2012 Tour de France

I understand, I don't like it either, however, he's got 21 TdF stages to his credit and just happens to be the current World Champion, so a little entitlement should be expected.

Farrar went down terribly but it looks like it was the Lampre rider that caused Tyler to over-react and OTB. Check this video, Greipel
actually steps on Farrar's shoulder to keep his balance.
http://www.cyclingfans.com/node/5560

I hate all these crashes, scares the hell out of me.

 

Cavendish probably wishes he had some of that smoking HCT-train working for him now. Renshaw was the perfect leadout guy - just a great sprinter in his own right.

I think Sky bailed on him today to protect Wiggins. Just so much they can do to protect their GC and get Cavendish to the 200 meter blastoff. It's going to be Eisel and that's about it for help. Cavendish will either get pummelled some more or win some like Zabel and McEwen used to and gain a whole bunch of new respect.

 

that was wild, he could be a MTB'r for sure!!

and then he won the stage? that is crazy!

 

I think the fact they did so much work to catch the break away they were out of steam by the the time it was the beginning of the sprint.

 

Silly question from a non-roadie, what makes one guy a "sprinter" and another guy a "climber"? Seems like the smaller guys are better climbers, is it power to weight ratio (i.e. the sprinters have too much muscle mass they have to carry up the hills that slow them down)? Fast twitch short term vs. longer endurance muscle? Is it mindset our just what they train for?
Trying to apply this to mountainbiking, I would think I guy like Greipel could make the 1 minute Cholla club from what I saw today! Frikkin crazy for a quarter mile sprint! Why can't he climb too? Sorry if this is a bit off topic.... great stage today and incredible finish.

 

You are right on all counts. Sprinters have more fast twitch muscle fiber. It's mostly hereditary. Riders who have a natural propensity for sprinting then train more towards that end to hone their speed/power. You are also correct about the power to weight... light and powerful is best for climbing. Very powerful with a little extra weight is best for flat sprints where the extra pounds of muscle are not a penalty as on climbs. Mindset is also huge. The best sprinters always find a way to the front... Griepel's performance today is a perfect example... he was caught behind the crash and still managed to get to the front and win. Sagan had a similar win in the TOC where he flatted in the closing miles, he rode straight past the entire field to the front and won the stage.

 

Power to weight? Yep.

Greipel is usually the biggest guy in the peloton - they list him for the TdF at 165 pds. The good climbers are generally 20-25 pds. lighter than that. Evans, Wiggins, Schleck, Menchov, Leipheimer, Kloden, Van Garderen, Brajkovic & Martin will be some of the climbers up front this weekend.

Greipel has won some stage races ('08 & '10 Tour Down Under) but over three weeks he's out of his league.

One of the best sprinter/climbers of all times: Sean Kelly
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sean_Kelly_ (cyclist)
He's one of the EuroSports commentators now for TdF.

'King' Kelly (#181 in front):

 

First year I have watched any bike racing and I swear it is more exciting to watch than most SX races. Finally learning some of the players. So based on recent comments I must be a sprinter. I have been a Clydesdale for as long as I can remember and I sure don't win any KOMs!

 

Sagan again! That was impressive.

 

SAGAN!!!! see earlier post about a A STAR IS BORN!, yes he was doing it for a while in smaller races relative to the Tour but now he as announced himself to the world and this was a flat as a pancake finish; only thing missing was Cavendish to duke it out with, but he also has not had the lead out trains that Cavendish used to get and Griepel is getting from his teams, so GO SAGAN GO; again I do hope he is relatively clean and we don't hear about positive drug tests in a few months!

 

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Lol
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My signed Sagan poster I picked up at OTH is looking like one which should get framed for posterity.

 

Not to take away from Sagan, but Griepel did pretty well for a guy missing 10% of his skin on the day...be nice to see if Sagan comments that his victory today was as much from good fortune as it was ability. A lack of humility towards established riders in the peloton (today's salute?) will not make it easy to find a team that will support him after he leaves Liquigas (which he will, given the rumors about them dialing back their sponsorship to become a Pro-Continental Team instead of a WorldTour Team).

 

^^^Pretty sure something as trivial as his victory salutes will not stop plenty of teams from clamoring over signing one of the best bike handlers in the business.

I just found this youtube video last night, thought it was funny:
[youtube]xNTAq-WAFEo[/youtube]

 

I agree Greipel wasn't 100% but Sagan's win was still very impressive. The sprinters' overly emotive victory salutes have never been my favorite--I prefer the desperate, exhausted finishes made by climbers or breakaway riders, but I don't think Sagan's or the other sprinters' salutes is about a lack of humility towards established riders in the peloton. Sprinters are aggressive, passionate riders who go so hard they nearly black out crossing the line. If he starts talking like an arrogant young punk in interviews, then that's another thing but so far I don't get that impression from him. He won the day I watched the Big Bear stage a few years ago (2010 Tour of CA?)--I think he was 19 years old.

I'm enjoying the sprinter stages a lot more this year than ever before. The HTC trail with Greipel, Cavendish and the rest all stacked on one team was getting boring. It's great to see them all mixing it up and new blood coming into the peloton--hopefully it's clean blood...

 

Sagan is opportunist and thats it. He is not a true sprinter. Every time its him vs top guys (who are arent hurt) he loses. He is fast but not as fast the best guys. Best part is you never see him doing his antics when all the top guys are there and uninjured because he is 3-4 guy across the line.

Also I find it very amusing how so many people hated Cav for his antics yet like Sagan. I don't quite get it, is it because he come and races a flat mtn bike race?

 

Opportunist is not that part of a winning equation?

Dave Zabriskie puts it best in todays interview when asked about all the crashes. "No one died and at the end of the day it is just a bike race". Wish more in the tour had his attitude.

 

It's been an entertaining first week, but the Tour starts tomorrow.

 

I don't disagree... but road racing is a chess match... the fastest man doesn't always win. This is exactly why I love road racing. You have to be very savy, smart, strategic... you have to know your own abilities and limitations and apply them with perfect timing. If you get it right, you win!