Tour de France Stage 14 *Spoilers*
Comments
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fastercyclist wrote:Expect Schlecklet to cook Contador on the day before the ITT so Contador can't perform so well.
On the stage to Bordeaux? Is he going to win a bunch sprint or something?
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greasedscotsman wrote:fastercyclist wrote:Expect Schlecklet to cook Contador on the day before the ITT so Contador can't perform so well.
On the stage to Bordeaux? Is he going to win a bunch sprint or something?
That's right. :oops:
You know what I mean though - Schleck to cook Contador before the ITT in pyrenees
If he doesn't then he's making a mistake. He's the perfect rider to beat Contador if he does it properly - high tempo over multiple cols over multiple days.The British Empire never died, it just moved to the Velodrome0 -
It's amazing how we all know what's best for these riders and what tactics they should be employing. We should all be DS's! 8)0
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Pokerface wrote:It's amazing how we all know what's best for these riders and what tactics they should be employing. We should all be DS's! 8)
who says some of us aren't?"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 -
Pokerface wrote:It's amazing how we all know what's best for these riders and what tactics they should be employing. We should all be DS's! 8)
+1. Riis has good form as a DS with his turning over of Evans 2 years ago.
You have to agree that it looked as though Schleck was in control in the battle with Contador. Astana tried what is now the traditional "stick the team on the front and ride a murderous tempo" tactic, trying to set up Contador for the final climb. It failed.
Saxo have been able to give the team a day off, so they're going to be fresher. Astana will now be wondering what their tactics are going to be ...0 -
But in all probability Astana have 3 days ro rest now. The next two stages will mix up the lower order but not the podium. Sure, they need to be attentive but won't be dictating things.
I bet Wednesday is a quite day!0 -
Pokerface wrote:It's amazing how we all know what's best for these riders and what tactics they should be employing. We should all be DS's! 8)
Oh come on, how hard can it be? Bit of driving, shouting at riders, drinking coffee at the race depart. Where do I sign up for that?0 -
I'm surprised that people are still being quite positive about Schleck's chances.
Barring a huge surprise tomorrow, he now needs to put at least a minute, possibly two, into Contador on the tourmalet which is just so unlikely.
While Contador would have liked to gain a few secs on Schleck today, his first objective had to be to protect his position and not lose time. The onus was squarely on Schleck and he just didn't have the legs.0 -
It'll all boil down to the last day in the Pyrenees. Given AC's time trialling ability, I think Schleck still needs to find a few more seconds. I think AS will put in a couple of big attacks tomorrow and try to capitalise on the last climb before the descent to the finish. If he can put in a small gap between him and Contador before the top of Port de Bales, then it could force AC to take risks on a tricky decent. Of course the opposite is also true but AS is a better descender IMO.0
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I agree, the onus is on Schleck to put time into Contador. Bertie probably realises he doesn't have the 'jump' to put serious time into Andy, so he'll just ride on his wheel - but he has got the chance to take a few more seconds on the final ramps of the Tourmalet - Andy doesn't appear to have the ability to respond on the steeper stuff.Make mine an Italian, with Campagnolo on the side..0
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Methinks that Contador has one BIG attack in him - that will net him a minute or more. I have no basis for this feeling - I just think he's waiting to unleash it when the time is right. Maybe Astana are playing a cool game too - and just don't WANT to take the yellow jersey yet. Who knows?
Still - from the way they were riding on the front all day, you would think they already had it.0 -
Yep, this morning and for the last few days Contador would have been thinking about targeting the last day in the pyrenees - Andy should have been thinking about targeting the first. And then if that went well, targeting the last day too.
The battle for third will be interesting. Sanchez and Menchov head-to-head on the descent of the Bales tomorrow!0 -
Oh yes it most certainly is.Rick Chasey wrote:Ja probably. I just remember rides like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yGEa39oH80
and figured that was the way to do it if you can climb faster than your rival.
That is the moment that the rival decides he must find out where he gets that special Juice.
They win 2 French Tours with that juice and so it must be time to level the field.
Willy pop into Germany and get some of that juice for our team, please.
1998 now who knew we had got the juice from Germany and then told the French Police that a Belgian would be crossing into France with it. :roll:
But there are thousands of Belgians crossing into France to go to work and shopping.
No problem he will be driving a car with bikes on top and covered with Festina Adverts, You can't miss him.
Just suprise everybody that you suddenly have to do the Border check for security reasons.
Ok some will be late for work but with the Football World Cup Final next weekend they will be late into work anyway and the French Companies have made allowances.
That weekend France wins the World Cup.
The next day Le Tour arrives in France from Ireland and they need something BIG to grab the public attention away from football. Organiser, National Championship 50 mile Time Trial 19720 -
Man,,, frank shleck is a pos rider to do that today. Such negative riding!!. he needs to mtfu and do some attacking. I was really disappointed to see that..
ahh well...
One thing that I am a bit curious about is berties attacks. they are no way as hardcore as the ones in 2007 when he was attacking Rasmussen on col de peyresourde in stage 15 of the 2007 tdf - I suppose he was with discovery then so....?? :roll: :roll:
youtube link to what i mean below
Contador vs Rasmussen on col de peyresourde in stage 15 of the tour de france of 2007
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doh!! hahaha0
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deejay wrote:
Oh yes it most certainly is.Rick Chasey wrote:Ja probably. I just remember rides like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yGEa39oH80
and figured that was the way to do it if you can climb faster than your rival.
That is the moment that the rival decides he must find out where he gets that special Juice.
They win 2 French Tours with that juice and so it must be time to level the field.
Willy pop into Germany and get some of that juice for our team, please.
1998 now who knew we had got the juice from Germany and then told the French Police that a Belgian would be crossing into France with it. :roll:
But there are thousands of Belgians crossing into France to go to work and shopping.
No problem he will be driving a car with bikes on top and covered with Festina Adverts, You can't miss him.
Just suprise everybody that you suddenly have to do the Border check for security reasons.
Ok some will be late for work but with the Football World Cup Final next weekend they will be late into work anyway and the French Companies have made allowances.
That weekend France wins the World Cup.
The next day Le Tour arrives in France from Ireland and they need something BIG to grab the public attention away from football.
*yawn*
It was the same relative speeds.
People do that to me in my club run on climbs - is no different with the pros.0 -
AC looks a little laboured at times out the seat, think back to 2007 on peyresourde when he landed 5 or more attacks in the space of 3km. AC will struggle today or tomorrow, looks weary a bit0
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I reckon Andy knows he needs a minute or so and this wasn't the stage to do it. Better try pysch-out Contador by just following his every move. He'd have shown his hand if he'd attacked himself especially if he'd only grabbed a few seconds. This way way Contador doesn't know.0
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Pokerface wrote:Methinks that Contador has one BIG attack in him - that will net him a minute or more. I have no basis for this feeling - I just think he's waiting to unleash it when the time is right. Maybe Astana are playing a cool game too - and just don't WANT to take the yellow jersey yet. Who knows?
Still - from the way they were riding on the front all day, you would think they already had it.
I thought we were going to see that on this stage...
I am not sure he has that sort of lead on the others this year"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
