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How would a GC contender get yellow on stage 2? It's a sprint stage.Robert5091 said:Can not see any GC contenders wanting the yellow jersey on stage 2 - too early.
LaFlorecita said:How would a GC contender get yellow on stage 2? It's a sprint stage.Robert5091 said:Can not see any GC contenders wanting the yellow jersey on stage 2 - too early.
Robert5091 said:Can not see any GC contenders wanting the yellow jersey on stage 2 - too early.
It's happened a few times before that a GC contender has got in the break on an early supposed sprint stage. Froome in the echelons to Zuyder Zee, Nibali over the steep sharp climbs in Yorkshire, Lemond and half the PDM team on the first road stage in 91, etc. Sometimes it works out, sometimes it puts added stress on the team. The favourites are usually more than happy to offload the responsibility of controlling the race to some Belgian sprint train for a few days.LaFlorecita said:How would a GC contender get yellow on stage 2? It's a sprint stage.Robert5091 said:Can not see any GC contenders wanting the yellow jersey on stage 2 - too early.
LaFlorecita said:If Berto stays on his bike, he wins, I believe. So I give him about a 1 in 4 chance.
Absolutely nothing. He stayed on his bike at Andalucia, Catalunya, Pais Vasco and Dauphine this year. And didn't win any of them. He's yet to even win a non time-trial stage at WT level in over two years.Valv.Piti said:What suggests Contador will win if he stays on his bike? His veins or his skinny face?
The entire package - he's lean fit and ready to fight for the victory with a strong and LOYAL teamValv.Piti said:What suggests Contador will win if he stays on his bike? His veins or his skinny face?
Don't worry, he puts more pressure on himself than all his fans together could manage. He'll cope.DFA123 said:Absolutely nothing. He stayed on his bike at Andalucia, Catalunya, Pais Vasco and Dauphine this year. And didn't win any of them. He's yet to even win a non time-trial stage at WT level in over two years.Valv.Piti said:What suggests Contador will win if he stays on his bike? His veins or his skinny face?
This hyping of him is really unfair and disrespectful to a great rider like Contador. A place on the lower steps of the podium would be a fine achievement for him at his current age and current level; but the expectations from some fans seem to want to set it up that anything less than a win is failure. With fans like that; who needs enemies!?
Your first statement don't go with your second statement. 1 in 4 chance is 25% which isn't much if we refer to your first statement.LaFlorecita said:If Berto stays on his bike, he wins, I believe. So I give him about a 1 in 4 chance.
You got it TontonTonton said:I can't blame LaFlo for such a bold prediction. Fans are fans. Yes, it may be setting unrealistic expectations, but I'd rather see fans like LaFlo rather than bandwagon hoppers.
Contador's chances are slim, very slim. His fans, and himself believe that he has one last big race in him. What a story it would be.
75% chance he crashesEscarabajo said:Your first statement don't go with your second statement. 1 in 4 chance is 25% which isn't much if we refer to your first statement.LaFlorecita said:If Berto stays on his bike, he wins, I believe. So I give him about a 1 in 4 chance.
Sure, I don't doubt that. But I do feel sorry for him that, in addition to putting pressure on himself to win, he also has pressure of an international fan base to win. So, even finishing 2nd or 3rd (which objectively, I'm sure most would agree, would be a good result), he will not only feel his own disappointment, but also the disappoinment of letting his fans down.LaFlorecita said:Don't worry, he puts more pressure on himself than all his fans together could manage. He'll cope.DFA123 said:Absolutely nothing. He stayed on his bike at Andalucia, Catalunya, Pais Vasco and Dauphine this year. And didn't win any of them. He's yet to even win a non time-trial stage at WT level in over two years.Valv.Piti said:What suggests Contador will win if he stays on his bike? His veins or his skinny face?
This hyping of him is really unfair and disrespectful to a great rider like Contador. A place on the lower steps of the podium would be a fine achievement for him at his current age and current level; but the expectations from some fans seem to want to set it up that anything less than a win is failure. With fans like that; who needs enemies!?
LaFlorecita said:75% chance he crashesEscarabajo said:Your first statement don't go with your second statement. 1 in 4 chance is 25% which isn't much if we refer to your first statement.LaFlorecita said:If Berto stays on his bike, he wins, I believe. So I give him about a 1 in 4 chance.I'm being kind to Berto, after all he crashed 9 times in his last 6 GTs
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DFA123 said:Sure, I don't doubt that. But I do feel sorry for him that, in addition to putting pressure on himself to win, he also has pressure of an international fan base to win. So, even finishing 2nd or 3rd (which objectively, I'm sure most would agree, would be a good result), he will not only feel his own disappointment, but also the disappoinment of letting his fans down.LaFlorecita said:Don't worry, he puts more pressure on himself than all his fans together could manage. He'll cope.DFA123 said:Absolutely nothing. He stayed on his bike at Andalucia, Catalunya, Pais Vasco and Dauphine this year. And didn't win any of them. He's yet to even win a non time-trial stage at WT level in over two years.Valv.Piti said:What suggests Contador will win if he stays on his bike? His veins or his skinny face?
This hyping of him is really unfair and disrespectful to a great rider like Contador. A place on the lower steps of the podium would be a fine achievement for him at his current age and current level; but the expectations from some fans seem to want to set it up that anything less than a win is failure. With fans like that; who needs enemies!?
I guess that's just the way it goes though when you've already got seven (or nine) wins on your palmares.
Well we can only go by what he himself saysEscarabajo said:I agree with DFA about the pressure by fans. You see it here that people actually start talking about Contador in a legend type character that does not give a rat a$$ about 2nd or 3rd. Well maybe he does.
LaFlorecita said:75% chance he crashesEscarabajo said:Your first statement don't go with your second statement. 1 in 4 chance is 25% which isn't much if we refer to your first statement.LaFlorecita said:If Berto stays on his bike, he wins, I believe. So I give him about a 1 in 4 chance.I'm being kind to Berto, after all he crashed 9 times in his last 6 GTs
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DFA123 said:Absolutely nothing. He stayed on his bike at Andalucia, Catalunya, Pais Vasco and Dauphine this year. And didn't win any of them. He's yet to even win a non time-trial stage at WT level in over two years.Valv.Piti said:What suggests Contador will win if he stays on his bike? His veins or his skinny face?
This hyping of him is really unfair and disrespectful to a great rider like Contador. A place on the lower steps of the podium would be a fine achievement for him at his current age and current level; but the expectations from some fans seem to want to set it up that anything less than a win is failure. With fans like that; who needs enemies!?