2011 Cycling Thread

[Cactus Drags]

That was horrific. Apparently his girlfriend is 3 months pregnant too, so sad.

[IAceI]

Yep, horrible that he has died and horrible that he leaves behind a girlfriend and unborn child.

RIP Wouter Weylandt.

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

It's really really sad news. They've neutralised the day's racing today and are riding it out of respect as is pretty standard after a cycling death.

Thing is, I follow a lot of the cycling guys on Twitter so I was all excited about David Millar getting into the leader's jersey for today and then I hear from Robbie McEwen (I think) that Weylandt was dead. Then Cavendish, Vandevelde etc were Tweeting about it and it just made me feel pretty sick actually. It's horrible. 26 is no age at all. I saw the immediate aftermath of the crash (the camera wasn't there live and just cut afterwards) and then it went back a bit later and he was just surrounded by medical staff.

Thoughts and prayers to family and his unborn child.

His best mate in cycling is Tyler Farrar who's in the Garmin team with Millar. Millar reported that Farrar's just gone home because he's too devastated to even think about cycling right now.

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

Just watched today's stage which was neutralised in memory of Weylandt.

Each team took a turn at the front of the peloton and then with 4km to go his team (Leopard-Trek) and his best mate Farrar went to the front to finish the stage while the others dropped back.

A number of the riders were in tears - Farrar definitely - and has gone home now.

Cycling is REALLY good at showing love and respect to those who have died.

[Locke]

Life is a bitch sometimes. Last year, the 3rd stage was won by the same man who died in this year's 3rd stage. That's just horrible.

[Adam]

It's devastating, a horrible accident and for anybody to die at the age of 26 is just horrible. To leave behind a pregnant girlfriend really breaks the heart too.

Great show by all the riders today, it must've been tough.

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

So that cheat Contador won in Italy in the end but at least the race ended on a high.

YAY MILLAR!

[IAceI]

Anyone know what happened to Cavendish in the final corner of the race there? He just seemed to vanish towards the final corner. The HTC train seemed to be doing fine as well, they seemed to be in control with 2-3km to go and then suddenly it was Garmin taking it home and Farrar - on Independence day - winning it.

Edited July 4, 2011 by IAceI

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

Yeah. Basically the Vasconseleil(sp) rider attacked and it meant that the front rider in the HTC train (Bernie Eisel?) had to chase him down. Then Danilo Hondo from Lampre pushed to the front and Tony Martin pulled him back (meaning that two HTC riders had to drop from the train quicker than planned). This started to shred their train but it would still have been ok...but then Geraint Thomas hit the front and Matt Goss had to up the pace which knocked him out, leaving Renshaw and Cavendish far too early.

Then around a corner a Cofidis rider (I think) took a terrible line and basically knocked half of the front of the field out of contention (including Cav and Petacchi). Petacchi and other sprinters gave up, Cavendish chased and took 5th after jumping across a 50m gap between the front half dozen who got away and the rest.

The order of how that unfolded may be slightly different but just swap names around to get what actually happened. While Farrar took the stage, his finishing sprint wasn't actually as good as the lead out he got from Hushovd and he nearly lost it. watch Cav in the replays and he took a LOT of ground back - definitely the in-form man.

Still, Farrar's first Tour de France win and on his Independence Day, as well as giving him a chance to remember Weylandt with his victory, so can't complain.

Also, tough little uphill 2km at the end today. Hushovd won't still be in yellow tonight - the climb is too steep for him probably. However if Millar can stay with Evans which is possible, then a Brit could be in yellow tonight!

[IAceI]

Only just realized now that Cav was dq'd from the intermediate sprint (where he actually went for it and picked up some points for a change) and combining that with his near-crash on the final sprint and it wasn't the best day for Cavendish.

He's the in-form guy but is he favourite for the green or will it be like last year where he takes some stages? Some good sprinters out there in the field and I think that'll take my interest for the race, as i don't really know who could win yellow that I like other than perhaps Andy Schleck.

Not a massive Evans or Contador fan to be honest. So will cheer on Schleck and the British guys to win it.

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

Yellow jersey will be interesting. Contador won't win, no-one wins after winning the Giro because that race is far too hard to recover from in time. Also, I hope Contador doesn't win cos I can't stand the guy and he should get banned for drugs anyway so if he wins the TdF it could be taken from him anyway.

Personally I'm thinking a top five of Schleck, Basso, Sanchez, Evans and Gesink. Throw Wiggins and Roche into the top ten with Contador and two from Frank Schleck, Leipheimer, Horner or Kloden. VERY strong top 20 yellow jersey guys this year.

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

Incredible ride from Hushovd up that last hill (Hushovd isn't known as the best climber) to keep up with Evans, Gilbert, Vinokourov, Frank Schleck, Kloden and Contador and to hold on to the yellow jersey!

For the Brits Millar finished in the next group back so is fourth overall behind Hushovd, Evans and Frank Schleck. Wiggins and Thomas are sixth and seventh. Nice.

I always like Millar floating around the top ten as much as possible for the first week just in case something great happens and he can snatch yellow for a day or two.

Of course by this time next week he'll be somewhere between 40th-80th.

[IAceI]

We can put behind us the disgraceful-ness of an Evans-Contador 1-2 and the thought of Evan's giant bum chin as we're into Stage 5.

One category 4 climb in it today and one mid-way opportunity for some sprint points.

Come on the Schleck's! (And Brits)

Edited July 6, 2011 by IAceI

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

Classy uphill sprint from Cav. Came from a long way back again to take the win on the line.

[Hagen]

Good to see Cavendish finally take home a win after the scuffle with Hushovd the other day and the way he was boxed in by Tom Bonnen in the sprint mid-way through today. Also Nicki Sørensen's crash was pretty crazy, it's a wonder he wasn't more hurt than he was.

[IAceI]

Back to the Future stuff there, Cavendish just sort of appeared in the last few metres and won it ¬_¬

[IAceI]

Normally follow the race at work and then make it up in time to see the finish.

Decided to go to the gym after work today and may have picked a good day as I don't know if the peloton can even be arsed chasing these five guys down today.

EDIT: Or not. They've absolutely slashed the gap between the two cat 3 climbs.

Edited July 7, 2011 by IAceI

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

Big win for EBH - his first at the Tour. Hushovd's looking really strong this first week but then he's a) defending yellow, b) not going to have much to do next week in the mountains except survive and c) maybe he's thinking that if he can get enough points on the board then Garmin may work for him instead of Farrar.

[maninblack]

Just saw the big crashes on the news. That newsman's motorcycle shouldn't have been that close to the riders.

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

Tom Boonen and Bradley Wiggins have retired from the Tour de France today due to injuries.