2011 TDF: Stage 19 - Modane - Alpe-dÂ’Huez

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

I don't think Frank will go at all today, If he makes a move and Cadel follows and there is a gap between Cadel and Andy of 5 or 6 or seconds it may give Cadel the impetus to keep on going and Frank will have opened the gap.

Imo Cadel is better off in this position than he would be if he was 10 seconds in front or behind Andy, instead of a all out attack by both to beat Cadel i think once again the brothers will be watching each other more than trying to destroy Cadel.

If Cadel can bring it back to 40 seconds to Andy i think he will win it in the TT, he has never looked this strong before at this point.

Andy has a much better acceleration on this sort of climb, a gap will not worry him.

 

[hughmoore]

Given its only 14km to the bottom of the Telegraphe, wont be much time for a break to form?

Hoping Conta and Sammy attack and Cadel can follow, negating the 1-2.


Hugh

 

[jens_attacks]

hahaha funny, people still await voeckler and rolland to crack=))))))))))))))))
they said the same shiit since luz ardiden,i've told you he will never crack this tour.too bad that it wasn't rolland in that breakawy because he would have won this tour easily.

in this stage voeckler even might put time on cadel,it will be a showdown on alpe.

voeckler and rolland were an inspiration for me this tour,one of the few things i enjoyed in this disastrous tour.

 

[OneRaceWonder]

The saxo domestiques have been a bit absent this year, I thought maybe they were saving them for the Alps but that is obviously rubbish. In fact overall the domestiques have been a bit useless at the pointy end of the mountains apart from Rolland of course. BMC and LT did OK yesterday to get a couple in the break but the usual saxo and liqui fleet were seriously absent. Didn't really expect much from BMC but Saxo is a bit of a surprise as Navarro at least was really good last year.

This is how it goes without white lunch bags.

Anyway, LT(Monfort and Posthuma) wasn't "OK" yesterday, they were perfect!

Today is going to be one final blast, i.e. who will break down last? I don't believe we will see guys that have previously been dropped(Contador,Uran), among the top 5 today(no refilling).

The usual suspects, 2xSchlecks and Evans will fight for the victory. The other will hang on as long as the three guys mentioned allows them to.

 

[just some guy]

have not read through the 20 pages thus far, but is it worth Cuddles trying to gap the schlecks on the descent of Galibier? gain over a minute (perhaps) and then hope that when the schelcks reach him on l'Alpe it'll be pretty much the finish and can hang on to lose no more time?

This and he needs 1-2 BMCs in the break who hit the bottom of The Alpe with him or Basso and his crew and the set a constant hard pace where riders are dropped out the back.

This will also mean there is less km for an attack and maybe even Evans can try as hog said if he gains seconds (evans) it is his TDF

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

Navarro was an animal last year and grafted like hell for Bertie, so when he went to Saxo I wasnt suprised to see Navarro go with him.

How many of the domestiques went to the Giro with him? Could that be a factor?

Both Navarro and Hernandez went to theGiro with him, so no big suprise they have a rough time in the third week in thetour :/

 

[MartinGT]

hahaha funny, people still await voeckler and rolland to crack=))))))))))))))))
they said the same shiit since luz ardiden,i've told you he will never crack this tour.too bad that it wasn't rolland in that breakawy because he would have won this tour easily.

in this stage voeckler even might put time on cadel,it will be a showdown on alpe.

voeckler and rolland were an inspiration for me this tour,one of the few things i enjoyed in this disastrous tour.

Voeckler wont put time into Cadel my friend. He was goosed yesterday and thats after sucking Cadel's wheel for how ever many K's.

 

[MartinGT]

[/B]
Both Navarro and Hernandez went to theGiro with him, so no big suprise they have a rough time in the third week in thetour :/

Ah thanks.

For some reason I cant remeber seeing Navarro there. I have a lot of respect for him, grafter and a bloody good one at that.

 

[anubis]

Any chance of Contador and Sanchez helping Cadel try and break Andy if they have the legs?

 

[MartinGT]

Any chance of Contador and Sanchez helping Cadel try and break Andy if they have the legs?

Here's hoping so. However, I feel Bertie will help Sammy for the KOM more than anything.

 

[rgmerk]

Any chance of Contador and Sanchez helping Cadel try and break Andy if they have the legs?

I wouldn't think they have any particular motivation to assist Cadel over the Schlecks.

However, if Sanchez, Contador, Vandendert, or for that matter Mark Cavendish pulls a gap on the peloton on the Alpe, Cadel bridges, and neither Schleck does, I'm sure Cadel would be more than happy to work with them and would happily trade off the stage for time on his GC rivals.

 

[spalco]

Any chance of Contador and Sanchez helping Cadel try and break Andy if they have the legs?

How would that work?
Andy's not going to chase Contador or Sanchez, unless
- Evans goes first, or
- Evans is cooked and Andy thinks he can put time into him.

 

[Tuarts]

If Cadel has under a minute to the nearest Schleck then its game on in the TT, anymore and it may exceed his current abilty to peg back.

Generally, if I rider who can perform in multiple areas, improving one affects the other, (climbing v tt, climbing v sprinting).

 

[LeakyBoat]

Any chance of Contador and Sanchez helping Cadel try and break Andy if they have the legs?

That way they'll guarantee Cadel the victory. Whatever AC thinks of his chances of winning dragging Cadel to the top of the Alpe means he won't and they didn't help Cadel much yesterday.

 

[leon993]

What's the weather like on today's stage? Strong headwind like yesterday? I think weather will be decisive for any early attempts today. Expect AC to die with his boots on. It could be fireworks today.

 

[spalco]

If Cadel has under a minute to the nearest Schleck then its game on in the TT, anymore and it may exceed his current abilty to peg back.

Generally, if I rider who can perform in multiple areas, improving one affects the other, (climbing v tt, climbing v sprinting).

Does anyone remember how much work Evans did in the TTT? Obviously BMC had a very good TTT, but did Evans take it easy like the Schlecks or did he take big pulls? If the latter that could he may be favored more than some think.

 

[search]

What's the weather like on today's stage? Strong headwind like yesterday? I think weather will be decisive for any early attempts today. Expect AC to die with his boots on. It could be fireworks today.

headwind on their way from the Galibier to the foot of the climb, but it shouldn't be much of a factor on the mountains itself today

 

[Ruudz0r]

On the dutch NOS.nl site there are images of Alpe d'Huez in past years.

If you watch Alpe d'Huez 1997 you realise how boring and sucky cycling is nowadays. A stage like yesterday is the only thing that comes close to those times.

The difference in how the crowd reacts is also pretty big, almost no one is running with the riders (except the devil) and people are just cheering, wish it was still like that.

 

[MartinGT]

Ive just been looking at the GC and really, are we right to rule out Bertie? We ruled out AS t'other day didnt we?

 

[Cerberus]

Ive just been looking at the GC and really, are we right to rule out Bertie? We ruled out AS t'other day didnt we?

I think we are. AC winning the Tour isn't quite "sign of the apocalypse" unlikely, but he probably needs 3 minutes at least on the Alpe for it to be realistic, and even in his best shape that's more than a long shot, add to that the fact that he's clearly either tired from the Giro or still hurting from his knee injury (or both) and it just seems very unlikely.

 

[Benotti69]

Ive just been looking at the GC and really, are we right to rule out Bertie? We ruled out AS t'other day didnt we?

we'll know in a couple of hours, but he'll probably have to go near the top of the Galibier and continue to make time on D'Huez if he wants to get 4 mins today on everyone else.

 

[LaFleur]

Ive just been looking at the GC and really, are we right to rule out Bertie? We ruled out AS t'other day didnt we?

Andy didn't get dropped by Rolland and Taaramäe

 

[MartinGT]

Why didnt I book the day of work? WHY?!

 

[dlwssonic]

evans still has to dig real deep. he can give some time to frank as he is a terrible timetrialer and they are not far away from each other in the gc. However he needs to gain some time on voeckler and andy. I expect andy to lose time after his massive efforts.

 

[Cerberus]

Why didnt I book the day of work? WHY?!

HA! Suck it employed losers!