Stage 10 - "Spoiler"

deltadawn
deltadawn Posts: 168
edited July 2008 in Pro race
PROFIL.gif

Okay, this is it. The first REAL stage of the tour!

I'm not sure if Ricco will be able to stay with the big boys today. I guess we'll see.
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Comments

  • Steve_F
    Steve_F Posts: 682
    The way he shot off yesterday I'm wondering if anyone will be able to stay with him. He made that look effortless yesterday (uphill anyway) and if he hasn't blown his legs.....
    Current steed is a '07 Carrera Banshee X
    + cheap road/commuting bike
  • graeme_s-2
    graeme_s-2 Posts: 3,382
    I came in here wondering how there could already be spoilers. I thought perhaps we were seeking the advice of a clairvoyant or something ;)
  • Pirahna
    Pirahna Posts: 1,315
    Today will be the day when Evans stamps his authority on the race (not).
  • sportzchick
    sportzchick Posts: 45
    Should be one hell of a stage

    Any news on Cadel's injury - I know no news generally is good news but im worried now :|
  • takethehighroad
    takethehighroad Posts: 6,821
    Apparantly he said "here's your interview" at the end of the stage and handed the press his helmet, which was f***ed all down the left side, and he would defo be out the race were it not for said lid.
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,725
    The weather at the Ville Depart is gloriously sunny, so the big climbs should be seen at their finest. There's a real Bastille Day holiday atmsophere. I'm sure it will be accompanied by the usual French race fireworks, during the first hour! :)
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • sportzchick
    sportzchick Posts: 45
    TakeTheHighRoad wrote:
    Apparantly he said "here's your interview" at the end of the stage and handed the press his helmet, which was f***ed all down the left side, and he would defo be out the race were it not for said lid.
    Hed be more than out of the race thats for sure :shock:

    he has had the same bodyguard that use to follow Armstong around and Cadel told him to make sure no one touched his shoulder
  • Doobz
    Doobz Posts: 2,800
    I am not sure the Rico has blown his legs. He did not look to be struggling at all and considering he only went nuts for a couple of miles up the final climb and then maintained a steady pace till the finish with a nice downhill to recover.

    I would love to see him do the same kind of thing today. I am pretty sure everyone will jump on his back wheel though. His style reminds me a bit of Rasmussen. Cant wait.. :)
    cartoon.jpg
  • pedylan
    pedylan Posts: 768
    I'm looking forward to the pros showing me how it is possible to get round this stage in almost exactly half teh time it took me last week. :oops:

    Ricco's attack yesterday was barn storming stuff, it's what being a climber is all about. More of the same would be great.
    Where the neon madmen climb
  • Doobz
    Doobz Posts: 2,800
    pedylan, you must be having moments of deja-vu while watching telly then? I envy you mate to have done the whole thing :) - I wouldn't mind having a go at it next year.. was it pretty cold at the top?
    cartoon.jpg
  • Rich.H
    Rich.H Posts: 443
    Comments on temps ranged from 3 to 8 deg on the Tourmalet - whatever, it was wet and miserable for us....

    Great to watch it now though having ridden the stage.

    Rich
  • pedylan
    pedylan Posts: 768
    Spent a fair bit of my preparation worrying about dealing with heatstroke - needn't have worried, ended up buying legwarmers in Pau and needed them and a jacket and armwarmers to get down both descents. I was shivering hard on the bike on the descent of Tourmalet. Temps at the top were around 5 degrees and the visibility was under 30m.

    So it'll be nice to see what the countryside actually looks like...........
    Where the neon madmen climb
  • deltadawn
    deltadawn Posts: 168
    Graeme_S wrote:
    I came in here wondering how there could already be spoilers. I thought perhaps we were seeking the advice of a clairvoyant or something ;)

    Yes, Graeme, I am clairvoyant. I predict that someone very tired will be wearing a yellow jersey after the stage today. :wink:

    Dawn
  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    Cavendish has fallen off and hurt his elbow.

    Any excuse to avoid the mountains :P
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • pedylan
    pedylan Posts: 768
    iainf72 wrote:
    Cavendish has fallen off and hurt his elbow.

    Any excuse to avoid the mountains :P

    Bet his mouth is in full working order.

    I heard he is carrying another injury - after his second stage win when he answered the question "What did you learn", he dislocated his arse. :twisted:
    Where the neon madmen climb
  • richa
    richa Posts: 1,632
    Cavendish has returned to the peloton after his crash.
    Rich
  • ricadus
    ricadus Posts: 2,379
    Wegmann: great advert for electronic gears –– not!
    Tour de France
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,725
    This group is way too big, but how can a team like Milram close it down?
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • andy_wrx
    andy_wrx Posts: 3,396
    Re Evans crash injuries, from www.letour.fr
    Cadel Evans – “I thought: ‘Oh no! I’ve lost the Tour…!’”
    LeTour.fr had an exclusive interview with the rider currently ranked second in the general classification late last night. Cadel Evans explained what he remembers of the crash that caused him to lose skin “from toe to neck” on the left side of his body. “One moment I was following an Euskaltel rider and I remember thinking, ‘He’s going too fast for that corner.’ The next thing I was doing was picking myself up off the road.
    “Really, I don’t know what happened. But when I stood, I was frightened. I thought, ‘Oh no! I’ve lost the Tour! For a brief moment, I thought I’d broken a bone. I was sore all over but then I did a quick body check. Collarbone, okay. Arms, bleeding but all good. Legs: I’m standing… must be okay. Right, where’s my bike? I better get going again…!”
    After the crash at the 106km mark of the 224km stage, a hand bag from a spectator was caught up in his chain but the Australian believes that it was not what caused the fall, rather a result of the bike flying to the side of the road and into the crowd.
    After a bike change, because of a damaged shifting lever, Cadel Evans returned to the peloton as quickly as possible after his crash. “I just wanted to get going again and my mechanics did a great job getting everything sorted out,” said the 31-year-old.
    “My team-mates were great: they never panicked and looked after me the whole way back to the peloton. Robbie McEwen went back to the race doctor and told him what my injuries were. My arm was swollen and sore, my head was throbbing with pain; I’m really glad that I had my helmet on. It smashed into three pieces and it’s yet another reminder how important it is to be safe rather than sorry.
    “I feel like I’m becoming an ambassador for road safety, so I guess it’s a good time to remind everyone: be careful when you ride your bike and always wear a helmet.”

    So children, Uncle Cadel says 'always wear a bike helmet'
    - perhaps I should post this on Soapbox and start another never-ending pro/anti-helmet thread :lol:


    Is there any film of the crash up anywhere ?
  • richa
    richa Posts: 1,632
    Blazing Saddles wrote:
    This group is way too big, but how can a team like Milram close it down?
    And why chase?
    Rich
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,253
    RichA wrote:
    Blazing Saddles wrote:
    This group is way too big, but how can a team like Milram close it down?
    And why chase?

    I guess for Zabel to get green jersey intermediate sprint points - especially with Freire in the break. Seems like a lot of effort though.

    I'm wondering why Popovych is in the break.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • andyp
    andyp Posts: 10,549
    RichN95 wrote:
    I'm wondering why Popovych is in the break.
    Presumably so as Evans has someone up the road so when he attacks he has someone to work with.

    Hold on, that would require Evans to attack. Strange things are afoot. :wink:
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,253
    I'd considered that possiblity, but wouldn't it be better to send someone like Cioni or Aerts up there, rhather than their top guy - especially as Evans is a bit beaten up and might struggle.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    Wouldn't be surprised to see Evans a bit off the pace today. Especially if CSC try to work him over a bit.

    But then I'm consistantly wrong at the moment so Evans will probably win solo.
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    I see John-Lee Augustyn is in the break.

    Lets see if he can climb with the big boys.
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • oily sailor
    oily sailor Posts: 235
    Julian Dean must be extremely annoyed at having to bury himself before the Tourmalet
  • DaveyL
    DaveyL Posts: 5,167
    Remy Di Gregorio is in the break and he can climb a bit - maybe he's going to do something today.
    Le Blaireau (1)
  • andyp
    andyp Posts: 10,549
    oily sailor wrote:
    Julian Dean must be extremely annoyed at having to bury himself before the Tourmalet
    If he complains I'm sure the response he'll get will be along the lines of "there was a 20 man break and none of you managed to get in it! Get back to your chasing."
  • Doobz
    Doobz Posts: 2,800
    Yury Trofimov of the Bouygues Telecom team has just quit his first Tour de France
    cartoon.jpg
  • Coriander
    Coriander Posts: 1,326
    Ok, boys, please bear with me as I ask what are probably some pretty dumbass questions:

    1) Why are the teams who don't really have anyone in line for GC and no real climbers chasing down the breakaway? Surely that's just a huge waste of energy on a day like today? So why is Julian Dean being told to work so hard?

    2) And why send someone across to the breakaway, anyway, because surely they're not going to slow it down...?

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