Are High Road the new USPS ? Cavendish takes Romandie opener....

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fark ! He won the prologue........ he may win the Giro at this rate......

It was friggin less than 2km. Not the first time a sprinter or trackie has won an ultra short TT.

It was friggin less than 2km. Not the first time a sprinter or trackie has won an ultra short TT.
Cav won the Tour of Britain prologue last year.

Cav also won tts in the juniors in the UK. He is a decent chrono rider, his 3 Daagse de Panne was less than 60 seconds off Posthuma.

But a 1.8km ptologue has very little r/ship to a tt. When Lancater won the 1.15 km Giro prologue, Wiggins said that was far too short for him.

I note Kloden is riding Romandie........... where did he finish ?

I note Kloden is riding Romandie........... where did he finish ?21st, but along with a bunch of others only three seconds back.

A little surprised that Contador and/or Leiphiemer aren't there considering after the Vuelta and the DL and maybe TdSuisse this is probably the biggest stage race Astana have left to ride for the remainder of the year. Although I guess Contador is probably riding Asturias.

21st, but along with a bunch of others only three seconds back.

A little surprised that Contador and/or Leiphiemer aren't there considering after the Vuelta and the DL and maybe TdSuisse this is probably the biggest stage race Astana have left to ride for the remainder of the year. Although I guess Contador is probably riding Asturias.
Thinking maybe AC is headed to Cataluyna instead.

I don't trust Stapleton. There is a quote by him about how Armstrong's EPO positives could blow up the sport. He is only concerned with the appearance of cleanliness.

Thinking maybe AC is headed to Cataluyna instead.
It looks like Astana has divied up the leadership role between Leipheimer, Cantadope, and Kloden for all these small races. Who gets to be the leader for the Dauphine and Switzerland? I think Leipheimer probably gets the Dauphine and Kloden gets the Swiss race. Contador then gets total support for the Vuelta.

And Cav finishes 13 minutes down in the first stage (to be fair it was pretty hilly). Guess he's not on the juice after all (well, at least not the really good stuff that can retool you completely like Armstrong was).

And Cav finishes 13 minutes down in the first stage (to be fair it was pretty hilly). Guess he's not on the juice after all (well, at least not the really good stuff that can retool you completely like Armstrong was).Yeah Cavendish is a bit of a non-climber even by sprinters' standards. Besides, i think the sprinters would be trying to save themselves for today's stage. Not a classic sprinter's stage by any means but with a TT coming up followed by a mountain stage they have to take what they can. I imagine that today the sprinters will be trying to stay in the peleton on the long fairly shallow climb or try to catch up on the downhill to the finish:)

Does anyone think that Cavendish will ever make it over the mountains in a GT, without being broomed, to qualify for a ponts jersey? Methinks not.

Does anyone think that Cavendish will ever make it over the mountains in a GT, without being broomed, to qualify for a ponts jersey? Methinks not.Unless there was a good reason (ie illness, injury) then yesterday's performance was really bad. To not be able to stay with a 100-strong group in the Tour de Romandie when the previous day appeared to be taken fairly easily by him?

Stage profile

http://www.cyclingnews.com/road/2008/apr08/romandie08/?id=stages/romandie082

I am a bit worried that he wont make it through tomorrow's stage!

http://www.cyclingnews.com/road/2008/apr08/romandie08/?id=stages/romandie084

With it being relatively short they may start racing properly right from the start so it could be hard for those waiting for Sunday's sprint.

Incidentally it is looking like quite a warm and dry one tomorrow with temps of 8-10C on the tops and around 20C in the valleys

Does anyone think that Cavendish will ever make it over the mountains in a GT, without being broomed, to qualify for a ponts jersey? Methinks not.
Crank just answered this in another thread.

Yes.

His tt potential shows his threshold power output.

Now, he needs to co-ordinate his training.

He will blunt his speed and explosiveness, but on the same token, he will be fresher, so he hopefully will not get any (net) slower in the finishes.

He just has to do the big mtns and develop the strength. Hill repeats in September when his season is winding down, make him work on the high mtn climbing for a week or two. Better than in the middle of next season or the offseason when it will compromise his season.

See the other thread. On Cav CRANKSTER!