TDS Stage 8: Wetzikon → Liestal 179 km

[jens_attacks]

Nippons are hilarious (Imagine if Beppu was there and crashed with Cav)

that was a piece of great commentary.
does someone know what's that "sa!"?

saaaaaaa!

 

[Barrus]

It matters not. According to the UK fanboy commentators, there are only 2 riders left in the race and Armstrong will produce a "vintage" time trial, tomorrow.


That's all I've heard for the past hour.........

you should have joined us and listening to the Japanese commentators, I think I'm going to watch most of my cycling on such a stream

 

[Hugh Januss]

I know this has been touched upon before, but has there ever been another pro cyclist who has been anywhere close to failing as consistently to live up to early hype as poor Tommy D.?

 

[sublimit]

There's a fine line between insane and totally effing useless. The chatroom there can't even see that line with the hubble telescope.

The feed was good but some of the misfits on the chatroom... a bit too much with the occasional clever comment but yes better to blank that. its very distracting.

 

[theyoungest]

good stage. hushovd sprinting for ninth, just to get some practice.

And Gesink sprinting for tenth! It's clear, the green jersey battle will be between Hushovd and Gesink.

 

[bobs nob]

I know this has been touched upon before, but has there ever been another pro cyclist who has been anywhere close to failing as consistently to live up to early hype as poor Tommy D.?

You are right, this has been addressed before, it probably has even had several threads, not just in this forum, but in forums that discuss coffee, sewing, needlepoint, dog grooming, proper care for blueberry plants, home improvements, toenail infections, auto detailing, and the best way to make risotto and the resounding consensus is no, there is no one who gets mentioned more as a contender and fails to live up to it.

 

[Jamsque]

I know this has been touched upon before, but has there ever been another pro cyclist who has been anywhere close to failing as consistently to live up to early hype as poor Tommy D.?

For a supposed climber he sure was getting dropped quickly on the uphill sections. I think he is one of those guys who is great in the lab but just isn't a racer.

 

[theyoungest]

For a supposed climber he sure was getting dropped quickly on the uphill sections. I think he is one of those guys who is great in the lab but just isn't a racer.

He was pretty impressive in last year's Vuelta... that is, until he wasn't anymore.

 

[Hugh Januss]

It matters not. According to the UK fanboy commentators, there are only 2 riders left in the race and Armstrong will produce a "vintage" time trial, tomorrow.


That's all I've heard for the past hour.........

To be fair anything he does will by definition be vintage.

 

[Jamsque]

There's a chance he could be a useful domestique for CVV in the mountains at the TdF, but VandeVelde doesn't look to be on all that great form.

[edit] The only interesting topic of discussion for tomorrow's stage is how much Spartacus will beat the field by.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

He was pretty impressive in last year's Vuelta... that is, until he wasn't anymore.

He was impressive in Burgos too, taking the lead on the ITT and managing very well with the contenders around him bullying him on the climb to Lagunas de Neila (one of the most underrated climbs in world cycling - usually responsible for a lot of fun) - he had to manage a gap to Soler and Mosquera out front, and had Tondó, Masciarelli, Rodríguez and Valverde for company; he kept everybody on a leash until there were only a couple of kilometres to go, when Tondó and Masciarelli went; they were no longer a threat as couldn't open up enough of a gap. Unfortunately for him, that was also naïve as the Caisse duo did a number on him and won Valverde the race.

But it showed he was in form in August, which explained (along with his illness) why he was good in the Vuelta before really tailing off later on... see also, Evans, Cadel, Giro.

 

[Goldberger]

Great rides by Hushovd and Nordhaug today!!!

I think Tony Martin could challenge Cancellara tomorrow btw.

 

[theyoungest]

A much better stage than yesterday, but still this race has been light on seriously climbing.

It's been more entertaining than Paris-Nice though. Which had the climbing, but not the riders.

 

[issoisso]

Oh look, Costa's alive. Looks like he's gambling form on a Tour selection, for some reason.

What was Monfort thinking, seriously? Did he actually think Rojas wouldn't beat him in a sprint if he somehow caught Costa?

 

[theyoungest]

He was impressive in Burgos too, taking the lead on the ITT and managing very well with the contenders around him bullying him on the climb to Lagunas de Neila (one of the most underrated climbs in world cycling - usually responsible for a lot of fun) - he had to manage a gap to Soler and Mosquera out front, and had Tondó, Masciarelli, Rodríguez and Valverde for company; he kept everybody on a leash until there were only a couple of kilometres to go, when Tondó and Masciarelli went; they were no longer a threat as couldn't open up enough of a gap. Unfortunately for him, that was also naïve as the Caisse duo did a number on him and won Valverde the race.

But it showed he was in form in August, which explained (along with his illness) why he was good in the Vuelta before really tailing off later on... see also, Evans, Cadel, Giro.

Didn't he get sick during the Vuelta? Which is more or less his curse?

 

[Libertine Seguros]

It's been more entertaining than Paris-Nice though. Which had the climbing, but not the riders.

Do you mean the Dauphiné? I seem to recall Paris-Nice being very entertaining with Sánchez, Valverde, Contador and Rodríguez animating the GC battle, Sagan's breakthrough, waaier racing in the early going, Lars Boom's jersey defending, Titi Voeckler and Amaël Moinard animating the race, Skil and Vacansoleil attacking every day (man, the ASO had a nice racket going on there - tell them a TdF berth's on the line, so they make the race exciting by going all out to impress, so you get an exciting race and then you don't invite them - you've used them, ASO, used them) and Tondó's incredible solo win.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Oh look, Costa's alive. Looks like he's gambling form on a Tour selection, for some reason.

What was Monfort thinking, seriously? Did he actually think Rojas wouldn't beat him in a sprint if he somehow caught Costa?

Since Rojas started outclimbing Danielson, who is supposedly a GC rider, should we take this as a sign that Rojas is turning into the rider we all thought he could become several years ago? Or is it just another false dawn for a guy who will spend most of his career coming 5th in a lot of sprints?

 

[thehog]

I know this has been touched upon before, but has there ever been another pro cyclist who has been anywhere close to failing as consistently to live up to early hype as poor Tommy D.?

The only interest I have at the Tour is the Lance V Tommy D showdown. It will need it's own thread.

 

[theyoungest]

Do you mean the Dauphiné? I seem to recall Paris-Nice being very entertaining with Sánchez, Valverde, Contador and Rodríguez animating the GC battle, Sagan's breakthrough, waaier racing in the early going, Lars Boom's jersey defending, Titi Voeckler and Amaël Moinard animating the race, Skil and Vacansoleil attacking every day (man, the ASO had a nice racket going on there - tell them a TdF berth's on the line, so they make the race exciting by going all out to impress, so you get an exciting race and then you don't invite them - you've used them, ASO, used them) and Tondó's incredible solo win.

Obviously I meant the Dauphiné, sorry.

 

[issoisso]

Since Rojas started outclimbing Danielson, who is supposedly a GC rider, should we take this as a sign that Rojas is turning into the rider we all thought he could become several years ago? Or is it just another false dawn for a guy who will spend most of his career coming 5th in a lot of sprints?

Don't worry, he'll also win a couple of bunch sprints in the Vuelta a Cieza

 

[BroDeal]

Don't dis my man Tommy D. He is about to actually finish a stage race. This is a great accomplishment.

At the end of the race I may have to calculate the Tommy D Rating for various teams.

 

[Hugh Januss]

Don't dis my man Tommy D. He is about to actually finish a stage race. This is a great accomplishment.

At the end of the race I may have to calculate the Tommy D Rating for various teams.

Uhoh, now you've done it, you've put the hex on him. He will crash out of the TT tomorrow. I would have thought a long time Tommy D. fan like yourself would have learned to be more careful by now.

 

[Oldbiker]

Gesink getting worked over by Saxo, but he's covering everything.
No wonder the Shack is despised.
Lance, Levi and Kloden all there and sucking, sucking, sucking..........

What do you expect them to do? It is a training race, they are using it to judge their own efforts against others, NOT to chase down a break. What are they actually doing that would make anyone despise them... you are mentally disturbed if it affects you that way.

 

[Mellow Velo]

I'm not the one with a multiple personality disorder, BPC.

 

[Polish]

Uhoh, now you've done it, you've put the hex on him. He will crash out of the TT tomorrow. I would have thought a long time Tommy D. fan like yourself would have learned to be more careful by now.

I can not see Tommy D crashing in the TT. It is an Individual TT.



I think he will either get food poisoning tonite or hit the snooze button and miss the start.