Tour de France Stage 14 *Spoilers*
Comments
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WOW. I have to say, I've seen a lot of guys cover brutal attacks from other riders but there's usually a split second of delay/gap before they do it. Andy seemed to be able to read Contador's mind - no delay between the attack and answer!0
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samiam wrote:TakeTheHighRoad wrote:They say you write Menchov off at your peril, but I'm gona write him off.
Denis Menchov will not win the Tour de France 2010
Got any predictions for this week's lottery numbers?
8,13,18,24,35,44
'Cos they're mine!0 -
I've got Menchov to podium. 3rd place suits me fine.0
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See, no need to worry about gesink.
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Blazing Saddles wrote:Contador and Schleck? Yes, you really can have too much of a good thing.
That was rubbish. A complete waste of a stage and insulting to both Menchov and Sanchez to boot.
For Andy that was plain nuts.
Gawd, you really are hard to please. I thought it was fascinating. The two best riders in the race trying to psych each other out while a potential threat is given a free ride up the road.
And the race is still completely undecided.0 -
donrhummy wrote:Luckao wrote:Astana are crap, they'll never be able to work for Bertie...
ITV4 is taking the wee-wee. Time to head downstairs for Eurosport.
Have you not been watching this year? They've been pretty good and Vino's been amazing for contador. Better than any othher GC competitor's teammate.
I wrote it after Astana had worked for around two hours to whittle the peloton down. It was in response to some pre-race speculation that his team would be his downfall. Sorry, thought my sarcasm was blatant enough.
Meh. Don't think it was as big a deal as Harmon was making out. Sure, silly to lose time like that, but it was an entertaining game of chicken.0 -
Contador has won the tour.0
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That was very stange, surely Schleck HAS to attack. Seemed to spend the entire stage on Contador's wheel. Can't see how he can win the Tour with tactics like that. Think to ignore Menchov and Sanchez is a very dangerous thing to do.
Just don't understand why Schleck didn't try to attack! Was he having a bad day? Also can't really understand why Contador didn't continue with an attack, even if he didn't manage to take time from Schleck.
Looks like this is just going to go down to a TT next Saturday. Race looked so good at Avoriaz, don't really want to watch another stage like that.
Still, excellent ride from Riblon. And also good to see Sastre trying something, although ultimately didn't come to anything.0 -
Abdoujaparov wrote:Contador has won the tour.
Are you kidding? This was NOT Andy's type of climb, it was Contador's, yet he couldn't drop andy. Andy prefers the long climbs that they're going to face in the coming days. He's going to attack for sure.0 -
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Rick Chasey wrote:Andy could have really done with Frank today...
Why?0 -
afx237vi wrote:Blazing Saddles wrote:Contador and Schleck? Yes, you really can have too much of a good thing.
That was rubbish. A complete waste of a stage and insulting to both Menchov and Sanchez to boot.
For Andy that was plain nuts.
Gawd, you really are hard to please. I thought it was fascinating. The two best riders in the race trying to psych each other out while a potential threat is given a free ride up the road.
And the race is still completely undecided.
Well, yes, for the knowledgeable viewer.
If Schleck pulls out all the stops and then some, he still needs another minute.
He isn't going to find it on Contador's rear wheel.
Contador's attacks were tentative, bordering timid.
Is it all or nothing on the Tourmalet?
Levi drops away. We look to have a 4 horse podium race.
Bobby G is tied by Dennis....
..........meanwhile, Harmon thinks that Contador is under pressure......."Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.0 -
Orleandrew wrote:Rick Chasey wrote:Andy could have really done with Frank today...
Why?
Someone else to help put Contador under pressure.0 -
Wiggins lost another 5 minutes :roll:
We're running out of climbs that suit Bradders-the ones in the Giro weren't his type-neither have any of the ones so far in the tdf!0 -
Question to everyone: would wiggins be doing better if he were still on Garmin? remember they're the ones who helped train him to place 4th last year.0
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greasedscotsman wrote:That was very stange, surely Schleck HAS to attack. Seemed to spend the entire stage on Contador's wheel. Can't see how he can win the Tour with tactics like that.
Well, didn't he say he's worked a lot on his TTing? Schleck might just have the confidence to think that 30 seconds is enough.0 -
Blazing Saddles wrote:afx237vi wrote:Blazing Saddles wrote:Contador and Schleck? Yes, you really can have too much of a good thing.
That was rubbish. A complete waste of a stage and insulting to both Menchov and Sanchez to boot.
For Andy that was plain nuts.
Gawd, you really are hard to please. I thought it was fascinating. The two best riders in the race trying to psych each other out while a potential threat is given a free ride up the road.
And the race is still completely undecided.
Well, yes, for the viewer.
If Schleck pulls out all the stops and then some, he still needs another minute.
He isn't going to find it on Contador's rear wheel.
Contador's attacks were tentative, bordering timid.
Is it all or nothing on the Tourmalet?
Levi drops away. We look to have a 4 horse podium race.
Bobby G is tied by Dennis....
..........meanwhile, Harmon thinks that Contador is under pressure.......
if schleck and berte keep riding like that andy is going to find menchov and sammy coming over the top in the ITT...
bam! no podium!
andy will have to ride
I think stage 15 and 16 are more dangerous than people think
16 is real dangerous if no cohesive team makes it over the tourmalet and a break is away
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watching levi stay on caisses wheels and then jump them for team GC... truly awesome"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 pm0 -
Schleck has gambled big style on one stage. I think he's nuts! He looks both comfortable and confident which is great for him. I can't help but feel he's looking at the wrong route map for the next week though.0
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donrhummy wrote:Question to everyone: would wiggins be doing better if he were still on Garmin? remember they're the ones who helped train him to place 4th last year.
dunno .... but I have thought so... they race harder"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 pm0 -
johnfinch wrote:greasedscotsman wrote:That was very stange, surely Schleck HAS to attack. Seemed to spend the entire stage on Contador's wheel. Can't see how he can win the Tour with tactics like that.
Well, didn't he say he's worked a lot on his TTing? Schleck might just have the confidence to think that 30 seconds is enough.
He can have all of the confidence in the world, it's not enough.0 -
I dunno, if Schleck attacks on multiple stages he may achieve nothing but wearing himself out. He has to take a chance to win this Tour, and perhaps that chance is waiting for the Tourmalet...Bike lover and part-time cyclist.0
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mididoctors wrote:
if schleck and berte keep riding like that andy is going to find menchov and sammy coming over the top in the ITT...
bam! no podium!
andy will have to ride
I think stage 15 and 16 are more dangerous than people think
16 is real dangerous if no cohesive team makes it over the tourmalet and a break is away
............................
watching levi stay on caisses wheels and then jump them for team GC... truly awesome
Yes. Tomorrow could become a major headache, if Samu attacks that downhill.
Anything could happen."Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.0 -
johnfinch wrote:greasedscotsman wrote:That was very stange, surely Schleck HAS to attack. Seemed to spend the entire stage on Contador's wheel. Can't see how he can win the Tour with tactics like that.
Well, didn't he say he's worked a lot on his TTing? Schleck might just have the confidence to think that 30 seconds is enough.
Well, maybe, but Schleck lost 42 seconds to Contador in the prologue which was only 8km! OK, I know it's a prologue and not a 50km+ TT stage, but still!
Maybe there gonna give Schlecky's skinsuit to Cancellara and hope nobody notices the difference!0 -
Great ride by Riblon. He was clearly the strongest in the breakaway.
I don't really think Schlecks' tactics were that dangerous (to Menchov/Sanchez). Sure he almost stopped pedalling at one point when Contador stopped following, losing some time, but in the end he only lost 14" (with Menchov and Sanchez going all out while they were playing their mind games). I think he's just waiting for the Tourmalet, and when he attacks there, I doubt anyone will follow Andy/Contador.0 -
greasedscotsman wrote:johnfinch wrote:greasedscotsman wrote:That was very stange, surely Schleck HAS to attack. Seemed to spend the entire stage on Contador's wheel. Can't see how he can win the Tour with tactics like that.
Well, didn't he say he's worked a lot on his TTing? Schleck might just have the confidence to think that 30 seconds is enough.
Well, maybe, but Schleck lost 42 seconds to Contador in the prologue which was only 8km! OK, I know it's a prologue and not a 50km+ TT stage, but still!
Maybe there gonna give Schlecky's skinsuit to Cancellara and hope nobody notices the difference!
Final TT is a different kettle of fish entirely. Andy lost 1.45 in Annecy.
Also, Contador has always been unusually good at prologues for a GC contender.0 -
awesome..... I have Caisse back in the yellow race numbers by about 10secs!"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 pm0
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Andy tactics beg the question - why couldn't Contador just attack him again?
He would have done last year.
People may be saying Andy is betting it all on one stage, (the Tourmalet finish), but Contador is betting it all on the TT, and we have no real indication as to how much Schleck has improved his TTing, (or not).
Cadel did the similar thing with Sastre and got burned for it.0
