Tour of Bejing (9th October - 13th October)

[DominicDecoco]

The forum activity about this WT race is overwhelming.

 

[Ride to forget]

The forum activity about this WT race is overwhelming.

I find it fabulously poetic that this ill-conceived, money-grabbing farce, shoehorned into the WT calendar by McQuaid, is being comprehensively ignored by all and sundry due to the avalanche of scandal that the fat fraud swept under the carpet for so many years.

 

[movingtarget]

I find it fabulously poetic that this ill-conceived, money-grabbing farce, shoehorned into the WT calendar by McQuaid, is being comprehensively ignored by all and sundry due to the avalanche of scandal that the fat fraud swept under the carpet for so many years.

The fact that the commentators have spent more time talking about the Armstrong situation than the race and they are giving it more air time than much better races is strange. Amazing amount of spectators on the side of the road ! It's deadly dull in all aspects although I hear some of the scenery is amazing when it can be glimpsed through the pollution.

 

[ValleyFlowers]

Final stage profile

Stage 5 profile:

 

[ValleyFlowers]

Schleck abandons!

Andy Schleck (RNT) has abandoned at around km 42 of the stage.

 

[JRanton]

Andy Schleck (RNT) has abandoned at around km 42 of the stage.

Typical.

 

[ValleyFlowers]

12 in the breakaway

with a lead of 1'32" just past the 2nd Sprint point:
Cummings (BMC), Veikkanen (FDJ), Ignatyev (KAT), Tsatevich (KAT), Bole (LAM), Sanz (MOV), Boaro (STB), Wynants (RAB), Veuchelen (VCD), De Haes (LTB), Bakelants (RNT), & Tanner (STB)

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Andy Schleck (RNT) has abandoned at around km 42 of the stage.

Not very surprising, although I have to admit that he held on longer than I though. I had guessed that he would abandon thursday.

 

[Zam_Olyas]

Any reason to why he surrenderd yet again? But credit to him for sticking till saturdday, folks here were thinking thursday or friday.

 

[ValleyFlowers]

Not yet.
Nothing on the ticker and still a bit before the live 'Net feeds begin.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

The fact that the commentators have spent more time talking about the Armstrong situation than the race and they are giving it more air time than much better races is strange. Amazing amount of spectators on the side of the road ! It's deadly dull in all aspects although I hear some of the scenery is amazing when it can be glimpsed through the pollution.

Meh, it's just at a horrible time of day for most people in cycling's homelands to watch. It's first thing in the morning for most of Europe, and for the more recent centres, it's in the middle of the night for America. Only really Australia is in a position to watch it at a convenient time.

And with the season being effectively over, as there are no races of any importance left, and that we've had loads of cycling to watch lately (so dont have that hunger for the sport that leads to many of us staying up to watch the TDU), and the race having practically no prestige other than for a handful of teams hoping for points, you can see why nobody cares even before the Armstrong excreta hit the fan.

 

[ValleyFlowers]

As the video feeds are about to start: 125km covered, gap to lead group of 12 still around 1min 25sec

 

[ValleyFlowers]

Six min into the live feed - just a casual mention that Andy Schleck abandoned.

And a bit of surprise in the break. They're saying Ryder Hesjedal is up there.
He's best placed about 1'00" back. Explains the tight leash on the break.
Cummings 3'15" and Veikkanen 3" 42" down on GC are the next best placed riders.

 

[maltiv]

Pretty good mountain, this, but no attacks whatsoever from the peloton yet. Peloton still consists of about 30 riders or so.

 

[ValleyFlowers]

Sanchez just jumped. He's 1'00" down on GC.
Gap to the 2 leaders is 49".

 

[maltiv]

Sanchez just jumped. He's 1'00" down on GC.
Gap to the 2 leaders is 49".

Attacking with 200 meters to go to the top is perhaps a bit late...The mountain seemed very hard to be honest, I'm surprised no one wanted to try anything.

 

[stefank]

Nice scenery, blue skies!

 

[Hugo Koblet]

How many km's left?

 

[wirral]

Unfortunately they are not going to stay away. That chasing peloton is huge bearing in mind the mountain they went over.

 

[maltiv]

Unfortunately they are not going to stay away. That chasing peloton is huge bearing in mind the mountain they went over.

Euskaltel has 6 riders in the peloton, yet only launched one half-hearted attack up the mountain. Quite weird, considering that they have nothing to lose.

 

[maltiv]

I think they are staying away, the gap is not coming down at all...

 

[wirral]

They're gonna make it !

C'mon Steve.

 

[wirral]

Steeeeevoooo!!!!!!!

 

[auscyclefan94]

Cummings!!!!

 

[maltiv]

EBH easily wins the sprint in the peloton...

Poor guy. 3x 3rd place in 5 stages.