Tour of Britain 15/09 - 22/09/13 (2.1)

[Waterloo Sunrise]

Yeah just seen the replay, Viviani's very nearly lost it. I'm calling it 'clever' riding from Cav using his experience of this finish to make sure Viviani had to go on the tougher side. Pettavhi's lead out was just awesome, add Renshaw and Cav has got his dream lead out.

4th man for OPQS did a pathetic little 20 second pull leaving the last 3 guys in a bit of a hole.

Petacchi went hard and early, but by the time Cav had to go (way too early) he was moving quite a bit slower than the guys coming from behind and had to use his kick just getting back to parity on speed.

 

[MatParker117]

All Wiggo has to do is finish in the main bunch.

 

[Panda Claws]

All Wiggo has to do is finish in the main bunch.

Sir Wiggo.

 

[JRanton]

4th man for OPQS did a pathetic little 20 second pull leaving the last 3 guys in a bit of a hole.

Petacchi went hard and early, but by the time Cav had to go (way too early) he was moving quite a bit slower than the guys coming from behind and had to use his kick just getting back to parity on speed.

Golas, trying to retain his 8th place on GC.

 

[Pricey_sky]

4th man for OPQS did a pathetic little 20 second pull leaving the last 3 guys in a bit of a hole.

Petacchi went hard and early, but by the time Cav had to go (way too early) he was moving quite a bit slower than the guys coming from behind and had to use his kick just getting back to parity on speed.

In the interview Cav admitted he could have gone later and left Pettachi out front for a few more metres. At the time Cav believed he started his sprint when the cobbles started last year but quickly realised he made a mistake, he showed how tactically clever he is compared to some others in the final few metres.

 

[dicanio_michael]

In the interview Cav admitted he could have gone later and left Pettachi out front for a few more metres. At the time Cav believed he started his sprint when the cobbles started last year but quickly realised he made a mistake, he showed how tactically clever he is compared to some others in the final few metres.

Yes, it was Cav decision to move early. Actually Petachhi could still go little further.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Great cobbles sprint.

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

In the interview Cav admitted he could have gone later and left Pettachi out front for a few more metres. At the time Cav believed he started his sprint when the cobbles started last year but quickly realised he made a mistake, he showed how tactically clever he is compared to some others in the final few metres.

The gap which had opened up was closing - he could have gone later, but he'd have beeen passed earlier and had to come from behind had he waited more than 1 or 2 seconds longer.

 

[coinneach]

I appreciate the ToB is what it is
But am I the only one starting to tire of the amazing British winner?
Its looking more and more like ProWrestling every day!

I'm not saying the other major teams are not trying, but they seem to know the script, and be willing to follow it.

Ok, its not a post tour city centre crit, yet
But from my position, its heading that way.

 

[Cyivel]

If it was pro wrestling it would be far more unpredictable in getting to the same winner, although whether Elmiger hitting Wiggins with a steel chair would be within the spirit of cycling I'm not sure.

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

I appreciate the ToB is what it is
But am I the only one starting to tire of the amazing British winner?
Its looking more and more like ProWrestling every day!

I'm not saying the other major teams are not trying, but they seem to know the script, and be willing to follow it.

Ok, its not a post tour city centre crit, yet
But from my position, its heading that way.

Rider Team
2004 Colombia Mauricio Ardila (COL) Chocolade Jacques-Wincor Nixdorf
2005 Belgium Nick Nuyens (BEL) Quick Step-Innergetic
2006 Denmark Martin Pedersen (DEN) Team CSC
2007 France Romain Feillu (FRA) Agritubel
2008 France Geoffroy Lequatre (FRA) Agritubel
2009 Norway Edvald Boasson Hagen (NOR) Team Columbia-HTC
2010 Switzerland Michael Albasini (SUI) Team HTC-Columbia
2011 Netherlands Lars Boom (NED) Rabobank
2012 United Kingdom Jonathan Tiernan-Locke (GBR) Endura Racing

 

[Richeypen]

Rider Team
2004 Colombia Mauricio Ardila (COL) Chocolade Jacques-Wincor Nixdorf
2005 Belgium Nick Nuyens (BEL) Quick Step-Innergetic
2006 Denmark Martin Pedersen (DEN) Team CSC
2007 France Romain Feillu (FRA) Agritubel
2008 France Geoffroy Lequatre (FRA) Agritubel
2009 Norway Edvald Boasson Hagen (NOR) Team Columbia-HTC
2010 Switzerland Michael Albasini (SUI) Team HTC-Columbia
2011 Netherlands Lars Boom (NED) Rabobank
2012 United Kingdom Jonathan Tiernan-Locke (GBR) Endura Racing

Some very solid winners. A mixture of Monument winners, WT week long race winners, GT top tens and add to that a Tour winner. Has attracted a strong field in recent years, I just hope it stays at this classification allowing the likes of AN Post, Team UK youth, Rapha Condor etc to all compete. The video of the AN Post car celebrating Bennett's win was brilliant and goes to show how much races like these matter to the so called smaller teams.

 

[willbick]

I appreciate the ToB is what it is
But am I the only one starting to tire of the amazing British winner?
Its looking more and more like ProWrestling every day!

I'm not saying the other major teams are not trying, but they seem to know the script, and be willing to follow it.

Ok, its not a post tour city centre crit, yet
But from my position, its heading that way.

Cycling's no different from most other sports in that the home riders are gonna have an advantage. This is for lots of reasons. Its perfectly natural that the British riders will have had the ToB as a big target for them and will have trained and prepared accordingly. Which is not to say that non-British riders cant perform well. Viviani has won a stage and come 2nd in 2 others. Ciolek won a stage. Madrazzi was in every break and won KoM.

And lets not forget that UK is a far stronger cycling nation than it was 10 years ago so its no surprise they get good results in their home tour

 

[Afrank]

In the interview Cav admitted he could have gone later and left Pettachi out front for a few more metres. At the time Cav believed he started his sprint when the cobbles started last year but quickly realised he made a mistake, he showed how tactically clever he is compared to some others in the final few metres.

Dam, if Petacchi could have kept going then he was even stronger then he looked (and he already looked pretty darn strong). OPQS's going to be a hard team to beat in the leadout with Renshaw and Petacchi as the last 2 men before firing Cav off.

 

[Richeypen]

Cycling's no different from most other sports in that the home riders are gonna have an advantage. This is for lots of reasons. Its perfectly natural that the British riders will have had the ToB as a big target for them and will have trained and prepared accordingly. Which is not to say that non-British riders cant perform well. Viviani has won a stage and come 2nd in 2 others. Ciolek won a stage. Madrazzi was in every break and won KoM.

And lets not forget that UK is a far stronger cycling nation than it was 10 years ago so its no surprise they get good results in their home tour

Exactly. In the past 2 years British riders have won 2 Tours, 2 Dauphines, 2 Romandies, Paris Nice and the World Champs RR alongside 22 GT stage victories from 6 different riders. Having a British winner is no longer the sign of a weak field.

 

[willbick]

Dam, if Petacchi could have kept going then he was even stronger then he looked (and he already looked pretty darn strong). OPQS's going to be a hard team to beat in the leadout with Renshaw and Petacchi as the last 2 men before firing Cav off.

my money's still on Argos and Kittel

 

[Cyivel]

Dyu have heat with Cav, willbick?

 

[JRanton]

Who knew Viviani was from Canada?

Britain's Mark Cavendish won his second stage at this year's Tour of Britain by out-sprinting Canada's Elia Viviani to the finish on Guildford High Street.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cycling/24188936

And then on the 10 O'clock news the presenter makes the same mistake.

 

[Cyivel]

They've confused Canada and Cannondale?

 

[JRanton]

They've confused Canada and Cannondale?

Correct. The team name is abbreviated as (CAN) and some BBC twerp has been confused by it.

 

[Cyivel]

Correct. The team name is abbreviated as (CAN) and some BBC twerp has been confused by it.

lol, UK Cycling Expert would be proud of that one!

 

[Pricey_sky]

On route to London for today's finale, the picture I've seen of the finishing straight looks quite narrow. Sorry I can't post the photo as I'm on my phone.

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

On route to London for today's finale, the picture I've seen of the finishing straight looks quite narrow. Sorry I can't post the photo as I'm on my phone.

Whitehall?

Not narrow.

 

[Pricey_sky]

Whitehall?

Not narrow.

The barriers they have put up along the finishing straight dont look too wide apart, it may have just been the camera angle though. I will see in a couple of hours.

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

Quite an achievement, it's 2 full lanes even only using 1 direction.