Stage 7 *spoiler*

iainf72

Cunego just decked it.

Millar on attack (with Voigt)

andy_wrx

Millar is insisting on staying in the breakaway, with a flat front tyre, won't drop back into the peloton which is just 25" behind ?
Even though it's a front, how long's it going to take to fit a new wheel ?

Jez mon

Millar got caught.

Personally if Colombia are now going for a high placing in Paris, rather than just holding onto to the jersey for as long as possible, they should have let that break go.

CSC now doing some damage in the windy conditions

Jez mon

NASTY CRASH someone has been blown into a tree.

As for why David M doesn't want to stop...you'll never get back into the group with this wind

Cumulonimbus

Yes, i guess he hasnt too many team-mates in the front group and any that are there will have Van De Velde to look after too. Cunego could lose big time here.

Kléber

It's going mental already. Backstedt and Cav dropped.

andrewgturnbull

Hi there.

Just had a wee scan of the route, and they go over the Pas de Peyrol (Puy Mary) today. I remember this from the 2004 etape... but it looks like they're climbing it in the reverse direction. That's gotta be the easy way up, I remember the last k at 15% or so, and only just managing to outpace people pushing their bikes...

I think Tricky Dicky won that day in the real race - a Bastille day breakaway special when he double-crossed his breakaway companion.

Cheers, Andy

Jez mon

Apparently Millar has now changed his bike

Cumulonimbus

Is he still with the front group/has he been able to rejoin?

Jez mon

Well according to Eurosport online, he is still in the first group. BUT I don't think that's possible, either Eruosport is lying about his bike change, or lying about him being in the main group, OR Millar is superman, which is entirely possible!!

Cumulonimbus

As the gap is more than thirty seconds it is possible that his team car has been able to come through and is pretty much first in line. However, he would still lose about 100 metres at best i would have thought and that would be tricky to get back.

Kléber

Millar is there.

ricadus

andrewgturnbull wrote:

Just had a wee scan of the route, and they go over the Pas de Peyrol (Puy Mary) today. I remember this from the 2004 etape... but it looks like they're climbing it in the reverse direction. That's gotta be the easy way up, I remember the last k at 15% or so, and only just managing to outpace people pushing their bikes...

I think Tricky Dicky won that day in the real race - a Bastille day breakaway special when he double-crossed his breakaway companion.

I remember that climb, like something from mid-Wales. I think you're right about RV - when I read the name he came to mind.

Hopefully a good day's racing in the blustery winds. "Majorly difficult", as they say...

Anyway I've been working since 7 a.m. and have got everything done for the day now, so can have a nice guilt-free afternoon putting my feet up in front of the TV.

Jez mon

Good spot!

The damage being done is unbelievable, Moreau is WAY back, this happened last year when it got windy.

Jez mon

Lilian JEGOU (FDJ) was the one who crashed into a tree, broken wrist is all apparently

Kléber

Moreau abandons.

andy_wrx

www.letour.fr

Lilian Jegou, the first rider to launch an attack in the 2008 Tour, is now out of the Tour. He broke his wrist in a crash around the 75km mark. He is on his way to the hospital. His wife is due to give birth any day now and it could be that both Mr and Mrs Jegou will find themselves in hospital at the same time...

takethehighroad

Gadret out. He was in my fantasy team and an outside bet for the polka dot. Although de la Fuente is one for the long breakaways.

calvjones

Any contenders in that 7'00 group?

geoff_ss

andrewgturnbull wrote:

Hi there.

Just had a wee scan of the route, and they go over the Pas de Peyrol (Puy Mary) today. I remember this from the 2004 etape... but it looks like they're climbing it in the reverse direction. That's gotta be the easy way up, I remember the last k at 15% or so, and only just managing to outpace people pushing their bikes...

I think Tricky Dicky won that day in the real race - a Bastille day breakaway special when he double-crossed his breakaway companion.

Cheers, Andy

They're climbing it the easy way. My wife and I climbed it 'for fun' last year and the last 2km on the road from Salers averages 16% - steeper on the hairpins. Quite enough for an old man even on my gears A car grounded on one bend and had to reverse

They don't use that road today I don't think. I think the descent might be a bit tight - they use a one-way system for coaches and big campers which swaps direction at mid-day.

Geoff

andyp

calvjones wrote:

Any contenders in that 7'00 group?

If there are then they are now ex-contenders.

geoff_ss

'Hincapie has just been dropped, along with Cancellara and McEwen, as the peloton approaches the summit of the Puy Mary. The leaders are currently riding in thick fog at the top of the 1,588m high ascent. The roads are dry and, for now, the threat of hail is abating.'


Seems the weather isn't much better there than it was last month or here for that matter! It'll be a chilly descent!

Geoff

sportzchick

Looking at the weather and the decent Im glad im not a Cyclist!!

Watching that was nervewracking - id hate to be riding it!!

campagchris

I thoroughly enjoyed that stage great riding in the side wind,brilliant descending from L.L. Sanchez thought Sam was going to go with him.Cunego losing time again bring on tomorrow

blazing_saddles

I've said for years, the parcours needed attention and this year's course is giving us a very spicy race!
I think they "gassed it up" when Cunego went down, as there were "words", when he got back. Now his chances look very fragile indeed.

Schumacher remains an interesting "fly in the ointment", that no one gave even the slightest consideration. Odd, when riders like Devolder have been touted for the overall. Both will die in the high sierras....