Tour de France 2013 *spoilers*

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Hip Priest

Veteran
A shame about Pinot. His comments reminded me of the Spanish footballer Jesus Navas, who had demons of his own to deal with as young man. Thankfully, he was able to overcome them and play on the biggest stage. Hopefully young Thibault will do the same.
 

Hip Priest

Veteran
So, who won the rest day then?


Me. I've done nowt all day.
 

oldroadman

Veteran
Location
Ubique
It's something everyone has to overcome, some cope better than others. The poor lad could probably do with some sessions with a French equivalent of Dr Steve Peters, and learn to put the "chimp" back in the box. In this case the chimp being the negative thougts around speed and descending.
 

zizou

Veteran
Will be hugely difficult to overcome that fear in the short term but you'd have to hope with some work psychologically and technically too that he can improve.

Although i dont really get the comment about not being able to descend like Cavendish - the gruppetto riders are amongst the best descenders in the peloton and even the accomplished descenders who are high up in the GC would struggle to keep up.
 

Hip Priest

Veteran
Although i dont really get the comment about not being able to descend like Cavendish - the gruppetto riders are amongst the best descenders in the peloton and even the accomplished descenders who are high up in the GC would struggle to keep up.

I was thinking the same thing.

The increased weight of the sprinters, plus the need to get under the time limit, mean they often go hell for leather on the descents.
 

Flying_Monkey

Recyclist
Location
Odawa
Interesting how everyone on other forums is being very sympathetic to Pinot (as they should be) but were laughing and pointing the finger at Wiggins when he was suffering a similar crisis of confidence at the Giro.
 

raindog

er.....
Location
France
Interesting how everyone on other forums is being very sympathetic to Pinot (as they should be) but were laughing and pointing the finger at Wiggins when he was suffering a similar crisis of confidence at the Giro.
That's because everyday is "bash Brad day" if "other forums" is where I think it is.....
 

smutchin

Cat 6 Racer
Location
The Red Enclave
Interesting how everyone on other forums is being very sympathetic to Pinot (as they should be) but were laughing and pointing the finger at Wiggins when he was suffering a similar crisis of confidence at the Giro.

Well, I was going to make an hilarious quip about him but I judged that popular feeling would have been against it so didn't.

See also: Andy Schleck.
 

The Couch

Über Member
Location
Crazytown
Looking at the performances of Sky so far, I would be considering another strategy than the "suffocating ramp up of speed" they usually do.
It seems that there are only going to be about 2 helpers left in the mountains (Porte and Kennaugh) and for both we don't fully know how they will have recovered from Sunday's events.

Last year, the strategy was brilliant and very effective, since Wiggins isn't a pure climber and prefers climbing at a more steady pace and the Sky-pace was too suffocating for the climbers to really attack... but now they have Froome as leader, who already has a nice buffer (and should have more buffer after tomorrow) and who can stick with the more preferred style of irregular climbing pace of his competitors.
Therefore - being Sky - I would just stick to a more comfortable pace that doesn't burn Hagen and Siutsou as fast (as on Saturday)... more like US Postal (sorry, I can't really avoid them) were controlling the pace.... and with this changed strategy not blow up your own team (but of course it is so easy to fall into the pattern you have always used and trained on)

p.s. If they want, they can easily still do the Sky-strategy once more, namely on the Mont Ventoux stage, since that is just one climb anyway
p.p.s. During the press conference yesterday DB said that they will change strategy (but there's a good chance that just referred to another role for Porte)
p.p.p.s. Of course if Movistar and/or Saxo are smart, they should make pace (and not let Sky make pace) from the start of mountain stages
 

deptfordmarmoset

Full time tea drinker
Location
Armonmy Way
Interesting how everyone on other forums is being very sympathetic to Pinot (as they should be) but were laughing and pointing the finger at Wiggins when he was suffering a similar crisis of confidence at the Giro.
His disappointment was very open and not shielded from the press. This French interview shows how total his disappointment was, and even if you don't speak French you can still see the effect in his body language and hear it in his voice. http://www.lequipe.fr/Cyclisme-sur-route/Actualites/Pinot-je-n-y-suis-plus/384352
 

The Couch

Über Member
Location
Crazytown
His disappointment was very open and not shielded from the press. This French interview shows how total his disappointment was, and even if you don't speak French you can still see the effect in his body language and hear it in his voice. http://www.lequipe.fr/Cyclisme-sur-route/Actualites/Pinot-je-n-y-suis-plus/384352

Indeed, the disappointment and "subjection to the situation" was very big
... strange hearing him mentioning (more than once) his hopes to do something in the 3rd week, wouldn't the Ventoux stage be a better fit if you don't feel comfortable desceding​
... It is nice actually to hear him say he isn't going to be happy even if he could take a stage victory, he came for the GC and now that's gone. It shows his ambition is correct​
 

kedab

Veteran
Location
nr cambridge
sounds like he needs a bit of a sporty head doctor to help him out with that...or just a head doctor, i don't think it would matter. just needs to be shown a way to cope with it. i hope he does cos he's pretty awesome.
 
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