Stage 10 - "Spoiler"
Comments
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Kléber wrote:Evans is not there to put on a show, he's there to win.
People seem to think he's some cabaret artist, ready to pull rabbits out of helmets, maybe play the harmonica as he rides along before launching suicide attacks. But instead, he's trying to win the race, giving his all and making the most of his abilities. What else can he do?
He should at least do some juggling on the descents.Twitter: @RichN950 -
Dave_1 wrote:thank goodness Evans held it together today...he could win the TDF? he has crashed and so has no need to attack as he can out TT any of them. Go on cadel...no need an emphatic win, just a win...not the ET displays by the winner yesterday
But Evans kept up with Ricco today so what does that make Evans? We don't know who is clean and who isn't so I just enjoy the racing. And Ricco does better racing.0 -
RichN95 wrote:Kléber wrote:Evans is not there to put on a show, he's there to win.
People seem to think he's some cabaret artist, ready to pull rabbits out of helmets, maybe play the harmonica as he rides along before launching suicide attacks. But instead, he's trying to win the race, giving his all and making the most of his abilities. What else can he do?
He should at least do some juggling on the descents.
He's enough of stunty midget that he could be used for ventriloquism on the descents.0 -
RichN95 wrote:shannyla wrote:calvjones wrote:Can you post a youtube link to the last GT you rode with panache and elan? No? Oh, OK.
Were I entered and the main favourite for said race I would at least aspire (perspire..? whatever...) to ride with those values.
I'd aspire to win first.
These riders all had some panache: Pantani, Heras, Basso, Ullrich, Landis, Vinokourov, Hamilton.
Evans doesn't have panache.
I prefer Evans (although I liked Ullirch)
Rich, on that note I'm off out into the Cardiff gloom & home in my best 2003 Bianchi top, in a gesture of genuine respect for the big old doping buffoon - wherever you are now, Kaiser, have a pie on me
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Strava is not Zen.0 -
oily sailor wrote:Dave_1 wrote:thank goodness Evans held it together today...he could win the TDF? he has crashed and so has no need to attack as he can out TT any of them. Go on cadel...no need an emphatic win, just a win...not the ET displays by the winner yesterday
But Evans kept up with Ricco today so what does that make Evans? We don't know who is clean and who isn't so I just enjoy the racing. And Ricco does better racing.
Evans has no fluctuations...ricco massively under performed today compared to yesterday...0 -
calvjones wrote:Rich, on that note I'm off out into the Cardiff gloom & home in my best 2003 Bianchi top, in a gesture of genuine respect for the big old doping buffoon - wherever you are now, Kaiser, have a pie on me
I may have actually seen you on your bike in the past then (as I'm in Cardiff too) - I got passed by such a jersey once last year.Twitter: @RichN950 -
Dave_1 wrote:oily sailor wrote:Dave_1 wrote:thank goodness Evans held it together today...he could win the TDF? he has crashed and so has no need to attack as he can out TT any of them. Go on cadel...no need an emphatic win, just a win...not the ET displays by the winner yesterday
But Evans kept up with Ricco today so what does that make Evans? We don't know who is clean and who isn't so I just enjoy the racing. And Ricco does better racing.
Evans has no fluctuations...ricco massively under performed today compared to yesterday...
Perhaps Ricco was tired today after his attack on the easier stage yesterday? Everyone used to hold Ullrich up as clean as he got stronger during the tour and was nice and steady but that seemingly wasn't the case.0 -
oily sailor wrote:Dave_1 wrote:oily sailor wrote:Dave_1 wrote:thank goodness Evans held it together today...he could win the TDF? he has crashed and so has no need to attack as he can out TT any of them. Go on cadel...no need an emphatic win, just a win...not the ET displays by the winner yesterday
But Evans kept up with Ricco today so what does that make Evans? We don't know who is clean and who isn't so I just enjoy the racing. And Ricco does better racing.
Evans has no fluctuations...ricco massively under performed today compared to yesterday...
Perhaps Ricco was tired today after his attack on the easier stage yesterday? Everyone used to hold Ullrich up as clean as he got stronger during the tour and was nice and steady but that seemingly wasn't the case.
you won't see Ullrich type winning margins of near 3 minutes like in his 1996 TDF final TT and in Saint Etienne 97...Evans will never be that kind of TT rider...so I don't see the comparison you make...0 -
Anyone know if Cav made it home in time? or are they still out there?0
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He's showing in 158th place on the TdF website
came in 34m 55s down and plum last"Impressive break"
"Thanks...
...I can taste blood"0 -
andyp wrote:
Oh come on. Yesterday he was a dope fiend, today he's under performing. Which is it?Dave_1 wrote:Evans has no fluctuations...ricco massively under performed today compared to yesterday...
:roll:
Did you believe it? I take his Pantani soignuer association to be something to judge him on...and the way he took the Aspin...come on...you have never seen anything like that in 20 years of watching TDF and you know it. Not even the most doped of all could do that alone...only an Armstrong or Pantani at their peak could have tried to handle Ricco yesterday. Still...let's see the times at Alpe Du Huez...anything below 40 minutes is suspect..0 -
Please dont let an Aussie win the TdF :evil:0
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Wasn't the last Saunier-Duval 1-2 in a GT mountain stage the one at the Giro last year, where some child-like hormones were registered upon testing? That's what I meant by calling it a bullsh!t stage.Le Blaireau (1)0
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Some thoughts:
1. Andy Schleck bonked. I wonder if it was from riding so hard for his team or just a bad day
2. Vandevelde was amazing and if he didn't ride so hard at the end, with a very tired Evans on his wheel, Schleck (Frank) is probably in yellow
3. Not a fan of Evans but watching him tear-up on the podium and really respect/honor that yellow jersey was definitely tugging at the heart strings.
4. VERY smart for Frank to use this stage to ride himself into the ground and gain major GC time since tomorrow's a rest day followed by three likely sprinter's stages. VERY smart.
5. It was weird to see Evans actually attacking his group (with Schleck up the road). Didn't work, but he's not just following this year.
6. Watching Evans attack, you could see his shoulders were uneven -- probably still painful in the collarbone/shoulder area from the crash. Tough guy.0 -
donrhummy wrote:3. Not a fan of Evans but watching him tear-up on the podium and really respect/honor that yellow jersey was definitely tugging at the heart strings.
4. VERY smart for Frank to use this stage to ride himself into the ground and gain major GC time since tomorrow's a rest day followed by three likely sprinter's stages. VERY smart.
6. Watching Evans attack, you could see his shoulders were uneven -- probably still painful in the collarbone/shoulder area from the crash. Tough guy.
3. Absolutely true, I really can't bring myself to like the guy. I can appreciate how fast he can ride a bike, but I don't like him. Having said that, you could plainly see in his eyes how much it meant to him to be in that yellow jersey.
4. I'm very surprised more people didn't do it. Bernard Kohl and Efimkin did it too and it will be the seconds gained today that will stand them in good stead for the back end of the race.
6.Was it just me, or was there a red patch staining his jersey on his left shoulder?0 -
TakeTheHighRoad wrote:6.Was it just me, or was there a red patch staining his jersey on his left shoulder?
Yeah, his elbow looked as it was weeping quite a bit too.
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Great ride by frank today but equally and I know it goes against the grain here but great ride from Evans. Given Frank put himself up there he still has some work to do in building enough time to beat Evans in the TT if I am correct?
Great to do what he did today but I think evans tactically made the perfect decisions today (whether that be from his team or his own mind doesn't matter) and you can't knock him for that.
Valverde got hurt no doubt and all those tipping cunego before the TDF might be a little disappointed but have to say the top 5 in GC now look like making it a decent run in with people like sastre, ricco etc able to make things difficult for them should they manage some great mountain finishes.
Gotta say been some great racing this year just hoping mass drug expulsions don't come around and ruin it!0 -
thamacdaddy wrote:Great ride by frank today but equally and I know it goes against the grain here but great ride from Evans. Given Frank put himself up there he still has some work to do in building enough time to beat Evans in the TT if I am correct?
Great to do what he did today but I think evans tactically made the perfect decisions today (whether that be from his team or his own mind doesn't matter) and you can't knock him for that.
Valverde got hurt no doubt and all those tipping cunego before the TDF might be a little disappointed but have to say the top 5 in GC now look like making it a decent run in with people like sastre, ricco etc able to make things difficult for them should they manage some great mountain finishes.
Gotta say been some great racing this year just hoping mass drug expulsions don't come around and ruin it!
I don't know that tactically Evans made any great choices. I think the guy gave 100%. That was all he could give (and he WAS in pain). To say that he was thinking, I've got the TT to beat Frank in, is a complete misunderstanding of where the race is right now. Remember, they've got the alps coming up with 3-4 super hard stages. The TT might not even matter after that. Frank could gain 4-8 minutes on Evans in the alps and he could easily lose that amount to Evans in the alps too. Especially the Alpe d'Huez stage -- that's gonna knock a bunch of guys out.0 -
Great tactics by CSC and Saunier today. Why should Ricco and Sastre attack when they have teammates up the road? Let Evans do his own work for once.
What next for CSC? Send Sastre up the road in the Alps (with Andy Schleck?) leaving Frank Schleck on Evans shoulder, waiting for him to crack?
And Ricco will be after another stage win now that he's had his breather.0 -
donrhummy wrote:thamacdaddy wrote:Great ride by frank today but equally and I know it goes against the grain here but great ride from Evans. Given Frank put himself up there he still has some work to do in building enough time to beat Evans in the TT if I am correct?
Great to do what he did today but I think evans tactically made the perfect decisions today (whether that be from his team or his own mind doesn't matter) and you can't knock him for that.
Valverde got hurt no doubt and all those tipping cunego before the TDF might be a little disappointed but have to say the top 5 in GC now look like making it a decent run in with people like sastre, ricco etc able to make things difficult for them should they manage some great mountain finishes.
Gotta say been some great racing this year just hoping mass drug expulsions don't come around and ruin it!
I don't know that tactically Evans made any great choices. I think the guy gave 100%. That was all he could give (and he WAS in pain). To say that he was thinking, I've got the TT to beat Frank in, is a complete misunderstanding of where the race is right now. Remember, they've got the alps coming up with 3-4 super hard stages. The TT might not even matter after that. Frank could gain 4-8 minutes on Evans in the alps and he could easily lose that amount to Evans in the alps too. Especially the Alpe d'Huez stage -- that's gonna knock a bunch of guys out.
Fair point, don't get me wrong I am not a massive evans fan I just found it a bit bizzare that people are having a go that he didn't shoot off to track down the leading three when really he isn't in any trouble yet or needing to do anything more than he did today. You gotta admit whether he did the best he could or not today he certainlly isn't in any trouble at all yet given that out of that top 5 you would only probably espect mechov to be able to take him in that TT.
Agreed there is a long way to go and its premature to talk about that though as a deciding factor but its certainly worth keeping in mind as we go on. I totally get you on the fact it might not even figure I guess a part of me would love to see a TT that really means something the day before the finish a little like the Giro was supposed to but in the end didn't.0 -
Good lord, I liked Evans on his interview on ITV when he got a bit choked up at having the yellow.
Oh well, enjoy it Cadel but I think you're going to have a very very hard time with Menchov (who opened his mouth while climbing today!) and CSC.Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.0 -
Rest day tomorrow. Cold turkey
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In 25 years of watching the Tour I've seen a lot of attacks by climbers in the mountains. Funny that.Dave_1 wrote:Did you believe it? I take his Pantani soignuer association to be something to judge him on...and the way he took the Aspin...come on...you have never seen anything like that in 20 years of watching TDF and you know it. Not even the most doped of all could do that alone...only an Armstrong or Pantani at their peak could have tried to handle Ricco yesterday. Still...let's see the times at Alpe Du Huez...anything below 40 minutes is suspect..
Ricco gained 1 minute in 5 kms, so averaged 20 seconds per kilometre against a bunch riding tempo. It is utterly credible when you look at it like that.
If you're so good at spotting dopers you should apply to the UCI, I believe they could do with some help. 0 -
andyp wrote:
In 25 years of watching the Tour I've seen a lot of attacks by climbers in the mountains. Funny that.Dave_1 wrote:Did you believe it? I take his Pantani soignuer association to be something to judge him on...and the way he took the Aspin...come on...you have never seen anything like that in 20 years of watching TDF and you know it. Not even the most doped of all could do that alone...only an Armstrong or Pantani at their peak could have tried to handle Ricco yesterday. Still...let's see the times at Alpe Du Huez...anything below 40 minutes is suspect..
Ricco gained 1 minute in 5 kms, so averaged 20 seconds per kilometre against a bunch riding tempo. It is utterly credible when you look at it like that.
If you're so good at spotting dopers you should apply to the UCI, I believe they could do with some help.
To be fair, Harman did claim Ricco had gained a minute in a kilometre (perhaps mistakenly) which is a little more impressive.___________________
Strava is not Zen.0 -
Thought that Voight did a fantastic job today. Chapeau.Rich0
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Ride of the day today for me was Cancellara for getting over the Tourmalet in the break and down the other side ready to help put the coup de grace to Cunego and Valverde (and his team) in the superfast chain gang run in to the final climb when he was caught up by the Evans/Schleck/Ricco main group.0
