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

[roundabout]

Stuart O'Grady took over 2mins off Schleck in the final TT last year...Exception too?

Jeremy Roy, Maxime Monfort, Nicki Sorensen all took about the same.

Uh, wind. So yeah.

 

[Chef_Vodnik]

Thanks!

No problem

Also saw him spouting what appeared to be "bande de connards", "bunch of morons" at the guys in the dutch corner that gave him a hard time. That's what I could read from the lips, anyway. I think that was a bit harsh, he did no wrong.

 

[Zoncolan]

Love your avatar, too.

Thanks. Those were the days.
Racing like we had the last couple of stages every day.

 

[El Pistolero]

wow evans has about the same TT standard as menchov IMO. however the course is more hilly this year.

HAHAHA, no he doesn't. Menchov is a far better time trial specialist last few years.

The course being more hilly favors Contador the most, but he'll be tired after today.

 

[movingtarget]

He did on the Galibier but then something happened before the Alpe. I actually didn't see how Cadel brought down that 40" gap since the Eurosport feed was so poor.

It took them a long time to close the gap. Most of the work was done by Evans, Casar and Hejesdal.

 

[DenisMenchov]

What a terrible Rabo tour. Ouch. painful.

can`t be happier.

 

[abbaskip]

I still think he didn't have a mechanical there. It just looked odd to me.
It's just wild guessing though and he proved me wrong anyways.

I think he was clearly stuck in too big a gear. You could see him struggling to turn the pedals, and it wasn't through lack of energy, it was the gear he was in.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Plz people the Dutch people on Alpe d'Huez are not cycling fans. They are Dutch, but drunk chauvinistic idiots.

Plz do not call them cycling fans that is an insult to real dutch cycling fans.

 

[shalgo]

Now who would have predicted that Cav would finish ahead of Roche today?

 

[Maxiton]

Well put it like this, Cancellara may have won the Tour for one of the Schlecks, if Saxobank had kept him then the Schlecks wouldn't be 1-2 at the moment.

Right. The only problem with that theory is that Cancellara didn't want to stay. Riis didn't want to give him up for any money, but finally he took the cash as a consolation prize when he realized Canc wasn't staying. Exactly what, if anything, Canc was holding over his head only those two know.

 

[jsem94]

HAHAHA, no he doesn't. Menchov is a far better time trial specialist last few years.

The course being more hilly favors Contador the most, but he'll be tired after today.

Yup. Menchov is a TT beast.

 

[roundabout]

I do! When the group came back together before l'Alpe, I posted something to the effect of, "I bet Andy wishes he was starting this climb with a gap on Evans. Shoulda drilled it on the Galibier."

Tactics tactics tactics, though! Team Lollipop-Derp! He may still win this Tour, but he's missed several opportunities to put it out of reach for anyone else.

Huh? I am surprised that he did that much/went with Contador (probably to draw Evans out which was a bit optimistic as Fränk is not the person you can be absolutely sure of finishing it off nor getting enough of a gap to really worry Evans) and I am surprised that he didn't lose any time on the Alpe after yesterday.

 

[spalco]

Btw, who reckons that Andy should have helped and worked with Contador, with the outcome of Andy putting major time in Evans and Contador going podium. Assuming he had legs (arguable)

He did work with Contador to a certain extent, and he was absolutely dead in the finish, so who know what any more would've done.

 

[dlwssonic]

HAHAHA, no he doesn't. Menchov is a far better time trial specialist last few years.

The course being more hilly favors Contador the most, but he'll be tired after today.

Evans is really good on a hilly course because he is quite a puncheur, should suit him more than schleck.

 

[Carl0880]

Stuart O'Grady took over 2mins off Schleck in the final TT last year...Exception too?

Jeremy Roy, Maxime Monfort, Nicki Sorensen all took about the same.

All those guys started earlier in the day when there was no head wind. If you look at the final times of the Top 20 GC, Menchov was the only rider to crack the top 30 on the stage. o'Grady took 1'30" on Contador in that TT, so that should be a good example of it being the exception

 

[BYOP88]

Right. The only problem with that theory is that Cancellara didn't want to stay. Riis didn't want to give him up for any money, but finally he took the cash as a consolation prize when he realized Canc wasn't staying. Exactly what, if anything, Canc was holding over his head only those two know.

Look if I was Riis, I would've said to Cancellara you'll see out your contract and to quote Cavendish "you'll be riding the small sh*tty races".

 

[yourwelcome]

This.

Allthough I must say all the fanboys usually make a fool of their own hero.

I'm really happy for Cadel as it seems he has a real good shot at winning the TdF. Then you read these kind of comments of someone who should know better, but is lost in his fanboyism

You could of course also just accept that a rider is not realistically responsible for the behaviour of complete strangers.

 

[Connor Pass]

So Schleck will probably finish 2nd on GC, 2nd in Mountains and Team Leopard probably 2nd in Team Classification. Ouch.

 

[goggalor]

Stuart O'Grady took over 2mins off Schleck in the final TT last year...Exception too?

Jeremy Roy, Maxime Monfort, Nicki Sorensen all took about the same.

Wind. It was crazy last year for the late finishers.

 

[El Pistolero]

Just a stupid question, but if Samu would crash and be forced to leave would someone else get the Polkadots?

 

[The Hitch]

speaking of lies posted earlier, who was the ******bag that posted Evans had blown up and was blaming his bike?

I never said it but I do think Evans was dropped before he got the mechanical.

When Contador turns the heat on Evans is following Voeckler and he stays with Voeckler (who doesnt have a mechanical) for about 15 seconds. Only then does his pedaling start to decrease and 5 seconds later he looks at his bike, then gets off.

There didnt seem to be a problem initially.

 

[therhodeo]

So Schleck will probably finish 2nd on GC, 2nd in Mountains and Team Leopard probably 2nd in Team Classification. Ouch.

Always a bridesmaid.......

 

[Maxiton]

Look if I was Riis, I would've said to Cancellara you'll see out your contract and to quote Cavendish "you'll be riding the small sh*tty races".

Lol! +1 I'm sure he wanted to but apparently Canc had the leverage.

 

[RdBiker]

It took them a long time to close the gap. Most of the work was done by Evans, Casar and Hejesdal.

Thanks! I kind of missed everything between the gap being 40" and Voeckler catching up again

 

[benpounder]

Interesting for the ITT tomorrow:
"The starting order may be changed
by the stewards committee and the race
management, if the one established by the
reverse order of the general classification
should cause two riders from the same
team to start consecutively. In this event,
the lower ranked of the two must take the
place of the rider who should have preceded
him."
So I think that means Evans gets to start 3 mins back from Andy.

I believe that allowance is inplace for teammates well down in the standings where the start interval is much less, and far less eyes are on the two riders.

But Garmin, Cofidis, Europcar, and Liquigas all have riders next to another in the GC. Goose and gander you know...