Romandie Stage 2: A Lollipop Course, & LIVE Thread
by Chris Fontecchio on Apr 30, 2009 2:35 AM EDT
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PrintOne for the sprinters today?? We shall see; it's a bit undulating toward the end, with a cat-1 climb and three cat-2s in the last third of the race. But I think what's especially interesting is the rare appearance of a lollipop course: where the race heads out, then does a loop, then heads back on the original route to the starting point. This may sound minor, but can be very welcomed by the racers. I can say from personal experience, if you ride to the course with all your stuff in a backpack, it's a real help to be able to stow your pack someplace and then be able to retrieve it right after the race. Now, these are pro teams, so presumably they will figure out a place to safely stow their packs. Really, this stage should go very well.
Anyway, back to the sprinters. Mark Cavendish is on the startlist, and all eyes will be directed his way. But Robbie McEwen will be looking for an opening. Tyler Farrar will relish another chance to slip on by at the line. Oscar Freire and Koldo Fernandez too. But the climbs... they aren't fearsome but presumably are disruptive, particularly if the roads are as small and winding as today's course. Perfect for a guy who likes to hammer off on his own for a while. A guy like... Jens Voigt. Just sayin.
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Strong breakaway...
Assan Bazayev (Astana), Jurgen Van Goolen (Saxo Bank), Jens Voigt (Saxo Bank), Morris Possoni (Columbia), Dmitry Kozontchouk (Rabobank), Xabier Zandio (C-E), Marco Marzano (Lampre), Timothy Duggan (Garmin), Rémy Di Gregorio (FdJ), Rein Taaramae (Cofidis), David Moncoutié (Cofidis), Alexandre Moos (BMC).
And what takes you way from the computer?
I have to go and help customers……so not conducive to following cycling.
Customers, eh?
Can’t live with them, can’t… well, that’s about it.
Oh my, I've just fallen in love with Roger De Vlaeminck's sideburns.
by TheFigurehead on Apr 30, 2009 8:51 AM EDT up reply actions
lets go Jens!
but if Jens! or the break doesnt take it, rabo could make it hard enough on the climb to shell Cav, Oscar Freire typically does well in these climby stages that still come down to sprints.
Now - two riders at the front...
…Mathieu Sprick (BBox) and Florent Brard (Cofidis). Gap – 5’28"
There's only two riders ahead of peloton
Voigt & Co. are in the main group
Everybody wander away?
I want to know what’s going on without actually having to seek out a live update, dammit. Y’all are slacking!
You need to do this race two or three times before you can win, despite what Cunego showed us last year: winning in his first try--Frank Schleck, on Amstel Gold
45 km to go
about 3:30 gap to two leaders. Sunny.
sunny again
sorry, Majope, i’m listening in Italian and reading in French so the translation is a bit complex…
I brake on descents
Polyglotism is a good thing.
You need to do this race two or three times before you can win, despite what Cunego showed us last year: winning in his first try--Frank Schleck, on Amstel Gold
30k 2:22
starting up the 1st cat. FC coming to the front
not sure
quite a grupetto forming at the back
by PopUp Rolen on Apr 30, 2009 10:44 AM EDT up reply actions
Actually the road pics look tougher than that
McEwen out, Seb Lang out. People getted shedded
This place is slow today. Where is everyone?
Hello to those of you here. :-) Hey PopUp – look, more rain! :-(
I love C, not because he rocks as a cyclist, but because deep down he's a band geek! LOL!
I will provide many libations to the rain gods
so long as they provide anything from cloud cover to a light drizzle for the Indy Mini-Marathon on Saturday.
You need to do this race two or three times before you can win, despite what Cunego showed us last year: winning in his first try--Frank Schleck, on Amstel Gold
We haven't seen rain in Sweden for almost a month, freakish
I supose it means it’s going to rain all July and ruin everones holiday…….but
Ha Ha WeatherGods, screw you, Ill just sit inside watching the Tour. Shuck on that!
LOL. I can bring some rain over for a visit. :-)
I love C, not because he rocks as a cyclist, but because deep down he's a band geek! LOL!
You're going to wish you had some of what I got when you lawn is all brown and lifeless. LOL!
I love C, not because he rocks as a cyclist, but because deep down he's a band geek! LOL!
it took forever for it to stop buffering for me
Usually about a minute, but today was about four minutes before it popped on
by PopUp Rolen on Apr 30, 2009 10:48 AM EDT up reply actions
I never even get to the buffering
Just nothing after I sign in and click on any of the live events buttons.
Ursula, can you email me quick like.
I love C, not because he rocks as a cyclist, but because deep down he's a band geek! LOL!
Brard Sprick 30s
Terramae and Cataldo next then about 20s more to 60 person group. 24K left
Well, at least my feed isn't stuttering today
I leave you towards the end then
Actually a group of 6 now
Kreutziger, Seeldryers, Cataldo, Serrano, Casar Terramae
Gloating is totally not allowed. Until I hit the top ten, of course, and then it's required.
You need to do this race two or three times before you can win, despite what Cunego showed us last year: winning in his first try--Frank Schleck, on Amstel Gold
Oh, I never claimed to be fair. But when I am in charge of the world, I will be a benevolent dictator.
And there will be many bike lanes.
You need to do this race two or three times before you can win, despite what Cunego showed us last year: winning in his first try--Frank Schleck, on Amstel Gold
Peloton looks small
Maybe 50 riders pushing hard
Love Alpine valleys
Sun and Shadow and a line of cycles
Wow Cadel and Gilbert are getting a nice little break.
I love C, not because he rocks as a cyclist, but because deep down he's a band geek! LOL!
Jens ought the back Evans! attacks
Evans towing Gilbert up to the front.
Catching quick. Valverde went and got them
Lotto done
Eh...they could have waited to make an stronger effort a few k's later...
Hopefully an attack sticks here though
by Vlaanderen90 on Apr 30, 2009 11:22 AM EDT up reply actions
that's true
but at least they have featured in the race and they’re working it together, so we won’t be hearing the post-race recriminations hopefully…
I brake on descents
Hah well there could always be Gilbert saying...
“Evans told me at the start of the stage that we would just stick with the group, but then we ended up off the front…I wish I had a leader that knew what he wanted.”
by Vlaanderen90 on Apr 30, 2009 11:24 AM EDT up reply actions
PopUp - HUGE thanks for the reporting this morning!
I love C, not because he rocks as a cyclist, but because deep down he's a band geek! LOL!
damnit Krueziger why couldn't you just sprint a little faster for 3rd and make me a few points
by Vlaanderen90 on Apr 30, 2009 11:26 AM EDT up reply actions
this is where
i could wish that Cadel and Philippe had timed it better, but practice makes perfect i guess…
I brake on descents
Interesting stage - slow destruction
This was a stage which I think went Rabo’s way. They pushed really hard on the earlier climbs to get rid of the bunch sprinters then had Oscar as their killer. Good idea by Lotto but no legs. Evans has been quite frisky this year, fighting things out with Cunego, jumping with a Gilbert attack. Actually he is becoming more interesting to me in what he is trying to do.
Thanks for your updates too!
I love C, not because he rocks as a cyclist, but because deep down he's a band geek! LOL!
Your Welcome
When its 49F (9C) and drizzling, watching sun streaked mountain road cycling takes the cake! I must report that I had no stutters on ctv for the first time ever today.
I saw the sun for about 5 minutes at lunch
and then it got gray and started to rain… again. :-(
I am struggling with connecting to CTV at work for other reasons but the streaming has been pretty flawless for me for a couple weeks now, even in high resolution. Let’s hope these are continuing good times. :-)
I love C, not because he rocks as a cyclist, but because deep down he's a band geek! LOL!
Nice to see
Gilbert and Evans playing well together too. I wonder if that was a DS designed move, or if they were just chatting together in the bunch saying “I wonder what would happen if…”
"Never swing a small stick. " Andy Hampsten
Evans on Twitter
CadelOfficial: Nice stage in Romandie: Phil and I got some TTT training in, pity the wind was against us. Freire took the stage.about 1 hour ago from txt
What is up with the podium girls?
Jean’s and polo shirts? Really?
I love C, not because he rocks as a cyclist, but because deep down he's a band geek! LOL!
called it...
4th post in the thread..just sayin…
Yes good call
I think this was RB tactics during the early classic season, but without Oscar they had no finisher.
Interesting Freire leadout by Valverde
What with the elbow flick and all. Spanish dress rehearsal for Worlds?
Just watched as live on cycling tv.
Was a fun stage to watch thoroughly enjoyed all of the attacks and the beautiful scenery. Switzerland surely knows how to be beautiful.
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