TDF Stage 17 *spoiler*

24567…20

Comments

  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    pierna a pierna.

    Doesn't quite roll off the tongue.
  • Squaggles
    Squaggles Posts: 875
    frenchfighter wrote:
    The only good thing that can happen today (apart from the courageous fighting of whoever is in the break), is Nibs going into 2nd place, preferably by the combination of Nibali gapping everyone and Froome cracking (needs his ego taken down several notches, even if Contador will do that aggressively if this guy rides the Vuelta).

    Why does Froome need his ego taken down several notches ? I've never heard him say he's going to do all these great things and then totally fail to deliver like many riders
    The UCI are Clowns and Fools
  • SteppenHerring
    SteppenHerring Posts: 720
    It would be nice if someone went for it today. I mean, would you rather finish 3rd in the TdF or go out in a glorious heroic attack attempting to grab the win? You might end up blowing and finishing 12th or something but it would be something people would talk about.

    It probably won't happen - which could be down to risk-aversion or lack of drugs.
  • mroli
    mroli Posts: 3,622
    Froome rode to 2nd in the Vuelta and would/could have won if he hadn't been shepherding Wiggins (or the Sky TTT hadn't been so shambolic). He looks nailed on for 2nd in the Tour. I don't think he is being bigheaded, I think that he is accurately reflecting his ability.

    I think the Vuelta this year will be a step too far for him, but it will be interesting to see how he measures up to a (hopefully) clean Contador, even though he has a lot of riding in his legs. A Sky team made up some of Henao, Uran, Lofkvist, Zandio, Nordhaug, Flecha, Pate, Swift, Appollonio, Hayman would be pretty strong in itself. Would Cav ride?
    http://www.georgesfoundation.org
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  • Jez mon
    Jez mon Posts: 3,809
    SteppenHerring wrote:
    It would be nice if someone went for it today. I mean, would you rather finish 3rd in the TdF or go out in a glorious heroic attack attempting to grab the win? You might end up blowing and finishing 12th or something but it would be something people would talk about.

    It probably won't happen - which could be down to risk-aversion or lack of drugs.

    When was the last time something like that happened? If Nibali wants the top step on the podium in Paris, he would have to gain 2 and a half minutes, plus however much he's going to lose in the TT.

    There's going out in a blaze of glory, and then there's just throwing away a third place.
    You live and learn. At any rate, you live
  • timoid.
    timoid. Posts: 3,133
    Nibs is riding for third.

    When is the last time an Eyetalian finished on the final Tour podium. 2005? Basso in his roboblood pomp?
    It's a little like wrestling a gorilla. You don't quit when you're tired. You quit when the gorilla is tired.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    Timoid. wrote:
    Nibs is riding for third.

    When is the last time an Eyetalian finished on the final Tour podium. 2005? Basso in his roboblood pomp?

    Thaaank you.
    _
  • Crozza
    Crozza Posts: 991
    I dunno why people always seem so keen to get into the breakaway

    it looks fookin' knackering!
  • calvjones
    calvjones Posts: 3,850
    If Gutsy Tommy V (tm) goes over the HC toward the front, this stage has very little interest left.
    ___________________

    Strava is not Zen.
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    tumblr_m7dgu6ayNC1qacyk6o1_500.jpg
    tumblr_m7dhmj8e021qacyk6o1_500.jpg

    "From the outside it seems to me like a bit of a "cold" team where maybe they communicate via email instead of by phone," said Nibali of Sky. "Even when we came across them on Mount Teide, their tables were a lot more silent than ours."

    Horner is in 13th. Pretty decent for someone who was supposed to be washed up etc
    "The guy in front of me sat up on the uphill and his bike started drifting back to me. He went right and I went left. That’s when I hit the edge of one of those concrete curbs and went down 12 feet and had to crawl back up. There was a lot of debris there to land on before I came to a tree that stopped me. Better the tree than continuing on down the slope. So I was able to crawl out on my hands and knees with some help. Dusted myself off, got a new bike and ready to go again."

    Thank God it was on the uphill, not the downhill," he continued.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    calvjones wrote:
    If Gutsy Tommy V (tm) goes over the HC toward the front, this stage has very little interest left.

    Yeah, hopefully that will provide some excitement.

    1 Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Team Europcar 107 pts
    2 Fredrik Kessiakoff (Swe) Astana Pro Team 103
    3 Chris Anker Sörensen (Den) Team Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank 77
    Contador is the Greatest
  • LeicesterLad
    LeicesterLad Posts: 3,908
    Crozza wrote:
    I dunno why people always seem so keen to get into the breakaway

    it looks fookin' knackering!

    Publicity, Airtime, Pleasing Sponsors, Chance at glory they wouldn't otherwise have, Get green or KOM points...

    But yeah, it must be hard farkin work!
    http://www.twitter.com/InTheGC http://www.InTheGC.com http://www.facebook.com/intheGC
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Jens going for the counter attack after Albasini.

    This guy has an insane amount of energy for his age.

    He was out yday riding hard too.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • Yellow Peril
    Yellow Peril Posts: 4,466
    Any sign of Johnny?
    @JaunePeril

    Winner of the Bike Radar Pro Race Wiggins Hour Prediction Competition
  • disgruntledgoat
    disgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    frenchfighter wrote:
    Jens going for the counter attack after Albasini.

    This guy has an insane amount of energy for his age.

    He was out yday riding hard too.

    Jens Voigt... The Thomas Voeckler it's OK to like. :mrgreen:
    "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
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    3tdf17_JENSATTACKS.jpg
    Contador is the Greatest
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,725
    No break getting away until the Mente.
    Big question for me is: What do BMC do if Pinot gets up the road?
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    I'm glad this Mente climb is a monster.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    IMG_6178a.jpg

    The stage 17 finishing climb to Peyragudes has never been used by the Tour de France before, but the 2010 Route du Sud, a 2.1 UCI race held in the Pyrenees each year, held a mountain time-trial stage won by David Moncoutie

    TDF12-ETAPE-17-port-de-bales_Peyragudes.jpg
    http://www.steephill.tv/2012/tour-de-fr ... agudes.jpg
    Contador is the Greatest
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Here's hoping some Blue Goons get shelled here.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • Crozza
    Crozza Posts: 991
    strong Movistar presence at the front
  • DeadCalm
    DeadCalm Posts: 4,249
    Blazing Saddles wrote:
    No break getting away until the Mente.
    Big question for me is: What do BMC do if Pinot gets up the road?
    I suspect Pinot is more interested in making up time on Rolland.
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    BIG BREAK trying to form:

    Valverde, Menchov, Cobo, Sorensen, Rolland, Leipheimer, Horner, Kess (20 odd total)

    No Voeckler?

    Vino dropped.

    Sky put EBH on the front.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • Crozza
    Crozza Posts: 991
    shots of Cav and Greipel struggling at the back.

    they really are nails, riding over all these mountains just to get a shot at sprinting up the Champs Elysee.

    I'd be tempted just to get the Eurostar!
  • DeadCalm
    DeadCalm Posts: 4,249
    edited July 2012
    frenchfighter wrote:
    BIG BREAK trying to form:

    Valverde, Menchov, Cobo, Sorensen, Rolland, Leipheimer, Horner, Kess (20 odd total)

    No Voeckler?

    Vino dropped.

    Sky put EBH on the front.
    He's there, glued to Kessiakof's wheel.

    Edit: (He = Voeckler)
  • Crozza
    Crozza Posts: 991
    frenchfighter wrote:
    No Voeckler?

    he's there on the one I'm watching, about 4th wheel?
  • DeadCalm
    DeadCalm Posts: 4,249
    Who are Sky worried about in the lead group that they're keeping it so close?

    And was that Evans struggling a;lready?
  • proto
    proto Posts: 1,483
    My mate Karla Boddy (HWCC RT) took this photo yesterday on Peyresourde.

    Every picture tells a story ........................

    7602912328_4043a505c2_b.jpg
  • Crozza
    Crozza Posts: 991
    DeadCalm wrote:
    Who are Sky worried about in the lead group that they're keeping it so close?

    hunting for the stage win?

    Rolland looks and climbs quite a lot like a Schleck
  • DeadCalm
    DeadCalm Posts: 4,249
    So the French press at the start was full of Voeckler saying that he'd be riding for Rolland this tour. Nobody believed it at the time,..

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