2011 Tour de France - Alpe d'Huez stage

[Dekker_Tifosi]

No, doing the work on the first few kilometers and dropping all but Andy and Robert obviously

 

[auscyclefan94]

It wouldnt surprise me if by the foot of the climb there arent about five guys left, the top 3 in the gc and a couple of chancers. The chancers go for the stage win while the top 3 completely nullify each others attacks and end up working together to put time into 4th placed Wiggins. All in all it turns out to be a complete dissapointment and a snoozefest.

In the other hand, Ricco and VInokourov attack after about 10k of the stage, and reach the base of the Alpe together. After constant attacking and counter attacking they eventually cross the line together, hand in hand.

Oh, i think I wet myself!

LOL!!
i'm I the only one getting a flashback to Biff in Back to the Future - "now make like a tree, and get outta here!"??

ACF, surely you've heard of a "jetty" before?

Anyway, back to l'Alpe - I reckon it'll go much the same way as the Tourmalet went this year, but more likely with a few staying with schlecklette a bit longer...
the other exception will be that I'll be at the roadside to watch

Never heard of that common saying before?

 

[Mellow Velo]

Highly animated start, highly predictable finish.
Teams without a stage win desperately form a breakaway.
The Luxembourg express pulls the peloton, controls the break, then whittles down the bunch to an elite group.
Andy disappears up the road, Cadel disappears in the opposite direction.

Yes, it could only happen at the Tour...............fortunately.

 

[Archibald]

Never heard of that common saying before?

"take a long walk off a short jetty" being the well known and very common saying, or yours: "take a long walk on a short bridge"...

think about it...

anyway, back to to l'Alpe -

Gesink destroys the field

I doubt it, but I'd have no objections to seeing him do this - will depend on whether he is working for Menchov or himself.

 

[auscyclefan94]

"take a long walk off a short jetty" being the well known and very common saying, or yours: "take a long walk on a short bridge"...

think about it...

anyway, back to to l'Alpe -

I doubt it, but I'd have no objections to seeing him do this - will depend on whether he is working for Menchov or himself.

I agree that yours literally makes more sense but the version I have used of it is commonly used

 

[Reuell]

Why would he continue working for Menchov?

 

[thehog]

1. Pantani 36’50″, 1995, 22.5 kph
2. Pantani 36’55″, 1997
3. Pantani 37’15″, 1994
4. Armstrong 37’36″, 2004 (ITT)
5. Ullrich 37’40″, 1997
6. Armstrong 38’01″, 2001
7. Indurain/Zulle 38’10″, 1995
8. Riis 38’15″, 1995
9. Virenque 38’20″, 1997
10. Landis 38’34″, 2006, 21.5 kph

 

[craig1985]

1. Pantani 36’50″, 1995, 22.5 kph
2. Pantani 36’55″, 1997
3. Pantani 37’15″, 1994
4. Armstrong 37’36″, 2004 (ITT)
5. Ullrich 37’40″, 1997
6. Armstrong 38’01″, 2001
7. Indurain/Zulle 38’10″, 1995
8. Riis 38’15″, 1995
9. Virenque 38’20″, 1997
10. Landis 38’34″, 2006, 21.5 kph

Such paragons of clean cycling.

 

[Moncoutie]

I doubt it, but I'd have no objections to seeing him do this - will depend on whether he is working for Menchov or himself.

Er........

 

[Archibald]

Why would he continue working for Menchov?

because I missed the news that menchov has left Rabo... oops!

 

[Freddo]

I definitely think the strongest team will come out on top here, lets hope the Luxembourg pro cycling project team can deliver from there signings! At a fast pace breaks will be a constant and the core riders of the teams will help stop them to allow the GC riders take control and show who the real climbers are in the late stages of the tour.

 

[mr. tibbs]

I predict a teamfest.

Schlux will have three or four helpers left at the base of the Alpe, and guys like Cancellara and Jens will be setting a pace that is, inexplicably, too hard for guys like Sastre and Cunego to follow. This will go on for a while, and everyone else will huddle in the 20+ strong group for fear of Andy, who will be in yellow.

The final kms will see two or three attacks from the most intrepid of the challengers (probably Samu, or else a climber who's not even ranked in the GC), and the group will come down to four or five guys. Andy will go clear in the final km.

(This is assuming Clentador won't be riding.)

 

[fergnago]

I think Whatever happens on the alpe wont have a huge effect on the overall,it will be decided before then. Just booked my flights so buzzing about being there!

 

[therealtimshady]

all the gc contendors to do ****** all for 2 and 1/2 weeks as they all wait for the alpe d'huez stage.

andy attacks frank is dropped so andy waits for him. then 5k to go they realise they cant drop anyone. cadel evans wheelsucks his way to the title to a chorus of boos for "the worst tour ever" and chants for armstrong, virenque and bernard hinault to come out of retirement.

andy schleck decides to redeem himself by winning the vuelta but loses 45 mins in the neutral zone on stage 1 when he decides he cant be a*sed and would rather be down the pub.

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

Good analysis. I have raced, trained, and floundered over those climbs. There are so many variables like weather, altitude, and a sketchy descent. I am not sure that there will be that many riders at the finish. This is the 3rd week of the Tour. Guys are going to be fried. The Telegraph/Galibier combo can do lots of damage, even if they hit it fresh

The joker is that descent. It is crazy long and if they work it they could bring many back.

i am expecting this stage to be the most boring of the whole race. i bet they will all cruise over the galibier, then all the best climbers will arrive at the bottom fresh, in a largish group, and nullify each other.

Two widely different opinions above, which is what makes this forum great. And either take could play out that way. Anything could happen, from the two thoughts above or anything in between. IMO though, the Alpe is such a huge monument there will be some big efforts put out that day. I think that is going to make the race exciting.

 

[The Hitch]

 

[The Hitch]

 

[QbixNorway]

If Andy's form continues to grow this year with the same pace it has the last years I don't think that Contador will be able to hang onto his wheel. It's probably going to be about those two this year as well.

 

[La Pandera]

I'm hoping Andy gets caught trying to feel up one of the podium girls that just so happens to have a brother who is a world champion in mixed martial arts. The consequences will resemble a Beetle Bailey cartoon where the Sarge got a hold of him. Needless to say, Andy will unfortunately be unable to finish the Tour.

 

[Ryaguas]

I'm hoping Andy gets caught trying to feel up one of the podium girls that just so happens to have a brother who is a world champion in mixed martial arts. The consequences will resemble a Beetle Bailey cartoon where the Sarge got a hold of him. Needless to say, Andy will unfortunately be unable to finish the Tour.

OR He will crash and c0cky c0ck Cancellara wont be in yellow and He will lose 4 o 5min cuz everyone remembers stage 3 in Le pavé and noone is going to wait for him

 

[La Pandera]

OR He will crash and c0cky c0ck Cancellara wont be in yellow and He will lose 4 o 5min cuz everyone remembers stage 3 in Le pavé and noone is going to wait for him

OR he will mistake hunger knock for "anger in his belly", launch another one of his patented attacks (that is doomed to fail) blows up, gets dropped and loses 10 minutes all while a cleared Contador dances away on his pedals to a triumphant 4th Tour clinching win on the famed Alpe d'huez. Andy reaches the finish, tears in his eyes, vowing vengence on all those that didn't wait for him, which would be about 1/2 of the peloton. Brother Frank, who finished
4th on the stage is asked what happened to Andy and responds, "Who cares? Did he care about me when he was slacking off in the Vuelta last year?
Payback is a mf isn't little bro'?"

 

[Ryaguas]

hunger knock

ahhhhhhhhhhhh that expression!!! I didnt remember it in english just in spanish that is "Pajara"!

 

[movingtarget]

I think the length of the stage will help riders like Evans. Often it is what happens before the climbs with the stronger teams that effects riders like Evans. Even though as Evans has remarked before it is not climb he usually does well on. The time gaps from the stage winner to the other GC Top 10 may not be that big. The winner will be a Spaniard or Andy Schleck.

 

[unsheath]

Has everyone forgot that Sastre and Denis will be lying on a beach in July?

 

[unsheath]

ahhhhhhhhhhhh that expression!!! I didnt remember it in english just in spanish that is "Pajara"!

or la fringale!