TdF Stage 16 *spoiler*

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Comments

  • eh
    eh Posts: 4,854
    edited July 2010
    NEver really understood it, surely a win would earn you more over the course of your career, better contract etc.

    Its often about a rider without a win for a couple of years and knowing his contract might be terminated, looking to buy a win so he has something for the CV. Other time is not necessarily buying the win as such but being paid by a GC rider, to put everything into the break and then they'll probably gift you the win as well.

    Right and back to todays racing :D
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,908
    Abdoujaparov wrote:
    Is Hushovd still in the yellow jersey group? Would be incredible if he makes it, but if he can stay in touch over the aubisque it could well put a spanner in the works of the break. Any other guys in the yellow jersey group with an interest in a bunch finish?

    deends on the time gaps

    plus thors sprinting legs may not be there in Pau..

    hell of a ride he is putting in thou
    "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
  • stokepa31
    stokepa31 Posts: 560
    well while we are talking of gifts. what chance AC backing off at the finish to leave AS back in yellow????
    Burning Fat Not Rubber

    Scott CR1
    Genesis IO ID
    Moda Canon
  • BikingBernie
    BikingBernie Posts: 2,163
    DaveyL wrote:
    colint wrote:
    I'm the last person to defen BB, but doing deals is not unusual. NEver really understood it, surely a win would earn you more over the course of your career, better contract etc.

    It's not unusual, but coincidental that "Bernie" should trot it out when it is Armstrong in the break, when we've had several French riders win from breaks and no-one has seen fit to mention it.

    So far from "Bernie" we've had "the peloton are going to gift Armstrong the stage", and now "Armstrong is going to buy the stage". All eventualities covered.

    This is the time when you can tell who is anti-doping and who is just anti-Lance. They turn themselves inside out rather than give the guy the smallest bit of credit.
    To start with, I have said previously that any rider who wins from a breakaway when the main contenders choose to ride tempo has in a sense being 'gifted' the stage, so nothing new there. I have also said that if the main contenders decided to 'gift' Armstrong the stage by virtue of not racing 100%, he will still have to work for it, so I have given credit where it is due.

    It is also the case that many in the peleton would probably go along with letting Armstrong win the stage, be this because this would pay 'homage' to him in his last Tour (an example of honour amongst thieves perhaps) or simply because it would make a media-friendly story.
  • Snorebens
    Snorebens Posts: 759
    BikingBernie wrote:
    stokepa31 wrote:
    BikingBernie wrote:
    ketsbaia wrote:
    ... Casar, Jurgen Van de Walle, Christophe Moreau , Fedrigo and Cunego are up there with him. Expect they'll just gift him it too, eh?
    Perhaps 'gift' is the wrong word when the checkbooks come out. After all, just imagine the size of the under the table 'bonus' that Armstrong could offer them, a common practice in pro bike racing. :wink:
    you really are a poison little troll. Id hate to have your outlook on the world or be so consumed by one thing. get a life
    Sorry to spoil the fairy-tale, but 'buying' races is all a part of the sport.

    +1
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,463
    Abdoujaparov wrote:
    Is Hushovd still in the yellow jersey group? Would be incredible if he makes it, but if he can stay in touch over the aubisque it could well put a spanner in the works of the break. Any other guys in the yellow jersey group with an interest in a bunch finish?

    He was lossing contact with a km or so to go, not sure if he kept close enough to get back on the descent.
  • fatboyslim.
    fatboyslim. Posts: 9
    Mettan wrote:
    Dancing Bear wrote:
    Pokerface wrote:
    Horner about to arrive to help pull Armstrong up the mountain.
    nothing like some fresh blood in the attack.... :wink:

    :D
    +1
    Fatboyslim
  • BikingBernie
    BikingBernie Posts: 2,163
    iainf72 wrote:
    How much did Moreau pay to be allowed to do that?
    If he, or any of the other 'gifted' winners in this year's race did pay anyone off, I think we can be sure that they paid no more that it was worth to them: 'the invisible hand of the market' and all that. Just how much do you think winning today's stage would be worth to Armstrong?
  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    That's one of the many joys of capitalism - Somethings worth is based on how much someone is prepared to pay for it.

    :wink:
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • BikingBernie
    BikingBernie Posts: 2,163
    The gap from the break is growing fast as the main contenders trundle along, allowing those dropped earlier to come back up, including Sanchez.
  • donrhummy
    donrhummy Posts: 2,329
    BTW, I actually agree with Lance's comments. He said first off that Contador is lying, he clearly saw Andy's mechanical but went anyway. However, he didn't think it was that big a deal that he went as it's a competition and they're all trying to win but he said that since 30 seconds is too small for it to be a threat to Contador in the long TT, he'll now have to deal with being "dinged" for taking advantage when he probably didn't need to.
  • inkyfingers
    inkyfingers Posts: 4,400
    Would be funny to watch Moreau and Armstrong sprint it out for the win! They'd be going so slowly that Hushovd could probably bridge to the group and win by the time they crossed the line!

    And before anyone tells me that Armstrong is a fast finisher....I know he used to be.
    "I have a lovely photo of a Camargue horse but will not post it now" (Frenchfighter - July 2013)
  • BikingBernie
    BikingBernie Posts: 2,163
    This is silly, since I last posted the gap has grown by another 45 seconds!
  • Snorebens
    Snorebens Posts: 759
    BikingBernie wrote:
    This is silly, since I last posted the gap has grown by another 45 seconds!

    Feedzone effect no?
  • BikingBernie
    BikingBernie Posts: 2,163
    Snorebens wrote:
    BikingBernie wrote:
    This is silly, since I last posted the gap has grown by another 45 seconds!
    Feedzone effect no?
    Probably, and the bunch are clearly still taking tea and sandwiches as the gap grows to over 6 minutes.

    It looks like the break may well be allowed to stay away...
  • Homer J
    Homer J Posts: 920
    no point wearing yourself out chasing a group that has no affect on yellow
  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    Exactly.

    Go on Little Prince. Crush him.
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • Snorebens
    Snorebens Posts: 759
    iainf72 wrote:
    Go on Little Prince. Crush him.

    +1
  • inkyfingers
    inkyfingers Posts: 4,400
    Snorebens wrote:
    iainf72 wrote:
    Go on Little Prince. Crush him.

    +1

    +1

    I've not got a massive beef against Armstrong but would rather see Cunego, Moreau, Fedrigo or Casar win as they have added much more to this tour than Lance.

    How about Lance takes a PR gamble and leads out Horner for the win.... :wink:
    "I have a lovely photo of a Camargue horse but will not post it now" (Frenchfighter - July 2013)
  • donrhummy
    donrhummy Posts: 2,329
    How has Cunego added more to this tour than Lance? LOL.
  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    donrhummy wrote:
    How has Cunego added more to this tour than Lance? LOL.

    Oh, I don't know, been on the attack a couple of times maybe?
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • Gazzaputt
    Gazzaputt Posts: 3,227
    iainf72 wrote:
    Exactly.

    Go on Little Prince. Crush him.

    C'mon Lance one last swan song.
  • inkyfingers
    inkyfingers Posts: 4,400
    iainf72 wrote:
    donrhummy wrote:
    How has Cunego added more to this tour than Lance? LOL.

    Oh, I don't know, been on the attack a couple of times maybe?

    Precisely, thanks Iain,
    "I have a lovely photo of a Camargue horse but will not post it now" (Frenchfighter - July 2013)
  • stokepa31
    stokepa31 Posts: 560
    Loving all the plugs for Harmon's mates on eurosport :)
    Burning Fat Not Rubber

    Scott CR1
    Genesis IO ID
    Moda Canon
  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    Anyway, I'd heard the Spesh rumours in a few forms but.... following on from Harmon a few days ago

    http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/4956/ ... onsor.aspx
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    And if Armstrong wins, well done to him. But much like Petacchi being in green, it's probably not the ideal thing for the sport at this stage.

    Out of all of them, I'd like Fedrigo to win.
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • mrushton
    mrushton Posts: 5,182
    Makes good business sense for all parties. perhaps Andy's chain drop was punishment from Bjarne :wink: and a golden hello for Bertie. Sastre and Riis fell out even as Sastre was going for the win
    M.Rushton
  • Mettan
    Mettan Posts: 2,103
    More summit finishes needed in next years race. Clearly the most exciting spectacles for many.
  • BikingBernie
    BikingBernie Posts: 2,163
    iainf72 wrote:
    Exactly.

    Go on Little Prince. Crush him.
    Believe it or not, I had forgotten about that.

    Go Cunego!
  • gethmetal
    gethmetal Posts: 208
    More racing needed for next years 'race'.

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