I know that often riders from the 'smaller' nations have often ridden in support of their trade team paymasters. Does it often happen with riders from the big nations being selected and then riding for their trade team?

I don't see anyone on the Cannondale roster than might be riding the worlds and is both good enough to be there with 2 laps to go, and not riding for Italy.

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Snacking on carrot sticks - Where did it all go so wrong?
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Finsbury Park CC

I don't get how Thibaut got this far if he's afraid of descending. Or how he won a Tour stage.

KW, I was wondering exactly the same thing when this was brought up at the TdF.

He did well in the Tour last year with his stage win and the descending problems were never mentioned. Surely this must have come up before in other races as well!

Yeah, seems like TP got a bad case of the descending yips. Heck, Wiggo caught it too at the Giro. It's such a fine line, sometime 1 wobble is all it takes to put that doubt back in your head, hopefully he can overcome it.

Edit- I seem to remember it popped up at the Tour de Suisse already when he was poised to fight it out for a stage victory.

Tommy D distracted in the TT yesterday

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2012 BMC SLR 6.02kg http://weightweenies.starbike.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=110390

Bewbs...

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Vuelta is the new tour. Tour is boring, andgiro is too soon in the season. Vuelta was the best GT last year, and same thing will happen this year!!!!

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Happy Trails !!!

They look like Mrs.Garrison's

^truth

The Vuelta has been the most interesting GT in the last few years. The fact that it is the last one, I think is the reason for it. Most of the riders doing it, are there for a few reasons;

1) They are trying to gain experience and prove their worth to their team (so they can start in the Tour or Giro)

2) They had a bad season and are *desperate* to make something happen before the year is out.

3) Some riders will be out of a contract so they will again be desperate to prove their worth and get a new contract

4) Everyone's form is all over the map. Some are fatigued, some are fresh, but almost everyone is hungry.

How many stages is Farrar going to win at the vuelta? That's the real question I'm saying he takes one stage and crashes or has a mechanical in the other flat stages. Discuss

Bet Dan Martin takes more stages.

Or at least that's my hope.

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2013 Wilier Cento1 SR || 2009 Ridley Crossbow || 2011 Yeti AS-R 5 Carbon

I wonder if Sky is having second thoughts about treating Pro Challenge as a training ride. There must have been a hundred thousand people out on the course for stage 6 today. (It was awesome)

apparently he's afraid by the speed due to a crash years ago. He probably descends well enough most of the times but not in the fast descents at 100 Km/h.