Tony Martin Bandwagon thread

[Ferminal]

the climbers will drop him of course so he must push his limits and survive.
just like in this photo:

Wiggins outclimbing the amazing Nibali

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

I was pretty sure you said it Timmy, (i have a photographic memory, kind of), but no way i was going to go through 2 months of Eneco, Geelong, maybe even Vuelta threads looking for that post.

So i decided to try my luck and type it into google.

Sorry Timmy. Google proved cooperative.

To be fair i was wrong to say you were convinced (you were convinced however that Gilbert would win RR and please dont make me go dig up that)

But here it is

haha dammit. jerk

but yeah I still expected Spartacus to win

I remember really wanting Gilbert to win. Thanks to pickle I like Gilbert less.

 

[boomcie]

Love this thread.

"Bayerische Reiter" is profiling himself as the German equivalent of ACF, with the difference that his expectations of a certain rider are even less realistic than ACF's. If you want an additional example of this kind of fanaticism: cf. El Pistolet - Gilbert.

It is great to have this breed of passionate people on the forum, but sadly I really can't see Martin do good at the Tour this year. His immense time trialling abilities are undeniable, but that won't be enough for this years Tour. He will crack big time in the mountains and I will be very much surprised if he ends up placing higher than 15th.

Nevertheless I would love to see him rival Cance even more in time trials. That would make the discipline a lot more exciting.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

I hoped a few times Martin would beat Cancellara, and then it didn't happen. But I still think he is closest to Cancellara and can beat a top-form Cancellara within the forseable future.

As for the Tour, I'm doubtful, if he can limit the amount of bad days in the mountain or at least limit the damage better in the mountains then he could go into the top 10, definately. It's just that Martin has never showed 3 weeks of consistent racing in the mountains. So he'll have to DO it first.
But I think he can, as long as they don't force him to work too much.

 

[Angliru]

he'll be beating spartcaus in time trials next year.
2012/13 TT world champ.

I agree. Cancellara needs to be taken down a peg or two to deflate his evergrowing ego.

 

[saganftw]

martin would be perfect in the 90s with loooong TTs

this year there is only one shorter TT,so he better makes climbing his best quality or else he keeps pulling cav to the line for the rest of his career

 

[Midnightfright]

I wonder who started this thread?

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

he'll be beating spartcaus in time trials next year.
2012/13 TT world champ.

Not if he's pretending to be a GC rider he won't.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

I really want to believe in this guy as he reminds me of ullrich, physically unlimited but mentally he is limited. let's hope all goes well.

 

[Michielveedeebee]

I really want to believe in this guy as he reminds me of ullrich, physically unlimited but mentally he is limited. let's hope all goes well.

How is Martin mentally limited?

And Ulle climbed waaaaay better than Martin at the same age, he'd already won the TdF and Vuelta at 26..
Martin only has PN and Algarve

 

[Mellow Velo]

First time, I misread the title.
I thought it said: "Tony Martin Broomwagon Thread".

 

[FabulousCandelabra]

i like how in tony martin's bio video he says people can trust him because he's a cop... and then the leaked rider list rating suspicion of riders from 1-10, and tony is up at what, 7? lol, why don't they trust him, he's a cop you idiots!! cop's don't lie.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

How is Martin mentally limited?

And Ulle climbed waaaaay better than Martin at the same age, he'd already won the TdF and Vuelta at 26..
Martin only has PN and Algarve

because martin you can see in his eyes has no clue about his own strenght and he is very insecure. physically he is without limits I dare say also in mountains he could be a huge force. and I said he reminds me of ullrich, not that he had the same results as ullrich

 

[Bavarianrider]

I really want to believe in this guy as he reminds me of ullrich, physically unlimited but mentally he is limited. let's hope all goes well.

Tony mentally limited
Hmm but you might be right maybe Tony alcks a bit confidence in himself. Physically the sky is the limit for him.

 

[FabulousCandelabra]

because martin you can see in his eyes has no clue about his own strenght and he is very insecure.

lol.. how can i tell? i can see it in his eyes, duh! best response when you don't have any facts!

 

[boomcie]

Tony mentally limited
Hmm but you might be right maybe Tony alcks a bit confidence in himself. Physically the sky is the limit for him.

The sky will be his limit.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

He's definitely a Tour guy rather than a Giro-Vuelta guy (Giro has too much climbing most years, only recent winners to be win-it-in-the-TT have been Savoldelli and Menchov, both of whom are much better climbers than Tony; and the Vuelta has far too little ITT mileage). The Tour's climbs suit him better, and the Tour's routes and high level of control stands him in better position. The problem is that the route this year isn't particularly kind to him.

It's certainly possible he can finish in the 7th-12th area. But he won't light the race on fire. In fact, in order to finish in that position I'd be surprised if we see him more than once in big mountain stages (unless of course he holds the yellow jersey, certainly possible if he's HTC's best performer on stage 1).

Do I think he can win the Tour? No, no I don't. Not now, not ever. Unless they create a joke of a route worse than 2009. He's not proven himself on steep stuff or really challenging finishes on multi-climb stages. His big results have been in a relatively flat edition of Paris-Nice and an embarrassingly flat edition of the Tour de Suisse. Tony can climb, let's not kid ourselves that he can't. But he is not explosive and he is not dynamic as a climber. Many riders who have been criticised for not being explosive or dynamic enough in the mountains, and who you would think suit the Tour best, are significantly better climbers than him - pre-2009 Evans, Leipheimer, even Bruseghin.

Tony will probably make at least one Tour top 10 in his career. I'd be disappointed if he didn't, especially since HTC have been able to pick up top 10s with unfancied names like Pinotti, Velits and Siutsou. They know how to maximise their riders' talents.

But the most talented GC guy on HTC's squad looking ahead to the future, is more than likely Tejay van Garderen.

 

[El Pistolero]

First time, I misread the title.
I thought it said: "Tony Martin Broomwagon Thread".

Cheap shot.

I like it.

 

[Bavarianrider]

The sky will be his limit.

Well that are 3 very rolling mountains. I am much more afraid of the Plateu de Beille stage.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

You are not afraid of the fact that they go above 2000m 3 times???

I think that is worse for Martin than a steep climb of 5km

 

[boomcie]

Well that are 3 very rolling mountains. I am much more afraid of the Plateu de Beille stage.

Just trying to use the sky-methaphor here Bavarische Reiter. Nevertheless I'm confident he'll get toasted on this stage as well.

 

[Ildabaoth]

Tony mentally limited
Hmm but you might be right maybe Tony alcks a bit confidence in himself. Physically the sky is the limit for him.

If the sky is not over 500 meters above sea level.

 

[Bavarianrider]

You are not afraid of the fact that they go above 2000m 3 times???

I think that is worse for Martin than a steep climb of 5km

Okk you are right, the height obviously is a thread. Didn't consider the oxygen factor. Ok i am afraid

 

[icefire]

Well that are 3 very rolling mountains. I am much more afraid of the Plateu de Beille stage.

The last 9kms of Agnel's Italian side are never below 9%. Is that the definition of a rolling mountain?

 

[Bavarianrider]

The last 9kms of Agnel's Italian side are never below 9%. Is that the definition of a rolling mountain?

Ok didn't realise it was steep in the end. However, the climb comes very early, so i excpect soft pedaling amonf the favs, so Tony should be fine here.