Andy Schleck to miss TdF

[Wahooti Fandango]

Disappointing. Although was always going to struggle as has done nothing to improve his ITT.

http://au.eurosport.com/cycling/tour-de-france/2012/andy-schleck-out-of-tour_sto3310413/story.shtml

 

[monty1104]

Seems like a lot of good riders will be missing the tour this year. Shame, but the proximity to the Olympics really doesnt help. Will be hoping that guys like Valverde, Kloden, Frank Schleck, Gesink, Nibali, Sanchez and Leipheimer really come in with unbelievable form, otherwise it will be a shootout between Cadel and Sky.

One massive plus is Peter Sagan will be riding. Sagan vs Cav will be a great battle.

 

[The Falcon Strike]

Does that mean Cadel gets to wear yellow in the prologue...

 

[Slax]

Does that mean Cadel gets to wear yellow in the prologue...

No-one wears yellow for the prologue as there is no leader. He just gets to head out last

 

[blue gunslinger]

No-one wears yellow for the prologue as there is no leader. He just gets to head out last

not a fan but love his work- real shame

 

[blackcat]

I have my doubts about the veracity of the broken hip.

yeah, he took a fall in the tt, and lost skin, and almost the arse out of his knicks. But I think Bruyneel had the shlecks in his sights from a ways back. Kim Andersen was the guy who always handled the CSC affairs on the bike and "off the bike" <wink wink> success. Sidelining him was a prob. Something happened with their medical program, and its competency or lack therof.

I think the hip is an easy out. Bruyneel was on some power trip here.

And Andy Shleck was well on his way to being a very competent timetrialer, think, that is, imagine, giving up only 30 secs in the long tt in the Tour, to other GC competitors.

Look at his first Giro and Tour tts. They were not crap. They demonstrated much promise.

Dont conflate Frank with Andy.

Frank could not chrono worth a bar of soap.

Andy, Andy he could definitely pump out a chrono if he needed to.

 

[Ichabod Noodle]

I never thought he was a chance anyway - can't time trial worth a s*** anyway. Cadell's main rival was always going to be Wiggins who not only can time trial, but can go up a hill too. Would have been very different last year if he hadn't crashed in week one.

 

[monty1104]

I never thought he was a chance anyway - can't time trial worth a s*** anyway. Cadell's main rival was always going to be Wiggins who not only can time trial, but can go up a hill too. Would have been very different last year if he hadn't crashed in week one.

Nah, would have been the same result IMO. No chance Wiggo would have kept up with Cadel on those last 2 epic mountain days. If Contador, Sanchez and Basso couldnt do it, I doubt Wiggo could either.

 

[Ichabod Noodle]

I'm not saying wiggins would have won last year, just that it would have been a whole different dynamic. He worries me is all.

 

[monty1104]

Agree, he is in good form this year. Add that to the lack of summit finishes and the huge number of ITT km's and this is looking like Wiggo's year. As the commentators during the Dauphine were saying; "It's this year or never for Wiggins".

Only drawback to his campaign is the team having to take Cav plus at least one support rider (Eisel) for Cav. Still leaves plenty of support for Wiggins, but traditionally it is hard for a team trying to win both the yellow and green jersey.

 

[Slax]

Agree, he is in good form this year. Add that to the lack of summit finishes and the huge number of ITT km's and this is looking like Wiggo's year. As the commentators during the Dauphine were saying; "It's this year or never for Wiggins".

Only drawback to his campaign is the team having to take Cav plus at least one support rider (Eisel) for Cav. Still leaves plenty of support for Wiggins, but traditionally it is hard for a team trying to win both the yellow and green jersey.

The only thing I think can stop Wiggins this year is if something happens in the first week. Invariably tetams lose riders to falls in the first week, it is a matter of getting through the mayhem unscathed and with the team intact.

 

[blackcat]

The only thing I think can stop Wiggins this year is if something happens in the first week. Invariably tetams lose riders to falls in the first week, it is a matter of getting through the mayhem unscathed and with the team intact.

or or or, he has a jour sans on the queen stage.

Evans would like to have a few other grimpeurs light it up early on the Queen Stage.

just throwing this out there, Froome goes off watching some grimpeurs like Frank Schleck. And Froome rides into the maillot jaune. Always thought Froome is their best rider.

 

[Slax]

Yes but will Evans be able to take enough time to cover what his loses will be in the time trials? I doubt it.

 

[blackcat]

Yes but will Evans be able to take enough time to cover what his loses will be in the time trials? I doubt it.

take a look at Wiggins in GT chronos over the past decade.

HE IP dominance has given folks the wrong perception. Cancellara he aint. Levi has a better chrono record in GTs. Froome had him covered in Vuelta.

 

[monty1104]

In better news, Scarponi looks set to ride the Tour.

 

[Wahooti Fandango]

Sky spread thin riding for both Cav and Wiggo.

 

[blackcat]

Sky spread thin riding for both Cav and Wiggo.

Knees is the only tru flat domestique (edit: no hes not, he can haandle the hills evidence in his 9th GC in TdSuisse). Hagen will do A LOAD, but not primary nose in the wind. Hagen also will be there over cat 3 climbs in the intermediate stages. Eisel is there for the pilot in the HC climbs, and if Cav makes it thru and does not pull out, to go to ride Olympic training module,

so dont see it much for Cav. He loses the extra spot cav takes ofcourse Siutsou a domestique for the hills ofcourse. Was top 10 or about 11th in the Giro with HTC about 5 years back. Might have equivalent talent to froome over the mtns, but he will be strictly a workhouse. On flat too.

Knees goes well uphill too. Better than I thought

 

[blackcat]

and we know C

Sky spread thin riding for both Cav and Wiggo.

av has the best domestique in the business, the team car. You know he hangs on over the HC climbs and Queen stage(s).

Farrar was ropable lkast year when he was dropped from the autobus and cam back and WON the stage lol

 

[Wahooti Fandango]

blackcat Yeah I am thinking Can will struggle in terms of having support to navigate sprint finishes. He needs a lead out train. He is no McEwan in that regard.

 

[blackcat]

blackcat Yeah I am thinking Can will struggle in terms of having support to navigate sprint finishes. He needs a lead out train. He is no McEwan in that regard.

actually,

Here I am gonna sound like a douche (hate the seppo term) I am gonna sound like a d!ckhead, and w@nker. Will, if the cap fits... the glove aint aquit.

No, Cav is the best at not having a leadout. His handling does not quite reach Mcewen standard nope. But Mcewen lost his balls just after that win in the London stage 1 in 2007. He stopped to go for the gaps that were there, when he was left up front.

My first recollection of Cav having "something" was not San Remo, or winning in his second TdF he went to. Cos he did not get any W's in 07. It was the Dreidaagse Van de Panne, or Driedaagse de Panne in either 06, 0r 07. He was left at the front in the last km, and he was boxed, and he came thru traffic. I think he got Francesco Chicchi, the VERY FAST Chicchi, about 25 metres before the line. Chicchi was undergeared tho, and he may have won had he been in the lowest cog on the sprocket. (I think).

If you find that on Youtube, you will quickly realise it is a misconception, Cav needs a train. Because most of his W's, 80-85 percent, are when he has been chairlifted to 250 metres, and has a leadout pliot like Renshaw.

San Remo was the best ever sprint win I have seen by a pure sprinter, but it was a atomised front 15 or so. Not really a bunch kick.

He also handled himself GREAT in Copenhagen worlds in September last year eh.

No, Cav is damn competent, perhaps better than even Mcewen. Dont conflate the fact he has always HAd a train, with his competency, without a train.

OK, apoligies if I sound like a know it all w***er, this was not the tone I wanted to convey.

It has been a coupla years since I followed cycling like the most ardent and rabid afl fan. I dont follow it anymore.

cheers Wahooti

 

[Wahooti Fandango]

actually,

Here I am gonna sound like a douche (hate the seppo term) I am gonna sound like a d!ckhead, and w@nker. Will, if the cap fits... the glove aint aquit.

No, Cav is the best at not having a leadout. His handling does not quite reach Mcewen standard nope. But Mcewen lost his balls just after that win in the London stage 1 in 2007. He stopped to go for the gaps that were there, when he was left up front.

My first recollection of Cav having "something" was not San Remo, or winning in his second TdF he went to. Cos he did not get any W's in 07. It was the Dreidaagse Van de Panne, or Driedaagse de Panne in either 06, 0r 07. He was left at the front in the last km, and he was boxed, and he came thru traffic. I think he got Francesco Chicchi, the VERY FAST Chicchi, about 25 metres before the line. Chicchi was undergeared tho, and he may have won had he been in the lowest cog on the sprocket. (I think).

If you find that on Youtube, you will quickly realise it is a misconception, Cav needs a train. Because most of his W's, 80-85 percent, are when he has been chairlifted to 250 metres, and has a leadout pliot like Renshaw.

San Remo was the best ever sprint win I have seen by a pure sprinter, but it was a atomised front 15 or so. Not really a bunch kick.

He also handled himself GREAT in Copenhagen worlds in September last year eh.

No, Cav is damn competent, perhaps better than even Mcewen. Dont conflate the fact he has always HAd a train, with his competency, without a train.

OK, apoligies if I sound like a know it all Moo, this was not the tone I wanted to convey.

It has been a coupla years since I followed cycling like the most ardent and rabid afl fan. I dont follow it anymore.

cheers Wahooti

Haha no worries at all. Most welcome a difference of opinion. I may be overstating his inability to negotiate a bunch sprint, but he is not at McEwan's level in this regard. I want to see how he handles some real physical pressure in a bunch sprint.

 

[Bond.ShaneBond]

He can just sit on Renshaw for old time's sake

 

[Wahooti Fandango]

He can just sit on Renshaw for old time's sake

Haha.