[Closed] TdF Stage 11 - A Very Tight Race [Spoilers]

and I'm just in awe that he rode 18km uphill with a broken leg

If sagan doesn't win today I can see the green jersey cuddly toy getting launched into orbit.

ITV4 summary/highlights last night tried to do the definitive Contador bike round-up, they had his crashed bike and the snapped bike, and ran the tangled-with-belkins-roof-rack story for the snapped one.

I'm a bit more ambivalent about doping in as much as I think everyone deserves a second chance (even valverde which makes me choke) - blow it and get caught again and it should be a lifetime ban. I've broken my tibia and I couldnt even watch contador riding in the highlights programme after knowing it was broken, and you'd have to be pretty callous to see him climbing off, obviously in tears and in pain, and not feel for the guy.

I just hope Nibali isnt allowed to ride away with it and everyone else races defensively to guarantee podium/top 10s - though a decent battle for the lower steps would be just as interesting.

If sagan doesn't win today I can see the green jersey cuddly toy getting launched into orbit.

😀

the state of that shoe!

Don't like Sagan, he's marked man and too predictable for anyone to let him win, so it's getting boring.

Still think there is more to come from Porte. Reminded me of Cuddles pulling them all up the hill on Monday. He needs to do something else.

No handed wheelies. How is this even possible?

Also...

Richie Porte is sounding like a number 2 again.

“Now it’s my opportunity to show that next year, I can not only be supporting him, but another card to play.” (From here http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/racing/tour-de-france/simple-message-turned-richie-portes-season-around-130289 )

That statement says to me he is simply eyeing up a high GC place to justify to himself that he can be a joint team leader in a grand tour in the future rather than a super domestique.

I've got news for you Richie, you are the team leader in a GT right now. And you are second overall. Why not try to win the thing?

Would love to see Sagan win it today, hopefully he can get away and we can see another of his ridiculous stage win celebrations. If he doesn't win today will he ditch the wolverine bike and go back to his hulk one?

sagan surely but I almost want him to not do it to just see how stroppy he gets

ITV4 summary/highlights last night tried to do the definitive Contador bike round-up, they had his crashed bike and the snapped bike, and ran the tangled-with-belkins-roof-rack story for the snapped one.

The ITV podcast spoke to Nico Roache and got the definative answer. Simple really.

1. Contador stacks it big due to a bump in the road just after he had got some food from his pocket.
2. Chain dropped on bike and losing time so Nico give him his bike and says to get moving and until the doctors car finds him.
3. Contador stops after a further 1km along the road due to the amount of blood coming from his knee to get it patched up (this is what we saw on the TV)

So the "2 crahses" theory is balls.

I just hope Nibali isnt allowed to ride away with it and everyone else races defensively to guarantee podium/top 10s - though a decent battle for the lower steps would be just as interesting.

I'd be very surprised if this wasn't the case. Can't see Porte, or anyone else in the top 10, risking a do or die raid unfortunately. Nibali would have to crack, or more likely, crash, to lose it.

2. Chain dropped on bike and losing time so Nico give him his bike and says to get moving and until the doctors car finds him.

Well you definitely see Nico on the side of the road trying to wave down a team car soon before the coverage moves to Contador being bandaged up, so that sequence sounds likely.

Edit...

How bout them slippers?

Like that new Bontrager XXX LE one. (Thankfully no Giro Empires... must resist purchase!)

RealMan,
Just want to say thanks for these updates. I had originally thought that the big GC boys packing up [spoiler? ;-)] would make for a slow year, but I reckon this will prove to be one of the best tours for a while. It's not in the bag yet by a long way.

Perhaps Porte is just playing it cool to keep the pressure and press focus down a bit. If he where to be on the podium that would be a great result, he can afford to work on protecting his position and wait to see how Nibali goes when the big mountain stages begin. If Porte is in the same form as last year he can threaten if he has the equivalent support he gave Froome last year.

Kwiatkowski is definately a rider for the future. Brilliant performance this year at only 24(?). A good all rounder with a good sprint. Seems to be lots of younger guys making their way up this year.

I was a bit shocked by Contadors crash on stage ten and it wasn't until I'd seen the rider interviews afterwards that I realised how tough the day was. Talansky was ready to drop and both him and Horner had no idea Contador was out. But Nibali still looked fresh. I hope the other GC boys will have a good go at the top spot but he is comfortable there. He may have an easy ride but it only takes one bad day, and still eleven stages to go.

As for today surely it must be Sagans day. How is Degenkolb's injury? The hills may be a bit too much for him. I seem to be becoming an Orica Greenedge fan this year so I'd like to see Albisini or Gerrans do something.

Saying that Porte isn't trying to win is a bit unfair.
At the end of stage 10 Porte was the only one chasing. If he wasn't trying to win, he could have sat on like everyone else in the chase group (TJ, Valverde etc) who appeared to be riding for 2nd and far more interested in jumping Porte at the end than helping to limit Nibali's lead.

Agree with the Nibali's to loose and Porte's to win. Hopefully there are a few others in the top 5 who feel like giving it a go and the weight of the attacks will wear down Astana. It's going to be interesting with the big stuff still to come.

Anyway full support behind the local lad (if only so that we can have a good party here!)

If he wasn't trying to win, he could have sat on like everyone else in the chase group (TJ, Valverde etc) who appeared to be riding for 2nd and far more interested in jumping Porte at the end than helping to limit Nibali's lead.

Gives you some appreciation of what it must be like riding at that level and having to constantly be "making the calculation" 🙂 Riding close to the limit, they would all know how they feel and what they were capable of after a big tough hilly day of riding. To give chase to Nibali knowing that there was some properly steep stuff up the road, or to ride at their own tempo limiting losses, or to try and mark their nearest rivals. Might look like they are just sitting in but I'm sure the calculation is a lot more complicated than it appears.

I reckon this one has breakaway win written all over it.

How is Degenkolb's injury?

If Porte is in the same form as last year...

I read somewhere that he and Froome had their traditional pre-tour race up the Col De La Madone and Porte beat him up it. Longer Alpine climbs are more Porte's thing than the steep, short stuff. However, Porte has historically always had an off day later on in a 3 week tour. Maybe that's why he's been relatively quiet so far.

I reckon this one has breakaway win written all over it.

Surely not again... 🙂

[img] [/img]

And off goes Sagan

Reports that Wiggins is in the Sky team car today. Curios.

Reports that Wiggins is in the Sky team car today

nothing better to do?

Reports that Wiggins is in the Sky team car today
nothing better to do?

Stage start, a good place to be if he wants to chat to other teams I guess.

Stage start, a good place to be if he wants to chat to other teams I guess.

why would he do that?...

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/wiggins-to-stay-at-team-sky-in-2015

why would he do that?

"He hasn't signed. We've met with his management company and we'll see where we're at. Nothing is signed," said Brailsford.

Leverage?

Bradley Wiggins has told Italian sports newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport that he plans to stay with Team Sky in 2015 and target Paris-Roubaix and possibly the Hour Record on the track. Team Sky manager Brailsford however told The Guardian that nothing is signed yet. "He hasn't signed. We've met with his management company and we'll see where we're at. Nothing is signed," said Brailsford.

Wiggins was speaking at the Pinarello Cycling Marathon event in Italy, organized Team Sky's bike sponsor.

Reports that Wiggins is in the Sky team car today. Curios.

Maybe he's dropped in to give everyone some support, tell everyone to get behind Richie... Maybe a couple of snide digs to Dave about how he should be riding. 😉

The whole Tour could go any way from now. Will Nibali tire from having to defend the jersey all the time or will the other teams just sort of resign themselves to scrapping it out over 2nd spot leaving His Nibs to ride the rest of it largely unopposed?

Today is one of those sort of nothing transitional stages with a few lumps thrown in at the end to annoy all the pure sprinters.

Leverage?

agree hence the "?...", slightly conflicting comments from him and Dave B.

Maybe a couple of snide digs to Dave about how he should be riding

Brailsford recently said if Wiggins [i]was[/i] riding he'd still be riding for Porte as Porte was always going to be their designated number 2 rider.

Today is one of those sort of nothing transitional stages with a few lumps thrown in at the end to annoy all the pure sprinters.

Yet sometimes the nothing stages end up being the most exciting. Remember the windy echelon stage last year when the Omega, with Cav, and Movistar dropped Froome? Brilliant and fascinating stuff 😀

Talansky going backwards, on his own, on a fairly innocuous section. Not looking good at the second.

Waiting for the Talansky whinge...

It's looking like Garmin are going to drop Talansky with the efforts, looks like they got the measure of him over breakfast.

Now over 6 mins back on the peleton and pedalling squares.

and the sag wagon is hovering like a top gear special.....

Either he gets put in the back or they give him a 25lb steel 8sp bike to ride home on.

Looks like he's out.

And he's back!

maybe he needs some poc elbow pads

Just joined. Whats happened to Talansky? Is Sagan still in the peloton?

Whats happened to Talansky?

Sore back I think they were saying earlier.

I've got news for you Richie, you are the team leader in a GT right now

He's managing expectations. It didn't go well in the Vuelta when he was royally done over by the Spanish.

I had Talansky for a podium. Clearly not "crash-proof".

Oh noes, got peed off with the ITV commentary paid for Eurosport and I find them worse.

Talanksy has hip problems appaza.

What's going on with Talansky then? I've only got the live feed up from time to time, first he was retiring, then he's back chasing but its showing him 16 mins behind the Peloton...

Talansky has only 1 mate on the road today
[img] [/img]
He's going to see if he can make it...

Sore back?

How's he looking now? he'll be 20+ minutes back by the end of that Cat 4, he was in 26th overall, this will be a sharp kick in the plumbs...

estimating 33mins for the elimination time

Sore everything by the look of him.

I'm going to have to watch the highlights later I think...

A bunch of 5 up front for the last 35km I'd like to see them pull another minute away from the bunch...

and I was almost right Talansky is now +00:19:36...

not that much cookeaa, been a normal transition so far just chilling and the others playing. Break is going to get caught I think so just the last 3km for fireworks unless someone decides to go for the last climb to finish and get some time back on yellow.

Scarponi just ripped his mech right off.. In a crash.. On a climb..

Today is one of those sort of nothing transitional stages with a few lumps thrown in at the end to annoy all the pure sprinters.

Bit of an understatement that.

All back together - Martin on the front (AGAIN??). Sagan to win?

Tony Martin has never attacked, but he has dropped the peloton on several occasions.

Imagine Froome trying to keep up on that descent. He'd be in a tree in the first turn.

Imagine Froome trying to keep up on that descent. He'd be in a tree in the first turn.

Are you confusing Froome for Andy Schleck? Froome is quite a good descender.

This must be Sagan's.

yay the JCL troll has woken up

RealMan - Member

[i]Today is one of those sort of nothing transitional stages with a few lumps thrown in at the end to annoy all the pure sprinters.[/i]

Bit of an understatement that.

Your right one of the local lads thought so too

Alexis Vuillermoz: "The climbs are hard!"
Local newspaper Le Progrès asked AG2R-La Mondiale rider Alexis Vuillermoz to reconnoitre today's course, which uses his usual training roads. The Frenchman who finished 11th at the Giro d'Italia gave an interesting insight: “Three of the four climbs have been classified in third category but I find the organizers very optimistic! I know those climbs really well, they're harder than that. The côte de Rogna isn't too difficult but the end of the côte de Choux is steep. I can guarantee that many riders will be surprised by how hard it is.

I must say, I've taken quite a shine to Gallopin. G'wan!

Can't see the point of Gallopin attacking there unless it to get some space for the descent.

Are you confusing Froome for Andy Schleck? Froome is quite a good descender.

It's all relative. Quite good isn't good enough to keep up with guys like Sagan, Gallopin, or Nibali as we saw at Terrano last year.

You guys think the racing is the same as 20 years ago. They know these days that if you have descending ability you can do a lot of damage. People don't sit up and recover on descents anymore.

The good riders know it and you saw what happened the other day or the same with Wiggo in the Giro last year.

"I must say, I've taken quite a shine to Galopin. G'wan! "

Him or his partner?

JCL - have you actually seen the crash where Froome was taken down?
Did you notice that it had nothing to do with bike handling?
Do you also realise that, as his wrist was fractured, he could hardly put any pressure on his bars with one hand, hence the falls the next day. The team had already been prepped that he probably wouldn't make it through that day.

Oh god so close.

bloody good move by Gallopin

awesome finish photo with the 2 handed celebration with the mass sprint for second

Sagan will be livid.

Sagan is not going to be happy..

What an attack! Sagan will be Mr. Grumps again this evening.

He smashed it. It's nice to see something like that happen considering the usual levels of control of the finishes by certain teams.

As an aside, such bullshit from Lemond, saying that somehow bike handling is genetic....

Can't wait to see Sagan on the podium. Speaking of the podium..

[img] [/img]

awesome finish photo with the 2 handed celebration with the mass sprint for second

saying that somehow bike handling is genetic....

@realman is that a photo bomb from the woman on the right ?

Hopefully we'll be seeing more of the delightful Marion Rousse... How can a girl with only one face be so pretty?? 😛

[img] [/img]

OK, for clarity I should have said that "on paper" it's a bit of a nothing transtional stage...
However as pointed out with that crosswinds stage last year, they can sometimes throw up some nice surprises and exciting racing.

Did Talansky actually finish in the end? I've only managed to catch bits and pieces of it today.

Well I know someone up there said it was a pointless attack but that was a brilliant finish. Nibali again in the front runners but no cigar for Sagan.

A really good last 10km.

ITV just said Talansky within 4k of the finish.

Talansky finished, inside time limit.

Speaking of the podium..

As pleasant as that is, surely this sort of thing has had its day. I guess mostly dictated by sponsors though. Wasn't it local school kids for some of the Yorkshire stages?

Apparently this is Sagan's 52nd TdF stage, and he's worn the green jersey in 47 of them. He must not really be a fan of the Cannondale kit, or something.