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Podium Cafe

Tour of Qatar Stage 6 LIVE

Sealine Beach Resort - Doha Corniche 120.5 km

Last day of the fun in the sand.
Podiumcafe's likely suspect: Andrea Guardini

Official site , Startlist , Stageinfo

Live video:13:00 CET (07:00 US EST, 23:00 AUS EDT)
Video: steephill , cyclingfans , Procyclinglive , Sports Livez.

0 recs  |  258 comments

Comments

Winnar!

You know, I could live with Guardini for the stage and Tommeke for the overall….

I was first on my screen

but not anymore after refreshing :(

Don;t feel bad, another bunch sprint...
Another result stripped from the records

this is getting ridiculous

Oh, sweet smell of success

and now the bitter taste of disappointment :P

oh well you won yesterday! :D

While we wait...

Did you ever change a chain in your bike? Have to do that today, I hope is not too busy at work….

Nope, but I'm sure others can help you with that.
My cross bike needs a new chain. I'm procrastinating about it. No clue what to do!
Um. Get a new chain?
Yes, but putting it on scares me!
As I told my sister when she told me she'd spent the morning changing her oil and replacing her spark plugs:

You know, these days you can pay somebody to do that for you.

I always feel so embarrassed when I take my bike to the little man down the road :-/
Then,

2. Get a chain tool.
3. Remove the old chain using chain tool, by pushing out a random pin. Practice leaving the pin just lodged in one side of the chain! Don’t push it out all the way. You’ll need that skill with the new chain, or else buy a connector (sram powerlink or wipperman connex). Which I always do, anyway. Sometimes they come with the new chain.
4. Determine the correct length of the new chain by putting it on smallest-smallest and tighten until the derailleur is free.
5. Remove the extra bit of the new chain with the chain tool. Make sure you leave the pin hanging on! (or have the powerlink ready). Also make sure that the ends of the chain, the open links, will connect … Without powerlink: one outer link and one inner link. With powerlink: two inner links.
6. Put chain together, screw in the pin with chain tool. Or click the powerlink together.

Hardest part: not get black grease all over yourself and the house.

My brain is frying, but perhaps I'll be brave...thanks!
Thanks Ted.... will give it a try.

Smallest gear and plate?

Yes

The chain will have the most slack in that position, so if you make it (just) right there, you won’t have trouble anywhere else.

Another way is: biggest plate + what you would use as biggest rear cog in practice (say, 3rd from biggest) and make sure the bottom derailleur wheel is not (much) forward of the top derailleur wheel.

Ted nailed it.

I can’t stress the value of the connex (or KMC) links enough. Connex are a little pricier, but much easier to remove. Buy one every time you get a chain, then the installation is just an exercise it cutting the new one the right length). I have used the big/big method of determining length in the past, but now I just compare to the old one. A new chain makes for a happy drivetrain. Don’t ignore it since a worn one does a number on your cogs and rings.

I forgot one bit, if not using powerlink/connex:

7. Make sure the pin that you pushed back in, is completely symmetrical into the left and right outer plate of the chain link. It really needs very careful attention. It’s not hard, but a sloppy, skew fit will make the pin very vulnerable to popping out. Which is always at an inopportune moment. If necessary, turn the chain tool and push the pin back a bit.
7a. After you got the pin to fit perfectly, the link will be more or less frozen (outer plates of the link squeezed tight onto the inner part). Carefully bend the chain left & right to loosen it up. Re-check symmetry of the pin.

Thanks Ted, Peter...

Update… old chain laying on the floor….

There are probably good YouTube videos too

For those of us who need to see how it’s done.

Baaaahahahahahaha

Have an Ename Tripel. I’m generous in victory and never gloat.

podium..! yeeeey!
Well breakfast is done time to get ready for work,

See you all later…. Short bike ride and I see you when I get to work.

Woohoo, day off

Hey broerie, anywhere to watch this on Belgian telly? Eurosport, Eurosport 2, Exqi?

Bah
I haven't gotten an answer yet you know
What do I know about Belgian TV?
Nothing

yet another reason you haven’t gotten a passport yet

I watched the new year show on Belgian TV. It was awesome.
Life tv if you have Telenet

and Eurosport.
I’d advise Life tv, it’s the worst commentary EVAR.
Luc Alloo and Dirk De Wolf doo the commentary. Alloo knows nothing about bikeracing (he only knows Boonen – not a joke), De Wols is his usual nervous self.

My typing skills are awesome!
Life tv?

What the fuck? Gotta try that. It sounds awful.

channel 56 if I remember correctly
Life tv

Isn’t that the one with Ingeborg doing yoga all the time?

absolutely no idea
Wow

This is. Wow.
Who is Pieter Sagan?

Sagan?

I think he’s a rider from USSR.

They keep mispronouncing his first name

which is really daft considered dude is called Peter.

its almost like a Hollywood name.
exqi
well, they were doing the stage highlights just now.

but, the sports livez channel switched over to british eurosport now.

Wind today?
From what I've heard, yes

but a tailwind finish, so the pace will be on regardless

McCrossan says headwind:
antmccrossan Anthony McCrossan
Todays finish of #tourofqatar – 4 lanes wide. Slight bend to left and a headwind. 27 degrees centigrade.
14 minutes ago
Trains in action today perhaps?:
Would be nice to see Garmin actually get it to work today.

But I expect it’ll be Cav again.

Garmin's train appears to be working fairly well

Farrar is just looking really, really slow. I know it’s early, and I’m not expecting him to be winning, but he is going backwards in these sprints and looking like he can barely hold a wheel in the final kilometer.

Yeah, okay. Maybe it's all Farrar.

But to me it’s looked like they’re pretty strong and then can’t maintain throughout the last kilometer.

He was pretty sharp at this time last year.

Ok, perhaps the competition was not as strong as in Qatar, but stiil.

I don't care too much as long as we get Tombo in gold
It would take a poorly-timed mechanical of a major order to get him out of it.
I know, but I do tend to get rather paranoid when it comes to my favourite boys ;)
Understandable, given your love for you-know-which-vegetables.
The 2010 Anton Vuelta debacle has scarred me for life
That was bad.
I was sitting in a town square in Belgium when it happened, in Veurne.

I was drinking hot chocolate and eating a waffle. It was blissful. Then I got a text. Distraught :(

Lesson is

stick to beer in Belgium

Or turn your phone off.
Just finished a massive long search strategy all about fetal anomaly screening.

Time for a cuppa. Should I make a pot?

Still on coffee here, thanks.

But if you have anything to eat, I’m starting to think about breakfast.

I don't I'm afraid. I'm starving hungry and it's only 11.25!
Hmph. I guess I'll have to get my own, once I get the kid out the door.
Oh, coffee

Splendid idea

I can run to coffee too, but it's only instant
That's not coffee
It's okay--I've got the Keurig and plenty of different kinds of K-cups.

The convenience of instant, the taste of real.

Sounds like the same mechanism as senseo

which is what I have here.

Yeah, I think they're probably quite similar.

We went with Keurig because my sister had one, and I really liked hers.

Some people are so picky. It's all I have. I hate coffee.
No wonder you hate coffee if you drink instant
I don't drink any coffee. Bleugh.
Usually by now someone on Twitter has told us who's in today's break.

Haven’t seen anything yet, though.

antmccrossan Anthony McCrossan
7 riders on the attack on the final stage of #tourofqatar – avg speed 55kmh!!!
7 minutes ago
antmccrossan Anthony McCrossan
Marangoni, ladagnous, mouris, lodewijk, gallopin, ojavee, tjallingi on the attack #tourofqatar 2 minss 8 seconds.
I am at work....

Made it…

I haven't moved off the couch.
Good for you...!

Already pedaled a few miles….

It's my day off.

Tomorrow: 5K downtown training race for the Mini (Indy half marathon in May). Sunday: 7 mile race up in Zionsville or some godforsaken place. (Both foot, not bike, if that wasn’t clear.)

On foot? I don't think I understand this concept.
Know how in cross races when they put their bike over their shoulders and run?

Sort of like that, only without the bike.

Without the bike? Weird.
Yeah, I agree.

I do it because…because…

Let me get back to you on that.

to be able to beat your husband in that game as well?
Ohgoodlordno.

He finishes in the top 10-15% of races. Me, not so much. I do intend to beat him on distance eventually, though. But not until next year.

I love running as a way to take a break from cycling middway through summer

I’m exclusively on the bike from January 1 to usually around July. Then switch to running and usually do an October half-marathon. Keeps me motivated/interested yearlong.

so, has the "podiumcafe's likely suspect" been right at all during qatar?
That just went straight over my head :(
Jens keeps predicting winners. He's usually wrong.
Who did he predict? Cav?
Just scroll up, woman!
When i got here, all the new comments weren't highlighted, so rather than rereading, I skipped. Oops.
Not in comments--in the post.
Jens writes things at the beginning?
LOL

Nobody ever reads the posts, do they?

I confess...no, not usually. I'm usually scrambling for a feed.

I do however LOVE Jens’ jumps to new threads.

you're gonna hurt his feelings

(well, i read them)

I'm still sulking ;)
You read his feelings?

Wow, that IS impressive.

I do

Putting these things up takes effort

Are you sure you read them?
Shrug, yeah

After a full season of cyclocross I have a new found respect for the live thread folks, no matter how short the intros are.
Don’t worry, it’ll fade soon enough.

I'm kidding

In honesty the top posts have been trimmed down to match the level of interest in them I’ve registered over the seasons. I mainly focus on putting good links and complete race-info sources. That way those that have an interest can find stuff easily.

Your links are peerless, and I love your times :0
I think you are wonderful, too. :-)
A little seahorse there Ruthann?
Just a bit. Hee.
I considered thanking you for the inadvertent compliment :)
I like the top posts.

I always read them.

I'm sorry. I wasn't listening.
Only misleading stuff.
that the race is flat?
Are you guessing as well?
by now, its a qualified guess.
This is fun

it’s been a while since I’ve been this annoyed with my tv (first live race of the season for me). Did the Eurosport blokes really say that Sky is working for Flecha (rather than, you know, the world champion).

Flecha is currently third overall?
Third overall in Qatar <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< Cav win
Perhaps not to Flecha...and Cav can't cope with a little less help?
I'm going to get some lunch. Back presently.
strange word that - presently.
Where is the wind?
So has there been a Thor sighting at all this week?
only when he punctures
Durbridge.

will he waste his time on the track in London or do the TT?

I don't think he'll think it's wasted. It would be his first Olympics. The TT guys also have to do the RR

and he’s not going to be at the top of that list.

ahh yes, they have to do both?

damn.

Yep. And you can imagine the competition for those spots.
weird system
Of course. it's not Belgian.
Good to know that some things never change.
cutting down the number of fish and chips servings.
don't most countries do that?

5 riders total for the road, of which, two do the time trial

I thought it was Olympic rules...but who knows? Not me.
Doesn't the US have only 1 TT spot?
Would that be because of the number of riders who have qualified?

Once again, I don’t know.

Yep, they do

Belgium does this also, I believe. Still, weird system. You should send the absolute best to the Olympics, but being the absolute best time trialist doesn’t automatically mean you’re the best for the road team; and vice versa.

this is true. but, give it a little while and they'll dispose of the cycling at the olympics entirely
Just getting out my hanky.
Awesome

more focus on the cobbles!

Couldn't we just add cobbles to the Olympics?

I’d actually watch the Olympics if they included cobbles. Pentathlon cobbles, steeplechase cobbles, dressage cobbles, marathon cobbles.

It’d be the single best improvement they could make.

the ones with horses are just cruel. You can always go to bullfights.
Cobbles rugby is not for sissies
Forget rugby

those cobbles synchronized divers are just insane

Durbridge should be team pursuit
Blythe mention!

ES have their own version of PnP’s Armstrong fascination it seems

Loving Mouris' orange shoes :)
btw albertina, thanks for reminding me of magnus moan
Yummy, no? :)
(though he should lose the beard he has this season)

Mmmm

Insufficiency of tan line.
Tanlines would be better, it's true. But you can't complain too much, surely?
Hi, folks; good morning/day to you all.
Evening Ruthann :)
Morning, Ruthann!
Very good read over at Pez by a guy who's riding for Champion here I think.

He’s so thrilled at mixing it with the big boys. Both pieces are atmospheric and informative.

Thanks for the recommendation; I'll have to check it out.
It's been the most enjoyable piece/s I've read at Pez in months.

But if this guy continues to write, I’ll be reading him.

speaking of phil-gil, he's ditching oman for haut var.
Yes

Cause it’s too hot in Oman.
He’s realizing this now? Maybe the bleach did seep into his brain.

Thor sighting! Wierd to see him the BMC kit.
Summie sighting!
Some love for Nikki Harris. Cool.
Harmon is Brammeier's agent, or something similar. Can you tell?
That does explain a lot
finally here on time, kinda. hi!
Final lap!! All together now (sing it with me!)
Jack Bauer of Garmin Barracuda

I can’t help it , there is a coolness factor there

Popovich on the same team as Cancellara. I still do not have my brain

wrapped around all that.

supposed to race a lot together too
Cance not doing the Tour seems wrong, though.
New cobbles team.
1.3k. Here we go!
G. Brown?
you want people to crash?
lots of Farnese
Cav crash!
and not going up immediately
papa bernie checking him out
Chute! Cav down!
and still down
Getting up. Looks okay.
sitting up, standing, on bike, confused, groggy
Looks okay to me.
Using his arms to get up, hopefully no collarbone issue......
Nah, no collarbone damage

if he’s leaning on hands

not too bad
more shock than anything else it seems
Demare!! Wow
Lucky win
Well yes, but still it's nice to see
Actually, he was pretty well ahead anyway, good ride to be in that position
yes, he was. he definitely jumps early
The big boys were coming up on the left

and they were all hindered by the crash.

demare!!!
Awesome

predicted he’d do well y/day, didn’t think he’d win today! Awesome :)

Happy guy! Chapeau.
That was weirdly anti-climactic.
Cav's own fault he went down?
not really much fault as I can see

normal argy bargy of sprint and a slight touch of wheels

however, i assume Cav will use Farrar as a punching bag in the press as he usually does
Well, Cav we know Cav doesn't do mistakes
Cavendish is very self critical

Andy McGrath @Andymcgra
“Did you do this???” angry Cavendish collaring Roger Kluge after the finish. Kluge may be seven inches taller, but he looked a tad scared

Top 10

Demare
Galimz
Renshaw
Kluge
Kristoff
Farrar
Oss
Davis
Kemps
Debusschere (!)

Renshaw looking decent too there
I was just about to type

that Galimz overtook him quite easily :)

Meh

Galimz came past him.

True, he was up there in at least one of the other sprints, too.

Not that I think he needs talking up.

yeah, beating Kluge and Kristoff.
Top competition there
3 Aussies top 10
Aaron Kemps in the top 10
Who was Demare's leadout there?

Excellent delivery

Go Gert...4th :)
Demare's first pro victory, he is an extremely happy boy in his interview.
I wonder if he's a one pointer. I like to have a few Frenchmen on my team.
2
Oh dear...my maths is defeating me.
ToQ's Winnars and Losers

Winnars!
OPQS: Continues early season dominance with two stage wins and overall GC
Team Sky: Cav bags two stages and shows off the rainbow quite nicely in his 2012 debut
Garmin: They won in their discipline (TTT), bagged 2nd on GC and comrade won young rider’s jersey

Losers!
Team Sky: Cav’s two wins were solo efforts and lead out train has not gelled yet. Also, inattention in stage four crosswinds knocked Cav out of contention for overall win.
Lotto: After dominating down under, Greipel gets sick and no one steps up
Farnese Vini-Selle: Needing to impress on the WT stage to ensure wild card invites, they do the opposite, losing pippo to a broken collarbone and Guardini never featured in the finishes

A win for Garmin but a loss for Farrar I'd say
hard to call second place a loss, but agree that his sprinting looks terrible
Have to agree here.
He sat up sooo early

wtf?

Only now, about 5 hours later, I start to breath again!

Cav is ok!

At first sight I thought Démare maintained his speed

but looking at the replay it seems that he had a nice ‘jump’

Boonen is winning again. It’s time to Partay!

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