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

[moi123]

Yesterday's stage was quite boring, apart from Andy Schleck's early attack. Not much happened. I hope to see some more fireworks today.

Has Andy got enough left to hold on today or do another attack? I'm sure Contador will try at least something IF he has the legs. (Possibly with Sanchez) They have nothing to lose and could just steal 2-3 minutes. Can't Riis figure out something, this stage is not so long. It's not realistic but still..

Anyway I really hope to see Evans gain some time on Andy if possible. Barring a break-away win or something else, I think Frank Schleck will take the stage win. He will want to take some time ahead of the TT.

 

[El Pistolero]

Today could be interesting for the following reasons:

- Vanendert will try and get into the break to score 30 points
- Samu Sanchez will want to react if he still wants the polka dots
- Samu Sanchez isn't that far back, so it would be dangerous to let him in a break
- Other contenders will have to use up their team to try and bring Samu back
- They'll get isolated sooner and perhaps someone who can still win this Tour will react on Samu and Vanendert.
- Then there's Contador. Isn't a wounded snake even more dangerous? He has nothing to lose and everything to gain.

 

[MartinGT]

HA! Suck it employed losers!

Haha

I will when I am spending my cash on nice cycling gear

 

[rgmerk]

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?

It's pretty hard to see him coming back. He'd need to make up a couple of minutes on the other four GC contenders tomorrow, and he was dropped by Evans without an actual attack.

But this Tour has been crazy enough that you wouldn't rule anything out

 

[Sophistic]

AC blew up big time yesterday, even AS should be fresher today.

 

[sportzchick]

Even if AC thinks he can't win it I'm sure as a true competitor, he'd want to go for a podium

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.

That's my biggest worry - having to work so hard to get close enough that he's got nothing for the TT. I still have faith in him but it's going to be close!

 

[spalco]

That's my biggest worry - having to work so hard to get close enough that he's got nothing for the TT. I still have faith in him but it's going to be close!

I think none of the GC guys will have anything left after the stage today.

 

[MartinGT]

AC blew up big time yesterday, even AS should be fresher today.

In terms of AC blowing up? Ala Paris Nice when he bonked?

 

[LaFlorecita]

Will this be the second of three consecutive Leopard stage wins with Frank again winning on the Alpe? (Assume that Cancellara will win the ITT.)

Hasn't looked good so far, apart from the TTT, maybe he's saving energy. I'm hoping David or Alberto.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Cadel will crack, Andy will fly to victory... This goes out to all the haters. Andy and I were soooo sick of the endless piles of Schleck hating.. time to eat your words!!

Why? I hate him for his personality, not his achievements as a cyclist.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Contador cracking sounds like a "bad" day.. I think we may see a "different Aberto" tomorrow. I don't believe he can " make up for his deficit in time but I do believe he can make some people hurt or even loose tomorrow.

Let's hope so.

 

[The Hitch]

Well the only two I was surprised that didn't chase were Basso and Voeckler. Voeckler can win the tour and his reluctancy to do any work stunned me.


BMC need to go all out today. Just ride it hard the whole day till the bottom of the AlpeD'Huez. Can they do it is a big question?

Voeckler didnt do any work because he couldnt.

Even though he was sitting in Cadels wheel the whole time he was still dropped at the end. He lost contacto on the hairpin because he didnt have the energy to follow Cadel through it. Voeckler probably wouldnt have even had the energy to come to the front yet alone pull.

 

[gilbertador]

To be honest i think Rojas will be in green tonight....If he can get points at the intermediate sprint it would be great for him too however the only thing that can prevent Cav now is a mechanical on the champs elysee or a dsq that prevents a high point score

I think Contador, Sanchez and Vanendert for sure will attack on the telegraph and from then on it could kick off into an all out war, i cant possibly see this day being the boring mountain stages we are used to.

One of the Shlecks to win and take yellow for me, Cadels the strongest buts its 2008 mk2 hes gona get screwed, he needs to be prepared to lose to win. He must ensure Voeckler helps him preferably by bluffing on his own strength and then attacking late or everyone will hold his wheel like yesterday, Basso is his most likely ally in all honesty

 

[auscyclefan94]

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.

so the ttt is going to effect this stage? If anything the schlecks were struggling to just hold on so they would be feeling it from the ttt going on your logic.

 

[spalco]

so the ttt is going to effect this stage? If anything the schlecks were struggling to just hold on so they would be feeling it from the ttt going on your logic.

No, I meant that it could be indicative of how good he is at TTing this year.

 

[just some guy]

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.

Big long pulls and put the hurt on the 2 guys behind him in the line

 

[roundabout]

25 minute flat TT vs 55 minute hilly ITT

 

[sublimit]

Yeah, I mean its a bit optimistic to expect Voekler to help as I'm not certain he knew himself how he'd go on the final 5 K or so of the Galibier - The fact that he pretty much blew up on the final K vindicates him from not working.

 

[DenisMenchov]

Alpe d`Huez. Man I`m excited. Can`t wait.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

25 minute flat TT vs 55 minute hilly ITT

Yeah, but Andy can do a relatively good ITT at the end of a GT, already when he was 21 in the Giro he did a top 10 right?

Evans will have to do an excellent ITT. Not good, but excellent.

 

[Anonymous]

I think none of the GC guys will have anything left after the stage today.

Somebody does. I think AC gives it a go today. Not sure it will win him the Tour, but I would be surprised if he doesn't have a go at the stage.

I think Cuddles is strong enough to cover what he needs to cover. If he still has less than a minute to Schlecklet at the end of today, Andy loses the jersey tomorrow (if they drop Voeckler today...and I will discuss the ramifications of that in the Clinic later).

 

[auscyclefan94]

No, I meant that it could be indicative of how good he is at TTing this year.

my apologies...

 

[Anonymous]

Yeah, but Andy can do a relatively good ITT at the end of a GT, already when he was 21 in the Giro he did a top 10 right?

Evans will have to do an excellent ITT. Not good, but excellent.

Evans can take a minute out of Andy on any decent length TT. I realize that you just cannot bring yourself to admit as much, but reality is a constant.

 

[auscyclefan94]

do our dutch posters have any news on Gesink and how he will go today on dutch mountain?

 

[The Hitch]

yeah pretty much this

I actually think that Alberto may try and help Samu today - if Samu wins the stage he will get KOM ....

Samu cracked big time yesterday. It wasnt a one off day but rather paying for all the attacking riding hes done this Tour.

Hes spent. I dont see how he can win Alpe. Moreover i dont see why Contador would help him.

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?

Whose we?

Why would anyone rule out Schleck. Hes the second best climber in the world an was 39 seconds ahead of the first, whose tired.

He was 1.30 behind Evans and 3 behind Voeckler, while being a far better climber than both, with 2 major mountain stages left.

Who ruled him out and why?

Contador is way further down and lost time not on a hill + descent but on an actual mountain. He could do well today but he isnt getting back 4 minutes.