Tour de France Stage 10 *Spoiler*

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Comments

  • emadden
    emadden Posts: 2,431
    ddraver wrote:
    emadden - it's not all about the GC! That was a great stage with lot's going on!

    Of course it was a great stage. But funnily enough, the race is about the GC! It's certainly all about the GC for Cadel - but he didnt do much... At least Nibs did.
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  • disgruntledgoat
    disgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    kerry-man wrote:
    considering almost all the GC contenders reluctance to attack from a distance then that leaves two stages where there is a mountain top finish for some action to sort out the overall GC.

    say what you want about Andy Schleck, at least he had the balls to attack from 60kms out last year to try and win the tour..

    But he didn't do at the earliest opportunity on a day finishing on a descent though did he?!
    "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'"

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  • alan_a
    alan_a Posts: 1,584
    Is Nibali actually that good a descender?

    We always hear how good he is, but is that only as compared to the skinny GC boys? Compare him to the boys in the grupetto who can really get down a mountain quickly - is he better or just average?

    We've previously seen him make down hill attacks on the 2nd to last descent in several grand tour stages but get caught on the final climb. With a parcorps like today's why did he not save his powder until over the top of the Col du Richemond? JV and Van G seemed to make up good time on it.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    Yeah. He's good. Done some good things in the Giro.

    Is tough to gain any meaningful time on a dry descent. Doesn't require much more effort from your legs than otherwise mind.
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,661
    Well the plan usually is to get a gap on a descent and then keep/increase it up the next climb. He may not have enough acceleration to amke an attack stick on a climb for example...

    Tactics, tactics....
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • dsoutar
    dsoutar Posts: 1,746
    kerry-man wrote:
    considering almost all the GC contenders reluctance to attack from a distance then that leaves two stages where there is a mountain top finish for some action to sort out the overall GC.

    say what you want about Andy Schleck, at least he had the balls to attack from 60kms out last year to try and win the tour..

    That may be the case but I still think Evans knew that today wouldn't realise any significant gain for the effort that would be required. As already stated, really on worth gambling the farm on the two MTF stages IMHO. I can see him having the odd dig perhaps to see what the response is like but nothing too serious. I don't see that as a failing, just the way the structure of the race is.
  • kerry-man
    kerry-man Posts: 20
    i agree that today was a bit early to go attacking from afar, it would have been crazy, a real panic move and that HC didnt look like the beast it was supposed to be. But evans and the few others will have to really take some chances on the two mountain top finishes as the other mountain days whilst tough have a lot of kms between the final summit and the finish so i dont think they will be that decisive.
  • calvjones
    calvjones Posts: 3,850
    Pross wrote:
    Don't know but I was disappointed with him today.

    He's been beaten mentally. He knows that he can't win.

    What did you expect? You saw what happened to Nibs. No point going for glory on Stage 10; he's not going to win by clawing back a few seconds here or there.
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  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    calvjones wrote:
    Pross wrote:
    Don't know but I was disappointed with him today.

    He's been beaten mentally. He knows that he can't win.

    What did you expect? You saw what happened to Nibs. No point going for glory on Stage 10; he's not going to win by clawing back a few seconds here or there.

    You know the Italians will be LOVING IT.
  • Crozza
    Crozza Posts: 991
    a yellow bike or any yellow touches for Bradley's kit today?
  • emadden
    emadden Posts: 2,431
    Crozza wrote:
    a yellow bike or any yellow touches for Bradley's kit today?
    bar tape
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  • Abdoujaparov
    Abdoujaparov Posts: 642
    Evans is saving it all for tomorrow which is wise. Never going to be big time gaps today.

    Tomorrow has the best parcours of the Tour. Expect fireworks on the croix de fer.
  • Crozza
    Crozza Posts: 991
    emadden wrote:
    Crozza wrote:
    a yellow bike or any yellow touches for Bradley's kit today?
    bar tape

    probably for the best, those Pinas would look minging in yellow
  • greeny12
    greeny12 Posts: 759
    Is it me or is everyone just conveniently ignoring the fact that Evans is a very good rather than great climber? People seem to think he's just gonna ride away from Brad at will and gain what he likes on the MTFs, but past history indicates that isn't going to happen unless Brad has a proper jour sans or a crash/mechanical.

    Evans is all about steady grinding on the long, Alpine/Pyrenean climbs - he's no Contador/A Schleck...
    My cycle racing blog: http://cyclingapprentice.wordpress.com/

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  • Crozza
    Crozza Posts: 991
    greeny12 wrote:
    Is it me or is everyone just conveniently ignoring the fact that Evans is a very good rather than great climber? People seem to think he's just gonna ride away from Brad at will and gain what he likes on the MTFs, but past history indicates that isn't going to happen unless Brad has a proper jour sans or a crash/mechanical.

    Evans is all about steady grinding on the long, Alpine/Pyrenean climbs - he's no Contador/A Schleck...

    I remember that last year, before his heroics on the Galibier in chasing down AS, that they were waiting for him to have his customary bad day in the mountains
  • oldwelshman
    oldwelshman Posts: 4,733
    Its not often gc contenders take couple of minutes on a climb, even if attacked and gap opens wiggo will try to ride tempo to close, maybe froome will tow him maybe not, depends how wiggo feels.
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,711
    Pretty much a case of Dauphine deja vu.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    Pretty much a case of Dauphine deja vu.

    No way.
  • bigmat
    bigmat Posts: 5,134
    greeny12 wrote:
    Is it me or is everyone just conveniently ignoring the fact that Evans is a very good rather than great climber? People seem to think he's just gonna ride away from Brad at will and gain what he likes on the MTFs, but past history indicates that isn't going to happen unless Brad has a proper jour sans or a crash/mechanical.

    Evans is all about steady grinding on the long, Alpine/Pyrenean climbs - he's no Contador/A Schleck...

    I think everybody knows this, but you can't blame people for wanting the race to be a real contest. I'm not sure who else is in a realistic position to attack - Nibs and VDB probably wasted a bit of energy today, nobody else looking that threatening apart from Froome who I think will follow team orders. Plus Cadel won't go down without a fight (I hope).
  • I think JVDB might have the best climbing form but since he's so far back and isn't a great TT'er he's too far back.
    It's too bad he had that mechanical on stage seven otherwise I think he would have finished with Froome, Wiggins, Evans at the top of Stage 7 and only be down 3 minutes.

    Hate these stages are they almost always a let down in terms of GC contenders making a big move. Way too much time that can be made up on the descents.

    They are battles of attrition mostly.

    Tomorrow is going to be the day if anyone is going to crack team Sky.
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,711
    Pretty much a case of Dauphine deja vu.

    No way.
    Erm.
    Sky rides tempo up the Colombier-check.
    Attacked on the downhill-check
    Nibali reeled in on the flat by Porte(OK EBH+Cadel and his gang were absent, this time)-check.
    More attacks down the Richmond-check
    Random french guy wins from the break-check
    No change GC-check.

    Btw: Anybody from around here visiting "The Asylum", these days?
    Certainly earning the nickname. The lunatics are running wild.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • Abdoujaparov
    Abdoujaparov Posts: 642
    That was a good stage - completely unrealistic to think it would shake up GC, but the parcours encouraged some attacking riding.

    It's the stages that end at the top of an HC climb that cause negative racing.
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,241

    Btw: Anybody from around here visiting "The Asylum", these days?
    Certainly earning the nickname. The lunatics are running wild.

    The lack of basic cycling knowledge beyond doping rumours of some of them is particularly amusing.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    RichN95 wrote:

    Btw: Anybody from around here visiting "The Asylum", these days?
    Certainly earning the nickname. The lunatics are running wild.

    The lack of basic cycling knowledge beyond doping rumours of some of them is particularly amusing.

    You're a doper Rich. Just admit it, you'll feel better.

    Does anyone know who The RaceRadio is?
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • Gazzetta67
    Gazzetta67 Posts: 1,890
    I think JVDB might have the best climbing form but since he's so far back and isn't a great TT'er he's too far back.
    It's too bad he had that mechanical on stage seven otherwise I think he would have finished with Froome, Wiggins, Evans at the top of Stage 7 and only be down 3 minutes.

    Hate these stages are they almost always a let down in terms of GC contenders making a big move. Way too much time that can be made up on the descents.

    They are battles of attrition mostly.

    Tomorrow is going to be the day if anyone is going to crack team Sky.

    What are Radioshacks tactics i wonder. Nibali needs help from at least zubeldia or montfort.....If Porte and Rodgers are up near the finish tomo then my cynical head will appear.... somebody or the other teams must put riders up the road tomo in a early break..Evans looks as if he's riding like a gringo just now trying to gain a second here or there.
  • Rundfahrt
    Rundfahrt Posts: 551
    RichN95 wrote:

    Btw: Anybody from around here visiting "The Asylum", these days?
    Certainly earning the nickname. The lunatics are running wild.

    The lack of basic cycling knowledge beyond doping rumours of some of them is particularly amusing.

    I thought about joining there before I decided to join here. It is insane there. It's also pretty much five people doing all of the "talking."
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,711
    RichN95 wrote:

    Btw: Anybody from around here visiting "The Asylum", these days?
    Certainly earning the nickname. The lunatics are running wild.

    The lack of basic cycling knowledge beyond doping rumours of some of them is particularly amusing.


    I know it's the silly season, but I'm finding it hard to bite my keyboard.

    Now, a quality ( and pretty rested) trialist such as Porte, taking 30 seconds out of a tiring Nibali, on 10kms of flat, is a clear sign of doping.
    Give me strength........
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • If I "give you strength" I'll get a lifetime ban.
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,241

    I know it's the silly season, but I'm finding it hard to bite my keyboard.

    Now, a quality ( and pretty rested) trialist such as Porte, taking 30 seconds out of a tiring Nibali, on 10kms of flat, is a clear sign of doping.
    Give me strength........

    That was one of the ones I saw. It didn't seem to occur to them that if Porte blew up and lost a minute today and another eight tomorrow, he wouldn't care, but if Nibali did he probably would.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • Turfle
    Turfle Posts: 3,762
    RichN95 wrote:

    Btw: Anybody from around here visiting "The Asylum", these days?
    Certainly earning the nickname. The lunatics are running wild.

    The lack of basic cycling knowledge beyond doping rumours of some of them is particularly amusing.


    I know it's the silly season, but I'm finding it hard to bite my keyboard.

    Now, a quality ( and pretty rested) trialist such as Porte, taking 30 seconds out of a tiring Nibali, on 10kms of flat, is a clear sign of doping.
    Give me strength........

    The loudest posters are the exact same posters who've been loudest all year about Wiggins having no chance.

    It's just not a nice place to post anymore.