2011 Tour de France Stage 13: Pau - Lourdes 156km

[cineteq]

I can imagine JV on the radio. "Thor! Don't work, sprint for third!"

No green points for you LOL

 

[Maxiton]

I can imagine JV on the radio. "Thor! Don't work, sprint for third!"

Lol! ...

 

[spalco]

I don't care about the yellow jersey at this point. Instead of that useless piece of info the French should just track the distance between Roy and Hushovd/Moncoutie, that's all that counts today.

 

[Bala Verde]

I can imagine JV on the radio. "Thor! Don't work, sprint for third!"

classic!

 

[max_powers]

This cautious style of cycling is reminding me of what's happened to more than one pro sport in the US in recent decades. For example, American football seems to have fewer and fewer attempts for big plays. They're risky. Teams would rather grind their way down the field, running and making short, safe passes. It's proved to be a winning formula, but it's not as exciting for spectators.

Scores have dropped in NBA basketball games. There's more focus on stifling defenses and again, it's proven to win games, but for most fans it's not as exciting as, say, the 1980s LA Lakers team was. In 1984 the average team scored 110.8 points per game. In 2004 they scored 93.4 points per game.

Reduce risk. Grind out wins like a poker player who slowly plays the odds, gradually shaving chips off his opponents and coming out ahead in the long run. It often works, but it's really freaking boring.

USA learned it from Soccer

 

[thehog]

This cautious style of cycling is reminding me of what's happened to more than one pro sport in the US in recent decades. For example, American football seems to have fewer and fewer attempts for big plays. They're risky. Teams would rather grind their way down the field, running and making short, safe passes. It's proved to be a winning formula, but it's not as exciting for spectators.

Scores have dropped in NBA basketball games. There's more focus on stifling defenses and again, it's proven to win games, but for most fans it's not as exciting as, say, the 1980s LA Lakers team was. In 1984 the average team scored 110.8 points per game. In 2004 they scored 93.4 points per game.

Reduce risk. Grind out wins like a poker player who slowly plays the odds, gradually shaving chips off his opponents and coming out ahead in the long run. It often works, but it's really freaking boring.

Its happened in European football as well sans Barcelona.

Teams prefer to play defensive then win 1-0 rather than play with flair and some risk to win 3-2.

Chelsea and Real Madrid under Mourinho are/were classic examples of this. Often in the away leg of the Champions League game the intent was to get a 0-0 draw! Try watching that for 90 minutes.

 

[kjetilraknerud]

He's going to catch him, impressive.

 

[luckyboy]

What is Gilbert doing?

 

[Random Direction]

down to 1:05 between Roy and Hushovd/Moncoutie. Catch is going to be made

 

[Bala Verde]

Gilbert connecting with Vanendert?

 

[spalco]

Chelsea and Real Madrid under Mourinho are/were classic examples of this. Often in the away leg of the Champions League game the intent was to get a 0-0 draw! Try watching that for 90 minutes.

If you're rooting for one of the two teams it's nerve-wrecking nonetheless.

 

[Karl Max]

I can imagine JV on the radio. "Thor! Don't work, sprint for third!"

HaHa

1 min 5 seconds I think this will be a close race.

Hushovds personal coach was interviewed up the climb and he was surprised by Thor today, Hushovd said before the stage he did not feel so good so and his plan was to hang on the peleton. So Thor obviously changed plan during the stage as Atle Kvålsvåll said.

 

[virenque216]

boring

the irony is that with so little exciting and aggresive riding there are already a number of good riders out and huge gaps in GC,although we only raced 1 mountainous stage and one short TTT, if only first 50 contender would be within 5 or 6 minutes of each other, no way the breaks would be let such a big advantage like now

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

What is Gilbert doing?

A super power *** rangers attack.

Didn't bother to contest the intermediate sprint, but he's now going to bust his balls to try and get 6 or 7 points at the finish. Mental.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Gilbert caught TGBM

 

[thirteen]

What is Gilbert doing?

entertaining us

 

[spalco]

Goooooooooooo Royyy!

 

[hdmfox]

Unofficial from norwegian TV2 commentators: 52 seconds now, go on Thor!

 

[Maxiton]

If you're rooting for one of the two teams it's nerve-wrecking nonetheless.

I first paid attention to soccer during the recent World Cup, and decided it must be a game for true defense aficionados, cause that's pretty much all I saw.

 

[Random Direction]

Make that 31 seconds

 

[Bala Verde]

Roy would be better off hitting the breaks and suck Hshvd's wheel till the finish with Moncoutier and then sandwhich attack Hshvd.

A little french alliance...

 

[hdmfox]

31 seconds!!

 

[luckyboy]

Paul - 51 seconds at this speed is about 500 metres

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

entertaining us

What is remotely entertaining about someone riding off uncontested to take 8th or 9th place?

 

[HL2037]

Thor is diving like a sea eagle. Roi will not stay away