Thread: 2012 Tour de France Fantasy Cycling

unreal ride by Sky today and CF...that burst at the end up that slope was silly. Wiggins will just ride the back wheel of Cadel the rest of the way.

Let's not get over confident here guys...that was, after all, only a Cat 1 climb. We'll see how well they stick together when the HC's come along. And like someone said earlier...CE was all by himself last year on the climbs...

Originally Posted by Garth Bimble

that was, after all, only a Cat 1 climb.

and, ALL the second tier GC contenders fell away like chaff
(tho helped too with a couple of timely mechanicals [valverde & vandenbroek])

sky looked powerful today - so much so that i think they can repeat the feat on other decisive slopes.
wiggins has been protected well and is as rested as a contender can hope to be.
they worked their strategy to perfection. now the big question is if they have the legs to recover, rinse & repeat for the next two weeks.


i was a little surprised that they showed their hand so early, but hey, "if you've got it, flaunt it," I guess!

this is a good Tour so far!

Originally Posted by Garth Bimble

Let's not get over confident here guys...that was, after all, only a Cat 1 climb. We'll see how well they stick together when the HC's come along. And like someone said earlier...CE was all by himself last year on the climbs...

Sez the guy with Evans and 2 other BMC riders on his fantasy team.

Evans lost time in the mountains last year, but won in the penultimate stage because the Schlecks and Voekler can't TT for shit.

Also remember that Wiggo crashed out in stage 7(?) and Contadope had all kinds of trouble and injury (mostly because he doesn't pay attention).

Finally, remember that Eddie Boasson Hagan was second in one of the later mountain stages then followed it up by winning the next day's mountain stage.

Originally Posted by acinpdx

and, ALL the second tier GC contenders fell away like chaff
(tho helped too with a couple of timely mechanicals [valverde & vandenbroek])

sky looked powerful today - so much so that i think they can repeat the feat on other decisive slopes.
wiggins has been protected well and is as rested as a contender can hope to be.
they worked their strategy to perfection. now the big question is if they have the legs to recover, rinse & repeat for the next two weeks.


i was a little surprised that they showed their hand so early, but hey, "if you've got it, flaunt it," I guess!

this is a good Tour so far!

Whatever....



Can somebody tell Wiggo to shave those stupid sideburns?

Tommy D out
Farrar htting the deck every day and now out
then WTF with Sammy Sanchez....out after a single rider crash

my fantasy team is wrecked....

Originally Posted by F#*k You Cat

Tommy D out
Farrar htting the deck every day and now out
then WTF with Sammy Sanchez....out after a single rider crash

my fantasy team is wrecked....

Sanchez was in a 3-4 rider crash, and ended up on the bottom getting pummeled. Rough luck.

Nice ride by Thibaut Pinot today. I thought Marc Madiot was going to have a stroke cheering him on at the end. Anybody have Pinot on their fantasy team?

Edit- just saw Farrar finish in the same group as Greipel. Maybe he can recover for the second half sprint stages.

Originally Posted by telebobski

Nice ride by Thibaut Pinot today.

And a very impressive chase by most of the big name GC guys. Everything's still pretty close for tomorrow's time trial...

Will Wiggo establish a gap from Cadel and Nebali?

Will TJ buckle down and get back in white?

It's been nice watching the last two stages in real time. Unfortunately it's back to the DVR tomorrow night after work, which means avoiding this thread, email, facebook, etc. until I have a chance to watch it.

Stupid responsibilities...

Originally Posted by telebobski

Anybody have Pinot on their fantasy team?

I did. Unfortunately, I also had Danielson and Hesjedal. I'm screwed.

From velonews:

The Briton, known for his explosive talent — and equally explosive command of profanities — let reporters here have it when asked what he thought of those who believed that to win the Tour de France riders must be doped “to the gills.”

“Honestly they’re just fucking wankers. I can’t be doing with people like that,” Wiggins said. “It justifies their own bone idleness… because they can’t ever imagine applying themselves to anything in their lives.

“And it’s easy for them to sit under a pseudonym on Twitter and write that kind of shit rather than get off their arses and apply themselves and work hard at something and achieve something.”

He paused, tossed the microphone on the table and left.

Link here:
http://velonews.competitor.com/2012/...e-clean_228247

I'm liking Wiggins more and more

... the best defense ...

Looks like I could only hold Yellow for one more day than Cancellara..

Wear it proudly deeppo.

Sure. Froome beats Cancellara in a TT. Seems just about right.

Originally Posted by huckbucket

Sure. Froome beats Cancellara in a TT. Seems just about right.

Froome can TT. I don't know why people assume that he can't. Cancellara was off the bike with an injury this spring as well. Not to metion the parcourse was not neccesarily one that favors a diesel like Fabian.

Originally Posted by PhiberAwptik

Froome can TT.

Not before 2011 he couldn't.

You need to spend some time here.

Yeah Wiggins and Evans are certainly not pretty boys, fear the burns.

But what a race so far, I have thoroughly enjoyed the this Tour, best in years IMO and it's only getting started.

Originally Posted by huckbucket

Not before 2011 he couldn't.

You need to spend some time here.

Actually I need to spend less time in that cunt factory of crazies that are more interested in researching the doping culture than watching cycling. Duh! Professional athletes cheat. Beyond the Clinic CN forums are a collection of stubborn, illogical fanboys, and kooks trying to armchair quarterback shit they think they are experts in.

But Chris Froome has shown TT acumen throughout his career. He also had decent GT placings in the best young rider category. He's not really the overnight sensation that people act like he is.

Originally Posted by huckbucket

Not before 2011 he couldn't.

You need to spend some time here.

BTW. second in 2010 at the British national TT between Bradley Wiggins, and Geraint Thomas.

huck, i can tell you're a glass-half-full kinda guy

Originally Posted by huckbucket

Not before 2011 he couldn't.

You need to spend some time here.

Wow, a forum of cycling enthusiasts speculating that Sky is dirty! That's all the confirmation I need.

I'll defer to Pickels on the quality of masking agents these days, but remember that Froome was tested right after his stage win and Wiggo has been tested - at least - every day for the last three. They also had a slug of whiz and blood tests during the Dauphine. So, if they are dirty, they are damn good at hiding it.

And if we're gonna throw rocks, let's talk about Van Garderens performance too - another climbing specialist that ITTs well, only Tee Jay is what, 23?

best comment from the CN forum thread, post by Zarvinov on 07-07-12, 19:08:

There are currently no evidence that Team Sky are doping. Fact.

But there are also no evidence that they are not doping. Fact.

This thread is full different opinions. Each individual is entitled to his or her personal opinion.

Those that are skeptical of Teams Sky's performance's in recent times may or may not be correct, with their assertion's.

But given that there are no direct evidence. I would expect this thread to continue along the same lines, as it has done, since the initial post. Until, or more to the point, if anything concrete ever surfaces. Which seems rather doubtful at this time. Team Sky are currently innocent of any wrongdoing. But in the end, if any doping is currently being adopted amongst the Team, then more often than not the truth eventually emerges. So time will tell.

I was watching the tour with my wife and mom and they were commenting on how lean all the riders were, which at first i didn't think anything about. But then I couldn't help noticing how naturally lean these guys look. They aren't ripped at all, no veins bulging out, no pecs or biceps, they're all lungs and thighs.
Maybe this is the post doping era.

EPO/CERA wouldn't give off any of those signs?

But like other guys said, they have the samples. If they are on the juice they'll get caught. Just like it's finally starting to catch up to Lance. They eventually get what they deserve.

This is definitely the wrong place to start the doping discussion. Totally unproductive and there's a better place if that's your thing (my link above). Sorry I brought it up. Sufficed to say that some believe in a clean peloton and others don't. Acinpdx's post nailed it.

Originally Posted by huckbucket

This is definitely the wrong place to start the doping discussion. Totally unproductive and there's a better place if that's your thing (my link above). Sorry I brought it up. Sufficed to say that some believe in a clean peloton and others don't. Acinpdx's post nailed it.

FWIW I don't believe in any sport being clean at the highest levels. But I don't share the manic need to speculate, and research the topic as the CN Clinic. I treat that forum as entertainment.