Tour de France 2012 (with SPOILERS)

[raindog]

Apparently he is a really quiet, polite and unassuming person away from the bike
.

He does like a laugh though.

Some of his tweets are funny. I really like him. Interesting times for bike fans with a youngster like this around.
After yesterday's stage Bernard Hinault was asked if he thought Sagan could make a GT contender, and he said he would probably make a great all-rounder if he could lose 3kilos or so of muscular mass.

 

[Wester]

Will Sagan be on the Podium in Paris on the final day of Le Tour ?

 

[raindog]

no

 

[Slaav]

Sagan had great results as a junior in mountain biking, cyclecross and road, he had great results when he first became a pro and is now having great results in his first tour. He's not come from nowhere to deliver unexpected victories, he is just living up to the promise and expectations that alot of people have had for him over the last 2 years or so.

It is a sad situation that people suspect doping immediately not based on any evidence or even innuendo but on him looking fresh. When putting in big efforts (in whatever sport) some people look like that, some grimmace and contort their faces...it isnt a good signifier of how hard they are pushing it.



Apparently he is a really quiet, polite and unassuming person away from the bike



Not sure if you saw it live or not but on the live footage it showed him getting towed most of the way back by the Katusha team car.

Would someone mind explaining in fairly simple terms when this is and isn't allowed? Is it to do with crashes etc? Many seem to just 'touch' the car and freewheel - obviously having a breather and others seem to almost grip on obviously?

Thanks

 

[smutchin]

Would someone mind explaining in fairly simple terms when this is and isn't allowed? Is it to do with crashes etc?

Strictly, you shouldn't do it at all, but if you're making your way back to the peloton after a crash/mechanical, it is tolerated to some extent. Exactly how far you can push your luck largely depends on the mood of the commissaire on the day. Riders regularly get penalised for excessive drafting though.

d.

 

[smutchin]

Will Sagan be on the Podium in Paris on the final day of Le Tour ?

He's the favourite for the green jersey at the moment, but this is his first TdF after all and it remains to be seen if he has what it takes to go the full distance...

He finished the Vuelta last year (his first Grand Tour) and came 4th in the points competition. Winning the green jersey in the Tour would be a massive step up from that.

d.

 

[zizou]

Would someone mind explaining in fairly simple terms when this is and isn't allowed? Is it to do with crashes etc? Many seem to just 'touch' the car and freewheel - obviously having a breather and others seem to almost grip on obviously?

Thanks

He was drafting behind the car not holding on. Its not really allowed but they turn a blind eye to it if the rider has had a crash or mechanical and fallen out the main group as a result of that or if the rider is at the back of the race and struggling to get to the finish within the time limit.

Riders are only allowed to hold onto the cars if their mechanic is fixing a problem with the bike or getting medical attention from the doctor. You often see them holding onto a bottle held by someone in the team car for a few seconds when they get handed a new one...technically not allowed but again ignored (within reason) as the rider is just making sure they have a good grip on the bottle so it isnt dropped

Generally the rules and the informal way they are applied works out pretty well.

 

[smutchin]

aka "magic spanner" or "sticky bottle" as appropriate.

 

[Boris Bajic]

Like many others I have a dichotomy rushing through my mind when a rider suddenly finds fresh-faced and joyful speed in difficult conditions:

"Wow, fast! That's two stages! Blimey! Like Vino's recovery from his fall a few years ago... Like Il Pirata on the climbs! Oh Bugger!"

I do love the TdF, but I do have to have a wry chuckle sometimes. I hope he isn't doping, but I fear he may be.

 

[smutchin]

Hmmm, why all of a sudden do I detect the sickly sweet aroma of processed meat?

Edit: That won't mean anything to anyone who didn't see the deleted post it was in response to...

 

[VamP]

I dunno, I might be naive, but I don't think' he's doping.

Sprinters in general don't benefit from EPO as much as endurance specialists, and sprints by their nature are not as exhausting as endurance efforts (climbs/TTs etc.) Getting 'away' with doping these days requires systemic culture of doping and hiding it within the team. Is Liquigas such a team? Will Nibali rule the mountains?

He's a fresh faced youth of 21, overjoyed to be having the time of his life... I don't think we can go by the facial expression as demonstration of wrongdoing.

Innocent in my book.

 

[smutchin]

Is Liquigas such a team?

They're Italian, therefore they must be, right?

Judging by Basso's performance in the Giro, if he's [still] doping, he isn't doing it right.

Nibali is vocally anti-doping. Not that this proves anything, but you can hope.

d.

 

[PpPete]

Got to like his "tourminator" bike though...

 

[fimm]

My boyfriend joined in some competition on Facebook - basically "they" took the first 198 (or however many it is) people who "liked" their page, and randomly assigned them a rider each. If "your" rider is first over the line, you win a prize.

My boyfriend got Sagan....

 

[raindog]

Voeckler just rode up to the commentator on the rearguard motorbike and said
"Want a scoop? .......well, I haven't got one."