TDF Stage 15 *Spoiler*

124

Comments

  • Jez mon
    Jez mon Posts: 3,809
    Pross wrote:
    Surprised Lotto and Greenedge let this go. Wouldn't have happened in the HTC days.

    Think they might have had the legs to chase down at the start of the stage, but this break took so long to get established that the peleton just seemed completely knackered!
    You live and learn. At any rate, you live
  • step-hent
    step-hent Posts: 62
    Didnt look like GE did the work when the break was forming though. And they had an easy day yesterday. Got to agree with others - there seems little point in GE being there if they won't try and control it on a day like today.
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,182
    That's one hell of a cadence by VDV! Hope he can get the win - anyone but Voeckler though.
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    The last time the Tour was here was 2010, and the stage was won by Fedrigo, out of a break.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • Jez mon
    Jez mon Posts: 3,809
    step-hent wrote:
    Didnt look like GE did the work when the break was forming though. And they had an easy day yesterday. Got to agree with others - there seems little point in GE being there if they won't try and control it on a day like today.

    Nope, but even if you aren't on the front, when the peleton is all strung out, it's still hard work. Also, without wanting to be harsh, Goss hasn't exactly given GE much motivation to chase breaks so far.
    You live and learn. At any rate, you live
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Another win for Fedrigo.

    610x-57-1.jpg

    The French are once again doing very well in the Tour. 4 wins now. At least they make the viewing more exciting then some.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    frenchfighter wrote:
    Another win for Fedrigo.

    610x-57-1.jpg

    The French are once again doing very well in the Tour. 4 wins now. At least they make the viewing more exciting then some.

    What, like the Dutch?
    _
  • step-hent
    step-hent Posts: 62
    Jez mon wrote:
    step-hent wrote:
    Didnt look like GE did the work when the break was forming though. And they had an easy day yesterday. Got to agree with others - there seems little point in GE being there if they won't try and control it on a day like today.

    Nope, but even if you aren't on the front, when the peloton is all strung out, it's still hard work. Also, without wanting to be harsh, Goss hasn't exactly given GE much motivation to chase breaks so far.

    Yeah, I realise it's hard work - but stages like today are supposed to be what they came for! They should have been policing who got in the break and then keeping them on the leash. Know what you mean about Goss - but he's got more chance of winning a bunch sprint than he has sitting in the peloton 11 minutes behind the break...

    Ah well - they clearly didnt have the hunger for it today. And it's nice to see more breakaways winning this year.
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Cav riding on the front as an excuse not to sprint to avoid the shame of getting beaten?
    Contador is the Greatest
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    frenchfighter wrote:
    Cav riding on the front as an excuse not to sprint to avoid the shame of getting beaten?

    Needs to lose weight innit?
    _
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,711
    Pretty impressed that this stage has made the 100 post mark.
    Without the compulsory Fedrigo nose joke, too.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • thamacdaddy
    thamacdaddy Posts: 590
    Come on frenchie you are starting to ruin this all for me, constant digs at teams or riders.

    Surely in your thirst for cycling news and tidbits you could find us something interesting ;)

    been trying to find a picture of the clown that was chasing Cav up the climb yesterday. no luck so far.
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,661
    Goddam that was the worst timing from the boss there!!

    Did i miss anything excting?
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    ddraver wrote:
    Goddam that was the worst timing from the boss there!!

    Did i miss anything excting?

    :lol:

    That's a good'un.
  • TheBigBean
    TheBigBean Posts: 21,576
    I think this was a fairly normal transition stage pre-HTC era. It's how Oscar Pereiro won a tour.
  • Dorset_Boy
    Dorset_Boy Posts: 7,402
    Cav will have forgotten how to sprint by the time they get to Paris! :?
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    ddraver wrote:
    Goddam that was the worst timing from the boss there!!

    Did i miss anything excting?

    Not much.

    Standard affair.

    Fedrigo gets into break with 4 others, after 70km of peloton faff.

    Head into Pau, outfoxes them all and wins the sprint.

    so standard Fedrigo.
    _
  • lostboysaint
    lostboysaint Posts: 4,250
    frenchfighter wrote:
    Cav riding on the front as an excuse not to sprint to avoid the shame of getting beaten?

    You are one strange MF. Your national paper has just voted him the best TDF Sprinter ever, he's the current WC and he's already made it clear he's peaking for something else other than the tour..........

    Stick to your rather more intelligent postings and leave the playground bullshit stuff to others.
    Trail fun - Transition Bandit
    Road - Wilier Izoard Centaur/Cube Agree C62 Disc
    Allround - Cotic Solaris
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,182
    frenchfighter wrote:
    Cav riding on the front as an excuse not to sprint to avoid the shame of getting beaten?

    What does someone with 20 odd tour stage wins and who is out of contention for the green jersey gain from sprinting for 6th place? He's been doing a lot of domestique duty for the last few days and showing he's a team player. I reckon he's got his eyes set on the Champs and in the meantime is saving it a bit. It also helps for the Olympics if other countries think he is no longer a great sprinter.
  • MrTapir
    MrTapir Posts: 1,206
    Blazing Saddles wrote:
    Pretty impressed that this stage has made the 100 post mark.
    Without the compulsory Fedrigo nose joke, too.

    The other riders must have blown before he did.
  • rebs
    rebs Posts: 891
    What point does Greenegde serve in this TDF if they arn't chasing sprint stages?

    I get why Omega, Sky & Leekygas arn't going to be chasing. Although Omega does have half a team dedicated to springs. You've thought they would put more effort into chasing.

    But I guess if it went to a sprint stages people would be complaining it's just another spring stage :P
  • Yellow Peril
    Yellow Peril Posts: 4,466
    Have followed the stage on this thread. I'm disappointed but others who have been sick of the mass gallops inspired by HTC in recent years must be happy(ier) that breakaways are succeeding?

    Sky are knackered, BMC are knackered and I think Lotto have done a reasonable amount of front end work. I am suprised at Greenedge though. They still have a full compliment don't they? perhaps they will show tomorrow :shock:
    @JaunePeril

    Winner of the Bike Radar Pro Race Wiggins Hour Prediction Competition
  • rjgr
    rjgr Posts: 52
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    rjgr wrote:
    So where are all the "Sky are ruining this .... boring ....boring ...." whiners?

    We need them now to exhort Lotto, Green Edge, LeekyGas to do turn on the front and produce a sprint finale

    They must be all OD on performance enhancing/mind altering substances :shock:

    Can't blame the riders for this one.

    The organisers may say that they provide the canvas, and the riders do the painting, but today's canvas is a crumpled up crisp packet.

    You might have a point with hindsight - although I don't get it and neither did any commentator/analyst that I heard. Every pundit pre this stage seem to have it down as a sprinters stage, plain and simple.

    My only thought is that the game of poker had Lotto, Green Edge etc convinced Sky would be forced to work for Cav. Pretty dumb, given Sky have made clear GC is only priority - the non-defence of the Green jersey should demonstrate that, so if Liquigas as satisfied with Sagan in Green in Paris, all the rest only have stage wins to play for.

    As others have said: if Green Edge etc are not prepared to work today what are they here for?
  • the_cyclist_of_catan
    the_cyclist_of_catan Posts: 354
    Is it my imagination, or are breakaways succeeding more often this year?

    Which I attribute to certain teams not wanting to put any effort in, and other teams fearing that their sprinter isn't as good as other teams' sprinters.
    They use their cars as shopping baskets; they use their cars as overcoats.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    Into the third week, day before the final rest day, with 70km of full bore racing straight from the gun.

    GE tried to put someone into the break during that time but it didn't work out.

    I bet they're knackered.
    _
  • Silly Old Hector
    Silly Old Hector Posts: 573
    Help me out - watching on Rai2 Sport in Italy (turned the incessant drivel commentary off) on hols.

    Did Sky roll over the Simacourbe climb together as a show of defiance for yesterday or is nobody doing any work apart from Sky ?
    All the gear, but no idea...
  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    Had a chortle at Peta Todd's tweet earlier
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    Silly Old Hector wrote:
    Help me out - watching on Rai2 Sport in Italy (turned the incessant drivel commentary off) on hols.

    Did Sky roll over the Simacourbe climb together as a show of defiance for yesterday or is nobody doing any work apart from Sky ?

    Why would anybody else ride?
  • alihisgreat
    alihisgreat Posts: 3,872
    iainf72 wrote:
    Had a chortle at Peta Todd's tweet earlier

    This is quite annoying.

    Because now i have to open twitter and go and search for it.

    If you were a good forumite you would have linked it!
  • DeadCalm
    DeadCalm Posts: 4,243
    I accept that the OGE train is a shambles and Goss doesn't have a prayer of winning a stage. The disappointment is that OGE also seem to have accepted that too. Thoght they'd have shown a bit more spirit.

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