Why did they even bother to show up?
by Fernando on Jul 26, 2010 2:46 PM EDT
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I was just browsing the final results from the Tour and I noticed a couple of names way back in the overall standings that jumped out at me. Perhaps others were surprised by the seemingly indifferent approach to riding that was adopted this year by more than a few big names of previous years. Bear in mind that I'm not going to cover GC disappointments like Michael Rogers or Brad Wiggins, riders who fought without success for a top placing or stage win and ultimately came up well short. At least those guys left it out there on the road, not so for the following list of riders:
1) Yaroslav Popovych - Remember when this guy was billed as the "Eddy Merckx of the junior circuit"? Then he was billed as Lance's hand picked successor at Discovery? Only to be later re-dubbed Cadel Evans' "right hand man in the mountains"? Next he was a breakaway specialist and an outsider for one week races. Finally he seemed to hit rock bottom at this year's Tour where his primary task seemed to be to act as Lance's shadow for 3 weeks. The same Lance that finished 23rd and was hopelessly out of contention by the end of the first mountain stage. Aside from pulling for Lance on the cobbles for a few k's on stage 3 he served absolutely no purpose for Radio Shack.
2) Simon Spilak - OK, he's not a household name, but he was elevated to the winner of this year's Tour of Romandie after Valverde's suspension and seemed to specialize in the hilly stages that were common during the mid point of this year's race. However prior to abandoning the race in the final week the Slovak rider was an anoynmous face in the bunch, perhaps contributing to Petacchi's lead out sprint train but never once showing himself at the front of the race.
3) Kevin Seeldrayers - Was named the best young rider of the 2009 Giro and was apparently held out of this year's Giro edition so he could focus on making a memorable Tour debut in July. Unfortunately like Spilak Kevin was never seen at the front and spent most of the 3 weeks in the laughing group just trying to make the time limit. Quite a difference from last year's mountainous Giro when he was very active in the final week of the race and even managed to steal the best young rider category from Thomas Lovkvist. Was he sick or out of form? Or it this just another indication that the Giro is a poor barometer for later Tour success?
4) George Hincapie - Another ex-Discovery rider who just seemed to being going through the motions this year. Freed of his responsibilities as a lead out man for Cavendish in the closing meters of each stage one could have imagined Big George being an animator of breakaways in the first week of the race, particularly the stage 3 into Arenberg. Instead he had his worst Tour in years, never looking like a threat for a stage win. Is age catching up to Hincapie or was he just preoccupied with other non race related matters?
Those are my picks. Please feel welcome to submit any others names that I may have missed.
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Certainly some riders have disappointed me
but I can’t quite bring myself to criticize. To paraphrase the famous Roubaix quote: only the truly strong can say completing the Tour de France is easy, for everyone else, it is the way of the cross.
Sure, I wish Linus Gerdemann and Johan Vansummeran had achieved better results, but what they do is very hard and something like a 1% drop in form takes them from stage contender to bottle-fetcher and autobus rider. If this was easy, then everybody could ride like Contador and Schleck.
Vlaanderens Mooiste
Gerdemann deserves a pass IMO
He did a decent ride in the Giro. Probably expended a lot of energy in the process.
+ a million gazillion
When you get on an ELPMO JB RS rant, I could go after you in a way that the banhammer would have no choice but to come down on me.
And then you come out with a beautifully stated defence of the riders like this.
"It's a lovely thing, feeling that momentum. If you're lucky, it's also about grace." Tim Winton
totally agree
"I was watching the Tour de France in 2005, just being a fan again. I thought, ‘you're a fucking idiot. You're a bike fan who gets to ride the Tour de France.'"
- david millar
Yeah
But the point was none of those guys was a serious podium contender. By Avoriaz it was pretty clear Lance could be left to his own devices and that others like Popo and Paulinho could have the freedom to pursue stage wins. Instead Popo, at least in front of the cameras, just continued to play the protector role for Lance which made no sense whatsoever.
Popovich was very active covering moves by CdE in the team comp.
"It's a lovely thing, feeling that momentum. If you're lucky, it's also about grace." Tim Winton
you have to be joking.
“Instead Popo, at least in front of the cameras, just continued to play the protector role for Lance which made no sense whatsoever.”
Regardless of Lances position, thats what they pay them for
by Davide Don of Rio on Jul 26, 2010 4:57 PM EDT up reply actions
OK, I'll agree with you on Seeldrayers.
But Popovych serving “absolutely no purpose for Radio Shack”. Dude’s a horse. And I think it was decided long ago that he was just an above-average domestique..
Hincapie’s role has been the subject of several posts. Personally, there weren’t many camera shots in ths TdF of George withouth Cadel on his wheel. And, according to Cadel, guys like George have added to the his new found team harmony…which I’m OK with. Now, his classics season on the other hand, left me heart-broken, but that’s another story.
I know he's been a horse in the past
But I honestly can’t even remember him being at the front during any critical point in the race. Nor being active in a breakaway.
I somewhat agree with Fernando on Big George
Not really a factor – he wasnt the main mountain domestique for Cuddles (he was around him a couple of times, but wasnt the guy Cuddles collapsed on at the stage end, for example), and wasnt to be seen in breaks.
Truth be told, I think that clearly age is catching up with him (no disgrace) but I do also wonder how much his TDF relevance (as opposed to his cobbles relevance) was due to other factors.
Warning... not everything I say should be taken entirely seriously
I think he's over the hill too
When Cadel bested him on the cobbles into Arenberg it pretty much signaled that this wasn’t going to be memorable race for George. That stage should have been tailored made for Hincapie, a place where he could have even challenged for the yellow jersey. (assuming he did a good prologue)
And I believe the rider Evans collapsed on was Santabrogio. (yes, I butchered the spelling of his name, lol)
Didn't GH flat approaching Arenberg?
"It's a lovely thing, feeling that momentum. If you're lucky, it's also about grace." Tim Winton
Did he?
Is that a fact or are you asking me/others?
I'm pretty sure I read in post race talk that he did flat.
So I was asking others for confirmation.
"It's a lovely thing, feeling that momentum. If you're lucky, it's also about grace." Tim Winton
From GH
In perfect position with cadel when move was going then flatted. No luck. But more importantlycadel gained time on rivalsand finishedsafely
12:32 PM Jul 6th via Twitter for Android
"It's a lovely thing, feeling that momentum. If you're lucky, it's also about grace." Tim Winton
Age showed this year.
Many of the old riders did well and finished, but they were not players.
They need to make a Senior TDF.
heart problem, wasn't it?
in which case, just pleased to see him there
"I was just trying to keep warm" - Ian Stannard on finishing third in KBK
too bad
I didn’t know that. In the face of those facts it’s hard to understand why Quick Step opted to leave Devo out in favor of an ailing rider like Seeldrayers.
did you watch flanders? ;)
"I was watching the Tour de France in 2005, just being a fan again. I thought, ‘you're a fucking idiot. You're a bike fan who gets to ride the Tour de France.'"
- david millar
No...It was a fake heart problem I believe...false start.
He quite training for like 2 weeks, I believe, because he was told to rest but then got a second opinion and was fine. So no, that isn’t a good excuse.
Tommeke!, Tommeke!, Tommeke!, Tommeke!
by Vlaanderen90 on Jul 26, 2010 7:31 PM EDT up reply actions
If I were told to have a heart problem
I would be pretty out of it too even if it turned out to be false.
"Until you shoot me off my bike I'll keep looking for a contract" - Jens!
Quitter's People United member # 42
I didn't mean to say it wouldn't freak him out...he did stop training for weeks but its July now.
Hell, look at Vogondy. He had legitimate heart problems and he came back very strong. Had his licensed revoked and had to get it renewed at the end of June.
Tommeke!, Tommeke!, Tommeke!, Tommeke!
by Vlaanderen90 on Jul 26, 2010 7:48 PM EDT up reply actions
Here is the article too...
Tommeke!, Tommeke!, Tommeke!, Tommeke!
by Vlaanderen90 on Jul 26, 2010 7:53 PM EDT up reply actions
A fake heart?!
Is there no end to the deceitful ways of pro cyclists?!
Ceci n'est pas une signature.
Thanks :)
I suspect native English speakers are more savvy at grouping the right words in print because they have to do it all the time. In German & Dutch they would be stringed together into one word: heartproblem. It’s actually a telltale sign of native German/Dutch speakers in written English.
Ceci n'est pas une signature.
Yep, we have a way of making wordy things sound like butiful moosik.
2010 Tour de France Stage Predictor Game Champion - Just Sayin
by JustJoshinYa on Jul 27, 2010 12:05 PM EDT up reply actions
Serge Pauwels
Turned up rather unexpectedly on the front of the peloton on the Champs Elysées. First I’d seen of him all tour, I think.
"I was just trying to keep warm" - Ian Stannard on finishing third in KBK
Arvesen must have loved that?
There was a lot of talking the talk with Pauwels but…
That said I don’t know if he had any specific issues?
Had stomach problems I think
On the other hand… what did he do before the Tour to convince the team to pick him?
by quarantanamo on Jul 26, 2010 4:34 PM EDT up reply actions
Before the tour - not a lot to be honest
And in it – he spent a lot more time in the back half of the peloton than the front half during the race itself.
Apparently had a shitty start to year and injury to knee at P-N – he says here
I tend to think he got in the race by default – but will hopefully benefit from the experience. He must have something that impresses though as they did include him. Just about getting the beenfit of the doubt for me.
(Also there was the moment when he rode ahead of the peloton in his home town when he was on camera breifly)
I expected a better run from Fuglsang
after he impressed in Suisse. I know he served the team quite well, but if he was on his game and with Andy in the mountains, they may have had better options. That said, it was his first tour, so I’ll give him a pass.
"You know if there's any contact at all Cristiano Ronaldo's gonna go down...maybe even just a puff of wind"
I expected a better run from Fuglsang
after he impressed in Suisse. I know he served the team quite well, but if he was on his game and with Andy in the mountains, they may have had better options. That said, it was his first tour, so I’ll give him a pass.
"You know if there's any contact at all Cristiano Ronaldo's gonna go down...maybe even just a puff of wind"
Spilak
I just don’t know about him. I mean I don’t understand him. Last year I picked him for my VDS team based on his 2008 season, his first with a pro tour team where he made an impressive spring debut: 12th at Paris-Nice, including 8th up My Ventoux; 5th at DdP, 9th at Flanders. That’s quite a nice spring. Chavanel-like.
Then nothing last year. Then this year he pulls Romandie out of somewhere. Would it kill him to have a little consistency?
Cofidis
Pretty sure they never had a top-10 placing on any single stage. Missed almost all the meaningful breakaways. No GC riders, no sprinters.
I’m trying to remember seeing them on TV. Moniard in the Riblon breakaway and Monier hanging on with Lance’s group for a while on the Madeleine. That’s it.
Stark contrast to the other French teams. Even Milram and Footon offered more.
they were done
when dumoulin pulled out. auge wasn’t really in his king of the breakaway form, and that was that. feel a bit sorry for them though, they had to have a bad tour the year the other french teams have an awesome.
"I was watching the Tour de France in 2005, just being a fan again. I thought, ‘you're a fucking idiot. You're a bike fan who gets to ride the Tour de France.'"
- david millar
dumoulins was cheered by the fans !!
(early before he quit)
but who expected a good tou from a moncoutié-less cofidis?
moo
i still think it's kind of bad for these french teams
that no matter how bad they are they can get their automatic invites to the tdf. I think this results in them being a bit spoiled and thus they never change and continue to have bad results. Not that it will necessarily stay that way, but i have a feeling they’d get it together a lot more if they didn’t have those automatic invites.
this post reminded me of something
i was wondering about the other day. back during the days of team selection, some were critical of aso, saying that leaving team X off the invite list was a mistake, or that team Y didn’t belong. even if you didn’t have much of an opinion one way or another, do you think any teams should have been left off the roster in order to invite another team, and who?
vacansoleil comes to mind. feillu could have been a nice addition to some of the pyrenean stages. who would i have left off in hindsight? i’m sure glad that quickstep was there, even (better?) without boonen (no offense albertina). footon and milram come to mind as teams that underperformed this year. was cofidis invited? i can’t remember.
"Ants don’t worry, they operate like a fantastic team, they accept obstacles and deal with them in a positive manner, they don’t complain and remain positive. An ant doesn’t work on emotion, is proactive and always chooses the ant role."
Easy to point to the least successful teams in hindsight
like Footon or Cofidis. Of course, both were guaranteed entries.
Ceci n'est pas une signature.
BMC in fact were the second lowest earners... which doesn't bode well..
"How strange it was to see men doing something beautiful. Something pointless and elegant." Tim Winton, 'Breath'
But they held the yellow jersey for a day
and Evans’ presence was good for the Tour.
I agree... just hope it's enough. I was a bit stunned when I saw the figures.
"How strange it was to see men doing something beautiful. Something pointless and elegant." Tim Winton, 'Breath'
Besides Cadel's temporary showing the rest of the team was absent (seemingly - hmm, echose of the Giro)...
2010 Tour de France Stage Predictor Game Champion - Just Sayin
by JustJoshinYa on Jul 27, 2010 12:07 PM EDT up reply actions
hmmm
Ballan finished second on the stage Tommy Voeckler won. I saw a bit of Santambrogio (looking after Cadel that day) until he was ill.
"I was just trying to keep warm" - Ian Stannard on finishing third in KBK
It's not enough really, is it? Still I like them more than Lotto...
"How strange it was to see men doing something beautiful. Something pointless and elegant." Tim Winton, 'Breath'
Yes! Vacansoleil could be nice addition to any race! lol
Just want to throw one more name to the disappointments pool: Brajkovic! I think clear case to coming into the good form to prematurely!
Hey! Calendar! Don’t lie to me. It is only July,3
.
Spilak
Is a Slovenian, not a Slovakian! Part of the coming Slovenian hegemony. Sagan is a Slovak.
Robert Gesink on the difference between football and cycling: "For us it's a lot harder to get yellow"
Karsten Kroon
Like civetta says about Pauwels… Kroon turns up in the breakaway on the Champs-Elysees, where the hell had he been for the previous 20 days? I had no idea he was in the race.
Oscar Freire had a really poor race too, but I think he was ill or injured.
+ on both those
Oscar had the miserable combination of saddle sores & nasal polyps, poor bloke. I saw him pat Cav on the back a few times but that was about it.
"I was just trying to keep warm" - Ian Stannard on finishing third in KBK
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