Paris-Nice!

[mjalder2]

What a finish!


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[galgal]

Yes!:hello:

[bbeck66]

That was incredible. What a great race.

[Elefantino]

Short stages make for great racing. Take note, Grand Tours.

Bonus seconds also make for great racing.

[mjalder2]

Short stages make for great racing. Take note, Grand Tours.



Bonus seconds also make for great racing.



Totally. I can't believe De La Cruz sniped the overall from Contador like that. What a jerk move.


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[GregL]

Totally. I can't believe De La Cruz sniped the overall from Contador like that. What a jerk move.
Watching the closing kilometers unfold, I was wondering if Contador and De La Cruz had made a deal. Guess not...

Greg

[galgal]

Totally. I can't believe De La Cruz sniped the overall from Contador like that. What a jerk move.


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Agreed. Leaves a sour taste after some fantastic racing. 2 seconds! Wow.

[corky]

It was a race......

[abr5]

I don't blame de la Cruz for taking the win, as corky said, it's a race. I would've liked to see him work more with Contador in the run up, though they had no way of knowing he'd only need 2 seconds.

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[guido]

Racing is racing. Fantastic effort though from Contador. Definitely shows he is hungry for July.

[unterhausen]

I don't blame de la Cruz for taking the win, as corky said, it's a race. I would've liked to see him work more with Contador in the run up, though they had no way of knowing he'd only need 2 seconds.
Contador dropped him in the run-up, de la Cruz had just caught back up right before the sprint started -- certainly within the final kilometer. It looked to me that de la Cruz helped plenty, not sure what the griping is about. In fact, he took a pull just before Contador dropped him. If I caught someone that had tried to ride off from me and outsprinted them at the line, I'd feel great about it.

[mjalder2]

Contador dropped him in the run-up, de la Cruz had just caught back up right before the sprint started -- certainly within the final kilometer. It looked to me that de la Cruz helped plenty, not sure what the griping is about. In fact, he took a pull just before Contador dropped him. If I caught someone that had tried to ride off from me and outsprinted them at the line, I'd feel great about it.



I'm not really griping. A race is a race as has been said. I just thought they would've had a gentleman's agreement about how it would end given Contador's overall. I was more surprised than anything. Great day of racing!

[nooneline]

Totally. I can't believe De La Cruz sniped the overall from Contador like that. What a jerk move.

That's not what happened. Watching bike racing is all about understanding the different races happening, and people's motivations.

Things happened exactly as they should have. Contador was racing against Henao for the overall. DLC was trying to win the stage. Their proximity to each other is beside the point.

Furthermore, if you'd ask a bike racer if they'd rather do something that looks like a jerk move to a guy on the internet AND win a bike race, or if they'd rather be a selfless opponent and lose the bike race, guess which one they'd choose?

[mhespenheide]

Any gentleman's agreement should have gone something like Contador agreeing to let De La Cruz take the stage in exchange for working together to maximize the time they gained. If Contador can ride De La Cruz off of his wheel, though, that doesn't argue for him being too much of a beneficial partner.

Bonus seconds -- at least when the race is this close -- ameliorate against such agreements, because Contador needed every second he could get.

Chapeau to him for making the race, though.

[nooneline]

Any gentleman's agreement should have gone something like Contador agreeing to let De La Cruz take the stage in exchange for working together to maximize the time they gained. If Contador can ride De La Cruz off of his wheel, though, that doesn't argue for him being too much of a beneficial partner.

Bonus seconds -- at least when the race is this close -- ameliorate against such agreements, because Contador needed every second he could get.

Chapeau to him for making the race, though.

Agreed, but I wonder if the bonus seconds on the line was what made Contador hesitate about offering the stage - I think he thought he could get as much as he could out of De La Cruz before dropping him and taking it all.

Contador - interesting. He's spoken recently about how he thinks racing with panache is more important to him (at least at this point in his career) than winning. It's a lovely sentiment, but cycling is really the only sport where that sort of attitude can carry water.

[MattTuck]

Agreed, but I wonder if the bonus seconds on the line was what made Contador hesitate about offering the stage - I think he thought he could get as much as he could out of De La Cruz before dropping him and taking it all.

Contador - interesting. He's spoken recently about how he thinks racing with panache is more important to him (at least at this point in his career) than winning. It's a lovely sentiment, but cycling is really the only sport where that sort of attitude can carry water.

One wonders whether he explained that philosophy to Trek before joining the team.

Haha, perhaps he took Voeckler's new online class, "Racing with panache: An introduction to racing with flair, including a special emphasis on hopeless breakaways, maximizing sponsor exposure, pulling faces for the camera and the contortions of the tongue."

[nooneline]

hahahahaha

although, in Contador's defense - he races with actual panache: daring attempts at victory that really does make for good racing, rather than just Voeckler-style ill-advised and ill-fated moves when they *don't* matter.

[cmg]

can't win without trying. it was fun.

[guido]

One wonders whether he explained that philosophy to Trek before joining the team.


Like Fabian Cancellara, Contador rides with a fighting spirit that Trek likes in a brand ambassador. They knew entirely what they were getting. Given the evidence of the last two days in the mountains he is going to make this a great season of bike racing. I can't wait for July.

[ultraman6970]

Contador can win races w/o a team and as i said time ago, he pretty much doesnt have a team... AGAIN!!! this year. The question is if he will be able to keep up for the rest of the season, dude looks like is at his best already.

The other thing that surprise me of this season is that people is already going way too fast, wonder what will happen for the big races to come, vuelta, giro and tour.

Great final state at the paris-nice!

[Jad]

Contador can win races w/o a team and as i said time ago, he pretty much doesnt have a team... AGAIN!!! this year. The question is if he will be able to keep up for the rest of the season, dude looks like is at his best already.

The other thing that surprise me of this season is that people is already going way too fast, wonder what will happen for the big races to come, vuelta, giro and tour.

Great final state at the paris-nice!

I know what you mean, though watching Pantano working for Contador on the climbs was impressive.

And yeah--great final stage with a good buildup.

[Clean39T]

Like Fabian Cancellara, Contador rides with a fighting spirit that Trek likes in a brand ambassador. They knew entirely what they were getting. Given the evidence of the last two days in the mountains he is going to make this a great season of bike racing. I can't wait for July.



Agreed. And Pantano is a beast and a hell of a lead out guy!


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[Clean39T]

Also, can we talk about how Contador manages to ride out of the saddle for that long?


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[beeatnik]

^practice. he does insane out of the saddle exercises where he'll ride for over an hour without sitting down (on climbs, I believe). He mentions it on a GCN ride along from early 2016.

[BobO]

I know what you mean, though watching Pantano working for Contador on the climbs was impressive.

I also truly enjoyed watching Pantano's performance. One hell of a teammate there.

[trener1]

[QUOTE=ultraman6970;2141295]Contador can win races w/o a team and as i said time ago, he pretty much doesnt have a team... AGAIN!!! this year. The question is if he will be able to keep up for the rest of the season, dude looks like is at his best already.

I would have to respectively disagree about Trek's lack of strength this year.
We all saw Pantano at this race, Fabio Felini took some monster pulls in the monutains at the Ruta del Sol/Andalucia last month, and lets not forget Molema will be riding for him come July, that right there is 3 solid teammates, while perhaps a half step lower then Sky and Movistar, I would by no means say that he will be at the Tour w/o a solidly strong team.

[ultraman6970]

I do agree, trek looks a lot better than years before but is hard to compare when you talk about movistar and sky. I was checking at the roster and the team is totally different this year, they totally put people and money to support contador and molema. I miss FC in that roster tho... :/

[trener1]

I do agree, trek looks a lot better than years before but is hard to compare when you talk about movistar and sky. I was checking at the roster and the team is totally different this year, they totally put people and money to support contador and molema. I miss FC in that roster tho... :/

Yeah like I said, I think that they are still a bit below Sky and Movistar, but after those 2, I think they will be strong team that will be able to give Contodor good support.

[ultraman6970]

The problem the other teams have is that molema perfectly can win any big race, other teams dont have that flexibility. Dangerous team after all.

[MattTuck]

Contador is 34 years old. His TDF winning days may be over. But hopefully they can put on a good show.

[FL_MarkD]

Really enjoyed the race, especially the final stage. Some real good racing and some excitement for a change. Not just 5 Sky riders setting the pace all day.