LOL - he didn't have any freedom of movement when the team was constructed around Boonen. Remember when he was about to win a classic (can't remember which it was) a couple of years ago, and about 800 metres from the line he dropped back to be with Boonen who didn't win anyway?
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Really??
Doesn't ring any bell with me (and doesn't seem like an action any rider, let alone a "protected rider" would do, so close to the finish line)
Come on Couch, can't you remember? It was early last season, or more likely the one before. Buggered if I can remember what it was - a semi-classic in Belgium I think. What do you mean by "protected rider"? Chava was supposed to be riding for Boonen - caused a bit of a fuss in the French cycling press at the time. I'll see if I can dig something up about it.
Here we go - it was the Tour des Flandres 2011. Chava would've won, but he kept looking over his shoulder looking for Boonen - he more or less lifted off. In the end he was second behind Nick Nuyens and Boonen was 4th behind Cancellara. Chava's a nice bloke and didn't make a fuss in public, but there was bad feeling in the team for a while.
"Depuis le Tour des Flandres, dimanche, Tom Boonen et Sylvain Chavanel ne sont plus les meilleurs amis du monde. Le Belge, quatrième à Meerbeke, s'était vite éclipsé après son échec. Il n'avait pas cru bon d'attendre le Français, malheureux deuxième et pris par le protocole."
http://www.ouest-france.fr/sport/un...nvers-Sylvain-Chavanel_39637-1758507_actu.Htm
sorry about the thread drift, everyone
Here we go - it was the Tour des Flandres 2011. Chava would've won, but he kept looking over his shoulder looking for Boonen - he more or less lifted off. In the end he was second behind Nick Nuyens and Boonen was 4th behind Cancellara. Chava's a nice bloke and didn't make a fuss in public, but there was bad feeling in the team for a while.
"Depuis le Tour des Flandres, dimanche, Tom Boonen et Sylvain Chavanel ne sont plus les meilleurs amis du monde. Le Belge, quatrième à Meerbeke, s'était vite éclipsé après son échec. Il n'avait pas cru bon d'attendre le Français, malheureux deuxième et pris par le protocole."
http://www.ouest-france.fr/sport/un...nvers-Sylvain-Chavanel_39637-1758507_actu.Htm
sorry about the thread drift, everyone
U
User169
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sorry about the thread drift, everyone
It's a fair point, RD. I wonder what Boonen has to say about being usurped by Cav.
smutchin
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I remember that one, raindog. As a long time fan of Chava, I remember being very excited about the prospect of seeing him win...
Chava is over the hill now anyway. He's missed his opportunity to be a genuine GC contender. Possibly the best French cyclist of his generation (I've always rated him as much better than Little Tommy Showpony) but his potential has never been exploited to the full. Shame.
Chava is over the hill now anyway. He's missed his opportunity to be a genuine GC contender. Possibly the best French cyclist of his generation (I've always rated him as much better than Little Tommy Showpony) but his potential has never been exploited to the full. Shame.
Might have been just differently perceived in the Belgian press vs. French press...
As I recall it, he was in a small group with Cancellara and Nuyens (not alone). Both Cancellara and Chavanel were pretty exhausted from the escape they had done before and therefore got beat in the sprint. I assume Chavanel was indeed looking around to see if Boonen would still make it, but he sprinted full-out nonetheless once the sprint started (and Boonen clearly couldn't make it back anymore).
Never really heard any mention about him not beind aloud to go for it himself.
...But as I said, could just be difference in press (being a Belgian who "ordered" Chavenel to wait or because a Belgian won it and therefore took the attention away from this)
I also apologize for the thread drift... but I'm done now
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thom
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well i found it entertaining, informative and pertinent to the motive for Chava's transfer so no need to apologise imhoI also apologize for the thread drift... but I'm done now
smutchin
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Well I nevah - seems both parties agree with me.
http://www.lequipe.fr/Cyclisme-sur-route/Actualites/Rui-costa-chez-lampre/395226
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thom
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Good call there !
Stonechat
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Don't know the lampre team that much but Rui Costa has impressed this year
smutchin
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You've probably not noticed Lampre much because they've massively underperformed for the last two seasons.
They really needed somebody (although Niemiec has shown some potential) to start forming a threat to a good GC or mountain stages victories, since Scarponi and Cunego are close to expiry date
Mapster1989
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Who's going to replace now Euskatel and Vaconsoleil have folded?
Should just be 1 vacancy as UCI would like to keep it to 20 I should imagine.
Should just be 1 vacancy as UCI would like to keep it to 20 I should imagine.
Flying_Monkey
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It's quite possible there will only be 19 teams. Inner Ring had a very good piece about this. Apparently, there's very little incentive for the top pro-continental teams to go for World Tour status when they can pick up wild card entires to the GTs (and there will be more wild card places if there are fewer WT teams) and they get to choose the other races they want as opposed to being forced to ride the WT schedule. The UCI really needs to rethink the way they run the top level of cycling (along with so many other things).
