TDF winner, welcome to a man that never ever attacks...richly deserved...not

[davegore2005]

At least some of the more recent TDF winners were prepared to lead from the front to get the gaps to win the race, but step forward Cadel Evans, only defining moment of this years race was attacking to try to bring down the time difference to Andy Schleck, not a single attack, classic wheel follower and half decent time trial-er.
Dave

 

[hrotha]

Can't wait for August.

 

[Zoncolan]

Can't wait for August.

Same here

 

[mr. tibbs]

Same here

Haha. I'm sorry for what I'm about to do, but:

*Ahem*

Cadel Evans single-handedly took three minutes out of Andy on the Galibier.

That is all.

 

[180mmCrank]

Welcome to the Forum Dave.

Do we really need another thread about Cadel? Do you think we could carry this discussion on in another thread...

Up to you guys. I am sure the forum will settle down after tomorrow...

 

[Winterfold]

FAIL

A TT like that is a the same as a massive 42km solo attack. Too many poster here just dont get that, they should try a 16km TT sometime and see what they think.

He won a classic-style stage, by taking it to both Gilbert and Contador.

He did one of the biggest pulls I have seen in a GT on 18

and on 19 he went on the attack when the timing was right having been pushing to get back on for most of the rest of the stage.

Cadel is a deserving winner, he was the most consistent and biggest beast in this year's tour, and is not his fault too many so-called GC contenders (who are really just jumped-up grimpeurs) cannot TT. It is the race of truth, and the truth will out.

And this was a course very much focussed on the climbers. haha.

I guess next year there will be no ITT...

 

[mastersracer]

and showed balls of steel on the TT ride today - even with a large lead by the end he kept it full gas. Besides, he had the weakest team - by far - of any contender - and spent mile after mile singlehandedly chasing down breaks. That was a fantastic Tour by him.

 

[LargusMeans]

Sorry Dave, disagree. Cadel did exactly what he had to do to win this TdF. The Schlecks wasted their opportunity to win by being afraid of attacking all out in the Pyrenees. Andy was brave on the stage up the Galibier, but Cadels ride was heroic as well and in the end, Cadels ride was better, he alone saved his TdF that day. To deny that is just hating. Next day Cadel did what he had to do, he got dropped, then used his team and rode intelligently to perservere. TV and the Schlecks did not use the same tactics and therefore failed.

 

[Seatrout]

#davegore2005
**Edited by Mod** He won a stage, He attacked Andy on the Alpe d'Huez stage. He attacked the top leaders on one of the Pyrenees stages. He attacked Andy together with Alberto down hill from Col de Manse. He was the only man how took the fight up with Andy Shleck and singlehanded took down the time difference to Andy Schleck on the Col du Galibier stage. He almost won the timetrail.....with several minutes to the top conteders........What more do you want!! You don't only win the TDF by riding fast up hill.........sorry. Andy Shleck will newer win the TDF unless he makes his timetraile better, is awake on every stage and stop crying, when it rains and he has to go down hill! I'm very pleased the he did not win! ! ! Cadel deserve the victory!! Can't wait to next year!!

 

[taiwan]

At least some of the more recent TDF winners were prepared to lead from the front to get the gaps to win the race, but step forward Cadel Evans, only defining moment of this years race was attacking to try to bring down the time difference to Andy Schleck, not a single attack, classic wheel follower and half decent time trial-er.
Dave

$&@*&£$@£ *£&%!!!

That is all.

 

[goggalor]

When he did the bunny hop in the TT today, I finally thought, "yes, this man is a deserving winner".

 

[titan_90]

Don't feed the trolls.

 

[mr. tibbs]

When he did the bunny hop in the TT today, I finally thought, "yes, this man is a deserving winner".

Oh dear, I'm gonna need footage of that.

 

[BullsFan22]

Sure, he is a counterpuncher most of the time, but since winning Worlds back in 2009, he's been more offensive in his riding, and has been riding superbly. Yes he only 'officially' attacked once or twice, but that's his style. He knew he had to ride his own race, limit any time loss he thought he would have in the mtns, follow the leaders, do his share of pulling up front if he was trying to get a gap to one of the favorites or just pulling himself back to contention. I feel winning the rainbow jersey really freed him up, made him more relaxed and he never really had a bad race after that (same with Hushovd). Give the guy a break. These guys aren't drugged up cyborgs like Pantani and Armstrong where they can attack whenever they feel like or whenever the road tilts upward. Perhaps he didn't attack a lot because he felt like he would have crushed the opposition and he would feel sorry at the end of the tour, because he would have won by 6 or 7 minutes. If the Schlecks want to win the tour, they are gonna have to be more vigilant with their tactics (like the Galibier stage) and keep going with their attacks. Their descending is also gonna have to improve, because that is also a big part of cycle racing, believe it or not. It's not all about attacking in the mountains. Plus Cadel is a hard working, honest, respectful rider. I think he deserved this win. There were no punk attacks (see chaingate), no controversy with time gaps, everything seemed fair, from all stage and jersey winners. That is exactly what a fan wants to see, and hopefully it happens next year as well. Hopefully the Schlecks come back stronger and change their attitudes a bit, and maybe they'll be in yellow come Paris.

 

[TERMINATOR]

At least some of the more recent TDF winners were prepared to lead from the front to get the gaps to win the race, but step forward Cadel Evans, only defining moment of this years race was attacking to try to bring down the time difference to Andy Schleck, not a single attack, classic wheel follower and half decent time trial-er.
Dave

Attacking is gay. All those guys who "attacked" Evans attacked in the opposite direction in today's TT.

 

[goggalor]

Oh dear, I'm gonna need footage of that.

I think it was somewhere on the descent after the second time check, about 50 mins into his TT. Don't quite know where to find the footage.

 

[El Pistolero]

He did pull for more than 10km at the Galibier and he somewhat attacked at stage 1 and stage 4. If anything he sucked less wheel than Frank Schleck.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Can't wait for August.

+100

Hey, anyone remember this guy?

 

[Michielveedeebee]

+100

Hey, anyone remember this guy?

yeah, isn't that the loser that always hung on in the mountains and won the tour 5 consecutive times in the TT ?

 

[diggercuz]

Yeah that's, that's, um, yeah that's.. Ummm... Hey anyone see a bike race today???

What an epic race...

Cadel, most worthy winner I've seen for a long time...

 

[the vagabond]

Hey, Dave, here's an idea. Don't even keep times. Just vote on the most aggressive rider every day and then award the yellow jersey to the rider with the most most aggressive rider points.

BTW, you might want to check out the green jersey points standings among the (so-called) contenders, just for yucks.

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

Any more threads like this and the internets will break.

 

[jobiwan]

Dear OP: Please go away. Cadel Evans fully deserved this Tour!

 

[the vagabond]

Another idea, for the Daves of the world, would be that if a winner does not have a margin of at least three minutes at the end of the race, the race is declared a stalemate, with no winner. Clearly, only when races produce a rider who can attain a margin of victory of at least three minutes can it be said that the winner was aggressive enough to deserve the victory.

 

[tourmallama]

So Cadel isn't a "climbing Diva" like Contador and the Schlecks (Andy, anyway). At least Contador made himself into a good timetrialer. Once Andy does that then he will be a true "GC" contender. But these "Divas," are showing themselves to be pretty fragile (either mentally or physically). Anybody want to suggest that Cadel is fragile?

He won one stage, nearly won the TT, attacked when it made sense, put in a couple of truly epic chases, rode an incredibly smart race overall, and finally came out on top.

Sorry if that is not flashy enough. Wait! No I'm not. I love it!