Tour de France Stage 12 - Alpe d'Huez - SPOILERS - Page 3

jruhlen1980 · #31 07-19-2018, 10:35 AM

Anyone see what caused the Nibali crash? Was it one of those idiots running around with flares?

redir · #32 07-19-2018, 10:35 AM

It was a noble effort by the Dutchman.

jlwdm · #33 07-19-2018, 10:45 AM

All of the top GC contenders used everything they had on the last climb today.

Great racing.

Jeff

bobswire · #34 07-19-2018, 10:45 AM

Best stage thus far.

redir · #35 07-19-2018, 10:45 AM

Damn that was a knife fight wasn't it.

Jaybee · #36 07-19-2018, 10:51 AM

Thomas now has 1:39 on Froome and almost 2 minutes on Dumoulin.

This is probably an irrelevant question with 8 days of racing in between, but how much time does he need on the superior time trialers in 2nd and 3rd to hold over 31km?

Clean39T · #37 07-19-2018, 10:51 AM

You may hate Sky (who doesn't) and question how a former chubby sprinter has become a top-level GC contender (who wouldn't), but at least there was some good racing to finish the day. Hats off to Bardet and Dumoulin for taking it to them, and (raised eyebrows aside) to Thomas for racing at the end and not just following wheels. And to Landa for clawing back and trying something at the end - even if it did just seem to be another lead-out for his old team (that's gotta sting Cotton).

Clean39T · #38 07-19-2018, 10:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jaybee

Thomas now has 1:39 on Froome and almost 2 minutes on Dumoulin.

This is probably an irrelevant question with 8 days of racing in between, but how much time does he need on the superior time trialers in 2nd and 3rd to hold over 31km?

Thomas isn't a bad time-trialer. If he maintains this lead through the mountains, its going to be hard for anyone to take enough time off him over that distance. If it was Bardet with the same lead, different story.

Jaybee · #39 07-19-2018, 10:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clean39T

Thomas isn't a bad time-trialer. If he maintains this lead through the mountains, its going to be hard for anyone to take enough time off him over that distance. If it was Bardet with the same lead, different story.

That's kinda what I thought. The time trial isn't flat either, which is where Dumoulin really takes time out of people.

chiasticon · #40 07-19-2018, 10:55 AM

I wanna see Thomas lead into Paris and then stop on the last lap of the Champs to let his time gap to Froome dwindle to zero

jlwdm · #41 07-19-2018, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clean39T

Thomas isn't a bad time-trialer. If he maintains this lead through the mountains, its going to be hard for anyone to take enough time off him over that distance. If it was Bardet with the same lead, different story.

Plenty of mountains ahead.

Jeff

Jaybee · #42 07-19-2018, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jruhlen1980

Anyone see what caused the Nibali crash? Was it one of those idiots running around with flares?

Not sure. Anyone got more info on this?

stev0 · #43 07-19-2018, 11:03 AM

finish looked pretty effortless for thomas today. glad the other GC contenders at least made a play today. was rooting for bardet but alas..

also curious about nibali. would be infuriating if he went down due to careless/drunk spectator.

Clean39T · #44 07-19-2018, 11:06 AM

https://twitter.com/BorjaCuadrado/st...75156695994370

It was a moto that knocked Nibali off, according to BM twitter post above.

Jaybee · #45 07-19-2018, 11:07 AM

From cyclingnews:

"Race organiser ASO has a lot to explain regarding Nibali's crash.. The police motorbike seemed involved, as were the spectators along the road.

There were no barriers at that point."