David Ferguson wrote:
> On 16 Jul 2005 19:27:39 -0700, "[email protected]"
> >http://www.cyclingnews.com/road/2002/tour02/?id=results/stage12
> >
> >http://www.cyclingnews.com/road/2004/tour04/?id=results/stage13
> ...Then you start talking about "When the break gets caught before the
> ascent of the last climb,"
>
> To which I reply "4 Cat 1s before the last climb, and anyone thinks
> Popo and/or George is going to be there to "paceset and clean up"?'
> After being in an early break? He's going to send Popp and George on
> an early break and expect them to pace set and clean up at the base of
> the last climb?
>
> Then you give me two links to stages where they chased down early
> breaks(were not in them mind you, but chased them down) by the bottom
> of the last hill.
>
> Those two scenarios have absofukinglultey nothing to do with sending
> any Postal/DSC team members in an early break. Let alone the two
> strongest supporters.
Dumbass,
I didn't pick those stages randomly. Maybe I should have given
you links to the profiles to spell it out. Those were two stages
in previous Tours that go over some of the same climbs as
tomorrow's stage. Both were 200km, tomorrow's is 206km. The
point was that an early break of good but not GC contender riders
could stay away until the final climb. I'd guess that Hincapie
or Popovych (or Savoldelli, or Rubiera or Azevedo in previous years,
though they seem a little tired now) are at that level - if one
of them got into an escape with a few good riders, they could make
it over the next to last climb before getting caught. That still
leaves enough Discoverers to ride tempo and control the peleton.
I don't think they _will_ do this. It isn't Johan's style, and
it's probably not necessary because there is no flat in between
the final climbs (where you might want an extra worker even
though he pops when the hill starts). But they are physically
capable of it.
> You either misunderstood the original question about putting them in
> an early break or you are just trolling.
>
> If you think they are going to send Popo and George in an early break
> so they will be there at the catch and ready to "pace set and clean
> up" you have never been on a bike for more than 50 miles and have
> never gone up a hill bigger than one you'd sleigh ride down.
I have never ridden up a hill I could sleigh ride down,
because my rear wheel loses traction in the snow when I
pedal hard enough to tow a sled. You're wrong anyway,
but it doesn't matter what I can do, it matters what the
peleton can do. I suck, of course, but my lack of talent has
nothing to do with July; leave settling arguments by appeals
to riding ability to Kunich and Pappy.
