2011 Tour de France Stage 11: Blaye-les-Mines Lavaur 167.5 km

[just some guy]

Hoogie in good spirits

 

[El Pistolero]

I think Movistar should send Ventoso up front today in the last few kms and try to break the HTC train like Vacansoleil with Marcato. Rojas has no chance otherwise.

Yeah, and Garmin with someone like Millar. More teams should send in people on the attack in the final kms actually. I know it's hard when going full speed, but if there are some curves and twists it's possible for some of the bigger names to get small gaps that break up the HTC train.

 

[AussieGoddess]

actually.looking at the intermediate sprints in the mountains. And they are certainly pretty good for Rojas. He just needs to stay consistent and keep getting points on these stages.

I can't see phil getting there .... Sadly as I would love him to get green

 

[Amsterhammer]

its not on their website yet, just a photo on their twitter account.
but it will eventuall appear at
http://stomachofanger.com/

picture of the tee here
http://twitpic.com/5p5a1m

Now that, is cool as s***!!

 

[Jamsque]

HTC look to be getting very little help. One Garmin up at the front and that's it. Sky are making no friends.

 

[TeoSheva]

actually.looking at the intermediate sprints in the mountains. And they are certainly pretty good for Rojas. He just needs to stay consistent and keep getting points on these stages.

I can't see phil getting there .... Sadly as I would love him to get green

yes, a lot of intermediate sprints are for Rojas, but he can gain just one point over Gilbert (and in some case the sprint is on an uphill, so we have still to see how the things go). But the arrivals are mainly for Gilbert, except two flat stages, where Rojas will never win (and I think neither top 3)

 

[Maxiton]

Gee, Phil just said something about Conti that wasn't critical or a slight.

 

[El Pistolero]

HTC look to be getting very little help. One Garmin up at the front and that's it. Sky are making no friends.

That's one too many.

 

[AussieGoddess]

HTC look to be getting very little help. One Garmin up at the front and that's it. Sky are making no friends.

Between wiggans and flecha ... Sky get a pass surely

It is all up to htc - as it should be.

 

[Bromers]

Last night I dreamt Geraint Thomas won today

 

[search]

I think Movistar should send Ventoso up front today in the last few kms and try to break the HTC train like Vacansoleil with Marcato. Rojas has no chance otherwise.

I think they should focus on Gilbert first and try to make Ventoso steal some points from Gilbert by finishing between him and Rojas

 

[MartinGT]

Whats the craic atm guys?

 

[TeoSheva]

Last night I dreamt Geraint Thomas won today

can be only a dream

 

[Maxiton]

Anybody know how many riders left HTC to join Greipel at OPL?

 

[Eyeballs Out]

Anyone else hear Sean Kelly talking about Gilbert and the GC ? Kelly saying Belgian contacts who speak with PG told him that PG thinks he can do well on GC this year ...

 

[Mambo95]

Anybody know how many riders left HTC to join Greipel at OPL?

Four. Dockx, Hansen, Sieberg and Reynes

 

[MartinGT]

Anyone else hear Sean Kelly talking about Gilbert and the GC ? Kelly saying Belgian contacts who speak with PG told him that PG thinks he can do well on GC this year ...

Wasnt he saying that after winning LBL?

 

[Maxiton]

Anyone else hear Sean Kelly talking about Gilbert and the GC ? Kelly saying Belgian contacts who speak with PG told him that PG thinks he can do well on GC this year ...

Interesting. Would love to see it. I wonder just how well he thinks he can do?

 

[Boardslide]

Anybody know how many riders left HTC to join Greipel at OPL?

2 Adam Hansan & Marcel Sieberg ( excuse spelling)

 

[El Pistolero]

Anybody know how many riders left HTC to join Greipel at OPL?

Riders who joined the team for the 2011 season
Rider 2010 team
David Boucher[1] Landbouwkrediet
Bart De Clercq neo-pro
Jens Debusschere neo-pro
Gert Dockx Team HTC-Columbia
André Greipel[2] Team HTC-Columbia
Adam Hansen[3] Team HTC-Columbia
Klaas Lodewijck Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator
Maarten Neyens[4] Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator
Óscar Pujol Cervélo TestTeam
Vicente Reynès[5] Team HTC-Columbia
Marcel Sieberg Team HTC-Columbia
Jurgen Van de Walle[6] Quick Step
Sven Vandousselaere Jong Vlaanderen
Jussi Veikkanen[7] FDJ
Frederik Willems Liquigas-Doimo

 

[Maxiton]

Four. Dockx, Hansen, Sieberg and Reynes

That's quite a few. Thanks.

EDIT: To all three of you.

 

[dlwssonic]

Riders who joined the team for the 2011 season
Rider 2010 team
David Boucher[1] Landbouwkrediet
Bart De Clercq neo-pro
Jens Debusschere neo-pro
Gert Dockx Team HTC-Columbia
André Greipel[2] Team HTC-Columbia
Adam Hansen[3] Team HTC-Columbia
Klaas Lodewijck Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator
Maarten Neyens[4] Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator
Óscar Pujol Cervélo TestTeam
Vicente Reynès[5] Team HTC-Columbia
Marcel Sieberg Team HTC-Columbia
Jurgen Van de Walle[6] Quick Step
Sven Vandousselaere Jong Vlaanderen
Jussi Veikkanen[7] FDJ
Frederik Willems Liquigas-Doimo

wow thats a lot.

 

[Bromers]

Anybody know how many riders left HTC to join Greipel at OPL?

3 weren't there?
Adam Hansen
Marcel Sieberg
Vicente Reynes

 

[Maxiton]

Never trust a man who doesn't like garlic.

 

[Benotti69]

Interesting. Would love to see it. I wonder just how well he thinks he can do?

Kelly was asked did he think Gilbert can podium this years TdF. He said no. If Gilbert does really well, Kelly said top 15, but in Kelly's opinion Gilbert should concentrate this year only on winning the green jersey. He said the Gilbert can do well in future TdFs but needs to train and diet for it. Kelly talked about how he lost a stone to finish better, ie win, in week long races, ParisNice for example.