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

[Scirea]

Nah I just think terms like "best of an era" gets thrown around way to easy. He is without a doubt the best GT rider of the post-Armstrong generation. But to start calling every period of 5 years where someone is the best an era just doesn't seem right to me. Would that mean that if Andy wins the next 3 or 4 tour's he's the best of his era? For me an Era has to be something long and exceptional not something that happens more or less every decade.

And I might be a bit of a fanboy but after last year's tour and the relative young age of Andy I believe that if Contador hadn't ridden the Giro he would be 2-1 favourite over Andy at best (I would have seen it being almost 50/50) but that's a discussion we can't get an answer to. If Contador wins I guess I was wrong, if Andy wins we'll know next year if they both match up at 100%.

With Contador riding the Giro he had odds around 1.65 before the start of the TdF at bookmakers. That basically means he had much betterchance to win than the whole field.

And Contador is not just the best rider of the post-Amrstrong era. He dominated like few before, winning zillion GTs in a row.

 

[Maxiton]

Well it is hard to watch more then 1 GT a year you know. You can't expect the guy to watch the Vuelta or Giro AND the tour, he's not a superman!!

Nah, he's seen him. He's just senile.

 

[brollebol]

Well it is hard to watch more then 1 GT a year you know. You can't expect the guy to watch the Vuelta or Giro AND the tour, he's not a superman!!

I heard he's going for Giro-Tour double next year.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

TGBM at the back end of the peloton. Clearly not recovered from his illness yet.

 

[PedalCastro]

TGBM suffering at the back of the peloton...

He's only playing with the rest of them

 

[Ramira]

I heard he's going for Giro-Tour double next year.

No wai! That's impossible in the modern era!

 

[thrawn]

TGBM at the back end of the peloton. Clearly not recovered from his illness yet.

Which illness?

 

[perico]

Hesjedal already at the back of the main bunch.

 

[Ferminal]

Ligget hasn't seen Hoogerland race before! Can't have watched that much cycling then... the chump!

2009 Worlds, he called the race, what an idiot.

 

[Liquigas]

Which illness?

Tour de France speed.

 

[Scirea]

I counted at least 4 SBS guys with Contador.

 

[brollebol]

Who are these Katusha guys they keep showing?

Are they in the race?

 

[PedalCastro]

Hoogerland blowing up

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Which illness?

He got sick on tuesday, headaches/flu. He felt better yesterday but the mountains come to soon

 

[TourOfSardinia]

Johnny H suffering ... dropped

 

[Tuarts]

What the hell? What was he saying?

Yes exactly that oh and that the climbs today will be too hard for him.

Ugh, just as I type, he gets popped by Kreuziger

 

[ericthesportsman6]

Nooooooooooo

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Hesjedal already at the back of the main bunch.

Jesus, you'd think he'd at least be able to stick around long enough to get some bottles.

 

[thrawn]

Paul has just informed me that Kreuziger could ruin today's stage for the sprinters.

 

[Four Winds]

Johnny H suffering ... dropped

What was that attempt at a break for just after the intermediate

 

[The Hitch]

For what do Evans fans have to be nervous? Worst case scenario he drops a minute.
And that's the worst case scenario

Try to be a Gesink fan and have no idea how he will go after his back injury. It's agonizing as hell. If it goes well a party, if it goes bad it's a disaster and we'll talk about Vuelta plans already

Jeez, i cant believe you find a way to complain about this sitaution

If your an Evans fan your desperate for him to win something anything because hes in the twilight of his career, has underachieved and is fading every year due to age.

If your a Gesink fan you have 10 years of Tours and perhaps other gts to look forward to. No rush, even if he only makes top 5 its still a success because hes young, and hes already shown super talent.

Grass is always greener on the other side eh.

 

[rmacek]

Chavanel is not working! I hope Roman will drop him..

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

BOOM goes Boom

 

[TomasC]

Paul has just informed me that Kreuziger could ruin today's stage for the sprinters.

You're really kidding here, aren't you?

 

[dlwssonic]

I counted at least 4 SBS guys with Contador.

there is nothing impressive about that, the peloton is still intact.