Tirreno - Adriatico Stage 4, Narni -> Prati Di Tivo, 173 kms (09/03/2013)

[SafeBet]

Henao and Uran are both top 10 GT riders. Only 'suprise' is maybe Cataldo, but he was close to top 10 Giro and rode multiple top 10 in Giro MT stages too.

I agree. Cataldo is also a very good TTer so perfect for high tempo riding.

 

[The fridge in the blue trees]

Henao and Uran are both top 10 GT riders. Only 'suprise' is maybe Cataldo, but he was close to top 10 Giro and rode multiple top 10 in Giro MT stages too.

So I really don't see it, really when guys as Kwiat and Santambrogio are still there

What does suprise me is the, again, total failure of Blanco. Where is Mollema? Seems nothing changed. They can win small races but in WT they are absolutely nowhere

The sad thing actually is: Froome could win without a train. Wiggins ok, he needs one, it's booring and Wiggins the most invisible TdF winner of all times, but ok, that's the way he can win. Froome? He has it in him to do it without Henao and Uran, he doesn't need the train. Give him Cataldo (who wasn't really shocking either, he can drop off and ride his km at his top speed).. but like this.. just boring in the end... Give us some action at least. Or let Uran attack and get his win while in the back the rest doesn't know what to do anymore... something other than this horrible train.

 

[wwabbit]

Henao and Uran are both top 10 GT riders.

IMO, only in a GT with limited TT...
I guess we are fortunate that Sky's awesome climbing training doesn't extend to TTing.

 

[garyhoop1]

Videos

Watch videos from Tirreno - Adriatico so far including todays Stage 4 - http://bit.ly/W5Mgmo

 

[rghysens]

Let's put it this way, a 'normal' Contador, Nibali wouldn't have troubles with Horner and Santambrogio. Still, Sky is just....I have never seen anything like that. Hats off.

I have.
Festina in the tour of Romandy 1998
USPostal/Discovery in any TDF from 1999-2005
but they rode faster.


Am I banned now?

 

[pastronef]

what bothers me the most isn't that Froome won the Stage-is THE HOW- When AC, Nibs & Santambrogio crossed the last K mark, the aerial view unveiled how "ridiculous" the SKY scam works-everyone is at that point was choking while Froome was just led to them within a couple meters, so he could just drop the life out of the competition like nothing....

too much SKY BS to the point that I'm even starting to dislike my own countrymen Uran & Henao for being part of it

that's a new and higher level of hate

this forum is so mad

 

[Dazed and Confused]

The sad thing actually is: Froome could win without a train. Wiggins ok, he needs one, it's booring and Wiggins the most invisible TdF winner of all times, but ok, that's the way he can win. Froome? He has it in him to do it without Henao and Uran, he doesn't need the train. Give him Cataldo (who wasn't really shocking either, he can drop off and ride his km at his top speed).. but like this.. just boring in the end... Give us some action at least. Or let Uran attack and get his win while in the back the rest doesn't know what to do anymore... something other than this horrible train.

Just reduce the team size in stage races and we will see more individual performances.

 

[airstream]

I'm personally admired how calmly Froome was burning his matches. After Contador's second attack the gap was flunctuating between about 30 and 100 meters and Froome should obviously had had some reserve but somehow didn't hurry up to close the gap himself and let Uran work, though one more attack from Contador-Nibali-Santambrogio group could occur at any moment. For a second I even thought that Froome was weak, but how wisely he played his card. Ammmazing stuff. It was something one can watch not often.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

now watching the footage, I see that Sky are riding so fast that they actually had to break in a corner uphill.
Last time I saw that happen was US Postal 99-2005

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Also very impressive how Poels got back to the group after Rodriguez/Evans couldn't at first.

 

[pastronef]

just one thing: I LOVE CHRIS HORNER

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

just one thing: I LOVE CHRIS HORNER

2nd that buddy

 

[theyoungest]

Lol @ Sky. That team is just ridiculous.

Very impressed by Poels, I couldn't believe what I saw. I thought he would need at least one season to get back up to speed.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Lol @ Sky. That team is just ridiculous.

Very impressed by Poels, I couldn't believe what I saw. I thought he would need at least one season to get back up to speed.

Makes Gesinks excuse of a leg break look silly indeed. Vacansoleil are doing it right atm. They are there in the big races with Westra and Poels

 

[pastronef]

2nd that buddy

so let's say it again, "we love Horner!"

ps. could the mods open a thread were everybody can put their SKY ridicolousness related posts. I can't stand them anymore

 

[Geraint Too Fast]

Martin only lost 1:45 (Dan Martin that is ). Mollema finished over 6 minutes back.

 

[will10]

Ok, so Sky is a total cyborg and a joke according to these reports. But I've only seen the results, and there is Kwiatkowski, Santambrogio and Poels in the top 8.

Ever thought of the possiblity the other big names (contador, rodriguez, evans etc) are just not in top shape yet?

I recall you saying the same at the Dauphine last year Ruben.

It's a valid point but - how long can the other big names not be in shape. There's a lot of climbers in this field and all they could do was get dropped. Froome is targeting the Tour like everyone else, are we supposed to be lead to believe that Sky are maybe just in better shape earlier? Like 2012 you mean? Because to me it seems like Sky have been at 95% since February 2012 and yet the likes of Evans, Rodriguez, Contador, Nibali have all been beaten comfortably time and again.

 

[theyoungest]

Makes Gesinks excuse of a leg break look silly indeed. Vacansoleil are doing it right atm. They are there in the big races with Westra and Poels

I don't really agree, since a leg break of course impacts your performance as a cyclist more directly, but yeah Vacans have got it right.

 

[will10]

Lol @ Sky. That team is just ridiculous.

Very impressed by Poels, I couldn't believe what I saw. I thought he would need at least one season to get back up to speed.

I completely ruled him out from being capable of anything this season. Must've worked very hard to get back to that level (and I'm not insinuating anything with that either).

 

[hatcher]

I recall you saying the same at the Dauphine last year Ruben.

It's a valid point but - how long can the other big names not be in shape. There's a lot of climbers in this field and all they could do was get dropped. Froome is targeting the Tour like everyone else, are we supposed to be lead to believe that Sky are maybe just in better shape earlier? Like 2012 you mean? Because to me it seems like Sky have been at 95% since February 2012 and yet the likes of Evans, Rodriguez, Contador, Nibali have all been beaten comfortably time and again.

Maybe direct that at Contador who now can't beat the likes of Santambrogio and Kwiatkowski whenever he wants. Maybe that's the change.

 

[will10]

Maybe direct that at Contador who now can't beat the likes of Santambrogio and Kwiatkowski whenever he wants. Maybe that's the change.

Ignoring the fact that Santambrogio has never climbed like that, and Kwiatkowski also seems to be a different animal in 2013. Is Contador really the outlier today?

 

[theyoungest]

Martin only lost 1:45 (Dan Martin that is ). Mollema finished over 6 minutes back.

Huh? Blanco tweets the following:

"@BaukeMollema on stage 4 #tirrenoadriatico: "“The whole day I felt good, but when Sky started pulling at the bottom of the last...1/3

…climb I exploded within five minutes. Tom-Jelte had the same, but one minute earlier. Only fifteen to twenty riders were able to...2/3

...follow. We recovered and put in maximal effort. In the end we lost 3’10” on Froome.”

 

[wwabbit]

Ignoring the fact that Santambrogio has never climbed like that, and Kwiatkowski also seems to be a different animal in 2013. Is Contador really the outlier today?

Kwaitkowski certainly looks to me like an upgraded version of TJVG.
Soon to be signing for Team Sky I guess....

 

[Parrulo]

I completely ruled him out from being capable of anything this season. Must've worked very hard to get back to that level (and I'm not insinuating anything with that either).

with everything that was going on i ended up forgetting these. seeing pouls riding so well put a gigantic smile on my face!!!! shame it only lasted about 2 seconds

 

[Geraint Too Fast]

Huh? Blanco tweets the following:

"@BaukeMollema on stage 4 #tirrenoadriatico: "“The whole day I felt good, but when Sky started pulling at the bottom of the last...1/3

…climb I exploded within five minutes. Tom-Jelte had the same, but one minute earlier. Only fifteen to twenty riders were able to...2/3

...follow. We recovered and put in maximal effort. In the end we lost 3’10” on Froome.”

Procyclingstats must be wrong then.