Tour de France 2012 (with SPOILERS)

[Noodley]

All part of the sport, sitting on someone's wheel. Too bad if you lose out.

 

[raindog]

Help out? Cancellara was flat out, Sagan did well to hang on to his wheel, but he was always going to win the sprint. Every man for himself over a short distance like that. If Cancellara had backed off and let the chasing group catch up, Sagan would still have won and Fab would have known that, so his only chance for the win was to put the pedal down and hope for the best. That's just bike racing.

 

[yello]

When you consider the gap there was between the 3 of them and the peloton at one point then you realise there was gamesmanship going on at the front as they approached the finish line. I thought for a moment they'd overdone it and Evans et al were going to catch them but Cancellara is too seasoned a pro to make a mistake like that. I guess he knew Sagan would be too strong for him but he had to give it a go.

That's the first time I've seen Sagan and he does look strong. I'll be interested to see how he goes in a bunch sprint.

 

[ColinJ]

Sagan has been winning loads of races over the past year and is very impressive.

I was getting really nervous in that last half hour or so! There was so much movement in the bunch, dodgy street furniture, stupid spectators, bottles in the road etc. I really don't want to see riders crashing and being taken off in ambulances again this year.

I do feel a bit sorry for Cancellara. It's not the first time that I've watched him tow a better sprinter to the finish line, but what can he do? If he doesn't manage to jump away hard enough to get a gap that they can't close then they just sit on him and beat him in the finish.

 

[smutchin]

If Cancellara had backed off and let the chasing group catch up, Sagan would still have won and Fab would have known that, so his only chance for the win was to put the pedal down and hope for the best. That's just bike racing.

Yes, you could almost see that thought process going through his mind when for a split second it looked like he was sitting up to force Sagan to come through, but quickly realised just how close behind the bunch was.

He did well to hold off EBH, but then EBH had spent himself catching the two leaders - and it was a great effort that he put in to manage that.

d.

 

[smutchin]

I do feel a bit sorry for Cancellara. It's not the first time that I've watched him tow a better sprinter to the finish line, but what can he do? If he doesn't manage to jump away hard enough to get a gap that they can't close then they just sit on him and beat him in the finish.

To be fair, Sagan did extremely well to hold on to Cancellara when he attacked - it was a very intelligent, mature move by a young, supposedly inexperienced rider. Didn't see anyone else react as quickly as Sagan - Gilbert was caught napping.

d.

 

[ColinJ]

To be fair, Sagan did extremely well to hold on to Cancellara when he attacked - it was a very intelligent, mature move by a young, supposedly inexperienced rider. Didn't see anyone else react as quickly as Sagan - Gilbert was caught napping.

d.

Exactly - he did what he had to do. Cancellara almost got away but Sagan had the strength to get on his wheel and stay there. EBH did very well to get back up there, but he burned himself out doing it.

 

[yello]

I thought for a moment they'd overdone it and Evans et al were going to catch them

Just seen it again and it was Gilbert not Evans... I just saw the BMC shirt closing and thought it was Evans since he had been riding strongly.

Btw, Merckx has gone for Nibali and Chavanel for Menchov.

 

[Ajay]

Just going back to yesterday's prologue (sorry), anyone know why Evans carried a bidon round the 6km course? With the obsession to streamline everything for the TT it seemed a little odd. Can only think it's because his sponsor wants to flog their aero bottles.

 

[Basil.B]

Watching TDF on ITV4, the picture quality is horrendous.
Like watching an old worn out video tape!

 

[Sittingduck]

Watching TDF on ITV4, the picture quality is horrendous.
Like watching an old worn out video tape!

I thought it was my TV / dodgy freeview box!

 

[Steve H]

Just going back to yesterday's prologue (sorry), anyone know why Evans carried a bidon round the 6km course? With the obsession to streamline everything for the TT it seemed a little odd. Can only think it's because his sponsor wants to flog their aero bottles.

He keeps his battery in there for his electric motor ;-)

 

[Noodley]

There is some evidence that having a bottle on the bike helps to make it go faster over short courses.

 

[Steve H]

Heart over head - I'm backing Cav for tomorrow's flat stage.

Just a shame I have to go to work and can't watch it live tomorrow.

 

[yello]

ajay, are you sure it was a water bottle? I saw a white box like thing at the bottom of the seat tube/above the bottom bracket that I assumed to be a power meter or somesuch.