2011 Tour De France Stage 17 (20/7/2011): Gap > Pinerolo, 179km

[The Hitch]

True.... They are as bad as the Rossi fanboys on the motorsport forums...

You do realise that the only thing stopping you being the biggest "fanboy" in the history of the forum is the word "chick" in your username.

 

[Parrulo]

He is in the box seat....if there is a chance to win do so but he needs to stay with Alberto nothing more nothing less

He's downfall has been trying outdo the likes of Contador/sastre rather than stay with them

wait what? when has he tried to outdo those guys instead of just following them?

 

[Grayguard]

Nobody wants Cadel to roll over (except maybe Chiara) - well, few of us anyway. I think most people here will celebrate with him if he wins. But in order for that to happen he actually has to win. And in order to really win he has to attack. Win or lose though he will get more respect if he takes the war to his opponents when the time is right.

I completely agree. I wont complain if Cadel wins... but I'd prefer to have a champion who attacks, and not only defends. So. yes - if he takes the war to his opponents at the right time, he is definitely a worthy winner.

If I believe it will happen, is another matter completely.

 

[Sem Travões]

Rui Costa finished 6 minutes behind the grupetto, not looking good to survive the next two days.

Yes forgot about Sanchez victory.
He got one Injured Knee it will be hard for him to finish, but the tour for him is already won.
And on that descend today Voeckler (and the Saur guy) was lucky, the gate was open, and there wasn't a swimming pool there, also the car was well parked, otherwise...

 

[GroupDK]

I hope for Contador / Frank schlek / Voekler / Evans / Basso

these guys im sympatic with.

Evans, a shame that he showed a hysterical attitude some years, but overall i think he has been so big a charakter for the tour so many years, that if he could finally take the win, I would be happy for him (but I need to see some action from him)

I dont cherise any partically rider as a benchmark, but the absolutely main thing i looked at is what the rider gives me as a spectator, and the expression i get from that riders personality ( from eyes & bodylanguage and so)

And here, i truely got a good feeling about contador, already got the feeling that he seemed liked a respectfull fellow, when he was the enemy due to the tour 2007 and when he took the win after Ramussen was thrown out after rasmussen stagewin at 16 stage 2007..
And gotta a feeling that one of the reason why contador seems like a down to earth guy, could likely been due to his life was thruely put in to perspective when he was very sick and his skull was open from ear to ear, due to a big tumour in the head..

 

[Zoncolan]

I completely agree. I wont complain if Cadel wins... but I'd prefer to have a champion who attacks, and not only defends. So. yes - if he takes the war to his opponents at the right time, he is definitely a worthy winner.

If believe it will happen, is another matter completely.

This has been answered so many times before. Cuddles attacks when he can - medium mountain stages/Ardennes type stages, he attacked the other day. He can't attack in the big mountains because he's not good enough (better climbers than him).
I'd love to see Sammy Sanchez or Cunego win, though it won't happen in a million years.

 

[sportzchick]

^^^^^^^ couldnt agree more...heaven forbid a rider uses his strenghts & Damage limitates his weaknesses

If he blows up trying to attack that what's the point....

Better of doing what's best for your race

 

[MartinGT]

Nobody wants Cadel to roll over (except maybe Chiara) - well, few of us anyway. I think most people here will celebrate with him if he wins. But in order for that to happen he actually has to win. And in order to really win he has to attack. Win or lose though he will get more respect if he takes the war to his opponents when the time is right.

He doesnt have to attack surely? If he covers any attacks by Bertie then its his?

 

[Publicus]

He is in the box seat....if there is a chance to win do so but he needs to stay with Alberto nothing more nothing less

He's downfall has been trying outdo the likes of Contador/sastre rather than stay with them, he's not here to win a stage he is here to win the tour

Not true. His downfall has been trying to stay with them. He's never been able to out do them. I think the smart move for him would be to ride within himself. He's got a considerable cushion to Contador, so I don't think he should sweat anything under a 1' loss--unless he's truly getting fatigued.

 

[goggalor]

Not a fan of this Spanish alliance, hopefully it will end when we hit the real alps. It wasn't too bad today, I guess, but yesterday Contador told Sanchez when he was going to attack. Maybe Conta will wait for Sanchez in Grenoble?

 

[Lajeretta4Ever]

The way I see it, Alberto attacking on that descent tells me a lot. I think he know he is good, but not 2009 good so he looks to put more seconds into the Shecklets. 2morrow is the big day. Alpe stage is too short to create large gaps.

I think we are all waiting for the annual cracking of Cuddles and if that happens, with the Shecklets TTing so awful, it's maybe Alberto by 15-30 seconds for overall. Of course in 2 months his win will be vacated but that is a post for another forum.

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

I don't see how you could realistically have two peaks like that and still not be tired even if what you are saying is true

If you can't see that Contador is riding better than he did last week, I don't think there's much left to debate.

 

[VeloCity]

In essence, who was the closest to pulling off the double?

A bit backward from what you're asking, but Indurain finished 3rd at the Giro and then won the Tour in '94, I believe it was.

 

[abbaskip]

I completely agree. I wont complain if Cadel wins... but I'd prefer to have a champion who attacks, and not only defends. So. yes - if he takes the war to his opponents at the right time, he is definitely a worthy winner.

If I believe it will happen, is another matter completely.

I completely disagree with this idea that you have to attack to be a champion. If you can win the race, regardless how you do it, you deserve to be the winner. If it's so easy, why didn't everyone else do what the he does?

However, I should remind everyone, Cadel has already won a stage this tour. He also beat Contador and Sanchez by a few seconds yesterday. How many stages have the other favourites won? None except for Sanchez.

 

[sultanofhyd]

He doesnt have to attack surely? If he covers any attacks by Bertie then its his?

It would have been done a million times by now if it was so easy. Its hard to stop Contador who is going nuts on a climb whatever form he is in even if you are in the best form of your life.

Maybe not tomorrow on Galibier, but if he is still 2 minutes down on Evans come the Alpe you can bet on Contador ripping the race apart whether he feels good or not. He won't die wondering.

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

I think Cadel is having a great Tour, but let's be honest, if Contador had not crashed, he wouldn't have the cushion he does. It's bike racing, no question about it, but let's be honest here. It's not as though Cadel gained his time difference by dropping Contador for 2 minutes.

 

[LaFlorecita]

I can't see AC dropping AS by much if at all. I can see AC putting a minute or two into Cadel. Frank is the one I'm not sure about. No doubt AC can put some time into FS, but 1 - 1:30 can only be a 50/50 chance if Andy rides for Frank. The next three days should be spectacular.

AS is already in striking distance for AC's TT. Fränk will lose 1-1.30 in the TT, so he's almost done as well. I would consider CE and AC equal in the TT, with a slight edge for AC. It depends on who starts the TT in yellow. If it's CE, I think he won't lose more than 10s. Other way around he might lose 20-30s
This is of course if AC doesn't get dropped himself. Everything taken into consideration, I'm quite optimistic. Shame he didn't take any secs on the Schlecks and Cadel today though.

 

[sublimit]

He doesnt have to attack surely? If he covers any attacks by Bertie then its his?

This is why Evans will win. He just has to suck wheel and ride without blowing himself into the ground and use damage limitation. - A bit like Wiggyns at the Dauphine.

 

[Publicus]

A bit backward from what you're asking, but Indurain finished 3rd at the Giro and then won the Tour in '94, I believe it was.

It is. I did a quick check and I think it was Basso last year. He finished 1st at the Giro and 32nd at the Tour.

 

[cyclestationgiuseppe]

That was a pretty good hors d'œuvre for what is about to come!

 

[No_Balls]

The way I see it, Alberto attacking on that descent tells me a lot. I think he know he is good, but not 2009 good so he looks to put more seconds into the Shecklets. 2morrow is the big day. Alpe stage is too short to create large gaps.

Don´t say that he is "2009-good" but having that margin like he had before yesterday is a considerable time cutting off in the mountains even if he was "2009-good". So, i really dont know in which kind of shape he is, but it was right of him, no matter the time, to do these attacks.

Now the gap is considerably more healthier (to AS). But one have to think of the mental effect now when he has throw down the hammer twice (could be a Riis-thing).

 

[BM1979]

If you can't see that Contador is riding better than he did last week, I don't think there's much left to debate.

I agree but I also believe the High Mountains tommorow will really tell us how good he is feeling. He has not put got away from Cadel or Sammy yet and thats unusual , it's all up in the air , Tomorrows the big test for all hopefuls

 

[Oldman]

The way I see it, Alberto attacking on that descent tells me a lot. I think he know he is good, but not 2009 good so he looks to put more seconds into the Shecklets. 2morrow is the big day. Alpe stage is too short to create large gaps.

I think we are all waiting for the annual cracking of Cuddles and if that happens, with the Shecklets TTing so awful, it's maybe Alberto by 15-30 seconds for overall. Of course in 2 months his win will be vacated but that is a post for another forum.

He's also riding abit on ego; hence the descent attack. He'd have to know that, barring a crash; everyone would be right there. He stilled needed huge pulls from Sammy to hold any gap, even temporarily. Evans held both of them off solo the day before...

 

[The Hitch]

I think Cadel is having a great Tour, but let's be honest, if Contador had not crashed, he wouldn't have the cushion he does. It's bike racing, no question about it, but let's be honest here. It's not as though Cadel gained his time difference by dropping Contador for 2 minutes.

Thats the really sad bit and its the one thing ruining the Tour. The winner gets victory by defending for 21 days a lead he never even earned in the first place.

 

[sportzchick]

That was a pretty good hors d'œuvre for what is about to come!

Couldnt agree more & I can't wait