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A.Schleck

seven7facesseven7faces Posts: 360
edited July 2011 in Pro race
Just watching Saturdays stage t seems to me that Shleck is just going to follow the wheel of Contador all the way to Paris, thinking that's enough. What the race needs is Evans or someone to stay with Schleck to upset his plans.

Schleck just doesn't have the balls to do anything spectacular in my opinion.
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  • unixnerdunixnerd Posts: 2,864
    Be interesting to see what happens tomorrow. Contador didn't seem to have much left in the tank at the end of today's stage.
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  • thomasmcthomasmc Posts: 814
    If he does stay on his wheel to Paris it will be enough to win
  • redddraggonredddraggon Posts: 10,862
    thomasmc wrote:
    If he does stay on his wheel to Paris it will be enough to win

    Except for the small matter of a 43KM timetrial, if the current time gaps remain the same, Contador could easily make it back up in the TT.
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  • pb21pb21 Posts: 2,170
    redddraggon wrote:
    thomasmc wrote:
    If he does stay on his wheel to Paris it will be enough to win

    Except for the small matter of a 43KM timetrial, if the current time gaps remain the same, Contador could easily make it back up in the TT.

    I wouldn't say easily!
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  • redddraggonredddraggon Posts: 10,862
    pb21 wrote:
    redddraggon wrote:
    thomasmc wrote:
    If he does stay on his wheel to Paris it will be enough to win

    Except for the small matter of a 43KM timetrial, if the current time gaps remain the same, Contador could easily make it back up in the TT.

    I wouldn't say easily!

    By easily I mean he could quite reasonably do the TT 3 minutes faster than Schleck.
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  • mididoctorsmididoctors Posts: 16,370
    thomasmc wrote:
    If he does stay on his wheel to Paris it will be enough to win

    I think he needs to drop cadel somewhere
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  • ddraverddraver Posts: 26,092
    redddraggon wrote:
    thomasmc wrote:
    If he does stay on his wheel to Paris it will be enough to win

    Except for the small matter of a 43KM timetrial, if the current time gaps remain the same, Contador could easily make it back up in the TT.

    Last year Schlek was only a few secs beind AC in the final TT - remember it's a whole different ball game when there is a race to be won!
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
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  • pb21pb21 Posts: 2,170
    redddraggon wrote:
    pb21 wrote:
    redddraggon wrote:
    thomasmc wrote:
    If he does stay on his wheel to Paris it will be enough to win

    Except for the small matter of a 43KM timetrial, if the current time gaps remain the same, Contador could easily make it back up in the TT.

    I wouldn't say easily!

    By easily I mean he could quite reasonably do the TT 3

    minutes faster than Schleck.

    I would be very surprised if contador is more than 1.30 quicker than schleck...
    Mañana
  • frenchfighterfrenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Contador is an attacking rider. Andy isnt. Contador races to win every race. Andy races to win twice a year. Contador is a champion. Andy isnt.

    Come the big mountains Andy might be counted on to put an attack or two in though if he has a margin over Contador I wouldnt be so sure.

    We shall see. Nothing about the GC (apart from bad luck for a ton of contenders) can be drawn until we get to Luz.

    Personally I hope Contador absolutely destroys them all and Andy suffers a major defaillance and Evans takes 2nd and Basso third.
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  • frenchfighterfrenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    For reference, Andy Schleck has won....no races this year.

    Contador has won...eight times.

    Contador is leading the CQ rankings (Gilbert 2nd).
    Contador is 2nd in the UCI rankings (Gilbert 1st).
    Contador is the Greatest
  • Tom ButcherTom Butcher Posts: 3,830
    Early days yet - Contador has shown he fancies finishes like today's far more than Schleck so sticking to Contador's wheel made sense - his tactic will be to take Contador on in the really high mountains if he can.
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  • ozzzyosborn206ozzzyosborn206 Posts: 1,340
    frenchfighter wrote:
    Contador is an attacking rider. Andy isnt. Contador races to win every race. Andy races to win twice a year. Contador is a champion. Andy isnt.

    Come the big mountains Andy might be counted on to put an attack or two in though if he has a margin over Contador I wouldnt be so sure.

    We shall see. Nothing about the GC (apart from bad luck for a ton of contenders) can be drawn until we get to Luz.

    Personally I hope Contador absolutely destroys them all and Andy suffers a major defaillance and Evans takes 2nd and Basso third.
    ...from the Volta ao Algarve to the Giro, I’ve ridden everything to win...


    why would you want someone who shouldn't even be in the race to win????
  • BakuninBakunin Posts: 868
    I don't think today told us anything about the GC, other than Evans looks ready to race and Gilbert and Thor are really fun to watch.

    Just two things -- 1) I think Andy and Frank have to pay attention to Evans, he looks very good right now and has a team to help. Do they really think that they can pedal away from Cuddles whenever they want? If I were them I would give Evans a little more respect. When he is on, he is a serious rider.

    2) I kind of laugh at Andy and Frank's comments about AC today -- the guy already has a brutal GT in his legs. There is no way AC can be fresh, so stop talking about how you could respond to his tough attacks. I bet AC wanted to win this tour by riding Andy's race -- sucking wheels. Given that he can't, he will attack, but he could crack badly in week 3.
  • BakuninBakunin Posts: 868
    ozzzyosborn206 wrote:
    frenchfighter wrote:
    Contador is an attacking rider. Andy isnt. Contador races to win every race. Andy races to win twice a year. Contador is a champion. Andy isnt.

    Come the big mountains Andy might be counted on to put an attack or two in though if he has a margin over Contador I wouldnt be so sure.

    We shall see. Nothing about the GC (apart from bad luck for a ton of contenders) can be drawn until we get to Luz.

    Personally I hope Contador absolutely destroys them all and Andy suffers a major defaillance and Evans takes 2nd and Basso third.
    ...from the Volta ao Algarve to the Giro, I’ve ridden everything to win...


    why would you want someone who shouldn't even be in the race to win????

    Are you talking about Frank?
  • thomasmcthomasmc Posts: 814
    I think Andy would be the happier of the two if they arrived at the time trial with a 1.30 gap
  • Tom ButcherTom Butcher Posts: 3,830
    Contador is the favourite - my take is if Schleck wants to win he has to mark Contador and then take his chance in the terrain that suits him (Schleck best). So far so good for him.

    He can't afford to mark Evans too closely at this stage - if Schleck starts chasing every other favourite down Contador is going to sit there laughing - it's not a case of not showing Evans respect just having a strategy and not panicking the first time someone goes up the road.
    it's a hard life if you don't weaken.
  • ddraverddraver Posts: 26,092
    frenchfighter wrote:
    For reference, Andy Schleck has won....no races this year.

    Contador has won...eight times.

    Contador is leading the CQ rankings (Gilbert 2nd).
    Contador is 2nd in the UCI rankings (Gilbert 1st).

    No one would care if AS wins this though....
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  • LeicesterLadLeicesterLad Posts: 3,908
    Schleck is a monotonous censored . End of.
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  • jerry3571jerry3571 Posts: 1,532
    Contador is an attacking rider. Andy isnt.

    I guess this is what happens if Andy attacks...AND...

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uE6XajVh7Qg

    ...AC spends the rest of his career getting booed at; it's becoming a habit; Italian Mountains, Roman Arenas, Tour de France podiums.
    Vino as your avatar! blimey. Next Avatar coming up Rui Costa, David Miller, Ivan Basso, Danilo de Luca any other doper comeback! Naughty, naughty.

    -Jerry

    Ps- Both Schlecks seemed ok to follow today and not in any problems; this stage was not a major problem; if sprinters are coming in the top places then it can't be that tricky.
    Long way to go.
    I do worry that some people here might have posters of bike riders on thier walls with Love and Hate written above each; seems a little freaky. It's not about the riders; only good racing that counts.
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  • BakuninBakunin Posts: 868
    jerry3571 wrote:

    I do worry that some people here might have posters of bike riders on thier walls with Love and Hate written above each; seems a little freaky. It's not about the riders; only good racing that counts.

    Last I checked it was the riders that do the racing.
  • BakuninBakunin Posts: 868
    Tom Butcher wrote:
    Contador is the favourite - my take is if Schleck wants to win he has to mark Contador and then take his chance in the terrain that suits him (Schleck best). So far so good for him.

    He can't afford to mark Evans too closely at this stage - if Schleck starts chasing every other favourite down Contador is going to sit there laughing - it's not a case of not showing Evans respect just having a strategy and not panicking the first time someone goes up the road.

    Contador cashed some checks in the Giro, we shouldn't forget that. It may be that Evans is the man to beat. He has been pretty aggressive so far (and I don't mean threatening to cut off anyone's head).

    So Andy will let Cuddles go up the road?

    How are the other riders that rode the Giro doing? I;m not convinced AC can dig himself out of the hole he is in. Porte, Navarro, and Jesus haven't showed up yet -- what do they have in the tank?
  • rick_chaseyrick_chasey Posts: 69,676 Lives Here
    Andy will win the Tour...
    _
  • shinyhelmutshinyhelmut Posts: 1,363
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    Andy will win the Tour...

    Maybe. But will he win the tour in July or in August?
  • morstarmorstar Posts: 6,171
    ShinyHelmut wrote:
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    Andy will win the Tour...

    Maybe. But will he win the tour in July or in August?

    He'll win it in July but unfortunately we'll all have gone to sleep watching the snooze fest of AS not needing to attack and will only find out when we wake up in August.

    I don't hate the guy, I just think it has the potential to be a very dull race for yellow.

    Right now, I'd love to see Cadel do the business but I reckon he'll still be gapped in the high mountains. As to win, Cadel in 2nd and AC in third.
  • gregster04gregster04 Posts: 1,646
    it might not be very exciting but why would either of the Schlecks attack at the moment? It's up to Contador to make the time back on them, and I'm sure he'll be attacking given any opportunity now.

    As for Evans, he looks in great form, but the Schlecks probably believe, as I do, that he'll crack when the pressure is really on in the high mountains.
  • dougzzdougzz Posts: 1,833
    I hope Andy Schleck wins :)

    Lance has to pay a fortune for the sort of blog/forum propaganda/support that FF provides to Contador for free, it's a funny old world.
  • morstarmorstar Posts: 6,171
    gregster04 wrote:
    it might not be very exciting but why would either of the Schlecks attack at the moment? It's up to Contador to make the time back on them, and I'm sure he'll be attacking given any opportunity now.

    As for Evans, he looks in great form, but the Schlecks probably believe, as I do, that he'll crack when the pressure is really on in the high mountains.

    Agree completely. Problem is we have the naturally attacking rider needing to attack and the not very attacking rider not needing to. Would have been better the other way round.

    I believe they will gap Evans but only to the tune of a minute or so which is why I think he'll still podium. AC doesn't look like he's got the legs to drop AS. He didn't manage last year and everything suggests he's weaker this year than last. They showed last year that they're only interested in each other and I don't reckon they'll both ride hard to drop Evans.

    What we need is AS to lose time to Cadel and Contador so that both AS and AC need to attack both each other and Evans.
  • dougzzdougzz Posts: 1,833
    It's worth remembering that Schleck carried the race to Bertie last year, I mean, how dull was it watching Bertie wheel suck Andy all the way up the Tourmalet. Andy's terrain is the high mountains, it's hardly been a week in which the race suited him, yet he's already taken time out of shifty little Bert.
    Cadel will almost certainly crack on one of the big mountain days, I hope not, but he's tended to struggle on the toughest stages, maybe Basso will liven things up.
  • mrolimroli Posts: 3,622
    Contador has looked to gain time back on Schleck by attacking. Schleck has looked to do nothing but follow Contador's wheel. He may feel that's all he has to do, but I'm with FF on this one :shock: its not raising with panache. IMHO Contador has not been at his imperious (regardless of outstanding issues) best SO FAR and Schleck could have looked to have tested him out.

    Cuddles has been riding great - his riding with/against Gilbert has been a highlight for me. I would LOVE it if Schleck obsessively marks Contador and forgets that a quality rider like Evans could nick the GC.
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  • carl_pcarl_p Posts: 989
    Tom Butcher wrote:
    Early days yet - Contador has shown he fancies finishes like today's far more than Schleck so sticking to Contador's wheel made sense - his tactic will be to take Contador on in the really high mountains if he can.

    Unfortunately he can't though. It will come down to the TT.
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