The (1-day) races this weekend: Reggio Calabria & Marseillaise

[Anonymous]

Dunno if DIM knows more than I do (quite likely as like many posters he seems more knowledgeable about the sport than I am) but De Gendt pushed EBH into 2nd place last year as the hero of the ToB. As an unknown 22 year old, he went out on breaks every day until he had accumulated enough points to win both the KOM an Points jerseys.

It's hard not to get excited by an aggressive young rider like that.

Yup.. Thomas has a lot of fans in britain after his performance last year..
First stage he went on the attack and shared the mountains and sprint points with another rider. Second day he went again, racking up loads more points, and then interviewed said he would take a rest..
Surprise surprise the next day he attacked again. Made himself very very popular in britain with his riding style. Pretty much attacked every single day. Nearly got a stage win one day. Even the fifth day with the mountains classification all but mathematically guaranteed he attacked saying "The team leader said it would be useful if I had some more points in the mountains competition, We figured out that if I won the first two climbs today, then I could not be caught in that competition. "
Apparently he doesnt like riding in the group (he tried again sunday to get out of the main field in the gp marsellaise)

Think he was pretty taken aback in london on the final stage of the ToB with so many fans shouting his name.

I think a lot of british cycling fans took to him. Hope hes coming back this year, although the pressure will be on him to attack.

 

[theyoungest]

He got off on a technicality on the Testosterone/Epitestosterone ratio test when he was 18 and tested positive.

Anyone familiar with the guy (I don't mean fans) knows what he's on. Same goes for his little friend who also had a breakout season last year. That's all I'm saying on him.

He's not exactly above suspicion, but I assume you're guessing just as much as the next guy.

 

[ak-zaaf]

He's not exactly above suspicion, but I assume you're guessing just as much as the next guy.

"Anyone familiar with the guy (I don't mean fans) knows what he's on."

So either he's familiar with the guy and knows what he's on but doesn't say it, or he's as clueless as the rest.
Either way, pretty sad.

That's all I'm saying on him.

 

[Arnout]

He's not exactly above suspicion, but I assume you're guessing just as much as the next guy.

I can assure you that I am more right than he is

 

[craig1985]

Hoogerland maybe a doper, but at least he isn't boring.

 

[Mellow Velo]

I'm not starting a new thread for this. Somebody else may.
No net feed for etoile de besseges, I think.
Starts today, with live updates, in French, here.
http://www.directvelo.com/
Line up.
http://www.cyclingstartlists.com/2010/02Feb/06Besseges2010.htm
Course Info.
http://www.cyclesud.fr/sport-2010/etoile-bessege.html

 

[Anonymous]

My boy thomas on the attack again..

With hoogerland sadly..

 

[lucybears]

I'm not starting a new thread for this. Somebody else may.
No net feed for etoile de besseges, I think.
Starts today, with live updates, in French, here.
http://www.directvelo.com/
Line up.
http://www.cyclingstartlists.com/2010/02Feb/06Besseges2010.htm
Course Info.
http://www.cyclesud.fr/sport-2010/etoile-bessege.html

several riders on that startlist = DNS
try
http://startlist.cyclingfever.com/startlist.html?_p=startlijst&id=19764

 

[craig1985]

Bozic wins stage one with Niko Eeckhout (who would be a perfect fit for Retirement Shack) in 2nd spot.

 

[Anonymous]

link to french highlights (terribly uninteresting)

 

[Kingsley A]

link to french highlights (terribly uninteresting)

Wow you are not kidding!

I am unfortunately a monoglot and so have no idea what the commentator is saying but why produce a highlights report, however short, that doesn't show the final sprint? I wonder if that was the full report of if more will turn up on Youtube in the next few hours?

 

[ak-zaaf]

jueves, 04 de febrero de 2010
Daniel Lloyd, to hospital after crash final sprint in the first stage Star of Bessèges, while preparing the sprint for his teammate Dominique Rollin. Situation unknown [Bici].

 

[Mellow Velo]

Thanks Dim. Better than nowt, at this time of the year.
Bad day all around for the Brits.
Dan Lloyd:
http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news...-after-besseges-crash-likely-out-of-race.html
Lizzie Armistead in the Qatar crosswinds:
http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/latest/441236/armitstead-crashes-out-of-tour-of-qatar.html

 

[Anonymous]

Wow you are not kidding!

I am unfortunately a monoglot and so have no idea what the commentator is saying but why produce a highlights report, however short, that doesn't show the final sprint? I wonder if that was the full report of if more will turn up on Youtube in the next few hours?

you see the sprint, just.. thats what tf3 had in the news, and is all the footage there is.. i scanned all the french channels last night.. nowt..
even over there its a pretty minor race