TDF Stage 16 *SPOILER*

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Comments

  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    Le Commentateur wrote:
    Crozza wrote:
    ignoring the top 3 for a minute, could there be some attacks tomorrow with people trying to gain places?

    I actually can't imagine any of those below Nibali getting more than a few seconds. TJVG needs 3 minutes to get 3rd place — impossible without Biblical weather, crashes or cheating. I think we have the podium there, it just a question of actual 1-2-3 placing now.

    Nah. Nibs is more concerned with what's going on behind that ahead.

    Froome will demolish him in the TT.
    _
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,462
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    Pross wrote:
    DeadCalm wrote:
    Fabian Cancellara and 7 seconds preventing Wiggins from joining the elite group of Ottavio Bottecchia, Nicolas Frantz and Romain Maes. Probably.

    ?

    Yellow from start to finish.

    Ah, right. I was wondering yesterday what the fewest number of GC changes was in a Tour. This is the least I can remember, probably down to the sprint bonifications being removed.
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,253
    This Tour has been has been won by Sky planning, training and riding as a unit to a set plan for seven months while never really putting a foot wrong, while every rival has one by one f***ed up, except Nibali, who's just not quite good enough. It may not be thrill a minute, but Sky are the last people to blame.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    RichN95 wrote:
    This Tour has been has been won by Sky planning, training and riding as a unit to a set plan for seven months while never really putting a foot wrong, while every rival has one by one f***ed up, except Nibali, who's just not quite good enough. It may not be thrill a minute, but Sky are the last people to blame.

    Exactly. Saying it's boring doesnt mean Sky is to blame. It's more the godawful route than anything.
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    RichN95 wrote:
    This Tour has been has been won by Sky planning, training and riding as a unit to a set plan for seven months while never really putting a foot wrong, while every rival has one by one f***ed up, except Nibali, who's just not quite good enough. It may not be thrill a minute, but Sky are the last people to blame.

    Blame Andy :).
    _
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,462
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    RichN95 wrote:
    This Tour has been has been won by Sky planning, training and riding as a unit to a set plan for seven months while never really putting a foot wrong, while every rival has one by one f***ed up, except Nibali, who's just not quite good enough. It may not be thrill a minute, but Sky are the last people to blame.

    Blame Andy :).

    Surely it's Wiggle's fault?
  • LeicesterLad
    LeicesterLad Posts: 3,908
    iainf72 wrote:
    Crozza wrote:

    was thinking of people trying to move from 10th to 7th (just as an example). worth it for the points/prestige/prize money?

    Yes. Well, no one really gives a toss about the money, but the Tour is strange in that 7'th place means something. Which is one reason the racing can be incredibly negative.

    This is in the main is what is to blame for sh*t Tours like this one. Riders happy to sit in the top ten and that be the be all and end all of their season. Nico Roche makes me sick for this, before the tour even starts he's banging on about getting a top 20 place as his goal, what a great team leader that makes him, eh.
    http://www.twitter.com/InTheGC http://www.InTheGC.com http://www.facebook.com/intheGC
  • Mad_Malx
    Mad_Malx Posts: 5,182
    frenchfighter wrote:
    General Classification after Stage 16
    GBR 1 WIGGINS, Bradley (SKY PROCYCLING) 74:15:32
    GBR 2 FROOME, Christopher (SKY PROCYCLING) + 2:05
    ITA 3 NIBALI, Vincenzo (LIQUIGAS-CANNONDALE) + 2:23
    BEL 4 VAN DEN BROECK, Jurgen (LOTTO BELISOL) + 5:46
    ESP 5 ZUBELDIA AGIRRE, Haimar (RADIOSHACK-NISSAN) + 7:13 :shock:
    U

    I hadn't heard his name or seen him listed until Monday's results. What's his history?
    Also note that RSN are leading the team prize, with 4 in the top 16, shows what a mistake they made with Franke this year (even without the 'adverse test result').
  • prawny
    prawny Posts: 5,440
    Pross wrote:
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    RichN95 wrote:
    This Tour has been has been won by Sky planning, training and riding as a unit to a set plan for seven months while never really putting a foot wrong, while every rival has one by one f***ed up, except Nibali, who's just not quite good enough. It may not be thrill a minute, but Sky are the last people to blame.

    Blame Andy :).

    Surely it's Wiggle's fault?

    Speedkings law!
    Saracen Tenet 3 - 2015 - Dead - Replaced with a Hack Frame
    Voodoo Bizango - 2014 - Dead - Hit by a car
    Vitus Sentier VRS - 2017
  • Paulie W
    Paulie W Posts: 1,492
    Mad_Malx wrote:
    frenchfighter wrote:
    General Classification after Stage 16
    GBR 1 WIGGINS, Bradley (SKY PROCYCLING) 74:15:32
    GBR 2 FROOME, Christopher (SKY PROCYCLING) + 2:05
    ITA 3 NIBALI, Vincenzo (LIQUIGAS-CANNONDALE) + 2:23
    BEL 4 VAN DEN BROECK, Jurgen (LOTTO BELISOL) + 5:46
    ESP 5 ZUBELDIA AGIRRE, Haimar (RADIOSHACK-NISSAN) + 7:13 :shock:
    U

    I hadn't heard his name or seen him listed until Monday's results. What's his history?
    Also note that RSN are leading the team prize, with 4 in the top 16, shows what a mistake they made with Franke this year (even without the 'adverse test result').

    He's top tenned 3 times in the Tour, twice in fifth so this is pretty standard!
  • disgruntledgoat
    disgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    Mad_Malx wrote:
    frenchfighter wrote:
    General Classification after Stage 16
    GBR 1 WIGGINS, Bradley (SKY PROCYCLING) 74:15:32
    GBR 2 FROOME, Christopher (SKY PROCYCLING) + 2:05
    ITA 3 NIBALI, Vincenzo (LIQUIGAS-CANNONDALE) + 2:23
    BEL 4 VAN DEN BROECK, Jurgen (LOTTO BELISOL) + 5:46
    ESP 5 ZUBELDIA AGIRRE, Haimar (RADIOSHACK-NISSAN) + 7:13 :shock:
    U

    I hadn't heard his name or seen him listed until Monday's results. What's his history?
    Also note that RSN are leading the team prize, with 4 in the top 16, shows what a mistake they made with Franke this year (even without the 'adverse test result').


    5th in 2003 I think, also, whilst riding for Euskaltel.
    "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'"

    @gietvangent
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    He's a specialist at ghosting into GC top 10s without anyone noticing.
    _
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,253
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    He's a specialist at ghosting into GC top 10s without anyone noticing.
    A dull stage can always be livened up by a game of "Where's Haimar?" See if you can spot him before the stage ends.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • Mad_Malx
    Mad_Malx Posts: 5,182
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    He's a specialist at ghosting into GC top 10s without anyone noticing.

    Having looked at his wikipedia entry I see what you mean.
  • r0bh
    r0bh Posts: 2,436
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    He's a specialist at ghosting into GC top 10s without anyone noticing.

    Zubeldia is like a Menchov who doesn't crash, so no-one ever notices him at all
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    I'm not even convinced Zubeldia exists. It's ASO testing to see if anyone is paying attention.
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,908
    DeadCalm wrote:
    Fabian Cancellara and 7 seconds preventing Wiggins from joining the elite group of Ottavio Bottecchia, Nicolas Frantz and Romain Maes. Probably.

    oddly even if he had won the prolog and been in yellow in paris I think he would have worn the jersey less as the ukpostals would have been in a position to gift the jersey to a soft break
    "If I was a 38 year old man, I definitely wouldn't be riding a bright yellow bike with Hello Kitty disc wheels, put it that way. What we're witnessing here is the world's most high profile mid-life crisis" Afx237vi Mon Jul 20, 2009 2:43 pm
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,462
    Why has such a sh*t stage gone to 24 pages? Could it be people really love a chance to moan??
  • bazbadger
    bazbadger Posts: 553
    prawny wrote:
    Pross wrote:
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    RichN95 wrote:
    This Tour has been has been won by Sky planning, training and riding as a unit to a set plan for seven months while never really putting a foot wrong, while every rival has one by one f***ed up, except Nibali, who's just not quite good enough. It may not be thrill a minute, but Sky are the last people to blame.

    Blame Andy :).

    Surely it's Wiggle's fault?

    Speedkings law!

    Long live Speedking.

    Feel for Cadel today. He was such a worthy winner last year and he must be gutted.
    Mens agitat molem
  • lostboysaint
    lostboysaint Posts: 4,250
    Pross wrote:
    Why has such a sh*t stage gone to 24 pages? Could it be people really love a chance to moan??

    Do I detect a whiff of irony?
    Trail fun - Transition Bandit
    Road - Wilier Izoard Centaur/Cube Agree C62 Disc
    Allround - Cotic Solaris
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    Saw the average speed was 33.3kph....

    S.L.O.W.
    _
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,253
    Who was the poster that declared that they would be a Jan Ghyselink hater? Well he missed the time cut by 6 seconds but has been allowed to continue. Time to unload the bile.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,462
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    Saw the average speed was 33.3kph....

    S.L.O.W.

    Half way up the final climb Harmon was saying they were ahead of any predicted times. This seemed odd but I assumed the stiff breeze was mainly behind them.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    RichN95 wrote:
    Who was the poster that declared that they would be a Jan Ghyselink hater? Well he missed the time cut by 6 seconds but has been allowed to continue. Time to unload the bile.

    He was hindered by a police-bike apparently.

    In other news, Wiggins skipped the TdF conference.
    _
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,462
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    RichN95 wrote:
    Who was the poster that declared that they would be a Jan Ghyselink hater? Well he missed the time cut by 6 seconds but has been allowed to continue. Time to unload the bile.

    He was hindered by a police-bike apparently.

    In other news, Wiggins skipped the TdF conference.

    Sure sign of a guilty doper who doesn't want to get asked awkward questions - probably skipped the dope control too ;)
  • smithy21
    smithy21 Posts: 2,204
    Just catching up with this thread after watching the stage. Jesus christ- do some people understand how professional sport works.

    Not every Premier League season is decided by two goals in injury time.
    Not every Wimbledon Mens Final is a 5 set classic.
    Not every Open Championship is decided by a 30 ft putt on the 18th green.
    Not every Superbowl is decided by a 99 yard touchdown as the clock runs down.
    Not every World Series is decided by a walk-off home run.

    So why do some people expect the GC riders at the Tour to go on mad suicidal attacks from the gun?
  • pb21
    pb21 Posts: 2,171
    Pross wrote:
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    Saw the average speed was 33.3kph....

    S.L.O.W.

    Half way up the final climb Harmon was saying they were ahead of any predicted times. This seemed odd but I assumed the stiff breeze was mainly behind them.

    A few of the stages have seemed slow so far. Will be interesting to see the average at the end, on what would be considered a fast course...
    Mañana
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    smithy21 wrote:
    Just catching up with this thread after watching the stage. Jesus christ- do some people understand how professional sport works.

    Not every Premier League season is decided by two goals in injury time.
    Not every Wimbledon Mens Final is a 5 set classic.
    Not every Open Championship is decided by a 30 ft putt on the 18th green.
    Not every Superbowl is decided by a 99 yard touchdown as the clock runs down.
    Not every World Series is decided by a walk-off home run.

    So why do some people expect the GC riders at the Tour to go on mad suicidal attacks from the gun?

    Every time a match is boring on MoTD everyone moans about how boring it is.

    They do the same in the tennis too. "This match was a doughnut, so we won't show you that match, just Nadal's best point".
    _
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,462
    smithy21 wrote:
    Just catching up with this thread after watching the stage. Jesus christ- do some people understand how professional sport works.

    Not every Premier League season is decided by two goals in injury time.
    Not every Wimbledon Mens Final is a 5 set classic.
    Not every Open Championship is decided by a 30 ft putt on the 18th green.
    Not every Superbowl is decided by a 99 yard touchdown as the clock runs down.
    Not every World Series is decided by a walk-off home run.

    So why do some people expect the GC riders at the Tour to go on mad suicidal attacks from the gun?


    Cos it's the only way to become a True Champion TM especially if you attack your own team leader, then you get elevated to Heavyweight True Champion TM status (even if you subsequently blow up and lose the race).
  • ocdupalais
    ocdupalais Posts: 4,317
    afx237vi wrote:
    I'm not even convinced Zubeldia exists. It's ASO testing to see if anyone is paying attention.

    You're so right; not just Zubeldia, it would seem.

    General Classification after Stage 16
    GBR 1 WIGGINS, Bradley (SKY PROCYCLING) 74:15:32
    GBR 2 FROOME, Christopher (SKY PROCYCLING) + 2:05
    ITA 3 NIBALI, Vincenzo (LIQUIGAS-CANNONDALE) + 2:23
    BEL 4 VAN DEN BROECK, Jurgen (LOTTO BELISOL) + 5:46
    ESP 5 ZUBELDIA AGIRRE, Haimar (RADIOSHACK-NISSAN) + 7:13
    USA 6 VAN GARDEREN, Tejay (BMC RACING) + 7:55
    AUS 7 EVANS, Cadel (BMC RACING) + 8:06
    SLO 8 BRAJKOVIC, Janez (ASTANA) + 9:09
    FRA 9 ROLLAND, Pierre (EUROPCAR) + 10:10
    FRA 10 PINOT, Thibaut (FDJ-BIG MAT) + 11:43
    IRL 11 ROCHE, Nicolas (AG2R LA MONDIALE) + 11:47
    GER 12 KLÖDEN, Andreas (RADIOSHACK-NISSAN) + 13:14
    USA 13 HORNER, Christopher (RADIOSHACK-NISSAN) + 13:39
    DEN 14 SÖRENSEN, Chris Anker (SAXO BANK-TINKOFF BANK) + 14:43
    RUS 15 MENCHOV, Denis (KATUSHA) + 21:06
    BEL 16 MONFORT, Maxime (RADIOSHACK-NISSAN) + 21:26
    ESP 17 MARTINEZ DE ESTEBAN, Egoi (EUSKALTEL-EUSKADI) + 21:41
    POR 18 FARIA DA COSTA, Rui Alberto (MOVISTAR) + 22:47
    RUS 19 VORGANOV, Eduard (KATUSHA) + 24:20
    ESP 20 VALVERDE BELMONTE, Alejandro (MOVISTAR) + 33:57...
    ...
    MON 47 KHAN, Genghis (EUROPCAR) + 64 eons: 12 moons

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