Tirreno-Adriatico 2012 (07.03.-13.03.)

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

I really really hope for a Cadel vs Contador early season showdown.

Well find out next week if we get that.

You're kidding, right? If Cadel's season build up is anything like last year's he'll magically reach his climbing form at the Tour and not before. Prati di Tivo will be too much too soon. 14.5 km at 7.2 percent. He'll get his *** handed to him.

 

[will10]

You're kidding, right? If Cadel's season build up is anything like last year's he'll magically reach his climbing form at the Tour and not before. Prati di Tivo will be too much too soon. 14.5 km at 7.2 percent. He'll get his *** handed to him.

I'm guessing you only watch cycling in July, and as a result missed Cadel winning Tirreno and Romandie, finishing 2nd in the Dauphine and 8th in Catalunya last year before the Tour.

 

[roundabout]

In a way he is right, but he is exaggerating slightly as Cadel didn't really ride any mountains until the Dauphine.

 

[will10]

In a way he is right, but he is exaggerating slightly as Cadel didn't really ride any mountains until the Dauphine.

And in another way he is wrong, because Cadel climbs well all year around. He is no Andy Schleck, who climbed Serfaus in the Tour de Suisse at the same pace as Rojas...

 

[theyoungest]

And in another way he is wrong, because Cadel climbs well all year around. He is no Andy Schleck, who climbed Serfaus in the Tour de Suisse at the same pace as Rojas...

I guess you didn't watch Pais Vasco, with Andy Schleck being one of the strongest up the Eibar-Arrate climb.

It's just true that Evans didn't make much of an impression on the longer climbs before the Tour.

 

[The Hitch]

I'm guessing you only watch cycling in July, and as a result missed Cadel winning Tirreno and Romandie, finishing 2nd in the Dauphine and 8th in Catalunya last year before the Tour.

I agree with you of course but am surprised to see anyone mention Catalunya while defending Cadel because it was his worst performance of the season.

Also, thats the race everyone wants to slip under the carpet as it shows that Scarponi is far from the mediocre domestic climber who would lose 20 minutes on a Tour mountain stage, that he is made out to be.

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

I guess you didn't watch Pais Vasco, with Andy Schleck being one of the strongest up the Eibar-Arrate climb.

It's just true that Evans didn't make much of an impression on the longer climbs before the Tour.

Indeed. Schleck also got 2nd on Sierra road. Not very impressive considering the competition, but certainly not any worse than Evans before the Tour.

I'm guessing you only watch cycling in July, and as a result missed Cadel winning Tirreno and Romandie, finishing 2nd in the Dauphine and 8th in Catalunya last year before the Tour.

Tirreno and Romandie didn't have any serious climbing, just hills. Evans is good to great on hilly courses when he's not on peak form. He needs to be on form to climb well, though. He got his 2nd place at the Dauphine because of a long ITT and a hilly stage. His climbing form was disastrous, though, for a stage racer of his stature.


Catalunya

Coll de Pal

1. [ESP] CONTADOR VELASCO Alberto SBS 5h45'31" 40
2. [ITA] SCARPONI Michele LAM 23" 25
3. [USA] LEIPHEIMER Levi RSH 23" 15
4. [IRL] MARTIN Daniel GRM 35" 10
5. [USA] HORNER Chris RSH 35" 5
6. [COL] CANO ARDILA Alex Norberto CEP 35" 3
7. [ITA] BASSO Ivan LIQ 38" 2
8. [COL] URAN URAN Rigoberto SKY 38" 1
9. [ESP] TONDO VOLPINI Xavier MOV 38" 0
10. [AUS] EVANS Cadel BMC 50" 0


Dauphine

Collet d'Allevard

1. [ESP] RODRIGUEZ OLIVER Joaquin KAT 5h12'47" 40
2. [NED] GESINK Robert RAB 31" 25
3. [BEL] VAN DEN BROECK Jurgen OLO 39" 15
4. [FRA] KERN Christophe EUC 41" 10
5. [KAZ] VINOKOUROV Alexandre AST 50" 5
6. [GBR] WIGGINS Bradley SKY 54" 3
7. [DEN] SØRENSEN Chris Anker SBS 01'00" 2
8. [FRA] PERAUD Jean-Christophe ALM 01'06" 1
9. [AUS] EVANS Cadel BMC 01'09" 0
10. [FRA] VOECKLER Thomas EUC 01'58" 0

 

[skidmark]

Right, Valverde can't ride in Italy yet. My bad

Pretty sure he can ride everywhere as of Jan 1st... his ban in Italy preceded his CAS ban, so even if that was separate than the worldwide ban, that ended sometime last year.

Not that he'd be welcome in Italy... maybe that's even more motivation.

 

[theyoungest]

Also, thats the race everyone wants to slip under the carpet as it shows that Scarponi is far from the mediocre domestic climber who would lose 20 minutes on a Tour mountain stage, that he is made out to be.

Yes, just like Levi Leipheimer

 

[El Pistolero]

Yes, just like Levi Leipheimer

Yes, Levi is a pretty good climber especially on such climbs. Sure, he wasn't good at the Tour this year, but does this mean Gesink is a bad climber as well? Because they were bad for the same reasons

 

[The Hitch]

Yes, just like Levi Leipheimer

Ha, nicely played, though "" would have been the better icon to use because as Pisti says ...

Yes, Levi is a pretty good climber especially on such climbs. Sure, he wasn't good at the Tour this year, but does this mean Gesink is a bad climber as well? Because they were bad for the same reasons

 

[theyoungest]

Ha, nicely played, though "" would have been the better icon to use because as Pisti says ...

Leipheimer is past it as a GT rider. We already saw that in the Tour 2010. Or did he crash then as well?

And what Pisti says... Leipheimer rides for a Belgian team now, so we shouldn't take that too seriously.

 

[El Pistolero]

Leipheimer is past it as a GT rider. We already saw that in the Tour 2010. Or did he crash then as well?

And what Pisti says... Leipheimer rides for a Belgian team now, so we shouldn't take that too seriously.

Leipheimer doesn't ride for a Dutch team, so we shouldn't take you too seriously

I was already defending Leipheimer from the forum guys long before he signed with QS.

So is Evans past it as well? We already saw that in the Tour of 2009 and 2010, right?

 

[The Hitch]

Leipheimer is past it as a GT rider. We already saw that in the Tour 2010. Or did he crash then as well?

And what Pisti says... Leipheimer rides for a Belgian team now, so we shouldn't take that too seriously.

1 bad performance doesnt mean a rider is past it. Cadel sucked at the 09 Tour, coudlnt win the Vuelta and only came 5th in the Giro.

People said he was past it.

Levi had a bad 2010 yes but awesome TDS performance suggests he still had talent in 2011.

 

[theyoungest]

1 bad performance doesnt mean a rider is past it. Cadel sucked at the 09 Tour, coudlnt win the Vuelta and only came 5th in the Giro.

People said he was past it.

Levi had a bad 2010 yes but awesome TDS performance suggests he still had talent in 2011.

Yes, he was great in the TdS. But I don't think he has it anymore for the three week races. We'll see.

Cadel was just terribly out of form in that Tour, had bad luck in that Vuelta, and was sick in the Giro. God, I feel like ACF.

 

[gilbertador]

Problem is Evans is often ill when hes on top form and we have seen that many times, the same goes with a lot of riders in peak condition with low bodyfat your imune system is naturally very susceptible, however Evans is far worse with regards to this than most others, I wouldnt back him to podium the next TDF illness and crash risk is far to big to make the risk worth it. I think Levis gone mentally at the TDF this year his crash has really pathetic, unless your doubting yourself no amateur let alone a pro should crash in that situation. A new team could help him, with his talents in 2008 Vuelta form he would probably be a strong favorite, I could see him podiuming....

Enough of the tour, if Contador is cleared this week the only guy anywhere near him in a 14km mtf at this time of year is Scarponi but Contador should put at least 45 seconds into him and a minute into everyone else

 

[Altitude]

Love this race. It puts the overrated Paris-Nice to shame.

 

[Kvinto]

Regarding Evans' non-Tour climbing in 2011 i'm pretty surprised that nobody recollected his words that we were discussing a year ago. I'm probably too lazy to seek that interview/thread but the issue was something like 'I'm not going to have big results, my season is all for the Tour'. We were even scared that it should mean he'll make 'a Schleck' but right after his Tirreno win simultaneously forgot these words.

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

Regarding Evans' non-Tour climbing in 2011 i'm pretty surprised that nobody recollected his words that we were discussing a year ago. I'm probably too lazy to seek that interview/thread but the issue was something like 'I'm not going to have big results, my season is all for the Tour'. We were even scared that it should mean he'll make 'a Schleck' but right after his Tirreno win simultaneously forgot these words.

Evans has also said that this season will be similar in its build up towards the Tour, yet The Hitch apparently thinks Evans can compete with Contador for the overall win in T-A, with its 14.5 km MTF. It doesn't make any sense.

 

[Altitude]

Evans has also said that this season will be similar in its build up towards the Tour, yet The Hitch apparently thinks Evans can compete with Contador for the overall win in T-A, with its 14.5 km MTF. It doesn't make any sense.

Contador is saving himself for the Tour this year too, so who knows how his form will be in T-A. Scarponi is the man to beat.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Contador is saving himself for the Tour this year too, so who knows how his form will be in T-A. Scarponi is the man to beat.

He saved himself for the Tour in 2009, 2010 too. It didn't stop him from winning other races. And what about last year, he "saved" himself for the Giro. Yet he still won Catalunya & Murcia. Alberto just can't stop himself from winning races, and properly "save" himself.

 

[jens_attacks]

i'll go with garzelli and di luca to prove a point.but contador will probably wipe them out

 

[will10]

He saved himself for the Tour in 2009, 2010 too. It didn't stop him from winning other races. And what about last year, he "saved" himself for the Giro. Yet he still won Catalunya & Murcia. Alberto just can't stop himself from winning races, and properly "save" himself.

Oh boy, another "Contador-only" poster.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Oh boy, another "Contador-only" poster.

Oh, I post about other riders too, don't worry.

 

[Altitude]

He saved himself for the Tour in 2009, 2010 too. It didn't stop him from winning other races. And what about last year, he "saved" himself for the Giro. Yet he still won Catalunya & Murcia. Alberto just can't stop himself from winning races, and properly "save" himself.

Did you even think to consider the context in which my post was written? Or did you just see something about Contador's form and go into *** "fan girl" mode? Grow up.