[cheddarlove]

I must have missed something? Is Robbie McEwan in the Tour? I have not seen hide nor hair of him.

 

[jupiterrn]

Currently he is 78th about 1 minute back.

 

[JSR]

Something tells me he'll get some TV time tomorrw. Here is the very-flat stage profile.

http://tour-de-france.velonews.com/graphics/maps/tdf_2008/tdf08

 

[Einstruzende]

First two stages too tough for the "pure sprinters."

You'll see McEwen tomorrow. He'll be the guy about 1 bike length back watching Cavendish raise his arms in victory.

 

[Sintesi]

First two stages too tough for the "pure sprinters."

You'll see McEwen tomorrow. He'll be the guy about 1 bike length back watching Cavendish raise his arms in victory.

Ouch! Maybe but young sprinters have a way of blowing it their first year in the Tour. It's a whole different kettle of fish than the other races Cavendish has done. Pure speed isn't everything.

 

[edhchoe]

Maybe he came really clean.

 

[cheddarlove]

WOW! So he is there! Thanks for the info. I forgot about an arrogant Cav vs. an arrogant Robbie!! Who'll do the running man tomorrow!! I can't wait!!

 

[Kris Flatlander]

Ouch! Maybe but young sprinters have a way of blowing it their first year in the Tour. It's a whole different kettle of fish than the other races Cavendish has done. Pure speed isn't everything.

Good thing it's Cavendish's second tour then.

 

[bigmig19]

Dish has one heck of a lot of TDF stages to win to even be Robbie's towel boy! Robbie wins stages like its a bodily function and hardly ever with the long train of lead out that Boonen and co. have. Then again Oscar usually doesnt have much of a train either. Why cant some of these teams use a guy like Dominguez or Haedo in the tour? Isnt there a premium on stage wins even if it is a flat one. Are there too many sprinters?

 

[iliveonnitro]

Dish has one heck of a lot of TDF stages to win to even be Robbie's towel boy! Robbie wins stages like its a bodily function and hardly ever with the long train of lead out that Boonen and co. have. Then again Oscar usually doesnt have much of a train either. Why cant some of these teams use a guy like Dominguez or Haedo in the tour? Isnt there a premium on stage wins even if it is a flat one. Are there too many sprinters?

Because Dominguez and Haedo are not good enough to do the tour. I'd be surprised if they could finish. The most important stage race, that is 3 weeks long, is no match for a 1 week american stage race like the Tour de Georgia or Tour of California.

Dominguez is more of a crit racer and cannot climb -- let alone climb the pyrenees or alps. Haedo is in the same boat and would be lucky to survive a 3 week stage race, let alone the TdF. They're good domestic riders, but they don't stack up in Europe.

 

[bigmig19]

Thats interesting, I guess we dont give these guys like Mcewen, Hushoved etc enough credit for hauling there arsses over all those mountains to contend for sprints on stage twenty something.

 

[moabbiker]

Yea, we often put down these tdf sprinters as non-climbers, but that's just relative to everyone else in the tour. Fact is, they would be seen as amazing climbers to the rest of the world.

 

[mark4501]

I saw a brief interview of Robbie on Versus earlier tonight. says he got caught behind two crashes in stage 2, which of course messed up his chances at a victory. I'm sure the uphill thing wasn't any help either. he's a flat land kind of guy.

McEwen had a good showing in stage 3....first among the peleton. I expect he'll be in the thick of things in many sprints to come as well.

I am surprised Cavendish hasn't really been in the mix yet - he does seem to be the heir apparent to the sprinters throne, whether it be this year or sometime in the near future. the guy is fast.

 

[bigmig19]

I cant be sure they all were giving 100 % but the cool thing about the peloton sprint on stage 3 (as a Mcewen fan) was that he won that sprint in a "who's who's of sprinting" free for all. I recall Friere, cavendish, zabel, and more all there for that sprint.

 

[JSR]

Well, that's it. I guess I have officially changed my allegiance from McEwen to Cavendish. What a rocket!

Where was Robbie today? I couldn't find him in the pics at the finish?

JSR

 

[iliveonnitro]

Well, that's it. I guess I have officially changed my allegiance from McEwen to Cavendish. What a rocket!

Where was Robbie today? I couldn't find him in the pics at the finish?

JSR

Robbie (Ventura) asked Robbie (McEwen) what happened in the finish and McEwen was b****ing about how he was boxed in and didn't have a team, or something.

I really, really wish Boonen was here.

Fun trivia of the day: Boonen was the leadout man for Ventura for one season...

 

[cpark]

I think.......absence of Robbie is due to the team is built around Cadel Evans for GC much more so this year than LY.
Therefore, they are not expanding a whole lot of energy chasing down the breakaways...

 

[weltyed]

you know a lot about robbie. i know you are in the chicago area. do you go to visionquest racing or something?

i saw robbie once at a pool in grayslake. was too scared to go talk to him. i mean, i am pretty dumpy, especially in a swimsuit.

Fun trivia of the day: Boonen was the leadout man for Ventura for one season...

 

[snowman3]

I think.......absence of Robbie is due to the team is built around Cadel Evans for GC much more so this year than LY.
Therefore, they are not expanding a whole lot of energy chasing down the breakaways...

Yeah, I'm kind of bummed. I was/am hoping to see more of Robbie, but I don't think he's getting the team's support. He mentioned that in some interviews, but I'd have to re-watch more closely to get the fine detail.

 

[bas]

I must have missed something? Is Robbie McEwan in the Tour? I have not seen hide nor hair of him.

He's gone way of Eric Zabel..

IRRELEVANT!!!!!