Professional Cycling For the Fans - Stage 6: Lisieux - Vitré

Stage 6: Lisieux - Vitré, 184 km

http://cdn.dayport.com/olnimg/tdf/img/profiles/profile06.gif

2 hours and 20min untill start, better get the ball rolling.

Looks to be another flat and predictable stage again, a breakaway will fork but get caught as has happened in the last ones! Also it looks like over here we will miss coverage for the only category climb early on! Could be another Peleton finish, where sprinters show there stuff.

Can't wait for the Mountains, by far for me the most exciting rides where you see the Peleton and a few breakaway's...not just one + no big Peleton finishes, you may see 2 or 3 riders battleing it out! More un-predictable thats for sure!

Off we go:

"13:25 - Lead Down To 20"

At the 23km mark, the peloton is 20" behind Guerini, Garcia Acosta, Lopez Garcia, Auge and Backstedt."

"CRIKEY!!!" He's on fire!!!
Why is he winning by so far, and what the hell is wrong with Boonen?

http://www.rfleming.net/diarypics/Crikeysteve.jpg

Go Robbie go.

I can't stand Robbie, but man he is just dominating this tour. Boonen looks like a chump 2 days in a row.

Oy Oy Oy. . . (vay)

yah, what is wrong with Boonen?
(not to take anything away from Robbie)

The last race I watched Boonen in was that thing in the Middle East (I think) a few months ago, and he was making everyone else look like they were going backwards, including Zabel.

I think we'll have to wait till after Boonen looses he yellow before he really has the energy in himself and his team to win the sprints. They're just burning too much during the course of the day.

I think we'll have to wait till after Boonen looses he yellow before he really has the energy in himself and his team to win the sprints. They're just burning too much during the course of the day.
no more than any of the other sprinters teams.
Robbie just seems to appear and just worms his way into position
to blow through and win.
Tornado Tom usually makes everyone look slow, just isn't happening
(and I bet the Dutch are really happy about that!).


marty

http://www.letour.fr/PHOTOS/TDF/2006/600/finish.jpg


^ Boonen's like, "Damn! WTF?!?!"








^ and Robbie's like, "See Ya!!!!"

Boonen has been pounding his bars every sprint after he fails to deliver, You can;t blame his team, He is in the top 5 when the desicive moves are happening. It seems to me he just doesnt have the top end speed this year. It was evident in the intermediate sprints earlier this week as well. He should have been showing them a clean pair of wheels, instead he was getting passed in the last 30 meters etc.

Sure it would be nice to have a 5 man train for the last kilo, and have a clear view of the line with 200 to go, but if you can't beat the other sprinters in a dogfight, you don't deserve to wear the green. Thats why its on the shoulders of the guy who can.

Today, Robbie had a teamate to get him near the front, but he wins plenty of times with no one to help him. He is extrememly good at free lancing, and taking advantage of other riders lead outs. He is tactially very aware, and this year has positively blazing top end speed. How do you counter that?

Even if you are on his wheel when he jumps, you may stay with him, but you are not going to get around him. He is the fastest at the moment.

I feel bad for Boonen, want him to get a stage win, or more, and soon too! He has terrific speed still, just not a match for McEven. So he becomes one of the other top guys from which anyone can win. I don't believe that wearing the yellow is affecting his sprinting.

McEwen's been fast, never needed a Cipollini like train of his own, always managed to work himself thru traffic and appear suddenly from nowhere. Unless of course there is a cat3 a few K from the finish...

I wonder how Petacchi would fare right now if he was well and also in the mix, Robbie's just got that extra bit for the last 50m.

Props to Steegmans too for a perfect lead out - I'm not sure if he was just grimacing but it definately looked like he was grinning as Robbie passed him for the win.

Looks to me that Boonen's problem today was more about bad positioning than lack of speed. He looked to be completely boxed in just as McEwen was opening up the sprint.

I love Robbie, he's on form and ripp'n the sprinters a new one. I agree with Smoothie the green belongs to the fastest guy and right now that Robbie!

I feel bad for Boonen... I don't believe that wearing the yellow is affecting his sprinting.
You might not, but it sure sounds like Boonen believes that the yellow is affecting his performance. ;) He's been complaining about it for a few days now.

Any ideas why Boonen and McEwen chased after the escapees about 1/2 way through the stage?

this is allyou need to know regarding the green jersey...

So does Boonen not want to be in Yellow any more?
I was wondering if the sprinters back off a bit during the longer TT's to save their legs for the next flat stage sprint.

Boonen has been pounding his bars every sprint after he fails to deliver, You can;t blame his team, He is in the top 5 when the desicive moves are happening. It seems to me he just doesnt have the top end speed this year. It was evident in the intermediate sprints earlier this week as well. He should have been showing them a clean pair of wheels, instead he was getting passed in the last 30 meters etc.

Today, Robbie had a teamate to get him near the front, but he wins plenty of times with no one to help him. He is extrememly good at free lancing, and taking advantage of other riders lead outs. He is tactially very aware, and this year has positively blazing top end speed. How do you counter that?


I'm wondering if Bonnen peaked his form a little early this season. Seemed like he raced a lot of classics early on. He was dominant then (somthing like 12 wins going into the tour).

You're spot on about McEwen's free lancing skills. Today seemed like the exception to the way he normally wins sprints. I'm having a hard time remembering that last time I saw him get such a good lead out from a teammate. I think it helps him that he's a smaller sprinter. He tends to squeeze in between riders or the rails where you would think someone could get through. That and he's fast as hell.

Unless there is some obvious tactical mistake like in yesterday's stage, Robbie probably going to get a few more wins.

and again :D :D :D
http://www.cyclingnews.com/photos/2005/tour05/tour055/44.jpg

Im a little pissed I fell asleep during the stage last night

You can't take anything away from Boonen. He's the world road race champ and was amazing during the ProTour this year. I think expecting him to beat Robbie who is obviously on fire at the moment is unreasonable. It doesn't matter whether Steegmans is leading him out or not - he just has the nouce and the top end speed at the moment to blow the doors off everyone.

Oh, and at the risk of being pedantic, 'freelance' is one word. :o :)

You can't take anything away from Boonen. He's the world road race champ and was amazing during the ProTour this year. I think expecting him to beat Robbie who is obviously on fire at the moment is unreasonable. It doesn't matter whether Steegmans is leading him out or not - he just has the nouce and the top end speed at the moment to blow the doors off everyone.

Oh, and at the risk of being pedantic, 'freelance' is one word. :o :)

I wasn't really taking anything away from Boonen. I'm just wondering if he to vigorous of schedule coming into the Tour. Of course, for him being World Champ was probably a priority over winning the TdF. He was very strong early this year.

Oh, and stop being so pedantic, whatever that means....:D

This just in: Robbie, Harry Potter wants his cloak back!

I thought for sure Boonen would have won a stage by now- or at least today's. He had at least three of his guys up there leading him out in that sprint finish. They practically drew him a line to the finish, but I guess McEwen just has more leg power by the end. Poor guy. Still... wearing yellow is no small feat either!

Koffee

Only for a rider like Boonen can three days in the yellow jersey not be enough.