posted Jul 26, 2008

"I find the anti Cadel comments embarrassing.
And I suspect it's because you poms can't bear Aussies doing well.
Odd. You would think you would be getting used to it."

I thought Phil was truly great. I've loved Robbie's moves. Cadel. Well, his personality doesn't help. Hinault, the badger, was a pussycat compared to him psychologically. And he belted a farmer blocking the road.
IMHO, Cadel lost because he's just not hungry enough to hurt. The one single time when he attacked, on the Alpe, it lasted 200 metres max. His mindset's all wrong. Both to be a Grand Tour winner, or to be liked by the Public.

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posted Jul 26, 2008

>BTW, anyone know if Schu is going to Beijing? If so, the TT could be very interesting...<

He is, if I remember correctly. Ought to be very fun indeed.

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posted Jul 26, 2008

Grandplan...

Yes, tomorrow will be strictly a parade to Paris. They won't attack, it will be ever so slow, and congratulations all around.

And then at the sharp end the sprinters will get antsy and go off like a rocket for the glory of a win on the Champs Elysees. Even the Green jersey is out of reach, so it's all over bar the shouting for that final stage win.

One thing I am glad about today is that none of the favourites crashed out (a la Rasmussen) to ruin their chances. There may have been mental slip ups, but no one was eliminated due to mechanical trouble.

I have just realised that Denis Menchov missed the podium by only 40 seconds ... I'd bet he is ruing his small losses in the mountain stages.

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posted Jul 26, 2008

Lots of questions on the Spaniards but it's a nice touch when he blesses himself!

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posted Jul 26, 2008

posted this elsewhere but more relevant here.

Liggett and Sherwin's surprise at Kohl's amazing time trial performance was matched by their surprise at Frank Schlek's disappointing one. No one has mentioned that Frank could have been 'waiting' for Sastre to catch up and therefore give his team leader a possible race winning carrot just when he might need it with 10Km to go. Discounting the race ref's caution for being too close Frank didn't lose much time to Sastre after he was caught and didn't really look that stuffed in the close up shots at the time checks.

Bjarne Riis has proved he is a very canny DS, don't think this plan wouldn't have crossed his mind.

Frank (and the rest of CSC) has ridden unquestioningly for the team this last week and i think the support he'll be guaranteed in future tours will be the pay off for sacrificing a place on the podium, he was unlikely to make the top three anyway so what's another minute lost to help your team mate win the tour? After all that was his job all along.

i think Chris Boardman had the same thought but couldn't say it in so many words. well done Carlos on a victory well deserved.

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posted Jul 26, 2008

I don't think that was the original plan, they would've let Frank gone for a podium place (not that that was likely to happen, but at least let the lad give it a go).
But it is likely that when they saw how crappy he was that they asked him if he could maybe slow down a bit, help Sastre. Although, Carlos went by him fairly quickly.

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posted Jul 26, 2008

I feel sorry for SL. Not for Evans, but for some others. Especially for McEwen who sacrificed everything, who worked so damn hard and got nothing in result. And for Marc Coucke, founder and owner of Omega Pharma, and therefore the main money-man for SL. That man lives for his team, he had tears in his eyes when he saw Cadel in yellow for the first time. He must be gutted

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posted Jul 26, 2008

What's the mood like on Belgian telly, GSGirl?

Were they surprised that Sastre kept yellow, that Evans couldn't do it, that Kohl could actually TT, etc?

You know, I still am finding it hard to believe that he rode as well as he did after he fell off the start ramp.

31st last year, 3rd this year. I couldn't see any significant TT results in his palmares...interesting stuff, and I'll be watching to see how he goes now that he's scored such a good finish here.

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posted Jul 26, 2008

It's a kind of a "it would've been nice to have Belgian team win it, but sastre deserves it!" mood. You know, not even Belgian TV is too keen on the guy. Most people wanted Cadel to win it because it's a Belgian team, not because they wanted Cadel to win it.
His "three guys rode really fast" comment (http://www.sporza.be/cm/sporza.be/wielrennen/Tour_2008/verslagen_2008/1.347343 - click "reactie evans" if you wanna hear) was taken to be very petulant and childish too.

And, all in all, Sastre is just a really good guy. His schedule for monday? An after tour-criterium in Belgium, and while he's here he is going to visit his fanclub, and the children cancer wing at the hospital in Ghent.

Kohl is the best evidence of what some motivation can do. He rode til he was absolute dead, the guy had nothing in him anymore. He could barely make it to his team bus. That's the difference with his other TT's I think.

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posted Jul 26, 2008

Nice video, excellent interview (makes a nice change from the gushing sort we so often see here), cheers for that.

You know, I am generally OK with how he (Evans) speaks to the media, but I can see why some people on here take issue with him. Tone of voice is everything, isn't it? I suppose I am such a cranky b----- that I identify with him.

Not sure when they took this footage, but he didn't appear completely dead, so maybe he could have given some more today.

Glad to see that he gave bouquets to his team and especially to Wim, or Sevie as I suppose I should be calling him.

I think we need a Wim appreciation thread tomorrow to give him the honours he so richly deserves!

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