Tour de France 2013 *spoilers*
- Thread starter Noodley
- Start date
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thom
____
- Location
- The Borough
Kiriyenka (Belorussian in fact) is quite a hard man, capable of a lot of work - Froome's GC challenge would benefit more from Kiriyenka than maybe 2 or 3 others. What with Geraint Thomas also below par, Sky can definitely be vulnerable.
But like others have said, Froome appears without weaknesses - he should be able to carry this one off.
Monsieur Remings
Guru
- Location
- Yatton UK
Perhaps it's just me but I've not been impressed with the OPQ train. They seem to come to the front, then disappear with 3k to go, usually leaving one man with Cav.
Shimano boys are riding really well.
I think that's part of the point though, today, they did have their act together and Cav was delivered perfectly and failed to win due the speed of Kittel. After the setback before the TT and a poor OPQ performance admittedly, which seemed so very absent from the front culminating in a Kittel - Griepel 1st and 2nd, today, under pressure they delivered. Just a shame that Cav didn't.
If anything perhaps Cav went too early but you have to respect Kittel who did well enough to get on his wheel and then overtake '...the fastest man on two wheels.'
What a shame for EBH and I tend to agree that this could be another blow for Froome.
Risex4
Dropped by the autobus
- Location
- The Green/Gray Hills Of Debunshire
The OPQS train has been a mess more or less, with the possible exceptions of Marsaille and today where I think it was Cav who got it wrong.
They've routinely got it wrong, got swamped and either come up too short or left Cav to do it himself (arguably the same thing). Compare QS's train performance to that of Argos or Lotto who are - crashes aside - dropping their sprinters off consistently in the best positions at the right times. You could get away with amateur hour 5 years ago. Now, you'll lose out 9 time out of 10.
They've routinely got it wrong, got swamped and either come up too short or left Cav to do it himself (arguably the same thing). Compare QS's train performance to that of Argos or Lotto who are - crashes aside - dropping their sprinters off consistently in the best positions at the right times. You could get away with amateur hour 5 years ago. Now, you'll lose out 9 time out of 10.
Strathlubnaig
Guru
- Location
- Alberta
Kiriyenka was definitely an asset on the long climbs, drilling away at the front, so the pressure on the remaining riders will be greater, especially on the long Ventoux and double Alpe. Rivals will need to think long and hard about mounting a relentless attack on Froome now, I think there will be 'alliances'.
smutchin
Cat 6 Racer
- Location
- The Red Enclave
OPQS are clearly missing a killer leadout man. Steegmans is no mean sprinter in his own right, but he doesn't seem able to offer Cav the same level of physical protection that Renshaw has always provided in the past.
tigger
Über Member
Might stick some money on Cav tomorrow. Probably one of the few days you'll get half decent odds on him. Never write him off. I don't think he'll bother with the intermediate sprint and hopefully he doesn't have to start his sprint quite so early this time.
Bad news for Sky with EBH out. That's 6.5 in the team now. Amazing as Froome is, I don't think he can fetch his own bottles, pace himself back after mechanicals, chase down all the attacks and still win this. Or can he?
Bad news for Sky with EBH out. That's 6.5 in the team now. Amazing as Froome is, I don't think he can fetch his own bottles, pace himself back after mechanicals, chase down all the attacks and still win this. Or can he?
PpPete
Legendary Member
- Location
- Chandler's Ford
Not a bad bet. He's very hard on his train if they get it wrong, even harder on himself when the train gets it right and he doesn't deliver. He will feel very much obligated to them tomorrow.
Of course not, but with Stannard controlling the flatter sections, Kennaugh and Porte pacing up the lumpy bits....Lopez & G to fetch bottles etc, with a little luck he should make it to Paris?
mrbadexample
Senior Member
- Location
- Walsall
Yup, I think Cav made his move just a fraction too soon. Fair play to Kittel though, it would have taken absolute perfection to have beaten him.
mrbadexample
Senior Member
- Location
- Walsall
The thing I wanted most was for Cav to win and say: "Thanks to the person who threw urine at me yesterday, it gave me just the motivation and aggression I needed, without which I would never have won."
Oh well.
Oh well.
Flying_Monkey
Recyclist
- Location
- Odawa
Kittel is on form, and he's on a roll. Cav just isn't right now. He can't win everything all the time.
I don't think the problem is really so much Steegmans... In my opinion, they are missing someone to drop Steegmans off (or rather keep him in a protected position).
I have had already quite a few times the feeling that Steegmans (and Cav somewhere hidden behind his back) needed to catch up an extra 20-30m to get back to the frontpositions... Steegmans has (most times) managed to succeed in bringing Cav forward, so in those instances I don't see what more he could have done... however, that sudden burst of energy to get to the front is most likely choking Cav's legs a bit.
So for me it's Trentin (and/or the guy before him), who is/are more to blame
EDIT: Of course, if you have Renshaw, you can put Steegmans one position up and probably have a better train
No, just beaten.
There's no secret to what Cavendish does. He's just very good at it and usually the best. Not so yesterday and he was beaten by a far stronger sprinter in top form. Personally, I don't think Cavendish is 100% either physically or mentally. The Giro will have tired him, he's been ill, and the stuff that's happened in the last few days is probably playing with his head. He'll be back, and probably in tears!
