Tour de France *Spoilers*

[Pro Tour Punditry]

I thnk h'es best riding on his own like all good time triallers
Keep a steady effort

Just not up climbs...

 

[rich p]

When did Martin become a climber. I raised an eyebrow or two in the Tou de Suisse and they're flickering again now. Someone tell me I'm wrong.

He was tolerably good at HTC, IIRC, and he was touted then as a potential GCer.

 

[rich p]

Pinot trying to prove that he can descend after all

 

[RWright]

No chasing Martin down this year.

 

[Crackle]

He was tolerably good at HTC, IIRC, and he was touted then as a potential GCer.

Hmmm, maybe but that's the first ride I've seen for many a year which makes me feel uncomfortable.

 

[RecordAceFromNew]

Well deserved win! What blew and sticks in my mind, is Martin's Worlds ITT result last September, when his individual time would have been close to the 2nd, 3rd and 4th teams' TTT time a couple of days earlier over practically the same course.

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

Time Trialling is the new climbing!
Martin 1st, Cancellara 2nd.

 

[raindog]

and he was touted then as a potential GCer.

^^^^^ this
Martin's a great rider - give him some slack. They weren't exactly massive climbs today.
Jesus, every time someone wins a stage now, unless they're riding for bloody Sky, they're apparently doping.

 

[StuAff]

^^^^^ this
Martin's a great rider - give him some slack. They weren't exactly massive climbs today.
Jesus, every time someone wins a stage now, unless they're riding for bloody Sky, they're apparently doping.

+1.

 

[montage]

When did Martin become a climber. I raised an eyebrow or two in the Tou de Suisse and they're flickering again now. Someone tell me I'm wrong.

He's always been decent - the power he can churn out is ridiculous (I think, from an article I read ages ago, in TTs he produces something like 480-500 watts on courses around an hour). Outstanding win from Martin, in a style that many riders can only dream about.

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

Jesus, every time someone wins a stage now, unless they're riding for bloody Sky, they're apparently doping.

It has nothing to do with Sky; after many years of watching dopers and dodgy-looking results it's not surprising that eyebrows are raised.

Martin is best known as one of the world's best time trailers, Cancellara was supposed to be targeting a world hour record; they finish 1st and 2nd in a moderate mountain stage. Why would eyebrows not be raised?

 

[beastie]

Martin's time up the final climb (cat 3) was 45 seconds slower than Purito.

 

[Crackle]

^^^^^ this
Martin's a great rider - give him some slack. They weren't exactly massive climbs today.
Jesus, every time someone wins a stage now, unless they're riding for bloody Sky, they're apparently doping.

He's always been decent - the power he can churn out is ridiculous (I think, from an article I read ages ago, in TTs he produces something like 480-500 watts on courses around an hour). Outstanding win from Martin, in a style that many riders can only dream about.

Ok, fair enough. A disinterested peloton and a disorganised chase made it look better than it was.

 

[raindog]

Martin is best known as one of the world's best time trailers, Cancellara was supposed to be targeting a world hour record; they finish 1st and 2nd in a moderate mountain stage. Why would eyebrows not be raised?

Why should they be raised?
They were relatively easy climbs, the GC contenders weren't interested in the stage, and Martin must have targeted it knowing that if he got over that last climb in front, he would use his TTing skills to finish off that last 45k downhill/flat. We've seen similar stages won like that by average riders, why should we be suspicious of one of the most powerful guys in the present peloton doing it?
A great win imo.

 

[Strathlubnaig]

Fantastic to see der Panzerwagen get away and make it stick this time, wunderbar. And a Frenchman in le maillot jaune for Bastille Day, bravo ! And fine tactical thinking by Nibali & Co.