), Sebastien Minard (AG2R), Jurgen Roelandts (OLO) and Ivan Santaromita (BMC) are 50 seconds ahead of the bunch.

 

[Tuarts]

Seems Vino is tearing up the peloton on the climb and is closing in on the breakaway.

 

[thirteen]

Seems Vino is tearing up the peloton on the climb and is closing in on the breakaway.

allez Vino!!!

 

[Havetts]

Yay Ten Dam

Is it the first climb of the day, or the 1st cat 1?

 

[Tuarts]

Bole has caught up with the breakaway on the descent!

They don't want him to hang around if they manage to escape to the finish.