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I've been looking forward to this one, stage of the tour I reckon.
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Everyone's going to be looking at Frank today, but Cadel can still lose a bit of time, think he can make it up in the TT.
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Some useful links:
http://live.cyclingnews.com/
http://gaps.letour.fr/us.php
http://data.srmlive.de/TDF/
I predict Evans for the overall win
It is getting interesting wonder how his legs are today tbh
If Cavendish misses the cut off time again today will it be more points deducted or will he be out?
Up at the front, will the GC contenders have the legs today or will they be watching each other like hawks and [s]shaving[/s] saving their legs for tomorrow's TT? Hopefully AC will go for it and make it interesting.
Game on, should be a great stage.
About yesterday's heroics from AS, I've read a few comments that the chasing group basically fked things up on the descent from the second climb and across to the Galibier. AS put roughly 2 mins onto them in his initial break, lost roughly 2 mins on the Galibier, but gained a further 2 mins on the descent and traverse between the two.
Are these times correct? Hard to understand why CE and co just couldn't get it together early enough if so, maybe they didn't want to risk blowing up on the Galibier?
Bertie will go for the stage today. Shreks will have to chase him down, Evans will sit on their wheels all day. And Tommy V will wheelsuck the Whining Wheelsucker all day long.
Tommy V to stay in yellow again....!
We can but dream!
If Cavendish misses the cut off time again today will it be more points deducted or will he be out?
depends. If more than 20% of the tour miss the cut off they dont eliminate them all but they deduct points. If less than 20% all are out they ride together [autobus] so always the deducting of points
Yes Cpt Tommy V and Hoogeland are this years heroes for me
Tommy V to stay in yellow again....!
Like I said before..
My sadistic side is really looking forward to seeing Voeckler cracking spectacularly into a thousand broken pieces in a mixture of salty tears on the mountains. I just know it's going to happen.
Soon, soon..
Hard to understand why CE and co just couldn't get it together early enough if so, maybe they didn't want to risk blowing up on the Galibier?
did he have many folk with him at that stage? that's certainly why he had to take it on himself up the last one anyway..
If Cav is outside the time cut off in the grupetto it is highly likely that the Tour will let them all back in, 88 riders in that group yesterday! So if he is outside the limit but Rojas is in, Rojas will then take the lead in teh green! it will be a shame if the green jersey competition was decided by a climb and being outside the time limit! Not what it's about but hey.
Going to be a corker today! Can't wait.
Today is basically a sprint stage (aside from the massive climbs in the way!) but it's still very short. Should be fantastic. Wondering who's got the legs to go for it. AS will probably be wrecked from yesterdays attack. Cadel will probably be wrecked from chasing for the last 50km. Voeckler was already wrecked yesterday and is almost certainly going to lose yellow today (real shame cos he's the true hero of this years Tour).
So, Frank Schleck?
CaptainFlashheart - Member
Bertie will go for the stage today. Shreks will have to chase him down, Evans will sit on their wheels all day. And Tommy V will wheelsuck the [b]Whining Wheelsucker[/b] all day long.Tommy V to stay in yellow again....!
We can but dream
Where's the yawning smiley, trotting out the same old tedious bilge, irrespective of the riders actual performance in the race and without the slightest inkling of what he has to do to acheive what he does!
Matt
Where's the yawning smiley, trotting out the same old tedious bilge, irrespective of the riders actual performance in the race and without the slightest inkling of what he has to do to acheive what he does!
+1
Expecting to see a break of about 30 or so, last chance for anyone but people like canceralla and cavendish to get a win, and only have to be in a ~90km break.
i never understood the whining wheelsucker comments from previous years either... Just go back and take a look at the 'great' climbers he was supposed to have sucked wheels from and then go to the list of dodgy riders that have been busted for drugs in grand tours list and note how many names are the same...
Ive always had a longheld belief that evans was one of the few clean riders in top twenty - Id be whinging too if I was beaten by dopers every time I trie to win...
But back onto today - whats the betting yesterday was a huge bluff by the schreks - wear everyone down, frank sits on teh wheel and today he goes whilst everyone dies in a meltdown of legs...
Jeremy Roy for the win, or at least be in the breakaway!
Cancellara will keep his powder dry, unless the schlecks need him, for the TT tomorrow. Expect him and Tony Martin huddled in the autobus.
Literally can't wait for this stage!
Mainly because I rode it on the Etape last week 😀
Going to be amazing to see how much quicker they do it!
But back onto today - whats the betting yesterday was a huge bluff by the schreks - wear everyone down, frank sits on teh wheel and today he goes whilst everyone dies in a meltdown of legs...
They kinda gave it away when they said what their plan was in the interview after the stage. Andy was meant to get caught, then Frank was meant to go straight away when the rest were tired from chasing. Andy didn't caught, so today is just going to be about Frank, as he should still be fresh.
Nice one will, it's something I want to do as well. How was it?
Frank for the win today.
I'm going to have a daft prediction and say that Cav will get at least one point on the intermediate sprint today. The long descent will enable him to get back on terms.
Yeah would be great to see someone like Roy or Boogen-hasen to Hoogerland to make a break and get away with it.
Hoogerland has made a break for it already.
oh did he, oh well
There's a yellow mavic "support" car with yellow bikes on it. Which team is it associated with? Sorry, it's been bugging me.
they are for anyone, if you have a mechanical and your team car is nowhere near
they are cannondales
Neutral Service - any rider can take one.
Cheers.
You don't see the bikes being used very often but a quick wheel change happens often enough.
So Greipel in the escape, also hoping to disrupt Cav.
Hope the boy makes it in today.
Sorenson just went, does that mean Contador's given up?
Doesn't look like it, Contador has suddenly found his legs again...
Wow, it's kicking off early today!!
Maybe not then.
GO TOMMY!!!
This is going to be amazing 😀
Looking like a classic day, glad I took the day off work to watch it!
allez tommy v!
Got tears in my eyes watching this, Tommy = AWESOME.
Brilliant, this going to be an epic day
Contador might pull Andy to the overall win
Looking like a classic day, glad I took the day off work to watch it!
Got your priorities right, I like it.
if cycling fan power could affect the result, Voeckler has already won
i thought they would all wait for the Alpe, how wrong was i? i think this is the best tour i've eve seen since i started watching in the 80's
WackoAK - Member
Looking like a classic day, glad I took the day off work to watch it!
Glad my boss and office mate are both away today!
im torn between online text updates and burying my head to wait for the highlights tonight
ive yet to watch yesterdays
Voeckler suffering a bit though, he's all over the bike to stay with the other three.
This has the look of quite a few people getting eliminated today.
Voeckler suffering a bit though, he's all over the bike to stay with the other three.
He does tend to ride like that though - I wouldn't worry just yet.
Same boat as you Jon!
So is Voeckler going to crack on the Galibier or d'huez? Both maybe?
i'm watching live on TV, reading on here and on Bike radar and watching http://data.srmlive.de/TDF/ to check out heart rates etc 🙂
Any they say men can't multi-task . . . .
evans thpught it was the bike 😆
Cadel off his bike!!!
It's a bit stupid if this decides the green jersey because Cav finishes in a big group outside the limit again (and Rojas inside) - not what the points jersey is supposed to be about. They've always let big groups back in when they're outside the limit - it's not like they've ever eliminated over half the field on the time limit because that's a sign that the time limit is wrong. Don't see why Cav should lose points because of that (when Rojas is barely in front).
That's not even funny for Cadel. Might be a blessing in disguise though.
Think of the adrenaline kick he'll have now.
Holy crap this is a great stage already. Action, Action, Action!!!
Poor Evans hope he can pull it back
not what the points jersey is supposed to be about
Consistency.. so not winning a load of stages then blowing out of your arse on the others.
2 down, 1 to go for Contador?
Bike change for Evans.
It's Andy's tour to win now
So podium now looking like AS, Bertie, Tommy 😉
Consistency.. so not winning a load of stages then blowing out of your arse on the others
You might have a point if he'd finished off the back on his own - he finished in a group containing over half the field.
TV dieing a thousand deaths . . . . but keeps going . . .
I thought yesterdays stage was special but this one looks like a classic, my lungs are busting just watching it, gutted for CA, come on Tommy dig in fella, Contador to blow up !!!
AS and AC today is like the cycling equivalent of boxing. This could be an epic battle.
Andy Schleck's numbers are red today. I'm sure they were white yesterday. What does it mean?
Assuming they are in first gera - what ratio are they probably pedaling?
He got the combativity award yesterday.
Assuming they are in first gera - what ratio are they probably pedaling?
They probably aren't, first gear is for when you're ****ed. It would probably be 39/25, but they're probably mid cassette or something.
he got most aggresive rider award yesterday
Combative award for yesterday
Ok thanks
How pissed off will Evans be with his mechanic tonight.
Red numbers denote yesterdays "Combative" winner - most attacking rider.
Did AC have a spanish steak for dinner last night?? 😀
TV has "previous national champion" stripes around the bottom of his shorts 🙂
i suspect there's going to be some risks taken on the descent from TV
Has Frank been dropped?
How pissed off will Evans be with his mechanic tonight.
is it AS's mechanic from last year? and Shimano or campag?
Pineau,fantastic!
its often difficult to see the angle of the climb because the camera bikes are at the same angle as the riders, but every so often you get a shot that shows the climb properly - f*ck they can go uphill fast!!
Has Frank been dropped?
Ages ago, he's back in the peloton now.
BMC run shimano. Might not be a gear problem though, might be a wheel - they use Easton wheels apparently.