Stage 21, Roma (ITT), 14.4km

[Anonymous]

8 of your last 10 post have been about lance.
is that what it means to you to be a cycling fan?
i'm sad for levi. he'll now go back to his main job. dragging contador up the mountains.
who was your favorite?
how did lance refuse to promote cancer research?
as for whining. levi handled himself with dignity at all times and took the blame for not getting it done.

And 3 of the 4 posts on this thread by you have been about me. Is that what it means to you to be a cycling fan?
I am obviously your favorite.
Here, I have a present for you: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhwbxEfy7fg

Why do I have to have a favorite?
The "Comeback" was ostensibly about cancer, yet most of the press was about Lance's whining and then refusal to speak with the media because he was pouting. How does that promote cancer research?
Levi whined this morning about the course, and then rode like a wussy.

 

[Anonymous]

Thank you, Captain Obvious.

oh, the sting of yet another cheap shot from bodeal baffoon.

 

[Anonymous]

And 3 of the 4 posts on this thread by you have been about me. Is that what it means to you to be a cycling fan?
I am obviously your favorite.
Here, I have a present for you: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhwbxEfy7fg

Why do I have to have a favorite?
The "Comeback" was ostensibly about cancer, yet most of the press was about Lance's whining and then refusal to speak with the media because he was pouting. How does that promote cancer research?
Levi whined this morning about the course, and then rode like a wussy.

i hear that video is real popular among 7th grade boys.

you don't have a favorite because by doing so you'd have to take a risk that other might criticize your choice. you prefer offense to defense. a cowards position.

it's your position that he was whining. i guess were talking about the street stage. he wasn't the instigator, or alone, and i agree with them.
the director made comments that were obviously directed at lance. at that point lance is damned if he does, damned if he doesn't. lance stopped talking to the press. big deal.
i'd say it's you doing the whining.
and it's never ending.

 

[Anonymous]

How fast was the mechanic in getting Menchov's spare bike, he'd barely slide to a halt before they were out of the car and delivery a new bike.
Got Menchov going in seconds. Superb job.

Good to see Menchov win and I think at the finish that's the most animated I've seen him. Well deserved and I bet a massive relief after picking himself up off the floor.

it was amazing.
he was there so fast it even surprised menchov.

 

[Anonymous]

i hear that video is real popular among 7th grade boys.

you don't have a favorite because by doing so you'd have to take a risk that other might criticize your choice. you prefer offense to defense. a cowards position.

it's your position that he was whining. i guess were talking about the street stage. he wasn't the instigator, or alone, and i agree with them.
the director made comments that were obviously directed at lance. at that point lance is damned if he does, damned if he doesn't. lance stopped talking to the press. big deal.
i'd say it's you doing the whining.
and it's never ending.

I don't have a favorite because I refuse to commit to any single rider. I enjoy the sport of cycling. That enjoyment is lessened by my suspicion that it is still predominately a dirty sport which leaves me wondering about any single rider. I also don't need a hero to live vicariously through because I don't live a sad, mundane life in need of inspiration from someone I don't know personally. If I was afraid of criticism I wouldn't post the things that garner criticism by people like you. You call me a 7th grader and then call me a coward on a forum because you face no physical harm for doing so. Again, I submit that you just aren't that swift are you little fella?

 

[Susan Westemeyer]

Cool it, you two. You're pushing your luck.

Susan

 

[RdBiker]

It seems that Di Luca and LPR estimated the pace of Menchov pretty well and DDL began the TT with a pace what would have been needed for the win. It's really the only thing you can do since if you lose 5 secs on the first half you can't make 30 secs up on the second half. He took a chance that he might've for some reason been able to keep up the pace but apparently he lost the speed after the first time check.

You could see that for a moment Menchov panicked a little when he got up from the ground but no wonder when you fall in a situation like that. Did anyone hear what was the reason for the fall? Straight road so did he just lose his position on the bike?

 

[Wattie]

It seems that Di Luca and LPR estimated the pace of Menchov pretty well and DDL began the TT with a pace what would have been needed for the win. It's really the only thing you can do since if you lose 5 secs on the first half you can't make 30 secs up on the second half. He took a chance that he might've for some reason been able to keep up the pace but apparently he lost the speed after the first time check.

You could see that for a moment Menchov panicked a little when he got up from the ground but no wonder when you fall in a situation like that. Did anyone hear what was the reason for the fall? Straight road so did he just lose his position on the bike?

Quite right. Di Luca stated beforehand that he'd have needed about 40sec lead on Menchov before the final TT. If you take the fall out of it, that is about how much M would have beaten DiL by.

Watching the race live it looked like Menchov simply lost his wheel on the cobbles. By the time he reached the last K it was raining quite heavily and cobbles are awful things to ride on when it is wet. They have a curvarture that makes them difficult and can cause your wheel to slip about a bit and on a tt bike it is that much harder to make little corrections. The roads in Rome are awful. It is not just the cobbled sections themselves, but even on the normal roads in some places the tarmac is worn away so that shiny cobbles come through, so its not even predictable like riding on an entirely cobbled road. I think Menchov had ridden superbly to do the sort of time he did in those conditions; most of the other riders had the luxury of taking it steady. Di Luca could throw caution to the wind because he had nothing to lose, whereas Menchov had everything to lose. Perhaps Menchov figured that there was a fair chance of taking a tumble anyway, so better to take it when you have been going quickly and gaining time than be cautious and still fall.

 

[Furbo_]

What an end for il Giro.

I followed Menchov's last kilometres and arrival on Eurosport Russia... Never heard such excitement since flemish broadcasters at '96 World Championship.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

It seems that Di Luca and LPR estimated the pace of Menchov pretty well and DDL began the TT with a pace what would have been needed for the win. It's really the only thing you can do since if you lose 5 secs on the first half you can't make 30 secs up on the second half. He took a chance that he might've for some reason been able to keep up the pace but apparently he lost the speed after the first time check.

You could see that for a moment Menchov panicked a little when he got up from the ground but no wonder when you fall in a situation like that. Did anyone hear what was the reason for the fall? Straight road so did he just lose his position on the bike?

No. Breukink said they calculated a very fast start of Di Luca who would take all risks in the first part with a lot of corners. Menchov started without risk, to take the time on the longer straight parts. He wasn't panicking after the first split.

 

[dgodave]

What an end for il Giro.

I followed Menchov's last kilometres and arrival on Eurosport Russia... Never heard such excitement since flemish broadcasters at '96 World Championship.

That one fall, and quick turnaround, changed the whole feel of the Giro's conclusion, it seems.
.
IF Menchov lost the Maglia Rosa in the spill, does anybody think DiLuca would feel he rightfully earned the victory as tactical vindication of his road-bike vs TT bike choice? (the road bike being a bit more stable, I think).
.

 

[Zoncolan]

DDL once again showed he's all about guts.
It was great to see Menchov celebrate like that. He is human after all. Very weak TT by Sastre, he almost lost his position on GC to Basso.
On the bright side, he is tryng to avoid injury, like Armstrong and LL, in order to be fit for the Tour.

 

[mr. tibbs]

just for our entertainment, it had to rain, and then rain again a little harder, with the last 2 guys out there. menchov ended up in the wettest conditions at the end.
and then the shock of the fall which faded quickly as i did the math.
di luca did nothing really to help himself today. he's just not a good time trialer. you can't make up for talent with effort.
it was great to see menchov let loose the emotion!

The pic of Di Luca and Menchov hugging on the podium is great, too. Those two guys put on a hell of a show this Giro, and I'm sure they're feeling some kind brotherhood/respect for each other.

And as for making up for talent with effort, I think that's been the story of Di Luca's Giro. Just throwing himself over and over at that Russian brick wall, trying to knock it down, but, in the end, the TTs did him in.

I admit I was pulling for Di Luca, but Menchov worked his tail off covering all of the Italian's attacks, and I gotta respect that.

EDIT: Of course, by talent I'm refering to TTs, not clmibing or general cycling stuff. No one could argue that Di Luca isn't an amazing cyclist--he's just not a great TTist.

 

[Parrot23]

Very weak TT by Sastre, he almost lost his position on GC to Basso.

Yes, and I'm just wondering what A. Schleck is thinking about both vis the TDF. Worse TT'er than Sastre (and Menchov by a mile) and he can't be that much better than Sastre or Menchov on the climbs. Prob. fairly even, or slightly better.

They only hope they have against Menchov is to throw the long bomb, the hail mary pass, and go a long way from home.

Thinking of July, Menchov loves Ventoux. He's won that climb in the Dauphine, if I remember correctly. We might just have a thrilling finale there, too.

Note to file by A. Schleck and A. Contador: think very hard now.

 

[luckyboy]

Great end to a very exciting stage race, not the outcome I would've liked, but there you go...

I was a bit disappointed that Eurosport didn't show the podiums


Edit: Also, Gilbert & Voeckler 1-2 yesterday!

 

[Anonymous]

Cool it, you two. You're pushing your luck.

Susan

two...?

theres another WBT? oh god.. dont tell me hes been cloned :eek

 

[Bala Verde]

Here is the vid from the Rabobank bus, where his team gathered to see Menchov's TT. Obviously, they went nuts, but still great to watch...

http://player.nos.nl/index.php/media/play/tcmid/tcm:5-52

or

http://player.nos.nl/index.php/media/play/tcmid/tcm:5-523711/category/sport/

It starts somewhere at 1:08 for the English speaking crowd.

 

[Anonymous]

Here is the vid from the Rabobank bus, where his team gathered to see Menchov's TT. Obviously, they went nuts, but still great to watch...

http://player.nos.nl/index.php/media/play/tcmid/tcm:5-52

or

http://player.nos.nl/index.php/media/play/tcmid/tcm:5-523711/category/sport/

It starts somewhere at 1:08 for the English speaking crowd.

Thanks for the post, they had the same reaction I did....only I am sure they were a bit more upset....

 

[Juan Pelota]

Here is the vid from the Rabobank bus, where his team gathered to see Menchov's TT. Obviously, they went nuts, but still great to watch...

http://player.nos.nl/index.php/media/play/tcmid/tcm:5-52

or

http://player.nos.nl/index.php/media/play/tcmid/tcm:5-523711/category/sport/

It starts somewhere at 1:08 for the English speaking crowd.

Thanks that was great. Good to see such amazing comaraderie