don_quixote
Trent End
great stage
Cycling
- Thread starter jenks
- Start date
Tentative Andy
I'm in the Meal Deal
Oioi, Conty & Evans having a go. Last 30k or so were ace. Andy S looking to be struggling a bit on the descent there.
connect_icut
Well-known member
Didn't expect today to be so exciting. Andy wasn't looking good, was he? The GC is still wide open. I can't call it.
jenks
thread death
Andy lost friends moaning about the finish - every year they have downhill finishes in places like Gap. Just nonsense. Maybe he's realised that he can't beat Alberto - he has never seriously made any time on him going uphil - ever! Look back at previous tours and every time Andy has attacked Alberto has stuck to him like shot to a blanket.
I am, grudgingly, finding admiration for Cadel - he has responded well to every attack, took some risks on the descent and seems to have some selfless guys working for him in BMC.
all of this does make me wonder - would Brad have held on in the mountains? He's the best tt rider in that GC bunch, at this rate Saturday's tt will be crucial.
Gilbert to fly off the front today?
I am, grudgingly, finding admiration for Cadel - he has responded well to every attack, took some risks on the descent and seems to have some selfless guys working for him in BMC.
all of this does make me wonder - would Brad have held on in the mountains? He's the best tt rider in that GC bunch, at this rate Saturday's tt will be crucial.
Gilbert to fly off the front today?
Slothrop
Tight but Polite
It looks suspiciously like Evans and Contador are riding into fitness whereas the Schlecks have already peaked - in which case there's the potential for some absolute destruction on thursday and friday. I might be wrong though.
Today's a tough one to call. I'm not sure we're going to see much from the GC boys after a tussle yesterday and with two absolute beasts coming up. On paper it looks like a good stage for Gilbert but HTC won't want him getting away. Hushovd did his magic yesterday. Maybe we're in for a quietish day with a break, probably involving a lot of Italians and some of the usual suspects...
Today's a tough one to call. I'm not sure we're going to see much from the GC boys after a tussle yesterday and with two absolute beasts coming up. On paper it looks like a good stage for Gilbert but HTC won't want him getting away. Hushovd did his magic yesterday. Maybe we're in for a quietish day with a break, probably involving a lot of Italians and some of the usual suspects...
don_quixote
Trent End
move to leicestershire, we broke up for summer hols last friday. whole week of watching le tour.
Tentative Andy
I'm in the Meal Deal
Lol @ Voekler riding into that guy's driveway today.
Felt Sanchez & Contador maybe deserved to get more out of that wee attack towards the end. Sanchez has been consistently good over last few stages, it's a shame he lost all that time in the first week.
My hunch is Evans will win it overall now - though I def agree with people that he's not the most instantly likeable rider, but like it or not he's in a strong position.
Felt Sanchez & Contador maybe deserved to get more out of that wee attack towards the end. Sanchez has been consistently good over last few stages, it's a shame he lost all that time in the first week.
My hunch is Evans will win it overall now - though I def agree with people that he's not the most instantly likeable rider, but like it or not he's in a strong position.
connect_icut
Well-known member
For Evans to win he'll probably have to do a big attack on Thursday or Friday and I just don't see that happening. I mean, has he ever done that? Maybe if he rides a really great time trial...
Still can't call it after today but Contador is looking good.
Still can't call it after today but Contador is looking good.
don_quixote
Trent End
(andy) schleck bolts!! itv misses it!! schleck has put nearly 2 minutes on the peloton now! go go GO! come on schleck!
don_quixote
Trent End
now andy can concentrate on marking the pack tomorrow, get frank to do a load of work, make 10 secs on voeckler tomorrow and go in in yellow for the time trial.
maybe
maybe
don_quixote
Trent End
is cadel's ITT pedigree that much better than schleck? schleck only lost 30 secs on him in the ITT in 2009 and schleck was 5 mins in front of him last year but i assume something was up with cadel.
btw cav has been deducted 20 points for finishing outside the cutoff time, but so did 11 others in the top 15 of the points race. unfortunately not rojas tho.
btw cav has been deducted 20 points for finishing outside the cutoff time, but so did 11 others in the top 15 of the points race. unfortunately not rojas tho.
Tentative Andy
I'm in the Meal Deal
Fuckin hell, massive respect for A. Schleck after today - prob wasn't quite the tour-winning move he was hoping for in the end, but was ultra brave to go for it like that and properly opened up the whole stage. Best stage of this year's tour so far I think. Voekler looked like he was about to die coming over the line on the Galibier, incredible scenes.
jenks
thread death
I have to take back the Andy has never dented Conty - phenomenal attack, as brutal as Lance in his prime. And must be fair to Cadel - he was the only one with balls to go chase down Andy and he put in a hell of a turn up the Galibier.
Lovely to see TV keep yellow.
Everyone looked genuinely fucked at the end - be interesting to see who recovers best.
Andy is not a great tt guy and needs more time on Cadel, who can at least put a decent time trial together. If TV can stick to a wheel then he could still make the podium in Paris.
Lovely to see TV keep yellow.
Everyone looked genuinely fucked at the end - be interesting to see who recovers best.
Andy is not a great tt guy and needs more time on Cadel, who can at least put a decent time trial together. If TV can stick to a wheel then he could still make the podium in Paris.
connect_icut
Well-known member
Hat's of to Tommy V. He looked like his head was going to pop off.
My favourite bit was when Conty dropped to the back and Cadel was all like: "WTF? That's the fella I was going to follow up this mountain". Slowly but sure, though, Cadel seems to be realising that if he wants to win, he has to race.
My favourite bit was when Conty dropped to the back and Cadel was all like: "WTF? That's the fella I was going to follow up this mountain". Slowly but sure, though, Cadel seems to be realising that if he wants to win, he has to race.
don_quixote
Trent End
how will cadel time trial after 48 hours of having to drag the peloton up mountains?
jenks
thread death
I suppose today we might find out who has the best team cos the GC guys are going to need to be delivered to the Alpe having done as little work as possible. Reckon it's a day for Jens and Fabian to turn themselves inside out.
What Andy did was reminiscent of the old days - striking out for home from a long way out, he rode like a champion - now can he do it all again today or are his legs shredded?
The thing i noticed last night was the difference in gearing - Schlek is following the Armstrong approach of turning an easier gear more often, the 'cadence' method - this has been the dominant appproach for a few years now cos it offers the chance to accelerate quickly and is supposed to do less damage to the legs. It looks like you're dancing on the pedals. And riders have such a range of gears to use now - most have 11 choices on the rear cassette ranging from an 11 or 12 tooth sprocket up to dinner plates of 27 ( someone like Cav may have even more to go up hills), giving them more chance of a comfortable gear to turn often (90+ times a minute)
Cadel though is much more like Ullrich, he rides 'en force' - turning a harder gear less often, in theory it should be faster once you get momentum but only someone with thighs like tree trunks can do it for any length of time going up the Galibier - watching Cadel grind it out yesterday was impressive indeed. You have to wonder how many days someone can do that for before their legs are screaming.
What Andy did was reminiscent of the old days - striking out for home from a long way out, he rode like a champion - now can he do it all again today or are his legs shredded?
The thing i noticed last night was the difference in gearing - Schlek is following the Armstrong approach of turning an easier gear more often, the 'cadence' method - this has been the dominant appproach for a few years now cos it offers the chance to accelerate quickly and is supposed to do less damage to the legs. It looks like you're dancing on the pedals. And riders have such a range of gears to use now - most have 11 choices on the rear cassette ranging from an 11 or 12 tooth sprocket up to dinner plates of 27 ( someone like Cav may have even more to go up hills), giving them more chance of a comfortable gear to turn often (90+ times a minute)
Cadel though is much more like Ullrich, he rides 'en force' - turning a harder gear less often, in theory it should be faster once you get momentum but only someone with thighs like tree trunks can do it for any length of time going up the Galibier - watching Cadel grind it out yesterday was impressive indeed. You have to wonder how many days someone can do that for before their legs are screaming.