Tour of Qatar- Stage 2: Camel Race Track → Doha Golf Club 136km

[Ferminal]

gc?

blah

Boonen
Haussler +1
Renshaw +4
Cancellara +8
Flecha +9
Bennati +9

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Boonen
Haussler +1
Renshaw +4
Cancellara +8
Flecha +9
Bennati +9

cheerioo

i got 1 - 4
yeah boy.

 

[Captain_Cavman]

Why bother pulling the break back if you aren't going to organise yourselves to do a decent lead out, even if the sprinters aren't great. Very odd indeed.

Given the squad here, and in Oman, my guess is that these two races are purely about conditioning for the classics. It wasn't about pulling the break back for strategic reasons, more driving on the front as a preparation for more important races to come. But it's just a guess.

 

[Reverend_T_Preedy]

Well, it would be a good windup if there was a factual basis to it...

Since when has fact ever affected wind-ups on here?

Anyway, I know Haussler was born in Australia, however, Dan Martin was born in Birmingham and Matt Brammier is a scouser (born in Liverpool).

 

[Ferminal]

cheerioo

i got 1 - 4
yeah boy.

Should be similar to that at the end. Only real change would be Bennati coming up to 3rd or 4th.

 

[El Pistolero]

He's going to have a tough season with Garmin and Sky around.

Not really, the real danger is coming from the Leopard team.

Unless you think Boonen likes small stage wins in stage races over a real classic.

Boonen is just quite a few levels above Haussler in the cobbled classics. And probably above Thor as well, especially in Flanders.

 

[Jamsque]

We'll have to wait and see. Boonen and Spartacus are clearly going well this year, and Flecha looks strong, but if Haussler and Hushovd are on form I think they can be in the mix with the top riders at RVV and P-R

 

[hrotha]

Not really, the real danger is coming from the Leopard team.

Unless you think Boonen likes small stage wins in stage races over a real classic.

Boonen is just quite a few levels above Haussler in the cobbled classics. And probably above Thor as well, especially in Flanders.

The only Leopard guy who could probably compete with Boonen on this front is O'Grady.

 

[janraaskalt]

The only Leopard guy who could probably compete with Boonen on this front is O'Grady.

What happened to Cancellara?!

 

[sublimit]

Since when has fact ever affected wind-ups on here?

Anyway, I know Haussler was born in Australia, however, Dan Martin was born in Birmingham and Matt Brammier is a scouser (born in Liverpool).

Haussler does have an Aussie accent to be fair to him. Brammier is clearly a scouser though so the sheep will probably hate the guy.. haha.

Tour of Qatar is great though, its like racing on the surface of the moon but with crosswinds.. crazy race.

 

[Andy99]

Since when has fact ever affected wind-ups on here?

Anyway, I know Haussler was born in Australia, however, Dan Martin was born in Birmingham and Matt Brammier is a scouser (born in Liverpool).

Yep. Dan is a proper Brummie - also former GB Espoir Champ.

Matt was part of the GB Academy (same time as Cav) and also represented Wales at Commonwealth games level previously.

 

[Mellow Velo]

Catching up again. Messy sprint.
Any news on whether Visconti got back on his bike?

 

[Ferminal]

Catching up again. Messy sprint.
Any news on whether Visconti got back on his bike?

Yes, finished last though I think.

 

[Captain_Cavman]

What happened to Cancellara?!

Hrotha is thinking along different lines.

 

[Frosty]

Yes, finished last though I think.

Official results show that to be correct

http://www.letour.fr/2011/TQA/LIVE/us/200/classement/index.html

Cav finished 12th and Renshaw 14th. Downing was Sky's first guy, coming home in 18th

 

[Roland Rat]

From Mark Renshaw's twitter:

[today's stage] Average watts 158, HR 118bpm.

Tough day out there then.

 

[El Pistolero]

By the way does anyone know what Chichi is doing? Haven't seen much of him yet in Qatar this year.

 

[TeoSheva]

By the way does anyone know what Chichi is doing? Haven't seen much of him yet in Qatar this year.

Chicchi today was 15th... I think he can do much better in the next days...

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Since when has fact ever affected wind-ups on here?

Anyway, I know Haussler was born in Australia, however, Dan Martin was born in Birmingham and Matt Brammier is a scouser (born in Liverpool).

You're not really going to succeed in winding up the Irish by pointing out that most Irish riders were born outside Ireland.

Martin was born in England to one English and one Irish parent, just as Nicolas Roche was born in France to one French and one Irish parent. Brammeier doesn't even have an Irish parent, if I recall correctly, just grandparents. The Irish football team has always been full of guys of Irish extraction born in England. The same goes for most sports. It comes from having more than ten times as many people of Irish descent outside of Ireland as live in Ireland, which in turn comes from a couple of hundred years with "young people" as one of the country's chief exports.

Irish footballers not knowing the national anthem, not speaking a word of Irish and not knowing who the politicians shaking their hands are is a staple of TV comedy here.

 

[TRDean]

Haussler does have an Aussie accent to be fair to him. Brammier is clearly a scouser though so the sheep will probably hate the guy.. haha.

Tour of Qatar is great though, its like racing on the surface of the moon but with crosswinds.. crazy race.

OK...call me stupid or whatever...I don't care, but can someone please explain what the heck a scouser is? I'm assuming a not so nice slang term??

 

[kurtinsc]

By the way does anyone know what Chichi is doing? Haven't seen much of him yet in Qatar this year.

I guess he's the man in front of Steegmans for Boonen?

I'm hoping guys like Steegmans, Chicchi and Ciolek get a few opportunities for themselves this year. Haven't seen much out of any of them so far... well aside from Steegmans doing a great job bringing Boonen to the front today.

 

[euanli]

OK...call me stupid or whatever...I don't care, but can someone please explain what the heck a scouser is? I'm assuming a not so nice slang term??

calm down, calm down.

 

[The Hitch]

Steegmans clearly doesnt know about cq. He could have gotten some points if he didnt stop pedaling 100m out.

 

[Reverend_T_Preedy]

OK...call me stupid or whatever...I don't care, but can someone please explain what the heck a scouser is? I'm assuming a not so nice slang term??

A Scouser is a slang term for someone from Liverpool. The term comes from the dialect/accent which is known as scouse. I think the EU have officially recongnised it as a language but I could be wrong.

 

[ingsve]

A Scouser is a slang term for someone from Liverpool. The term comes from the dialect/accent which is known as scouse. I think the EU have officially recongnised it as a language but I could be wrong.

Just to add. The word actually comes from the norwegian word lapskaus which is a stew that became common in the Liverpool area due to it's international port.