Sunday stage ***Spoiler***

pb21

I cant imagine how frustrated Moreau must of been feeling.
Evans was the worst, I hope he comes last (actually second to last).

sing_for_absolution

Dorian Gray wrote:

. Do you think they'll enforce the time limit rule in McEwen's case?
l:

It'd be a joke if they didn't.

Sinkewitz rode into a spectator on the way to the hotel and broke his nose. Pretty crap day for T-Mobile.

Ste_S

brad68 wrote:

I can't believe that the Valverde group did not work together, that was a fantastic chance to distance themselves, I am sure Lance would have killed that situation!

Too many wheel suckers. I bet Moreau was well frustrated.

fluff.

aba2005 wrote:

so did kloden definitely wait or did he wait cos he couldn't keep pace with the break? have they interviewed anyone from Astana yet?

Not read the reports yet, but Kloden started to make an effort, Vino couldn't keep up, the coverage cut back to Vino having a discussion on the team radio mic, 30 sec later Kloden appeared to sit up. Oh, and he got a big pat on the back as he crossed the line as well.

sing_for_absolution

The spectator Sinkewitz crashed into is in a coma by the way. Sounds like a serious collision.

aba2005

It doesn't make sense for Kloden to stay and Kash to go though.

aba2005

I hope that Vino does what he did in last year's Vuelta.

lloyd_bower

fluffcp wrote:

aba2005 wrote:

so did kloden definitely wait or did he wait cos he couldn't keep pace with the break? have they interviewed anyone from Astana yet?

Not read the reports yet, but Kloden started to make an effort, Vino couldn't keep up, the coverage cut back to Vino having a discussion on the team radio mic, 30 sec later Kloden appeared to sit up. Oh, and he got a big pat on the back as he crossed the line as well.

Yes, Kloden was clearly called back for Vino. Ridiculous, and strange tactics by Astana as they had another rider further forward too, it's cost him at at least 30secs.

fluff.

Kash was a minute up the road, don't think Vino fancied waiting that long for a friendly wheel.

aba2005

No I meant why did they let Kash go in the first place, shouldn't it have been the other way round (kloden going instead)?

also Kloden was signed to work for Vino + Vino put the team together so its not that surprising if kloden was called back.

Steve Austin

well thats McEwen gone. startign to look like boonen for green?

nathanb74

pb21 wrote:

I cant imagine how frustrated Moreau must of been feeling.
Evans was the worst, I hope he comes last (actually second to last).

Your a bit quick on your critisism of people being wheel suckers. Evans was asked after the stage why didn't he go off the front and he said that Moreau was too strong and he just didn't have the legs. Evans was always 2nd or 3rd wheel but where was Valverde - sitting at the back playing the "I'm too knackered" game but still had plenty of energy to sprint for 3rd place. Very judgemental guys!!!!!!!

Melpro

To be fair though Cadel Evans does have a history of not doing his fair share.

I think if he appeared to be a nicer chap we might be a bit more forgiving!

Steve Austin

Evans doesn't come across as very bright, maybe he doesn't realise he needs to be at the front?

pb21

nathanb74 wrote:

pb21 wrote:

I cant imagine how frustrated Moreau must of been feeling.
Evans was the worst, I hope he comes last (actually second to last).

Your a bit quick on your critisism of people being wheel suckers. Evans was asked after the stage why didn't he go off the front and he said that Moreau was too strong and he just didn't have the legs. Evans was always 2nd or 3rd wheel but where was Valverde - sitting at the back playing the "I'm too knackered" game but still had plenty of energy to sprint for 3rd place. Very judgemental guys!!!!!!!

Valverde had a teammate up the road for the first few Ks and was contributing a little after they caught him (not much though).

Evans didnt have to go off on his own just contribute to the group. Like you say he was always 2nd or third and quick to cover up any gaps, hardly the sort of things someone does when they dont have the legs.

afx237vi

It was frustrating, because Evans and Valverde were the only two (what I think are) genuine GC contenders in that group. The others were riders who haven't proved themselves over three weeks or are past their best. Kashechkin too, maybe, but he was never going to help in a million years.

cougie

Moreau didnt seem to get the group working well today - god knows how many attacks he launched to test people and then never followed through. It was touch and go whether the guys behind were gonna catch them. He seems to have picked up tactics from the Virenque school...

SteveR_100Milers

Mayo looked strong at the end, I am surprised that he didnt/couldnt make his earlier attacks stick and would have made some time up on the group. I don't think you cant critiscise Evans for wheel sucking, there's no reason why on earth he should do anything to help anyone else unless it helps him. Might not make him popular, but thats not why he's there. I thought Valverde rode a very smart race, although his bluffing clearly fooled no-one. This of one of the most watchable tours in years, makes a change from an obvious dominant rider effectively winning at the end of the first week. Seems to me that there is a hell of a lot of accidents though, O'Grady sounds like he is in a bit of a mess, lets hops he is ok and its not serious.

afx237vi

SteveR_100Milers wrote:

Mayo looked strong at the end, I am surprised that he didnt/couldnt make his earlier attacks stick and would have made some time up on the group. I don't think you cant critiscise Evans for wheel sucking, there's no reason why on earth he should do anything to help anyone else unless it helps him. Might not make him popular, but thats not why he's there. I thought Valverde rode a very smart race, although his bluffing clearly fooled no-one. This of one of the most watchable tours in years, makes a change from an obvious dominant rider effectively winning at the end of the first week. Seems to me that there is a hell of a lot of accidents though, O'Grady sounds like he is in a bit of a mess, lets hops he is ok and its not serious.

But surely it would have benefited him to distance Sastre, Kloden, Vino, Leipheimer, Menchov...

Steve Austin

Goes back to what i was saying about him being none too bright

ricadus

Perhaps he lacks the confidence to commit himself too early in the race – it's only just past the end of the first week, after all – and he has blown up in the past, such as that day in the Giro a few years ago when he was wearing the maglia rosa and lost tens of minutes on the final climb. An experience like that must create a certain wariness or even self-doubt.

martinwitnam

Just looked at the official french tour site and it seems that McEwen has gone along with Cedric Herve and Danilo Napolitano.

aba2005

cyclingnews stage review

I hope they get punished by Astana (Vino) for their indecisive.

mangaman

Great stage I thought

I was surprised Caisse D'Epagne didn't call back Arroyo earlier to work with Valverde and attack

He seemed pretty strong at the end

ricadus

Unfortnately – because he has always been an exciting racer to watch – I don't think Vino has a chance.

It's not just the minute and a half he lost in the crash a couple of days ago; his Dauphine Libere performance was relatively disasterous, since it showed up the fact that he simply doesn't have climbing legs to stick with the Tour contenders such as Moreau (who had put 7 minutes into Vino on Mt Ventoux, for example).

SteveR_100Milers

afx237vi wrote:

SteveR_100Milers wrote:

Mayo looked strong at the end, I am surprised that he didnt/couldnt make his earlier attacks stick and would have made some time up on the group. I don't think you cant critiscise Evans for wheel sucking, there's no reason why on earth he should do anything to help anyone else unless it helps him. Might not make him popular, but thats not why he's there. I thought Valverde rode a very smart race, although his bluffing clearly fooled no-one. This of one of the most watchable tours in years, makes a change from an obvious dominant rider effectively winning at the end of the first week. Seems to me that there is a hell of a lot of accidents though, O'Grady sounds like he is in a bit of a mess, lets hops he is ok and its not serious.

But surely it would have benefited him to distance Sastre, Kloden, Vino, Leipheimer, Menchov...

Of course, but I can only assume he doesnt (think he has) have the legs to easily drop them, therefore he might as well conserve energy