The Tour - stage 13 *spoiler*

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Comments

  • Le Commentateur
    Le Commentateur Posts: 4,099
    So where's Contador?
    Un uomo solo al commando
  • Le Commentateur
    Le Commentateur Posts: 4,099
    Le Commentateur wrote:
    So where's Contador?
    Ah, shadowing Froome.
    Un uomo solo al commando
  • adr82
    adr82 Posts: 4,002
    RonB wrote:
    Movistar group now joined the chasing teams at 65s behind. Still Belkin and OPQS. Setting the pace. No sign of Sky doing anything at the mo.
    I wouldn't expect Sky to bother - Froome is 3.5 minutes ahead of Valverde already! If he was only up by 30s or less then they might have more justification, but 3.5 minutes is a pretty solid lead. I'd expect them to save their energy for the mountains, particularly since they're now down 2 riders.
  • nweststeyn
    nweststeyn Posts: 1,574
    [creepy comment]

    Kwiatkowski looks pretty good in that white jersey. He looks good on a bike altogether actually.

    [/creepy comment]
  • above_the_cows
    above_the_cows Posts: 11,406
    Watching the front group work like this is a thing of rare beauty.
    Correlation is not causation.
  • Lichtblick
    Lichtblick Posts: 1,434
    Lovely huge wheat field there
  • TimB34
    TimB34 Posts: 316
    Is that Andy Schleck in the Valverde group? Feed went to poor quality and can't make it out
  • above_the_cows
    above_the_cows Posts: 11,406
    nweststeyn wrote:
    [creepy comment]

    Kwiatkowski looks pretty good in that white jersey. He looks good on a bike altogether actually.

    [/creepy comment]

    Kwiatkowski is a classy little dude.
    Correlation is not causation.
  • Runtothehills
    Runtothehills Posts: 184
    adr82 wrote:
    RonB wrote:
    Movistar group now joined the chasing teams at 65s behind. Still Belkin and OPQS. Setting the pace. No sign of Sky doing anything at the mo.
    I wouldn't expect Sky to bother - Froome is 3.5 minutes ahead of Valverde already! If he was only up by 30s or less then they might have more justification, but 3.5 minutes is a pretty solid lead. I'd expect them to save their energy for the mountains, particularly since they're now down 2 riders.

    Also Sky would get a lot of flak for attacking after a mechanical. Far better to keep their hands clean and let the sprinters teams do the work, or let other GC contenders who have more reason to worry look bad.
  • Lichtblick
    Lichtblick Posts: 1,434
    TimB34 wrote:
    Is that Andy Schleck in the Valverde group? Feed went to poor quality and can't make it out
    yep
  • adr82
    adr82 Posts: 4,002
    Gap looks to be growing slowly, touching 1:20 now
  • disgruntledgoat
    disgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    Lichtblick wrote:
    ok, thanks all

    now why don't some team cars move up to protect/supply mechanics to the front group if necessary?


    I think with riders taking up the whole road,in a crosswind, it would be very difficult to get them through safely without further impacting the time gap.
    "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
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    Lichtblick wrote:
    ok, thanks all

    now why don't some team cars move up to protect/supply mechanics to the front group if necessary?

    Because they didn't have permission from the race director's car.
  • bigmat
    bigmat Posts: 5,134
    Sky and Saxo should help out up front. In fact they should all help out. Valverde...
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/41991871@N ... otostream/
  • salsiccia1
    salsiccia1 Posts: 3,725
    Above The Cows wrote:
    nweststeyn wrote:
    [creepy comment]

    Kwiatkowski looks pretty good in that white jersey. He looks good on a bike altogether actually.

    [/creepy comment]

    Kwiatkowski is a classy little dude.

    Potential GT winner, I reckon
    It's only a bit of sport, Mun. Relax and enjoy the racing.
  • Le Commentateur
    Le Commentateur Posts: 4,099
    edited July 2013
    Another Cobo/Vuelta situation for Movistar now, with Quintana poised to be their main GC rider after this disaster for Valverde.
    Un uomo solo al commando
  • adr82
    adr82 Posts: 4,002
    Taking the cars through now it seems...
  • hammerite
    hammerite Posts: 3,408
    Lichtblick wrote:
    ok, thanks all

    now why don't some team cars move up to protect/supply mechanics to the front group if necessary?

    The team cars need to be called through by the commissaires. They'll only do that if the gap is over a minute and looks like it can be maintained. Otherwise you'd have bike/car carnage and riders in the second group using the cars to tow them to the first group.
  • alihisgreat
    alihisgreat Posts: 3,872
    edited July 2013
    Has anyone watched "The Ride" on Eurosport?
  • disgruntledgoat
    disgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    Runtothehills wrote:
    adr82 wrote:
    RonB wrote:
    Movistar group now joined the chasing teams at 65s behind. Still Belkin and OPQS. Setting the pace. No sign of Sky doing anything at the mo.
    I wouldn't expect Sky to bother - Froome is 3.5 minutes ahead of Valverde already! If he was only up by 30s or less then they might have more justification, but 3.5 minutes is a pretty solid lead. I'd expect them to save their energy for the mountains, particularly since they're now down 2 riders.

    Also Sky would get a lot of flak for attacking after a mechanical. Far better to keep their hands clean and let the sprinters teams do the work, or let other GC contenders who have more reason to worry look bad.

    No point working when you don't have to either. Belkin and OPQS have a reason to work, Sky don't need any more time on Valverde
    "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
  • Lichtblick
    Lichtblick Posts: 1,434
    So if someone in the front group has a mechanical they have to use the yellow car?
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,241
    Runtothehills wrote:
    adr82 wrote:
    RonB wrote:
    Movistar group now joined the chasing teams at 65s behind. Still Belkin and OPQS. Setting the pace. No sign of Sky doing anything at the mo.
    I wouldn't expect Sky to bother - Froome is 3.5 minutes ahead of Valverde already! If he was only up by 30s or less then they might have more justification, but 3.5 minutes is a pretty solid lead. I'd expect them to save their energy for the mountains, particularly since they're now down 2 riders.

    Also Sky would get a lot of flak for attacking after a mechanical. Far better to keep their hands clean and let the sprinters teams do the work, or let other GC contenders who have more reason to worry look bad.
    They seem to have learned from that. Instead just have a word with Cav to get his team to keep working hard and promise him a couple riders for his lead-out. That's what I'd do.

    Also Nicolas Portal is good friends with Valverde.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • goonz
    goonz Posts: 3,106
    Keep the commentary going please! This is too good to miss!

    Think the groups will come together by the end, too far a distance to keep apart. imo.
    Scott Speedster S20 Roadie for Speed
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    n+1 is well and truly on track
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  • above_the_cows
    above_the_cows Posts: 11,406
    This is the GC as it is right now on the road:

    1. GBR FROOME Christopher 1 SKY PROCYCLING 49h 40' 50''
    2.(+1) NED MOLLEMA Bauke 164 BELKIN PRO CYCLING 49h 44' 27'' + 03' 37''
    3.(+1) ESP CONTADOR Alberto 91 TEAM SAXO-TINKOFF 49h 44' 44'' + 03' 54''
    4.(+1) CZE KREUZIGER Roman 94 TEAM SAXO-TINKOFF 49h 44' 47'' + 03' 57''
    5.(+1) NED TEN DAM Laurens 167 BELKIN PRO CYCLING 49h 45' 00'' + 04' 10''
    6.(-4) ESP VALVERDE Alejandro 121 MOVISTAR TEAM 49h 45' 34'' + 04' 44''

    Oh dear Valverde. No wonder Belkin is hammering this. Not only have they moved Mollema up into second but Ten Dam has jumped Valverde too.
    Correlation is not causation.
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    Lichtblick wrote:
    So if someone in the front group has a mechanical they have to use the yellow car?

    Or a team-mate, like Valverde did.
  • adr82
    adr82 Posts: 4,002
    Lichtblick wrote:
    So if someone in the front group has a mechanical they have to use the yellow car?
    They don't have to, but they might judge it's faster to take a bike from the neutral car and put up with it until their team car can catch up, then they'll swap it again for one of their own bikes.
  • hammerite
    hammerite Posts: 3,408
    Lichtblick wrote:
    So if someone in the front group has a mechanical they have to use the yellow car?

    Yes, or take a team mates bike/wheel with that team mate waiting to get a replacement.
  • Le Commentateur
    Le Commentateur Posts: 4,099
    disgruntledgoat wrote:

    No point working when you don't have to either. Belkin and OPQS have a reason to work, Sky don't need any more time on Valverde
    Well I'm sure they'd prefer a 5 min GC gap to Valverde, but as long as OPQS and Belkin are doing the work for them they can just concentrate on getting a free ride.
    Un uomo solo al commando
  • Runtothehills
    Runtothehills Posts: 184
    edited July 2013
    disgruntledgoat wrote:
    Runtothehills wrote:
    adr82 wrote:
    RonB wrote:
    Movistar group now joined the chasing teams at 65s behind. Still Belkin and OPQS. Setting the pace. No sign of Sky doing anything at the mo.
    I wouldn't expect Sky to bother - Froome is 3.5 minutes ahead of Valverde already! If he was only up by 30s or less then they might have more justification, but 3.5 minutes is a pretty solid lead. I'd expect them to save their energy for the mountains, particularly since they're now down 2 riders.

    Also Sky would get a lot of flak for attacking after a mechanical. Far better to keep their hands clean and let the sprinters teams do the work, or let other GC contenders who have more reason to worry look bad.

    No point working when you don't have to either. Belkin and OPQS have a reason to work, Sky don't need any more time on Valverde

    this too, though it would feel wrong if Froome/ another beats Valverde in Paris by less than whatever the gap is at the end of the stage.
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    Valverde is screwed. That group is not working at all.

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