Tour of Qatar (SPOILER)

[Keith Oates]

Another crash for Cavendish in the prologue, he seems to be really 'in the wars' so far this season. Let's hope that his injuries are only minor and that he will get some sprint wins during the rest of the tour. A good win for Boom though who seemed to be best suited to a very technical course!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[rich p]

The results of the crash didn't look to bad and Cav smiled as he coasted in. It certainlyputs him out of the running for the overall if he had any vague designs on it.

The course looked terrible. Lots of street fruniture, signs and roundabouts, no spectators, bleak futuristic city-scape and all run on pave or modern cobbles. It looked fairly treacherous even dry and I suspect there were a few not fully committed on the bends.

I can't wait to see some of the stages proper for the vistas of beautiful hills, lush green valleys and towering hills............Nurse, where's my medication.

 

[Keith Oates]

You forgot the Mountain Top Finish as well Rich, and I agree with you it is not the most interesting of races but it does give the riders some early season race exposure and so will assist in the overall preparation of the teams and the riders for the season ahead.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[rich p]

You're right Keith. I like to watch any cycling live to be honest!

ToQ is the hardest to like though!

 

[Flying_Monkey]

ToQ only exists because of money. It is the most boring pro-Tour race, although they did at least try to make it interesting by having a TT on cobbles. They have no idea...

Anyway, nice to see young Alex Dowsett up there too.

 

[HLaB]

I've just watched the highlights on steephill; thats the first time I've seen Cancellara lose a TT.

 

[rich p]

You must have missed that stage where the famous time-trialler Bertie Conbuterol beat FC in the TdF 2 summeres ago!

 

[HLaB]

You must have missed that stage where the famous time-trialler Bertie Conbuterol beat FC in the TdF 2 summeres ago!

Probably good to know he can be beaten TT were getting a bit boring for a while always the same result; Millar or someone would burst the proverbial gut to get a good time and then FC would come along and trounce that; I must admit Ive switched off a lot of TT's lately.

 

[Flying_Monkey]

Haussler looking very good, but then being more of a 'strongman sprinter' and with the wind, this is a race that suits him. It seems clear that HTC have designated Mark Renshaw (for once!) as their man, and he is flourishing, and Cav is largely using this to ease into the season - although he's never going to win points jerseys unless he acquires some more of that strength. I don't think you can stay a 'pure sprinter' and expect to win points competitions. Nice to see Roger Hammond up there (same reasons as Haussler is, of course).

 

[Keith Oates]

Am I the only one that wishes Wiggins would stop wearing long black socks !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

http://www.cyclingne...3/photos/158039

 

[Scoosh]

Am I the only one that wishes Wiggins would stop wearing long black socks !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

http://www.cyclingne...3/photos/158039

No


Maybe it's part of the Wiggo fashion 'look' - Ugh !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Flying_Monkey]

I have some difficulty in understanding why you think black socks are 'wrong'. Members of teams wear socks that fit their team colours. I have team and non-team cycling socks in just about every colour. I think only one pair is white.

It isn't like a school uniform where everyone must wear white socks and blue shorts for 'games'...

 

[Flying_Monkey]

And Renshaw wins today! That's really great for a guy who's been such an unselfish lead-out rider for the last couple of years.

 

[HLaB]

When I was a school kid it was wrong to wear 'white' socks it swings in roundabouts, hey ho; I wonder in black socks make you 0.01% faster

 

[Steve H]

And Renshaw wins today! That's really great for a guy who's been such an unselfish lead-out rider for the last couple of years.

Here, here. I thought Renshaw was great. He made sure he was up there in contention for the last few km and positioned himself perfectly for the start of the sprint. Great to see him bringing home a reward for his hard work.

What happened to Team Sky? They must have had 6 riders all pushing the pace together with 3km to go, but they didn't hold it together until the end. I don't think any of their riders made the top 5.