Tour de Yorkshire 28/04/17 - 30/04/17 2.1

[Valv.Piti]

It was against before-prime-Samu (09-11), busting-TdF-Valverde like its a tradition, Giro-Menchov and an under par Evans. Whole Saunier-team dispelled, two of the best riders of the race on his on team and most importantly, the pretty frightening Astana trio of Kloden, Leipheimer and Contador sitting on the bench.

All I can say is underwhelming.

 

[Alexandre B.]

Re:

That seems like an odd principle. I've never really understood sportspeople when it comes to their superstitions. I'm also rolling my eyes a little every time I see a rider with one of his number 13's turned up-side down.

Well, putting 2 minutes into everybody on Alpe d'Huez is hardly an unimpressive showing, though. And it's not like his competitors like Menchov, Evans, Samu, Valverde (and dare I say Kohl in that Tour) were complete slouches either. It was a very surprising Tour victory but not an undeserved one. But it would probably not have happened, if Astana had not been in bad standings with the ASO.

And attacking right at the bottom of the climb.

On la Croix-de-Fer, which was the previous climb, Laurent Jalabert was commenting on the moto for french television and saw his former teammate Sastre at the back of a relatively large yellow jersey group. Then he said : "One thing is certain, Carlos Sastre doesn't feel good. He seems to suffer."

 

[tobydawq]

Re: Re:

That seems like an odd principle. I've never really understood sportspeople when it comes to their superstitions. I'm also rolling my eyes a little every time I see a rider with one of his number 13's turned up-side down.

Well, putting 2 minutes into everybody on Alpe d'Huez is hardly an unimpressive showing, though. And it's not like his competitors like Menchov, Evans, Samu, Valverde (and dare I say Kohl in that Tour) were complete slouches either. It was a very surprising Tour victory but not an undeserved one. But it would probably not have happened, if Astana had not been in bad standings with the ASO.

And attacking right at the bottom of the climb.

On la Croix-de-Fer, which was the previous climb, Laurent Jalabert was commenting on the moto for french television and saw his former teammate Sastre at the back of a relatively large yellow jersey group. Then he said : "One thing is certain, Carlos Sastre doesn't feel good. He seems to suffer."

Exactly. It was a marvellous performance. And he always rode at the back. A little like Adam Yates (and maybe Simon as well?)

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Sastre did nothing before then because his wings were clipped after Fränk's escape to Hautacam worked and the team had the maillot jaune coming into the final set of mountains. He wanted to attack on the Jausiers stage, over Bonette, but asked Fränk and was turned down, so he rode like a good boy and stayed with the group that day, staking everything on the Alpe. The Schlecks have whined about it ever since, as if Fränk wasn't going to lose the lead to Evans in the time trial anyway. He was helped by the fact Evans had one of his traditional pre-2009 sulks when nobody would work with him (the only rider willing to help him chase Sastre was Kohl, who had flushed his final blood bag and was running on empty, and he had both Schleck brothers and Valverde running interference, he couldn't let Fränk go, he's the maillot jaune, and he couldn't let Andy go because if Andy got to Sastre they'd ride together).

And hey, if you tell him he won one of the worst Tours in 30 years, he should respond the same way Óscar Pereiro once did when told his victory was a fluke - I've got a yellow jersey at home, so I don't care.

 

[spiritualride]

So glad to see TV coverage of this. Loved the route... great atmosphere and racing.

 

[Forever The Best]

Re:

Sastre did nothing before then because his wings were clipped after Fränk's escape to Hautacam worked and the team had the maillot jaune coming into the final set of mountains. He wanted to attack on the Jausiers stage, over Bonette, but asked Fränk and was turned down, so he rode like a good boy and stayed with the group that day, staking everything on the Alpe. The Schlecks have whined about it ever since, as if Fränk wasn't going to lose the lead to Evans in the time trial anyway. He was helped by the fact Evans had one of his traditional pre-2009 sulks when nobody would work with him (the only rider willing to help him chase Sastre was Kohl, who had flushed his final blood bag and was running on empty, and he had both Schleck brothers and Valverde running interference, he couldn't let Fränk go, he's the maillot jaune, and he couldn't let Andy go because if Andy got to Sastre they'd ride together).

And hey, if you tell him he won one of the worst Tours in 30 years, he should respond the same way Óscar Pereiro once did when told his victory was a fluke - I've got a yellow jersey at home, so I don't care.

Sastre was also the only one who managed to finish with Kohl in Prato Nevoso. Plus, Menchov tried to follow Sastre but he exploded and was even dropped by the Evans group at some point, but came back to finish in the Evans group.
And Andy was brilliant that Tour, while Evans was suffering he was riding so easy up the Alpe d'Huez :lol:
Andy was probably the 2nd strongest in the Alps behind Sastre. He also did amazing domestique job in Pratonevoso and Bonette.

 

[Alexandre B.]

Re: Re:

Sastre did nothing before then because his wings were clipped after Fränk's escape to Hautacam worked and the team had the maillot jaune coming into the final set of mountains. He wanted to attack on the Jausiers stage, over Bonette, but asked Fränk and was turned down, so he rode like a good boy and stayed with the group that day, staking everything on the Alpe. The Schlecks have whined about it ever since, as if Fränk wasn't going to lose the lead to Evans in the time trial anyway. He was helped by the fact Evans had one of his traditional pre-2009 sulks when nobody would work with him (the only rider willing to help him chase Sastre was Kohl, who had flushed his final blood bag and was running on empty, and he had both Schleck brothers and Valverde running interference, he couldn't let Fränk go, he's the maillot jaune, and he couldn't let Andy go because if Andy got to Sastre they'd ride together).

And hey, if you tell him he won one of the worst Tours in 30 years, he should respond the same way Óscar Pereiro once did when told his victory was a fluke - I've got a yellow jersey at home, so I don't care.

Sastre was also the only one who managed to finish with Kohl in Prato Nevoso. Plus, Menchov tried to follow Sastre but he exploded and was even dropped by the Evans group at some point, but came back to finish in the Evans group.
And Andy was brilliant that Tour, while Evans was suffering he was riding so easy up the Alpe d'Huez :lol:
Andy was probably the 2nd strongest in the Alps behind Sastre. He also did amazing domestique job in Pratonevoso and Bonette.

With a certain Chris Froome in his wheel.

 

[Valv.Piti]

I do realize I'm probably a bit too harsh on him. I just wasn't too fond of him (or in particular Riis) at the time, but I still think my general point stands, Sastre definitely isn't your typical Tour de France winner. I think he would have been put too much behind before the last couple of days in pretty much any other year. But he won and ultimately, thats all that matter. Still funny to think about Bjarne have had Andy, Basso and Contador in their primes, yet he has only won the biggest races on the calendar with Sastre.

LS, I obviously wasn't serious on your last point, I couldn't dream of doing that. Carlito is a nice guy. If I get the opportunity to talk to him, Ill probably tell him that even as a Dane, his stage win at Alpe d' Huez and him winning the overall standings are my best memorie and easily triumphs Rasmussen's mountain raids.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

He won it with Andy too...

 

[tobydawq]

Well... I think we have to invent a new tense in the English language to describe in what way Riis won with Andy.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re:

He won it with Andy too...

Yeah....

 

[Gigs_98]

Re:

He won it with Andy too...

Well, one could argue that Andy won the Tour when he wasn't riding for Riis anymore

 

[GuyIncognito]

Re:

Well... I think we have to invent a new tense in the English language to describe in what way Riis won with Andy.

"Losing"

 

[MartinGT]

Route for next year announced. Stage 4 looks brutal. Park Rash gets upto about 28% in a couple of places. Should have the bunch back together though and then back to Greenhow, thats a great climb.