2013 season discussion thread!

by **Good Golly I'm Olly** Tue 22 Jan 2013, 1:25 pm

Thought I would set up a place where we can discuss the 2013 season!

A good win for Cavendish yesterday in his first race with his new team

by djlovesyou Tue 22 Jan 2013, 7:14 pm

Gutted that Cav went to OPQS - one of my least favourite riders joining my favourite team. Their twitter updates are annoying me already.

by **Good Golly I'm Olly** Tue 22 Jan 2013, 7:25 pm

Why no love for Cav DJ?

by djlovesyou Tue 22 Jan 2013, 7:46 pm

Best not to get into it. I'm not a huge fan, so probably best leave it there.

Guess it all started with the whole HTC train of tedium and carried on after that.

by djlovesyou Tue 22 Jan 2013, 10:17 pm

Sacha Modolo just beat him in the second stage, by the way.

by **Good Golly I'm Olly** Wed 23 Jan 2013, 10:59 pm

Geraint Thomas won the 2nd stage of the Tour Down Under (think it was the 2nd stage)

Big win to start off what will hopefully be a big year for him

by spencerclarke Thu 24 Jan 2013, 1:26 pm

Olly wrote:Geraint Thomas won the 2nd stage of the Tour Down Under (think it was the 2nd stage)

Big win to start off what will hopefully be a big year for him

I can see him having a big year on the road not that the olympics is out of the way. Fantastic talent.

by JDizzle Thu 24 Jan 2013, 5:34 pm

Will G-Thom make the Tour team this year does anyone think, or just Vuelta/Giro? Is he not a strong enough climber to add anything to the team that won last year? Although there is a place in the team to replace Cav, but I assumed Uran would get that.

by **Good Golly I'm Olly** Thu 24 Jan 2013, 5:39 pm

I would imagine that would go to a climber also JDizzle!

Wouldn't be surprised to see Thomas supporting Wiggins at the Giro if I'm honest

by JDizzle Thu 24 Jan 2013, 5:42 pm

I'd just like to see a Welsh rider at the Tour! He'd have a decent shot at winning a shorter TT's as well (not that there are any this year, I don't think) and that would be great to see! Hopefully a strong performance in the Giro will put him to the front of Sky's minds for next years Tour! Allez le Geraint!

by **Good Golly I'm Olly** Thu 24 Jan 2013, 5:45 pm

I would imagine he is targetting the classics this year (not sure) seeming as I think he did well in the Junior Paris-Roubaix as a young rider.

by JDizzle Thu 24 Jan 2013, 5:50 pm

Yeah, he won it as a junior. He did show some good form in the Tour though the year Wiggo crashed out, so he has definitely got a future there. And he's been in the mix in the Dauphine for the first few days before now as well I believe.

Interesting fact: He went to the same high school as Gareth Bale and Sam Warburton. Some solid sports teams there.

by **Good Golly I'm Olly** Thu 24 Jan 2013, 5:53 pm

Must be something in the water at that school! Smile

I'm also hoping Ben Swift can progress this year, he won't be as quick as Cav, but he can climb better so if he fulfills his potential I think he could become a top class sprinter

by JDizzle Thu 24 Jan 2013, 5:59 pm

Did Ben Swift ride the Vuelta? If it is the guy I am thinking of then he didn't seem to have the instinct of Cav either because he couldn't contest a few sprints after finding himself boxed in. He is young though, so that may come and it is unfair to compare him to Cav especially when he didn't even have a semi functioning lead out train/person at the Vuelta.

by **Good Golly I'm Olly** Thu 24 Jan 2013, 6:37 pm

Yeah he did mate, and I was a little disappointed with him there as you say he lacked the instincts.

by Mad for Chelsea Thu 24 Jan 2013, 6:46 pm

Swift for me sort of lacks the real top end speed for competing against the very best sprinters. There were a couple of times in last year's Vuelta where Sky delivered him perfectly, but he go passed by a some guys who were just quicker than him. Still time to work on that, but he's not quite up there with the top level sprinters yet.

Thomas I think could do a very good job in the Classics, hope he gets a chance at a few of them. Not sure he's a GT rider yet, but he could do a job as a support man.

by JDizzle Fri 25 Jan 2013, 12:19 am

Sky have released the schedule that they expect Froome and Wiggo to ride this season and it has cleared away any lingering doubts that Froome will go into the TdF as the top guy. He rides the "Wiggo route" of the Paris-Nice, Tour of Romandie and the Dauphine whilst Wiggo goes for the Liege-Bastgne-Liege and then the Giro before the Tour.

by djlovesyou Fri 25 Jan 2013, 8:57 pm

Queen stage of the TDU tonight. Sadly I won't be cheering on Geraint as I'm due to win quite a bit of money if either Slagter or Machado wins the overall.

I bet them just after the stage that Thomas won and their odds on Betfair were crazy big. Both of them have a reasonable chance of turning things round tonight.

by **Good Golly I'm Olly** Fri 25 Jan 2013, 9:07 pm

Be interesting to see if Froome can reach the level of performance he seemed to be able last year, this year!

I don't think Geraint will hold on if I'm honest DJ. But I will catch the highlights at some point, should be a good stage

by **Good Golly I'm Olly** Wed 13 Feb 2013, 10:12 pm

Well Cav won the tour of qatar (i believe it was qatar, one of those countries) pretty easily.

Wiggo dropped off the pace today in the tour of oman

by djlovesyou Thu 14 Feb 2013, 10:29 am

No wind in Qatar was always going to make it fastest sprinter with a strong team is the favourite. He's racing in the Algarve starting today for another couple of 'sh1t small wins' which he likes to mock and deride so much when other people are winning them.

Wiggins lost time in the first stage too, so I don't think he's been at all motivated for the overall since then. Froome has a decent chance on Green Mountain today (there's about 50km to go in that, what should be the deciding stage of the race.) Sagan has looked like an absolute beast so far, although today will be too tough, he's going to dominate the Maillot Vert if he's still in form.

Should be interesting between Froome, Contador, Nibali - perhaps young Kenny Ellisonde to throw in a surprise. It's a shame he's riding for Sky really, cause I'm interested to see how Joe Dombrowski does, hopefully he'll get his chance later in the season when he's not riding for one or more of the big guns.

by **Good Golly I'm Olly** Fri 15 Feb 2013, 4:55 pm

Froomey won a crackin stage yesterday! All going well today he will wrap up his first stage race win in the majors

Cav is winning for fun so far this season sorry dj!

by **Good Golly I'm Olly** Sat 16 Feb 2013, 11:50 am

Froome wins the Tour of Oman!

Great start to the year for the Brits so far!

by djlovesyou Sat 16 Feb 2013, 2:56 pm

Olly wrote:

Cav is winning for fun so far this season sorry dj!

Second best sprinter in the Algarve though. Two sprint stages, two defeats.

by Dave. Fri 22 Feb 2013, 5:54 pm

Super Martyn Irvine yesterday.

I love the scratch race.

by **Good Golly I'm Olly** Fri 22 Feb 2013, 6:35 pm

The British lad went well in the long race today

by Dave. Fri 22 Feb 2013, 7:31 pm

He was fantastic was Simon Yates in Points Race.

And Kenny is king again!

Oh and yes, Pendy is just lovely......

by Mad for Chelsea Fri 22 Feb 2013, 11:04 pm

very pleased too to see Becky James having good Championships, with a couple of bronze medals already and a good chance of adding another medal tomorrow in the sprint (she's in the semis, though she'll face Olympic medallist Guo Shang of China). Only 21 years old too, so a really bright future ahead of her.

Thought Kenny got his tactics completely wrong in the semi of the Keirin: he's too quick to allow himself to get boxed in like that and not be able to use his pace. In the event, he was lucky to make the final, as the Frenchman's transgression was fairly minor and a year ago he'd have got away with it (they seem to have become much tougher in the last year or so, see the Brit in the elimination race too). However, in the final he was tactically spot on, tracking Levy who was always going to be the main danger and giving himself enough of a gap to get a run into his slipstream before the final corner. Surprised the rest of the field "let him" (ie didn't try to sneak in between him and Levy) but then again Levy was going very fast which made it tough. As I said, great ride from Kenny, who's always had great pace but not always the tactical acumen to win in an event like the keirin (you can get away with it more in the sprint). If he starts to develop his tactics like that, he could really dominate track sprinting for a while: still only 24, remember.

As for Simon Yates, just wow! Incredible tactical awareness from such a young guy, and great stamina to still be able to make the push on the final sprint. Great great ride! Does anyone know if the riders know what the points situation is? I assume they can look up at the big screen to check. Yates certainly seemed to know the situation...

by djlovesyou Sat 23 Feb 2013, 3:19 pm

Mad for Chelsea wrote:

As for Simon Yates, just wow! Incredible tactical awareness from such a young guy, and great stamina to still be able to make the push on the final sprint. Great great ride! Does anyone know if the riders know what the points situation is? I assume they can look up at the big screen to check. Yates certainly seemed to know the situation...

Their coaches will keep them informed from the inside of the track.

by **Good Golly I'm Olly** Sun 24 Feb 2013, 1:55 pm

Becky James take a bow lass!

4 medals, another gold today! Bravo!

by JDizzle Sun 24 Feb 2013, 2:02 pm

GET IN BECKY! Unbelievable! Very Happy

by **Good Golly I'm Olly** Sun 10 Mar 2013, 4:05 pm

Richie Porte wins Paris-Nice

by **Good Golly I'm Olly** Sun 10 Mar 2013, 4:10 pm

Froome takes the lead in Tirreno-Adriatico

Good week for Sky

by JDizzle Tue 12 Mar 2013, 5:03 pm

Froome ends up finishing second in the Tirreno. Lost time to Nibali yesterday on what sounds like an absolute dog of a stage with huge numbers of riders including Cav and Andy Schleck dropping out. Three times round a hill with a 27% gradient. Shocked

And yet the stage was won by Peter Sagan. That man is something else...

by **Good Golly I'm Olly** Tue 12 Mar 2013, 11:07 pm

Michael Hutchinson ‏@Doctor_Hutch
Nibali wants end to SRMs in races. Maybe each rider should get to pick something. Wiggo - press conferences. Cav - hills. Schleck - cycling.

Laugh

by Mad for Chelsea Tue 12 Mar 2013, 11:13 pm

JDizzle wrote:Froome ends up finishing second in the Tirreno. Lost time to Nibali yesterday on what sounds like an absolute dog of a stage with huge numbers of riders including Cav and Andy Schleck dropping out. Three times round a hill with a 27% gradient.

And yet the stage was won by Peter Sagan. That man is something else...

or on something else... with all due respect, a bloke who can beat or at least rival the top sprinters in bunch sprints yet still climb as well as (or better than) guys like Froome or Contador on crazily steep hills. Let's just say I'm sceptical...

by JDizzle Wed 13 Mar 2013, 5:21 pm

Wires crossed I think MFC, I was trying to imply the same thing but I obviously need to work on my internet sarcasm!

by **Good Golly I'm Olly** Wed 13 Mar 2013, 5:35 pm

I thought exactly the same things guys! Although he could just be on amazing form, I should imagine he has decided to make a run at the Classics.

I hope anyways. Could do without more druggies

by djlovesyou Wed 13 Mar 2013, 7:47 pm

Sagan is a strong favourite for Milan-San Remo, and will have a good chance in all the cobbled classics. He'll probably be a strong favourite for Amstel Gold as well. Doubt he can win Fleche Wallone, but he'll have a decent shot at LBL the way he's going.

He won't have to share leadership with Nibali for the classics this year, so will be able to lead in most races, perhaps share things with Moser for some of them.

by **Good Golly I'm Olly** Thu 14 Mar 2013, 5:34 pm

Sagan must be strong fav for them with the form he is on as you say DJ!

I must watch more of the classics this year. Always good stuff

by djlovesyou Thu 14 Mar 2013, 6:21 pm

I would hesitate to have him as favourite over Cancellara/OPQS for RVV though, and add the likes of Hushovd for Paris Roubaix and he'll have a tough time there.

Just his sprint means he doesn't actually have to do much other than cover moves, but it might mean the others make sure he has to cover everything himself which will probably play into the hands of the likes of OPQS who will have multiple options. Chavanel could be an option for RVV perhaps this year.

by **Good Golly I'm Olly** Sun 17 Mar 2013, 12:21 pm

Milan-San Remo today and ridiculous weather conditions. Gonna be a non event really, the race has been all but neutralised

by **Good Golly I'm Olly** Sun 17 Mar 2013, 4:51 pm

Cmon Stannard

by **Good Golly I'm Olly** Sun 17 Mar 2013, 4:59 pm

Gerold Ciolek takes it from Sagan and Cancellara!!!

Great race

by JDizzle Sun 17 Mar 2013, 6:02 pm

Only seen pictures of the race, but it seems like a great ride by Stannard in horrendous conditions! Top stuff from Ciolek too, love to see an underdog win. clap

by **Good Golly I'm Olly** Mon 18 Mar 2013, 11:17 am

Stannard looks in good form, of the Sky guys (EBH and Thomas) he looks by far the best bet to get something from the cobbled classics!

by dummy_half Mon 18 Mar 2013, 11:39 am

Fantastic ride by Stannard - did everything he could to animate the last few kms, knowing that he didn't have a sprint capable of taking on Ciolek and Sagan (or even Fab Fab). Particularly impressive as he was really there to be the last domestique with Thomas and EB-H, but then GT dropped his bike on wet road markings and Eddie Bos wasn't strong enough to get to the end.

In a way it was Stannard's tactics that gave Ciolek the win - his attacking during the last 3km meant Sagan and Cancellara had to be aggressive and chase down, while Ciolek could just sit about 4th or 5th in the line and be towed to the end, where he was able to out-sprint the bigger names.

Cav also did a decent ride - was in the first main bunch but just didn't have the gas to get with the little group with Sagan etc at the top of the Poggio.

by **Good Golly I'm Olly** Wed 20 Mar 2013, 8:21 pm

Big week this week with Flanders coming up soon!

Who do you guys fancy to take some races coming up?

I'm liking to look of Chavanel personally, as well as Cancellara

by djlovesyou Wed 20 Mar 2013, 8:38 pm

I reckon Cav might win Gent-Wevelgem. It would be about his 5th consecutive victory in the race if it weren't for various things going against him. (if you believe his post race interviews every year.)

Sagan for Flanders and Tommeke to get back into top form in time for Paris Roubaix.

Problem with Chavanel for me is that he generally needs to get away on his own to really stand a good chance, a lot of the other top contenders are better sprinters than him. It's something that will hold Stannard back when it comes to landing the big ones too.

by **Good Golly I'm Olly** Sun 24 Mar 2013, 2:43 pm

Dan Martin will hopefully win the Tour of Catalunya (?) today! Rode really well, Stage 4 was an absolute stormer!

Gent-Wevelgem going on now, bout 60km left, shaping up nicely

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