| Archive for justcycling.myfastforum.org Just Cycling |
| maffy |
Vuelta Stage 1 - Sat 29th Aug - Assen-Assen ITT 4.8km
click to see aerial view of the assen velodrome --- ...there's a new secret UCI rule that all ITTs take place in hollandia... |
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| MS |
I suppose Cancellara is the logical pick here, but I'll go with Millar.
Surprisingly strong team Garmin is sending, if the preliminary start lists are correct. |
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| Beasley |
Do we know who is leading Saxo yet? I presume it's one of the Schleck brothers, but which one? Andy insisted that he was one there for stage wins, but has an excellent chance of picking up his first GT.
The blurb on CN suggests it's not as flat as the profile indicates and is fairly technical, so suits a proper TTer rather than a drag racer. |
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| kathy |
Beasley, I read somewhere that Saxo will be riding for Fuglsang. Andy Schleck will be using the race for World Champ training. | ||||||
| Fontfroide |
I read the same thing, but had no idea whether to believe it. I am sure Schleck can ride faster up the hilts than Fuglsang, so how will that work. Andy just slows down, does not follow when someone else attacks? I can't imagine it and am looking forward to seeing this partnership in action. | ||||||
| kathy |
FF, I've just been trying to work out your new avatar. It's the Saxobank bus with the washing machines, isn't it? 
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| Enchantress |
Do we have a thread for FP's on the Vuleta? I may have missed it.
For the opening contrarreloj, I'd have to go with David Millar. |
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| HuwB |
Not quite 100% confirmed, but more or less. What a contrast to that shiite Giro team:- 191 SCHLECK Andy 192 SCHLECK Frank 193 KOLOBNEV Alexandr 194 CANCELLARA Fabian 195 FUGLSANG Jakob 196 KROON Karsten 197 BRESCHEL Matti ( or GOSS Matthew) 198 ARVESEN Kurt-Asle (or HAEDO Juan Jose) 199 O'GRADY Stuart I can't see the logic of sticking Haedo into that team, at the expense of KAA. |
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| Fontfroide |
You got it. What I call an "art shot".  Took it in Montpellier this year.
Next avatar is going to be a shot of the Badger. Still looking for the photo I need. I just read a short book about him and am about to try his autobiography in French. He is and was quite a character. And problably one of the best riders in history, although I would never get into a great debate about that, given all the other tremendous riders. I was thinking about Felice Gimondi too, just to conform to the mostly "famous cyclists" that people have as avatars. |
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| kathy |
I see you've found it on the cycling forum, Enchantress. |
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| Slapshot 3 |
Assen: Will be a bit technical in places but not too bad, the elevation changes no more than a few feet at all. Interesting choices for your FP, I'm still trying to decide. | ||||||
| Enchantress |
Yes I did, thank you 
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| Beasley |
Thanks, Kathy.
He had an impressive Dauphine and started to show some form in Ireland, but not the obvious selection. I'm disappointed Frank Schleck didn't put his hand up. I can't see many opportunities on his horizon to bag a big one. There's not a great deal of descending, either. |
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| HuwB |
Main start times (CET)
Main rider in todayīs TT: Hammond 15:31 Henderson 15:46 Fuglsang 16:21 Kreuziger 16:23 Barredo 16:43 Millar 16:55 Del Nero 16:56 Gerrans 16:59 O Grady 17:05 Devolder 17:15 D. Martin 17:17 Gomez Marchante 17:21 Kirchen 17:58 Danielson 18:01 Horner 18:08 Boom 18:15 Mosquera 18:17 Gerdeman 18:19 Grabsch 18:20 Boonen 18:21 Cunego 18:22 Farrar 18:23 Cobo 18:24 Taaramae 18:28 Vinokurov 18:30 Tondo 18:31 Cancellara 18:33 Evans 18:34 Basso 18:35 Valverde 18:36 Gesink 18:37 S S'anchez 18:38 |
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| HuwB |
Hello....anybody home?
Sporza is on tv, now. Jeez what appallingly wet conditions. Carlos Barredo crashes on the start ramp, so they have now covered it. Millar has almost come down on 3 corners, then had the Lampre team car blocking his exit line, on a corner. Just getting around unscathed, is going to be an achievement. |
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| Enchantress |
Yes someone home
Difficult conditions I have to say at the moment, unless of course you were Rossi on a motorbike! Can't see Kruzeiger's time holding though |
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| Enchantress |
Millar rode a 54 apparently - even I ride a bigger frame than that... | ||||||
| Bartali |
RK might be beaten but its a good marker! | ||||||
| HuwB |
Had absolutely the worst of the conditions and to dodge the Lampre team car, yet still manage to be currently 3rd @ 4".
Course is starting to dry out. Whats up with Eurosport International? Seem to have very little coverage. Harmon has said he is on air for the whole stage, tomorrow, but, that can only be for Brit ES. What on eart's going on? Such generosity. Enchantress: Are you OK for a live feed? How's your Japanese? http://www.justin.tv/zuraccer014 |
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| kathy |
Online feed here
http://www.rtve.es/deportes/ciclismo/directo/ Not sure if it works outside Spain, though. |
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| Enchantress |
Yes I am excellent with the live feed (universal sports), thank you.
Italian, Spanish, certamente, but japanese? Eh, sushi?
Quite true as you suggest though - conditions drying out which gives the later starters (re: Canc) a massive advantage. Millar's was quite the ride in light of how close he was to crashing on several instances. |
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| SAP |
Here's another in English (Aussie commentator I think, with lousy Spanish pronunciation), not sure if it's available outside the US though. Coverage every day of the Vuelta.
http://www.universalsports.com |
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| Enchantress |
Ah yes, that's the one I am on. |
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| Mrs John Murphy |
I would find Vino winning highly amusing. Especially because Harmon couldn't get enough of him c2007. | ||||||
| kathy |
I tried Universal Sports earlier on, but it didn't work. Funny, because during the Olympics last year, I found I could watch all their channels.
I'm happy with my Spanish commentary on TVE though. Kreuziger's time seems to be holding up well. |
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| Enchantress |
Commentator on this feed was going on at length of how Vino had not shown 'the slightest bit of remorse for his blood doping'
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| Enchantress |
Bennati! | ||||||
| kathy |
And before Bartali can do it ī-
Bennati! You got in before me, Enchantress
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| Enchantress |
now MOURIS is tops | ||||||
| MS |
This prologue was a great decision by the Vuelta. | ||||||
| HuwB |
Bartali missed a BENNATI! moment.
Mouris eh? What is Harmon on about? First he says Brit ES is live for the whole stage, now he's told somebody its 3pm, again. 
Boonan blasts it! |
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| Enchantress |
My my, hello Tom BOONEN - first.
Good showing, I hope Tom's form (and head) are back. |
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| MS |
Now Boonen. | ||||||
| MS |
Cunego looking stellar. | ||||||
| HuwB |
Vino now getting the Harmon treatment.... | ||||||
| SAP |
Good ride by Farrar, but we didn't get to see any of it..... | ||||||
| Enchantress |
Cancellera (as expected) and by a wide margin | ||||||
| HuwB |
Cuddles finishes on the Kazakh's wheel...
The Liquigas team are all going well. Good time by Basso. |
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| Enchantress |
Don Alejandro, Cuddles & Basso in a virtual dead heat. Gesnik a bit further back with Sanchez.
Excellent performances by Boonen, Farrar, Canc, Mouris, and Bennati. Bad luck for Millar with the rain, he would have been top 5 I think in dry. |
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| HuwB |
Basso's Liquigas manage 5 in the top 20.
Might be an indicator that he means what he's been saying.... |
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| Enchantress |
It truly reflects the build of the man in that Canc is a cyclist that actually looks regularly built when standing next to non-riders, and not emaciated like so many ala wiggo.
Seems it would be best to simply award the leader's jersey after the prologue rather than handing the prologue winner all the jerseys. Cancellara........."king of the mountains"
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| kathy |
Wonder why Millar went so early. As one of the top TTers, surely Garmin should have put him in with the other favourites. | ||||||
| Mrs John Murphy |
For those of us avoiding him what was the treatment? |
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| Enchantress |
Surprised at this too. While Cancellara probably would have won anyway, it would have been nice to see Millar go in good conditions. What is the order based on? It can't be based on last year's finishes as Mosquera is the highest placed finisher from last year but did not get to be the last man starting in this prologue. |
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| Mrs John Murphy |
Since it's Spain the starting order was probably based on who paid the biggest bribe. | ||||||
| HuwB |
Astana are wonderful....Sean Yates will be talking nicely to me.....Zubeldia is a threat....Chris Horner can take up the mantle of team leader, no problem.. ....Contador has worked so hard to turn himself into the world's greatest time trialist......Vino is a cheating shit who has used his clout to get back into the Astana fold. In other words, the usual sort of thing. Makes me sick how all these riders are wonderful and don't cheat. Then, when they do, they are all shits. Me? I'd be happy if he could make up his mind as to what time he's on air, tomorrow. Must have confused everyone watching Brit ES with his babbling time changes. |
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| fede40 |
yawn yawn, morning everyone! I'm enjoying my italian holidays so haven't managed to catch the bike throwing competition.
Just got back in rome after spending a week in the tuscan countryside (basically on top of the last climb of the stage to Capannori of this years TA) so haven't done any homeworks for the Vuelta. (you know when you're there all you do is drink local wine- and Pimms brought by english guests- and eat...) anyway, sorry, didn't mean to go too badly off-topic. all I can say is great job by Liquigas and go Ivan! |
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| kathy |
The teams are given nine positions, and it's up to them to decide in what order to put their riders.
Samu got the No 1 jersey because he's Olympic champ - I suppose if Ballan had been Spanish they might have given it to him. So Garmin could have had Millar as their last starter. |
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| Mrs John Murphy |
Maybe someone should send him a DVD of his 2007 Commentary before Vino got thrown out. Harmon is the perfect hypocrite for a hypocritical sport. He is the perfect embodiment of the tacit silence and hypocrisy that pervades the sport when it comes to corruption and doping. Although, I wonder what his take will be if Roid comes back as part of Team Cack next year... |
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| Bartali |
... and 4 in the top 10!!! Had to pop out earlier so just watched the recording. But, rest assured, had I been here, you can be sure you would have had Bartali's ... Bennati Good solid ride for Basso. puts him ahead of Don Alejandro, Evans and Samu and only a flick behind Vino and RK. [/b]
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| 70kmph |
General classification after stage 1
1 Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Saxo Bank 0:05:20 2 Tom Boonen (Bel) Quick Step 0:00:09 3 Tyler Farrar (USA) Garmin-Slipstream 0:00:12 4 Jens Mouris (Ned) Vacansoleil 0:00:14 5 Daniele Bennati (Ita) Liquigas 0:00:16 6 Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Liquigas 0:00:17 7 Alexander Vinokourov (Kaz) Astana 0:00:18 8 Ivan Basso (Ita) Liquigas 9 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne 10 Maciej Bodnar (Pol) Liquigas 0:00:19 11 Bert Grabsch (Ger) Columbia-HTC 12 Cadel Evans (Aus) Silence-Lotto |
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| Bartali |
I have to say Vino looked in good shape yesterday - he's looked after himself! | ||||||
| Superbagneres |
Can someone explain why Evans is called Cuddles? | ||||||