Spoiler: Stage 9

[thwart]

Cadel, Cadel... :crap:

Some discussion of bad gearing choices today.

Did the Giro take too much out of him?

[johnnymossville]

This tour has been hard so far. VERY hard. Cadel did what Lance did yesterday it seems. Looks like it's a two-man and their doctors race at this point.

[fiamme red]

Andy Schleck predicted (http://velonews.competitor.com/2010/07/news/andy-schleck-dismisses-cadel-evans-as-tour-threat_127487) that Evans wouldn't be a threat:

“Not to discredit him, but I don’t see Evans sticking with the leaders (on the climbs),” Schleck said at the end of Thursday’s fifth stage, adding that he regarded Evans as “a bit of an outsider.”

Than again, Schleck thought that LANCE would attack in the Alps, so he's not as infallible a prognosticator as Paul the Octopus. :)

[TAW]

I'd love to see Cadel win it, but even in stage 8 his legs were fading at the end, and it seems he hangs on for dear life against the better climbers. If they accelerate, he's done. Who would've thought that Contador and Schleck would catch the break though?

[Volant]

I'd love to see Cadel win it, but even in stage 8 his legs were fading at the end, and it seems he hangs on for dear life against the better climbers. If they accelerate, he's done. Who would've thought that Contador and Schleck would catch the break though?

That catch was pretty incredible for two guys chasing it (Moreau just hung-on and even after all the drafting had nothing in the tank). It looks like a two-horse race now.

[fiamme red]

LANCE didn't exactly work for Levi today, did he?

[AFS]

A crash once again derails Cadel. He has a fractured elbow. :(
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/fractured-elbow-shatters-tour-hopes-for-evans

[Rueda Tropical]

This tops the Giro, which was incredible. It's all on Andy to push the envelope to get enough time on Contador to make up for the loss he will sustain in the TT. Contador can conserve energy and just do enough to stay on Schleck's wheel hoping he blows up and if not, take him out in the TT. Although I think AC won't ride so safely the whole race. I think they will both light the fireworks on the final climbs for a historic battle royale.

[dnades]

How did Cadel break his elbow? It would explain his performance. There is a picture of him in the Pez pics with that byline. Lance did good for being a human pavement torpedo in stage eight. That must have hurt big time.

[johnnymossville]

The front group letting Contador/Schleck catch them was hilarious.

[MattTuck]

Is it just me, or is this tour MORE of a war of attrition than usual?

The tour takes a toll on the body, no doubt, but this year it seems like the walking wounded out there. It seems every 5 minutes paul or phil are commenting on a wound dressing or someone's bandages.

By the time we get to Paris, I hope it looks more like a bike race than the Bataan Death March.

[johnnymossville]

Is it just me, or is this tour MORE of a war of attrition than usual?

The tour takes a toll on the body, no doubt, but this year it seems like the walking wounded out there. It seems every 5 minutes paul or phil are commenting on a wound dressing or someone's bandages.

By the time we get to Paris, I hope it looks more like a bike race than the Bataan Death March.

yeah, they seem really ragged out there. a lot of gaps too.

[Avispa]

This tops the Giro, which was incredible. It's all on Andy to push the envelope to get enough time on Contador to make up for the loss he will sustain in the TT. Contador can conserve energy and just do enough to stay on Schleck's wheel hoping he blows up and if not, take him out in the TT. Although I think AC won't ride so safely the whole race. I think they will both light the fireworks on the final climbs for a historic battle royale.

RT... You are right! Now, as far as Cadel and the others... (Basso, Sastre, et al). Look, if one of these guys does very well in the Giro (including winning) and they go out and do well in the Tour, I could almost guarantee they would get busted for doping! Don't believe me, just look at the recent history books... :p

At this point, I am almost not even sure Conti is going to pull it off for some ominous reason... Not because he can't do it. Just wait and see...

..A..

[McQueen]

LANCE didn't exactly work for Levi today, did he?

The coverage was pretty spotty, but Levi was up the road from Lance in the gap between Lance and Contador/Schleck. I didn't see anything Lance was doing (or capable of doing) today one way or another to help/hurt Levi.

[jmc22]

The coverage was pretty spotty, but Levi was up the road from Lance in the gap between Lance and Contador/Schleck. I didn't see anything Lance was doing (or capable of doing) today one way or another to help/hurt Levi.

Quote from Lance that might explain things:
“We are trying to get Levi up (the GC) as much as we can,” Armstrong said. “I was there with two guys who are threats to him, looking forward to the podium, Basso and Van Den Broeck. There wasn’t much I could do other than sit there, but I wasn’t exactly ready to jump away either.”

Right now the battle between Andy and Alberto is better than just about any of the Lance vs Jan battles...Being that Andy is only 23 and has the ability to tap Fabian Cancellara knowledge to do TT's - I think Andy is a true threat for years to come for the yellow jersey...

[McQueen]

Quote from Lance that might explain things:
“We are trying to get Levi up (the GC) as much as we can,” Armstrong said. “I was there with two guys who are threats to him, looking forward to the podium, Basso and Van Den Broeck. There wasn’t much I could do other than sit there, but I wasn’t exactly ready to jump away either.”

Right now the battle between Andy and Alberto is better than just about any of the Lance vs Jan battles...Being that Andy is only 23 and has the ability to tap Fabian Cancellara knowledge to do TT's - I think Andy is a true threat for years to come for the yellow jersey...

I think it would be the magical powers of the yellow jersey that will help Andy in the TT more than any kind of instruction from Fabian. Assuming the time gap was the same on the final TT, I think you'd see more out of Andys time trialing than expected.. whether that would be enough.. who knows.

[JohnHemlock]

The front group letting Contador/Schleck catch them was hilarious.

Agreed, Sean Kelly and David Harmon of Eurosport couldn't stop laughing. Harmon said it would be just like the French to blow a big lead in a stage of their own race. Ouch!

[William]

It just hit me.... watching Cadel post race he reminded me of another rider who was considered to be an excellent racer, won many big races, but just could never close the deal in the Tour De France.....is Cadel the Tony Rominger of today?

No disrespect meant at all.



William

[johnnymossville]

It just hit me.... watching Cadel post race he reminded me of another rider who was considered to be an excellent racer, won many big races, but just could never close the deal in the Tour De France.....is Cadel the Tony Rominger of today?

No disrespect meant at all.



William

I don't think Cadel is made for the grand tour. He's a talent for sure, but seems more suited to hard hilly one day races. I really like Cadel as a rider, but it just doesn't seem to be in him to win the big grand tour.

[Wilkinson4]

is Cadel the Tony Rominger of today?

No disrespect meant at all.



William

Wow, he may be... Great rider, 1hr record holder at the time, etc... Or maybe Breukink? Cadel is a great rider but now sure he will ever win the Tour.

mIKE

[rustychisel]

It just hit me.... watching Cadel post race he reminded me of another rider who was considered to be an excellent racer, won many big races, but just could never close the deal in the Tour De France.....is Cadel the Tony Rominger of today?

No disrespect meant at all.



William


You may be right, yet wrong... the devil's in the detail. Wasn't Rominger somewhere north of 60% (if you know what I mean)?

[Elefantino]

<snip>Being that Andy is only 23 and has the ability to tap Fabian Cancellara knowledge to do TT's - I think Andy is a true threat for years to come for the yellow jersey...<snip>
He's 25 (10 June 1985) but your point is right on.

[victoryfactory]

Anything can happen in 2 weeks, but...
Schleck looked more extended that Contador near the end.
Contador seemed like he was in control.
With his superior TT, Alberto looks like the man to beat.

[BillG]

Now that was a stage. Sammy Sanchez is one hard man. And Navarro -- Contador has a weak team, huh? :)

[pbjbike]

This is the best quality streaming site I've found, Eurosport with Sean Kelly:

http://www.channelsurfing.net/watch-tour-de-france-2.html

[MattTuck]

Is it just me, or is this tour MORE of a war of attrition than usual?

The tour takes a toll on the body, no doubt, but this year it seems like the walking wounded out there. It seems every 5 minutes paul or phil are commenting on a wound dressing or someone's bandages.

By the time we get to Paris, I hope it looks more like a bike race than the Bataan Death March.


This is a post I made about last year's Tour. Seems that this year the crashes are more serious than just requiring bandages... people are dropping like flies. And they're not even to the BIG mountains yet.

[Vientomas]

Tour de Crash. Lots of big names being taken out by crashes. Setting aside the obvious pain and suffering of those injured in the crashes - the loss of the riders from the race, and the lost time of others, does reduce my viewing enjoyment. Best wishes to those who have been injured and best of luck to those who have not.

[1happygirl]

Yep. 2011 is bad. :crap: