TDF 2013 Stage 9 *SPOILER*

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Comments

  • gr1
    gr1 Posts: 25
    I think he was right to close down Quintana. If he had gone over the top with the other the 2 leaders then Movistar would have had no urge to chase on the descent to the finish.

    Granted Froome would have probable caught Quintana on the descent anyway judging by yesterdays stage, but he would have had to do some work. As it was, Movistar took up the chase to the finish and that brought the other teams to the front as well to chase down Martin and Fugslang.

    Froome took it easy from the summit and sat in the wheels all the way to the finish.
  • Turfle
    Turfle Posts: 3,762
    Yeah, it looked like Quintana was just softening Froome up for a big attack from Valverde, but it never came. I think Froome made a good point that even though he was alone, he had natural allies in the group as nobody wanted to let any of their rivals up the road.
  • Le Commentateur
    Le Commentateur Posts: 4,099
    ddraver wrote:
    Trouble was that Valverde (and Contador too) knew that actually that meant giving the win to Quintana which was not acceptable. So they butchered it.
    So, what happens on Ventoux, I wonder? I don't think that's a climb that suits Valverde as much as Quintana, Froome and (if fitter) Contador.
    Un uomo solo al commando
  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    He should has let Quintana go. At least for a while. Let him potter up the road a bit - Then Froome jumps away, catches him and sits up on his wheel. One jump and it would've put Quintana off attacking

    Quintana's attacks were quite soft too, as when Froome closed him down it was easy, but it was also easy for the others. Evans, even when he's good sometimes takes a bit longer to close gaps but today it was no problem.
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • TMR
    TMR Posts: 3,986
    Why were Movistar wearing yellow helmets BTW?
  • le_patron
    le_patron Posts: 494
    edited July 2013
    Waited for the highlights. Wow, crazy scenes with still 100km to go, thought it was going to get very interesting indeed at one point.

    Before yesterday I'd never seen the last mountain domestique get back on after peeling off and then come second.
    And before today I'd never seen an entire team disappear with half the stage still to go, that was Houdini like.

    At least the race might still be exciting.
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,241
    The Mad Rapper wrote:
    Why were Movistar wearing yellow helmets BTW?
    They're leading the team competition.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,793
    edited July 2013
    Turfle wrote:
    He was tactically brilliant.

    He followed Valverde and Quintana, and nobody else. He let Rui Costa go, he let Dan Martin go. The only time he rode was to counter, imo, his two strongest rivals.

    Today showed that Movistar have no interest in working with Contador.

    I bet he wished he let dan martin go earlier

    the race was so in bits for the first half of stage 9 it looked more like the Garmin raid Pyrenean cyclo-sportive than a stage in the tour
    "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
  • kleinstroker
    kleinstroker Posts: 2,133
    The Mad Rapper wrote:
    Why were Movistar wearing yellow helmets BTW?

    Because they a a bunch of spanish nobs! Also they are 1st in the team GC, but mainly to annoy sky and froome.
  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    "That’s pretty much what we worked towards all day – making sure that Sky will no longer have the opportunity to play 2 cards"-Eusebio Unzue
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • DeadCalm
    DeadCalm Posts: 4,242
    iainf72 wrote:
    "That’s pretty much what we worked towards all day – making sure that Sky will no longer have the opportunity to play 2 cards"-Eusebio Unzue
    Hmm, that much was certain with almost two climbs to go. They really only needed to beat Porte by 5 minutes or so. Maybe they have a long term strategy to prove me wrong but I really think they'd have been better off, if they seriously want to win the tour, backing off from the relentless pace and launching a series of attacks. As it was, the Movistar domestiques might as well have been Kennaugh and Porte for all Froome was concerned. Contador has said that the pace was way too fierce for him to think of attacking for example.
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,661
    iainf72 wrote:
    "That’s pretty much what we worked towards all day – making sure that Sky will no longer have the opportunity to play 2 cards"-Eusebio Unzue

    Yeah i saw that and my honest reponse would nt make it past the swear filter but lets say it rhymes with fullfit
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,241
    iainf72 wrote:
    "That’s pretty much what we worked towards all day – making sure that Sky will no longer have the opportunity to play 2 cards"-Eusebio Unzue
    When have Sky ever played two cards? (Yes, yes, Criterium International, I know)
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,793
    Its hard to see how he kept that jersey tbh..movistar should have bluffed it more
    "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
  • Macaloon
    Macaloon Posts: 5,545
    I'm surprised that more isn't being made of the disintegration of all of the Sky bots on only the second mountain day. That's a pretty big dent in Porte's GC leadership aspirations, and serious form dips for Siutsuo and Lopez.

    I think Froome was very lucky that there were plenty of GC contenders with something to ride for in that front group which helped stop Movistar taking too many chances. He'll be pushing his luck if it happens again, later in the tour.
    ...a rare 100% loyal Pro Race poster. A poster boy for the community.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    Racing for 2nd.
    _
  • DeadCalm
    DeadCalm Posts: 4,242
    Just watching the highlights and it seems to me now, with the benefit of hindsight that, once they had isolated him, Movistar actually should have attacked Froome in the valleys rather than on the climbs. Because Froome is so much stronger than pretty much everyone else on the climbs Movistar's numbers didn't really count for much when they were going uphill. On the flat was where they could and should have made those numbers count. Hindsight, such a wonderful thing.

    From an excitement point of view, I really hope Froome can be isolated again in this tour and we can see some more concerted efforts to claw time back. I'm sure the other teams will be looking for the opportunity but am not sure they'll be able to catch Sky out so easily a second time. This is definitely not an invulnerable Sky team though.
  • Lanterne_Rogue
    Lanterne_Rogue Posts: 4,325
    iainf72 wrote:
    "That’s pretty much what we worked towards all day – making sure that Sky will no longer have the opportunity to play 2 cards"-Eusebio Unzue

    Better to have one good card you can play than two that you don't, I reckon.

    Anyone else wondering if Quintana and Valverde were unwilling to attack in case they lost out individually? Might be a handicap to have two cards if that's the case.
    Twitter: @canocola @thedreadships
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,241
    Bizarre twitter exchange of the day:

    11o2.png
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • Squaggles
    Squaggles Posts: 875
    Well I enjoyed that stage , well done Dan Martin , what a season he's having
    The UCI are Clowns and Fools
  • gsk82
    gsk82 Posts: 3,570
    movistar's problem is that they're going for the wrong guy. quintana is a better climber and tt-er than valverde.

    does anyone still think wiggins not being there is a help to froome?
    "Unfortunately these days a lot of people don’t understand the real quality of a bike" Ernesto Colnago
  • Le Commentateur
    Le Commentateur Posts: 4,099
    Movistar don't want another Cobo scenario. Valverde is king in that team.
    Un uomo solo al commando
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,661
    David Millar's view in The Team - http://www.lequipe.fr/Cyclisme-sur-rout ... ple/384270

    Works quite well in google translate too
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • DeadCalm
    DeadCalm Posts: 4,242
    TJVG lost another 22' 43'. Pinot lost over 25 minutes. Both youngsters possibly burdened by too much expectation and hype.
  • kleinstroker
    kleinstroker Posts: 2,133
    DeadCalm wrote:
    TJVG lost another 22' 43'. Pinot lost over 25 minutes. Both youngsters possibly burdened by too much expectation and hype.

    Yup, both big letdowns really, especially TJVG. I hope BMC rethink there approach to Cadel now.
  • Cumulonimbus
    Cumulonimbus Posts: 1,730
    DeadCalm wrote:
    TJVG lost another 22' 43'. Pinot lost over 25 minutes. Both youngsters possibly burdened by too much expectation and hype.

    Must be difficult to work out what the optimum training plan is for the tour de france when a guy is quite young. I guess its difficult to work out how you will respond to a different training plan. Also, a really successful year might leave you more tired than you realise meaning that you need more downtime in the winter than you realise. Or maybe it isnt, just speculating.
  • TMR
    TMR Posts: 3,986
    kleinstroker wrote:
    DeadCalm wrote:
    TJVG lost another 22' 43'. Pinot lost over 25 minutes. Both youngsters possibly burdened by too much expectation and hype.

    Yup, both big letdowns really, especially TJVG. I hope BMC rethink there approach to Cadel now.

    Cadel needs putting out to pasture. TJVG needs to be brought on.
  • Cumulonimbus
    Cumulonimbus Posts: 1,730
    Cadel expected to struggle at first in the mountains due to lack of recent training but he didnt expect Saturday's result. Looked better today i thought, was off the back at first but managed to catch up and looked good on the final climb.
  • the article don
    the article don Posts: 578
    Super by Dan! Different finish but after watching LBL earlier in the year I was always confident he would take that.

    Massive gonads shown by Froome. But somehow I don't warm to him (I'm not an anti Sky troll, I just find him hard to love)

    Astonishingly, I'm warming to Valverde. And I also fancy a Catlike helmet (but not in yellow)

    It will be an empty day tomorrow :(
    Giant Trance X 2010
    Specialized Tricross Sport
    My Dad's old racer
    Trek Marlin 29er 2012
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,793
    gsk82 wrote:
    movistar's problem is that they're going for the wrong guy. quintana is a better climber and tt-er than valverde.

    the tt thing on the flat is untested but basically I agree... quintana could have won this tour is my backwards looking prediction
    "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

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