TDF 2011 - Stage 12 Spoiler

frenchfighter

This stage is a monster and I think everyone is really keen to see how it goes.

All info including video footage of the stage from 1985 here:

http://www.steephill.tv/2011/tour-de-fr ... /stage-12/

leyburnrunner

i've got contador in my fantasy team, i'll see how it goes after stage 12 but i think the giro has taken alot out of him . he doesn't look 100%. i can see me subbing bertie pronto.

DeadCalm

Can't wait. Going to be on Luz Ardiden. Hopefully the torrential rain of today has gone for good.

RichN95.

I've got the day off so I hope it will be good.

iainf72

RichN95 wrote:

I've got the day off so I hope it will be good.

I fear it will be an eyeballing each other day. Saturday is the day to try something because Sunday is wasted with flatness.

But we can but hope.

cogidubnus

I so can't decide who to have for PTP for this stage. If Bertie is in form he'd crucify them but who knows where he is at. Samuel Sanchez was near the front alot today so looks like he is picking up form. Maybe worth a punt

iainf72

4 of the most important helpers from Saxo sat up today according to Dan Benson. Make of that what you will.

RichN95.

iainf72 wrote:

RichN95 wrote:

I've got the day off so I hope it will be good.

I fear it will be an eyeballing each other day. Saturday is the day to try something because Sunday is wasted with flatness.

But we can but hope.

Possibly. Fortunately, I don't work Saturday's either, although someone tried to get me to play hockey (in July!!). I told him to get stuffed.

RichN95.

iainf72 wrote:

4 of the most important helpers from Saxo sat up today according to Dan Benson. Make of that what you will.

Not the first time. They did that last year, too. Both the Saxo ones and Astana ones. Going into the first mountain stage last year, the bottom 15 on GC was full of Saxo and Astana.

inkyfingers

iainf72 wrote:

4 of the most important helpers from Saxo sat up today according to Dan Benson. Make of that what you will.

So from that we can be certain the he is either super confident and is going to get his team to set a monster pace before dancing away with 3KM to go or he's feeling bad and is going to need his team to nurse him through the stage while the Schleck brothers get to the finish 5 minutes ahead of everybody else and Frank can gift Andy that 8 seconds and the brothers can roll into Paris as joint winners.

Le Commentateur

Friday's has potential. Could Cancellara be used as in 2008, getting in a break to get up the Aubisque ahead of the CG contenders, ready to help tow the Schlecks to the finish?

frenchfighter

From what I am reading from the riders it will be fireworks and every man for himself. If they let the offensive off on the Tourmalet then there can be some major gaps.

There is little flat in between the mountains so perfect for a long range attack.

The only thing is the two mountain stages to come straight after although the Friday one has a long descent and the Saturday one will probably grouped until a final flurry on the last climb.

I wish I could take the afternoon off to watch it...




Voeckler saying he expects to lose the jersey tomorrow but will fight for it.

frenchfighter

"There will be attacks; I don't think we will just be looking at each other. There are some who need to launch from afar, to make up lost time and to get rid of some rivals."

"We talked about it and I told [Contador] that when he attacks and I can follow, I'd be delighted to collaborate. We both need to make up time and I imagine that we both would be happy to gain ground over our rivals."

-Sanchez

frenchfighter

Igor González de Galdeano, director of Euskaltel Euskadi, thinks the job of “dynamiting the race” will fall to Alberto Contador, probably in the Pyrenees, and when the race leaves the those mountains, the winner will be known, according to the directeur sportif of the Basque squad.

After a week of crashes, among them two riders from the orange team, Txurruka and Velasco, the balance sheet can’t be seen as positive by Igor González de Galdeano.

“It hasn’t been a good week for us. Samuel Sanchez lost 1:20 on the first day, but we’re going to go with him 100% in the Pyrenees,” he said. Igor is clear that much will be clarified in the Pyrenees starting Thursday, and points to his favorites.

“On Luz Ardiden the first list of favorites will make the news, and I think that Alberto Contador, Andy Schleck and Cadel Evans are going to be in the first places on it. Samuel is behind now, but you have to remember that he didn’t come here to lose,” he said.

“I think that the Pyrenees will be more decisive than the Alps. In the first mountain stages the strongest will appear and in the last, coming unhitched will mean elimination. Whoever emerges as leader in the Pyrenees will have won much,” he said.

The job of dynamiting the race “will be Alberto Contador's, and the Schlecks will have to hit back.”

“To Andy: every day I see him (Contador) with a better pedal stroke,” he warned.

frenchfighter

Oh...it is Bastille day tomorrow

I wonder if Chavanel will be active. A shame he is suffering.

TheStone

First day in the mountains is usually quite cagey, but I've got a feeling we'll learn a lot tomorrow.

Current GC odds (will be interesting to see how they change this time tomorrow)
ASch 11/8
Cont 2/1
Evns 5/1
FSch 26/1
Bass 50/1

Franck is 17/1 to win tomorrows stage. I'll take a bit of that.

afx237vi

Anyone for a sweepstake on how much time Voeckler's gurning face will be on screen for tomorrow's stage?

I vote 98 percent of the TV coverage.

RichN95.

afx237vi wrote:

I vote 98 percent of the TV coverage.

Nonsense. You're forgetting the adverts. 90% maximum.

Stage 12 drinking game: Whenever you see TV Tommy with his tongue hanging out, you must be drinking. Pre-book the ambulance.

Doobz

Favours, Compatriots and Friends.. Bertie has a few of them in this years TDF that are pretty handy climbers.

LangerDan

RichN95 wrote:

afx237vi wrote:

I vote 98 percent of the TV coverage.

Nonsense. You're forgetting the adverts. 90% maximum.

Stage 12 drinking game: Whenever you see TV Tommy with his tongue hanging out, you must be drinking. Pre-book the ambulance.

The ambulance will be no use to you - time to start picking out a new liver.

I don't really care who does it but will someone open up the race for the GC ? Pleeeaasee? Half way through the race and the person who's had the most significant effect on the overall to date is a androgynous, yellow-clad spectator.

dougzz

I think if Bertie has the legs we'll see him very active tomorrow. I think he's angry. His team is crap, but that really hasn't been a problem for him in the past. I think tomorrow is for real, and we'll find out if Bertie is hurting or giving out a hurting.
As Clubber Lang once said "I predict PAIN'

Doobz

LangerDan wrote:

I don't really care who does it but will someone open up the race for the GC ? Pleeeaasee? Half way through the race and the person who's had the most significant effect on the overall to date is a androgynous, yellow-clad spectator.

yea deffo.. The sh|t thing is that we have not seen Andy ride well this year at any stage at all so its really difficult to picture him smashing everyone. He very well might do but Its just hard to visualize.

Doobz

dougzz wrote:

I think if Bertie has the legs we'll see him very active tomorrow. I think he's angry. His team is crap, but that really hasn't been a problem for him in the past. I think tomorrow is for real, and we'll find out if Bertie is hurting or giving out a hurting.
As Clubber Lang once said "I predict PAIN'

I dunno about tomorrow. I think bertie will take account of how strong everyone is first. It would be stupid to do it tomorrow without checking his form in the hills, how his knee is and how strong his rivals are..

dougzz

Doobz wrote:

I dunno about tomorrow. I think bertie will take account of how strong everyone is first. It would be stupid to do it tomorrow without checking his form in the hills, how his knee is and how strong his rivals are..

I think he's an instinctive racer, I'm not sure he can hold back when he's down, I think his mental make up is to attack.He's had a few years of GT domination and probably thinks he can beat them all. Schleck is a wait and see guy, but hopefully he'll feel confident and want to show more than defence of the 90 seconds. Wouldn't it light up the race if they actually battled, throw in Evans, maybe Sanchez and Basso (please show some form) and it could be spectacular.

I'm optimistic

Gazzetta67

Got the Drinks and food in for tomo ( High5 and Power Bars)

Sean & Dave On Eurosport - These are the stages you live for . some can make stories up miss work lol.

Who Else pulls sickies on the tour mountain stages ? 8)

LeicesterLad

I think it will probably be an eyeballing session tomorrow with Berties hopefuly nicking it at the end to show that he's still well and truly in the race, i just hope he has the legs, the race needs him IMO.

RonB

Probably always on the cards, Feillu is a likely non-starter for the stage due to reoccurring tendonitis.

knedlicky

I too think it will be an 'eyeballing session' tomorrow, although if it were me (if I were a main contender), I'd use it to try and spring a surprise, because it might help thin the whey from the curd (or whatever the expression is).
Maybe it will be an occasion for someone like Cunego to get a stage win and temporarily put himself in contention (although I haven't picked him for my PTP). I think the ascent to Luz-Ardiden stays more or less the same gradient the whole way up, so it will suit those who like Alpe d'Huez and similar, rather than the big cols with their flatter intervals.

RichN95.

dougzz wrote:

His team is crap, but that really hasn't been a problem for him in the past

His team is certainly not crap. Navarro and Sorensen are monsters in the mountains. Porte and Hernandez are no slouches either.

Bakunin

What makes Contador both fascinating and infuriating is that he is all instinct.

He will attack.

He is not going to get it all back, but he's gonna get some.

Tomorrow may tell us more about Andy and Frank.

dougzz

RichN95 wrote:

dougzz wrote:

His team is crap, but that really hasn't been a problem for him in the past

His team is certainly not crap. Navarro and Sorensen are monsters in the mountains. Porte and Hernandez are no slouches either.

4 of them rode the Giro with him, that would suggest they're not in best shape for the Tour. Maybe crap is not the way to describe them, but there's not been the level of single minded support a rider like Bert could expect. With the 'Yellow Jacket' crash he was looking to ride in with Sanchez, Vino's crash, Brad's crash, the entire team was there for them, no help as it happened but they were there.