Tour de Pologne 2.WT 31/07 - 06/08

[just some guy]

Damn thought the stage would finish later today... anyone have a link to the replay?

Teamskyfans usually has a replay soonish as does steephill.tv

 

[Michielveedeebee]

Why another stupid striped national champions jersey :s

 

[Havetts]

Why another stupid striped national champions jersey :s

My thoughts exactly, lets hope this doesnt become a trend with Liquigas and Leopard doing this sh*t.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

So is Sagan definitely the Liquigas GC man for this race? Will Nibali be working for him?

 

[roundabout]

Nibali lost 34 seconds today. Sagan is probably a more likely bet now.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Nibali lost 34 seconds today. Sagan is probably a more likely bet now.

Thanks, I hadn't seen the full stage results and had assumed he'd come in at the back of the leading bunch.

Who do people think will take the overall this year?

Obviously, Sagan is looking great but although he can climb he might have trouble following serious attacks by the specialist climbers. Dan Martin is also looking good. The other potential GC men have been quiet so far, but some of them like Scarponi haven't lost any significant time yet.

Just looking down the GC rankings, there are still quite a few decent riders within 30 seconds. I'm having difficulty seeing many who could drop all three of Martin, Sagan and Scarponi on a climb though. Who am I overlooking?

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Wout Poels

No just kidding, I think you just summed it up.

 

[Kopuliak]

Thanks, I hadn't seen the full stage results and had assumed he'd come in at the back of the leading bunch.

Who do people think will take the overall this year?

Obviously, Sagan is looking great but although he can climb he might have trouble following serious attacks by the specialist climbers. Dan Martin is also looking good. The other potential GC men have been quiet so far, but some of them like Scarponi haven't lost any significant time yet.

Just looking down the GC rankings, there are still quite a few decent riders within 30 seconds. I'm having difficulty seeing many who could drop all three of Martin, Sagan and Scarponi on a climb though. Who am I overlooking?

"“I'm not sure about keeping the leader's jersey until the end, because the next stages are pretty hard,” Sagan said. “I'll try, but if the rhythm is too high, I won't follow. I'm here mostly to prepare the Vuelta."

I think this win was first and last thing in Sagan's check-list for TdP.

 

[theyoungest]

"“I'm not sure about keeping the leader's jersey until the end, because the next stages are pretty hard,” Sagan said. “I'll try, but if the rhythm is too high, I won't follow. I'm here mostly to prepare the Vuelta."

I think this win was first and last thing in Sagan's check-list for TdP.

In that case, why the hell did Nibali let go? He could win this race. Or could have won.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Nibali is not interested in a win here. Just a stressless build up for the Vuelta. Save energy

 

[just some guy]

My thoughts exactly, lets hope this doesnt become a trend with Liquigas and Leopard doing this sh*t.

in Modern times we can thanks these guys..........

 

[Anonymous]

last lap
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xkbtgr_tour-of-poland-stage-4_sport

 

[Kopuliak]

In that case, why the hell did Nibali let go? He could win this race. Or could have won.

I think Dekker_Tifosi is right...

 

[Libertine Seguros]

in Modern times we can thanks these guys..........

That was a sponsor thing, with Valverde obviously being the star rider at the team.

When other riders at Caisse d'Epargne had national jerseys they weren't so restrained:

 

[Michielveedeebee]

in Modern times we can thanks these guys..........

****ty jersey

 

[just some guy]

That was a sponsor thing, with Valverde obviously being the star rider at the team.

When other riders at Caisse d'Epargne had national jerseys they weren't so restrained:

I love the old jerseys but this years is no better.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Nibali is not interested in a win here. Just a stressless build up for the Vuelta. Save energy

You are probably right, given that he did let go, but the thinking behind it seems a little strange to me.

I mean, pulling on the front for Sagan definitely used more energy than someone like Scarponi spent holding on to the leading group. And it's not as if Nibali has a whole host of wins better than Poland, other than the Vuelta and perhaps Plouay. The other contenders are preparing for the Vuelta too, so it isn't as if he'd have to be at his absolute peak to compete.

My suspicion is that Sagan is going for the GC and is talking down his chances to keep the pressure off. Now that I've said that, he'll probably be dropped like a stone tomorrow.

 

[roundabout]

Tomorrow is easier than it looks on the profile. A bigger test will be stage 6.

 

[Tank Engine]

That was an impressive finish by Sagan. I can't see him not defending the jersey, but the penultimate stage looks a real toughie. The main competition seems to be Danny boy, who looked good today and Scarponi. Kennaugh looked good.

 

[hrotha]

That was a sponsor thing, with Valverde obviously being the star rider at the team.

When other riders at Caisse d'Epargne had national jerseys they weren't so restrained:

But they have a long history of doing it, all the way back to Indurain (who was in the same situation as Valverde), Chava Jiménez, Jeremy Hunt and Manuel Fernández Ginés (who weren't).

 

[KubaWinter]

This trend in national champions jersey is awful, but look what they've done to Grega Bole. They gave him a kit with wrong colours order, and it didn't look like a Slovenia's flag... Correct me if I'm wrong, but Cofidis didn't allow Taramae to even start in national champs road race. It's so stupid.

Sagan was totaly beyond anyone's reach. I'm not sure if he want to defend leader's jersey because there is Vuelta ahead. You wrote about favourites - I would add some Poles. As always, Rutkiewich (CCC Polsat) will try to do something and maybe Huzarski (Polish National Team/NetApp). Niemiec might be also strong, but he is preparing for Vuelta, and he hasn't raced for 50 days. Maybe someone from young riders from Polish National Team will try to show his best.

 

[LaFleur]

This trend in national champions jersey is awful, but look what they've done to Grega Bole. They gave him a kit with wrong colours order, and it didn't look like a Slovenia's flag... Correct me if I'm wrong, but Cofidis didn't allow Taramae to even start in national champs road race. It's so stupid.

Sagan was totaly beyond anyone's reach. I'm not sure if he want to defend leader's jersey because there is Vuelta ahead. You wrote about favourites - I would add some Poles. As always, Rutkiewich (CCC Polsat) will try to do something and maybe Huzarski (Polish National Team/NetApp). Niemiec might be also strong, but he is preparing for Vuelta, and he hasn't raced for 50 days. Maybe someone from young riders from Polish National Team will try to show his best.

Here you go: Taaramäe only skipped the Estonian champs last year to prepare for the tour. He has been competing in every year and he won the TT this year and was going for it in the RR aswell. They actually even wanted the jersey I think, because Taaramäe said in an interview that he was very surprised that Cofidis sent a team just for him to the championships (mechanic, DS etc.)
NB: Last year when he didn't take part, Cofidis still won the Estonian RR jersey by Kalle Kriit.

Anyway to the thread, I'm really fond of the national jerseys that Estonia has, think that every national champion should get to have them like that:

 

[katkotom]

he`s the man

 

[jens_attacks]

coming from volta a portugal thread,the world is saved!

sagan not a shy young man from eastern europe anymore!rock star now.and he deserves it.

 

[Kopuliak]

he`s the man

Never seen him in yellow, but he looks fine (with these two girls ofc) Maybe he will try hold this jersey one more day longer