Tour of the Basque Country 2012

[wirral]

Was the motocamera at the last roundabout accidentally on purpose in the way?

 

[LaFlorecita]

What a weird finish this was.

Lol GE 1-2.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Most favorites in group 1
Hoogerland +32 seconds

Gesink not in the result as of yet, so probably in a group behind (as expected with his cold...)

 

[Mellow Velo]

Weather effected today. Usually a much more attacking in the final Ks despite the route. A good day for the climbers to sit in wearing their thermals.

You think? I don't.
That was an often used Pais Vasco run in today and it usually ends in a group sprint. 3% climbs have that effect.

Hats off to GE for realizing that:
a) They have no chance at the GC, so go for stages.
b) The sprinters that are there, are going to get zero help from their teams,
so a Cancellara-esque jump from 600 metres might just be let go, while they all sit around waiting for lead outs that don't exist.

 

[LaFlorecita]

You think? I don't.
That was an often used Pais Vasco run in today and it usually ends in a group sprint. 3% climbs have that effect.

Hats off to GE for realizing that:
a) They have no chance at the GC, so go for stages.
b) The sprinters that are there, are going to get zero help from their teams,
so a Cancellara-esque jump from 600 metres might just be let go, while they all sit around waiting for lead outs that don't exist.

Albasini..................

 

[Richeypen]

You think? I don't.
That was an often used Pais Vasco run in today and it usually ends in a group sprint. 3% climbs have that effect.

Hats off to GE for realizing that:
a) They have no chance at the GC, so go for stages.
b) The sprinters that are there, are going to get zero help from their teams,
so a Cancellara-esque jump from 600 metres might just be let go, while they all sit around waiting for lead outs that don't exist.

They was no Canc jump. He was on the front to set up Davis and the person behind him lost his wheel so he just kept on going. Greenedge were there to set up the sprint .

 

[Gloin22]

Albasini..................

He can't TT well to win.

 

[LaFlorecita]

He can't TT well to win.

I should've added a or a or a

 

[Mellow Velo]

They was no Canc jump. He was on the front to set up Davis and the person behind him lost his wheel so he just kept on going. Greenedge were there to set up the sprint .

Of course. Why else be there? He saw his chance and put his head down.
Thinking on his feet.
I think you are splitting hairs.
Would have totally sucked as a lead out, if Sky or Rabo had supported their men.

 

[Richeypen]

Of course. Why else be there? He saw his chance and put his head down.
Thinking on his feet.
I think you are splitting hairs.
Would have totally sucked as a lead out, if Sky or Rabo had supported their men.

Not splitting hairs, you said that they thought that a Canc style attack might work when in fact it was a complete accident that he found himself in that position. Fair play to him for holding them off though.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

gesink already out. lol

 

[theyoungest]

Nice win for Impey, the gap he had only widened so he must have had some great legs.

Gesink and (surprisingly) Dan Martin out of contention.

 

[Ruudz0r]

Dan Martin said in an interview (I think on Velonation) he wasnt doing this 1 for GC might look for a stage and will be helping Tommy D + Hesjedal.

 

[theyoungest]

gesink already out. lol

You know he's recovering from the flu, right?

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Don't be a condescending ****, it does not become you. I was talking more about Pinot than Madiot. Gilbert turned out just fine, no? Pinot is still very young, he could go to another team in the future as well. Very premature to deem his career over before it even really began.

Especially bearing in mind that Pinot is a climber, and we have had precisely 0 real climber's races thus far this season. Catalunya's queen stage was cancelled, Tirreno's not really a climber's race, Paris-Nice is hilly but not truly mountainous, and this is a pathetic excuse for a País Vasco route.

so that was the last climb already?

I told you it was bad.

Any team that insults cycling by not even trying to have any proper climbers sucks, regardless of whether they get some decent wins elsewhere.

Nah, I think they've long since thrown that out. Their climbing roster is still paper thin, and the roster is pretty underwhelming for the bluster they came in on, however they have really utilised the riders they have well, seem to have their tactics pretty bang on.

Sky came into the sport with a very good first couple of months, but their first season tailed away somewhat. GreenEdge have been much more successful than Sky were by this point in 2010, but the season is long.

Either way, I think they've outperformed most people's expectations (even, in their heart of hearts, I think many of their fans).

At least Cav isn't here with the ambition to win a couple of stages (the route isn't that bad). Then we can really fear for Libertine's life.

I'm not boycotting the race, I just couldn't be bothered to get the time off work. I'll watch the highlights, if there are any, and I'll watch the last couple of stages, but no need to spend vital holiday days on stages like this.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

You know he's recovering from the flu, right?

never mind. I read eliminados and couldn't find him in initial result so I thought he retired

 

[BillytheKid]

If you watch the last 500, meters that will do...Unless you enjoy watching a cold slog through the rain. This stage was weather affected otherwise the last climb and descent might have been more animated, but maybe not...the finish too far from the base of the last climb. They all just looked wet and tired.

The weather's the same for tomorrow. 70% chance of rain, but of course no sprinter's stage.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

You know he's recovering from the flu, right?

The problem is that he's always recovering from something...

 

[Spine Concept]

The problem is that he's always recovering from something...

I don't necessarily disagree with you as I have mentioned before as well that there's always something with these guys (rabobank). However, when we start blaming them for being sick we have a real problem. Aside from that though, totally agree.

 

[Havetts]

And Gesink is out of the race.

https://twitter.com/EisengaL/status/187248162375868416

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

And Gesink is out of the race.

https://twitter.com/EisengaL/status/187248162375868416

was to be expected

pais vasco is way too hard to do when you are not 100% fit or recovered. It can only hurt more for the rest of the season

I'd advise Gesink to not ride the classics and just train till Romandie.. but he will probably fail to see that

 

[theyoungest]

The problem is that he's always recovering from something...

That's nonsense.

Especially bearing in mind that Pinot is a climber, and we have had precisely 0 real climber's races thus far this season. Catalunya's queen stage was cancelled, Tirreno's not really a climber's race, Paris-Nice is hilly but not truly mountainous, and this is a pathetic excuse for a País Vasco route.

If this year's Tirreno wasn't a climbers' race, I don't know what was. Pinot hasn't really been that impressive in the WT so far, except for the Dauphiné last year.

was to be expected

pais vasco is way too hard to do when you are not 100% fit or recovered. It can only hurt more for the rest of the season

I'd advise Gesink to not ride the classics and just train till Romandie.. but he will probably fail to see that

It's funny... Gesink desperately wants to ride Amstel, which doesnt necessarily suit him, while Poels desperately doesn't, while it might suit him.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

If this year's Tirreno wasn't a climbers' race, I don't know what was. Pinot hasn't really been that impressive in the WT so far, except for the Dauphiné last year.

Even so, climbing races are different in nature in March to during the peak season. This was one of the most mountainous T-As in a while, possibly ever, but it's still mostly medium mountain level. País Vasco of course is similar owing to the nature of the climbs in the region, but I'd say that a typical País Vasco route (ie not this one) is as hilly as the most hilly T-A routes you'll ever find.

I was meaning the kind of races where the featherweight climbers are genuine contenders haven't happened yet. País Vasco is usually one of the absolute first of these, because racing in the cold is not exactly ideal for the Igor Antóns and Domenico Pozzovivos of this world.

 

[roundabout]

Even so, climbing races are different in nature in March to during the peak season. This was one of the most mountainous T-As in a while, possibly ever, but it's still mostly medium mountain level. País Vasco of course is similar owing to the nature of the climbs in the region, but I'd say that a typical País Vasco route (ie not this one) is as hilly as the most hilly T-A routes you'll ever find.

I was meaning the kind of races where the featherweight climbers are genuine contenders haven't happened yet. País Vasco is usually one of the absolute first of these, because racing in the cold is not exactly ideal for the Igor Antóns and Domenico Pozzovivos of this world.

Prati di Tivo

 

[search]

This stage was weather affected otherwise the last climb and descent might have been more animated, but maybe not...

they did the same finish three years in a row (from 2006-2008) and nobody ever managed to step away on the last climb and/or descent. There was always a bunch of ~100 riders coming in together - so, yes: maybe not