The Lanterne Rouge Thread 2018 **Spoilers**

Lanterne_Rogue

"It was the best of times: It was the worst of times" - underlayunderlay

"You plagiarising git" - Charles Dickens

I know everyone is merely killing time before the major cycling race of the summer, but we've got a few weeks before the Tour of Poland so I might as well kick off the Lanterne Rouge Thread 2018 - the only thread guaranteed to disappoint at world cups*. Some are born great, some achieve greatness, some have greatness thrust upon them, and others arrive about five hours later and somehow get more coverage. Such is life...

In compensation, there will be no Kirby-isms, there will be no innuendo about Sky**, there will be no wailing and gnashing of teeth about the iniquities of the jury decisions, just cycling in its purest platonic form. If the aim is to cycle better than anyone else, why not celebrate the cyclist who did it longest?

The usual rules apply - I'll be providing daily updates, the Lanterne is measured on overall time, and the point of this thread is - as ever - to enjoy the weird and wonderful stories that inevitably accompany the competition to simply survive to Paris. The one thing we don't do is to take cycling too seriously - there are perfectly sensible threads for that sort of thing. You'll know that you've finally succumbed to the LR charms when you watch a GC contender slide off the front and find yourself thinking "smart move - that'll get him a few seconds". We'll also see the return of the Girls of Pedally Towers, just as soon as they scramble enough French together to understand what the hell is going on this year...

I'll try and get a bit more info up before the big kick off (pedal off?), but if people want to pick out their favourites already then I'll be grateful. Without Cummings loafing around at the back of the peloton I've already had to bin half my jokes, and I've now discovered that I can't even crack the one about people caring so little about the Giro and Vuelta that several months later nobody knows who won it***.

INRNG reckons that this year has a theme of 'variety' - and I'm particularly looking forward to the stage featuring a couple of unconvincing ventriloquists - so in that spirit let my glamorous sequinned assistant**** give you some links to help dampen your expectations...

No tA Doctor wrote:

2017 viewtopic.php?f=40002&t=13081888
2016 viewtopic.php?t=13066757
2015 viewtopic.php?f=40002&t=13031974&p=19640343v
2014 viewtopic.php?f=40002&t=12974594&p=18941826
2013 viewtopic.php?f=40002&t=12929927&p=18406407
2012 viewtopic.php?f=40002&t=12862242&p=17698622
2011 viewtopic.php?f=40002&t=12785852
2010 viewtopic.php?f=40002&t=12712693&p=16288611
2009 viewtopic.php?f=40002&t=12634180&p=15438937

*It's always a bit Messi
**But ask nicely and I'll give you one
***Attentive readers will understand that's both my jokes sunk. It'll be a long race this year.
****Citation needed

No_Ta_Doctor

Thanks Mr Double-Carpetbottom, the most anticipated thread of the year.

I'm at a bit of a loss this year as Lar Sytting Bak wasn't picked. Nor is Tufty Swine riding. JI Cheng and Ned Timmer have retired. There's only one Kazza (Gruzdev) and I don't think he can pull it off without help. There are no Bennets at all.
In short, this may be one of the most open competitions ever.

If I were a betting man I'd put money on this being the year for a French victory.

above_the_cows

Here's your glamorous sequinned assistant. The Girls of Pedally Towers tell me he is well known at this year's Menz World Cup.

Lanterne_Rogue

Above The Cows wrote:

Here's your glamorous sequinned assistant. The Girls of Pedally Towers tell me he is well known at this year's Menz World Cup.

i like the fact they've put some black tape across that jacket to protect its identity.

RichN95.

I don't think there's anyone under as much pressure for this Tour as underlayunderlay. The expectation is huge. Can he/she back up last year's performance? Word is the Booker jury are also lurking.

m.r.m.

Underlayunderlay last year was Froome on Stage 19 at the Giro. That must clearly be apex mountain, surely!

However, the grizzled road captain has rejoined the fray for one last hurrah. So it is ONCE more unto the breach, for Harry, the whales and Saint Dave!

Lanterne_Rogue

Hullo, and welcome to Wish You Were Last, with me, Pedaleur de Chalmers. This week we'll be investigating the budget hotels of France, with an all inclusive case of cyclist's crotch rash and a bidon of something questionable...*

Yup, it's time for the travel guide you've all been waiting for** - the stages of this year's tour that might have an impact on the race for the Lanterne Rouge.

Stage One: Noirmoutier-en-l'Île / Fontenay-le-Comte

Flushed with the success of last year's teflon-coated corners during the opening TT, the Tour organisers figured some more slippery shenanigans would be exactly what was needed to divert attention away from the football world cup. The cunning plan to have the peloton riding over a muddy causeway has literally become a damp squib, however, due an unfortunate cock-up with the tide times. I'd make a cheap joke about Carlton Kirby offering to hold back the tide, but we've had enough silly Cnuts covering Sky non-stories as it is. Unless the wind blows don't expect major time gaps at the start - although someone will almost certainly showboat their way to a clear last place.

Stage Three: Cholet / Cholet (TTT)

An early chance to see who's taking the Lanterne seriously and slipped their teammates a fiver to blow them straight out the back of the chaingang. Unlike the poseurs at the sharp end of the race, the team time trial becomes very much an individual effort for Lanterne contenders.

Stage five: Lorient / Quimper

Hills! Breakaways! Cheap time gaps when you inevitably get caught and can soft pedal home without your DS going ape!


Stage 9: Arras Citadelle / Roubaix

Apparently they've been preparing the roads specially for this stage, to which we can only say 'cobblers'. Chris Froome once showed his LR abilities on a stage like this, but was forced to climb off and has regrettably failed to fulfil his potential since. He'll regret not taking a golden opportunity to put a major win on his palmares when he retires, you mark my words.

Stages 10 - 12: Interlude (boring mountains)

One day Mr Prudhomme will realise that mountain stages totally neutralise the race as the leading contenders simply mark each other and attempt to finish in the same group. The best we can hope for is some sort of epic whole-team death-or-glory go-slow like FDJ performed to lighten up last year's ninth stage. Like the Charge of the Light Brigade it was gallant, epic, and utterly, utterly stupid.

Stage 14: Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux / Mende

Slightly less high mountains offer a chance to take decent time without the pesky autobus messing things up. This stage finishes at an aerodrome, apparently, so will be handy for anyone finishing outside the time cut who wants to get home quickly.

Stage 17: Bagnères-de-Luchon / Saint-Lary-Soulan Col du Portet

I have no words: this one's absolutely mental.

Stage 19: Lourdes / Laruns

Apparently the road is still missing in places, which should hopefully give some enterprising souls a chance to either take some time or inflict an hors delai via some Dick Dastardly bridge-stealing shenanigans. Otherwise it's another boring mountain stage, obvs.

Stage 20: Saint-Pée-sur-Nivelle / Espelette (ITT)

If we're lucky, this might yet decide the destination of this year's Lanterne. There's at least one steep ramp that may prove beneficial for anyone who's been practising their track stands***. Here's hoping we get a good one this year, eh?


* Apologies to anyone who didn't suffer the tedium of 'prime' time ITV back in the day. And commiserations to those who did.

** I'm talking to myself at this point, aren't I?

*** No! Geraint! NO! You have enough problems staying upright when you're moving, fer chrissakes!

Lanterne_Rogue

"'So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen' - discover the shocking reference to the Lanterne Rouge buried deep within the King James Bible, using a secret numeric code of taking every letter in turn. Serialised EXCLUSIVELY in today's Oily Whale"- teaser for the serialisation of the Cycle Code by Eric von Rasmussen.

It's nearly here! So let's celebrate by looking at five riders who might illuminate the competition:

Luke Rowe

The grizzled road captain. The defending champion. The Welsh WIzard. Rowe will be the first to admit that last year everything went in his favour - the injuries, the parcours, the perfect team working to drop him as early as possible. Can he retain his title? Join us in three weeks to discover the answer is 'no'.

Dimitri Claeys

Fifth last year, and riding for a Cofidis team who could do with something - anything - to make them visible in this year's edition. Hotly tipped to disappear without a trace, because Cofidis.

Taylor Phinney

Last year Phinney reported that his left side generated 25% less effort when making an explosive effort, which provides a graphic insight into the effects of energy gels on the digestive system. Ninth last year, if he can resist the urge to get time trials over and done with as quickly as possible he should be easily able to move up the rankings.

Olivier Le Gac

Somehow last year I got the impression that ' le gac' was French slang for extremely handsome, which only goes to show the deleterious effects of binge watching my Marc Madiot in-car footage boxset. It turns out that gac is in fact a tropical fruit, rich in lycopene - which my schoolboy Latin suggests is a protein that turns you into a werewolf. The benefits of a classical education, eh? I know nothing else about him other than he finished tenth last year and has the sort of beard that implies he has strong views on coffee and lives in Shoreditch, but has never frequented a cereal cafe because real hipsters scare him. He does however have a canvas saddle bag for weekends.

Haimar Zubeldia

Doesn't appear on the start list (and has allegedly retired), but neither of these things particularly convince me. For starters, how can anyone tell?

See you tomorrow for the first update...

above_the_cows

underlayunderlay wrote:

has the sort of beard that implies he has strong views on coffee and lives in Shoreditch, but has never frequented a cereal cafe because real hipsters scare him.

This is inspired. I'd just googled what young Le Gac looked like and you have captured to insouciance of his bumfluff to perfection.

Bravo!

Lanterne_Rogue

Oh baby, baby, how were you supposed to know
That something wasn't right here?
Oh baby, baby, you shouldn't have let me go
And now you're out of sight, yeah

Leave me, it's how I want it to be
Drop me baby 'cause I need some time now, oh because -
My loneliness is pleasing me (and I)
I must confess I still believe (still believe)
When I'm not with you I gain more time
The Lanterne is mi-i-i-ine...

Hit me baby one more time

- from "Hit Me", by BMC Spears



Yes, we're back for the difficult second album! And despite the increasingly desperate attempts of GC riders to crash the Lanterne party during today's stage, the headline story was obviously Lawson Craddock. Falling in the feed zone like a pro (DS's never suspect a musette around the bars), he bravely finished the stage to receive his rightful Lanterne. Unfortunately the way he was holding his shoulder implies he might not be on the start line tomorrow, but we can already say he's made of the right stuff (meat, bone, assorted wobbly bits etc) even if bits of that right stuff were very obviously oozing down his face. Maybe don't watch the highlights with your tea, especially if it involves ketchup.

Looking further ahead, seasoned followers of the Lanterne Rouge will have noted Dishy Le Gac rushing back to 'assist' Demare - and note the skilful way he ensured Demare finished ahead of him. Is this a sign that Le Gac is determined to deliver on last year's promise, or will FDJ get carried away again? Team Di Data have apparently found a Stevo-alike, and Sky have placed an early rider to defend the crown they won last year with Luke Rowe. There's a long way to go to Paris though...

Dish of the day / Tomorrow's leftovers:

167 MICHAEL HEPBURN 65 MITCHELTON - SCOTT 04H 27' 36'' + 00H 04' 04'' - -
168 DAMIEN HOWSON 66 MITCHELTON - SCOTT 04H 27' 36'' + 00H 04' 04'' - -
169 JAY ROBERT THOMSON 137 TEAM DIMENSION DATA 04H 27' 36'' + 00H 04' 04'' - -
170 JESPER HANSEN 124 ASTANA PRO TEAM 04H 27' 36'' + 00H 04' 04'' - -
171 ROBERT GESINK 162 TEAM LOTTO NL - JUMBO 04H 27' 36'' + 00H 04' 04'' - -
172 TOBIAS LUDVIGSSON 155 GROUPAMA - FDJ 04H 29' 55'' + 00H 06' 23'' - -
173 ARNAUD DEMARE 151 GROUPAMA - FDJ 04H 29' 55'' + 00H 06' 23'' - -
174 OLIVIER LE GAC 154 GROUPAMA - FDJ 04H 29' 55'' + 00H 06' 23'' - -
175 JONATHAN CASTROVIEJO 3 TEAM SKY 04H 31' 20'' + 00H 07' 48'' - -
176 LAWSON CRADDOCK 13 TEAM EF EDUCATION FIRST - DRAPAC P/B CANNONDALE 04H 31' 22'' + 00H 07' 50'' - -

pinno

Craddock, Lawson Gregory pulled a blinder today (imho) pipping Castroviejo by 2 seconds and with a previous 124th in his only other tdf, he has the calibre to pull this off.
However, Le Gac had 2 other team mates pacing him to the finish. It will be hard for Haddock to compete against that.

A conspiracy amongst the English press is already emerging. That, or is there a time delay between somewhere in France and somewhere in Fleet Street*?:

175 3 Castroviejo Jonathan 175 7:58
176 13 Craddock Lawson 176 8:00

(*According to the Torygraph. It was the only site with results that didn't moan about me having restrictive advertising software installed on my laptop.)

Lanterne_Rogue

Good spot. I initially suspected a rounding error caused by the Telegraph insisting on Imperial measurements, but you're right - the official website of the Tour de France has both the stage times and overall, and for the first stage I didn't think it mattered which I took. I hadn't realised that the stage times excluded the time bonuses.

Mind you. I'd still trust the official website over the British gutter press, even if the Telegraph are the sort to order their butler to at least clear out the leaves from time to time.

Lanterne_Rogue

I think it's time we had a chat about the Lanterne Rouge.

I mean, it's all good fun and that, but I can't help but think the popularity of this thread has gone a little far. It's impossible not to feel a little guilty as Casualty's own Captain Haddock grimly hangs on to the back of the peloton, screaming a cheery "F******************K!" every time he brakes, just to see his name in red at the bottom of the page. Lawson, I honestly wouldn't think anything less of you if you climbed off mate*.

Then we see the big hitters sacrificing their GC in an attempt to muscle in on the glamour of the Lanterne, which comes with slightly more jokes and far less doping suspicion even if the organisers don't give you a snazzy jumper so you have to wear your old work one. When you see Quintana smashing both his wheels in a transparent attempt to gain time, or Chris Froome disappearing over a cliff** in the style of Wile E Coyote, it becomes obvious that the Garmin head units are in fact smartphones connected to this very thread.

By today's stage, with the entire peloton following the yellow jersey straight into a barrier to force a split, Demare stopping and removing not one but TWO perfectly round wheels, or Peter Sagan swerving across everyone in an attempt to get relegated to the back of the field, well. Remember, when the fun stops...



Naaah, who am I kidding? Bring it on!


Today's stage saw Captain Craddock*** bravely/insanely climb back on his bike to deliver more braking related obscenities, although today he wisely hung off the back of the peloton to honour the Lanterne Rouge, avoid sharp braking, and make himself gloriously obvious on the TV coverage. Quite apart from the sheer guts of doing so, you've got to admire someone embracing being Lanterne with quite such panache. Sylvain Chavanel earned everyone's gratitude by being the entire break on his own and thereby saving anyone else doing any work, and Mark Cavendish spoke for all of us when he observed that a shorter sprint stage would produce the same result whilst allowing us all to slope off to the pub a little bit earlier.

Talking of sloping off to the pub, the commissaires appear to be considering Sagan's riding over just as many pastis, cognacs and bottles of champagne as they did when excluding him last year - once the hard drugs have had time to kick in they'll release their final, random decision and then consider what to do about the large green duck in the corner of the restaurant that appears to be eating their luggage. Naturally this means that they can't post the actual standings just yet, as they haven't finished crayoning them in.

I'll post the classifications later, presuming nobody tells me that everyone except the mysterious "Ranking is Coming"**** has been disqualified. In the meantime I'll leave you until tomorrow, when we'll all be singing "It's a Cholet Holiday, Taaramäe"



* I'll admit a little bit of wee came out when I saw he was going to make it to the end today - the boy's a star

** yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm short, okay?
*** Problem is, Lawson looks more like Tintin, and without Cocaine's very own Tom Boonen I can't even make a joke about 'Snowy'
**** Haimar! Is it really you!?

Lanterne_Rogue

(Hat tip to my mother, btw, who helpfully informed me this morning that "Fanny Craddock's riding with a broken spatula". It's this level of cutting insight that I aspire to.)

RichN95.

I'm sorry, underlayunderlay, but I feel the need to take you on at your own game to push you to higher levels



Large version: https://i.imgur.com/2MFlvyq.jpg

m.r.m.

Tremendous! By all!

Lanterne_Rogue

RichN95 wrote:

I'm sorry, underlayunderlay, but I feel the need to take you on at your own game to push you to higher levels



Large version: https://i.imgur.com/2MFlvyq.jpg

I spent quite a long time banging my head against a wall because i simply don't know Tintin well enough to take it on - I'm glad I didn't now as this is superb!

pinno

Having made reference to both Capt. Haddock and Tintin viewtopic.php?f=40002&t=12685043&start=560#p20260854, I really ought to copyright my ideas.

If I had an ounce of spare mental energy...
Well, I would be posting like underlayunderlay wouldn't I?

If. Now there's a thing: If we had bread we could have bread and butter if we had butter.

I am certain that the crash on that tight turn was because Jolyon Wagg (Brailsford) was nearby and still shouting loudly at Lappartient which distracted the riders momentarily. This will be investigated by the Thompson twins I am sure but they are too busy following the trail of a Broken Ear in some despotic country in south America, hot on the heels of the Shooting Star Senor Chavez.

Meanwhile, Tsgabu Grmay took flight 714 back to Ethiopia.

...and?:

DeadCalm

underlayunderlay wrote:

(Hat tip to my mother, btw, who helpfully informed me this morning that "Fanny Craddock's riding with a broken spatula". It's this level of cutting insight that I aspire to.)

Oh, well done Mama underlayunderlay.

HamishD

Magnificent stuff Sr. Underlay, thanks for this

ShutupJens

Cofidis having a belting day today, doing what they can to claim time back from Craddock

Lanterne_Rogue

ShutupJens wrote:

Cofidis having a belting day today, doing what they can to claim time back from Craddock

Deleted - duff information...

Lanterne_Rogue

"I'll make it easy for you, Doc," the handsome Texan drawled. "Just give me the bad news."
"I'm sorry, Craddock. It's bad - real bad."
"How bad, doc?"
"I'm not going to lie, Craddock. Your shoulder's a total mess and you shouldn't be anywhere near a bike."
"But Doc, all I've ever wanted to do is to race for the Lanterne Rouge. You can't be telling me that I can't ride because of a busted shoulder?"
The doctor laughed. "No, Craddock. I can't. But I need to talk to you about the scans and tests we ran."
A chill ran through the Texan's blood. "You've found something bad?"
"I'm afraid so, Craddock. Your legs are fine, your lungs are fine, you've not got concussion and I can't find any trace of a fever. I'm afraid you're going to have to take your turns in the team time trial. I know you were hoping to soft pedal and take masses of time, but I can't allow it. It's just too dangerous for the team. I'm passing you fit for duty."
"Is there nothing you can do, Doc?"
The doctor paused. This was probably one of those ethical things they'd warned him about.
"What if I give you a note saying you've got vertigo? Get to the top of the steepest climb, then claim you're feeling a bit wobbly. It's not as good as crawling around the whole stage, of course, but-"
"Don't worry, Doc. I understand. And thank you." - From the Texan Patient, by Michael Ondwaantje-Groupe Gobert.

The team time trial gives Lanterne Rouge candidates a massive problem. The peloton offers safety in numbers. The confusing mass of riders moving back and forth to fetch water bottles, relay messages, or seek medical advice ensures that a rider slipping off the back often goes unnoticed. Isolated within just eight riders, however, even the slowest DS will eventually manage to count into the higher numbers that require both hands and realise that someone has gone missing. Worse than that, you may well be in a team with ambitions for lower things, such as a venal desire to win some sort of cheap polyester jersey. In this situation you may even - horror of horrors - be asked to put your personal ambitions to one side and actually finish with your teammates. In this situation I have always recommended a tactical dose of cramp.

Captain Craddock, on the other hand, has played an absolute blinder. By taking his turns to pull - and despite having to put (in his own estimate) 90% of his weight onto his right arm - he earned the right to drop off at the last climb and to roll the last 3km into Cholet. I don't know about you, by the way, but all these French towns seem to look the same - I couldn't tell the difference between Cholet and wherever they started from. The kid has panache, he has sticking power, and if he didn't have a totally screwed shoulder I'd be calling this Lanterne finished already. I don't think we've seen someone carry their bat for the whole twenty-odd stages, but it wouldn't surprise me to see Craddock take this one all the way to Paris.

Elsewhere Luke Rowe teased us by dropping off the Sky train nice and early, but aware of the 30% cut off he couldn't go too slowly and had to content himself with moving to within a minute or so of the top ten. Cofidis had a marvellous day, falling apart early on and putting Claeys and Perez into the top ten. Castroveijo had a jour avec, losing a place to Dishy Le Gac, and Luke Durbridge has showed the sort of pace that you'd expect from someone who noted cycling expert Carlton Kirby inevitably and unironically introduces as 'turbo Durbo'. Quickstep Flaws* showed a promising lack of coordination at one point - good enough to keep Declercq in the Lanterne hunt - but ultimately a rebel faction broke away to record a respectable time and deny the whole team the success that their earlier effort deserved.

Join us tomorrow for the enigmatically titled "Stage 4".

Uptown Top Ranking**:

165 ANTHONY PEREZ 206 COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CREDITS 09H 19' 13'' + 00H 10' 18'' - -
166 OLIVIERO TROIA 98 UAE TEAM EMIRATES 09H 19' 18'' + 00H 10' 23'' - -
167 TOBIAS LUDVIGSSON 155 GROUPAMA - FDJ 09H 19' 25'' + 00H 10' 30'' - -
168 FABIEN GRELLIER 186 DIRECT ENERGIE 09H 19' 29'' + 00H 10' 34'' - -
169 TIM DECLERCQ 102 QUICK - STEP FLOORS 09H 19' 30'' + 00H 10' 35'' - -
170 DIMITRI CLAEYS 202 COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CREDITS 09H 20' 27'' + 00H 11' 32'' - -
171 LUKE DURBRIDGE 63 MITCHELTON - SCOTT 09H 21' 01'' + 00H 12' 06'' - -
172 JONATHAN CASTROVIEJO 3 TEAM SKY 09H 22' 13'' + 00H 13' 18'' - -
173 OLIVIER LE GAC 154 GROUPAMA - FDJ 09H 22' 50'' + 00H 13' 55'' - -
174 LAWSON CRADDOCK 13 TEAM EF EDUCATION FIRST - DRAPAC P/B CANNONDALE 09H 27' 21'' + 00H 18' 26'' - -

*I dunno - I'm not a dancer. Probably too much messing abaht at the start
** I'm not saying that even the Tour website is finding things dull so far, but yesterday they were sufficiently disinterested to not bother posting any classifications, and today they can't be bothered with the stage results.

above_the_cows

Ha I'm re-reading The English Patient!

Lanterne_Rogue

Above The Cows wrote:

Ha I'm re-reading The English Patient!

Well I hope it's better than this tosh, else the Booker jury really need to take a long, hard look at themselves.

above_the_cows

underlayunderlay wrote:

Above The Cows wrote:

Ha I'm re-reading The English Patient!

Well I hope it's better than this tosh, else the Booker jury really need to take a long, hard look at themselves.

There's a time and a place for everything.

No_Ta_Doctor

See mi pon the road and hear you call out to me,
True you see me in me bibs and ting,
See me slippin out the back,
Sey me gi' you heart attack
Gimme likkle space, make me wine down me pace
Uptown top rankin

No_Ta_Doctor

underlayunderlay wrote:

Above The Cows wrote:

Ha I'm re-reading The English Patient!

Well I hope it's better than this tosh, else the Booker jury really need to take a long, hard look at themselves.

Tosh?

From Althea and Donna to Peter Tosh?

Peter Tosh, Equal Rights:
Everyone is heading for the top
But tell me how far is it from the bottom
Nobody knows but everybody fighting to reach the top
How far is it from the bottom

Lanterne_Rogue

No tA Doctor wrote:

See mi pon the road and hear you call out to me,
True you see me in me bibs and ting,
See me slippin out the back,
Sey me gi' you heart attack
Gimme likkle space, make me wine down me pace
Uptown top rankin

I think I've just been hoist with my own earworm here...

No_Ta_Doctor

In the continued absence of the Uptown Top Ranking (see me in ma bibs an ting) on the official site, Procycling stats now has individual times up for the TTT. No idea where they've got them from

https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/to ... 18/stage-3

The day's big winner appears to be Movie Star Danny Ben Natty Dread at +5:24

Shoulda see me and the ranking dread
Check how we jamming mech ting
Love is all I bring inna me tech skinsuit and ting
Nah pop no tyre, a strictly tubs
Nah pop no tyre, a strictly tubs

ShutupJens

Despite his best efforts, Bennati still got round significantly faster than Claeys, Laporte and Turgis from Cofidis, who managed to clip off and work together to gain some time on GC