Tour de France Stage 12: Sammy Sanchez flies to victory while the GC battle heats up!
by Douglas Ansel on Jul 14, 2011 1:07 PM EDT
in Tour de France
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Samuel Sánchez of Euskatel-Euskadi won stage 12 of the 2011 Tour de France with a daring attack on the descent of the Col du Tourmalet and a scrappy climb up to the summit finish at Luz Ardiden. It was his first ever stage victory at the Tour de France. Jelle Vanendert of Omega Pharma Lotto, Phillipe Gilbert's stellar teammate in the Ardennes classics, followed Sanchez and finished second ahead of a storming Frank Schleck. With his stage victory today, Sánchez also took over the lead in the Mountains Classification from Johnny Hoogerland.
Today marked the first summit finish and true mountains day of the Tour de France, and climbed 211km over the Pyrenean climbs of the Cat 1 Hourquette d'Ancizan, HC Col du Tourmalet, and HC Luz Ardiden. Unlike 2003, there were no stray musettes to yank riders onto the pavement, though Alberto Contador may have wished for such an excuse for his sub-par performance. In what will surely be the biggest news of the day, the defending Tour champion ceded 33 seconds to Frank Schleck and 13 seconds to other his rivals Ivan Basso, Cadel Evans, and Andy Schleck. Damiano Cunego also finished in the front group, while Tom Danielson did an impressive ride to finish eleventh on the day.
A courageous ride by Thomas Voeckler, showing his increasing maturity in the prime of his career, saw him easily retain the yellow jersey of overall leader. French television has dubbed the smiley French rider, Monseiur Panache, for his spirited defense of the Yellow Jersey. Voeckler rode with the race favorites until the final kilometers of Luz Ardiden.
Mark Cavendish extended his lead in the points classification. Arnold Jeannesson of Français des Jeux took over the White Jersey classification from Robert Gesink of Rabobank.
It's a mountain stage, so there's a lot of commenting to be done under the jump. Follow below for full results and my speculations during the stage, then laugh at how wrong they may have been in the comments!
80ish km to go and it's time to tune into the action because there is an intermediate sprint coming up. The break numbers six - Moreno (EUS), Mangel (SAU), Roy (FDJ), Thomas (SKY), Kadri (AGR), and Gutierrez (MOV). Mangel takes the "sprint" from the break, but the real action is heating up 9 minutes behind them as HTC, Omega-Pharma, and Movistar boogie at the front to set up their green jersey contendors. Really, I am a fan of this new points system. It means we have sprints on mountain stages! Well, not full-gas, but amusing enough for sure. Anyway, Cav takes maximum points followed by another teammate (Renshaw) and then Rojas from Movistar. Eisel almost steals those from Rojas too, even after leading out from 500m. 3 HTC dudes quicker than Rojas almost? L'ouch. PhilGil gets no green jersey love today as Ventoso steals some points for teammate Rojas.
In other news, Moncoutie and DiGregario disappoint an entire nation by not making the mountainy break on Bastille day.
74km to go and we're on the first proper climb of the tour, the Cat 1 Horquette d'Ancizan. Europcar setting the pace, sprinters pedaling squares off the back, and it's time for the Hoogie Boogie (thanks to Eurosport for this!). The spotted dutchman dances off the front with Chavanel for company and Kreuzinger joins soon thereafter. French champ going for it on Bastille Day - this is how it's supposed to work!
15km to go: You know, having a class in the middle of a stage is usually fine. Until there are mountains! From what I hear, things got explosive on the Tourmalet. Here's the twitter summary, or what I can make of it:
Andy Schleck wheel change. Ten Dam attack. Gesink in trouble at back, Zombieface Martin dropped by Jensie's pace, Voeckler there. Cunego looks good? Break splinters. So long Hoogie and Chavanel, they're caught and spit out. G Thomas and J Roy leading by 3min!
Gilbert attacks on the descent! Like, wow. Dude is seriously impressive. Why hasn't he been riding the tour every year, this is awesome to watch! Trofimov (KAT) and Riblon (AGR) for company, they get up to Ten Dam and Kreuzinger. After a few minutes Sammy Sanchez, another carrot and another OPL rider show up. Gilbert is taking the badass way of going for green jersey points.
11km to go: The climb to Luz-Ardiden is only really starting. Jens! is on the front (AGAIN!) and his face is seriously scaring me. Also, Kreuzinger has exploded. At this rate, he might get caught by the grupetto.
9km to go: Symd, the best non-GC climber around (by popular consensus), is crushing it on the front for Basso. Kloeden's at the back of the group. And then there were none (GC contenders) for Radioshack? Dude doesn't look so hot. Also, the gap to Thomas and Roy is down to 1:15. Not looking good for these two. Meanwhile, Sammy Sanchez and Gilbert's teammate Vandenwert have made it up to the two leaders. Daring move by SamSan to make up time, attacking on the descent of the Tourmalet.
8km to go: Roche losing ground. Somewhere in France, Gadret chuckles. CA Sorenson is getting his sufferface on behind the group, as is Navarro. Looks like sitting up in yesterday's stage didn't help Contador's mountain goats a ton. The Giro, it bites at the legs in July.
Also, Contador has been riding on the nose of his saddle. Don't remember if that's normal, but he's literally on the rivet. And his cadence is a touch slower than both of the schlecks - not normal. Maybe it's just me, but he doesn't look so hot.
4km to go: Andy accelerates, Contador latches on, then Frank counters immediately! Good racing here. Basso tries to close the gap to Frank, it doesn't work, and Contador has to close the gap. Frank goes again! Would you believe it if I said Voeckler was still there and looking good?
2.5km: Frank looks fantastic as he goes again! Neither Cadel nor Contador mark him and he has 10 seconds in a heartbeat. Contador standing up a lot, looks not at all like his usual self. BTW, SamSan has 1:15ish on the group.
2.0km: Basso accelerates, Cadel follows and then ups the pace. Voeckler follows then blows a bit. Contador realizes he has no way of shaking his Andy-shaped shadow. Also, Cunego is still there. Go tiny prince go!
700m: Frankie has caught Sanchez and Vandenwert. Or, almost. Vandenwert accelerates but he can't drop the Olympic champion. Sanchez wins the stage, F Schleck comes over a few seconds down, and coming into the finishing stretch 30 seconds later is Basso... Evans... A Schleck... but Contador is dropped in the final bit and loses another 13 seconds to his biggest rivals. L'ouch. How long before his knee starts "acting up" again?
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A Schleck blew a chance
He had Contador dead today, and yet he still decided to ride defensive, sucking wheels the entire climb.
This is why I do not see him ever winning the TDF. He just does not attack aggressively from longer than 1 km from the line.
He may not get this chance again
Dunno
he may be waiting for Plateau de Beille
meaning: Contador was struggling.
It’s a testament to just how good he really is that he only lost 33 seconds to F Schleck.
It’s also a testament to just how scared everyone else is of what they think he might do, that they didn’t start the attacking at 7k to go.
Tomorrow could be nasty. Who knows, I could well be totally wrong, but there’s not a rider on Saxo who looks fresh.
Nah, you're right
The team didn’t look great today to me at all. Voeckler had a team mate longer than Contador did. Which, frankly, was rather shocking!
Saxo not the greatest
But Leopard didn’t exactly have many riders together on the final climb either.
Right now, if there is a long range attack, BOTH Conta and AS may lose several minutes as neither looked good to be honest
Sure, but
Leopards worked all day, I’d expect them to eventually go out the back. Saxo sat on, and evaporated on Luz Ardiden.
True that Saxo weren't doing much on Luz Ardiden
But they were there – and Fuglsang was nowhere, Monfort didn’t even work before he was dropped, on Tourmalet.
by Forstoppelse on Jul 14, 2011 11:57 AM EDT up reply actions
except that
LT’s strategy was clear: blow the race up on the Tourmalet and the little stretch BEFORE Luz Ardiden.
Worked too: and, wtf was Hernandez thinking on the Tourmalet? A suicide flyer that drops everyone including himself? Only to have Voigt ride back to, then blow by him? Ouch.
Better to use him that way
When he wasn’t going to be any use later on
by Forstoppelse on Jul 14, 2011 11:57 AM EDT up reply actions
Their strategy wass clear..
Only the execution of their plan failed hard. Monfort, Fuglsang, Posthuma, O’Grady and Cancellara where all dissapointing
Failed hard? How so?
They dispatched most of the race and totally blew Saxo out of the water on the Tourmalet.
Posthuma 1km, Cancellara 2km.
Monfort 0km, Fuglsang 0km, O’Grady? in front It was not impressive. They may thank Jens!
agree with Monfort and Fuglsang, but O'Grady did an
impressive amount of work along with Jens!
by Bruce Suomi on Jul 14, 2011 12:11 PM EDT up reply actions
Yeah
I personally think Leopard rode to near perfection today (as much as it pains me to admit it.)
Remember, the Shlecks don’t have to both do any attacking toward Contador, they just have to keep him in check.
Andy is the favorite. Watch him let Frank go until Frank has the lead he can protect for the podium, then Andy will come alive.
They play the brother’s role to perfection.
Andy has such an advantage (having Frank and a big lead on Contador), he can just play it cool.
Nobody can attack Andy repeatedly…. except Bert.
I personally think frank has been looking better than Andy for months now
it is a pity that he is a shity tter
In search of a new tagline.
I fear that's because we haven't HAD to see Andy yet.
and even if that is true, the favorites will stay with Andy. We talk about how much respect Bert commands, but I think almost the same is true for Andy.
The difference this year, is that Frank looks better than usual, not better than Andy, but closer.
I think that is because he is not a fearcy competitor and don't go to races to win
not a fan here. never will be. I am a guy that sprints for the 199th position in my races…can’t understand guys going to races not win, especially when you have a huge talent.
In search of a new tagline.
LeOpard DS
mentioned that 2 guys were dropped well before they should have been
"Long Live Cols" - ant1
I would think he meant Fuglsang as one of them.
by KnittingGene on Jul 14, 2011 12:15 PM EDT up reply actions
Someone mentioned Fuglsang might be sick?
"First you have to be cool, after you are cool then you can be strong" -- Davide Appollonio
Not sure,
I only saw that as speculation here on the live thread. It would seem likely, though.
by KnittingGene on Jul 14, 2011 12:17 PM EDT up reply actions
Not sick according to interview
just a bad day. “Blocked” was the way he said it. No power when he tries to go.
That's some strange analyse
Because he only lost 33 seconds.. He’s inmendance good? You think that this… God can recover for tomorrow?
He's lost more than 33 seconds
He’s lost the “aura of invincibility.”
Andy Schleck dared him to attack today, and Contador could only muster a lame acceleration.
This is not the Contador of 2010 even, certainly not the 2009 Contador.
But the thing is
If Contador is back on track on Plateau-de-Beille, everyone will consider him top-class again.
by Forstoppelse on Jul 14, 2011 12:00 PM EDT up reply actions
ja, good point
I don’t think he looked great today, but if he put in a big move on the Plateau de Beielle I wouldn’t fall off my couch or anything.
The same aura he lost last year?
I’m sorry, I just think peple draw conclusions too quickly.
"It's the greatest job in the world until Peyton comes off the field and you think his thumb might be broken and there's three minutes left in the AFC Championship Game and you're down by three to New England and you haven't taken a snap all year. Yeah, it's a great job until that point." - Jim Sorgi.
"If I couldn't play for the Colts, I would probably stop playing football." - Peyton Manning.
by gizzardfanny on Jul 14, 2011 12:17 PM EDT up reply actions
Last year Bert won by exactly one dropped chain
This year the gap is much larger. The advantage is Schleck’s.
Well at least I have 1995, 2000, and 2003. Those were fun.
by dees ees en drama on Jul 14, 2011 12:57 PM EDT up reply actions
*dropped chain and TT
"It's the greatest job in the world until Peyton comes off the field and you think his thumb might be broken and there's three minutes left in the AFC Championship Game and you're down by three to New England and you haven't taken a snap all year. Yeah, it's a great job until that point." - Jim Sorgi.
"If I couldn't play for the Colts, I would probably stop playing football." - Peyton Manning.
by gizzardfanny on Jul 14, 2011 1:01 PM EDT up reply actions
Dominating the Giro will do that to you...
Even if he finishes 3rd in this race it’s still a monumental accomplishment.
Third would be pretty good... and an improvement since he is currently behind
Frank and Cadel and Andy and Ivan and cunego, and only 11 seconds ahead of Sam San.
'When playing a game, the goal is to win, but it is the goal that is important, not the winning' - Dr. Reiner Knizia
by bought with blood on Jul 14, 2011 3:08 PM EDT up reply actions
But he does attack
That attack last year when his chain fell off came long way from the finish line.
Giro 2007: he rode pretty aggresively, I remember at least one attack on a mountain stage.
Today he had Frank up the road, so why attack?
Carbo-Hydrat protein
A-B-C-D Vitamin
Because his rival was on the ropes
He had the chance to deliver a severe blow to Contador’s chances. 13 seconds is not exactly a severe blow
His team and their chances of an overall win got greater.
The stronger Franks position the more it puts pressure on everyone not just contador. Evans and Ivan now have to worry not just about Andy but also about Frank. The one two just got that much stronger. Andy doesn’t just have to beat Clenbutador he also has to beat everyone else.
'When playing a game, the goal is to win, but it is the goal that is important, not the winning' - Dr. Reiner Knizia
by bought with blood on Jul 14, 2011 3:11 PM EDT up reply actions
Remember
The same has been said about several tour winners. The fact is that if you have great strength (Anquetil, LeMond, Indurain), you can ride very conservatively and still win. I don’t think Andy Schleck will ever be considered a rider with “panache”. As a matter of fact, I can’t think of a single GC contender today with the bombast of a Merckx or Hinault.
Those riders
were great TT riders. Schleck is not a good TTer
Maybe
You are correct, Andy Schleck is not an outstanding Time Trialist. I think he is banking on the idea that his TT ability has improved (last year it was evident in the final TT that he had clearly grown stronger), and that Contador is weak after the Giro.
I really can’t remember anyone winning the double when they were contending against such a strong field. Contador is trying to win the tour against guys who either didn’t participate in the Giro, or basically kicked back during it. I think that, strategically speaking, we have to consider that Contador’s goal this year was the double, and now his eyes are bigger than his stomach.
Pantani won the double by beating Ullrich in the '98 TdF
And Pantani didn’t just beat Jan (who didn’t ride the Giro). He crushed him.
MJB
Agreed
Maybe a big PhilGil or Samu attack on the descent?
totally agree
well, about today. Not so sure he’ll never change or learn. But blew a chance today. Frank rode really well, but even he probably could have taken more time.
The Schlecks succeeded in breaking Contador, and they may also feel they have the measure of Evans.
Also: they ride as a team, so the fact that Frank put 20s into Andy today is not a big deal. With Contador cracked, we may see a more aggressive ride next time out.
DannoE
"You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one."
Storyteller's Playbook: A blog about life, family, triathlon, and the occasional comic book.
they didn't break contador at all
he was already broken by his crashes or the giro or both – they’ve got a weakened opponent who they gained a small amount of time on while he was down.
agree, Contador has a big ? beside his name. But wouldn’t be surprised if he gets his awesomeness back by Saturday.
"Long Live Cols" - ant1
If he gets the awesome back the question will of course be HOW?
'When playing a game, the goal is to win, but it is the goal that is important, not the winning' - Dr. Reiner Knizia
by bought with blood on Jul 14, 2011 3:13 PM EDT up reply actions
I agree
There is a reason LA never tried the G-T double. There is a reason that everyone who has ridden a good Giro since Pantani, then tried the Tour, has done poorly.
I’m sure Bert knew this, he was just hoping his B form would be enough to beat the A form of Schleck or anyone else. But then you add the crashes. At a minimum, he has lost time and is forced to attack at some point. And maybe his knee is hurting.
Frankly, given all the strikes against him, I thought Bert rode pretty well. Or I would if TV wasn’t there, just a handful of seconds behind him. I don’t get that at all.
sure, of course
i’m not really expecting him to recover – i am hoping he recovers, but wouldn’t bet on it.
The fact that they ride as a team
Is the biggest thing holding them back! I don’t think that Andy will attack aggressively unless Frank is with him and we all know they rest would not let such an attack happen. Frank will attack at will because he is the older brother and andy wants to make sure Frank is happy.
This is the biggest myth in pro cycling I think
Andy only waits for Fränk as long as there is a tactical advantage not to drop your own teammate.
myths are created based on some sort of evidence
and perception of the reality…
In search of a new tagline.
Isn't it also true that Frank has more room to attack
since the other leaders clearly aren’t marking Frank in the way they do Andy.
by KnittingGene on Jul 14, 2011 12:23 PM EDT up reply actions
This.
"It's the greatest job in the world until Peyton comes off the field and you think his thumb might be broken and there's three minutes left in the AFC Championship Game and you're down by three to New England and you haven't taken a snap all year. Yeah, it's a great job until that point." - Jim Sorgi.
"If I couldn't play for the Colts, I would probably stop playing football." - Peyton Manning.
by gizzardfanny on Jul 14, 2011 12:24 PM EDT up reply actions
But
Now that Frank has a lead on Andy I dont know if we will see Andy attack since he will be trying to protect Frank
Except that Fränk will protect Andy.
"It's the greatest job in the world until Peyton comes off the field and you think his thumb might be broken and there's three minutes left in the AFC Championship Game and you're down by three to New England and you haven't taken a snap all year. Yeah, it's a great job until that point." - Jim Sorgi.
"If I couldn't play for the Colts, I would probably stop playing football." - Peyton Manning.
by gizzardfanny on Jul 14, 2011 12:26 PM EDT up reply actions
Its a vicious circle!
(slight tongue in cheek) but just hope it isn’t true
With a 30sec (ish) lead
I don’t think Andy has to worry too much as Frank is such a poor TTer
I disagree
Frank will never win the Tour, his TT is much worse than Andy. Frank is like having a rider up the road for Andy’s attack, except it’s over stages.
Unless they let Frank build up a 5 minute lead… which is what I think they’ll try to do. As soon as Frank is countered. Andy will attack everyone.
I like this - Frank as the rider up the road.
I imagine this is a fairly complex strategy. It will be interesting to see how it plays out.
by KnittingGene on Jul 14, 2011 12:36 PM EDT up reply actions
This is right, I think.
Meanwhile, everyone else burns matches trying to contain Frank and Andy sits in. Strategically, it’s brilliant.
Yes, I think so
Not one rider responded when Frank went the final time today. They didn’t seem to care.
Frank will lose 3 minutes in the TT.
And until the Schlecks do something about this, their doublepunch will never be very effective
Fränk only has to go from an awful TTer to decent and people will have to worry a lot more about him.
I personally think it works in their favour.
It gives Frank a long leash. Like today. And it keeps an obvious hierarchy between him and Andy.
I've had concerns about the heirarchy
because I do actually have a tendency to think family dynamics play into their professional relationship, at least a bit. But this is an interesting idea of yours.
by KnittingGene on Jul 14, 2011 12:39 PM EDT up reply actions
But we have never seen anything to prove otherwise
Until proven otherwise I will continue to believe it.
Agreed 100%
What benefit is there if AS drags the rest of the GC back to Frank with an attack?
andy said
he didn’t attack much because he saw conta was sticking to his wheel. so they let frank do his thing. And if they keep doing that, they’ll win the tour (still his words).
But still, i think andy gave up fairly easily just accepting that conta could keep his wheel.
Oy.
The fact that all Contador could do was stick on A Schleck’s wheel is a huge ‘tell’:
LT’s end-game was premised upon assuming that someone (either Evans or Contador) would go after F Schleck.
Now . . . it could be that Contador was not really struggling and chose not to go after F Schleck. We know that Evans went into attack mode shortly thereafter.
Looked to me as though A Schleck was waiting to put the knife in if Contador towed him back up to brother. Why Contador did not react is the variable in the equation.
Why raect to Fränk when he's not considered a threat?
"It's the greatest job in the world until Peyton comes off the field and you think his thumb might be broken and there's three minutes left in the AFC Championship Game and you're down by three to New England and you haven't taken a snap all year. Yeah, it's a great job until that point." - Jim Sorgi.
"If I couldn't play for the Colts, I would probably stop playing football." - Peyton Manning.
by gizzardfanny on Jul 14, 2011 12:30 PM EDT up reply actions
How much time do you give him?
Or to go by precedent . . . what is Riis’s “Sastre-esque” strategy to gain time back for Contador now that he’s lost another 13 seconds?
I think LT, BMC, and Liquigas should combine to eliminate Saxo: the watts are there to make the race consistently hard the whole day tomorrow, and in such a way that Saxo cannot catch a break the whole day.
If they can elminate Contador, then they can turn their attention to sticking the knife in each other . . .
and burn their own riders while doing that
when no need for it, since all have a good gap on Contador??
Don’t get the logic here.
by Bruce Suomi on Jul 14, 2011 12:49 PM EDT up reply actions
Logic: turn a "good gap"
Into a contador starts going for polka dots gap
by R Mc on Jul 14, 2011 12:52 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
I don't agree.
The whole day the Schlecks and L-T spent time trying to put pressure on everyone while keeping Andy in the clear. In the end, Frank got away because the others didn’t want to chase. I think they’d have preferred it if Cadel and company had continued to mark Frank’s attacks and exhausted themselves further, but that didn’t happen. Why? Because Frank is a lesser threat than Andy. But make no mistake—he’s still a threat, and I don’t think that the main contenders would have let him go up the road had they not been feeling some heat already and at least somewhat mindful of the future.
Personally, I expect a very strong ride from the Schlecks on Saturday. At this point, they just want to kill the field and see who can keep up. And personally, I wouldn’t be surprised if Frank tries to get away AGAIN. Why not? They can only afford to let him go so far up the road, and if Cadel or Contador cracks countering one of Frank’s moves, then you’ll really see Andy attack.
DannoE
"You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one."
Storyteller's Playbook: A blog about life, family, triathlon, and the occasional comic book.
Fränk will definitely attack again and get a handful of seconds but he's no threat for the overall
he always has a bad day and always has a shit TT. sticking to Andy’s wheel was/is definitely the smart move. I think they all know that and would be fools to tow Andy up to Fränks wheel. We all know that people don’t always stick to the script.
Focus on easy first. If that's all you get, that ain't half bad - Caballo Blanco
It's not that I don't see your point, but...
…hasn’t Frank been on the podium before? Tough to say he’s not a threat. I mean, when was the last time Evans looked this good? It’s tough to say that one guy looks better than before and not acknowledge that another guy does as well.
DannoE
"You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one."
Storyteller's Playbook: A blog about life, family, triathlon, and the occasional comic book.
No
He’s been as high as 5th (in 2009, when Andy tried to drag him onto the podium @ Ventoux but failed).
alluding to what Le Comte says below
Fränk is what he is, a talented rider just a smudge below the very best. He hasn’t improved anything in who knows how long, not his TT, climbing, or anything else.
Focus on easy first. If that's all you get, that ain't half bad - Caballo Blanco
Or above, not below
Focus on easy first. If that's all you get, that ain't half bad - Caballo Blanco
Also, is it necessarily bad for BMC to have ...
… Frank in yellow after Stage 14? If he can’t pick up 0:17 on Frank Scheck in the ITT, he would have far more than FS to worry about.
I reckon Cadel in top form may be more dangerous in the Alps than in the Pyrenees, and given his preferences, might prefer to claim yellow in the Alps, and leave the responsibilities to control the race in between to LT.
Cadel went about the same point in the stage he went in the Massif Central up Super Besse, but this time picked up 0:13 on one of his two main rivals. So I am not sure that he was chasing Frank so much as being in the distance to the finish where he felt he could ride hard all the way through the finish, so picking up the pace at that point reduced the opportunity for an attack from either AS or AC.
… unless, of course, he was chasing the 11 Points, to grab +2 on Cav for the day … {ducks, runs}
True
I doubt that Cadel is too worried about FS and attacking a struggling Bert and taking a handful of seconds makes perfect sense and like you said keeps AS from attacking all at the same time.
Focus on easy first. If that's all you get, that ain't half bad - Caballo Blanco
Absolutely correct
Andy cares way too much about how happy his brother is. Yeah I may be proven wrong here but Andy just does not attack aggressively for whatever reason.
Yeah
he totally didn’t attack at all in the Pyrenees last year
frank wasn't there
"Wizard's first rule. People are stupid. They will believe anything they want to be true or fear to be true." -- Terry Goodkind
yes, but
he said “Andy just does not attack aggressively for whatever reason”.
I suppose it’s possible he won’t when Frank is in tow, but the only real evidence I’ve seen for that is the 2009 Tour, but he was 4’ behind and secure in 2nd place, so why not try to drag Frank up to the podium in that situation.
If I’m Andy, my strategy is to attack Evans on Plateau de Beille and Alpe D’Huez and make sure I don’t lose time to AC. I think both of those are achievable and, if he’s successful, he likely wins the Tour de France (barring a really bad TT).
Not obvious where he should've attacked
Since it wasn’t obvious that Contador was dead(ish) until, well, he was. And attack when Fränk was 20 secs ahead wouldn’t have been the best idea.
Badger, badger, badger, badger, badger, badger...
by TheFigurehead on Jul 14, 2011 12:18 PM EDT up reply actions
So you're saying Andy, who had 1'30" on Contador and who just added another 13" while having his brother gain another 20" blew this stage?
"Oh man, it’s going to take days to kill all these people!"
Are all you guys forgettin Cadel is 11 secs ahead and worth at least 1:30 advantage in the ITT??
Andy had 4 chances to gain 2 minutes in my estimation, he now has 3…better get on with it. Actually I think Frank is better this year
Yes the Frank part
LT is totally comfortable letting Frank threaten Cadel. Cadel has to respond. Andy’s chances of gaining 2 minutes are better letting Cadel blow up chasing Frank.
that's just it evyone knows this schtick by now
Nobody is gonna chase Fränk and let Andy get a free ride. Just stay on Andy’s will and wait for Fränk to blow up and conserve energy that will be needed to follow Andy and for the TT to come.
Focus on easy first. If that's all you get, that ain't half bad - Caballo Blanco
This is why I say Fränk's TT is the problem
If it was respectable (as Andy’s last year) instead of abysmal their double attacks would be tremendously threatening and could truly wear out the opponents. As it is they need to mark Andy and it’s ok to let Fränk get away and just contain him within reason. That is much more doable.
The more I think about this, the more right I think you are...
…if Frank actually worked on his TT, the Brothers Schleck would be truly terrifying.
Exactly, the only one who doesn't have to attack is Evans
Why is he attacking? Because he knows you have to make it happen, not let it happen. I don’t think Andy has figured this yet. Basso and Evans will combine to make very climb hard and wear out the young boys. It will be a race of attrition and recovery – and this year, maybe without spare blood.
by platypus on Jul 14, 2011 3:23 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Agreed, Evans is looking very good right now for Paris
He is the winner of the day clearly. And as it was said before, AS can gain time on him in only 3 stages now.
by FrenchKheldar on Jul 14, 2011 6:15 PM EDT up reply actions
Great ride by Szmyd
I was virtually screaming “attack” at the tv.
Contador was in big trouble the whole last climb, and what did his team sit up for yesterday if they were just going to get shelled today?
there is an unwritten rule in the peloton
to not attack while szmyd is doing his thing.
just pixels with personality
Really...
…I thought he was younger. Let’s say “the other Jens!” then…
That's what I looked like too ;)
"First you have to be cool, after you are cool then you can be strong" -- Davide Appollonio
This
I plan to see Gilbert, Arroyo and Sanchez off the front on the decent tomorrow. I think Evans and basso will try and make that hard for Andy too – another weakness to relentlessly exploit for the next week
basso? decend well? ha
"Wizard's first rule. People are stupid. They will believe anything they want to be true or fear to be true." -- Terry Goodkind
decend = descend
"Wizard's first rule. People are stupid. They will believe anything they want to be true or fear to be true." -- Terry Goodkind
+ 2
(brilliant picture choice up top as well)
♥ pictures of first time stage winners crossing the line
One more for Majope
"On paper, your team is awesome." -- Pigeons on my WVDS team, and life in general.
by tedvdw on Jul 14, 2011 4:08 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
that must be taken after his post stage joint.
"Ants don’t worry, they operate like a fantastic team, they accept obstacles and deal with them in a positive manner, they don’t complain and remain positive. An ant doesn’t work on emotion, is proactive and always chooses the ant role."
You got Vanendert's name wrong ;)
"First you have to be cool, after you are cool then you can be strong" -- Davide Appollonio
Dang Dutchies/Belgies
I try so hard!
My fruit bowl is full of sex wax--gavia
by Douglas Ansel on Jul 14, 2011 1:18 PM EDT up reply actions
Awesome, Awesome, Awesome, Awesome,
Awesome for Samuel, for Euskaltel, for Asturias, for the race. What a win!
For me, there in nothing better than seeing a Euskie fly up the mountains, splitting through all the orange clad fans for the win.
Have I said Awesome already?
Venga, Venga Sammy!
I think we could be good friends ;)
"First you have to be cool, after you are cool then you can be strong" -- Davide Appollonio
When he almost cried during the interview,
I felt myself tearing up as well… Such a nice bloke.
I was screaming so that it was heard all over the office in Wimbledon. Lucky for me its a sports company so it is sort of expected to happen every now and then.
How much down?
6h 01’15" for Samu, and it’s a 25% allowance, I think, which would be 1h 30’ They should be OK for that, surely?
letour.fr give 33'05" which is easily inside the limits.
Only 175 riders left now, so two abandons today.
Let me see if I've got this right
Sanchez 6:01:15 for 211 km is over 35km/h so 12% allowance, or about 43 mins. So yeah, 33’05" with ten mins to spare.
I assume the only co-efficient 4 stage will be the Alpe d’Huez this year, as all the other high-mountains stages are long.
good day overall
-saxo showed they aren’t as incompetent as some would have hoped
-basso reminded everybody why he is here
-no major crashes unfairly altering GC (kloden and Velits may dispute this)
-Contador keeping the suspense up (didn’t blow up or blow apart)
just pixels with personality
Agree with all except the Saxo part
What on earth was their strategy? Sit in the bunch then one by one drop off until AC is all alone? As an aside, I don’t think AC looks good….
they held out as long as most
few helpers from any teams were left in the group when the last saxo helper dropped out. can’t ask for much more than that
just pixels with personality
except that from about halfway up the Tourmalet
they were hanging on . . .
Voeckler had more help than Contador.
Voeckler had more help than Evans too
but team Saxo showed up for work today – which was somewhat in doubt going into the stage
just pixels with personality
yep Europcar was excellent. Who was the main domestique up high after Charteau was dropped?
"Long Live Cols" - ant1
That is correct.
"It's the greatest job in the world until Peyton comes off the field and you think his thumb might be broken and there's three minutes left in the AFC Championship Game and you're down by three to New England and you haven't taken a snap all year. Yeah, it's a great job until that point." - Jim Sorgi.
"If I couldn't play for the Colts, I would probably stop playing football." - Peyton Manning.
by gizzardfanny on Jul 14, 2011 12:22 PM EDT up reply actions
I will not
Don’t encourage these dumbasses to wait to perform until they have been dropped from my VDS.
Nah. Saxo's 4 "climby" guys sat up early yesterday
the expectation was that they would turn in the performance that LT did.
that's one expectation
others may have expected contador to be as protected as he was on flat stages – not protected at all.
just pixels with personality
And, there was the stretch on the tourmalet
When CAS went to the front . . . And drilled it so not hard that europcar took back the front.
I don’t think there will be any happy words in the Saxo bus.
by R Mc on Jul 14, 2011 1:09 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
That whole comment reminds me...
I need to stretch. Thx
"It's a lovely thing, feeling that momentum. If you're lucky, it's also about grace." Tim Winton
Yea he looks too smooth (ie. strong as snot)
Wait til he decides to really go.
"It's a lovely thing, feeling that momentum. If you're lucky, it's also about grace." Tim Winton
I think so.
Y’day, he said he didn’t expect a big separation on this stage. Read: I’m not planning a big move. Maybe Plateau de Beille (which I’ll never learn to spell). Looked good to me today, for sure.
Yes! They might have zoomed out a bit though.
"First you have to be cool, after you are cool then you can be strong" -- Davide Appollonio
This is not the Giro
they don’t understand how to respect the big blue hat. They don’t even have a throne.
I liked to see BBH on the front
I thought he didn’t arrive to le tour in good form…if he is form is still going up for the 3rd week….beware of the big blue hat!
In search of a new tagline.
must admit that the Big Blue hat is even better because they don’t sell them to fan-boys
#wantbigbluehat
"Long Live Cols" - ant1
Ooooooh!
Sounds great.
He's a good kid. Complex and messed up, but intrinsically good.--Jonathan Vaughters, on Thomas Dekker
Want Contador to lose about another minute
in Pyrenees then feel real good going to the Alps. Whoosh. Fun fun fun.
Leopard
Need to bury Cadel. Contador either improves or is done for winning. He can’t spot Evans even a minute in a TT (which he can to the Schlecks.) A 4 man race (Basso and Cunego not good enough in a TT and can’t gap the leaders in the mountains like the Schlecks.) So it’s a 4 man race unless that’s all there is for Conta in which case it is a 3 man race – Schlecks and Evans. The 1;20 Conta lost on the crash split looks fatal right now.
by BTD on Jul 14, 2011 12:02 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
different in the sense he raced less
but by the Giro, when he was dropped, he hadn’t raced so much.
I am now a big Evans fan and have him in my VDS…just saying that we need to be cautious with all these conclusions. There are good days and bad days and there are courses who are more suited to one people than other. Or in summary….a lot of things can happen…not anything. Frank doing a best TT than evans? Only if Evans pedals with one leg. Bassso droping Evans….maybe.
In search of a new tagline.
Basso was becoming an excellent TTer prior to his suspension..
If he’s regaining to some extent his pre-suspension climbing form, I would expect the same with TT form. Not as good as Evans, but better than Frank and Cunego, probably better than Andy, might be as good as a weakened AC.
Of the top ten now (not including TV), TT proficiency probably looks like this:
Evans
Bert
Basso/TD/Samu?
Andy
Frank/Cunego
Andy is still improving
May be in the Basso/TD/Samu group.
And ^ this is why Evans is the big threat – if he can haul his way up the next couple of stages then there will need to be some serious attacks on the Galibier and the Alpe d’Huez to stop him winning GC in the ITT.
Well, it happend in 2008
(obviously)
Hopefully, he’s got a game plan in place for when the other contenders try the same thing again this year.
No Carlos Sastre this time
And no team has climbers to match the Sastre-Schleck-Schleck triple-headed monster up the Alpe d’Huez.
Remember that Cadel got no help whatsoever trying to catch Sastre when he went because both Schlecks were in the same time, and Astana weren’t allowed to play.
If anyone makes a break this time, then either Contador or the Schlecks will be trying to pull it back, and could pull Cadel along with them – so they’ll have to ride Cadel off the wheel, which is much harder.
Yes, this
Everyone has been decrying Basso’s TT ability. And yeah, he hasn’t been super hot. But… he was getting pretty damn fast before the layoff. My suspicion is he didn’t keep up TT work on the bike and in the gym as much as he needed to, but he’s getting it back.
My fruit bowl is full of sex wax--gavia
by Douglas Ansel on Jul 14, 2011 1:21 PM EDT up reply actions
Basso gap over Contador much smaller
Moreover, Basso does not look like he can gap the Schlecks on the mountains and I do not think the opposite is true.
Anyone know where Mollema finished?
He’s not on letour.fr
"Oh man, it’s going to take days to kill all these people!"
On there now
in the bus (161st). only rider missing from the list is now Galimzyanov
The autobus had 79 riders in it. Tough day
Galimzyanov missed the time cut
Not a surprise, was the first drop just a few hundred meters into the first climb.
Badger, badger, badger, badger, badger, badger...
by TheFigurehead on Jul 14, 2011 12:26 PM EDT up reply actions
Katusha! WTF they were thinking going on this Tour? F-
"I love bike races warm up, warm down, cobbles mountains or flats."
perezbike
.
Like him or not, but at least Di Luca was somewhat visible during the Giro!
"I love bike races warm up, warm down, cobbles mountains or flats."
perezbike
.
Trofimov's done alright.
sticking up for Katusha with a poutyface
by Jonny_Red on Jul 14, 2011 6:32 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
But not to the end!
But you are righ,t at leasr we did see Katusha’s kit on the TV
"I love bike races warm up, warm down, cobbles mountains or flats."
perezbike
.
Tomorrow
should be quiet, but if Voeckler can climb the Aubisque with the leaders, then we could see some serious descending – TV is a good descender and might feel he could win the stage.
Yeah...
but I would love it if the GC contenders are together toward the top and Samu could find the strength to get a 5 second gap over the top (which is highly unlikely after today’s effort)…. if he could, he could join a smaller group and try and get another 20 seconds.
Today’s back-to-back really work for him.
but it’s more likely he just uses that to not lose time after the work today…. which is fine with me.
Now, for the clear casualty-list
Bang! C ya Dutch hegemony, try again next year.
Pow: Irish eyes are not smiling.
Oof: Kloden and the rest of Retirement Shack.
Like that's a big surprise . . .
You can’t have a GC rider pulling back a break at the final of a race just before the first big mountain day.
I never expected Martin to survive . . .
Martin didn't pull that much at all
As I remember it? He lead out Renshaw for about 1-2km, but he didn’t do that much pulling compared to Pate, Bak or Bernie. We saw in the TdS that Martin isn’t a GC rider, he just pops big style on anything resembling a tough climb.
But a 2km effort shouldn't destroy a rider like TMart
I don’t think he has the mountain legs required.
Add up all those efforts he's put in during the first 10 stages
calculate the training stress . . . and then put it against the efforts not put in by the real GC riders.
I do not think that Martin truly ever will be a GT contender, BUT . . . HTC has never known what to do with such a critter.
“Squeeze the Lemon” as Holm is fond of saying . . .
Hey! Different teams, different goals! Green Jersey is a dissent goal. No?
"I love bike races warm up, warm down, cobbles mountains or flats."
perezbike
.
Well, we seem to be seeing how much luck Stapleton is having
selling his TdF racing strategy to sponsors . . .
Oh This is different animals all together.
Pock a little more in LA / Postal / Discovery crap pool, and you wouldn’t find a US sponsor even if you have all 3 GT winner in your roster!
"I love bike races warm up, warm down, cobbles mountains or flats."
perezbike
.
How was Velits unlucky?
He have a flat or something? (Or is it unlucky a GT podium finisher is doing leadouts)
"Oh man, it’s going to take days to kill all these people!"
Dumped in the same crash as Klöden
then had to stop two times with mechanicals and chase back. Second time was when Leopard were lighting it up on the Tourmalet
Hell, 4 minutes back sounds fantastic then
"Oh man, it’s going to take days to kill all these people!"
T-Mart not making it to the final climb
is embarrassing. he should never speak of GC ambitions until next march
just pixels with personality
Tony Martin should follow Roger's path
Focus on dominating week long stage races.
"Oh man, it’s going to take days to kill all these people!"
That's was like the old Batman series...
BANG! POW! OOF!
"It's a lovely thing, feeling that momentum. If you're lucky, it's also about grace." Tim Winton
Here's more
"It's a lovely thing, feeling that momentum. If you're lucky, it's also about grace." Tim Winton
Leth interviews Samu:
“Why did you attack today?”
Seriously? How stupid can questions get?
"It's the greatest job in the world until Peyton comes off the field and you think his thumb might be broken and there's three minutes left in the AFC Championship Game and you're down by three to New England and you haven't taken a snap all year. Yeah, it's a great job until that point." - Jim Sorgi.
"If I couldn't play for the Colts, I would probably stop playing football." - Peyton Manning.
Jersey or stage?
Ehhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.
Uhm.
Alors….
by Forstoppelse on Jul 14, 2011 12:24 PM EDT up reply actions
Ha ha, yeah
That was not a smart one. I would say though, man, sometimes on the spot like that at a race, you’ve asked so many riders so many questions, the first one that comes out is just freakin’ dumb. Well, okay, I’d expect broadcast media to do better than a writer person like me. But I so have some sympa…
about Basso
shame about the lost time in TTT despite suitable men in team; he worked very hard until last 12 months for this Tour…
Yes, for sure.
I’m surprised they weren’t a little higher up in the team time trial. But there are a bunch of mountains for Basso, so maybe he has a chance. I like how he’s riding so far, for sure!
For the record: Biggest disappointment so far is the invisible Coppel. Injured?
"Long Live Cols" - ant1
I think Cadel and Basso played it VERY smart today
they know andy is the real threat and Fränk going up the road for a few seconds probably won’t make a huge diffence and that he will eventually have to work for Andy or will blow. Basso showed he is in good form but Cadel showed that he is onfaneffintastic form right now. the schelchts need to crush Cadel right NOW if Andy is to win. Andy riding piano up the climb with Cadel on his wheel is not the way he wins this Tour.
Focus on easy first. If that's all you get, that ain't half bad - Caballo Blanco
I agree
Cadel looked the most comfortable, I’d even say even with Andy, on the climb today.
On the same note, Voeckler didn’t look under as much stress as Contador. Like voeckler knows he can back off and come in 20 seconds behind, Contador on the other hand has to push it into the red.
My fruit bowl is full of sex wax--gavia
by Douglas Ansel on Jul 14, 2011 1:24 PM EDT up reply actions
for me, that's the sign that things aren't heating up just yet
if Voeckler and one of his domestiques are still hanging around near the top of the third climb of the day, there’s not much high mountain racing going on. riders are still holding their cards close to their chests, testing the waters without any intention to jump in at the moment. i would guess frank’s attacks were meant to figure out what kind of shape contador’s in, rather than to shake up the GC.
"Ants don’t worry, they operate like a fantastic team, they accept obstacles and deal with them in a positive manner, they don’t complain and remain positive. An ant doesn’t work on emotion, is proactive and always chooses the ant role."
yep
They weren’t killing it yet. It looked to me like Szmyd was just rolling it, not pushing all that hard. But could be wrong.
This is what I was thinking too
and yet all of AC’s support riders evaporated which is not a good sign.
Recall that this is still the Bert that road without a teammate in sight through the Giro (Euskie, Movistar, and Andalucia aside)...
…but I think the fact that his 3 supporters were dropped simultaneously today is worrisome…
by JustJoshinYa on Jul 14, 2011 1:55 PM EDT up reply actions
yes
but no Schlecks, Evans, Basso, or Samu in sight at the Giro, either.
my point is he doesn't need support to win...
Doesn’t need the train to wear everyone down like some others do. BUT, if he were to puncture at the wrong time or mechanical…lack of a teammate would screw him. (also assumes he’s healthy)
by JustJoshinYa on Jul 14, 2011 2:31 PM EDT up reply actions
i,e, he doesn't need support to win against a fairly weak Giro field
but he needed every bit of Navarro and Hernandez (and Vino!!) in the tour last year.
maybe - we will see I guess, because his team crumbled today...
(I relent – hope he’s well so it is a battle)
by JustJoshinYa on Jul 14, 2011 5:13 PM EDT up reply actions
While AC didn't have any late support,
I really didn’t see him ride in the wind all day. In fact, he looked to be well tucked away the entire day.
That was odd.
I did not expect to see Rolland with Voeckler, and Contador without gregario at all. What was that?
Contenders not riding into the red?
Remember that Voeckler and team know they’re not going to ride the Alps, while the GC contenders know that they are going to ride the Alps. So they can’t ride all the way into the red, or they’ll lose ten minutes up Alpe d’Huez or the Galibier.
Voeckler can ride the entire Alps in the autobus and will still have had a good Tour.
The thing they need to remember is that they can't keep letting Frank go
because those 20 seconds here and there would add up—and I think Andy would be nearly as delighted if Frank ended up winning the Tour because they all marked him instead.
Which is why two on-form Schlecks is a really dangerous thing, because if they DO start following Frank’s attacks, that sets up Andy to go. They could end up fucked either way. Sort of beautiful, really.
He's a good kid. Complex and messed up, but intrinsically good.--Jonathan Vaughters, on Thomas Dekker
there's the bottom line...I think Andy puttered around like a daisy.
Why won’t he just contador these guys once…
by JustJoshinYa on Jul 14, 2011 1:57 PM EDT up reply actions
he is a daisy
and somebody said on a past thread that it seems that he is living someone else’s dream (older borther’s probably) which I tend to agree.
And will repeat: never will be a fan. lacks fighting spirit despite huge talent.
In search of a new tagline.
I disagree rather vehemently about this.
He fights differently, and politely, but the dude fights.
Remember the rides he put in in his first Giro? Absolutely killed himself.
He fought like hell on the Tourmalet last year—just couldn’t get rid of Contador.
When it comes to the Tour Andy always fights. Attacks too.
In the Tour (or that Giro where he got 2nd), A Schleck surely tries to make the race. Having said that I personally don’t like all the brotherhood deals etc, but that should perhaps not subtract from the overall impression too much.
Look. Not trying to offend him or his fans.
But for this 2 times he did put a fight I can remember like 1000 that he was on “training mode.”
Dude is a daisy. I am not a fan of “Andy the fighter”, the one that put on 200 attacks when they were 2 to 1 against Phil Gil in LBL. Never will be. If you need to go back to 2008 to get an example where he put a fight is like an argument in favor of what I am trying to say.
I don’t think this is bashing. Just facts and number 1 fight/200 training rides…..wow…someone told me I couldn’t use math!
On the opposite side we have Contador, which I don’t have much simpathy for different reasons, but one thing I will never say, liking him or note, is that the guys is not a racer. He is a racer, a pretty damn good one and he races to win everything he signs for.
And we are cool.(I thinkk)
In search of a new tagline.
I think Fränk tanks before he has enough of those 20 second chunks in hand before the TT
Just my thoughts. He’s never been good enough to challenge at the end, always falters somewhere.
Focus on easy first. If that's all you get, that ain't half bad - Caballo Blanco
I am SOOOO friggin' excited for the rat of the Tour I can hardly wait until mañana!
I would like to see Bert come back and light this race up only to lose in the TT to Cadel, that would be awesome! I think today we saw some of the benefit that Cadel, Andy, and Basso have received from having strong teams to shepherd them through all the craziness of the last week and a half. they are healthy whereas Bert is beat up and possible demoralized a bit.
Focus on easy first. If that's all you get, that ain't half bad - Caballo Blanco
Agreed
All speculation aside, the bigger point is that we have A Schleck, F Schleck, Basso, Evans, Contador & Sanchez basically within 2 min of each other and no one can count anyone of them out. They are all potential winners. I fully expected the field to be down to 2 (or possibly 3) at this point.
So who is the rat of the Tour?
Perhaps the driver who plowed Flecha & Hoogerland?
Rest of the Tour, not rat!
Focus on easy first. If that's all you get, that ain't half bad - Caballo Blanco
Word on VdV?
Crash messed him up? He was out-climbing Tommy D in Cali
tommy D got 3rd and CVdV got 4th in CA. Both did really well, imo.
Anyway, VdV was dropped early today. Tommy D lost 1 minute but VdV lost 10…
by JustJoshinYa on Jul 14, 2011 2:08 PM EDT up reply actions
He's old and a chiropractor's nightmare.
AND . . . to counter a post upthread:
If that was just Szmyd rolling it . . . everyone’s in trouble when he decides to really go . . .
Possibly Basso too?
Focus on easy first. If that's all you get, that ain't half bad - Caballo Blanco
This too...
…I don’t think this was easy or easily ridden. Not sure why people think a lack of explosive attacks = a lack of very hard riding. Holding it at the limit up three such climbs is a brutal effort.
Whatever happens next
I’d venture a guess that this particular stage race has already been a pretty freakin’ good idea for Phil.
Too bad his TT is so mediocre
I could see him do well at Pais Vasco for example… But I think he has enough 1-day challenges for the rest of his career that he doesn’t need to worry about stage racing too much.
by FrenchKheldar on Jul 14, 2011 6:30 PM EDT up reply actions
If Gilbert send some time training on a TT bike, he would surely become
much better at it. Compare to Gesink this year perhaps.
I think that Frank is near his peak,
Andy is still climbing to his. Contador will loose more ground as the Giro catches up to him. If Contador couldn’t take the Schlecks on today’s climb, he won’t take them on any climb. The ITT gap is too big for Contador to close.
maybe not on Frank
I suspect AC would easily take out 2’ on Frank in the TT (assuming he’s not completely wiped by then), though it might be tougher to do that to Andy.
I don't think that AC will be able to take 2 min
out of Frank this year. And I suspect that Frank will have more by the time that ITT happens. Riis basically traded in the Tour for the Giro. Riis might have thought that he wanted to get what he could out of Contador before he was suspended.
What a decimated field we had before the first serious climb even started. Anyone know what happened to Gesink? Is he sick? I would have thought that Gesink would be better than Basso and Evans this year.
Somebody is going to have to get serious
to get that jersey off Voeckler’s back. This is the strongest that I have ever seen him ride. Not just because of what he did today, but the work he put in on 9 was huge.
I guess people feel like his legs will give out at some point and he will just drift off the back on some climb. Maybe. But maybe not.
That, the sudden dissapearance of a *lot* of domestiques...
…the TDF’s rep as being truly serious about anti-doping: things that make you go humm.
Yes - you won't have to wait long
Frank will be in yellow tomorrow- that is the LT plan, and I think it might be Evans and Basso’s plan too. The way the Schlecks ride just plays into the togh guys hands. Only Contador type attacks can blow those two away. LT has the wrong plan. The Schlecks have had the wrong plan for a couple of years and it doesn’t look like they figured it out yet.
tomorrow?
you think he’s going to lose a bunch of time tomorrow after hanging with the boys until shortly before the end today? Only one big climb tomorrow, and I doubt the big boys will come out to play. I suspect he’ll hang on one more day but then go boom on the Plateau.
I see him killing himself and surviving tomorrow and disappearing from sight on Saturday — but with a contented smile
"Long Live Cols" - ant1
+1
but what i would like even more, is if he got into the break on saturday.
"Ants don’t worry, they operate like a fantastic team, they accept obstacles and deal with them in a positive manner, they don’t complain and remain positive. An ant doesn’t work on emotion, is proactive and always chooses the ant role."
"Frank will be in yellow tomorrow"
Don’t think so.
“The Schlecks have had the wrong plan for a couple of years and it doesn’t look like they figured it out yet.”
They are looking pretty good to me.
Voeckler says his legs will give out
And I believe him. He states he cannot hang with the best climbers, nor TT with the best. And he can’t. His plucky break-away power is coming to and an end on Stage 14.
Tomorrow, his mad descending skills will be on display.
If he needs his descending skills tomorrow
Not sure, might end up like the Aspin/Tourmalet stage in 2009 with a succesful breakaway and a a pretty big bunch behind them.
Badger, badger, badger, badger, badger, badger...
by TheFigurehead on Jul 14, 2011 4:21 PM EDT up reply actions
Great day on the mountain
So many people meant no data connect on the phone so I had no idea what was going on. I was with all the orange folk 2.2km from the finish and the place erupted when Sammy came through. It got hysterical when he won.
A bit bizarre seeing fat schleck then the main group hammering up the hill.
Camping on the top again as the road has just opened and there’s no time to find another pitch.
Thanks for the post event summary!
can't wait to see the pics!
you did take pics, right?
that orange group was awesome/massive on TV
really cool to see. All the Euskies mustve been pumped up as the went by
Basso
Wish he was just a little closer in time.
As for the brothers, they played everyone to perfection. 1st Andy sat up and started looking around like he was going. And everyone took it hook line and sinker
Contador, even though he likes the later stages to work, just seems out of time and energy.
Yes but a great ride by the young guy
I’m sure he’s super happy to take second behind Sanchez, that’s a HUGE ride! OPL is having a dream season and a dream TdF so far.
Focus on easy first. If that's all you get, that ain't half bad - Caballo Blanco
Dream Tour …
that could have been 100x better with JVDB still in the race.
"On paper, your team is awesome." -- Pigeons on my WVDS team, and life in general.
maybe I should have said aside from JVDB exiting it has been a dream tour
Focus on easy first. If that's all you get, that ain't half bad - Caballo Blanco
Philippe Gilbert
is some bike racer. He made it into the winning move today.
May not have held onto it, but he knew exactly where it was.
Not sure what his best role is in a Grand Tour
But he can really ride. Serious descender too – I could see him getting the stage win tomorrow if there’s enough in his legs to get up the big hill
I think Gilbert is testing himself on the climbs, to see if he will be able
to compete in the future. He does all that testing while still being competitive in the Green jersey battle and continue to try and win uphill finishes. Impressive.
We saw the Giro in Bertie's legs today
He’s cooked. Sure, he’ll claw back a little time, maybe win a stage, but his team rode damn near perfectly today and he had nothing at the finish.
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Celebrate the Giro d'Italia at Podium Cafe!
Check our Giro Section for race updates, on-the-scene reports, and other hijinx.
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FanShots
Quick hits of video, photos, quotes, chats, links and lists that you find around the web.
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