Your verdict on the season thus far?

[limerickman]

Now that the European cycling season is two months old - have you any thoughts/complaints about it thus far?

Personally, I feel it's been a very entertaining start what with Landis getting some excellent results, Boonen dominating the one day races, the return of Iban Mayo at Pais Vasco, and the growing pains of DC and the very quiet season of TMO.
The season has also seen the return of Oscar Freire to his winning ways and the dominance of QS is something to behold.

All in all a very interesting start, I would say.

 

[Andrija]

Now that the European cycling season is two months old - have you any thoughts/complaints about it thus far?

Personally, I feel it's been a very entertaining start what with Landis getting some excellent results, Boonen dominating the one day races, the return of Iban Mayo at Pais Vasco, and the growing pains of DC and the very quiet season of TMO.
The season has also seen the return of Oscar Freire to his winning ways and the dominance of QS is something to behold.

All in all a very interesting start, I would say.

So far so good.

But after L-B-L, Giro and then Tour, I think this start of the season will be forgotten and will look very boring (mostly because of one man (team) domination).

But again, so far so good (can't wait Sunday).

 

[cyclingheroes]

Now that the European cycling season is two months old - have you any thoughts/complaints about it thus far?

Personally, I feel it's been a very entertaining start what with Landis getting some excellent results, Boonen dominating the one day races, the return of Iban Mayo at Pais Vasco, and the growing pains of DC and the very quiet season of TMO.
The season has also seen the return of Oscar Freire to his winning ways and the dominance of QS is something to behold.

All in all a very interesting start, I would say.

Well it's a bit early... but i was impressed by Thomas Dekker's win at the Tirreno-Adriatico, Landis did a great Tour of California and Paris-Nice, saw a great Tour of Flanders, M-SR ... And i am looking forward to the Giro...

 

[barnstorm]

at this point in the season, we have a couple of important races behind us which lets us know where the one day riders stand on form. Also, the short stage races give us an inkling as to the GT riders' form. The bunch sprinters also let us know who is for real this year...

Boonen is the man and QS is the team for one days.
Lotto and DC are deep but not riding smart enough or not talented enought to get over

GTs showing form. Cunego, Landis, Basso, Vino, all showing early form by winning short stage races. Valverde, Contador, Dekker... the "next generation" looking good too. All three look like they will have big contenders

Bunch sprinters, Boonen, Pettacchi, mcEwen, all with wins. No change there. Freire, Zabel and lots of others showing up for a stage or two. Looking pretty much to script

The only real surprise of the year for me thus far has been Floyd. I never tipped him for more than a top 10 tour guy. Now I think he could contend for the podium if the team is organized and he times the form right. He is a bit of a loose cannon, in a good way, very likeable, and has a seriously goofy TT position. I think we will see him podium and perhaps win a Giro or Vuelta one of these days.

Jan is still one big question mark

A great early season, albeit with few surprises.

 

[whiteboytrash]

I've been impressed by Samuel Sanchez.... very aggressive in MSR and Paris-Nice and now doing a lot good stuff and holds the yellow jersey in the Tour of the Basque Country.... could be the man if Mayo fails again..... I like a rider who takes a bit between the teeth and goes for it......

I have also been impressed by Basso.... looks very slick this year and very focused.

I have to say this year has been exciting thus far and its good to see some of the focus coming off the Tour and onto the other races.....

at this point in the season, we have a couple of important races behind us which lets us know where the one day riders stand on form. Also, the short stage races give us an inkling as to the GT riders' form. The bunch sprinters also let us know who is for real this year...

Boonen is the man and QS is the team for one days.
Lotto and DC are deep but not riding smart enough or not talented enought to get over

GTs showing form. Cunego, Landis, Basso, Vino, all showing early form by winning short stage races. Valverde, Contador, Dekker... the "next generation" looking good too. All three look like they will have big contenders

Bunch sprinters, Boonen, Pettacchi, mcEwen, all with wins. No change there. Freire, Zabel and lots of others showing up for a stage or two. Looking pretty much to script

The only real surprise of the year for me thus far has been Floyd. I never tipped him for more than a top 10 tour guy. Now I think he could contend for the podium if the team is organized and he times the form right. He is a bit of a loose cannon, in a good way, very likeable, and has a seriously goofy TT position. I think we will see him podium and perhaps win a Giro or Vuelta one of these days.

Jan is still one big question mark

A great early season, albeit with few surprises.

 

[bobke]

I've been impressed by Samuel Sanchez.... very aggressive in MSR and Paris-Nice and now doing a lot good stuff and holds the yellow jersey in the Tour of the Basque Country.... could be the man if Mayo fails again..... I like a rider who takes a bit between the teeth and goes for it......

I have also been impressed by Basso.... looks very slick this year and very focused.

I have to say this year has been exciting thus far and its good to see some of the focus coming off the Tour and onto the other races.....

Americans:
Landis has been the big revelation winning two big stage races.
Levi has been awful quiet.
Bobby shows good form.
Zabreeskee is a bit quiet.
Lance is unusually quiet, we'll have to see how he is doing later.

Grand Tour likelyies:
Basso is absolutely blazing.
Ullrich predictably has screwed up his training.
Valverde is going good.
Cunego very quiet...hmmmmm
Vino very quiet

Irish riders;
oh sorry there arent any out there

Aussies:
Cadel awful quiet
the trackies great at Commonwealth but so were the Brits
McEwen great as always

Boonen unstoppable.

 

[Eldrack]

I was a bit ****** of when the cancelled the climbing stage on the T-A, that would have been interesting to see what happened. Apart from that it is all good. Now we just have to see how many PT points Boonen can get before the classics end......

 

[thebluetrain]

Irish riders;
oh sorry there arent any out there

LOL, there is always Sean Kelly and Stephen Roche to fall back on.

 

[barnstorm]

Cunego very quiet...hmmmmm
Vino very quiet

Cunego quiet?
6th Settimana Ciclistica Internazionale Coppi-Bartali - 2.1
Final General classification

1 Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre-Fondital 20.45.51

Vino quiet?
21st Vuelta a Castilla y Leon - 2.1
Results

1 Alexandre Vinokourov (Kaz) Liberty Seguros-Wurth 3.51.45 not considered big races but loaded with PR teams and not the B teams of those either.

 

[limerickman]

LOL, there is always Sean Kelly and Stephen Roche to fall back on.

Oi - we do have some professional cyclists in the peloton : Mark Scanlon World Junior Champion 1998 is with Ag2r.
Ciaran Power is with US Navigators and finished 13th in Athens Road Race.

Albeit the halcyon days of Kelly and Roche (and Earley and Kimmage) are not current.
But as a nation I think we punch well above our weight, all told.

 

[MJtje]

Yeah, I also am impressed with T. dekker......1) for publicly saying he works with checcini although rabo management does not really like that; he is doing everything his own way 2) for winning TA!!! The future of dutch cycling for sure.....

I'm also amazed by the strength of Boonen. In each (semi) classic he rode he was the best...........

I also think Basso looks extremely well......I've said it before if there is 1 guy in the peloton who can do the double it's only basso...........

Landis, I really dunno.......I still don't see landis as a contender for the TDF!

Giro will be very exciting.....we probably need to watch that on sporza or eurosport. The NOS seems to have cut back in livecoverage of cycling

Well it's a bit early... but i was impressed by Thomas Dekker's win at the Tirreno-Adriatico, Landis did a great Tour of California and Paris-Nice, saw a great Tour of Flanders, M-SR ... And i am looking forward to the Giro...

 

[wolfix]

Boonen has brought a great rivalry among sprinters. And I think sprinters make for exciting racing.... The TDF will be interesting this year with the "Will Jan do it" story going on. Also if Landis does something there it will be interesting to me from an American viewpoint.....
The Classics have always been my favorite races. The time span from Flanders to P-R is a good time of the year.

 

[Doctor.House]

Boonen has brought a great rivalry among sprinters. And I think sprinters make for exciting racing.... The TDF will be interesting this year with the "Will Jan do it" story going on. Also if Landis does something there it will be interesting to me from an American viewpoint.....
The Classics have always been my favorite races. The time span from Flanders to P-R is a good time of the year.

Oh Roid Landis did something alright wolf.

It is laugable to review these old posts.

How wrong they were.

Grand Tours = grand deception

 

[limerickman]

Oh Roid Landis did something alright wolf.

It is laugable to review these old posts.

How wrong they were.

Grand Tours = grand deception

This thread refers to the 2006 season.

 

[Doctor.House]

This thread refers to the 2006 season.

Indeed.

2006, much like 2007.

 

[Tim Lamkin]

Not enough drug bands yet....still time though.