TDF 2017: 13 July - Stage 12: Pau - Peyragudes 214.5kms *Spoilers*

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Comments

  • r0bh
    r0bh Posts: 2,436
    micrographia wrote:
    Sky aren't daft enough to think that Froome could beat the likes of Aru and Martin up that finish slope. Reckon the pre-Tour plan was to burn everyone off before they got there but on the day the train came up one man short. G was badly missed. Pace dropped noticeably after Kwiat peeled off. Everyone else in the train tried to put in a bigger shift but it wasn't enough. Great result for the GC race though.

    Don't agree with this, Landa could have gone harder if he'd wanted to or if Froome was able to keep up with him, see how Landa was able to come back around Froome in the final.
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,725
    RichN95 wrote:
    Blazing Saddles wrote:
    I'm just amazed the tv cameras spotted Bennett taking that water.
    A pity that Bardet hadn't done the same, just to see the French reaction to a 20 second slap down.
    He did. At 6.4km to go

    https://twitter.com/CyclingHubTV/status ... 0908474368

    I know. I'm on Haimar Ben watch, so I saw it at the time and thought wtf?
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • hypster
    hypster Posts: 1,229
    To me it looked like Froome was struggling in too big a gear in the final 500m when his cadence is usually quite high in or out of the saddle. Another derailleur problem maybe or just underestimated the gearing for the final gradient?
  • micrographia
    micrographia Posts: 77
    r0bh wrote:
    micrographia wrote:
    Sky aren't daft enough to think that Froome could beat the likes of Aru and Martin up that finish slope. Reckon the pre-Tour plan was to burn everyone off before they got there but on the day the train came up one man short. G was badly missed. Pace dropped noticeably after Kwiat peeled off. Everyone else in the train tried to put in a bigger shift but it wasn't enough. Great result for the GC race though.

    Don't agree with this, Landa could have gone harder if he'd wanted to or if Froome was able to keep up with him, see how Landa was able to come back around Froome in the final.

    Could be. Or maybe Froome made a tactical mistake when he saw he wasn't dropping his rivals and asked Landa to hold back a bit for extra support in the final stretch with the aim of minimising his losses? Great finish whatever.
  • awavey
    awavey Posts: 2,368
    r0bh wrote:
    Don't agree with this, Landa could have gone harder if he'd wanted to or if Froome was able to keep up with him, see how Landa was able to come back around Froome in the final.

    Agree with you, it all looked to Sky plan till the last 500m ,albeit ITV comms were lulling me into false appreciation that Froome was cleverly controlling Landa's pace,so that he could launch a final attack from it against his rivals, it's just when the attack came Froome just had nothing left and then you realise as Landa gets the go for bonus seconds instruction albeit I guess a bit too late, it's actually Landa could have gone much quicker and Froome was controlling the pace because he couldn't go faster, maybe Froome was trying to bluff I don't know,

    but I don't see that regardless of the not having to defend all way to Paris + yellow jersey commitments marginal gains it was their plan to just neutralise & lose least amount of time to rivals. That stage and again blame ITV comms for labouring that point all day so I might need to re-watch highlights,but with Sky controlling pace, even Sky refuelling earlier than expected as a sign to the peloton of their intent they'd intended to do anything other than target that stage to be a decisive move stage
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,252
    Word is Cannondale & Jumbo have grassed up Bardet. So we'll see....
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • hypster
    hypster Posts: 1,229
    I just watched the final kilometre again and Froome is definitely pedalling a lot slower than everyone else in the final 250 metres. I don't think that was just down to lack of oomph, he's definitely in the wrong gear.
  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 28,107
    Anyway, important matters.

    2z99ug9.jpg
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,252
    @MikelLandaMeana
    post-race meeting done @TeamSky

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    Twitter: @RichN95
  • above_the_cows
    above_the_cows Posts: 11,406
    RichN95 wrote:
    Great choice of closing music by ITV4

    What did they play this time? They always have good closing tunes. Kate Bush last year was inspired.
    Correlation is not causation.
  • Lanterne_Rogue
    Lanterne_Rogue Posts: 4,331
    One suggestion was that Sky essentially bluffed their way to the finish in order to minimise losses. Not sure that was the case, but it'll be interesting to see if people keep attacking them now.
    Twitter: @canocola @thedreadships
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,252
    Above The Cows wrote:
    RichN95 wrote:
    Great choice of closing music by ITV4

    What did they play this time? They always have good closing tunes. Kate Bush last year was inspired.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXCN1DhHTZA

    (Bear in mind the winner)
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • wombly_knees
    wombly_knees Posts: 657
    Got to penalise Bardet if Benett has been to keep things fair. But, more importantly, got to penalise Bardet for the sniggers and ensuing fallout.
  • above_the_cows
    above_the_cows Posts: 11,406
    RichN95 wrote:
    Above The Cows wrote:
    RichN95 wrote:
    Great choice of closing music by ITV4

    What did they play this time? They always have good closing tunes. Kate Bush last year was inspired.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXCN1DhHTZA

    (Bear in mind the winner)

    Superb.
    Correlation is not causation.
  • davidwilcock
    davidwilcock Posts: 123
    RichN95 wrote:
    Above The Cows wrote:
    RichN95 wrote:
    Great choice of closing music by ITV4

    What did they play this time? They always have good closing tunes. Kate Bush last year was inspired.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXCN1DhHTZA

    (Bear in mind the winner)

    I remember they did the same thing last year too. Hope they commit to this every time Bardet wins a stage.
  • FocusZing
    FocusZing Posts: 4,373
    DEoTxVKWsAAuVRL.jpg
    He should be penalised judging by the evidence though.
  • disquieting_museeuws
    disquieting_museeuws Posts: 601
    RichN95 wrote:
    Above The Cows wrote:
    RichN95 wrote:
    Great choice of closing music by ITV4

    What did they play this time? They always have good closing tunes. Kate Bush last year was inspired.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXCN1DhHTZA

    (Bear in mind the winner)

    Sir Coxsone posse (1984):

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_Ol3IdGYvQ

    Blessings.
  • above_the_cows
    above_the_cows Posts: 11,406
    This is how my alternative Tour is going in my head.

    DEoTxVKWsAAuVRL_zpsnz9quuas.jpg
    Correlation is not causation.
  • gsk82
    gsk82 Posts: 3,597
    micrographia wrote:
    Sky aren't daft enough to think that Froome could beat the likes of Aru and Martin up that finish slope. Reckon the pre-Tour plan was to burn everyone off before they got there but on the day the train came up one man short. G was badly missed. Pace dropped noticeably after Kwiat peeled off. Everyone else in the train tried to put in a bigger shift but it wasn't enough. Great result for the GC race though.

    Per Rich's (I think) team sky tactics book I want surprised Froome struggled at the end. If he was on it they'd have drilled it up the peyresourde ands left him with a couple of other contenders.
    "Unfortunately these days a lot of people don’t understand the real quality of a bike" Ernesto Colnago
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,252
    gsk82 wrote:
    micrographia wrote:
    Sky aren't daft enough to think that Froome could beat the likes of Aru and Martin up that finish slope. Reckon the pre-Tour plan was to burn everyone off before they got there but on the day the train came up one man short. G was badly missed. Pace dropped noticeably after Kwiat peeled off. Everyone else in the train tried to put in a bigger shift but it wasn't enough. Great result for the GC race though.

    Per Rich's (I think) team sky tactics book I want surprised Froome struggled at the end. If he was on it they'd have drilled it up the peyresourde ands left him with a couple of other contenders.
    Yeah me. I first noticed this on the stage of the 2014 Dauphine after he'd crashed the day before and had three or four riders left with 5k to go. It was clear he was in trouble but they took another 3-4k to attack him
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • gsk82
    gsk82 Posts: 3,597
    Plus Portal Was talking about taking time this morning. Sky don't do that when they expect to take time.
    "Unfortunately these days a lot of people don’t understand the real quality of a bike" Ernesto Colnago
  • secretsqirrel
    secretsqirrel Posts: 2,118
    Dav1d1 wrote:
    DEoMg-uXYAEK0Y1?format=jpg&name=large

    Well somebody had to...

    4265711638_88a87b85a9_b.jpg

    It''s for Landa to give him a tow innit..
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,252
    Good line from the Cycling Podcast: "The first time Landa opened his mouth all day was to shout at Nicolas Portal"
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • lucan2
    lucan2 Posts: 293
    Has anyone else noticed that Contador just hasn't been able to hit the very highest level since his drugs ban?
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,252
    Lucan2 wrote:
    Has anyone else noticed that Contador just hasn't been able to hit the very highest level since his drugs ban?
    To be fair to him he won the Giro and two Vueltas
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • lucan2
    lucan2 Posts: 293
    RichN95 wrote:
    Lucan2 wrote:
    Has anyone else noticed that Contador just hasn't been able to hit the very highest level since his drugs ban?
    To be fair to him he won the Giro and two Vueltas

    Never looked quite as dominant though, even when he was winning. Or is it just the way I see him now?
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,252
    Lucan2 wrote:
    RichN95 wrote:
    Lucan2 wrote:
    Has anyone else noticed that Contador just hasn't been able to hit the very highest level since his drugs ban?
    To be fair to him he won the Giro and two Vueltas

    Never looked quite as dominant though, even when he was winning. Or is it just the way I see him now?
    Every athlete has a peak. And some time off can be disruptive. But then I also wouldn't really disagree with your underlying insinuations - I might suggest the same about Valverde.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,252
    I would make a note here. Dave Brailsford is very much a disciple of Alex Ferguson. You can see a lot of Ferguson in Brailsford (good and bad).

    Now Ferguson's strategy for winning the league was to be in contention and with a fully fit squad with 10 games to go. They don't have to be leading - just in contention.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,461
    I think Sky are lucky Astana are so below strength and that Porte has gone as they must be sensing blood. Froome has looked vulnerable in week 3 in the past but usually has a load in hand plus a longish TT to look forward to. Quintana must be regretting doing the Giro. I'd like to see Bardet win other than ASO would use a similar course next year then as well. Pleased to see Uran doing well, I keep seeing a Cannondale rider there at the end and wondering who it is - ridiculous that he isn't the team leader and has no support while Rolland gets a free reign to waste time in doomed breaks.
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,252
    Pross wrote:
    Pleased to see Uran doing well, I keep seeing a Cannondale rider there at the end and wondering who it is - ridiculous that he isn't the team leader and has no support while Rolland gets a free reign to waste time in doomed breaks.
    And Talansky. Where the hell is he?
    Twitter: @RichN95

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