Critérium du Dauphiné 2-9 June [spoilers]

[oldroadman]

Nibali may well have improved his position that does not necessarily mean getting lower and flatter though, there are many variables to a riders position, and even more variables governing how fast a rider will go.

Wiggins position is always talked up as the perfect position by commentators, it way well be a great position, but it is a position that is great for him (Matt Bottrill has a similar position).

As I said, if interested, look up some of the top UK testers (many of which seem to use the same wind tunnel service, drag2zero) and you will realise that they all come out with different positions that are optimum for them, on the bike they ride. Some will be low, long and flat, others like an aero cannonball!

The reason I recommend looking at the top UK testers is that they are not governed by the UCI in most competition, so many will not remain UCI legal throughout the season, they will take the most aero and powerful position they can, within the much more relaxed regulations of the CTT, so you get to see what variance of optimal positions there really is without having things limited by lots of regulations. To add to this, many of the top guys would be competitive in a pro time trial.

Going on past experience and results from World Championships and other major TT races of the past, that is not the case. With the odd honourable exception the "top British TTers" finish way off the pace of competent pro road riders who can turn in a decent TT when required.

 

[jdtate101]

My guess for the tour:
Froome, Porte, Boassen Hagen,Thomas, Siuotsou, Kiriyenka, Knees, Eisel & Lopez (who is in this one now i think)

Neither of the Columbians???

 

[rich p]

Neither of the Columbians???

I'm pretty sure Uran won't do it. Henao is a possible I suppose instead of Siutsou in Thom's team. I'm not convinced that anyone from the Giro will be in it and Stannard may be there as a workhorse.
So,
Froome, EBH, Porte, Kiryenka, Lopez, Eisel, Knees, Stannard, Thomas - maybe!

 

[Noodley]

Breaking News on cyclingnews website is that Team Trumpton have been given a wildcard entry, confirmed riders so far are:
Pugh, Pugh, Barney McGrew, Cuthbert, Dribble, Grub with Chippy MInton almost guaranteed a place if he wins his national champs the week before.

 

[jdtate101]

Just watched the ITT and to me it looked like Contador was slipping off the front of his saddle, he seemed to be re-positioning every couple of seconds. Compare that to Froome and Porte who looked really planted on the seat.

 

[400bhp]

My guess - sandbagging

 

[beastie]

Breaking News on cyclingnews website is that Team Trumpton have been given a wildcard entry, confirmed riders so far are:
Pugh, Pugh, Barney McGrew, Cuthbert, Dribble, Grub with Chippy MInton almost guaranteed a place if he wins his national champs the week before.

Pretty sure it was DIBBLE. Dribble was his incontinent cousin on his mother's side.

 

[beastie]

Just watched the ITT and to me it looked like Contador was slipping off the front of his saddle, he seemed to be re-positioning every couple of seconds. Compare that to Froome and Porte who looked really planted on the seat.

Have seen Contador riding like that even when he is going well, the tour TT when he beat Cancellara he was the same.

 

[Chris Norton]

Froome, Porte (hell of a TT today) and Uran would be Plan a,b and c for the tour. Boasson, Thomas who looks better every race he runs. Bernie Eisel stannard and Heneo last man in? For simple experience time how about taking Jonathon Locke as a complete wildcard if only to get him to get the feel of a GT. Probably much better choices really depending on the plan.

Looking forward to tomorrow's stage as I have thursday pm off and it's a nice ride up to Valmoral.

 

[Strathlubnaig]

I read elsewhere that Contador had allergy issues today (Juste un problème d'allergie) which I found interesting beause Brian Smith & Co had discussed pollen and allergies the previous day.

 

[Noodley]

I read elsewhere that Contador had allergy issues today (Juste un problème d'allergie) which I found interesting beause Brian Smith & Co had discussed pollen and allergies the previous day.

An allergy to meat not contaminated with Clenbuterol perhaps?

 

[Pedrosanchezo]

An allergy to meat not contaminated with Clenbuterol perhaps?

Haha, good one. Though, assuming that is all he ingested, Clenbuterol has no performance benefits whatsoever. At it's very best it might shed a few pounds over a period of time. The side effects would be far less desirable.

Of course that might just be what he got caught with at the time.

I too heard the allergy thing but hasn't Contador performed well at the Giro and Dauphine before?

 

[Noodley]

Haha, good one. Though, assuming that is all he ingested, Clenbuterol has no performance benefits whatsoever. At it's very best it might shed a few pounds over a period of time. The side effects would be far less desirable.

You do know what Clenbuterol is used for tho don't you? And that it is a banned substance. And you are not being an apologist for Dirty Bertie? He is an unrepentant drug cheat - end of. Anything he does or did is of no value.

 

[Crackle]

Haha, good one. Though, assuming that is all he ingested, Clenbuterol has no performance benefits whatsoever. At it's very best it might shed a few pounds over a period of time. The side effects would be far less desirable.

It's not just the Clenbuterol, it's the speculation of how it got there, the plasticizer that was reported with it, leading most to surmise that it was a re-infused blood bag he took during the race, taken out from an earlier period in his training calendar. Speculation but far more plausible than Spanish steak which no one ever produced a chain of contamination for. No, Beefy Bert was deffo cheating, who knows if he still is.

 

[Dave Davenport]

who knows if he still is.

Not, going on his performances.