Install the app
How to install the app on iOS

Follow along with the video below to see how to install our site as a web app on your home screen.

Note: This feature may not be available in some browsers.

Tour De France 2012

Status
Not open for further replies.
Bruce Wayne said:
I think the main time trial is almost a replica of the one in the Dauphine recently, and Wiggins put 1 minute 45 seconds into Evans in that ride. That's a lot of time to make up in the mountains, especially with another time trial to come too. I could see a pure climber doing it but not Evans.

Re the team, Froome seems to me more of a natural climber. Certainly the way he attacked Cobo in the Vuelta was very impressive. Porte and Rogers though are more similar to Wiggins in that they can set a strong tempo but without the accelerations of others. Add in Boassen Hagen and Sky have plenty of riders to set a strong tempo on the mountains, which is the kind Wiggins likes. Someone like Schleck could break away but as we saw today he's so far down in the TT that he won't threaten. Just can't see a Menchov/Haesjadal/Evans having the acceleration to get away.

A potential risk could be Sky trying to do too much, especially with Cavendish in the first week and burning out, but with Radioshack having yellow now they shouldn't have to defend much early on. One thing they have to their advantage is that they could do what CSC did the year Sastre won. They had a few people in the top 10 that year and Sastre attacked on Alps D'Huez, with the Schleck's sitting in the lead group. It forced Evans et al to chase, but they didn't want to do too much and have Frank/Andy jump them.

Sky could have a similar scenario with Porte/Rogers/Froome all likely to be near the front, so they could feasibly put Froome up the road and see if Evans will chase him down. Of course it'd mean gambling with Wiggins chances so I don't know if they'd do that, but it's an option.
Click to expand...

Thanks. Good read.

Maybe a bit dangerous to read into the Dauphine TT what will happen in the TdF (after the softening up of weeks on the road), but that's a hell of a time gap he got on Evans there. I didn't realise he was that much better.

I take your point about tempo on the climbs.

Looking forward to this unfolding now.
 
Aye, ordinarily it's not a very exciting route as there aren't many mountain top finishes and lots of time trialling, but with significant British interest I can't wait. We'll certainly see if Sky's rhetoric about being in form all year is accurate but assuming it is they really do have a very strong hand.

Pity the Schleck's have imploded this season. Used to like them, Andy in particular, but they don't have come across as plonkers with their constant moaning. They've been awful all year and Frank was pretty poor again today too. Was great seeing Evans do them last year. Shame Cancellara can't turn himself into a GC rider as for me he's the best rider in the world.

Oh, and I know I shouldn't like him given his past, but I do have a soft spot for Vino too so it was good to see him out there, even if he was way off the pace
 
Brad looks in superb nick but think he'll need a lot of things to go his way to beat Evans. Evans has been through the mill on the Tour year in year out as a major contender and now has the victory under his belt. Not the most exciting of riders but one of the toughest in the peleton.
Wiggins has never really contested the Tour. His 4th place was more OMFG I just came 4th in the Tour de France!! He wasn't threatening to win it. So physically I think he can take Evans but psychologically he's the underdog.
 
Black Belt Jones said:
Brad looks in superb nick but think he'll need a lot of things to go his way to beat Evans. Evans has been through the mill on the Tour year in year out as a major contender and now has the victory under his belt. Not the most exciting of riders but one of the toughest in the peleton.
Wiggins has never really contested the Tour. His 4th place was more OMFG I just came 4th in the Tour de France!! He wasn't threatening to win it. So physically I think he can take Evans but psychologically he's the underdog.
Click to expand...

Agreed.

I have my reservations about how he'll handle the pressure of being a favourite in this race. I go back to the Vuellta again last season: he found the weight of expectation a bit too much to carry when he got his nose in front after a big day in the mountains. IIRC he followed it up with a TT that saw his team-mate Froome overtake him next day in the GC. He looked very vuilnerable from then on and it was left to Froome to carry SKY's hopes in the end. He also seems to be placing a lot of expectation on the final TT in the Tour this year saying he reckons he'll be behind on time after the mountains have been left behind and that he'll make that up in the TT and take Yellow then and hold onto it to Paris from that point. He's obviously supremely confident in his TTing ability, but it seems a dangerous strategy to me.
 
I am surprised no-ones talked more about Menchov for this tour. It's been his target this year, he has experience of winning Grand Tours in the past. He climbs well and is strong in time trials as well, and has the extra motivation of being in a Russian team (which is also under-rated, as seen in this year's Giro).

As much as I like Wiggins, I couldn't have backed him at the industry prices - massively too short.
 

Menchov hasn't shown any form for the last couple of years so I'd be surprised if he finds himself in the mix. We have to remember that Wiggins has won several gold Olympic gold medals so knows about pressure. Also worth remembering that for years Evans was regarded as a bit of a choker, missing out on wins a couple of times.

What changed things for Evans was his World Championship win. He's been a different rider since then, alot more aggressive and that culminated in his determined rear guard last year. Should be a good battle either way.
 
Now Armstrong is being pursued by some US Anti Doping agency.

It's to the point now that I really don't care if he doped. I believe this is a witch hunt. And frankly, if he was doped up, he beat every other competitor who was doped up as well.

Trying to catch the race on tape delay here in the USA in the evening.
 

Bruce Wayne said:
Some big crashes today, seems like all the GC contenders bar Wiggins and Evans have lost big time. All this before they've even reached the mountains.
Click to expand...

Hesjedal lost a whopping 13m 24s. That has to be his hopes of a podium spot gone. What a shame.

Not been a good past few days for Cavendish!

This Tour has the feel about it that if anything can happen it will. I wouldn't be surprised to see either Evans or Wiggins struggle tomorrow and Sunday in the mountains and the Tour to have a clear favourite.
 
There goes my sneaky bet on Frank Schleck to win the GC then! Another crazy stage and another great win for Peter Sagan. There's something about him I find incredibly tit-ish though, it's probably the celebrations, just put your arms in the air lad :lol:

Can't help but think Sky aren't doing a particularly good job with Cav. Don't recall him ever being caught up in any crashes really when he was at HTC and also obviously had an amazing lead off train as well. He seems to be out on his own a bit this year although I suppose he knew that the team would be geared around Wiggo when he signed for them. Luckily he's not hurt though and am sure he'll get another chance or 2 to get that 22nd stage win before we're done.
 
Of the GC contenders I think the only ones that didn't lose out big time yesterday were Wiggins, Evans, Nibali and Menchov. Menchov is probably the main dark horse now as he time trials ok and climbs reasonably well. Despite his Giro and Vuelta wins though he always seems to fall apart in the Tour. Amazing really given his record for falling off that he's survived this crash filled first week without taking a tumble!
 

Status
Not open for further replies.

Welcome to GrandOldTeam

Get involved. Registration is simple and free.

Register
Back
Top