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

[Carl0880]

Not too big a WTF, there were other bigger suprises near the front.

Danielson is mentally weak, and always seems to get sick in the third week of a GT... but he's got a 6th, 7th and 9th place finish in the three Vueltas he's finished. He was sitting at 9th in the other Vuelta he withdrew from after stage 17.

He's never going to win a GT, but getting a top 10 at the TDF isn't really suprising as long as he doesn't have his trademark sickness next week.

When he doesn't get sick, I think his 3rd week is his strongest as exhibited in the 05 (?) and 06 Vuelta. I agree I always though he was around 10th place material even with the lost of the GC riders. When on form, he is an excellent climber. His problem is his ease of sickness and his mental toughness.

I can't help and look at today stage and the way most of Luz Ardiden was ridden and help to think that Vino would have attacked somewhere in that area. Too many of the GC guys were doing checks on each other instead of riding.

 

[Lanark]

Cadel has been pretty good in ITT's this year I thought. He's not a Zabriskie/Martin/Spartacus/Wiggins type in the ITT, but he's generally at the lead of the "serious" GC guys.

Contador on form would gain some time on him. Wiggins would as well. But of the other GC types in a GT, at the worst he'd break even and on many he'd gain quite a bit.

He put 1:20 into JVDB in the Dauphine Libere over 42km. I think he'll at least put that much into Andy in the ITT this year.

I don't, at the end of a GT, Andy is a much better ITT'er than VDB. Andy gained a minute on VDB in the closing ITT in last year's Tour. Just look at Andy's ITT results at the end of GT's, they are always more than decent, usually quite good. For comparison, in the Annecy ITT in 2009 (certainly very comparable in length and difficulty to this years), he only lost a minute to Wiggins, and Contador (in the absolute best shape of his life) was the only GC rider capable of taking more than a minute on Andy.

 

[The Sheep]

175/177 have finished with the autobus in. Galimzyanov is not there but who else?

feillu dns

 

[Kwibus]

sorry hitch, couldn't resist

lol!

10 chars.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

I don't, at the end of a GT, Andy is a much better ITT'er than VDB. Andy gained a minute on VDB in the closing ITT in last year's Tour. Just look at Andy's ITT results at the end of GT's, they are always more than decent, usually quite good. For comparison, in the Annecy ITT in 2009 (certainly very comparable in length and difficulty to this years), he only lost a minute to Wiggins, and Contador (in the absolute best shape of his life) was the only GC rider capable of taking more than a minute on Andy.

also cuddles generally fades in the 3rd week.

 

[mewmewmew13]

Basso was the strongest today. He was quite fresh at the end of stage while Andy didn't look so great.

I don't know if he was the strongest, but I was really pleased to see him looking so comfortable. This is what I was hoping for...that Ivan has been quietly building form and not wasting energy so far.
...would love to see him as in Giro form from last year!

Happy to see Samu, i was predicting that a Spaniard would do it and silently thinking this was going to be his stage today.

Cadel looks good and I still think Frank is the one, not Andy.

Danielson has always been a solid rider and when he's good it's not a huge surprise to see him pull off something like this.
So...Contador and his knee or just tired from the Giro...??

Can't wait til tomorrow!

 

[Kwibus]

Well i would point out that hes exactly 5 seconds better off than 10 days ago.

Had Cadel or Basso or one of the Schlecks been dropped then there would be reason to hope, but they all still looking strong and are way way ahead of him.

I'm not saying you should have hope. Not at all. You don't have hope for 10 days and you are still a sad panda. Move on.

 

[rata de sentina]

People are too quick to write AC off. It stands to reason that he has to come into the Tour underdone after the Giro otherwise he will run out of steam in week three. Plus he has probably been knocked back by the crashes. He cannot be expected to be flying in the Pyrenees as he would normally. It is too early to ascribe today's performance to the Giro apart from indirectly due to a modified program.

Evans doesn't have to take minutes out of people in stages like todays nor should he try to, that would be idiotic, just limit his losses to the dud time trialers. Also I noticed Basso and Evans worked a bit together chasing Frank which I found interesting.

 

[jobiwan]

24 Philippe Gilbert (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto 0:03:19

I'm very impressed.

 

[kurtinsc]

If we assume Voeckler won't keep climbing today, here's a list of GC contenders off of Frank's time. Of course after today I'm not sure it's fair to write Voeckler off totally.

Frank Schleck
Cadel Evans: +17
Andy Schleck +28
Ivan Basso +1:27
D. Cunego +1:33
A. Contador +2:11
S. Sanchez +2:22
T. Danielson +2:46
N. Roche +3:08
K. DeWeert +3:18
A. Jeannesson +4:01
P. Velits +4:14
H. Zubeldia +5:28
R. Taaramae +5:38
L. Leipheimer +6:02
R. Uran +6:06

 

[scullster46]

I can't help and look at today stage and the way most of Luz Ardiden was ridden and help to think that Vino would have attacked somewhere in that area. Too many of the GC guys were doing checks on each other instead of riding.

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.

 

[Kwibus]

I just got interested because they are not looking very different from all other contenders, but somehow there is a lot of hate. Makes me like them

It has the same effect on me

 

[maltiv]

Too bad Uran lost a lot of unnecessary time, but then again, so did many others. The white jersey is definitely within his reach tough.

 

[lilyprotector]

feillu dns

what happened?

 

[Walkman]

People are too quick to write AC off. It stands to reason that he has to come into the Tour underdone after the Giro otherwise he will run out of steam in week three. Plus he has probably been knocked back by the crashes. He cannot be expected to be flying in the Pyrenees as he would normally. It is too early to ascribe today's performance to the Giro apart from indirectly due to a modified program.

Evans doesn't have to take minutes out of people in stages like todays nor should he try to, that would be idiotic, just limit his losses to the dud time trialers. Also I noticed Basso and Evans worked a bit together chasing Frank which I found interesting.

Perhaps an "Aldo Sassi allegiance" could be form between these two riders? Two diesels working together to keep an high pace in order to catch attacking riders? Schlecks vs Evans-Basso?

 

[sublimit]

I'm glad Feillu has gone. What a reckless idiot sprinter.

Greiple should of given him a slap for his ridiculous switching and generally useless style of riding and basically just getting in the way.

 

[TeoSheva]

what happened?

a little injury: he preferred to preserve itself for the rest of the reason

 

[thirteen]

what happened?

tendinitis -- knee

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

I'm glad Feillu has gone. What a reckless idiot sprinter.

Greiple should of given him a slap for his ridiculous switching and generally useless style of riding and basically just getting in the way.

yeah, but when cav rides like a tool it is fine ey.

 

[Susan Westemeyer]

I just did some major mucking out in this thread, and hope I got it all.

Susan

 

[No_Balls]

People are too quick to write AC off. It stands to reason that he has to come into the Tour underdone after the Giro otherwise he will run out of steam in week three. Plus he has probably been knocked back by the crashes. He cannot be expected to be flying in the Pyrenees as he would normally. It is too early to ascribe today's performance to the Giro apart from indirectly due to a modified program.

I sort of predicted this. I feared that it would be worse though. No reason to process the funeral at this stage. But well, if he is feeling the fatigue, then there is a reason to just wish him a high finish.

 

[Winterfold]

Yeah uran is a good bet. Rein will crumble.

2 minutes today with plenty more to come, Uran should do it easily with Gesink obviously very hurt.

I really feel for the 'second tier' Wiggins, VDB, Gesink etc who have crashed out - the first tier are looking very beatable, but... bike racing is a cruel mistress

Evans or Basso really need to take advantage - they may not get another chance.

 

[Kwibus]

what happened?

tendonitis in his knee. He was allready suffering the last few stages, but he wanted to hold on till the mountains to see if he could get some results in the bunchsprints the last 2 days.

 

[rainman]

I just did some major mucking out in this thread, and hope I got it all.

Susan

Missed your reporting today Susan, hope your back tomorrow

 

[sublimit]

yeah, but when cav rides like a tool it is fine ey.

Cav doesn't switch, He had a couple of crashes but he Is OK.