Critérium du Dauphiné *SPOILERS*

[Flying_Monkey]

This is going to be a hard Dauphiné - first stage and already the field exploded all over the place. Nice to see Boasson Hagen and Nico Roche back in shape.

Yes, indeed. And a nice win for Van Den Broeck. I don't think much will change tomorrow - maybe a successful mini-escape by someone like Voeckler - but my prediction (and remember these are always absolutely crap!) is that Wiggins will take the jersey on Stage 3 and hold it for a couple of days. He will then lose it to Cadel Evans once the mountains get serious. But the last day is going to be an absolutely killer stage. Last man standing kind of thing. Anyone could crack.

 

[raindog]

Last man standing kind of thing. Anyone could crack.

I really can't see anyone but Evans taking it overall though, can you? Mind you, we could well be in for some surprises yet.

EDIT
did you notice Basso off the back as soon as it started to climb? I know he's out of shape after his crash but I wasn't expecting hime to be as bad as that. But maybe he'll take it really easy untill next week end and then start upping the pace a bit.

 

[Flying_Monkey]

I really can't see anyone but Evans taking it overall though, can you? Mind you, we could well be in for some surprises yet.

Vino is looking even more well-prepared than ever, so you never know. I am just hoping that Evans has got his planning right for this year. Rodriguez is looking good too.

 

[Keith Oates]

Such a poor showing by Basso in this stage suggests to me that he will not be one of the leaders in the TdF. Evans will, as always, put in a good performance but may not go into the red in this race and save that for the TdF. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[rich p]

Evans does go into the red though - it's in his nature though he'd do well not to Keith, I agree.

Wiggins has something to prove so he'll go for top 3 at least I think.

With Vino, and Bertie for that matter, therein lies the problem of doping. We know that they were always talented cyclists but don't know any more whether they're good and clean or good and dirty and itleaves us with a healthy dose of scepticism. I'd have more faith if Vino, Di Luca, Scarponi et al came clean and showed some remorse at least.
If Vino starts sprinting up mountains in the TdF like Pantani on epo we'll have a clearer idea. If he struggles like the rest it may help us believe. I seem to remember him lsing anunexpected amount of time in an ITT recently which bodes well.
BTW, where has Kloden been hiding since his early season rather too good form?

 

[lukesdad]

Sky back to their old tricks again today then !

 

[Sonofpear]

What are these tricks you speak of?

 

[lukesdad]

Schoolboy errors.

 

[rich p]

Schoolboy errors.

They had to work very hard to get the peloton back together but Wiggo finished well despite that. Will it cost him in the ITT tomorrow or not?

 

[raindog]

Wiggins has something to prove so he'll go for top 3 at least I think.

Can't see that happening. He finished 11th, I think, yesterday with a bit of a climb at the end, so God knows where he'll be on sunday evening after the real mountain stages.

 

[Flying_Monkey]

BTW, where has Kloden been hiding since his early season rather too good form?

Probably a training camp in Mexico... anyway, he's back for the Tour de Suisse.

 

[rich p]

You may be right but he finished well today on an uphill. Yesterdays was a bit of a sprint finish and the tougher, more attritional finishes may suit him better.
I'm cutting him some slack at the moment and hoping that he learnt from last years mistakes.

 

[montage]

Wiggins is TTing well, and looking skinnier than ever. The longer mountains should suit him more, theoretically

 

[lukesdad]

Sky do seem to be prone to these sort of errors, Evans too on occasion. They will both have to do a lot better in the tour or they can forget it.

 

[perplexed]

Bradley in yellow now, after coming second to Tony Martin in the time trial!

Cadel 1.11 back...