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

[Anonymous]

"Being Spanish" isn't really going to endear him to Euskaltel. The Giro might, but you might want to rethink the idea of Euskaltel loyalty to Spain.

True that.

 

[Florian]

That would the Tony

I would add Peter Velits instead.

 

[b.broadhurst]

Top 5 Tomorrow (in no order)

Basso
Schleck x 2
Contador
S.Sanchez

 

[Spaniard]

"Being Spanish" isn't really going to endear him to Euskaltel. The Giro might, but you might want to rethink the idea of Euskaltel loyalty to Spain.

Samuel is not Vasque if you mean that, he is Asturian, a very Spanish place.

 

[stetre76]

what do you think about Cunego?

I think so far he hasn't crashed, which could be important, and stayed out of trouble.

Some of you already mentioned Basso as a possible surprise.
I wouldn't be surprised if Cunego also stays with the top group for the next couple of mountain stages.

 

[The Hitch]

That would the Tony

Anthony Charteau has a better chance than Martin.

 

[VeloCity]

Check last post of page 23, was ment for him cuz he thinks Cofidis has been invisible

I was talking specifically about French riders and French teams and last time I checked, none of Saxo, Astana, or Katusha are French.

Cofidis should've been far more active from the first stage - they don't have a real GC guy and stage wins and maybe yellow for a few days was the best they could hope for. But they've been pretty quiet - compare them to Europcar and Voeckler over the first week and a half - and they really don't have many chances to do much of anything from here on, unless Moncoutie or Taraamae (who, I'd like to point out, is also not French) pull off a bit of an upset on one of the smaller mountain stages. Which I highly doubt will happen.

 

[The Hitch]

what do you think about Cunego?

I think so far he hasn't crashed, which could be important, and stayed out of trouble.

Some of you already mentioned Basso as a possible surprise.
I wouldn't be surprised if Cunego also stayas with the to group for the next couple of mountain stages.

I had Cunego as one of my 8 favourites for this stage.

Schleck1
Schleck 2
Contador
Basso

Evans
Gesink
Samu

Cunego.

Zoncolan 2010 performance shows he can still climb on the biggest baddest mountains.

 

[b.broadhurst]

I was talking specifically about French riders and French teams and last time I checked, none of Saxo, Astana, or Katusha are French.

Cofidis should've been far more active from the first stage - they don't have a real GC guy and stage wins and maybe yellow for a few days was the best they could hope for. But they've been pretty quiet - compare them to Europcar and Voeckler over the first week and a half - and they really don't have many chances to do much of anything from here on, unless Moncoutie or Taraamae (who, I'd like to point out, is also not French) pull off a bit of an upset on one of the smaller mountain stages. Which I highly doubt will happen.

Moncoutie is going for polka dots and Taraamae is going for white, so Cofidis have to pretty big objectives for the Tour. Invisible? As a team they have been in many breakaways already and tomorrow Moncoutie is likely to go for it.

Put it into context, Europcar have been in a couple of breakaways and Voeckler is only in yellow coz of the bad crash.

 

[The Hitch]

Samuel is not Vasque if you mean that, he is Asturian, a very Spanish place.

The talk was of the Euskaltel team helping Contador not Samu.

Samu loves Contador so they might work together but I dont see EE drilling it for Contador just because Sanchez is Asturian.

 

[veganrob]

I can see Schleck's attacking to test Alberto. If the pace quickens it will be bad news for Evans. He will be exposed shortly.

 

[b.broadhurst]

The talk was of the Euskaltel team helping Contador not Samu.

Samu loves Contador so they might work together but I dont see EE drilling it for Contador just because Sanchez is Asturian.

This was never the point that EE would help Contador not Sammy.

The point was Sammy wants to form an alliance with Contador which means EE and SaxoBank work together.

http://www.marca.com/2011/07/13/ciclismo/tour_francia/1310576900.html

 

[b.broadhurst]

I can see Schleck's attacking to test Alberto. If the pace quickens it will be bad news for Evans. He will be exposed shortly.

Leopard will definitely ride hard and test the whole of the Saxo Bank team.

 

[Cimber]

Leopard will definitely ride hard and test the whole of the Saxo Bank team.

And if Bertie feels good at Luz Ardiden Navarro will set the pace and drop all the Leopard domestiques like peabags. But I do think Contador and Saxo Bank will play it defensively and see how the knee will react under mountain-pressure. If all is good they may be more offensive saturday.

 

[The Hitch]

This was never the point that EE would help Contador not Sammy.

The point was Sammy wants to form an alliance with Contador which means EE and SaxoBank work together.

http://www.marca.com/2011/07/13/ciclismo/tour_francia/1310576900.html

Awesome. Finally someone with the balls to take on the ASO.

 

[Euskaltel!]

I'm looking for some Samu power tomorrow! I'm thinking like his actions last year on the Col de la Madeleine i.e. just behind Conti and Schleck the Younger.

 

[b.broadhurst]

And if Bertie feels good at Luz Ardiden Navarro will set the pace and drop all the Leopard domestiques like peabags. But I do think Contador and Saxo Bank will play it defensively and see how the knee will react under mountain-pressure. If all is good they may be more offensive saturday.

Do you not think he will use his domestiques to drop as many as possible on the tourmalet and then go it alone on the luz ardiden?

 

[just some guy]

Awesome. Finally someone with the balls to take on the ASO.

Will you give the whole crying bit a rest it is done and what is done is done.

 

[b.broadhurst]

Awesome. Finally someone with the balls to take on the ASO.

What is ASO?

 

[b.broadhurst]

Will you give the whole crying bit a rest it is done and what is done is done.

Does the Hitch like to cry? Hahahaha

 

[Sylvester]

You know what? Even when Mikel Astarloza or Haimar Zubeldia were the big team leaders Euskaltel would always work at the front of the peloton once the Tour was heading into the Pyrenees. Because of the aficionados vascos with the orange clothes and the big flags, not to help "other Spaniards".

 

[Ragerod]

What is ASO?

TDF organisers

 

[Cimber]

Do you not think he will use his domestiques to drop as many as possible on the tourmalet and then go it alone on the luz ardiden?

Nah I think he and SBS will be very defensively tomorrow cos they will be unsure how his knee reacts in the mountains. But if he feels super and the knee is ok then he might attack within the last 5k on Luz. But I think it will be Leopard we will see leading the pack most of the day (when Europcar are done with)

 

[just some guy]

And if Bertie feels good at Luz Ardiden Navarro will set the pace and drop all the Leopard domestiques like peabags. But I do think Contador and Saxo Bank will play it defensively and see how the knee will react under mountain-pressure. If all is good they may be more offensive saturday.

or will he explode the final group ?

 

[VeloCity]

Moncoutie is going for polka dots and Taraamae is going for white, so Cofidis have to pretty big objectives for the Tour. Invisible? As a team they have been in many breakaways already and tomorrow Moncoutie is likely to go for it.

Moncoutie's stated that he's not going for polka dots. Actually, I'd be very surprised to see anything from Moncoutie this Tour.

Put it into context, Europcar have been in a couple of breakaways and Voeckler is only in yellow coz of the bad crash.

Who's been mentioned more, Voeckler or any Cofidis rider? That's the name of the game at the Tour - publicity, especially for French teams. Cofidis hasn't had any. Europcar has had tons. Sure, it's thanks mostly to Voeckler, but that's because he goes on the attack nearly every day. Relatively speaking, Cofidis has been invisible.