Tour de France Stage 2 Brussels - Spa, 192 km Monday, July 5 2010

[auscyclefan94]

Freire does not have the form, crashed yesterday and the course is too hard for him to get the win anyway. Ballan is a good pick for the stage and maybe Kolobnev or cunego.

 

[palmerq]

Petacchi to win his 2nd stage today... although the wee hills look interesting.. could be a good stage ending today... but i dont think it is enough to kill all the sprinters and csc will want to keep the jersey too.

 

[theyoungest]

Freire does not have the form, crashed yesterday and the course is too hard for him to get the win anyway. Ballan is a good pick for the stage and maybe Kolobnev or cunego.

Freire implied that he was feeling good yesterday. Before being taken out by Cav, that is. He never takes long to find his form.

And the course isn't too hard for him. Unless the favourites go all out on the climbs, which I don't expect. And even then it's hard to drop Freire.

 

[The Hitch]

I saw cunego being listed here as a potential winner in every single giro stage (bar sprints) and yet he never really did it other than a 2nd on the gavia pass.

 

[Faserr]

This course could even be too easy for Freire. There could be a lot of other sprints like Peta, Hushovd and even Cavendish with him at the end.

 

[python]

Under different circumstances Vino would be at it, today, I think. But I think Astana has pledged itself to be fully fit and attentive to Contador tomorrow. If he still goes, it will be with Contador's blessing, and an indication that Contador is feeling good about tomorrow. And confident enough to let Vino play a bit during the Tour too. In other words, if Vino goes, we should worry about seeing this Tour come to a premature close (again).

did any one see this (from cyclingfans):

Alexandre Vinokourov hints in this morning's L'Equipe that this could be a stage for personal glory. He knows the area well and today is the anniversary of the birth of the city of Astana as well as the birthday of the president of the republic of Kazakhstan. Not hard to imagine Vino attempting an escape today under these circumstances (also, see stage profile below) before settling later in the Tour into his supposed role as a model teammate in support of Alberto Contador...

 

[sportzchick]

hopes its not as eventfull crash wise this time - massive shame for Adam Hansen who has to pull out

Saxo Bank wants to keep yellow and control this. so either they got a man in the breakaway or it will come down to a sprint among 100 riders or so. Cav and other pure sprinters will be dropped on the last climb. Freire ftw

[mental note] **hopes its Stuey**[/mental note]

 

[auscyclefan94]

Freire implied that he was feeling good yesterday. Before being taken out by Cav, that is. He never takes long to find his form.

And the course isn't too hard for him. Unless the favourites go all out on the climbs, which I don't expect. And even then it's hard to drop Freire.

I see your point about freire but the average gradients of climbs and the number of them don't do justice of how tough the route is. On the contrary, Lelangue said they went over the easy side of all these climbs. He might do it but I don't think so. I think katusha and possibly lampre for cunego will push the pace along with a few other teams to get the stage win.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Freire does not have the form, crashed yesterday and the course is too hard for him to get the win anyway. Ballan is a good pick for the stage and maybe Kolobnev or cunego.

Kenny van Hummel on twitter: "I've never seen Freire this sharp since a long time."

I wonder who to go on with predictions. A pro rider, or ACF94. Difficult

 

[hrotha]

I see your point about freire but the average gradients of climbs and the number of them don't do justice of how tough the route is. On the contrary, Lelangue said they went over the easy side of all these climbs. He might do it but I don't think so. I think katusha and possibly lampre for cunego will push the pace along with a few other teams to get the stage win.

No matter how tough the course is. If even one sprinter makes it, you can bet Freire will be there, if he's in shape as it seems.

 

[theyoungest]

Kenny van Hummel on twitter: "I've never seen Freire this sharp since a long time."

I wonder who to go on with predictions. A pro rider, or ACF94. Difficult

Well, that's very loosely translated. Don't overdo it. He just says Freire's looking sharp.

 

[mowie133]

Freire sought the doctor last night..so can't be in that good of shape..good luck matty lloyd get those kom points

 

[theyoungest]

Freire sought the doctor last night..so can't be in that good of shape..good luck matty lloyd get those kom points

Of course he can be in shape, the checkup was just to make sure.

 

[kjetilraknerud]

The break of the day is very strong. Should be hard work for the peloton today.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Well, that's very loosely translated. Don't overdo it. He just says Freire's looking sharp.

Exactly

Kenny van Hummel on twitter: "I've never seen Freire this sharp since a long time."

I wonder who to go on with predictions. A pro rider, or ACF94. Difficult

Well, why don't you stick with one of the very very few people who tipped Ale Jet to win last night!

 

[auscyclefan94]

The break of the day is very strong. Should be hard work for the peloton today.

Other than saxo, who will chase? Maybe Rabobank?

 

[Moondance]

Have to say... If you're gonna pick a break to stay away, this would be one of them: Chavanel, Lloyd, Burghardt, Pineau, Taaramae, Gavazzi and two others. Wonder whether Columbia will volunteer to do most of the work again today, with the finish being what it is?

Either way, Freire FTW, although it would be nice to see this high quality break duke it out in the finale. Gavazzi FTW in that case.

Also, I'm really surprised Voeckler isn't in this.

 

[Francois the Postman]

did any one see this (from cyclingfans):

Alexandre Vinokourov hints in this morning's L'Equipe that this could be a stage for personal glory. He knows the area well and today is the anniversary of the birth of the city of Astana as well as the birthday of the president of the republic of Kazakhstan. Not hard to imagine Vino attempting an escape today under these circumstances (also, see stage profile below) before settling later in the Tour into his supposed role as a model teammate in support of Alberto Contador...

No hadn't seen that, interesting. Sidestepping the "supposed role as model team mate" in that article, I remain of the opinion that Vino will be loyal here, and he wouldn't do any such thing unless he has the blessing of Contador.

Who might well view letting Vino have the occasional bit of fun as constructive for their relationship within the Tour, as a scenic deviation from Plan A with enough additional (potential) perks for the team, and as something which isn't too risky for that Plan A, so a deviation with a risk-level that Contador deems he can reasonably safely take.

If Astana is indeed going on the attack in search of victory today, neat. Anything to spice up that first TdF week is welcome. It would also show to me that Contador feels confident enough about tomorrow. Neat again, from a personal pov.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Have to say... If you're gonna pick a break to stay away, this would be one of them: Chavanel, Lloyd, Burghardt, Pineau, Taaramae, Gavazzi and two others. Wonder whether Columbia will volunteer to do most of the work again today, with the finish being what it is?

Either way, Freire FTW, although it would be nice to see this high quality break
duke it out in the finale. Gavazzi FTW in that case.

Also, I'm really surprised Voeckler isn't in this.

Burghardt to go from 60km out! Similar parcour to the 2nd tds stage he won.

 

[mowie133]

Other than saxo, who will chase? Maybe Rabobank?

saxo will chase it down to a few mins knowing tomzz big time gaps will happen...the only other team i thought that would chase was lampre but they won't now

any idea how many kom points for that stage

 

[Sophistic]

With Taaramae being part of leader group, the Peloton is not gonna take it easy over the hills, guy is a legit top 10 contender.

 

[auscyclefan94]

saxo will chase it down to a few mins knowing tomzz big time gaps will happen...the only other team i thought that would chase was lampre but they won't now

any idea how many kom points for that stage

I am hoping Katusha for kolobnev, Sky for gerrans or freire for rabo will but I am not counting on it.

 

[ingsve]

One thing that speaks against the sprinters making it is that the road up the climbs is quite narrow which means the peloton will be very stretched out. That makes it a lot more likely that there will be gaps in the field with many riders caught behind. It all depends on how hard everyone is riding of course.

 

[theyoungest]

With Taaramae being part of leader group, the Peloton is not gonna take it easy over the hills, guy is a legit top 10 contender.

Not if he wastes his energy by going in breakaways.

 

[auscyclefan94]

With Taaramae being part of leader group, the Peloton is not gonna take it easy over the hills, guy is a legit top 10 contender.

That is if they chase...He is a good pick for the stage.