1. Roman Kreuzinger
2. Brother Grimpeur the Younger
3. Banged and Felled
4. Pharmstrong
5. Spartacus

(I just want VDV to beat Lance… please can it happen)

@Marko
Isn’t Menchov at the Dauphiné?

1. Fabian Cancellara
2. Robert Gesink
3. Roman Kreuziger
4. Christian Vande Velde
5. Kim Kirchen

No rationale here whatsoever…

well I am new to the Super Prestige, but I love this stuff, so can I just play along?

1. Cancellara will defend even though he says ‘not’
2. Younger Brother Grimpeur ready’s for july
3. Mick Rogers is on
4. Levi-Eggtimer gets a final payback before july
5. LL ‘cool J’ Sanchez….well, just because

err, Stage 6.

1. Fabian CANCELLARA
2. Luis Leon SANCHEZ
3. Roman KREUZIGER
4. Joaquin RODRIGUEZ
5. Tony MARTIN

@Roberto Marques
And the man in Pink draws his picks. Heed this people, this dude knows his shit.

Tony Martin – Suisse is a good race for a future champion to win
LL Cool Sanchez – Because he can never seem to win
Mick Rogers – Going well, playing a supporting role to Martin and looking good for July (but as usual will flatter to deceive in The Big Race)
Gilbert the Great – because it’s not that hard a parcours, but too hard for Motorcus
Joaquin Rodriguez – just because

Worryingly loaded with English-speakers. Might have to dump DZ for Gilbert

Trying to figure out the theories behind all the picks is fun in itself! Anticipating how the race might unfold to confirm or disconfirm them is making me giddy already. Fucking exciting this Super Prestige thing is. Several of us giving no shrift whatsoever to the youngsters, Martin, Gesink, and Kreuziger. Some of us, Me, Soleur, and Marques, have all veterans on the list. I can’t wait!

@david
They are fun. I’m completely nervous now that I’ve committed my choices to the archive. I’ll loose at least a little sleep tonight.

The Giro was a blast – lots of strategery with whether or not to make changes on rest days, etc. Glad you joined in for this round. With a good performance from here on out, anyone could still win the shop apron at the end of the year.

@Geof
Yep: ToC is officially the second biggest race in the world. Because, like, that’s what the TV said everyday it was on. Which must have made the Giro no. 1, because it was running at the same time and was way better. Man: I guess that means that Americans still don’t like the French…

Feel the same way about Kreuziger. Exactly my rationale for putting him on the podium.

@Rob If you’ve gone into the cave and have seen nothing on the walls, then that means you’re insensible.

Argh I feel completely out of form for this….definitely fat.

Martin
Kreuziger
Gilbert
Pharmstrong
Grimpeur the Younger.

Tough decisions….

@andy
Kudos.

@ben Nice picks but good luck with that eye “thing”! I too was turned on to the big V not so long ago and am now pathetically being accused by my better 4/5ths that I am spending way too much time here. Luckily she does not add up web time with ride time so I can still get out as much as I want – Welcome.

@david Its a rare day when I am not… and with this jersey still on my back (why is beyond me!) I feel frozen in the head lights, so to speak, when it comes to my picks

New to the game here along with my cohort Ben.

1. Andy Schleck
2. Mick Rogers
3. DZ Nuts
4. P. Gilbert
5. Peter Sagen

I will save you from another homoerotic plea as my friend Ben has failed to do. I think Cancellara is truly just making an appearance.

@ben
Ahhhhhh, good to meet another person who understands Spartacus like I do. But in ToC both he and A. Grimpeur were totally smoking like the proverbial hippies motor-bike so I’m betting against my boy Fabian, I might be going to hell for it…actually I am anyway but I’m feeling regretful already but here goes.

1. Tony Martin-a Fabian understudy, strong climber and strong TT’er
2. F. Grimpeur-looses too much time in TT to win
3. Spartacus-even without good form he will wail on some pussies
4. Peter Sagan-just on a hunch
5. Cameron Meyer-fuck it. Insane, yeah.

I’ve written off all of Lance and his boys. As I will in the TdF. It’s over.

@Jarvis
Why do I suddenly feel like I need to re-check the start list?

Now that all the Velominati heavy weights have their picks out on the table, and won’t change them unless they just want to declare to everyone what big pussies they are, let me ask this. Is it not obvious how this race will go? God I’m excited to find out. There will be a GC selection on the last climb of Stage 6. The pace will be fast enough that the gap on everyone else will be decisive. The winner will come from this selection and be the one from this selection who has the best time trial on the last stage? True or False?

After that, there are many variables. But, Kruezinger, Martin, F. Schleck, Gesink, etc., are just not going to beat Armstrong, Leipheimer, Sanchez, Rogers, Kloden on that time trial.

I heard someone mention something about a large international competition called the “World Cup”. What the fuck is that?

oops premature submission above
1. Rogers – fast becoming a one week specialist.
2. Kreuziger – hate this piece of Eurotrash because he sometimes wears a bandana and his name does not begin with Marco and finish with Pantani.
3. COTHO – the guy has not had a real win since his comeback and will be looking for one but will fall short because I fucking hope he does.
4. Frank “Jermaine” Schleck – not sure why. Just feel sorry for him because he isn’t even the best rider in his family.
5. Kloden – very close to the personification of that first degree oxymoron, “a likeable German”. But I think that just might be because I don’t hear him talk much.

Roulston !! Come on Roly …

@david

I heard someone mention something about a large international competition called the “World Cup”. What the fuck is that?

The UCI World Cup was a season-long competition that focused on tallying points for riders based on their performance in one-day races. It followed the Pernod Super Prestige (which is where the VSP gets it’s name) and was followed by the destined-to-fail UCI ProTour.

I can only assume that this person has suffered some sort of trauma to which their mind can only respond by pretending it’s some time between 1989 and 2005.

@frank I’ll try to convince him there is no World Cup. But, he’s quite delusional, prone to sissy-fits whenever you touch him, and can never reliably get the “ball in the hole”, so to speak. (No, it’s not Cadel Evans.)

Cancellara certainly lived up to his reputation as a superb bike handler. Sixth quickest over the top of the hill and batters them all down the other side, there were some impressive lean-angles there.

Looks like my wildcard selection of Gilbert is a bust.

Damn it. I forgot to calculate that Armstrong is going to pull up like a big pussy whenever there’s even a remote chance of danger. Oh well.

ben :Kolobnev, Sagan and Haussler for a stage win.

Smart

Sigh: VDV, Sagan, Rogers, and Kirchen already more or less out of the running.

@ frank: NSFL-I thought it was not safe for listening, it has a zen like homoerotica tone to it but I must say, great video

Cancellara deserves some Melvins or something like that, maybe to the tune of Blood Witch or Dog Island or better yet..Sacrifice!

@Jarvis
As a brit I’m totally conflicted with cavendish. On one hand, he’s the best sprinter we’ve ever produced and will keep winning for the next ten years, smash the number of stages won records in all the grand tours and have so many points jerseys he needs a separate house just to store them in and I totally love him for it. On the other hand, he’s an completely arrogant wanker who will rapidly end up with no friends in the peloton and I hate him for it.
Why couldn’t he be nice and fast?

Velominati, this is Gary. His delicate sensibilities are offended by Mark Cavendish’s two-fingered salute to the media.

“By making an obscene gesture in victory, Cavendish has shamed our sport. He has shown immaturity, but worse than that, a lack of respect for all the suffering that his competitors and he himself has endured in this noble and humbling sport.”
Gary Westby, Velonews letter to the editor.

Gary, harden the fuck up.

@all
This being the inaugural VSP, we’re adjusting and ammending the rulebook as we go along. Today I’ve added some Minor Stage Race scoring rules, which will apply to the Tour de Suisse.

@andy
You might find it suprising, but I think Cavendish won’t be short of friends in the peloton, it’s just that he’s smart enough to realise that there is a psychological element to being the top sprinter and not being friends with your rivals can help in that department. Seems he get’s on with his team-mates just fine

@frank @ben
I’ve been trying to ignore that name, but how do you go from Sparticus, to Faboo? It’s akin to calling The Terminator, Pee-wee Hermon (note: I couldn’t think of an outwardly camp person that people in the US would know-of)

Unfortunately as Michael Rogers is also out, please put Mr. Kreuziger in 4th

1. A. Schleck
2. Cancellara
3. Armstrong
4. Michael Rogers Kreuziger
5. Cristian VDV

@all
REMINDER: If you have a rider who dropped out for any reason (Mick Rogers comes to mind) make sure you post your substitution ASAP.

1. Armstrong
2. L.L. Sanchez
3. Leipheimer
4. A. Schleck
5. Rogers Tony Martin

Dayaam. Surely I’m not peaking too early again? Or maybe just not recovered from the Giro. Go Martin. Great ride from the mini-Grimp too.

Pharmstrong more than a dark horse here. I think he might try and turn it on.

cav managed to wipe out a decent handful of his green jersey rivals today. I can’t get any live pictures currently but it looks like a bad one. Hope they are all alright like

@andy, @Steampunk
Awful sounding. It’s bad when they go down right at the front like that.

@all
Anyone see it or have a video feed? I feel bad for Haussler and Boonen if they are injured; both are just barely recovered from their injuries caused in earlier crashes.

Sounds like it might have been Cavendouche at fault for the crash. If that’s the case, he might have to be dubbed Cavencrash.

@Steampunk
Thanks for the great photo sequence. (Weird that you have to click “previous” to get the sequence in the right order.) It looks like Petacchi had the sense not to salute after getting a freebie stage like that. Respect to him for that.

I wonder how many that one will take out of our rosters….

As much as it wouldn’t bother me, I can’t say its Cavs fault entirely, looks like a real accident.

@Souleur
Thanks for the video—not sure I want to watch it too many times, though. Cav did seem to make quite a bit of lateral movement to his left, but it does just look like bad luck. Boonen seemed to be okay. It looks as though he barely hit the ground. Haussler looked pretty scuffed up and that was quite a crack on the ol’ melon. Not good.

@Souleur
Yikes. I would agree it’s an accident, and they were both violating Rule 59. It’s hard to tell who is veering off the most, but it certainly looks like Cavencrash goes off farther than Haussler. I hate how his wheel folds under for about 2 frames before he goes down. Brutal.

@frank

they were both violating Rule 59. It’s hard to tell who is veering off the most, but it certainly looks like Cavencrash goes off farther than Haussler.

Actually, the arial shot makes it pretty clear that Haussler is observing Rule 59, and Cav goes way across the road. He should have been regulated for that, if he hadn’t turned himself into a hamburger first.

No blame there, a true racing crash. both had their heads down and heading for the line, unfortunately they were both heading in opposite directions and rode into each other.

@Steampunk
Oscarito did a pretty good job getting the bike stopped so he didn’t come down, but Flecha went through that gap like he was threading a needle, or perhaps, like an arrow (I’ll get my coat).

Looking at the crash again, I’d attribute that crash to modern cycling technology. Cav veers to the left but Haussler then twists to the right and actually rides into Cav’s front wheel, effectively steps in his foot. Cav’s deep-section front wheel folds and this tucks the bike under him and tips him into the tarmac, Haussler then trips over Cav’s bike. Would it have happened if they were on traditional/old-school 32-hole rims?

Jeeeeeeez. Burger making on an industrial scale…nothing worse than a full superman over the bars. Agree with the sentiments that that was just an accident though.

@Jarvis – like what you did there ;)

I have to say, we (I) are getting very close to armchair quarterbacking here. Lets review the following insightful film to refresh our collective memory that we are not racing on the ProTour and as such should perhaps reserve judgment.

Pure racing crash. Having witnessed several TdF sprints on the finishing line, they are fucking frightening.

Sigh. I’m not armchair quarterbacking. I may be high school varsity quarterbacking and not NFL quarterbacking, but I am actually quarterbacking. The sacred rule has been handed down to me from first class sprinters. And it’s one I practice continually. And, it’s false that asking a sprinter to keep his head up is like asking a driver not to close his eyes while sneezing. Most of them manage it.

Steegemans with beautiful technique on the Champs.

Cippollini with his head up the entire way. Just a beautiful sprinter. Go to the slow mo at the end.

Cavendish has head down for a moment, captured in the one frame posted. His technique is this and has been for a long time. He has his head up, and looking forward, as he should for like 4 or so pedal strokes. Then, for a brief moment he looks down and then quickly back up. Then his head is up for another 4 pedal strokes. That’s fine. He can see where he is going doing that, since his head is only down instantaneously. Some other sprinters will do this as well. You can see some of them fighting hard to look up and managing it, except for Haussler. Some of them have trained themselves to have their heads up the entire time, as they should.

Haussler has head down for his entire sprint, and when he starts moving off his line into Cavendish, his head is deeply buried in his lap. At the end of a sprint at high speeds, most are going to have tunnel vision of some sort. And what’s left of your visual field usually starts wobbling all over the place as well.

What is this, a blame Cavendish cabal, because he’s actually Cavendouche?

good point david
velonews reports: Mark Cavendish (HTC-Columbia) is being penalized and fined for causing a crash near the finish of the fourth stage of the Tour of Switzerland on Tuesday.

Cavendish is being sanctioned 25 points in the sprinter competition and 30 seconds on the general classification. He also is being fined 200 Swiss francs.

Cavendish appeared to change his line in the sprint, veering into Cervelo’s Heinrich Haussler, causing a crash that brought down a dozen riders. Heinrich’s team announced later that he was leaving the race due to a deep cut on his arm.

“I didn’t see Cavendish coming,” Haussler said in a team statement. “He drove into my wheel and before I knew it, I went down and was lying on the ground. I could have won the stage today.”

*note* Souleur would have asked, ‘piss no you didn’t see him, you had your head down’….but then I am no reporter either

I would just keep my mouth shut, it was an accident and either one coulda been blamed

She was ugly from the front
She was ugly from the front
She was ugly from the front
And I said ugly, ugly, ugly, ugly, ugly

- Lyle Lovett

’nuff said.

@Souleur
Yours came in after I basically parroted your intel. Second time that Cav is penalized for cutting off a Cervelo rider in under a year.

@Jarvis

Would it have happened if they were on traditional/old-school 32-hole rims?

Makes me lonely for the 1994 Champs sprint when Abdujackingoff went into the barriers.

@Geof
Now are getting somewhere, thank you, well played. Some Toshiro Mifune, some Lyle Lovett, this place is starting to get some real class.

I’m not blaming anyone in this sprint but I’m glad HH is taking on C Douche. I like HH. Where is my man Thor in all this?

@frank
Abdujackingoff! He f’ed that up. I think he rode himself into that barrier then had to crawl across the line…Hardman(spoken in a Jon Stewart falsetto)

Here, a picture of Haussler riding into Cavendish.

Boing??

@frank
Irony, indeed! It should be noted, however, that he finished 37th, so this shot is some five minutes after the initial crash. Reports also indicate that Gesink bounced off the side barrier and crashed three frames later…

@frank
Naturally.

@frank
Actually it looks like he’s in danger of snapping his skinny ankle on that big ol’ wheel lying directly in front of his unclipped foot. Are we sure he survived the impact unscathed?

Equally as remarkably, Twistin Banged and Felled also appears to have made it through another day.

It looks like Salvador Dali laced C-Diddy’s wheel!

@Geof
and then in the ‘after’ shots, Cavendouche’s wheel seems to have straightened back into a half normal shape?!? What kind of a wet noodle is that?

PS Cav is a muppet who loves to ‘squeeze’ the sprinters line. IMO bloody dangerous

@crossy
Thanks. Very reassuring. Maybe Brett will be able to sell me those Zipps one day after all …

@david
Yeah, seen that before. Love the way the dog just wonders off as if to say “What? Me?” Brett – those Zipps may have to gather a bit more dust …

Tour de Suisse riders delay stage in Cavendish protest

http://www.bikeradar.com/news/article/tour-de-suisse-riders-delay-stage-in-cavendish-protest-26610?CPN=RSS&SOURCE=BRGENHOME

Surely a peloton-wide breach of Rule 5.

Great photo. Love the guy from the Sopranos there keeping things under control.

That’s such a great photo

On the subject of Rule 5 – I’m eating Rule 5 pie as today this arrived

Boy it is really difficult for me to understand the animosity against Cavendish. In comments on blogs or news sites, lots of folks saying, “Fuck you, Cavendish”, blah, blah, blah. As if he did it intentionally, which clearly he did not. He’s a pretty clean sprinter. I understand the Velominati’s disdain for his salutes lacking all style. (Although, I liked the telephone call salute, once, just after picking up HTC as a sponser.) It can’t be the fact that he says publicly he’s the fastest sprinter from 200 meters, can it? The dispute he’s had with Griepel? The two-fingered salute to the media? All of these things together? I’m missing something.

Maybe refined sensibilities, or something.

@david
He didn’t do it intentionally, it was a racing accident. He was at fault, though.

It’s also definitely not his “I’m the fastest man in the world” attitude because (a) he is and (b) if that was the case, I’d have to hate Cipo and I loved that dude.

I think it’s his cavalier attitude and his apparent disrespect for the history and culture of the sport (Wiggo seems to border on this, too, btw). The premeditated salutes are disrespectful to the other sprinters, his sprinting in the stage of last year’s Tour when he was regulated was a problem, too – not to mention the fact that he never takes responsibility for his mistakes. If he’d come out after the stage in the Tour and said, “I balled that one up, fellas. Sorry about that.” it would be one thing, but instead he calls it the worst sporting decision by the judges in history. And in this case, if he apologized for jeopardizing his colleague’s livelihood by potentially ruining their seasons, it might be another matter.

For me, it all kinda adds up into a pattern that makes him seem like a poor sport and that makes it hard to respect him.

There is a difference between being the best and being the best and a dickhead.

Bystanders claimed that Cavendish responded to criticism from riders after Tuesday’s incident by spitting on the ground on front of them.

Humility covers over a multitude of sins.

@frank @Cyclops @bikenerd. Thanks. I seriously was asking for some explanation of the animosity, not making any points. But, I still don’t get it. Some sportsmanship gene I don’t have, apparently.

One thing that catches my attention is the claim that premediated salutes show disrespect for his competitors. Maybe. But just because he’s assuming beforehand he will win, and showing it? Hardly a grave breach. And, none of his salutes mocked his competitors, like Cipollini’s over-the-shoulder-Good-Lord-how-come-all-of-you-are-so-far-behind-me-look salute. / Admitting mistakes? The relegation last year was really iffy. He was right to be pissed, given the Green jersey was at issue. Iffy calls shouldn’t be made when big things are at stake. And, you know my assessment this TdS stage. Yeah, he violated the UCI rule, and should have been sanctioned, but, the crash shouldn’t have happened because Haussler was just out of control. So, I don’t see he has any reason to admit any mistake other than the fact that he violated the UCI rule, which he has already done. And, then, if French teams want to hold up the race like big pussies, Cavendish is right to respond with contempt. Silliness like that deserves a contemptuous response./ No humility? The demand for public displays of humility are to appease people with psychological problems, or else are ways other players try to gain power in the public realm. /Does not show respect for the history and traditions of the sport? I don’t know. I’d be willing to listen to more on that. But, I do recall M Cav saying before the 08′ TdF that he really wanted to finish the race. He didn’t think it was fair to the organizers or the fans that he would start with the intention of quitting when the race got to the mountains. Note how different that attitude is to Cipollini’s. In fact, aside from dopers, one could argue that no one has shown more lack of respect for the TdF than Cipollini. And, M Cav has worked hard to get himself into a position where he can finish the race and compete for the Green Jersey. I doubt Cipo gave it half as much effort.

I am now as big a fan of Cavendish as ever. I used to not much care for him, because his sprinting lacked the elegance that Cipollini’s had. But, now I’m going to take up his cause. I’m really starting to like his defiance in the face of the unbalanced attacks on him. Instead of a floppy, flacid public persona designed to appease the masses, young Mark has his heart on his sleeve and is going to tell it like he sees it. Perhaps, I’m wrong, but I would suggest some mediation on Rule 5 may be needed for those who respond so negatively to him.

The demand for public displays of humility are to appease people with psychological problems

You obviously aren’t married. :)

“A gentle answer turns away wrath.”

@Guy: that is a serious ticket!!!
I would only be so lucky, but maybe one day
btw: 1969 was a great year!

It’s probably inaccurate to call Boonen and Hushovd all-out sprinters. They’re fast as hell, but they’re more all-rounders and Classics threats. Which makes it easier to appreciate them. Can’t help thinking that the Green Jersey race last year wouldn’t have been close if Hushovd had had the HTC Columbia lead-out train. C-Douche is faster—no question—but he gets an awful lot of help.

For what it’s worth, I’m a big fan of panache and irreverence, but C-Diddy is flat-out arrogant. He’s a bit impish, and good for a laugh, but I think Frank’s point about him not appreciating his sport’s history and heritage is a good one; it hurts his character. Spitting in front of opponents (whether they need to HTFU or not): classy!

@Cyclops Heh. You’re right. I don’t doubt I might have a different attitude were it so. Then, again, I might be married and still believe what I said is true. ;-)

@Guy
Helmets off to you! Thats a seriously competative, poular score! There was a great write up about it recently – think in one of the UK mags… or maybe Ride…?

Jeebus. I go on a road trip for a few days and look what happens. This place is so full of comments I’ll never catch up, the whole peloton protests Cav (has that ever happened), and we find out Geof wears ankle socks (which I’ve been known to do). I’ve been doing some fun riding, ride report on Beartooth Pass to come and tour de blast on Saturday. Keep up the solid work all.

C.F. Pelkey, commenting on the TdS on Velonews: “Indeed, he has. [Cavendish] is reportedly off riding some high mountain roads today. So we’re going to gamble and say that he opted to just keep a low profile after that tumble on Tuesday. Seriously, even if he did act like a jerk – if the spitting rumor is true – after the crash, anyone with a conscience has to feel pretty bad for causing that crash. While I’ve seen several folks try to apply some of the blame to Haussler – he did have his head down – I have to agree with the race jury and place responsibility for that one squarely on the shoulders of “the Manx Missile.”

There are two sorts of blame or guilt that many are confusing. In a way, the jury is not blaming Cavendish. They are only determining whether or not he violated UCI Rule 2.3.036.

Riders shall be strictly forbidden to deviate from the lane they selected when launching into the sprint and, in so doing, endangering others.

And he did. But now aside from that, is he blameworthy? Did he sprint poorly? Was he negligent or reckless? That’s hardly clear. The race jury has not the competence to make that assessment. The rules and conventions governing the common practice of sprinters determines that. And, according to those unofficial rules, moving into the lanes of others is not itself negligent or reckless. It happens all the time. And, as Jarvis has pointed out, it’s not like C Diddy drove Haussler into the barricades. C Diddy’s lane change is fairly smooth and nothing radical. (I would add here that the course finish is highly irregular. The barricades are not parallel at points, and the lines on the street were all whacky. C Diddy may well have thought he was in the right lane) But now let’s look at Haussler. Even though the UCI Rule says everyone is to maintain their lane, common practice says you do not get to bury your head in your lap for 100 meters and then cry foul when someone comes into your lane unseen. Lane shifts occur all the time in final 300 meters of a sprint, and you have to be ready for them. That’s competent sprinting. Further, you do not get to lose control of your bike, excessively leaning it back and forth, so that your front wheel is wildly swinging left and right, and then complain that someone got too close to you and drove into your wheel. It’s expected, common practice, that sprinters will be so close as to touch. That’s why young Mark is saying he’s not totally to blame. He’s saying he’s to blame for violating UCI Rules, but that he’s not to blame for violating the rules and conventions of competent sprinting. Haussler is not to blame for violating UCI rules, but he is to blame for violating the unofficial rules of competent sprinting. If McEwen, despite what he’s recently said, were in Haussler’s position, they just would have bumped each other with no harm done. Or, McEwen would have head butted Cavendish–which would have been too fucking cool.

@Steampunk
Dude, I love that guy. Tall, Dutch. Shit, that’s enough right there, but aside from his generally poor skill at staying upright, he has some serious grinta. I have been unable to find the footage of it, but there was a mountain top finish in the Vuelta last year where he attacked soooooooo hard, head down, just powered and keep sprinting until everyone was off his wheel. Coolest attack I’ve ever seen in a bike race in recent memory.

Rad.

…and we’re probably flogging a dead horse with the C-Douche stuff, but reports today say the protest was a result of him spitting on Haussler immediately after the crash. I missed that part of the story and thought they were just protesting his unsafe riding.

@ben
He’s going to have to straight carve up some dudes BIG TIME on the TT. 23 minutes down, it almost seems not an impossible gap for him.

@frank
Yep: and each turn on the descent had me worried. He lost close to a minute from the top, but he got there in one piece.

oh, and yes, I thought Gesink over-cooked it on a couple of those corners, he is no El Falco by any standard

@Steampunk The real interesting question is A. Schleck. He did not look impressive in CA. He did not look impressive today. Is he really a Contador contender? Can he train himself into TdF form? Did he do so last year? I don’t recall.

@steampunk: we hope so….

I will give him this, he may be holding his cards close to his chest which does a few things
-it takes pressure off his team/teammates and himself…ok fair enough
-however, it also can be a distraction in that no mention of a ‘good’ effort was made in preparation of the prom and the ‘quietness’ of spring can be distacting, in that the domestiques want to KNOW they are riding for the man who will win

or he may indeed be sucking hind tit here and bluffing

Oh and right now, I think I have zero points. Great :(

@frank
Cool – many thanks – guess it helps if I read the rules, right?!

I am liking Rodriguez’ chances In these last few stages. He beat Gesink at Pais Vasco in a hilly 22km TT by 33′… And I also think Armstrong might make a showing, what with all this rage (and Rage Against the Machine) he’s been all a-twittering as of late. But know who I’m really rooting for? Morabito. Swiss dude, Swiss bike, swiss race. You know he’s all out.

Meanwhile, Faboo could give a hoot. Dude got his druthers in the spring, and I respect that. I assume he’ll be focusing on the Worlds double he missed out on…

I can only hope that Lofkvist and Martin can pull something special out in the TT. Going off the Prologue times, then they’re in with a chance of the top-5, but it will be a long-shot and they might end up 6th & 7th.

@Souleur
This from A. Schleck: “If I compare myself to this time last year, I am ahead…I am better than I was then.” Good news?

Schleck claims he wanted to try an attack early on the final climb. If he had stuck on the wheels, he would have finished with his brother, but he wanted to see how he could go. He also said that the false flat at the top gave him trouble.

keep us updated Guy. How did you go about getting a ticket for that? I assume based on the questions, there were no qualifiers to get in.

Oooo – I’m a level 2!

@Guy
What’s the rapha cycle club like? I keep meaning to go in there everytime I’m in London and drool on stuff I can’t afford. I also keep meaning to go to look mum no hands, I might make a special effort to go to watch the Tourmalet stage.
As for qu2., 34 is on the front and it would be the small ring on a compact (50/34) chainset