TDF 2013 Stage 18 L'Alpe d'Huez *Spoilers*

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Comments

  • fleshtuxedo
    fleshtuxedo Posts: 1,857
    No disrespect to TJVG, but the excitement to the finish from Riblon snatching victory was a magnifique end to the day IMO
  • slim_boy_fat
    slim_boy_fat Posts: 1,810
    No tA Doctor wrote:
    Right then, Saxo tactics...

    Nico and his mate up the road early. Did they think they'd be able to stay away long enough for Contador to use them on the descent and in the valley? Because they were a long long way from that.

    Or had they hoped that Sky would burn a couple of guys up chasing, leaving a couple less for the climbs and descent?

    While it's fair enough to say "at least they tried something" it smacked a bit of desperation to me.
    Tactics from other teams have been abysmal this year. Other than Saxo 'on that stage' they really haven't taken any advantage of the weakness of team Sky. Would seem to me that Movistar and possibly Saxo have a stronger team than Sky but have not made it count.
  • fleshtuxedo
    fleshtuxedo Posts: 1,857
    No tA Doctor wrote:
    Right then, Saxo tactics...

    Nico and his mate up the road early. Did they think they'd be able to stay away long enough for Contador to use them on the descent and in the valley? Because they were a long long way from that.

    Or had they hoped that Sky would burn a couple of guys up chasing, leaving a couple less for the climbs and descent?

    While it's fair enough to say "at least they tried something" it smacked a bit of desperation to me.

    Roche tried to bridge by himself first, then dropped back and had another go with Paulinho. It all looked like they missed the break and didn't take a deep breath and reconsider.
  • Crozza
    Crozza Posts: 991
    Does anyone know if J-Rod is single?

    And his views on gay marriage?
  • above_the_cows
    above_the_cows Posts: 11,406
    No tA Doctor wrote:
    Right then, Saxo tactics...

    Nico and his mate up the road early. Did they think they'd be able to stay away long enough for Contador to use them on the descent and in the valley? Because they were a long long way from that.

    Or had they hoped that Sky would burn a couple of guys up chasing, leaving a couple less for the climbs and descent?

    While it's fair enough to say "at least they tried something" it smacked a bit of desperation to me.

    They hung off the front of the main bunch for about 50k. They would have been much more sensible when it was obvious that they were not going to get a bigger gap and that Sky were content to just leave them there to drop back into the main bunch before the first ascent of the Alpe as it was they burned themselves out and were no use to anyone.
    Correlation is not causation.
  • above_the_cows
    above_the_cows Posts: 11,406
    Crozza wrote:
    Does anyone know if J-Rod is single?

    And his views on gay marriage?

    William is that you? I thought you'd decided Marcel was the man for you?

    Sorry, to answer your question I think he's married, he has children but I don't know his views on gay marriage.
    Correlation is not causation.
  • Macaloon
    Macaloon Posts: 5,545
    Bricking this descent off Sarenne.
    ...a rare 100% loyal Pro Race poster. A poster boy for the community.
  • napoleond
    napoleond Posts: 5,992
    FleshTuxedo wrote:
    FleshTuxedo wrote:
    Yellow Peril wrote:
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    Hansen.jpg.500.327.jpg


    Absolute class! Picture of the Tour for me!

    Is that him on the right?

    3650_498606186864675_1973307263_n.jpg


    That is just AWESOME!!
    Insta: ATEnduranceCoaching
    ABCC Cycling Coach
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,241
    One thing not mentioned so far is that Andrew Talansky extended his lead in the See-Through Jersey competition - something I have just made up and awarded to the rider highest on GC that I haven't really noticed was in the race.

    He is now nearly 3 minutes ahead of Daniel Navarro and Maxime Monfort.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • Daz555
    Daz555 Posts: 3,976
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    Hansen.jpg.500.327.jpg
    20 sec penalty I hope! :mrgreen:
    You only need two tools: WD40 and Duck Tape.
    If it doesn't move and should, use the WD40.
    If it shouldn't move and does, use the tape.
  • Gazzetta67
    Gazzetta67 Posts: 1,890
    Well i managed to get in from work at 5 No radio or tv news. workmates were banned from telling me who won. Just sat and watched the last 3 hours.Bit of an anti climax to say the least. Saxobank rode like schoolboys and movistar let Sky set the tempo for the day. did they not learn from the 2nd pyrenees stage of isolating sky riders...They are both riding for 2nd & 3rd places..can you imagine Hinault LeMond or Fignon riding for 2nd ? ....As for the fans i would batter half of these idiots running alongside, why cant they bus in more police to stop these drunken idiots...Alpe d Huez is now RUINED as a spectacle as there are too many fans and it stops attacks cos they are all standing in the middle of the road. :evil: rant over.
  • fleshtuxedo
    fleshtuxedo Posts: 1,857
    RichN95 wrote:
    One thing not mentioned so far is that Andrew Talansky extended his lead in the See-Through Jersey competition - something I have just made up and awarded to the rider highest on GC that I haven't really noticed was in the race.

    He is now nearly 3 minutes ahead of Daniel Navarro and Maxime Monfort.

    Fuglsang for the partially opaque jersey?
  • Cleat Eastwood
    Cleat Eastwood Posts: 7,508
    Daz555 wrote:
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    Hansen.jpg.500.327.jpg
    20 sec penalty I hope! :mrgreen:

    He drinks lager...Contador just gets bitter :D
    The dissenter is every human being at those moments of his life when he resigns
    momentarily from the herd and thinks for himself.
  • Turfle
    Turfle Posts: 3,762
    FleshTuxedo wrote:
    RichN95 wrote:
    One thing not mentioned so far is that Andrew Talansky extended his lead in the See-Through Jersey competition - something I have just made up and awarded to the rider highest on GC that I haven't really noticed was in the race.

    He is now nearly 3 minutes ahead of Daniel Navarro and Maxime Monfort.

    Fuglsang for the partially opaque jersey?

    I'd have had Purito up there too, until today.
  • ratsbeyfus
    ratsbeyfus Posts: 2,841
    OK, just watched the highlights of the stage after taking my kids to the school disco. Can someone do a highlights package for this thread a la ITV4 for me?

    I had one of them red bikes but I don't any more. Sad face.

    @ratsbey
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,793
    No tA Doctor wrote:
    Right then, Saxo tactics...

    Nico and his mate up the road early. Did they think they'd be able to stay away long enough for Contador to use them on the descent and in the valley? Because they were a long long way from that.

    Or had they hoped that Sky would burn a couple of guys up chasing, leaving a couple less for the climbs and descent?

    While it's fair enough to say "at least they tried something" it smacked a bit of desperation to me.

    they fffed up. they needed to be in the break of the day but sky just neutralised that
    "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
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    ratsbeyfus wrote:
    OK, just watched the highlights of the stage after taking my kids to the school disco. Can someone do a highlights package for this thread a la ITV4 for me?


    Unrelated pre race chat.

    Tenting over jens.

    Surging over TJ.

    Jizzing over Riblon.

    Unfunny stuff about froome and porte penalty.

    Chat about Contador looking tired and Kreuz not so.

    Outstanding beer photo from Rick to steal the show.
    _
  • Gazzetta67
    Gazzetta67 Posts: 1,890
    Wanted - Job Description Directuer sportif that can read a race and know when to send riders up the road. thus knackering the lead team and not letting them set the tempo. send applications to Movistar and saxobank respectivley 8)
  • ratsbeyfus
    ratsbeyfus Posts: 2,841
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    ratsbeyfus wrote:
    OK, just watched the highlights of the stage after taking my kids to the school disco. Can someone do a highlights package for this thread a la ITV4 for me?


    Unrelated pre race chat.

    Tenting over jens.

    Surging over TJ.

    Jizzing over Riblon.

    Unfunny stuff about froome and porte penalty.

    Chat about Contador looking tired and Kreuz not so.

    Outstanding beer photo from Rick to steal the show.

    Cheers Rick - that's exactly what I was looking for. BTW, did anyone else spot the two Cofidis riders today that appeared on the screen for a fraction of a second? Apparently there are 8 of them. 8!

    I had one of them red bikes but I don't any more. Sad face.

    @ratsbey
  • Turfle
    Turfle Posts: 3,762
    ratsbeyfus wrote:
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    ratsbeyfus wrote:
    OK, just watched the highlights of the stage after taking my kids to the school disco. Can someone do a highlights package for this thread a la ITV4 for me?


    Unrelated pre race chat.

    Tenting over jens.

    Surging over TJ.

    Jizzing over Riblon.

    Unfunny stuff about froome and porte penalty.

    Chat about Contador looking tired and Kreuz not so.

    Outstanding beer photo from Rick to steal the show.

    Cheers Rick - that's exactly what I was looking for. BTW, did anyone else spot the two Cofidis riders today that appeared on the screen for a fraction of a second? Apparently there are 8 of them. 8!

    First to spot them all gets to ride on the team next year.
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,241
    Gazzetta67 wrote:
    Wanted - Job Description Directuer sportif that can read a race and know when to send riders up the road. thus knackering the lead team and not letting them set the tempo. send applications to Movistar and saxobank respectivley 8)
    The problem with the 'send a man up the road' tactic is the lead team then takes in easy and lets the break get a 15-20 minute lead and those men are sod all use to their team
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 14,549
    RichN95 wrote:
    Gazzetta67 wrote:
    Wanted - Job Description Directuer sportif that can read a race and know when to send riders up the road. thus knackering the lead team and not letting them set the tempo. send applications to Movistar and saxobank respectivley 8)
    The problem with the 'send a man up the road' tactic is the lead team then takes in easy and lets the break get a 15-20 minute lead and those men are sod all use to their team

    Little wrong with Movistar today. Put Quintana on the podium.
    Warning No formatter is installed for the format
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,241
    No tA Doctor wrote:
    RichN95 wrote:
    Gazzetta67 wrote:
    Wanted - Job Description Directuer sportif that can read a race and know when to send riders up the road. thus knackering the lead team and not letting them set the tempo. send applications to Movistar and saxobank respectivley 8)
    The problem with the 'send a man up the road' tactic is the lead team then takes in easy and lets the break get a 15-20 minute lead and those men are sod all use to their team

    Little wrong with Movistar today. Put Quintana on the podium.
    I thought they were spot on. (And they did have a good man in the break - Amador. They used him well)
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 14,549
    RichN95 wrote:
    No tA Doctor wrote:
    RichN95 wrote:
    Gazzetta67 wrote:
    Wanted - Job Description Directuer sportif that can read a race and know when to send riders up the road. thus knackering the lead team and not letting them set the tempo. send applications to Movistar and saxobank respectivley 8)
    The problem with the 'send a man up the road' tactic is the lead team then takes in easy and lets the break get a 15-20 minute lead and those men are sod all use to their team

    Little wrong with Movistar today. Put Quintana on the podium.
    I thought they were spot on.

    They've been largely solid since ditching Valverde after the ECHELONS!!!
    Warning No formatter is installed for the format
  • Turfle
    Turfle Posts: 3,762
    Yeah they were good today, but can't help think they sacrificed Quintana a bit too early in the race. Tough to be too hard on them though as Valverde was riding great too.
  • Gazzetta67
    Gazzetta67 Posts: 1,890
    Podium places you mean ? What's wrong with riding for 1st place. Movistar and saxobank blew their BIG chance on the 2nd Pyrenees stage. they could have worked froome over big time with still 120kms to go. froome could not have chased everything. these guys are not real attacking riders like Hinault & Fignon were. as i already said they would never settle for 2nd with three days in the mountains to go.
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,241
    Gazzetta67 wrote:
    Podium places you mean ? What's wrong with riding for 1st place. Movistar and saxobank blew their BIG chance on the 2nd Pyrenees stage. they could have worked froome over big time with still 120kms to go. froome could not have chased everything. these guys are not real attacking riders like Hinault & Fignon were. as i already said they would never settle for 2nd with three days in the mountains to go.
    Hinault and Fignon had sod all competition though
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • Macaloon
    Macaloon Posts: 5,545
    Good race, that. What win for Riblon. Quintana appears to be a bit of a racer too. Time to find out what all the Froome hand-waving was really about.
    ...a rare 100% loyal Pro Race poster. A poster boy for the community.
  • dolan_driver
    dolan_driver Posts: 831
    Gazzetta67 wrote:
    ....As for the fans i would batter half of these idiots running alongside,

    I think TJ let one fan have it with a well-placed left hook. Did Riblon land a blow on another nutter? I can't fully recall in all the excitement. Riders striking fans is not a good thing, generally, but some of these drunken fools do need a slap. Chris F going all Queensberry on that young lad today who almost took him out might be a step too far, though!

    DD.
  • Crampeur
    Crampeur Posts: 1,065
    Dolan Driver wrote:
    Gazzetta67 wrote:
    ....As for the fans i would batter half of these idiots running alongside,

    I think TJ let one fan have it with a well-placed left hook. Did Riblon land a blow on another nutter? I can't fully recall in all the excitement. Riders striking fans is not a good thing, generally, but some of these drunken fools do need a slap. Chris F going all Queensberry on that young lad today who almost took him out might be a step too far, though!

    DD.

    Yup, he landed one on a guy running alongside him. Repeated it in gratuitous slo-mo too...

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