Tour of Oman

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Ok, hill caused some gap, general happiness with selection so cannot be ar5ed explains the rest

Wrong again.

After the split. Rabobank tried to chase and bring Bos back, but it was mission impossible because the front group, especially Sky (Hagen), were happy without the pure sprinters there and kept the pace high.
25 guys were left after that climb, about 30 others returned. The rest couldn't.

Stop jumping to selfmade conclusions that have no truth in them,

 

[Ryaguas]

Wrong again.

After the split. Rabobank tried to chase and bring Bos back, but it was mission impossible because the front group, especially Sky (Hagen), were happy without the pure sprinters there and kept the pace high.
25 guys were left after that climb, about 30 others returned. The rest couldn't.

Stop jumping to selfmade conclusions that have no truth in them,

wowow Attack mode: ON so early?? =D

Good for Goss... EBH to defend the overall

 

[theyoungest]

Wrong again.

After the split. Rabobank tried to chase and bring Bos back, but it was mission impossible because the front group, especially Sky (Hagen), were happy without the pure sprinters there and kept the pace high.
25 guys were left after that climb, about 30 others returned. The rest couldn't.

Stop jumping to selfmade conclusions that have no truth in them,

Relax dude. For once.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Relax dude. For once.

I am completely relaxed. Just tried to stop mr. arrogancy over there

 

[kurtinsc]

How selective are the climbing stages likely to be?

Is it something where only "real climbers" like Gesink and others at or near that level can stay close, can "climbing TT guys" like Pinotti, Cancellera and Boom stay fairly close, or can some of the "climbing sprinters" like Goss, EBH and Haussler hang on?

 

[ingsve]

How selective are the climbing stages likely to be?

Is it something where only "real climbers" like Gesink and others at or near that level can stay close, can "climbing TT guys" like Pinotti, Cancellera and Boom stay fairly close, or can some of the "climbing sprinters" like Goss, EBH and Haussler hang on?

No one really knows. The stats on the climb make it pretty though. 6km 10% with parts as steep as 18% and last 2 km at 13%.

I was looking through the people who are still in with a shot and there really aren't that many big climbers. The ones that are there are very good but there is not more than 6-7 of them at most. I wonder if that could influence the results. Unless some of these top climbers attack with 4-5 km to go it will be up to others to keep pace in the first half of hte climb.

Then again a lot can happen in last 2 kms of a climb like that.

 

[roundabout]

How selective are the climbing stages likely to be?

Is it something where only "real climbers" like Gesink and others at or near that level can stay close, can "climbing TT guys" like Pinotti, Cancellera and Boom stay fairly close, or can some of the "climbing sprinters" like Goss, EBH and Haussler hang on?

1) real climbers - yes

2) climbing TT guys very unlikely with the exception of Pinotti

3) climbing sprinters - no chance in hell

 

[Havetts]

What is it 8 km's with 10% average, if a climbing sprinter can hold on then I'll be completely astonished .

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

It's early in the season though and I think even the real climbers will soft pedal half-way up, and then start the attacks with 3/2km to go

 

[Ferminal]

Ya, that's true. It will be interesting to see if Goss is in the MSR squad. If he is I wonder if he will be forced to help get Cav over the climbs or if he'l just do his own race and help Cav doesn't make it back.

It would be stupid for HTC to pick Cav ahead of Goss for M-SR unless Cav looks almost as good as he did in 2009.

Last year it didn't matter as Greipel was never going to win, but this time Goss is a genuine contender.

 

[Ferminal]

1) real climbers - yes

2) climbing TT guys very unlikely with the exception of Pinotti

3) climbing sprinters - no chance in hell

Do we class Vino as a climbing TT guy?

Or is he in a category of his own where he belongs?

 

[Winterfold]

Dekker_Tifosi - if I thought you were one of those rude Dutchmen I might tell you to go feck yourself - but I know not all Dutchmen are rude so will give you the benefit of the doubt and rely on another national stereotype - maybe you have not had your breakfast of coffee and cigarettes yet and are feeling tense?

I only asked a bloody question and then tried to piece an answer out of the riddles i got for answers.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Maybe it's the way you ask questions?

 

[Jamsque]

It would be stupid for HTC to pick Cav ahead of Goss for M-SR unless Cav looks almost as good as he did in 2009.

Last year it didn't matter as Greipel was never going to win, but this time Goss is a genuine contender.

Cav still has the right to be HTC's number one sprinter at M-SR, but they have only themselves to blame if they again make the mistake of not taking the strongest squad they have.

 

[Kwibus]

Dekker_Tifosi - if I thought you were one of those rude Dutchmen I might tell you to go feck yourself - but I know not all Dutchmen are rude so will give you the benefit of the doubt and rely on another national stereotype - maybe you have not had your breakfast of coffee and cigarettes yet and are feeling tense?

I only asked a bloody question and then tried to piece an answer out of the riddles i got for answers.

Hello there. Another dutchman!
If you read your comments then you can see that you keep on jumping to conclusions while other people are pointing out that you could be wrong.
Dekker_T usually makes his point very clear and sometimes I wonder if he should really do it the way he does, but this time I actually found it very appropiate!

I didn't get my breakfast of coffee and cigarettes though... like every other day.

Now if you read the report you can read what happened.

 

[auscyclefan94]

It's 395 m in 4 kms. The math isn't very hard on that one: 10% average.

you mean this one?

yes - I could get over that, and I would certainly expect a MSR winner, Boonen, Hammond, Arvesen etc to not get dropped on it.

Unless it there is a type and it is 1395m and not 395m

I think ingsve is right - they were happy with the selection and did not bother trying to get back on.

The race was split apart from the bottom by BMC Racing Team by the one and only A Kristoff! (I am not joking)


Greg Van Avermaet 4th, just thought I would remind you all!

Don't worry Dekker T, your favourite rider Robert Gesink who you totally adore is well in contention!

 

[theyoungest]

The race was split apart from the bottom by BMC Racing Team by the one and only A Kristoff! (I am not joking)


Greg Van Avermaet 4th, just thought I would remind you all!

Don't worry Dekker T, your favourite rider Robert Gesink who you totally adore is well in contention!

TGAK dropped everyone! And then... himself.

 

[Ryaguas]

Do we class Vino as a climbing TT guy?

Or is he in a category of his own where he belongs?

Vino enters in "Hors Category" just exactly after God =D

Greg Van Avermaet 4th, just thought I would remind you all!

When I saw the results in Twitter I knew that you were going to remark Van Avermaet's results =D

 

[maltiv]

Sky went too early again. EBH had to go into the wind with about 280 meters left, which is obviously way too early for a slight uphill finish.

 

[janraaskalt]

The race was split apart from the bottom by BMC Racing Team by the one and only A Kristoff! (I am not joking)

It seems to be Phinney who did that.

@taylorphinney
Great day... Led out the climb to get our guys up in the front split. Greg got 4th! Good result for us. I rolled in w/ grupetto.

From the FDJ report on their website:
Cette côte était vraiment difficile, assez longue (4 kilomètres) et avec des pourcentages sévères. L’Américain Taylor Phinney (BMC) l’a abordée en tête de peloton à un rythme incroyable et a mis tout le monde dans le rouge.
Translated:
The climb was really difficult, fairly long (4 km) and percentages severe. The American Taylor Phinney (BMC) has taken up leading the pack at an incredible pace and put everyone into the red.

 

[The Hitch]

(without spoilers if possible)

Was today a stage worth waiting till tomorrow for highlights, or a boring 200m sprint?

cheers.

 

[Anonymous]

Stage 3 - Thursday 17 February - Sur > Sur 208 km

Route:

Profile:

Weather
http://www.weather-forecast.com/locations/Sur

 

[Anonymous]

(without spoilers if possible)

Was today a stage worth waiting till tomorrow for highlights, or a boring 200m sprint?

cheers.

erm. the 1m20s dutch highlights have done me. Dunno, full highlights might be interesting, i just cant be arsed waiting 24 hours.

 

[The Hitch]

erm. the 1m20s dutch highlights have done me. Dunno, full highlights might be interesting, i just cant be arsed waiting 24 hours.

Do you have a link to the dutch highlights?

 

[Anonymous]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J39rAQ1Lbko