Sastre is going to Win.

[RightWingNutJob]

Thats right, after 10 miles I have determined who the winner of the 2009 Tour is going to be... Carlos Sastre. You heard it here first.
He is like a cool cat waiting to pounce!

 

[Bagster]

Thats right, after 10 miles I have determined who the winner of the 2009 Tour is going to be... Carlos Sastre. You heard it here first.
He is like a cool cat waiting to pounce!

If you are serious then your name is right on the money

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

best.thread.ever

 

[BigBoat]

Nein, but that would be cool. I like Sastre. Evans is better than him though.

 

[Kittel]

Don't forget he won last year's Tour because he was 'allowed' to jump away on the final climb, because he was furthest back of the favorites (same thing with Valverde in the dauphine this year, if I'm correct). Not sure whether he'll be able to do the same thing this year though. Probably he wel be too far back by tuesday night.

Same for menchov I think

 

[RightWingNutJob]

Don't forget he won last year's Tour because he was 'allowed' to jump away on the final climb, because he was furthest back of the favorites (same thing with Valverde in the dauphine this year, if I'm correct). Not sure whether he'll be able to do the same thing this year though. Probably he wel be too far back by tuesday night.

Same for menchov I think

Not that I have gone back and analyzed the tapes from last year, but how do you determine weather he was allowed to go or that others just couldn't follow?

 

[Bagster]

Not that I have gone back and analyzed the tapes from last year, but how do you determine weather he was allowed to go or that others just couldn't follow?

He wasn't 'allowed' to go away.The only ones who could follow were the guys in his own team, Andy and Frank who just controlled the bunch once Sastre launched. Menchov tried to go with him but got blown out the back of even the chasing group. He rode bloody well to regain contact later up the Alp. The others were on the rivet when Sastre attacked the second time and got away. Cadel tried to lift the pace but was continually blocked by Andy and was never going to be able to bridge and was also riding injured. Kohl...well he is just a ****er so I'll pass him by. The others were just happy to be there, though Van der Velde did have a go on a couple of occasions but was immediately shut down by the Schlecks

 

[Robert Merivel]

Thats right, after 10 miles I have determined who the winner of the 2009 Tour is going to be... Carlos Sastre. You heard it here first.
He is like a cool cat waiting to pounce!

He can't do it alone, that's the problem now. However, and I'm not astute with the way teams combine forces, but if they did, against Astana, then we could see some fireworks. Which teams might join together to break Astana's strangle hold? And if they did, would they do it before the race or during the race? Anyone know how that works? Could be interesting.

 

[dgodave]

Sastre... Sastre... Sastre... I'm so sick of all the Sastre threads.... cant we merge them all into one sticky?
.

 

[Ninety5rpm]

He wasn't 'allowed' to go away.The only ones who could follow were the guys in his own team, Andy and Frank who just controlled the bunch once Sastre launched. Menchov tried to go with him but got blown out the back of even the chasing group. He rode bloody well to regain contact later up the Alp. The others were on the rivet when Sastre attacked the second time and got away. Cadel tried to lift the pace but was continually blocked by Andy and was never going to be able to bridge and was also riding injured. Kohl...well he is just a ****er so I'll pass him by. The others were just happy to be there, though Van der Velde did have a go on a couple of occasions but was immediately shut down by the Schlecks

"Last year's Tour was a bit of a joke."

 

[Anonymous]

win what........?

 

[Bala Verde]

Ha, and where is he going to make a difference? There is only one mountain top finish where he can and must attack, Verbier. Then there is a TT where he will lose time.

The Mont Ventoux is likely going to be a major disappointment. Usually it is really windy on the flanks of the 'bald mountain'. I think we'll see a similar scenario as on Arcalis, where a strong head wind prevents any single rider to create a huge gap. If anything, it'll be a strong but measured effort put in at the very end of the climb, to overcome head wind and gradient. Otherwise, they might blow up...

 

[Escarabajo]

He wasn't 'allowed' to go away.The only ones who could follow were the guys in his own team, Andy and Frank who just controlled the bunch once Sastre launched. Menchov tried to go with him but got blown out the back of even the chasing group. He rode bloody well to regain contact later up the Alp. The others were on the rivet when Sastre attacked the second time and got away. Cadel tried to lift the pace but was continually blocked by Andy and was never going to be able to bridge and was also riding injured. Kohl...well he is just a ****er so I'll pass him by. The others were just happy to be there, though Van der Velde did have a go on a couple of occasions but was immediately shut down by the Schlecks

Probably Andy could follow, but not Frank. At least that's what I noticed in my tape. By then Andy did not have any chances anyway. Remember that Frank made some attempts to run away from Cadel and he could not do it. Because he did not have the strength. Franks weakness during the third week showed in the final TT where he lost a lot of time.

 

[fatandfast]

Joke is on us.

Days of neutral racing because the course is too spooky without radios.An easy day in the mountains for sprinters,A bunch sprint after a mountain stage is a joke.Race coverage does interviews with only English speaking riders 90% of the time,Sastre won the thing why not ask him what he thinks,What about Menchov.If last year was a bit of a joke you should be rolling on the floor this year.

 

[Chef_Vodnik]

Probably Andy could follow, but not Frank. At least that's what I noticed in my tape. By then Andy did not have any chances anyway. Remember that Frank made some attempts to run away from Cadel and he could not do it. Because he did not have the strength. Franks weakness during the third week showed in the final TT where he lost a lot of time.

As far as I know, there was an issue with his bike; Something broken, if I recall correctly.
This is however no excuse for his bad time, but I think that he would have been significantly better if he had not been obstructed by this. His recovery rate is probably better then normal, as he tends to get stronger by the end of longer races.

 

[mambo#5]

win what........?

the lotto maybe. dunno.

 

[Escarabajo]

Sastre... Sastre... Sastre... I'm so sick of all the Sastre threads.... cant we merge them all into one sticky?
.

???

What are you talking about?
He barely gets some attention.

 

[ruamruam]

???

What are you talking about?
He barely gets some attention.

I think he is being sarcastic.

ruamruam

 

[Escarabajo]

I think he is being sarcastic.

ruamruam

I should have known better.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Ha, and where is he going to make a difference? There is only one mountain top finish where he can and must attack, Verbier.

Don't count on it. Verbier is more gradual than Arcalis, shorter, and about 800m lower. It was in the Suisse last year and won by Kim Kirchen. About 20 riders within a minute. None of them on the caliber (or peaking) like what we have here. This isn't an HC climb after 4,000m of climbing in the previous six hours. No. It's a Cat 1 climb (maybe overrated) after some modest climbs. We're likely to see another repeat of some 60 guys heading up the climb and some wilting off the back, but a whole slew of them finishing within seconds of each other at the finish.

Then again, after what we've been watching for the last week and a half, it might qualify as very exciting.

 

[ericthesportsman6]

This years field is 10 times stronger than last years, Sastre has no chance.

 

[Ninety5rpm]

This years field is 10 times stronger than last years, Sastre has no chance.

10 times stronger?
So they're putting out about 4,000 watts instead of 400 watts?
Please.

The field is a tiny fraction stronger this year, but at that level that's enough to leave last year's winner of something that was a "bit of a joke" with barely a chance to get on the podium, much less win.

But I think Sastre has a chance to win... a stage.

 

[mr. tibbs]

10 times stronger?
So they're putting out about 4,000 watts instead of 400 watts?
Please.

The field is a tiny fraction stronger this year, but at that level that's enough to leave last year's winner of something that was a "bit of a joke" with barely a chance to get on the podium, much less win.

But I think Sastre has a chance to win... a stage.

Just remember before you start casting aspersions on his abilities & Tour win: Sastre would only be a minute and a quarter down if it weren't for the fact that certain GC riders benefited greatly from the strength of their teammates' time trialing.

 

[Cobber]

Just remember before you start casting aspersions on his abilities & Tour win: Sastre would only be a minute and a quarter down if it weren't for the fact that certain GC riders benefited greatly from the strength of their teammates' time trialing.

So true.... and I really hope he attacks and LA is unable to follow. It would be nice to see him eat some humble pie for a change!

 

[dgodave]

???

What are you talking about?
He barely gets some attention.

Its all Sastre all time around here!!! Its sort of a joke, if you ask me.
.