Stage 4: Tours - Blois TTT

[Guest]

Stage 4: Tours - Blois TTT, 67.5 km

http://www.cyclingnews.com/road/2005//tour05/graphics/profile4.gif

[allgoo19]

Second chance to move up or down the standings.

Favorite: Team discovery channel

Ok, I'm not well informed. Your input will help.

[Devil]

Discovery for the third year in a row (same team, different name, so what?). T-Mobile, CSC, Phonak close behind.

[skinnyone]

da csc baby... discovery 2nd followed by T-mobile..

[Dolomiti]

I'll bet the house on Discovery.
Unless some fluke weather occurance happens where a team starting much earlier or later gets better conditions.

[my58vw]

CSC vs Discovery will make an interesting matchup...

[allgoo19]

Team Discovery's success in TTT could mean Hincapie in second place, not to mention Lance in yellow jersey.

It probably doesn't mean much to him or to the team but it makes me feel good.

[Laggard]

CSC
Discovery
Phonak

[gcasillo]

This is CSC's to lose. There were built to TT, and they've ridden all season long like this was their target.

CSC
Discovery
Phonak
(the rest of the field, a distant 4th)

[skinnyone]

I have a sneaky suspicion that fassa bartolo could make a statement but I will stick with my picks...

[Dolomiti]

CSC didn't exactly look like the most fluid TTT squad last year. Maybe they practiced a lot more this time.

[zero]

Euskaltel-Euskadi!!!!!!!!!


no.

Discovery is just too good at these, but I would like to see CSC pull through.

[hwttdz]

My question is why is there a feed zone, http://www.cyclingnews.com/road/2005/tour05/?id=stages/tour054 , the stage is only 67 km, and I'd hope they're going to pull at least 50 something kmph so they shouldn't be out there that long. Wouldn't it slow them down a huge amount to sit up to eat, why not just eat gels or whatever when you're sitting last wheel, which is really what I think is going to happen, so then why is the feed zone there? Just kind of weird.

[ljb61]

This might be the stage that Discovery will miss Eki the most, but still they are my #1 pick with Phonak and CSC close.

[Lanceaholic]

CSC has never won/ They don`t have enough good riders for it. They will lose. And Lance`ll win the Tour

[fishigan]

Discovery/ CSC/ Phonak. I'm not discovery fan, but, you have to admit they are a fast team.

[gsteinb]

what's the limit a team can lose now?

[girl27]

I suspect you're still drunk from Stage 1, Lanceaholic. :)

I think LJB's on the money. This will be the stage where Eki's missed the most.

CSC
Discovery or TMobile
TMobile or Discovery
Phonak
Liquigas?

[Laggard]

CSC has never won/ They don`t have enough good riders for it.

Oh good god. I guess your name says it all.

CSC

Basso
Julich
Sastre
Voigt
Zabriskie
Lombardi (!)


That's a tremendous amount of power and talent.

[skinnyone]

Both CSC and Discovery have flexed their muscles a bit thus far... One would think T-Mobile would want to make a statement tomorrow, if anything for morale and getting the pressure off...

I still think that the CSC/Discovery battle will be very close.. If stage 1 placements mean anything, both CSC and Discovery have an equal number(5 I think) of riders in the top 20. Shows you that they are pretty well matched up...

[Bikeophile]

CSC, Discovery, TMOBILE and Phonak all have great teams for the TTT

Remember when there were a bunch of crashouts on Phonak and they had to scramble and still nearly won it?

It makes no difference WHO is on those teams right now. All of them have done TTT and all of those teams have proven to be excellent. It all comes down to who has focussed on it more since last year.

My guess is that since the new rules about limitting the potential time loss was brought in last year, that teams probably are focussing less on the TTT than in the past.

Since Lance Loves the TTT I am guessing that they are still focussing on it quite a bit though. So my money is on Discovery.

CSC has a better team on paper than last year for the TTT if for no other reason than Basso has been practicing his TT skills, even though it didn't pay off on stage1. Who knows if Zabriskie is a good TTT or not...He's fast, but thats not what the team time trial is about.

Should be a great stage, especially if its windy!

[allgoo19]

I predict, yellow jersey wearer will change.

[maalea]

wow, these boards sure do get interesting this month. Does anyone know what time OLN will pick up the live feed on the TTT?

[Dolomiti]

You all should remember that a very powerful team does not necessarily mean they are a good TTT team. As it has been shown many times in the past.

[gcasillo]

Piil is no slouch either.

[georgiaboy]

CSC is my favorite team. They love cycling. They ride with alot of heart. This is not a team of hired guns. But a collection of cyclists who love the sport. That is why they participate in the in several races besides the Tour de France.

Bobby Julich is respected and admired by the European cycling community. He knows the history of cyclilng and humbly tries to fit in.

[skinnyone]

CSC is my favorite team. They love cycling. They ride with alot of heart. This is not a team of hired guns. But a collection of cyclists who love the sport. That is why they participate in the in several races besides the Tour de France.

Bobby Julich is respected and admired by the European cycling community. He knows the history of cyclilng and humbly tries to fit in.

I was especially impressd when he said that his GC years are over and he is going to support Basso.. For a rider to admit that in public and continue riding means that he loves the sport..

[va_cyclist]

Whatever became of the ONCE team? I thought they were the masters of the team time trial.

[fore0121]

Whatever became of the ONCE team? I thought they were the masters of the team time trial.

They are now Liberty Seguros (I think). As for why they are no longer TTT kings, I dunno.

f

[Guest]

wow, these boards sure do get interesting this month. Does anyone know what time OLN will pick up the live feed on the TTT?

They said 8:30am EST.

Koffee

[Smoothie104]

Who had more fast guys in the 1st stage? I think CSC was faster cummulativley, wow I spell like my58vw

[stewartp]

CSC
Discovery
TMobile

I love the TTT - it's bike poetry. Cycling as an artform, cycling as dance (OK - I'm getting a bit carried away)

There may be some that will argue it doesn't belong in the tour, it skews the GC etc etc. but the Tour is such a great advert for cycling that Team TTs would never get seen otherwise.

[my58vw]

Who had more fast guys in the 1st stage? I think CSC was faster cummulativley, wow I spell like my58vw

Wow I am leaving my mark on the forum :lol:

I cn spl cn't I?

[Iron Chef]

CSC owning the pole position has to account for a lot doesn't it? I sure would want to go last. At least I wouldn't get passed if I went last. :D

I kind of found this quote kind of interesting.
"To keep the jersey, we have to beat Discovery," Riis said. "They're the strongest team, along with us and Phonak. I think it will be close."

I guess Bjarne Riis isn't too impressed with the guys in pink. :)

[skinnyone]

Who had more fast guys in the 1st stage? I think CSC was faster cummulativley, wow I spell like my58vw

I think its a toss up btw CSC and Discovery in the top 20.. both had 5 riders and the advantage might be a few seconds.. I am not sure how much it matters though.. The TTT would seem like a different beast.. you gotta run a paceline and TT at the same time.. Sounds kinda tough..

[Crack'n'fail]

I guess Bjarne Riis isn't too impressed with the guys in pink. :)

Maybe because six of the 9 guys on the team got caught by their minute man in the opening TT?

It's hard for me to imagine Discovery not dominating this thing, only because LA takes this stage personally. He WANTS to win it, even with the limited time losses. However, I'll pick it this way:

Phonak (Floyd is the only one I've heard take as much pride in this event as LA)
Discovery (See above)
T-Mobile (they bounce back from a poor showing on stage 1)
CSC (no way a group this talented can finish lower than this)

[gcasillo]

Pray pray pray for good weather. For once, I want a Tour TTT to be a display of power, not bike handling.

Please be dry. Please.

[Crack'n'fail]

Pray pray pray for good weather. For once, I want a Tour TTT to be a display of power, not bike handling.

Please be dry. Please.

I second that.

[Allen H]

Did they keep the same time limit rules for the TTT as last year? That may save Vino and Jan some time gaps this year, since it doesn't sound like T-Mobile is getting any respect for the TTT this time.

[youm0nt]

i hope discovery wins it

[RegularGuy]

Ooooooh boy! I can't wait. It's going to be beautiful.

I love the TTT.

I even like saying "Blois"!

[simplyred]

CSC

Basso
Julich
Sastre
Voigt
Zabriskie
Lombardi (!)


That's a tremendous amount of power and talent.

+1

Don't forget they're on Canadian bikes... WOOT! WOOT!
LOL

But yes... they are stacked just as any other of the big teams... T-Mob, Discovery

[my58vw]

Ya, those cervelo's just kill the competation :lol: (see sig)

I think it is the motor more than the bike personally...

[simplyred]

I think it is the motor more than the bike personally...

Of course, at that level...
I'm just making sure Cervelo gets their props! :p :D

[jit2]

+1

Don't forget they're on Canadian bikes... WOOT! WOOT!
LOL

But yes... they are stacked just as any other of the big teams... T-Mob, Discovery


Canadian bikes manufactured in Taiwan.

One of their web guys was riding the new Soloist Carbon Saturday on the Donut ride. Sweet bike.

[fore0121]

I'm just making sure Cervelo gets their props! :p :D

+1

Way to go Red. Keep giving little 'e' their due.

:D :D :D

[jit2]

Did they keep the same time limit rules for the TTT as last year? That may save Vino and Jan some time gaps this year, since it doesn't sound like T-Mobile is getting any respect for the TTT this time.

Yes, the time losses are still limited based on the days final standings. Riders in the team that finishes second can lose no more than 20 seconds, 3rd - 30 seconds, 4th - 40 seconds and so on in ten second increments down to the 15th team, who can lose no more than 2.30, and then in five second increments down to the 21st team whose riders can lose no more than 3 minutes. If the team finishes closer to the winners than the maximum, the riders get the actual team time.

[toomanybikes]

CSC
Discovery
Phonak

T-Mobile about 5th

[glassman]

Good article on Stage 4 here
http://outside.away.com/outside/tour-de-france-2005/carmichael/20050704.html

[gcasillo]

Gerolsteiner 4th.