Yes!5 more itt kms in the Tour 2012!

[ferryman]

Can you imagine the kerfuffle on here if the organisers announced a cut in the ITT miles citing the same reasons. ASO panders to golden boy etc etc etc. Nah, everbody just rubbing their hands in glee at another perceived stake in the heart of Andy's TDF chances.

 

[Kvinto]

now ASO should extend the prologue to 15km and we will get to see a lovely picture of Andy contesting very prestigious Polka Dot Jersey

 

[Dazed and Confused]

They should but they wont.

I hoped Bruyneel could put the house in order, but alas it would appear he is no longer a man for the job.

 

[airstream]

La Toussuire will be incinerated. I shudder to think how much the rivals will lose on this stage. And this is going to be just the beginning..

Honestly, I don't think 5k can change anything, whoever wins.

 

[Fetisoff]

Funny thing is, that with the ever dwindling field for this year's Giro, even Frank has a chance to win it

 

[Angliru]

Well that's it. She show's over. Tony Martin's gonna win it for sure now.


On a more serious note - I wonder if Andy is crying into Bruynel's shoulder right now

That and calling a press conference to complain that "the Tour shouldn't be decided in the TT's....or descents....or on tactics.....on anything else that I suck at."

 

[Angliru]

The little boss will top 10 in the two long itts.

it s not a bad news for him.

You must be kidding.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Funny thing is, that with the ever dwindling field for this year's Giro, even Frank has a chance to win it

The Giro is ideal for Frank, but I fear he lacks vision and perspective.

 

[Fetisoff]

The Giro is ideal for Frank.

But instead he will ride in support of his brother's bid for another Tour top 5

 

[DominicDecoco]

I don't think Andy Schleck is physically incapable of being at least a decent TTer, I think it's a matter of focus and work ethics. If Bruynel strapped him to a training bike in a wind channel all winter long I don't think it's unthinkable that he could do a top10-ish TT during the Tour.
If he was left to do his own thing, he might as well skip the Tour and try his luck in the Giro or Vuelta...

I think it's limited how much more technique he can develop. He is already a decent TT'er. That's fair to say. He made some progress on the TT bike a couple of years ago but has since stalled a bit hasn't he. He is getting into the peaking phase of his career but I seriously doubt that Andy can gain much more without being less of a climber.

 

[Angliru]

Exactly, and its not like Andy is a bad TT anyways, he is a pure climber and everybody thinks he has to be amazing at TT because he is a GC contender. How come guys like J-Rod, Basso, and Scarponi don't get thrown under the bus by you guys because they can't TT like other top GC contenders. Andy rode a good final TT in the TDF last year, as well as in 2010, Evans just rode amazing in that TT.

...because they don't whine to the press about stale 2 year old incidences, disrespect their opponents with ludicrous statements to the press....I could go on..and on.. and on.

Purito (J-Rod) gets grief because of his always losing time in the mountains at some point in a grand tour that blows his gc chances.

Basso gets grief for his inability to recreate the form that won him the 2006 Giro.

Scarponi gets grief from many here because they question his ability to perform at a similar level in the Tour as he has in the Giro.

They all get grief. You just choose to defend Andy and ignore everything else.

 

[airstream]

Andy will probably take back all the time he loses in the TTs there to Evans, Wiggins and Menchov.

It depends on when they will be dropped, on Croix de Fer or Mollard. The stage is very short. It's not unreasonable to ignite early.. I'm sure Wiggins will do well in 1st TT. Menchov and Evans' advantage is harder to predict.

 

[Angliru]

its only a slight nuance on a way to triumph.

You better stock up on the hankerchiefs/kleen-x. It's going to be wet one in July for you.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

But instead he will ride in support of his brother's bid for another Tour top 5

The problem is he's not helping his brother in any way or shape in the Tour. Frank is not killing himself in order to setup an attack by Andy. Its all kindergaten stuff. Perhaps Bruyneel can seperate the twins, but I am starting to doubt it.

 

[Angliru]

can you imagine the kerfuffle on here if the organisers announced a cut in the itt miles citing the same reasons. Aso panders to golden boy etc etc etc. Nah, everbody just rubbing their hands in glee at another perceived stake in the heart of andy's tdf chances.

big smile!!

 

[Fetisoff]

The problem is he's not helping his brother in any way or shape in the Tour. Frank is not killing himself in order to setup an attack by Andy. Its all kindergaten stuff. Perhaps Bruyneel can seperate the twins, but I am starting to doubt it.

He did in stage 3 of 2010 TDF

 

[Dazed and Confused]

He did in stage 3 of 2010 TDF

right, and the funny thing is Frank went on to do a respectable Vuelta with little team support. Ding-****, are the bells ringing?

 

[airstream]

You better stock up on the hankerchiefs/kleen-x. It's going to be wet one in July for you.

I take it far easier than it could seem.


Frank would have approximately equal chances with Ivan and Michele.

Can you imagine the kerfuffle on here if the organisers announced a cut in the ITT miles citing the same reasons. ASO panders to golden boy etc etc etc. Nah, everbody just rubbing their hands in glee at another perceived stake in the heart of Andy's TDF chances.

Indeed. Moreover, such a kerfuffle is inevitable at the end of July. Everybody will recall that ASO pandered to him, by increasing the ITT distance. They would allegedly have had to include 5 MTF's so that Andy again looks back without attacking as he did on Plateau de Beille.

 

[spalco]

Have you ever seen him on a TT bike? It hurts your eyes. I don't know if it's a lack of training that gives him that awful position, or if his body's just not made for it, I just know it's not nice at all to look at.

Yeah, but why? I bet it's because training TT is boring and tedious and he's strong enough in other areas that he thinks he can compensate. Good TTers come in many different shapes and sizes - Sanchez, Porte, Contador aren't big guys, yet they all beat Cancellara in the Grenoble stage last year. I don't see why Andy couldn't get close to that level if he put his mind to it (or if Bruynel whips his *** into shape).

 

[Unkown]

...because they don't whine to the press about stale 2 year old incidences, disrespect their opponents with ludicrous statements to the press....I could go on..and on.. and on.

Purito (J-Rod) gets grief because of his always losing time in the mountains at some point in a grand tour that blows his gc chances.

Basso gets grief for his inability to recreate the form that won him the 2006 Giro.

Scarponi gets grief from many here because they question his ability to perform at a similar level in the Tour as he has in the Giro.

They all get grief. You just choose to defend Andy and ignore everything else.

Andy whining to the the press is another thing, I was strictly speaking of his TT abilities, which are not as "terrible" as many people on this board seem to think they are. Yes he obviously needs to shut up and work on his TT, but it seems some guys think he can barely crack the top 100 in a TDF TT.

 

[Zam_Olyas]

Better for the enigmatic pope.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

I like the fact the Tour did this, but I still think the distances should be flopped, with the long ITT coming on stage 9 (or earlier, in an ideal world) and the shorter one coming at the end.

 

[ferryman]

big smile!!

But I hope you noticed I slipped 'perceived' in there I know things

 

[McLovin]

I tought we will see atacks on Croix de Fer. Now I'm pretty sure the Madeleine will be firestormed. I have big confidence in this Tour.

 

[Angliru]

Andy whining to the the press is another thing, I was strictly speaking of his TT abilities, which are not as "terrible" as many people on this board seem to think they are. Yes he obviously needs to shut up and work on his TT, but it seems some guys think he can barely crack the top 100 in a TDF TT.

He's obviously decent vs the clock. I don't dispute that.