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

[sultanofhyd]

Anyways, enough of sprints.

Bring on the MOUNTAINS!!

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Finally the mountains yeah.

Although it will be a bit more boring than expected with so many top 5/top 10 candidates falling away

 

[No_Balls]

True, but that can be an advantage too - Evans knows what he's doing. Contador and the Schlecks often appear as though they don't have a clue.

Sometimes i don´t believe in the stuff i read here. Its just too naive.

I didn´t mean to put down Cuddles experience, just point out that he easily can pass his peak considering his age. We saw it numerous times in the past with Indurain, Jalabert, Riis, Rominger...

This passed nearly two weeks of flat racing saw a very active Cadel sprinting for stages and he looked very good indeed. However, i warn that he could have peaked too early and decline in the last week. It wont come as a chock to me if he turns out to be this Tours Scarponi.

 

[dlwssonic]

Cadel has such a light preparation for this tour, he will still be quite fresh in the 3rd week. cuddles actually didnt use that much energy in the first week. He only sprinted for very short distances in stage 1 ,4 and 8.

 

[Publicus]

Cadel has such a light preparation for this tour, he will still be quite fresh in the 3rd week. cuddles actually didnt use that much energy in the first week. He only sprinted for very short distances in stage 1 ,4 and 8.

They raced hard for the first 11 stages and BMC kept him at the front. No way he is "fresh." His weakness has always been the high mountains, and I don't think any amount of light preparation will compensate for that weakness. He just has to limit his losses as much as possible to the Schlecks and Basso. I'd include Contador but the jury is very much out on his abilty to compete in the mountains (knee and Giro).

 

[Escarabajo]

Is this a Cadel thread?? am I in the right thread??

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Cadel has such a light preparation for this tour, he will still be quite fresh in the 3rd week. cuddles actually didnt use that much energy in the first week. He only sprinted for very short distances in stage 1 ,4 and 8.

Lol.

You do realize being at the front of the peloton all week takes a ton of energy right?

Do riders need to attack or sprint or be I'n a breakaway to seemingly waste energy?

 

[dlwssonic]

They raced hard for the first 11 stages and BMC kept him at the front. No way he is "fresh." His weakness has always been the high mountains, and I don't think any amount of light preparation will compensate for that weakness. He just has to limit his losses as much as possible to the Schlecks and Basso. I'd include Contador but the jury is very much out on his abilty to compete in the mountains (knee and Giro).

He was well covered at the front so it wouldnt have sapped that much energy. Every other rider raced hard other than the schlecks. Im afraid that I dont see how he can keep up with andy but i have a feeling he will be able to stay with basso.

 

[dlwssonic]

The other riders have all kept themselves at the front. Just for others they have been less protected as their team isnt as strong on the flats like contador who was isolated occassionaly

 

[Anonymous]

It will be interesting to see what Samu do.

 

[dlwssonic]

It will be interesting to see what Samu do.

he is a great climber and he can get back the losses he lost on stage 1 and euskaltels disaster TTT. he certainly can podium if he does well in the mountains. However his biggest fan, hitch, thinks his race is over.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

He was well covered at the front so it wouldnt have sapped that much energy. Every other rider raced hard other than the schlecks. Im afraid that I dont see how he can keep up with andy but i have a feeling he will be able to stay with basso.

There is a reason riding at the front is not so easy you know. Team or not, he would gave wasted just as much energy as previous tours. If not more considering how much at the front he has been.

Anyway most teams have Been pretty strong, just a lit have had bad luck so far. Schlecks and Evans havent

 

[The Hitch]

I spent 2 nights up writing a 3000 word intro for this.

When i was about to post it i notice a horrid misunderstanding had got me a 1 day ban, and i hoped no one would get the idea to make this post. I tried to contact mods or posters to send the intro but there was no such option.

When i saw a thread for this was up, well, you wouldnt want to be an inanimate object in my room then.

Ah well. I should have gone out afterall

 

[Jan the Man]

They raced hard for the first 11 stages and BMC kept him at the front. No way he is "fresh." His weakness has always been the high mountains, and I don't think any amount of light preparation will compensate for that weakness. He just has to limit his losses as much as possible to the Schlecks and Basso. I'd include Contador but the jury is very much out on his abilty to compete in the mountains (knee and Giro).

The more this tour has passed the more I think Basso will cause havoc in the mountains. Before the tour I was unconvinced but he has escaped unharmed and is the only one who can challenge contador and schleck in the mountains.

He also know he must attack, and last year's Giro proved he will. I expect Szmyd to blow the race apart on the Tourmalet.

 

[thirteen]

I spent 2 nights up writing a 3000 word intro for this.

When i was about to post it i notice a horrid misunderstanding had got me a 1 day ban, and i hoped no one would get the idea to make this post. I tried to contact mods or posters to send the intro but there was no such option.

When i saw a thread for this was up, well, you wouldnt want to be an inanimate object in my room then.

Ah well. I should have gone out afterall

Hitch, we'd love to have your intro -- even if it's on page 20 of the thread

no one can do an introduction like you -- yours are just epic!

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

The more this tour has passed the more I think Basso will cause havoc in the mountains. Before the tour I was unconvinced but he has escaped unharmed and is the only one who can challenge contador and schleck in the mountains.

He also know he must attack, and last year's Giro proved he will. I expect Szmyd to blow the race apart on the Tourmalet.

Would be great if leopard and liqui really do tear it up on the tourmalet.

 

[H2OUUP2]

Taking the morning off from work tomorrow. Finally this tour can begin!!
I would actually like to see cuddles compete. He probably won't, but for a change it would be nice. BMC has done way to much work in the front on these flat stages. Leopard trek and especially Saxo Bank have been taking it easy. Saxo banks tour starts tomorrow. Noval, Novarro, Sorenson bros, and Hernandez all to the front at the base of the climbs. Should be fun!

 

[sultanofhyd]

Hitch, we'd love to have your intro -- even if it's on page 20 of the thread

no one can do an introduction like you -- yours are just epic!

+1

10 char

 

[Jan the Man]

Would be great if leopard and liqui really do tear it up on the tourmalet.

Agreed Leopard won't do it though. They'll ride a steady tempo with Gerdemann, Fuglslang and Monfort. Yes they will whittle the lead group down but the three together cannot cause as much damages as Szmyd alone if Szmyd has regained his legs after a tough Giro when he was ill (we saw a glimpse of this on Finestre).

 

[just some guy]

I spent 2 nights up writing a 3000 word intro for this.

When i was about to post it i notice a horrid misunderstanding had got me a 1 day ban, and i hoped no one would get the idea to make this post. I tried to contact mods or posters to send the intro but there was no such option.

When i saw a thread for this was up, well, you wouldnt want to be an inanimate object in my room then.

Ah well. I should have gone out afterall

Hitch post it anyway people will love it.

Ps did you read my dream post

 

[sultanofhyd]

How long is the descent from the Tourmalet? Is it feasible for any GC contenders to attack on the ascent?

 

[Publicus]

Would be great if leopard and liqui really do tear it up on the tourmalet.

Agreed. I don't want to see a procession to the final climb.

 

[sultanofhyd]

Ideal stage -> Saxo to burn it up on the Tourmalet, Contador and Samu to go a few kms from the summit, Samu to do a daredevil descent to keep the chasers off, Contador ofcourse wheelsucking on the descent, and every man for himself on the final climb.

 

[The Hitch]

Hitch post it anyway people will love it.

Ps did you read my dream post

I havent read any post since 16.00 yesterday.

What is this dream post.

Anyway, times awasting. I have 24 hours of hyping Samu and complaining about his ASO enemies to make up for.

 

[The Hitch]

Missing anyone? (rolleseyes smiley) (wink smiley)