Le Tour Stage 6 - **Spoiler**

[ComedyPilot]

Well, Voekkler (sp) took advantage of other teams dilly-dallying, and doing the old, 'if we can't win (sprint) we're not playing' game.

Fabian remains in yellow, LA Bertie, Wiggy et al all remain in similar placings behind him. Cav's wardrobe is looking decidedly emerald and the tour is heading to spain for the day.

Thoughts?

 

[dellzeqq]

My thought is that the other teams are completely overawed by Cavendish. What's the point of turning up if you're going to 'do a Kloeden', and not help with the chase because you presume that your man is going to be beaten on the line. Is it going to be like this all the way to Paris?

 

[ComedyPilot]

My thought is that the other teams are completely overawed by Cavendish. What's the point of turning up if you're going to 'do a Kloeden', and not help with the chase because you presume that your man is going to be beaten on the line. Is it going to be like this all the way to Paris?

Could be, then it's going to be breakaway heaven.

 

[rich p]

The team I relly don't get is Quickstep. Is even Boonen giving up when all he can do is sprint? Pathetic.

 

[ComedyPilot]

The team I relly don't get is Quickstep. Is even Boonen giving up when all he can do is sprint? Pathetic.

About 15k to go yesterday Quikstep (slow pedal?) moved to the front with Boonen, I licked my lips in anticipation of a Boonen/Cav/Thor shootout, only to be HUGELY let down.

Although they reeled them in, it was too little too late.

 

[John the Monkey]

The team I relly don't get is Quickstep. Is even Boonen giving up when all he can do is sprint? Pathetic.

Two punctures, and had to ride fairly hard to get back to the main group, I'm not surprised Boner didn't feel up to going toe to toe with Cav yesterday tbh.

 

[I am Spartacus]

If anyone wants to catch in on the Ashes before live feed tdf starts
http://www.p2p4u.net/live/pl3.php

 

[kennykool]

I was looking forward to the prospect of boonen & cav in a race for the line yesterday too.

As John said tho - 2 punctures probably didn't have him in the right frame of mind for a sprint.

I would be dissapointed if all the "other" teams stopped trying to get their man in posotuion for a sprint just because cav is gonna beat them. If they don't try and beat him they'll never know if they can.

Hilly finish today - not severe tho. Gonna go for cav win again

 

[Sh4rkyBloke]

I'm amazed they haven't "accidentally" boxed him in a bit more when the sprints start...

 

[Landslide]

Hilly finish today - not severe tho. Gonna go for cav win again

Nah, I think it'll be too uphill for Cav. I'll have a wild stab in the dark with Flecha. He had too many "nearly" days in the Classics and Rabo could do with some good news after losing Gesink.

 

[Skip Madness]

My thought is that the other teams are completely overawed by Cavendish. What's the point of turning up if you're going to 'do a Kloeden', and not help with the chase because you presume that your man is going to be beaten on the line. Is it going to be like this all the way to Paris?

The stupid thing is that all the other teams need it more than Columbia, who already have two stage wins. The other teams won't get any closer to the green jersey like this since Cavendish will still likely win the bunch sprints even if they aren't for the stage victory. To be fair, Garmin worked reasonably yesterday. Tyler Farrar may not be likely to beat Cavendish but at least he isn't afraid to try.

I know he's the obvious choice today but I do think Óscar Freire is the man to beat on a finish like the one in Barcelona.

 

[John the Monkey]

As John said tho - 2 punctures probably didn't have him in the right frame of mind for a sprint.

Not just that, the fact that he was having to catch up at times when the speed of the group was fairly high (as I recall). If you don't feel you've got it in the legs that day, there's no point trying to set up a train and getting everyone working, imo.

 

[simon_brooke]

Could be, then it's going to be breakaway heaven.

Here's hoping!

To be fair, Thor Hushovd has mixed it in most of the sprints. To be fair, Tom Boonen has been incredibly unlucky so far (somebody obviously has a little wax model of his bike and keeps sticking pins in it). But hey, a race which comes down to a sprint every stage is just dullsville. We might as well watch cricket.

Breakaways and mountains make cycle racing, sprints are just what you end up with when no-one has the guts to go.

 

[karlos_the_jackal]

And now Gesink is definitely out. Not looking good for my fantasy team already pre-mountains.

I think the team support for cavendish has been outstanding difference in the sprinters.

Boonen is definitely still a threat.

 

[Will1985]

I wouldn't say Boonen was unlucky on stage 2. Sure he was forced up the escape road but he was so far back at that point, it was clear that he hadn't made an effort to get up the front and mix it with the sprinters. Allan Davis would have been there...