SPOILER (Stage 1 TdF)

[firerescuefin]

The winner was predictable (great execution by Gilbert)

Understanding that everyone wants to be on the front....how is AC mid pack when that accident happened and guess where JV's boys were...yep in the back as well. Interesting to see that JohanB's guys never get caught in that type of crap.

90 seconds is A LOT of time to give up so early on. Interesting to see how Saxo fairs in the TTT tomorrow.

Great to see Cadel diggin at the end.

[Gummee]

That was one heck of a finish, huh?!

Woot!

You can't say Cadel didn't attack!

M

[fourflys]

yep, great finish! I love seeing Horner right there in the mix as well... I don't see him winning, but I think he might have a good shot at a podium... especially now...

[soulspinner]

This would appear to be Cadels shot-may put more time into Contador in the team time trial......

[dumbod]

Let's see:

Contador is trying to ride the Giro/Tour.

There's only one ITT.

Contador spotted the boys a minute and a quarter.

Assuming he's in good shape, I don't think any of the other contenders can hang with Contador in the mountains but will Schleck ever beat Contador if he doesn't do it this year?

[moran]

Yeah...that was amazing to watch. I just can't believe a spectator would be careless enought to be right on the edge of the road like that, and with their back turned. Yet we see it every now and then.

Interesting that Frank Schleck made the split, but Andy didn't.

[feta99]

That was an exciting finish. A great way to start the tour. I'm hooked and can't get enough now, I only wish I was there to ride some of those beautiful roads...

[thegunner]

Yeah...that was amazing to watch. I just can't believe a spectator would be careless enought to be right on the edge of the road like that, and with their back turned. Yet we see it every now and then.

Interesting that Frank Schleck made the split, but Andy didn't.

... andy crashed in the last 3 km... for all intents and purposes, he did make the split. he's only 6" back from gilbert.

[Elefantino]

Way to go, Philippe. And thanks to Thor and Voeckler.

After the first day Team Heywood is tied for fourth with the Lucky Dogs.

Contador will have to work for it now.

[ultraman6970]

If contador needed a excuse to crush everybody in the mountains and do it clearly not like last year that was basically measuring everybody, now he has it.

Even 3 minutes ahead is not that much for him. He could have won the giro for more time in my opinion, as for AS i saw it coming in the same group than AC, have not seeing the rosters tho.

Cadel did great today. Tomorrow BMC could win some more time. As for Oyster neck cavendish, doubt we will see him this year at all.

[1centaur]

Glad we won't see defensive racing from AC. An interesting question becomes: WHEN AC attacks, which of the equal-time contenders burns matches to catch him and thereby drag his same time rivals up the road. If he's 2 minutes down after the TTT, will they let him get a minute back before really trying to catch him, or will they be so worried about him that they'll try to keep him from even getting 20 seconds back? The dynamics will be completely different from what we have seen for a while, but only if AC proves to have good form from here on out.

[rustychain]

AC will not win this tour

[weisan]

Yes, he will.

[moran]

... andy crashed in the last 3 km... for all intents and purposes, he did make the split. he's only 6" back from gilbert.

You're right...my mistake. I assumed that since Andy came in with Contador that he had also been caught up in the first crash. The fact that he has over a minute on Alberto now, may make this a very interesting Tour!

[firerescuefin]

Yes, he will.


No he won't ;)

Actually, I have no idea, but I like the drama it adds to le Tour :beer:

[Elefantino]

Yes, he will.
He will win it.

And then lose it.

[Pyramor]

He will win it.

And then lose it.
Agreed. That is the most likely scenario.

[flydhest]

Back to the finish . . . I thought Spartacus was going to win. Did he blow himself up? Once Gilbert caught him, he fell off massively. On an all power finish, Gilbert caught Cancellara. Mad props to Gilbert.

[soulspinner]

Glad we won't see defensive racing from AC. An interesting question becomes: WHEN AC attacks, which of the equal-time contenders burns matches to catch him and thereby drag his same time rivals up the road. If he's 2 minutes down after the TTT, will they let him get a minute back before really trying to catch him, or will they be so worried about him that they'll try to keep him from even getting 20 seconds back? The dynamics will be completely different from what we have seen for a while, but only if AC proves to have good form from here on out.

+1

[Climb01742]

Back to the finish . . . I thought Spartacus was going to win. Did he blow himself up? Once Gilbert caught him, he fell off massively. On an all power finish, Gilbert caught Cancellara. Mad props to Gilbert.

that finish looked surprisingly steep. both gilbert and cadel have shown that they can fly up short, steep, punchy finishes. FC's huge motor seems to fly best on flats, or he can put out steady power on the opening, gradual slopes of a big climb.

[firerescuefin]

that finish looked surprisingly steep. both gilbert and cadel have shown that they can fly up short, steep, punchy finishes. FC's huge motor seems to fly best on flats, or he can put out steady power on the opening, gradual slopes of a big climb.


Bingo :beer:

[sailorboy]

looks like FC went a bit early and didn't meter the effort out proportional to how far out he was, especially with the hill. That takes nothing away from how much of a monster Gilbert is right now.

[verticaldoug]

(spoiler stage 2 included)

Unlucky for AC, but this will make for a much more interesting TdF. Thor can stay in the yellow until Stage 8 (july 9) when maybe either Cadel or Wiggins can snatch it in the medium mountains. But now AC will have to put the hurt on in the high mountains. Stage 12 should really be an exciting mountain top finish.

AC will most likely still be down on stage 14 so again nothing to lose but roll the dice. And instead of having a race where AC just marks Schleck up the Galiber and Alpe d'Huez, you maybe get real attacks.

Let's face it, the Giro was boring because AC just destroyed everyone too early.

[1centaur]

Probably worth thinking back to the Paris-Nice in which AC was way down and tried to do a Merckx - go out on a break so far from the finish that nobody thought he'd make it. He did not make it, though he was out there a long time. Once you know a guy has that mentality, it's reasonable to anticipate it again. I suspect he and Bjarne have mapped out the possibilities and considered whether 20 seconds here and there will make up the required time, given the TT ability of Evans and Wiggins, for example. He needs 1:30 on a single stage vs. several of his biggest rivals, I think, to have a shot. If he gets it, it will be one of the great achievements in recent Tour history (all things being equal), because his team will not be able to provide much of the impetus and so many other teams will throw firepower in his way.

[rustychain]

AC will not win this tour
Contador still will not win the tour