Tour de France: Prologue - Rotterdam - 8.9km

[auscyclefan94]

The big reason he doesn't look good is because his team is much weaker than last year. They are better off focusing on the vuelta this year

Only 2 riders in the top 100 which was vino and contador is not a good sign for him. You can't have just have 8 climbers supporting you day in day out.

 

[anton_77]

Only 2 riders in the top 100 which was vino and contador is not a good sign for him. You can't have just have 8 climbers supporting you day in day out.

Don't forget Grivko at 24th. 5th best team on the day. Hardly terrible.

But with the changing weather conditions, and also the fact that domestiques wouldn't take risks for extra pointless seconds, I don't think you can read too much into it.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Don't forget Grivko at 24th. 5th best team on the day. Hardly terrible.

But with the changing weather conditions, and also the fact that domestiques wouldn't take risks for extra pointless seconds, I don't think you can read too much into it.

My bad, even though saxo were alright with the teams classement, other than cancellara they were rather dissapointing also. Made that mistake because Boardman said only two were in top 100.

 

[theyoungest]

Probably not, I expect him to lose a lot of time in the final tt, he should be at least 5 minuites in front before that or he won't be dangerous

Meh, don't know. The last time Gesink rode a +40 k flat TT against Contador (Vuelta 2008) he lost something like 1'30''. Let's not judge him on that one awful TT in Switzerland. Losing a minute to Frank Schleck is just bad.

 

[hamperium]

the road for fabian was dry but well he goes fast

http://www.flickr.com/photos/hamperium_espana/4759133729/

 

[Oldman]

the road for fabian was dry but well he goes fast

http://www.flickr.com/photos/hamperium_espana/4759133729/

Dry or wet he had the goods to win it. No other serious data other than some folks are scared of wet pavement and some are stale. The Tour hasn't got to anything definitive yet so hold your water.

 

[lancewillwin8]

The big winner today was Contador. He gained a good bit of time on his closest rival.

Lance had an excellent prologue, though I doubt Contador cares the least bit. He knows exactly when and where he's going to make his move. Having Lance 5 seconds ahead of him is meaningless, as we saw last year.

The good thing about today's results is that we might see even more aggressive racing from Saxo Bank.

I see contador's fanboys are out in force trying to spin a 5 second loss to a 38 year old as a positive thing. Contador clearly performed below expectations and looks to be too skinny this year - that is, he is down on power. I predict big time losses for him on stage 3.

 

[lancewillwin8]

Cancellara, Martin, Wiggins, Contador. Armstrong not in the top 10.

Lol... i could quote a 100 or so prediction posts like this. You all have egg on your face for underestimating a 7 time tour champion.

 

[Sophistic]

At the TDS Gesink lost 139s on Martin over 27k, today 41 over 9k, so the peformance difference was actually just a tick smaller.
I think the changing conditions played a huge role, just look how much some of the better TTer like Kreuziger, LLS or Karpets lost on such a short course.
If this was a pure reflection of watts power, they would lose like 4 minutes in the long TT. So i don' think the results really give a really good indication in what shape everybody is.

 

[Oldman]

Lol... i could quote a 100 or so prediction posts like this. You all have egg on your face for underestimating a 7 time tour champion.

Posted elsewhere:
I watched who applied effort where and there is nothing other than Cancellera's performance that had showed total commitment; other than LA. Guess what? If that's the litmus test Cancellera wins the Tour by 5 hours. LA hammering himself and only taking seconds out of the Contendor doesn't say anything more.

 

[lancewillwin8]

Posted elsewhere:
I watched who applied effort where and there is nothing other than Cancellera's performance that had showed total commitment; other than LA. Guess what? If that's the litmus test Cancellera wins the Tour by 5 hours. LA hammering himself and only taking seconds out of the Contendor doesn't say anything more.

Wow still rolling out the excuses in another thread. Hahah so let me get this straight - Alberto and all the other GC contenders thought that it would be a great idea to softpedal and lose time?? Admit alberto was going just as hard as lance and everyone else - BUT HE WASNT GOOD ENOUGH.

 

[Barrus]

Meh, don't know. The last time Gesink rode a +40 k flat TT against Contador (Vuelta 2008) he lost something like 1'30''. Let's not judge him on that one awful TT in Switzerland. Losing a minute to Frank Schleck is just bad.

If he is in first place stress will again take hold of him, like in the TdS

 

[theyoungest]

If he is in first place stress will again take hold of him, like in the TdS

I think the stress for a Tour prologue in front of a home crowd should still be bigger than in the Tour de Suisse. And he got through this one alright. But what are we talking about, let's first see him make it through the first week unscathed.

 

[Oldman]

Wow still rolling out the excuses in another thread. Hahah so let me get this straight - Alberto and all the other GC contenders thought that it would be a great idea to softpedal and lose time?? Admit alberto was going just as hard as lance and everyone else - BUT HE WASNT GOOD ENOUGH.

Don't waste too many laughs or letters, grasshopper...it's a stage race.

 

[Barrus]

I think the stress for a Tour prologue in front of a home crowd should still be bigger than in the Tour de Suisse. And he got through this one alright. But what are we talking about, let's first see him make it through the first week unscathed.

The TT in Suisse was for the win, so the stress was really there at that point.

Oh and for anyone who wonders who the team leader is in Rabobank, it's Gesink. During an interview yesterday with Boom he said that his goal this tour was to work for Gesink and try to stay with him for as long as possible in the mountains and everywhere and keep him safe. Only now and then during the interview Boom said, "oh yeah and Menchov too, perhaps", or something of that nature

 

[theyoungest]

The TT in Suisse was for the win, so the stress was really there at that point.

Oh and for anyone who wonders who the team leader is in Rabobank, it's Gesink. During an interview yesterday with Boom he said that his goal this tour was to work for Gesink and try to stay with him for as long as possible in the mountains and everywhere and keep him safe. Only now and then during the interview Boom said, "oh yeah and Menchov too, perhaps", or something of that nature

Not quite. Boom is just primarily concerned with guiding Gesink across the cobbles, and Tjallingii will fulfil this role for Menchov. No wonder Boom mentions Menchov in a side note: it's not his business.

 

[Barrus]

Not quite. Boom is just primarily concerned with guiding Gesink across the cobbles, and Tjallingii will fulfil this role for Menchov. No wonder Boom mentions Menchov in a side note: it's not his business.

He wasn't just speaking about the cobbles, as least from what I gathered. But anyway, if what you say is correct and they divided the team between the two leaders, would this not work counterproductive?

 

[theyoungest]

He wasn't just speaking about the cobbles, as least from what I gathered. But anyway, if what you say is correct and they divided the team between the two leaders, would this not work counterproductive?

I think it always works this way. Niermann is also primarily Gesink's guy. You've got to have clear roles in a team.

And I know he wasn't just talking about the cobbles. He even wants to deliver Gesink to the bottom of the final climb. Which is ambitious.

 

[Barrus]

I think it always works this way. Niermann is also primarily Gesink's guy. You've got to have clear roles in a team.

And I know he wasn't just talking about the cobbles. He even wants to deliver Gesink to the bottom of the final climb. Which is ambitious.

And probably unrealistic

 

[theyoungest]

And probably unrealistic

Don't know, he looks a little slimmer, and most of the training he's done has been uphill. And don't forget, at times in the Vuelta he was the last guy with Gesink.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Don't know, he looks a little slimmer, and most of the training he's done has been uphill. And don't forget, at times in the Vuelta he was the last guy with Gesink.

Boom was almost always there for gesink at the bottom of the final climb at last year's vuelta. Many forget how good of a domestique he was there.

 

[DocMoM]

Need copy of Prologue

Does anyone in the States have a video of the Prologue they would be willing to copy and send to me? I was at the Prologue but my husband did not video tape it as he thought DirecTv had dumped Versus over NHL contract disputes.

I would gladly pay for the tape/CD/DVD copy and postage and will also pay you for your time to do the copying., I would also send you the TdF bandana from the "tourist musette" they were selling in Rotterdam. It was my first TdF stage to see and I'd like to actually "see it" if possible.

PM me if you are willing to help a fellow blonde Yankee out.

Thanks!!

 

[johnbailey]

I'm in the same boat. I was at the prologue in Rotterdam, but when I got I home I found that it hadn't recorded. I'd really appreciate it if someone could send me a DVD of the whole Versus coverage from that day.


John B.

Does anyone in the States have a video of the Prologue they would be willing to copy and send to me? I was at the Prologue but my husband did not video tape it as he thought DirecTv had dumped Versus over NHL contract disputes.

I would gladly pay for the tape/CD/DVD copy and postage and will also pay you for your time to do the copying., I would also send you the TdF bandana from the "tourist musette" they were selling in Rotterdam. It was my first TdF stage to see and I'd like to actually "see it" if possible.

PM me if you are willing to help a fellow blonde Yankee out.

Thanks!!

 

[Bala Verde]

I think a number of forum members here might be active on a site called 'cyclingtorrents' where you'd find a large collection of stages and races. Perhaps they'd have the prologue present, but you'd have to check.