Author Topic: Tour de France 2012  (Read 143007 times)

Andrew

Re: Tour de France 2012
« Reply #25 on: 13 June, 2012, 01:23:34 pm »
Speaking of the Schlecks... Andy out of the Tour after fracturing a vertebra in his Dauphiné crash.  :o

Hmm. Although I've been happy to join in the merciless piss-taking of his performances so far this season, I am genuinely sorry about this. The race will be poorer without him.

Agreed.

I didn't realise he was that badly hurt in the c rash. I thought he was using it as an excuse to cut his losses. My apologies to you Schleck Jnr (in the unlikely event you ever read this!)

Re: Tour de France 2012
« Reply #26 on: 13 June, 2012, 01:29:20 pm »
Sky certainly reflect the realities of British economic performance.
Quote
In response to the Team Sky questioning, Team Garmin-Barracuda manager Jonathan Vaughters took to Twitter and commented, "not sure why ppl are surprised by sky:a few €800k guys pulling a €900k guy, who then pulls for a €1.3m guy,who helps a €2m guy."

For all the sly comments regarding Wiggins becoming a real grand tour threat you first need to look at the mechanism behind the man. Team Sky has one of the richest budgets in professional cycling. And to quote Vaughters again, "they aren't doping, they are buying up talent."

http://www.roadcycling.com/articles/Tour-de-Drama_004932.shtml

One of the sponsors are IG Markets.
http://www.igmarkets.co.uk/cfd/cycling.html
Quote
IG Markets is the leading provider of Contracts for Difference (CFDs) to retail clients around the globe.

What is CFD trading?

CFD trading enables you to take a position on thousands of different financial markets, without physically needing to own the underlying asset. This means you can trade on the value of a share (without owning the stock), or on the price of gold or oil (without purchasing the commodity itself).

I'm intensely relaxed about speculative globalised capitalism paying the going rate to secure the talent needed to ensure success. I'm not averse to a bit of jingoism on top of that. Underneath all that we are still talking about people, and I like Bradley's style, and I'd like to see him win the Tour.

Re: Tour de France 2012
« Reply #27 on: 13 June, 2012, 01:35:04 pm »
So yes ,I can't wait to cheer on the Brits in the tour.  Froome and Wiggins will make a great duo, possibly riding like the Schlecks.

Jebus, I hope not.  ;D

Speaking of the Schlecks... Andy out of the Tour after fracturing a vertebra in his Dauphiné crash.  :o

Meanwhile, Dave Brailsford is laughing maniacally and pin in hand, contemplating a selection of dolls, each bearing an uncanny resemblance to the likely GC contenders for Le Tour...  :demon:
"He who fights monsters should see to it that he himself does not become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." ~ Freidrich Neitzsche

Re: Tour de France 2012
« Reply #28 on: 13 June, 2012, 01:43:28 pm »
Quote
Michael Rogers is likely to be an invaluable super domestic for Wiggins at the Tour de France after he backed up his win from the previous week at Bayern-Rundfahrt with a second place at the Dauphine

Karla

  • car(e) free
    • Lost Byway - around the world by bike
Re: Tour de France 2012
« Reply #29 on: 13 June, 2012, 02:00:52 pm »
Speaking of the Schlecks... Andy out of the Tour after fracturing a vertebra in his Dauphiné crash.  :o

Oh dear, it's been a bit on an annus horibilis for Andy Schleck hasn't it? 

I'll go with Michael Rogers for the last Sky spot, for the reasons just given.

Re: Tour de France 2012
« Reply #30 on: 13 June, 2012, 02:08:04 pm »
I think Rogers is unlikely.

Quote
Rogers joined T-Mobile Team for the 2006 season, and finished 9th overall in the 2006 Tour de France.
 
On 15 July, Rogers withdrew on the 8th stage of the 2007 Tour after breaking a collar bone in a crash descending the Cormet de Roseland. He continued until the doctor arrived from attending fellow Australian Stuart O'Grady, who ended up stretchered to hospital.
 
It was after this that Rogers contracted mononucleosis (glandular fever), which caused a dip in his racing form for some time. By late 2009 he had returned to form and began to have significant racing success, with Team Columbia-High Road, the successor to T-Mobile. In 2010, as leader of his team, he won the Tour of Andalucia, and then the Tour of California (the first non-American to do so).
 
After a disappointing 2010 Tour de France (37th overall), Rogers announced he would concentrate in future on shorter races (e.g. one week in length) as he was no longer suited to the longer tours.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Rogers_(cyclist)

Froome can do the same job for Brad, and he's had more recent good form in a Grand Tour at the Vuelta. Rogers highlights the fragility of form at the top, his background is similar to Brad's

Re: Tour de France 2012
« Reply #31 on: 13 June, 2012, 02:38:58 pm »
Oh dear, it's been a bit on an annus horibilis for Andy Schleck hasn't it? 
Apart from winning the 2010 Tour de France, yes.

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: Tour de France 2012
« Reply #32 on: 13 June, 2012, 02:43:39 pm »
Oh dear, it's been a bit on an annus horibilis for Andy Schleck hasn't it? 
Apart from winning the 2010 Tour de France, yes.

 ;D

d.
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

Re: Tour de France 2012
« Reply #33 on: 14 June, 2012, 04:45:02 pm »
I think the timing and scale of the latest drug revelations including the fact bruyneel is under investigation also will help give the cleanest tour in a long time.
Probably Wiggins best shot ever. (since his last best shot ever)

Re: Tour de France 2012
« Reply #34 on: 19 June, 2012, 06:06:14 pm »
I think the timing and scale of the latest drug revelations including the fact bruyneel is under investigation also will help give the cleanest tour in a long time.
Probably Wiggins best shot ever. (since his last best shot ever)
Ladbrokes certainly seem to think so. He's 5/4 at the moment. That's not great odds.
Rust never sleeps

Re: Tour de France 2012
« Reply #35 on: 19 June, 2012, 09:02:07 pm »

Re: Tour de France 2012
« Reply #36 on: 20 June, 2012, 01:12:47 pm »

Quote
Team Sky ‏@TeamSky
Stay tuned as @TeamSky will be announcing our nine-man line-up for the Tour de France tomorrow. #TdF

Re: Tour de France 2012
« Reply #37 on: 21 June, 2012, 07:11:18 am »
Peter Sagan favourite for the green jersey in front of Cav.
#makewattsnotwar

Karla

  • car(e) free
    • Lost Byway - around the world by bike
Re: Tour de France 2012
« Reply #38 on: 21 June, 2012, 11:18:46 am »
I'm not surprised, I'd said the same.

Re: Tour de France 2012
« Reply #39 on: 21 June, 2012, 01:26:25 pm »
Kennaugh is in the endurance squad for the Olympics (track) so forget him.

Of course. Forgot about that.

Quote
Uran, Hunt and Flecha all rode the Giro so forget them.
Lovkvist isn't good enough.

Hmmm. Well, I bow to your superior knowledge on these matters... Of course, Stannard also rode the Giro, so by the same reckoning, you'd have to cross him off the list too.

d.

From the Sky website
Quote
Bradley Wiggins will lead the team after his consecutive victories at Paris-Nice, Tour de Romandie and Critérium du Dauphiné, and will be joined by Edvald Boasson Hagen, Mark Cavendish, Bernhard Eisel, Chris Froome, Christian Knees, Richie Porte, Michael Rogers and Kanstantsin Siutsou.

JT's superior knowledge wins.

fuzzy

Re: Tour de France 2012
« Reply #40 on: 21 June, 2012, 01:36:04 pm »
SWMBO has come good again and we will be at the team presentation, sat somewhere on the prologue route and sat somewhere on the stage 1 route that is within walking distance of the city centre cheering everyone on but cheering exeprtionaly loudly for Team Sky and the rest of the Brit pack.

Is anyone else going to be in Liege for commencement of battle?

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: Tour de France 2012
« Reply #41 on: 21 June, 2012, 01:37:09 pm »
JT's superior knowledge wins.

Indeed. I wasn't being sarcastic before about JT's superior knowledge. Just in case anyone thinks I was. I've read enough of his posts here to trust his judgment on this subject.

No real surprises in that team selection, then. Rogers certainly does appear to be in the form of his life.

d.
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

Karla

  • car(e) free
    • Lost Byway - around the world by bike
Re: Tour de France 2012
« Reply #42 on: 21 June, 2012, 01:40:58 pm »
SWMBO has come good again and we will be at the team presentation, sat somewhere on the prologue route and sat somewhere on the stage 1 route that is within walking distance of the city centre cheering everyone on but cheering exeprtionaly loudly for Team Sky and the rest of the Brit pack.

Is anyone else going to be in Liege for commencement of battle?

I am.  I'll get there the night before, watch the prologue and catch the start of Stage 1 before rushing for the Zeebrugge ferry.

Re: Tour de France 2012
« Reply #43 on: 21 June, 2012, 02:24:02 pm »
No real surprises in that team selection, then. Rogers certainly does appear to be in the form of his life.

d.

Rogers came 9th in 2006 and crashed on the Cormet de Roesland in 2007 while he was leader on the road. He had a disappointing 2010 after contracting mononucleosis. He's confined himself to shorter tours since then, as it never goes away fully. It's probably been judged that without the pressure of leading a team he can cope with that. If it works out he will be the ideal lieutenant to Wiggins, if it doesn't work out the team is one man down.

Tour de France 2012
« Reply #44 on: 21 June, 2012, 09:55:09 pm »
Rogers is in then.

Team looks like it is leaning towards Wiggins not Cav. Cav has already said he won't win as many stages as previously as he is shedding weight to get up box hill 9 times.

Uran being saved for Vuelta ?

fuzzy

Re: Tour de France 2012
« Reply #45 on: 22 June, 2012, 08:26:30 am »
SWMBO has come good again and we will be at the team presentation, sat somewhere on the prologue route and sat somewhere on the stage 1 route that is within walking distance of the city centre cheering everyone on but cheering exeprtionaly loudly for Team Sky and the rest of the Brit pack.

Is anyone else going to be in Liege for commencement of battle?

I am.  I'll get there the night before, watch the prologue and catch the start of Stage 1 before rushing for the Zeebrugge ferry.

I shall keep my open for you then. I shall be adorned in a black Cannondale baseball cap and trying not to look like filth on tour :thumbsup:

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: Tour de France 2012
« Reply #46 on: 22 June, 2012, 10:51:11 am »
I believe Simonb & family are going over as well.

d.
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

fuzzy

Re: Tour de France 2012
« Reply #47 on: 22 June, 2012, 11:44:31 am »
More folk to try and identify :D

Karla

  • car(e) free
    • Lost Byway - around the world by bike
Re: Tour de France 2012
« Reply #48 on: 22 June, 2012, 11:46:07 am »
It'd be good to say hi to him actually, is he on here anymore?

Tour de France 2012
« Reply #49 on: 22 June, 2012, 07:15:38 pm »
SWMBO has come good again and we will be at the team presentation, sat somewhere on the prologue route and sat somewhere on the stage 1 route that is within walking distance of the city centre cheering everyone on but cheering exeprtionaly loudly for Team Sky and the rest of the Brit pack.

Is anyone else going to be in Liege for commencement of battle?

I'm heading out on Eurostar to Brussels Friday afternoon then train into liege on Saturday morning. Probably spend most of the time milling round team buses, start and finish in the parc.

Will wear white Team Sky polo shirt with tour issue Skoda floppy hat. Although want a carrefour hat from the caravan.