poor Cadel .. couldnt sprint up the mountain ..

[sars1981]

What a shock that was. Explanations adduced by the commentators:

Possibly "didn't eat properly" a la Armstrong.
Risidual pains from crashing the days before.
Sometimes the body doesn't respond well after a rest day.

Nice to see all the usual suspects shining though.

 

[buckwheat]

What a shock that was. Explanations adduced by the commentators:

Possibly "didn't eat properly" a la Armstrong.
Risidual pains from crashing the days before.
Sometimes the body doesn't respond well after a rest day.

Nice to see all the usual suspects shining though.

This is why the only meaningful discussion about Pro cycling takes place in the clinic.

 

[Big Doopie]

This is why the only meaningful discussion about Pro cycling takes place in the clinic.

absolutely. it is simply ridiculous to try and predict what will happen. it all depends on blood refills. the eurosport boys were "surprised" at how "almost 39 year old armstrong" was able to recover so well (better than he did when he was 24!). sean said "he really didn't expect him to be going so well".

that is why following the actual sport as a fan is ludicrous.

the clinic is the only place to discuss performances.

 

[CycloErgoSum]

The reason commentators, especially the likes of Phil and Paul, ignore the obvious is that their livelihood depends on not alienating the new and casual fan demographic who would turn off the sport if the truth about doping was canvassed.

Some canny commentators allude to doping cryptically as a nod to more seasoned fans.

Poor Cadel, true, but it does blow away suspicions that he'd turned to the dark side. Either that or he's hopelessly behind the curve on an unsophisticated program. He's a strong, committed rider who nonetheless displays some fragility in stage races, always picking up a bug or blowing.

What I don't understand is how can clean riders compete happily alongside the likes of Contador, Armstrong, Basso, Menchov, F. Schleck et al. Are they happy to keep quiet to cash their paycheques and pick up the crumbs in lesser races, stage wins?

 

[sars1981]

What I don't understand is how can clean riders compete happily alongside the likes of Contador, Armstrong, Basso, Menchov, F. Schleck et al. Are they happy to keep quiet to cash their paycheques and pick up the crumbs in lesser races, stage wins?

I was wondering that myself. Maybe there was some of that in those tears of his at the end. I guess it's become like Christophe Bassons or deal with it?

What a farce that was.

 

[Wallace]

Or it could be that he has a broken elbow. Maybe you should wait a little bit to see what the explanation is before you start congratulating yourself about how meaningful a discussion you're having.

 

[roundabout]

This is why the only meaningful discussion about Pro cycling takes place in the clinic.

Nah, you get plenty of posts implying that anyone who can beat Evans is a doper in the road racing section.

Gutsy ride by him with a fractured elbow.

 

[forty four]

The reason commentators, especially the likes of Phil and Paul, ignore the obvious is that their livelihood depends on not alienating the new and casual fan demographic who would turn off the sport if the truth about doping was canvassed.

Some canny commentators allude to doping cryptically as a nod to more seasoned fans.

Poor Cadel, true, but it does blow away suspicions that he'd turned to the dark side. Either that or he's hopelessly behind the curve on an unsophisticated program. He's a strong, committed rider who nonetheless displays some fragility in stage races, always picking up a bug or blowing.

What I don't understand is how can clean riders compete happily alongside the likes of Contador, Armstrong, Basso, Menchov, F. Schleck et al. Are they happy to keep quiet to cash their paycheques and pick up the crumbs in lesser races, stage wins?

so your somehow certain all other gc guys are doped which they probably are but your also certain cadel does not which he probably does thats funny and naive.
by the standards of some on here i should be able to use various peds go right past my cat-3 status and win the tour next year right? i mean its that easy right? lol utterly ridiculous. hormones and rbcs dont pedal the bike for you. why are any of you on here you hate it all so much. me i dont hate cycling i know drugs or not its a brutal sporting event and these guys are all high level gifted athletes la included. bike racing is hard doped or not put simply. man there are some bitter burnouts on here go watch another sport.

 

[sars1981]

Nice effort with a broken elbow. I still dont think that was the problem tho ..
There's no way Cadel could have hung with those guys today.

 

[CycloErgoSum]

Or it could be that he has a broken elbow. Maybe you should wait a little bit to see what the explanation is before you start congratulating yourself about how meaningful a discussion you're having.

Excuse me? The manners of some people.

 

[CycloErgoSum]

so your somehow certain all other gc guys are doped which they probably are but your also certain cadel does not which he probably does thats funny and naive.
by the standards of some on here i should be able to use various peds go right past my cat-3 status and win the tour next year right? i mean its that easy right? lol utterly ridiculous. hormones and rbcs dont pedal the bike for you. why are any of you on here you hate it all so much. me i dont hate cycling i know drugs or not its a brutal sporting event and these guys are all high level gifted athletes la included. bike racing is hard doped or not put simply. man there are some bitter burnouts on here go watch another sport.

Thank you for your considerable contribution to the field of ad hominen arguments.

 

[buckwheat]

so your somehow certain all other gc guys are doped which they probably are but your also certain cadel does not which he probably does thats funny and naive.
by the standards of some on here i should be able to use various peds go right past my cat-3 status and win the tour next year right? i mean its that easy right? lol utterly ridiculous. hormones and rbcs dont pedal the bike for you. why are any of you on here you hate it all so much. me i dont hate cycling i know drugs or not its a brutal sporting event and these guys are all high level gifted athletes la included. bike racing is hard doped or not put simply. man there are some bitter burnouts on here go watch another sport.

No, but they'll elevate your performance no doubt. A somewhat hysterical example you'd agree?

Ped's make a stunning gigantic difference.

Reporter and ML ballplayer.

Q. On a scale of one to ten, what are the chances Piazza is using steroids.

Major league ballplayer. I'd say 12 or 13.

Q. (shocked) Really?

A. yes, we call it power from nowhere.

 

[Crashes and punctures]

This is why the only meaningful discussion about Pro cycling takes place in the clinic.

Was that sarcasm? I couldn't tell.

 

[Bordercollie1]

I am not casting doubt on performances but....

Evans has been racing and winning since the Tour down under in Feb. He was winning again at the Ardennes classics, again at the Giro and hanging with the leaders on Sunday. All this after a season where he nearly won the Vuelta and won the Worlds.


The Teams Evans has chosen to ride for:

Saeco, Mapei, Telecom, Lotto, BMC

 

[sars1981]

I think Evans dopes. I just dont think he transfuses.

 

[buckwheat]

Was that sarcasm? I couldn't tell.

No, seriously.

 

[goggalor]

Or it could be that he has a broken elbow. Maybe you should wait a little bit to see what the explanation is before you start congratulating yourself about how meaningful a discussion you're having.

The broken elbow is the problem: With it he can't jump out of the saddle and sprint uphill at 40 km/h. Which, as Contador and Schlecklette showed us today, is an essential skill in TdF mountain stages.

 

[2wheels]

Way too bitter and cynical on this one! The first stage after a rest day always has a GC casualty or two-- today it was Cadel. So what? Who knows how he was feeling on the bike.

Schleck and Contador are the two best climbers, and they had Voigt pulling his hardest for them-- why does it amaze people that they opened a two-minute gap at the steep end of a 20 km climb? It's not always about dope-- sometimes tactics, natural ability, and desire can play small parts in cycling.

 

[CycloErgoSum]

I think Evans dopes. I just dont think he transfuses.

You're probably right. Using a T patch wouldn't seem as hardcore as a transfusion. They're just like those oval band-aids.

 

[Crashes and punctures]

absolutely. it is simply ridiculous to try and predict what will happen. it all depends on blood refills. the eurosport boys were "surprised" at how "almost 39 year old armstrong" was able to recover so well (better than he did when he was 24!). sean said "he really didn't expect him to be going so well".

that is why following the actual sport as a fan is ludicrous.

the clinic is the only place to discuss performances.

Takes 48 hours for a blood refill to properly kick in.

Armstrong was tested the day before the rest day, on the morning of the rest day and the evening, if I recall correctly, so they'd have quite a good idea if he did have a refill. He is also probably being watched very closely. I think they would leave such activities to another day this time if they were to bother. The rest day is just too obvious.

It's not that surprising that Armstrong would recover reasonably well since he sat up and cruised up the last climb on Sunday whilst the rest were on the absolute limit. I think it was more a psychology thing due to the time gap rather than a complete physical collapse.

 

[CycloErgoSum]

The broken elbow is the problem: With it he can't jump out of the saddle and sprint uphill at 40 km/h. Which, as Contador and Schlecklette showed us today, is an essential skill in TdF mountain stages.

Of course he would've been dropped by Conti and AS when they started jumping. But he was dropped riding tempo in the saddle. I imagine a busted elbow would hinder you in a number of ways, but still...

I apologise if my answer is inadequate. I haven't had it vetted by Wallace, you see.

 

[Crashes and punctures]

Don't know if you guys have ever done a training camp where you're out riding hard every day, but rest days can cause problems to the stiffness of your legs and the rhythm of the body. It's not a myth. It's a hard cycling fact. Guys that were on top form can end up suffering, and conversely guys that needed the rest can come out well. It's somewhat of a gamble as to how you will react.

Especially for GC guys in a tour who's adrenaline has been covering up their pain, it can play havok.

 

[rgmerk]

The broken elbow is the problem: With it he can't jump out of the saddle and sprint uphill at 40 km/h. Which, as Contador and Schlecklette showed us today, is an essential skill in TdF mountain stages.

Last I checked, cyclists tend to spend part of the time out of the seat on climbs even when they're not sprinting. While I haven't yet broken an elbow, I would be very surprised whether it was possible to produce anything like one's maximum sustained power while riding out of the saddle with a broken elbow.

 

[sars1981]

Of course he would've been dropped by Conti and AS when they started jumping. But he was dropped riding tempo in the saddle. I imagine a busted elbow would hinder you in a number of ways, but still...

I apologise if my answer is inadequate. I haven't had it vetted by Wallace, you see.

His busted elbow really kicked in when Astana started setting that ridiculous pace up the mountain ..

 

[buckwheat]

Way too bitter and cynical on this one! The first stage after a rest day always has a GC casualty or two-- today it was Cadel. So what? Who knows how he was feeling on the bike.

Schleck and Contador are the two best climbers, and they had Voigt pulling his hardest for them-- why does it amaze people that they opened a two-minute gap at the steep end of a 20 km climb? It's not always about dope-- sometimes tactics, natural ability, and desire can play small parts in cycling.

It's a big enough question mark to render the competition meaningless, unless it's a science project.