Is A Schleck gonna blow the race apart today ?

moray_gub
moray_gub Posts: 3,328
edited July 2011 in Pro race
He will never get a better chance to do so and set up a TDF win he has had a good 10 days with no real drama to speak of and his team look really strong. Several of his podium rivals have abandoned his main rival pre race has a gammy knee and he looks like his best form is somewhere else. Probably his main rival is Evans and he is a better climber than him and Cadel always seems to have one howler of a day in the mountains so this could his best chance to stamp some authority on the race..............if he cant show up to the party now he never will.
Gasping - but somehow still alive !

Comments

  • verylonglegs
    verylonglegs Posts: 4,023
    He'd be a fool not to test Contador today given the well publicised problems about his knee but I doubt he's going to go too deep into the red and bury himself on the very first mountain stage.
  • RowCycle
    RowCycle Posts: 367
    :D
  • andyjr
    andyjr Posts: 635
    Yep he'll blow it all apart, then stop and wait for Frank to catch up :)
  • Vino2007
    Vino2007 Posts: 340
    I've hopefully timed it right. I shall have some trance playing in the background hopefully with a crescendo just as he launches an attack with frank as Voigt peels off in agony. Shall be magic.
  • Good question. in a sense he doesn't need to as he has a lead on Contador, although yes some of that may get eaten up in a time trial. He may well smell blood if Contador seems to be struggling today and go for it, but I can see somethign similar to last year's first mountain stage (can't recall name) where he went for it, but very close to the summit.
  • dougzz
    dougzz Posts: 1,833
    If Contador's knee is healing, and his fitness is not affected by the Giro then today is the day to go, Bertie's knee may get better rather than worse.
  • Bronzie
    Bronzie Posts: 4,927
    Good question. in a sense he doesn't need to as he has a lead on Contador.
    If I was Schleckette, I'd be more worried about Evans (and maybe to a lesser extent Klodi, Tony Martin and Peter Velits) for the time being. They'll all wipe the floor with him in the TT unless he has a decent buffer.
  • LeicesterLad
    LeicesterLad Posts: 3,908
    Schleck? Blow a race apart? :lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:

    bet he chuggs up the mountains holding hands with frank clinging onto somebody else's wheel. YAWN.
  • calvjones
    calvjones Posts: 3,850
    No.

    Next question.
    ___________________

    Strava is not Zen.
  • StageWinner
    StageWinner Posts: 202
    I know everyone thinks Andy is a giant wheelsucker - but didn't he at least try to attack over and over last year? It's not his fault that Contador was able to match him every time.

    He's not an explosive rider. But I don't think he's JUST a wheelsucker either.

    If he has the chance to ride Bertie off his wheel today, I'm sure he'll take it.
  • edhornby
    edhornby Posts: 1,780
    I don't think anyone will 'blow it apart' per se but this will be the first big GC selection, so we will see Cadel, AS, FS, Bertie, menchov etc all storming up in a group and dropping as many people as possible - with Voeckler hanging on for grim death
    "I get paid to make other people suffer on my wheel, how good is that"
    --Jens Voight
  • paggnr
    paggnr Posts: 101
    Cadel will blow it apart if anyone does
    Cheers
    Pagey
    "Don't buy upgrades; ride up grades." -Eddy Merckx
  • jonginge
    jonginge Posts: 5,945
    Ah, menchov the silent (and absent) killer
    FCN 2-4 "Shut up legs", Jens Voigt
    Planet-x Scott
    Rides
  • Gingerflash
    Gingerflash Posts: 239
    I agree with Edhornby.

    The first mountain stage will separate the real GC contenders from the rest. I doubt any of them will make any significant gains on the others.

    However, my feeling is that Frank is stronger this year than Andy and I wouldn't be surprised to see him win the whole thing.

    I also agree that Contador probably should be attacked today IF he's having knee trouble, but I believe that's been exaggerated firstly by him and latterly by the media. He seemed to be downplaying it more recently.
  • galatzo
    galatzo Posts: 1,295
    It'd be nice to see the race "blown apart" but no one seems to attack until the last couple of KMs anymore. I'd love to see someone go at the start of the final climb and try to rip the others legs off but neither of the Schlecks are gonna risk that.
    25th August 2013 12hrs 37mins 52.3 seconds 238km 5500mtrs FYRM Never again.
  • OffTheBackAdam
    OffTheBackAdam Posts: 1,869
    Nothing will happen with the main protagonists, until the last climb.
    Remember that you are an Englishman and thus have won first prize in the lottery of life.