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The Pro Road Cycling Thread
- Thread starter Shands
- Start date
Rascal said:Shands said:The value of having bonus seconds available at the finish was there to be seen today, as without them I doubt that climb and descent would have been raced the way it was.
Yeah i see that. Hejsdal really went for it didnt he and split the peloton all over the place. It was great to watch and see all the top GC guys have to work so hard.
Yep he certainly did. It was good tactics really because it looked like the other GC guys weren't expecting that sudden upping of pace from Garmin at all and it caused them some problems. Certainly Wiggins was briefly isolated amongst three Astana riders until Uran was able to get back on, while at the same time you had Sanchez having to push the descent for the chasing pack to bring it back together. I was a little surprised Nibali didn't look to attack, but I guess he's playing the waiting game. Brad will probably be quite pleased with today, each descent that he doesn't lose time to Nibali on is a step close to victory I reckon.
chesterbells
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Rascal said:Shands said:The value of having bonus seconds available at the finish was there to be seen today, as without them I doubt that climb and descent would have been raced the way it was.
Yeah i see that. Hejsdal really went for it didnt he and split the peloton all over the place. It was great to watch and see all the top GC guys have to work so hard.
Afternoon guys. Been a great day for the bike today; up to the top over Macc Forest this morning in the sunshine - ridiculously hard climbs they were too (for me anyway!) - then back for the Giro this aft, stunning scenery down there isnt it?
But I'm not sure about some of those road surfaces. I know the pros get the roads swept and 'hoovered' before they ride, but that final descent still looked risky, and there were a few casualties even in the nearly-dry.
Not sure what the defending champ was doing with his initial break so far from home; seemed like wasted effort, esp when Evans (!) got 2nd.
I agree, these time bonuses do alter things a bit; I hadn't really appreciated that before today; doesn't really favour Wiggins tbh.
I've not checked how many significant downhill finishes there are, but that looks like being another factor pro Nibali, anti Wiggo.
Anyway, great stuff today - and tomorrow is more like a one day classic it's so long, so there's more to look forward to :-)
Oh, and pleased sky have come out in support of Froome for the Tour
Dave Ewing's Back 'eader
Well-Known Member
Rascal said:Shands said:The value of having bonus seconds available at the finish was there to be seen today, as without them I doubt that climb and descent would have been raced the way it was.
Yeah i see that. Hejsdal really went for it didnt he and split the peloton all over the place. It was great to watch and see all the top GC guys have to work so hard.
These are the best racing days. I can't do with folk who apply the slide rule to a three week race and nick it by half a dozen seconds by managing the time losses better than anyone else. Give me a cycling buccaneer any day.
Rascal
El Presidente
Dave Ewing's Back 'eader said:These are the best racing days. I can't do with folk who apply the slide rule to a three week race and nick it by half a dozen seconds by managing the time losses better than anyone else. Give me a cycling buccaneer any day.
Im pretty new to watching the sport and this thread is so informative for me in learning whats what.
I have said i support Sky as they are based in Manchester and have sky blue on there kit and i do love watching them control races as i think its just awesome that a few guys can be on the front all day and have so much impact.
But i really enjoyed today and it was fascinating to watch as i havent seen much racing like it.
chesterbells
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Dave Ewing's Back 'eader said:Rascal said:Shands said:The value of having bonus seconds available at the finish was there to be seen today, as without them I doubt that climb and descent would have been raced the way it was.
Yeah i see that. Hejsdal really went for it didnt he and split the peloton all over the place. It was great to watch and see all the top GC guys have to work so hard.
These are the best racing days. I can't do with folk who apply the slide rule to a three week race and nick it by half a dozen seconds by managing the time losses better than anyone else. Give me a cycling buccaneer any day.
Cycling buccaneer - puts me in mind of the pirate Marco Pantani, he was certainly a "buccaneer" all right ;-)
Btw, anyone know if all the stages have time bonuses; I assume the ITTs don't?
Dave Ewing's Back 'eader said:Rascal said:Shands said:The value of having bonus seconds available at the finish was there to be seen today, as without them I doubt that climb and descent would have been raced the way it was.
Yeah i see that. Hejsdal really went for it didnt he and split the peloton all over the place. It was great to watch and see all the top GC guys have to work so hard.
These are the best racing days. I can't do with folk who apply the slide rule to a three week race and nick it by half a dozen seconds by managing the time losses better than anyone else. Give me a cycling buccaneer any day.
Agreed DEB, it is a 'race' after all, nothing better than when someone try's to light it up and push others out of their comfort zone.*
*having said that the day Contador and Schleck were virtually doing track stands climbing in the Pyrenees was pretty cool too.<br /><br />-- Mon May 06, 2013 6:19 pm --<br /><br />
chesterbells said:Dave Ewing's Back 'eader said:Rascal said:Yeah i see that. Hejsdal really went for it didnt he and split the peloton all over the place. It was great to watch and see all the top GC guys have to work so hard.
These are the best racing days. I can't do with folk who apply the slide rule to a three week race and nick it by half a dozen seconds by managing the time losses better than anyone else. Give me a cycling buccaneer any day.
Cycling buccaneer - puts me in mind of the pirate Marco Pantani, he was certainly a "buccaneer" all right ;-)
Btw, anyone know if all the stages have time bonuses; I assume the ITTs don't?
Think you're right there Chester, pretty sure it's all stages barring the time trials.
I'm hoping 'the highlighter pens' aka Vini Fantini will invoke the spirit of Marco tomorrow and cause some fun on the last climb.
chesterbells
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Rascal said:Highlights are on Sky sports 4 now
Bonus, they must be on every night then.
Mate I've only got Eurosport - Just wondering...
As team sky are so big, have sky pushed the boat out on production values for their coverage even though it's only highlights - have they got a studio set up with experts etc or is it just straight to commentary? And do they use eurosports Irish duo or have they got Phil Liggett/ Paul Sherwen in on commentary?
Rascal
El Presidente
chesterbells said:Rascal said:Highlights are on Sky sports 4 now
Bonus, they must be on every night then.
Mate I've only got Eurosport - Just wondering...
As team sky are so big, have sky pushed the boat out on production values for their coverage even though it's only highlights - have they got a studio set up with experts etc or is it just straight to commentary? And do they use eurosports Irish duo or have they got Phil Liggett/ Paul Sherwen in on commentary?
Not sure if a studio was just flicking through so missed the start of the show and i dont recognise the commentators voices at all. Its not Liggett or Sherwin.