posted Jul 25, 2008

If ever an article was written tongue in cheek to get a rise from our Aussie friends surely this one was! Us English love our little wind ups don't we?!

Everyone knows that when your the favourite in the TdF and isolated you are super vunerable and the only thing you can do is defend.
Evans seems to have lost his team from day 1 and been vunerable all the time, he's had a bad crash.
And yet what an awesome performance - in the context of how other legends performed when completely isolated - I have never seen better riding for the GC in the modern era.

I am now a big fan - every time I've seen Evans on decisive mountains he has been able to control.

What was that rubbish about the Croix de Feur? Did CSC not try and break him up it - I think so. Driving the pace and falling away. Look at the time gap with 3.5Km to go on the Alpe and tell me Evans didn't turn himself inside out getting up to limit his loss. All the time he had riders putting their rear wheel in his way to try and break his rhythm yet he looks like he'll do it Saturday.

GO CADEL!!!!

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posted Jul 25, 2008

I agree.
Evans deserves a better team.

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posted Jul 25, 2008

Beethoven's Left..

Not Strine, a Scot; the Poms begin at Berwick, you know.
I think most of the useful arguments pro and con Evans have been aired. Interesting discussion. In Canada, we're fed the U.S. gospel on the Tour, and most of those commentators do glorify Team CSC (when they're not going on about Columbia or Garmin).
and in extolling the strengths of CSC, they tend to dwell upon, in what I consider an unseemly way, the gang-up tactics used to thwart any challenge to that tem's star du jour.
And returning to wheel sucking, thanks for the clarification from you experts. Tell me, it may not happen, but if Evans makes up the two minutes on Kohl in the time trial tomorrow, will that too be derided, or will some of the sceptical side be persuaded out of your "boredom".
Just because Evans is no sweetheart does not take away from his being the most complete rider...this year. qed.

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posted Jul 25, 2008

comment by AdelaideScot (U12750798)
posted Yesterday"
Okay, for all you people out there who appear to know nothing about cycling, I have one name: Miguel Indurain."

And Miguel responding to attack after attack by all the climbers in the 1992 Giro d'Italia was one of the most exciting races I've ever seen.

Armstrong's 2003 Tour win was a similar thriller.

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posted Jul 26, 2008

Cadel Evans isn't exactly Mr personality but you've got to give him respect in that his team has been non-existent and he has had to fight all the way against tremendous odds, CSC are so strong but they couldn't quite kill him off on the Alpe. A worthy a champion if he wins the time trial on saturday but for me this tour has been about Cavendish and putting whats been a brilliant year for british track and road cycling. Bring on the Olympics.

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posted Jul 26, 2008

Oops; re my post yesterday. It's unlikely Evans will pass Kohl on the road...since he starts before him! Apologies; just over-developing the argument. It should be a great day. Best man and all that........

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posted Jul 26, 2008

In the words of the Dutch tv commentator just now 'trying hard isn't the same as wanting to win'. Evans doesn't want to win, he just tries unbelievably hard not to lose. In the words of the article: 'like someone in his bedroom guarding his jewellery against burglars, Cadel Evans had his TV and DVD player nicked from the room next door'. That might sound reasonable on paper, but it's no way to win a Tour.

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posted Jul 26, 2008

Oh well, most of the posters in the anti-Cadel brigade must be happy that normal service DID NOT resume, and a combination of an indifferent ride by Evans and a decent ride by Sastre means he gets to keep the yellow and win the Tour. Fair dues to him, although as a Cadel-supporter, I'm a bit sad for the Aussie battler.

As ever, it never ceases to amaze me about this race...you ride for 21 days, and in the end the difference at the top is little more than 1 minute. Does my head in.

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posted Jul 26, 2008

Wow, I'm happy with the results today but am really amazed Evans didn't have a good run today. 7th place when the yellow jersey was up for grabs? Very happy for Sastre though, he seemed to have found the right gear and put on a heroic performance when it counted most.

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posted Jul 27, 2008

I'm sick of theSpanish: first the French Open then Wimbledon then the European Cup and now this final insult theTde F.
If Sastre falls of his bike and does not finish the final leg in Paris does it mean he does not win the Tde F?

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