The Tour - Stage 13 - Spoiler
rick_chasey
Posts: 75,661
No stage preview of today should miss out on the obligatory picture and story.
That's on the same decent of the Aubisque that they're using today, not too far from the summit.
In 1951, Wim van Est was in the yellow jersey - the first Dutchman to wear it and chasing the leaders towards the Soulor when he slipped on gravel and fell into a ravine. He said:
"That first bend was wet, slippery from the snow. And there were sharp stones on the road that the cars had kicked up, and my front wheel hit them and I went over. Well, there was a drop of 20m. They've built a barrier there now but then there was nothing to stop you going over. I fell 20 metres, rolling and rolling and rolling. My feet had come out of the straps, my bike had disappeared, and there was a little flat area, the only one that's there, no bigger than the seat of a chair, and I landed on my backside. A metre left or right and I'd have dropped on to solid stone, six or seven hundred metres down. My ankles were all hurt, my elbows were kaput. I was all bruised and shaken up and I didn't know where I was, but nothing was broken."
The team's manager, Kees Pellenaars, took a tow rope from the Dutch team's car. It was too short to reach van Est and so to it he tied 40 racing tyres. It was like that that he was pulled out. Van Est said: "It was all the tyres that Pellenaars had for the team. By the time they'd tugged me up, they were all stretched and they wouldn't stay on the wheels any more! Forty tyres! I wanted to get back on my bike and start racing again. But I couldn't. Pellenaars stopped the whole team."
Van Est told journalists: "I had the feeling that I was taking that bend badly but I so much wanted to keep the yellow jersey, so I went flat out and off I flew. A monument spot 50 years later, on July 17, 2001, says: "Here on 17 July 1951 the cyclist Wim van Est fell 70 metres. He survived but lost the yellow jersey." A newspaper advertisement in Holland showed van Est displaying the watch that he'd worn, with the legend: "My heart stopped, but not my Pontiac."
That's on the same decent of the Aubisque that they're using today, not too far from the summit.
In 1951, Wim van Est was in the yellow jersey - the first Dutchman to wear it and chasing the leaders towards the Soulor when he slipped on gravel and fell into a ravine. He said:
"That first bend was wet, slippery from the snow. And there were sharp stones on the road that the cars had kicked up, and my front wheel hit them and I went over. Well, there was a drop of 20m. They've built a barrier there now but then there was nothing to stop you going over. I fell 20 metres, rolling and rolling and rolling. My feet had come out of the straps, my bike had disappeared, and there was a little flat area, the only one that's there, no bigger than the seat of a chair, and I landed on my backside. A metre left or right and I'd have dropped on to solid stone, six or seven hundred metres down. My ankles were all hurt, my elbows were kaput. I was all bruised and shaken up and I didn't know where I was, but nothing was broken."
The team's manager, Kees Pellenaars, took a tow rope from the Dutch team's car. It was too short to reach van Est and so to it he tied 40 racing tyres. It was like that that he was pulled out. Van Est said: "It was all the tyres that Pellenaars had for the team. By the time they'd tugged me up, they were all stretched and they wouldn't stay on the wheels any more! Forty tyres! I wanted to get back on my bike and start racing again. But I couldn't. Pellenaars stopped the whole team."
Van Est told journalists: "I had the feeling that I was taking that bend badly but I so much wanted to keep the yellow jersey, so I went flat out and off I flew. A monument spot 50 years later, on July 17, 2001, says: "Here on 17 July 1951 the cyclist Wim van Est fell 70 metres. He survived but lost the yellow jersey." A newspaper advertisement in Holland showed van Est displaying the watch that he'd worn, with the legend: "My heart stopped, but not my Pontiac."
0
Comments
-
"My heart stopped, but not my Pontiac"
Love it!"A cyclist has nothing to lose but his chain"
PTP Runner Up 20150 -
-
Apparently Bruyneel was stopped by French police and was tested for alcohol yesterday.
Turned out negative.
But still.
Haaah!0 -
So who are the likely suspects for the break today? I've gone for Gilbert for PTP as he can probably get over the climb with the leaders and take the sprint, but I suspect he's unlikely to be allowed in a break as he's only 5mins down on GC.
Probably a long list of the usual suspects but probably suits someone like:
Moncoutie, Chavanel, Casar, Peraud, Di Gregorio, Barredo and an obligatory Euskatel rider of your choosing0 -
Expect the lotto guys to be smashing the pace up the little 3rd and 4th Cat climbs before the intermediate sprint.0
-
Is Gerdemann gonna be allowed to try something or is he only of use to the Schlek brothers?'Do not compare your bike to others, for always there will be greater and lesser bikes'0
-
josame wrote:Is Gerdemann gonna be allowed to try something or is he only of use to the Schlek brothers?
Well, he was no bloody use to them yesterday was he? Off the back before he took his pulll!"In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"
@gietvangent0 -
It didn't look to me yesterday like many of the GC contenders could have really attacked. Be interesting to see how it plays out today.0
-
The Grand Fromages will be keeping their powder dry for tomorrow. Day for a break to suceed for sure.0
-
You know you're pro when you're in the thick of the 2nd week of the Tour, in the Pyrenees, and warming up on rollers before a 150km ride with the Aubisque in the middle will be advantageous.0
-
Bronzie wrote:The Grand Fromages will be keeping their powder dry for tomorrow. Day for a break to suceed for sure.
Hmm. Or a day for Gilbert - he has to win these if he's going to get Green - he can't just win the sprint for 8th or something.Jibbering Sports Stuff: http://jibbering.com/sports/0 -
Very interesting day yesterday. Cuddles putting the hurt on Schleck and Bertie! What will today bring?0
-
Geraint's video today says Sky will try and get EBH and/or Gerrans in the break.0
-
Comes accross as a bit of a nothing stage for me to be honest, nothing will change in any of the classifications, or at least it shouldnt, so its just a day for the breakaway sandwhiched between 3 very important key stages. Should have just thrown a flat sprint in there instead. Or am i a cynic?0
-
Turfle wrote:Geraint's video today says Sky will try and get EBH and/or Gerrans in the break.
Surprised he's not going in the break himself after his day off yesterday!"I have a lovely photo of a Camargue horse but will not post it now" (Frenchfighter - July 2013)0 -
Turfle wrote:Geraint's video today says Sky will try and get EBH and/or Gerrans in the break.
Good news for me, ive got EBH in the PTP. 8)0 -
disgruntledgoat wrote:josame wrote:Is Gerdemann gonna be allowed to try something or is he only of use to the Schlek brothers?
Well, he was no bloody use to them yesterday was he? Off the back before he took his pulll!
Yeah noticed that - he was rocking more than usual!'Do not compare your bike to others, for always there will be greater and lesser bikes'0 -
Rick Chasey wrote:Apparently Bruyneel was stopped by French police and was tested for alcohol yesterday.
Turned out negative.
But still.
Haaah!
He's the most tested DS in history, but never failed a test!0 -
disgruntledgoat wrote:josame wrote:Is Gerdemann gonna be allowed to try something or is he only of use to the Schlek brothers?
Well, he was no bloody use to them yesterday was he? Off the back before he took his pulll!
Was he/she on the sauce when he/she wore yellow all those years ago?**************************************************
www.dotcycling.com
***************************************************0 -
emadden wrote:disgruntledgoat wrote:josame wrote:Is Gerdemann gonna be allowed to try something or is he only of use to the Schlek brothers?
Well, he was no bloody use to them yesterday was he? Off the back before he took his pulll!
Was he/she on the sauce when he/she wore yellow all those years ago?
Ah now that is a cruel question ... sadly he may well have been...I think he's clean now
good win in TdLux recently.'Do not compare your bike to others, for always there will be greater and lesser bikes'0 -
LeicesterLad wrote:Comes accross as a bit of a nothing stage for me to be honest, nothing will change in any of the classifications, or at least it shouldnt, so its just a day for the breakaway sandwhiched between 3 very important key stages. Should have just thrown a flat sprint in there instead. Or am i a cynic?
+1
Only one climb of any note and the fireworks will start tomorrow I'm sure.0 -
sampras38 wrote:LeicesterLad wrote:Comes accross as a bit of a nothing stage for me to be honest, nothing will change in any of the classifications, or at least it shouldnt, so its just a day for the breakaway sandwhiched between 3 very important key stages. Should have just thrown a flat sprint in there instead. Or am i a cynic?
+1
Only one climb of any note and the fireworks will start tomorrow I'm sure.
Agree what's the point of including a mountain top miles from the finish....Dont get me stated on downhill finishes. As if there was'nt enough bland flat stages up till now.......Keep hearing Contador "cracked" was he 5-6 mins down yesterday ??? and if this is the Shlecks on top form then Evans has a real chance to take mins out of them in the final TT.0 -
Kloden has abandoned.
RadioShack started the Tour with so much promise but crashes really took their toll.0 -
Pokerface wrote:Kloden has abandoned.
RadioShack started the Tour with so much promise but crashes really took their toll.
He didn't seem to be too badly damaged after the crash yesterday - must have been worse than it seemed.
I suppose thats the risk with the age of the Radioshack riders - one small fall and BANG, there goes a hip.'This week I 'ave been mostly been climbing like Basso - Shirley Basso.'0 -
LangerDan wrote:Pokerface wrote:Kloden has abandoned.
RadioShack started the Tour with so much promise but crashes really took their toll.
He didn't seem to be too badly damaged after the crash yesterday - must have been worse than it seemed.
I suppose thats the risk with the age of the Radioshack riders - one small fall and BANG, there goes a hip.
http://www.grassyknolltv.com/2011/tour- ... 8-crop.jpg
It took him a long time to get up and going.
Total shame about these crashes. Total.Contador is the Greatest0 -
“I’m happy with the result because I’m sure that I’ll get better with every passing day, and that’s what’s important,” said the Saxo Bank-SunGard leader.
“As I said this morning, my goal was to allow other people to make the first move, because it was the first mountain stage after so many setbacks and I had to be a bit cautious and not take too many risks,” said Alberto at the finish line. “You could tell right away that the Schleck brothers were going to play two cards, that they were going to take turns attacking in quick succession. In the end, when Frank got away, it was not due to strength.”
Contador said that in the final part of the stage, “maybe due to using a little higher gear than necessary, the knee seemed to bother me a little, but I’m happy with the result of the first mountain stage. I’m sure that I’ll get better as day go by. Today I didn’t do very well as a consequence of the crashes. I didn’t feel all that well and I couldn’t get into my natural pedal stroke.”
Alberto also said that tomorrow’s stage comes along at the right time, before the Plateau de Beille stage, because “every day that there is in between helps me be able to get back on the right wavelength, since recovery is my strength.” Finally, talking about the Schleck brothers, he said that the two “are equally dangerous, but it’s true that Frank has been very strong so far.”
I like Frank more than Andy. I think he is better too. Recovery ashe points out is super important.Contador is the Greatest0 -
frenchfighter wrote:
I like Frank more than Andy. I think he is better too.
I think i'm on record as saying that I think Frank has a better shot of winning the TdF than Andy. I know he's older but his palmares is so much wider and frankly more impressive than his little brothers. He's shown that he has what it takes to win races.
I've only ever seen Andy win twice that impressed me - 1. His LBL win, which to be fair was quality 2. The stage last year where he somehow outsprinted Sanchez."I have a lovely photo of a Camargue horse but will not post it now" (Frenchfighter - July 2013)0
