TdF Stage 9 *Spoiler*

blazing_saddles
blazing_saddles Posts: 22,725
edited August 2010 in Pro race
The Queen Stage of the Alps. Let battle commence.......or will it?
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Cols et Côtes
Morzine-Avoriaz Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne - 204.5 km

* Km 18.5 - Côte de Châtillon - 2.1 km de montée à 3.9 % - Catégorie 4
* Km 46.0 - Col de la Colombière - 16.5 km de montée à 6.7 % - Catégorie 1
* Km 71.0 - Col des Aravis - 7.6 km de montée à 5.9 % - Catégorie 2
* Km 97.0 - Col des Saisies - 14.4 km de montée à 5.1 % - Catégorie 1
* Km 172.5 - Col de la Madeleine - 25.5 km de montée à 6.2 % - Catégorie H

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"Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
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Comments

  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,908
    ok who is going to be the break... will there be a battle for the first sprint by the green jersey guys?
    "If I was a 38 year old man, I definitely wouldn't be riding a bright yellow bike with Hello Kitty disc wheels, put it that way. What we're witnessing here is the world's most high profile mid-life crisis" Afx237vi Mon Jul 20, 2009 2:43 pm
  • Kléber
    Kléber Posts: 6,842
    Stage starts in 40 minutes. It's going to be a long day... and that's just for forum visitors :lol:
  • Homer J
    Homer J Posts: 920
    I reckon AC will try what he did last year, when he flew by one of the Schleck brothers on that climb.
  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    I wonder if anyone will bother on the Saisies. Probably not. I'd expect a tough pace on the Madeleine just to try and whittle things down a bit, but I'm not sure it's a day for the big attack from one of the faves.

    But then, why not go for it?
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • FJS
    FJS Posts: 4,820
    edited July 2010
    Pineau and/or Chavanel will be in the break, but is anyone else still interested in the polka dots this year? We'll find out today.
    Will Bertie and Andy manage to shed some rivals from the list of candidates for the win, while themselves desperately trying to avoid yellow?
    Will Gesink and/or Basso spoil Astana's controlled procession and go from far out (well, somewhere early on the Madeleine), or will they gamble on the Pyrenees to catch the 5 minutes or so they need?

    Let's see who sends their climbing lieutenants in the break...
  • BikingBernie
    BikingBernie Posts: 2,163
    Any predictions for the win?

    I am tempted to go for Armstrong, it is the day after a rest day after all. :wink:
  • calvjones
    calvjones Posts: 3,850
    I suspect today might be really dull.

    Hope so as I'm on a train until 7 :cry:
    ___________________

    Strava is not Zen.
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,908
    FJS wrote:
    Pineau and/or Chavanel will be in the break, but is anyone else still interested in the polka dots this year? We'll find out today.
    Will Bertie and Andy manage to shed some rivals from the list of candidates for the win, while themselves desperately trying to avoid yellow?
    Will Gesink and/or Basso spoil Astana's controlled procession and go from far out (well, somewhere early on the Madeleine), or will they gamble on the Pyrenees to catch the 5 minutes or so they need?

    Let's see who sends their climbing lieutenants in the break...

    Gesink will have a go

    monier for the break
    "If I was a 38 year old man, I definitely wouldn't be riding a bright yellow bike with Hello Kitty disc wheels, put it that way. What we're witnessing here is the world's most high profile mid-life crisis" Afx237vi Mon Jul 20, 2009 2:43 pm
  • Kléber
    Kléber Posts: 6,842
    I also fancy Armstrong as an outsider. His team was setting the pace just before he crashed on Sunday, a sign he thought he was ready. His prologue ride was strong. So if he can make it up the Madeleine with the best then he's got to be a contender in the sprint given he's one of the more powerful finishers amongst the main riders.

    As FJS says, we'll see if Pineau keeps going for the KOM or if a visibly stronger Chavanel takes over. Maybe we'll see a decent breakaway of guys who lost a lot of time already stay away but it could be hard.
  • takethehighroad
    takethehighroad Posts: 6,821
    ES has started already, they've just shown an interview with Cadel that was classic comic style.

    He had a go at a cameraman for rearranging his cap lol
  • FJS
    FJS Posts: 4,820
    Kléber wrote:
    I also fancy Armstrong as an outsider. His team was setting the pace just before he crashed on Sunday, a sign he thought he was ready. His prologue ride was strong. So if he can make it up the Madeleine with the best then he's got to be a contender in the sprint given he's one of the more powerful finishers amongst the main riders.
    Why just a bunch sprint/stage win? What about him pulling off a Landis? :twisted: :wink:
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,463
    I'd love to see someone from outside the top 10 go on one of those monster all day breaks and take a load of time but that doesn't happen anymore (and would meet with suspicion if it did!).
  • takethehighroad
    takethehighroad Posts: 6,821
    The flag drops and Chavanel attacks, closely followed by Voigt.

    Andy's feeling good today
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,725
    They are off. First man to attack? Sylvain Chavanel!

    I fear for the sprinter's today. If the race hasn't settled by the Colombiere, they could struggle to make the cut.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • BikingBernie
    BikingBernie Posts: 2,163
    edited July 2010
    Perhaps today we will find out whether Armstrong's 3rd place last year (and perhaps Wiggin's 4th place) was down to a 'soft parcours' and Contador et al soft pedaling to keep Armstrong in the race, as some claimed, or not.

    By the way Fignon is commentating on France 3 today and he doesn't look too bad, even carrying a bit of weight.

    It looks like the hammer has already gone down...
  • Tom Butcher
    Tom Butcher Posts: 3,830
    It's fair to say Hushovd isn't a bad descender !
    it's a hard life if you don't weaken.
  • FJS
    FJS Posts: 4,820
    Now we're talking - LL Sanchez in the break.
    And Pineau of course.
    Voigt also in there is interesting... Saxobank ready to take yellow?
  • timoid.
    timoid. Posts: 3,133
    Double L will win the KOM this year I reckon.
    It's a little like wrestling a gorilla. You don't quit when you're tired. You quit when the gorilla is tired.
  • Tom Butcher
    Tom Butcher Posts: 3,830
    He's only 5 minutes down - interesting to see who controls the gap - BMC not really going to fancy that.
    it's a hard life if you don't weaken.
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,725
    Lulu Sanchez for the stage win, then?
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • FJS
    FJS Posts: 4,820
    LL is only 5 minutes down in the GC too - I can't imagine Astana & Saxo giving a group with him in it 10 minutes or more, so it'll be high pace in the peloton throughout - this will be a tough, tough day for the sprinters
  • Abdoujaparov
    Abdoujaparov Posts: 642
    Hoping for a good pace over the first three big cilmbs so the GC contenders splinter into small groups on the Madeleine. Reckon that's our only chance for, say, Contador and Schleck, to really go for it. Two chased by four down the Madeleine and the last flat bit has a chance, two chased by ten doesn't.
  • camerone
    camerone Posts: 1,232
    bugger, its on Eurosport already, was hoping to get some work done today!
  • camerone
    camerone Posts: 1,232
    FJS wrote:
    LL is only 5 minutes down in the GC too - I can't imagine Astana & Saxo giving a group with him in it 10 minutes or more, so it'll be high pace in the peloton throughout - this will be a tough, tough day for the sprinters

    that last descent could make for good viewing, the grupetto will need to plunge down at crazy speed. shame we probably wont see it on TV
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,725
    McEwen the next Katusha rider out of the race..........
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • calvjones
    calvjones Posts: 3,850
    Pineau and Thor made it then!


    I bet Evans would love Caisse to get the jersey til the Tourmalet.

    Thor might wrap up the jersey today. How far to next sprint?
    ___________________

    Strava is not Zen.
  • Kléber
    Kléber Posts: 6,842
    edited July 2010
    edit - double post.
  • Kléber
    Kléber Posts: 6,842
    calvjones wrote:
    Thor might wrap up the jersey today. How far to next sprint?
    110km :shock:

    Think he might sit up. Even if he doesn't win any points, no other sprint will either.
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,463
    Could my wish above come true? Are BMC able to control the race and will the likes of Astana help if the break is looking out of control?
  • takethehighroad
    takethehighroad Posts: 6,821
    He's certainly not going to try and push the pace on, but I would be surprised if he sat up

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