2011 Tour de France, Stage 12: Cugnaux - Luz-Ardiden, 209 km

[Dedelou]

Basso was the strongest today. Followed everyone who would be a threat to his GC and looked fresh at the finish.
I think he's going to do some serious attacking as the race goes on.

yes He looked quite comfortable on Shmyd's wheel . You could see him in a position to do something and yet he was with the others who did no respond when Franck went

 

[Angliru]

Im not unhappy with Samus performance, im unhappy with the situation that hes in - 2.25 minutes back to Frank Schleck.

I dont care much for stage wins, maybe ALpe d huez since its the last mountain stage, but other than that i care far more for GC.

My complaint is not with Samu but rather with the events of stage 1 and 2 which still make me sad, but i cant say anything about that because everytime I do people keep calling me names.

Unfortunately when i see Samu raise his arms in glory i can only think to myself - What might have been.

What might have been

Hitch, you need to let it go. It's gone and done. Samu has shown in each successive Tour he's ridden that he gets stronger and stronger. So although that thought likely makes you even more upset with the turn of events on stages 1 and 2, the fans of Samu should try to revel in his victory and hope that his fine form continues so that he can continue to give his rivals the sight of his rear wheel disappearing up the road.

His victory makes Contador struggles easier to take, although I always thought with the Giro, the likely injuries incurred from his multiple crashes
that there was chance he struggle (for him).

A great victory for Samu and Euskaltel. I look forward to Samu's continued success in the Tour and Igor Anton's demolition of the Vuelta field for Euskaltel's first grand tour victory.

 

[maxmartin]

this is the first Mountain stage, there is still little testing going on, to see who really has the legs. After nobody stands out to chase Frank, Basso then decided to take the responsibility.

yes He looked quite comfortable on Shmyd's wheel . You could see him in a position to do something and yet he was with the others who did no respond when Franck went

 

[Dedelou]

I agree. I kept on wondering during the stage what would've happened if Vino was in the race. We need more GC riders who like to attack. Unfortunately Vino is gone and AC isnt on form at all.

Many people here, me among them, believed today would be a battle of domestic thinning out the list of top contenders by hardening the race without setting anything up for huge attacks .. With 10 more stages to go , this is not yet time for the real mano a mano.. In the context of winning the war this was just part of the campaign , more battles need to be faught.

 

[thehog]

His victory makes Contador struggles easier to take, although I always thought with the Giro, the likely injuries incurred from his multiple crashes
that there was chance he struggle (for him).

.

Lance gave up when he crashes. Not Contador. He keeps fighting.

 

[Angliru]

The Hitch is the new me with his fanboyism!

Nahh, where you are blindly supportive of every action your rider makes, Hitch only wants the ultimate success for his rider, not consolation prizes. I can kind of relate but, c'mon Hitch, can't you even share in Samu's joy of his first Tour stage win on a mountain with such a storied history? I can understand the high hopes of Samu's march to a first Tour podium for his team, especially with his just missing out last year due in part to his injury that had to have limited his ITT performance.

Let me say that while you may think this is his last chance, I'm not in agreement. Samu is a late bloomer and I believe he has at least 2-3 more years of productive riding in grand tours and with the experience and most importantly confidence he's gaining, he will get that Tour podium and I believe he will also get a Vuelta win under his belt before he calls it quits.
Keep your head up!

 

[Arnout]

Nahh, where you are blindly supportive of every action your rider makes, Hitch only wants the ultimate success for his rider, not consolation prizes. I can kind of relate but, c'mon Hitch, can't you even share in Samu's joy of his first Tour stage win on a mountain with such a storied history? I can understand the high hopes of Samu's march to a first Tour podium for his team, especially with his just missing out last year due in part to his injury that had to have limited his ITT performance.

Let me say that while you may think this is his last chance, I'm not in agreement. Samu is a late bloomer and I believe he has at least 2-3 more years of productive riding in grand tours and with the experience and most importantly confidence he's gaining, he will get that Tour podium and I believe he will also get a Vuelta win under his belt before he calls it quits.
Keep your head up!

He looks better this year than ever before. His time is not over yet.

 

[ImmaculateKadence]

Lance gave up when he crashes. Not Contador. He keeps fighting.

Really? I remember in 2003 on stage that finished atop the very same summit as today, Lance crashed, kept fighting and won the stage. It shouldn't have been too hard to miss; he was in yellow at the time

 

[Gloin22]

Any last 10km highlights ?

 

[Anonymous]

Any last 10km highlights ?

ive got last five k in english uploading now

will be on this dm account in about 20 minutes
http://www.dailymotion.com/CVChannel2

 

[Gingerale]

watching the last km's again, i see again why i'm not a big andy schleck fan. why doesn't andy just go? contador is clearly struggling (by his standards). i mean even on one leg he's able to finish the stage in the top 10. but when cadel started passing basso, andy stayed behind contador. andy should have gone straight up to cadel and basso. frank by that time was well up the road. seems like useless tactics, if marking contador was tactical at that point. andy needs to find his inner winner that's my opinion. or, maybe he is still finding his form

contador appeared be suffering as he crossed the finish.

and gesink dropping is not funny. it's rather surprising that guy is still in the race after how bad he crashed last week. ofc hoogie is amazing.

who is jelle vandenert? great ride!

kudos to basso, cunego, voeckler, and rolland

 

[VeloCity]

watching the last km's again, i see again why i'm not a big andy schleck fan. why doesn't andy just go?

I don't think Andy was able to attack - iirc he put in one little dig a few kms from the finish but it was a pretty weak effort, and then he just sat on the rest of the climb. Frank definitely seems to be in better form of the two at the moment.

 

[dgodave]

Lance gave up when he crashes. Not Contador. He keeps fighting.

More Lance, please!
.

 

[Gingerale]

I don't think Andy was able to attack - iirc he put in one little dig a few kms from the finish but it was a pretty weak effort, and then he just sat on the rest of the climb. Frank definitely seems to be in better form of the two at the moment.

i think you are right. it wasn't tactical. and frank was impressive. if contador can't recover. i may end up cheering for frank schleck!

 

[Gingerale]

...but then i remember the ITT.

 

[thehog]

i think you are right. it wasn't tactical. and frank was impressive. if contador can't recover. i may end up cheering for frank schleck!

Hmmmm. I’m not sure about today. You see Riis is not stupid. Contador is underdone. I’d say the strategy is to follow until the Alps. I think Contador can win the entire race with two attacks. That’s it. I’m not convinced by Leopard’s or Cadel’s strategy. It’s still way too early to be front riding. I don’t think Frank has what it takes for overall. Andy is better but I think Alberto will just sit with him as long as he can until the knee gets a little better. Saturday will provide a more complete picture.

 

[lancaster]

what was the time cut?

i.e. how close was Galzilliamov (sp?) to making the cut.

how big does a group have to be to ensure that it can't be eliminated via time cut?

 

[DenisMenchov]

what was the time cut?

i.e. how close was Galzilliamov (sp?) to making the cut.

how big does a group have to be to ensure that it can't be eliminated via time cut?

He hasn t made it.

 

[lancaster]

i was wondering if he was 15 mins over or if he got close?


anyway, would've really like to see Phil Gil get sprint points today.

 

[DenisMenchov]

i was wondering if he was 15 mins over or if he got close?


anyway, would've really like to see Phil Gil get sprint points today.

There was a group of 80 riders 33mins down.

 

[Anonymous]

BTW whats the record for the longest thread?

 

[Gingerale]

Hmmmm. I’m not sure about today. You see Riis is not stupid. Contador is underdone. I’d say the strategy is to follow until the Alps. I think Contador can win the entire race with two attacks. That’s it. I’m not convinced by Leopard’s or Cadel’s strategy. It’s still way too early to be front riding. I don’t think Frank has what it takes for overall. Andy is better but I think Alberto will just sit with him as long as he can until the knee gets a little better. Saturday will provide a more complete picture.

i do hope "Contador is underdone." ...meaning he is still recovering. i'd love to see him go on a couple of his epic attacks.

and i spoke too soon. frank looks to be in great climbing form but i forget his ITT is so dismal. it's too bad something can't be done to get the schlecks to be better ITT'ers.

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

BTW whats the record for the longest thread?

I dunno for sure but it might be 'babes on bikes'.. hehe

 

[Ragerod]

what was the time cut?

i.e. how close was Galzilliamov (sp?) to making the cut.

how big does a group have to be to ensure that it can't be eliminated via time cut?

If 20% of the riders are outside the time limit its reviewed. As for the time limit it varies depending on the difficulty of the stage and the speed of the stage. I don't know Samu's average speed nor Galimzyanov's time but the time limit percentage's for today are listed below.

• 10% between 33 km/h & 34 km/h;
• 11% between 34 km/h & 35 km/h;
• 12% between 35 km/h & 36 km/h;
• 13% between 36 km/h & 37 km/h;

 

[DenisMenchov]

If 20% of the riders are outside the time limit its reviewed. As for the time limit it varies depending on the difficulty of the stage and the speed of the stage. I don't know Samu's average speed nor Galimzyanov's time but the time limit percentage's for today are listed below.

• 10% between 33 km/h & 34 km/h;
• 11% between 34 km/h & 35 km/h;
• 12% between 35 km/h & 36 km/h;
• 13% between 36 km/h & 37 km/h;

Samu's speed was dead 35km/h. Is it then 11%?