Which is, apparently, what they did do.
So you make a good point .... Shame you had to spoil it with casual sexist cliché.
Tour de France *Spoilers*
- Thread starter Pro Tour Punditry
- Start date
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Which is, apparently, what they did do.
So you make a good point .... Shame you had to spoil it with casual sexist cliché.
mr messy
Veteran
- Location
- Sunny? Glasgow, the friendly city...
I shall retract and replace with "flapping like big girls blouses"Which is, apparently, what they did do.
So you make a good point .... Shame you had to spoil it with casual sexist cliché.
Mad Doug Biker
Just a damaged guy.
- Location
- Craggy Island
Cute, where the heck did that come from??
Sorry, but forget ANY of that, I'll need to BLOW YOU OUT OF THE WATER..... for saying 'Done'.
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U
User6179
Guest
Nibali , EPO , blood transfusion , growth hormone , steroids .I just cant make my mind up ?!
smutchin
Cat 6 Racer
- Location
- The Red Enclave
Racing nous?
I've not seen anything so far that gives real cause for suspicion (other than the colour of his team kit), though his sudden discovery of form after an indifferent season does seem a tad surprising.
But let's wait for the mountains at least before jumping to conclusions, hm?
MisterStan
Label Required
- Location
- Out there somewhere
Astana got it all right on stage 5, controlling the break and Fuglsang did an amazing job to guide Nibbles home.
Nibbles has come in to form at the right time, but can he hold it together in the mountains?
In summary, I don't think he's doping.
Nibbles has come in to form at the right time, but can he hold it together in the mountains?
In summary, I don't think he's doping.
smutchin
Cat 6 Racer
- Location
- The Red Enclave
Not forgetting the big turn Westra did driving the pace. And the fact that Nibali was much more prepared to take chances than Contador (the same reason Porte and Thomas were able to drop Contador so easily towards the end).
Commentary did mention that Contador had said before the stage that he was prepared to lose time. He has his eye on the long game and that two minute deficit could very quickly disappear in the mountains if Nibs isn't at his absolute best.
It is very sad that the minute anyone looks good at anything this suspicion starts. Wiggo and Froome spent ages deflecting this chorus when they were in yellow.
Guess this is the legacy for whoever is in front now?
Nibbles recced the paves and Contador 'got mud in his mech'.
thom
____
- Location
- The Borough
You have to click through to see this:
Mod edit, just to add info
TdF official 'on board camera' video for Stage 5
Mod edit, just to add info
TdF official 'on board camera' video for Stage 5
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OP
OP
Pro Tour Punditry
Guru
Whilst I would like to believe in Nibali, there is no escaping the fact that he rides for Team Evil who employ Vinokurov as their General Manager.
None of them. 'If' he is on something and so far there's no real reason to suspect he is, I doubt it will be anything old hat. I wish he wasn't in Astana, Vino is an old rogue but Nibbles was not far away in the Dauphine and he won the Italian road race. He rode well on the cobbles but that stage was 100k less than PR, with less cobbled sections, so beating the specialists is not as suprising as it looks.
smutchin
Cat 6 Racer
- Location
- The Red Enclave
That sends shivers down my spine. How on earth any of them managed to stay upright is entirely beyond my comprehension - and I fancy myself as a reasonably good bike handler.
Shadow
member
- Location
- edge of the south downs
Thanks for this Thom. Astonishing!
FYI Contador has claimed that he had mechanical issues, he couldn't switch gears anymore at the end of the stage
(otherwise I would assume that he would've tried to stick with the group Valverde, Tejay, Costa,..)
It seemed the mud and big puddles on the cobblestone sections gave them (a bit) more grip than on the concrete/asphalt roads
(especially looking at their back wheels when braking)
Dogtrousers
Kilometre nibbler
That video. Wow.
To what extent do they use special kit for the cobbles?
Is it a case of just an extra wrap of padding on the bars or do they choose different tyres? Bikes even? I didn't actually notice anyone riding a full sus MTB with giant fat knobblies, but I wouldn't have blamed them. Maybe they were out of shot.
To what extent do they use special kit for the cobbles?
Is it a case of just an extra wrap of padding on the bars or do they choose different tyres? Bikes even? I didn't actually notice anyone riding a full sus MTB with giant fat knobblies, but I wouldn't have blamed them. Maybe they were out of shot.
