Tour de France 2013 *spoilers*

[smutchin]

I wondered if Boassen Hagan was using Cav as his lead-out man? He knew he wouldn't beat Cav, so used him as lead-out in the sprint for second? Or am I reading too much into the mad rush in those last few meters?

Boardman read it the same way - reckoned EBH was racing for second and using Cav as a windshield. Canny, if true.

 

[The Couch]

Ok, any fool want to bet against Cav for tomorrow ?

Well, if you put that way... I feel personally spoken to

Let's go for Greipel...
He seemed to have the slowest sprint at the finish line yesterday, but I believe the frustration (not sprinting the first stage, loosing yesterday and JVDB hitting the ground) will start kicking in.
And it wouldn't surprise me if he now decides to stick (go back) to his strategy of previous years: not waisting energy in the intermediate sprints, so that he has (might have) a better punch at the finish line

 

[tadpole]

"@inrng: Sylvain Chavanel fined 100 Swiss Francs yesterday for "eating in a way that damaged the image of cycling." Did he chew with his mouth open?"

The stupidity of cycling's governing bodies truly knows no bounds.

Sylvain Chavanel and his director, Wilfred Peeters, were each fined 100 Swiss francs for a feeding that was considered “detrimental to the image of cycling.” In other words, Chavanel took a “sticky bottle” from Peeters in the team car, perhaps holding onto the bottle a bit too long while the director accelerated the car.
In other words cheating.

 

[The Couch]

"@inrng: Sylvain Chavanel fined 100 Swiss Francs yesterday for "eating in a way that damaged the image of cycling." Did he chew with his mouth open?"

The stupidity of cycling's governing bodies truly knows no bounds.

Didn't Der Panzerwagen get a fine of 2000 francs for having the WC stripes on his TT bike during the Team Time Trial?
Seems to me that's way too harsh...
He's currently the best timetrialer (only an in-form Wiggins is a real threat), he is the current world champion ITT and OPQ are the world champs team time trial.

But maybe Pat is putting aside something for his retirement (if he should get beaten by Cookson)

 

[BarryBonkers]

In other words cheating.

Cheating in an "eating in a way that damaged the image of cycling" kind of way. Obvious when you think about it.

Last year, didn't Gary Imlach voice over a demo on how to pass up a bottle, with suitably laconic commentary?

 

[yello]

Shows what I know ;-)

Reading your posts now, it seems to me like you were spot-on

Any tips for today? I might be off to the bookies!

 

[Flying_Monkey]

Boardman read it the same way - reckoned EBH was racing for second and using Cav as a windshield. Canny, if true.

And Inner Ring said the same. Although he also commented that it's one thing to stay in Cav's slipstream but quite another to jump out of it and beat him.

 

[tadpole]

Cheating in an "eating in a way that damaged the image of cycling" kind of way. Obvious when you think about it.

Not eating, Feeding, as in holding on to bottle and being towed by the freaking car for too long,

 

[yello]

reckoned EBH was racing for second and using Cav as a windshield. Canny, if true.

Certainly looked that way to me. EBH had Cavendish's wheel and was staying put. Clever tactic imho.

Cavendish is unbeatable in such situations BUT there's an awful lot of stuff that's got to go to plan to get him there. I have my fingers crossed for Cavendish in green this evening though it's by no means a certainty.

 

[thom]

I wondered if Boassen Hagan was using Cav as his lead-out man? He knew he wouldn't beat Cav, so used him as lead-out in the sprint for second? Or am I reading too much into the mad rush in those last few meters?

Yes and I expect him to do it more. The other bug guns have their own lead out - Greipel was notable I thought for falling short so must be disappointed. But Cav & EBH is a win-win situation - EBH is not normally quick enough to come round Cav but isn't a dangerous sprinter like some and since they know how each other behaves, Cav is likely happy that it is EBH there and not someone else. EBH on the other hand is just being pragmatic - he has no support but is getting an armchair lead-out to a high position, so it is a canny strategy by him.

 

[Rob3rt]

Yes and I expect him to do it more. The other bug guns have their own lead out - Greipel was notable I thought for falling short so must be disappointed. But Cav & EBH is a win-win situation - EBH is not normally quick enough to come round Cav but isn't a dangerous sprinter like some and since they know how each other behaves, Cav is likely happy that it is EBH there and not someone else. EBH on the other hand is just being pragmatic - he has no support but is getting an armchair lead-out to a high position, so it is a canny strategy by him.

And having someone sat on his wheel the whole way actually helps him by reducing drag Favour for a favour, it is a mutually beneficial arrangement.

 

[Crackle]

Greipel lost Henderson's wheel and is complaining that he had to brake because, "I think it was [Alexander] Kristoff. Some riders, they just don't care about what is next to them," Ironic, considering it was him pushing through a non-existent gap a couple of stages ago that took Martin's handlebars away and caused the big pile up.

 

[smutchin]

holding on to bottle and being towed by the freaking car for too long,

OK, that makes more sense. So why not just say he cheated rather than this euphemistic "feeding" and "detrimental to the image of cycling" nonsense? Bizarre.

 

[thom]

And having someone sat on his wheel the whole way actually helps him by reducing drag Favour for a favour, it is a mutually beneficial arrangement.

Particularly for the points competition - EBH 2nd meant Sagan got 30 instead of 35 points for the finale.

 

[thom]

Rumours of another tack attack puncture the sense of bonhomie