Tirreno Adriatico - Stage 4 - Narni → Chieti - 240km

[luckyboy]

Sorry I couldn't see this now. Sounds great.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

There wasn't much difference between this climb and the San Luca, where Gesink kicked Scarponi's *** quite recently.

Well yeah I didn't read the other stuff about why he was being placed bad at that time.
Still pretty stupid, you can always try and stay in front, that's still better than starting a climb behind

 

[hrotha]

I'm pretty amazed that Gesink is not fully confident about his own abilities yet. Maybe that's the final step forward he needs to contend absolutely everything.

 

[Francois the Postman]

I'm pretty amazed that Gesink is not fully confident about his own abilities yet. Maybe that's the final step forward he needs to contend absolutely everything.

I hoped that we had crossed that bridge after Canada at the end of last year, and the base confidence would now be "I can do it". But it seems he is still not attacking races with a "never beaten" killer instinct. He kinda beat himself by giving up at the base of the last climb.

Maybe he still needs to lose things first in order to give winning a real shot. He does strike me as that type of rider.

On the plus side, there is still room for growth then. Some of the race still needs to be won in his head rather than on the tarmac, by believeing in what you can actually do. If he ends up in a leader position in a GT, he could really rise to the occasion, a bit like Andy did in that final TT last year.

I do kinda appreciate he is always the first to admit his mistakes, rather than hiding behind excuses. Not "I felt weak" but "I felt weak and shouldn't have given in to that".

 

[rhubroma]

I hoped that we had crossed that bridge after Canada at the end of last year, and the base confidence would now be "I can do it". But it seems he is still not attacking races with a "never beaten" killer instinct. He kinda beat himself by giving up at the base of the last climb.

Maybe he still needs to lose things first in order to give winning a real shot. He does strike me as that type of rider.



On the plus side, there is still room for growth then. Some of the race still needs to be won in his head rather than on the tarmac, by believeing in what you can actually do. If he ends up in a leader position in a GT, he could really rise to the occasion, a bit like Andy did in that final TT last year.

I do kinda appreciate he is always the first to admit his mistakes, rather than hiding behind excuses. Not "I felt weak" but "I felt weak and shouldn't have given in to that".

Well that's always the excuse I used!

 

[jaylew]

Sorry I couldn't see this now. Sounds great.

Last 8k up now.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Oh snap... writing off EBH and Cancellara is possibly the first thing I've got right this season

The first thing I got right this season was saying that Gilbert wouldn't blow everyone away on yesterdays stage.

Besides Gesink is peaking for april, thank god he isn't that good now.
Also, it was to be expected. Short explosive climbs are still more Scarponi terrain than it will ever be Gesinks.

Suprising that Basso does so well though

Well then I guess it is a worrying sign that he was very strong in february. I don't see how this doesn't suit Gesink. He's proven to be very good in races like Fleche Wallonne and Giro dell Emillia which have long steep ramps to the line just like todays finish. Evans isn't an overly explosive rider either.

Originally Posted by Cadel Evans

Descending a little conservatively, I was not ideally positioned leading into it, meaning I had to make up a bit of lost ground on the climb

I will await an admission of you both being wrong.

 

[The Hitch]

Early contender for stage of the year?

 

[mombus]

I was just going to say that that was by far the single best stage so far this year... unbelievable. Schleck got drizopped. But damn, that was once intense climb. I loved every second.

 

[Nearly]

Wow - Simon Clarke 17th (in Visconti group). Di Gregorio is not the knly one doing well at Astana!

 

[jaylew]

FInally. The moment weve all been waiting for.

SCARPONI

As his biggest fan on these boards, YES!!!

Ok Hitch, of how many riders are you the "biggest fan on these boards"?

Sammy, Scarponi, Visconti...anyone else? And are you certain?

 

[roundabout]

Should we make a mention of every 17th place or should we only limit ourselves to teams/riders we like/support?

 

[The Hitch]

The first thing I got right this season was saying that Gilbert wouldn't blow everyone away on yesterdays stage.

Speaking of which, i havent seen El Pickle (as Timmy calls him) on here all day.

The gaps will be smaller with the rest, but Gilbert will take a relatively huge gap on the others

Why do i suspect that this wouldnt be the case if Gilbert really did "destroy all life" (to paraphrase Ruben ) as Pickle predicted

 

[auscyclefan94]

Speaking of which, i havent seen El Pickle (as Timmy calls him) on here all day.

Why do i suspect that this wouldnt be the case if Gilbert really did "destroy all life" (to paraphrase Ruben ) as Pickle predicted

El Clenbuterlero (aka El Pisterlero or El Pickle) makes many radical predictions.

 

[zapata]

Early contender for stage of the year?

Surely. Even watching a replay, knowing the outcome beforehand, i enjoyed it very much. Fun to see the world champion stretching his legs, too; he couldn't possibly have thought he could do anything on that finish, but looks to be in great shape for Milano-Sanremo.

 

[hrotha]

Should we make a mention of every 17th place or should we only limit ourselves to teams/riders we like/support?

Funny, I was going to mention Madrazo's 29th place. He's looking up.

 

[mewmewmew13]

ok, I am not going to wade through all the posts, but I saw a photo of Gilbert crossing the line with blood on his knee....where and did he crash??

 

[The Hitch]

Ok Hitch, of how many riders are you the "biggest fan on these boards"?

Sammy, Scarponi, Visconti...anyone else? And are you certain?

Good to see youve kept count. Though youve left out my moment of awesomness of this week which was the one jose winning. YES WINNING.

I joke by using that phrase all the time but theres truth to every single one.

Samu, well everyone knows im his biggest cheerleader, no dispute there.

Scarponi once again, i find myself constantly reminding people about his greatness.

And haedo well, i actually sacrificed some of my points on the cq game to ensure that i had at least one of my favourite riders on there.

As for Visconti, there are peole i like more than Visconti, but they have other fans on these boards. With Giovani on the other hand i did argue against Italians Italy should have chosen Giovani to lead them at the worlds, and i usually celebrate his wins.
I dont see anyone else hyping him as much as me.


Are there any others. Theres Rinaldo Nocentini (no doubt there) and perhaps his AGr teammate John.

Funny, I was going to mention Madrazo's 29th place. He's looking up.

Seems to be Movistars leader already. Going on random attacks now and again. Given the low probablity of success and his geeky looks its quite fun to watch

 

[Nearly]

Should we make a mention of every 17th place or should we only limit ourselves to teams/riders we like/support?

Hey there are a few others' favourite riders who finished way further back than 24 seconds who have got a post race mention! I see that he got 23rd and 22nd in the last 2 races won in bunch sprints so there is a bit of versatility going down right there.

 

[The Hitch]

Funny, I was going to mention Madrazo's 29th place. He's looking up.

Seems to be Movistars leader already. Going on random attacks now and again. Given the low probablity of success and his geeky looks its quite fun to watch

 

[search]

Funny, I was going to mention Madrazo's 29th place. He's looking up.

another very interesting placing:

26. TOSATTO Matteo 0'39

best Saxo Bank rider. New hope for the tour if Contador isn't allowed to start

 

[Tuarts]

Wow - Simon Clarke 17th (in Visconti group). Di Gregorio is not the knly one doing well at Astana!

Yeah, he was even off the front a couple of time too.

 

[movingtarget]

Evans is looking pretty good for the overall unless Gesink or Basso do something special in the time trial. Before that though, another tough stage and a long one. Should be another stage for attacks looking at the overall GC and who can and can't time trial well.

 

[Tuarts]

There was a BMC who's name isn't Cadel that was at the front of the race in the closing stages (thanks to who posted the highlights). I didn't realise he had helpers. Impressive whoever it was.

 

[Ryaguas]

Ahhhhhh I saw the stage today... ufffff Scarponi and Cunego pwnd that finish by MILES! Evans was going so hard and Il Killer burned himself in the climb but was really great to see him with his explosiveness again... Basso, I just noticed him at the finish... now I dont know who is more silent: The Pope or him...

Seriously Evans was going really hard! He was pulling damn hard... I was so happy to see him doing that good! Will be hard beat him in the FW...

Scarponi was awesome! just perfect He timed his attack perfectly but I have to say that Cunego could have won very easly too, He just covered all the attacks to protect Michele and He did it perfectly... Cunego will be very good this year in FW... maybe Top 3...

ACF! Now I'm officially a Greg Van Avermaet's fan... damn! He is F'ing good! Now I can see him winning AGR... I'll be cheering for him!