Re: Re:
The Barb said:
Galic Ho said:
Cookster15 said:
Well Richie has staved off his bad day by the first serious MTF - at altitude. Impressive. Despite his questionable tactics its probably the strongest Porte's looked on a Tour stage - including 2013 AX3. At long last. Dropped his co leader Tejay and a few like Aru who I felt would give Richie a reality check on Arcalis. When will he fade? I'm predicting he rides strongly again on Ventoux but fades in the Alpes - he's not a one week rider but a two week rider
. Great to see while it lasts though. The challenge for his co leader is to stay close enough so that he is worthy of Richie's support deep into the 3rd week.
Take a look and REMEMBER. You've got a really bad memory and thus, how you observe and analyse races, events is unstable.
You should ask SBS for a commentary position next to Matthew Keenan, because he does exactly the same thing.
Matt Keenan has a "really bad memory" and his thus his analysis is "unstable"?
Are you for real? His recall is exceptional. You can criticise him for other things if you want but wow you couldn't be further off the mark with that comment.
No, his memory is fine at times however his APPLICATION of racing strategy, fatigue, the working of the human body is absolutely crap. He remember what happened, but how and why elude him. In other words, he's not very intelligent. He's actually a poor commentator for that matter. Also his vocal intonation is quite poor and makes him very easy to tune out...he's boring. Phil and Paul are actually enjoyable for once because we have 100km prior of Keenan being corrected by McEwen.
Seriously, any Aussie who knows how the body works, how TOUGH being a cyclist really is, does not make some of the outlandish remarks he does. Ever. He and Tomolaris are severely lacking in common sense. Tomo is obvious, asking fellow hosts some outlandish and idiotic things pertaining to race outcomes and strategy! Both are huge parts of why Porte has been OVER HYPED. They simply attribute him to be Cadel junior...but he hasn't been so far now has he?
Why is that Robbie McEwen has to pull Keena back in 'politely' and correct him? Though Keenan has knowledge of how a race ended and the results, he does not truly understand the meta mechanics behind a race - and by that I mean stage to stage, plus how that works into the overall picture. Keenan knows enough to fool the average viewer, but anyone who has raced, or knows strategy and can read meta mechanics behind any sport can spot the obvious; his words and what occurs on the road do not match. He simply does not UNDERSTAND. Has knowledge, but lacks understanding.
For crying out loud, this year, Phil and Paul make more sense than he does. Sit there and pay attention! Robbie McEwen has to correct him as politely as possible MULTIPLE times during a stage because Keenan says something tactically absurd or misinterprets what is going on. Sure he remembers an event from a history book, or has something to say about a similar stage, but he's on the back foot mostly bringing it up AFTER McEwen has said something and corrected his prior limited comment which demonstrated his lack of understanding. How do you not notice that? It's crystal clear!!
Knowledge and understanding are not the same thing.
PS: Cookster, you did redeem yourself in that article below, but champ, its the same thing a few pages back on here with my comments. Someone said Porte and Tejay need a true GC leader, like a Froome or Contador (or a Cadel Evans) to show them the ropes and GET them CONSISTENT results. You actually stood up for Evans in 2011 there! Good. But why make Richie Porte into Cadel EVans before he's done it? He hasn't. End of discussion. Until then, he's the guy aspiring to be that. Good for him for what he can do and has done, but you've over hyped the man whether you recognise it or not. The fact you replied to me PLUS those people repeatedly, shows you have a soft spot for BMC. Good for Tejay having you support him, but that article has all the issues BMC present...they talk a LOT and don't have the results.
What does that mentally do to someone who had a 2015 like Tejay? As I said, I would NEVER allow a rider to say what Tejay does to the press. Just say a bit, be kind, and SHUT UP! He's been over hyped and it makes things HARDER for him. Why? It's called public expectation. See Lionel Messi vs Christiano Ronaldo for a full analysis on how to lead and handle public pressure.
It's absolutely absurd you can recognise Cadel worked his butt off in 2011, fought, grew as a rider and won his Tour on his own merit, but fail to comprehend other meta details that are occurring in grand tours today, 5 years later!
And yes, I use to think Cadel would fall short, but that year, I could tell he'd changed enough tiny details to get the win...that will be obvious for Tejay and Porte in week 3. I even said it on this forum that I believed Cadel would beat Andy Schleck, but most still said he'd lose!!
Right now, BMC are going for a top 10. If either leader finishes around 5th, to have some hope in the future of a podium (which would be obvious in the third week if they can do it this year...gotta get past those historic bad days) if they are within 2 minutes of third come Paris, that's really good.
But look at the time gaps! This years parcours and few abandons has been deceptive relative to other years. Nobody has lost big time. Normally many have. We'll see on Ventoux...
It's so bizarre. You are a special case Cookster15. You clearly love BMC...you get Cadel won his Tour, had form, but you discredit other rivals equal or greater than Porte & Tejay historically and based on form this year! That shows a lack of understanding of the meta details behind bike racing. Bardet on paper is equal if not greater than Tejay based on him having two top 10's in the Tour and being a solid climber. That mountain ITT will really show who is fatigued.
Oh and for anyone who forgot, Tejay stated at the end of last season when Richie signed, that other teams 'would fear' them. Who has been scared this year? Romandie was their only race together right? How'd their amazing time trialing fare? Pinot and Quintana beat them...in a 5 day race. Those two time trials will reveal so much about who really is fatigued...no hiding in them. Either of them.
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