Will SKY make this ToF the most boring ever?

[Gloin22]

it's up to the other teams
we'll see after the rest day
on grand colombier they should attack all over the place if they want to come back

until now
tour>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>giro

THIS by a long way.

 

[DominicDecoco]

It's has already been rather interesting. And yesterday's stage was one of the best races this year. That probably won't say much to the Negative Nancy-users but it was absolutely brilliant and I can't see why we shouldnt get a couple or more of that.

 

[Bernie's eyesore]

The question should be rephrased as 'Do you want Wiggins to win the Tour?' The results would be exactly identical. Seems a strange question to ask as it's been pretty good so far. If Froome wasn't riding for Sky then the race would be perfectly set up. As it is, BMC and Liquigas are going to have to work together and this could make the remainder of the race pretty interesting.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Its been more entertaining than some of the past years already (2009 springs to mind as having me reaching for the noose). It is an advert for why two such long ITTs must never, ever be permitted again. It makes victory a virtual impossibility for roughly 80% of the GC contenders because the time gaps are so huge between a good TT rider and a middling TT rider and equally big between a middling TT rider (e.g. Nibali) and a climber. The good thing is the climbers are all so far behind, surely one of them will roll the dice rather than settle for 8th or 9th... please?!

With a wild estimate I'd say you need about 3 MTFs for a climber to have any chance of making up what they lose in an ITT to a good TT rider (Evans, Wiggins) who can also climb. Plus, ITTs aren't much of a spectacle unless they are just before Paris.

This is the first time in a few years that there has been enough ITT mileage in the Tour. 2008 wasn't bad, 2007 was better.

However, this year they completely forgot to put in good mountain stages. If you have difficult mountain stages where minutes can be gained, you need large amounts of ITT mileage for those to be won back. And likewise, if you don't have much ITT mileage, then the climbers aren't very far back and don't attack until the last 3km of your mountain stages.

The balance is having hard enough mountain stages to justify your heavy time trialling. I say one mid length (30-35, maybe pushing 40) and one long (50-55), plus a prologue, and then balance it with some genuinely tough mountain stages, not Vuelta-style 140km one-climb-at-the-end ones.

 

[dgodave]

Sky will make this Tour superexciting!
.
Because Wiggins will win!
.

 

[Catwhoorg]

Stage 7 was very interesting. Aggressive riding catching many by surprise, and a true selection forced on the first MTF. My guess is that attack was planned months ago, and the Sky boys practiced their timing and power outputs to perfection.

Did the first MTF of the Giro have true selection ? Didn't think so.

Stage 8 was also intesting, on several levels, the GC race and selection, as well as the desperate dash for the line for the stage win versus the charging group of GCers.
The 'mistake' made was not drilling it hard enough on the Cat 2. Isolate Wiggo (or at least drop it to him a Froome) early, and with descent then climb and 2nd descent for Nibali to try to gap them.

Liquigas, Katusha and BMC (and RSNT) should be attacking in turns. Tire out the sky Domestiques, then again the day after then again the day after that.

So far the weekend past has been the most aggressively ridden weekend I recall seeing in recent tours.

 

[Carols]

We haven't even hit the high mountains yet!

Da*ned Tejay has to forget the White and Lotto and Liqui need to Work Hard to wear out the Sky train. Then everyone has to Attack, Attack, Attack....I think JVDB, Evans and Nibali will do just that

Actually I wouldn't mind seeing Froome be better than Wiggins and Sky have a choice to make, that would be wonderfully entertaining!!! Froome could take it all

 

[US Patent Exploding Cyclist]

First off, there should be a "Maybe" option in the poll.

I don't think Sky will make this a boring Tour. The other teams/riders will make it boring if no one tries to get time in the mountains.

I have faith that Nibali and Evans will try something, but more than two riders will need to attack for the next two stages to work in their favor (here's looking at you Menchov).

 

[Christian]

During the days of our Lance the Tour was predictable but still exciting. He was like a machine, like Wiggins is now. Only difference is Lance was exciting to watch. Of course that has many clinic-related reasons but all that aside you could always count on him to deliver some spectacle.

Wiggins is just a boring machine

 

[maxmartin]

We haven't even hit the high mountains yet!

Da*ned Tejay has to forget the White and Lotto and Liqui need to Work Hard to wear out the Sky train. Then everyone has to Attack, Attack, Attack....I think JVDB, Evans and Nibali will do just that

Actually I wouldn't mind seeing Froome be better than Wiggins and Sky have a choice to make, that would be wonderfully entertaining!!! Froome could take it all

Tejay will be a non-factor in the high mountain, he never showed any thing in high mountain, wish I could be wrong.

 

[maxmartin]

During the days of our Lance the Tour was predictable but still exciting. He was like a machine, like Wiggins is now. Only difference is Lance was exciting to watch. Of course that has many clinic-related reasons but all that aside you could always count on him to deliver some spectacle.

Wiggins is just a boring machine

can't agree more

 

[ElChingon]

Hate hate hate... If you don't like it turn over the TV and watch fcking Eastenders.

No it's not '89 but... IT's THE TOUR DE FRANCE!! If you genuinely don't enjoy it then why why are you posting about it on an internet forum.

Drainers.

Bang on man!

 

[PhiberAwptik]

Can people stop throwing out the Hinault/LeMond comparisons, you look like an idiot every time you do it.

 

[mhcopa]

I might be being an overly optemistic American but...
Tejay was 3rd in the 2010 Dauphine just behind Bajrakovic and Contador who would go on to win the TdF 4 weeks later, on a route which included Alp d Huez (though he was 11th on that particular stage). Not anything spectacular but enough for one to think Tejay could one day (maybe later this week) be a factor in the mountains.

 

[Thee_chisa]

I might be being an overly optemistic American but...
Tejay was 3rd in the 2010 Dauphine just behind Bajrakovic and Contador who would go on to win the TdF 4 weeks later, on a route which included Alp d Huez (though he was 11th on that particular stage). Not anything spectacular but enough for one to think Tejay could one day (maybe later this week) be a factor in the mountains.

would be nice to see someone coming through. give it 4 years and it'll be all TJ and froome!

 

[Forunculo]

I don't like Wiggins or sky win the Tour but it's a good race, miles better than this recent giro had been. Nibali and Evans lacks powerful mates to exploit the parcours. They should forge an alliance and seduce another riders. If they're gonna try to play alone they will be outnumbered by Sky but that's the game. Nibali and Evans lack a trigger too like Contador was for Evans last year where Andy lost one minute.

 

[aidianajones]

I think the race is gonna really heat up in the mountains; Nibali and Evans will probably take turns attacking Wiggins forcing Froome to chase and waste himself (especially if headwind) While VDB will probably keep the tempo high when things come back together, and at the same time I think Frank will attack on all mountain stages repeatedly for the stage win... Rabobank should also heat things up

 

[ericthesportsman6]

Actually I think the remainder of the race has a lot of potential for excitement. All the GC contenders bar Wiggins and Froome have pretty much nothing to lose at this point. I'm excited to see what VDB does in the upcoming days. Or it could end up being a two week victory parade for Sky. Really depends on the mindsets of the other contenders.

 

[metaCYCLE]

Actually I think the remainder of the race has a lot of potential for excitement. All the GC contenders bar Wiggins and Froome have pretty much nothing to lose at this point. I'm excited to see what VDB does in the upcoming days. Or it could end up being a two week victory parade for Sky. Really depends on the mindsets of the other contenders.

oh... and how many times i've been disappointed thinking just that... hell! in the Tour the guy on 14th spot or whatever rides conservatively.

 

[ericthesportsman6]

oh... and how many times i've been disappointed thinking just that... hell! in the Tour the guy on 14th spot or whatever rides conservatively.

I hear you. I'm always surprised by how many riders would rather protect a top 10 placing than take a risk and go for the podium. But I'm trying to be optimistic.

 

[aidianajones]

I hear you. I'm always surprised by how many riders would rather protect a top 10 placing than take a risk and go for the podium. But I'm trying to be optimistic.

Agreed, they should take De Gendt for inspiration!

 

[Angliru]

There's also a possibility here that people aren't looking at. We could get another Lemond/Hinault situation. What if Evans and a few others go and Wiggins can't follow but Froome can? THAT could be quite interesting... the team dynamics and all.

That is my hope. My fingers are crossed that it will happen and Froome seizes the opportunity.

 

[Viking]

Wrong question.

Will the rest of the field make this the most boring tour ever? is much more appropriate.

I think the answer is no, by the way. Cadel will not go down without a fight, as made obvious by those silly attacks weve seen in so far. Nibali is waiting for the high mountains, and the climbers who have lost time will not be riding defensively.

Exactly. I think this will only be boring if everyone else starts riding for 2nd (or 3rd) like in last year's Giro. Though with so many riders with podium hopes already out of it (Valverde, Sanchez, Hesjedal, Gesink, etc), there might not be enough attackers to get things going.

 

[cineteq]

If Wiggins bonks/has mechanical, what do you think Froome will do? What do you think Team Sky orders will be?

1. Froome will pace or give his bike to his leader
2. Froome will ride for himself

Did you see his interview yesterday? He seemed constrained, and seemed to want to really say something different, but chose to say some PR lines.

NBC: You thought you could win it?
Froome: No...I mean..Yeah...obviously you want to go as fast as you can...

http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/22825103/vp/48123108#48123108

 

[yenrod]

Exactly, this is pretty much a repeat of last years vuelta - it was wildly obvious there that Froome was massively better there & Sky could've got it (won).

Though its happened before this;

Geraint Thomas was in with a chance of getting yellow in the paris-roubaix stage of the 2009 tdf (i think) but NO - GT sided with sitting on Cancellara, in light of his leader BW, instead of riding for time but got the young riders jersey instead.

The problem with Sky is that you've soo many DS's & whatever that brings BUT when it comes down to it Brailsford releases a plan...with an agreed point of order Froome plays 2nd fiddle to BW..even though he's better - anyone with a brain can tell ya this.

CF must be on a good whack to play 2nd fiddle to BW or is totally conning himself in his ability.

Though, lets go to Steve Cummings - rode in a group with him & by god can he move...

SC left Sky 'due to coaching differences' then went to BMC - to Sky's loss.

I hope he can don something in the ToB this year as it he couldve got something last, BUT again there was no order in that team & it was just a 'ride-around' for them - a waste of talent at the end of the day folks for me are Sky i'm afraid.

God help us on the road if BW wins the TDF !