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

[Marva32]

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/aso-denies-descents-in-tour-de-france-are-too-dangerous

Andy S

chleck criticized the course during the rest day on Monday. "That's ridiculous," he said in his press conference. "It looks like a bike path across a wood. I trained three times in the descent and I already felt it too risky".

Dramatically, Schleck added the downhill is "mortally dangerous."

"If it rains many riders will go to the hospital," he said.

I watched the video somebody posted earlier. If the riders use the right equipment they should be fine. The problem is that they are going to use the carbon rims and are not able to handle them properly on the descents.

 

[The Hitch]

If you don't like Samu riding for Euskaltel you don't like Samu.

Sometimes I have the feeling that Hitch supports Sanchez not for him, but to be unique in supporting an undervalued rider.

I dont quite know why I support Samu.

True fans dont pick their riders.

Their riders pick them.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

How much time will Basso lose on the descent?

Or Evans, TV or AS gain?

I do agree that Contador is apt to attack, especially if he's feeling good.

Here's a link to the map.

And here's the profile.

The more I look at this, I think this stage has a great shot to shake some things up, especially if the weather is sketchy. If today was any indication, the pace over the first 2/3 will be fast and filled with attacks. Tired legs, and people (like AC, Basso) needing to attack could create fireworks.

Weather looks like a mix. Here's a link to Fenestrelle. Could be worse at the col's, better in the valleys though, of course.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

could be an epic stage.
Will be interesting.

 

[wirral]

Latest local weather report?

 

[jobiwan]

This stage scares me as an Andy fan.
He could very well lose another minute or two if he's not careful. If he could miraculously not lose time today, I would be SUPER HAPPY.

Should be a very exciting stage, no matter the result.

Maybe Andy will attack, and only Alberto and Sammy can follow. Sammy gets the stage win in return for opening a 45 second gap on Cadel. Andy hangs on on the descent and loses only 10 seconds in the end to Sammy and Alberto.

A guy can dream right?

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

After last night, I think Cadel only needs to worry himself about following Alberto on the difficult climbs.

If Contador is in good form, trying to follow his wheel in the mountains is a bad idea unless you are a top form Andy.

Evans, above all, needs to avoid making his traditional mistake of attaching himself limpet-like to the wheels of the turbo climbers and putting himself deep in the red following their accelerations. If he does that, he's well capable of dropping down the GC rankings like a stone with one epic bad day.

Contador may not reach anything close to his top form, given that he rode the Giro, and if that's the case then Evans may be able to stick close to him. But if Contador starts going nuts on the climbs, he'd be well advised to stick to his own pace and grind his way up steadily.

 

[TimChristy]

Basso should attack on the Sestriere cause he's in no man's land and will probably lose more time on the final descent if he simply tries to follow everyone. Also a good way to make his mark as he crosses over the Italian border.

Wouldn't mind seeing Leopard have Andy wear a muzzle tomorrow so we don't have to hear his post race b!tching when he loses more time on the descent.

 

[Bennyl]

If Contador is in good form, trying to follow his wheel in the mountains is a bad idea unless you are a top form Andy.

Evans, above all, needs to avoid making his traditional mistake of attaching himself limpet-like to the wheels of the turbo climbers and putting himself deep in the red following their accelerations. If he does that, he's well capable of dropping down the GC rankings like a stone with one epic bad day.

Contador may not reach anything close to his top form, given that he rode the Giro, and if that's the case then Evans may be able to stick close to him. But if Contador starts going nuts on the climbs, he'd be well advised to stick to his own pace and grind his way up steadily.

Yes, didn't mean him trying to jump like he did in the past... i meant more in the style he is covering the moves now... he doesn't panic, but finds a good steady increased tempo and steadily drags them back. when he covers moves like this he looks so strong and even when he has been taking turns leading, his current racing tempo seems very strong.

It's interesting because Cadel's tempo on the climbs seems really strong and quick like Basso (the diesel engine), however he is able to react and jump accross quickly to cover the occasional quick accelarations really well (which he never could in the past - once maybe twice but not more than that), which Ivan is not.

 

[luckyboy]

Bet Andy crashes on either descent.

 

[BYOP88]

Not a fan of Evans, but I really wouldn't mind if he wins it all, my only concern for him is this, as of yet none of the other GC guys have gone all out yet on a long steep climb, if on Thursday or Friday that happens he could lose time.

 

[swuzzlebubble]

Not a fan of Evans, but I really wouldn't mind if he wins it all, my only concern for him is this, as of yet none of the other GC guys have gone all out yet on a long steep climb, if on Thursday or Friday that happens he could lose time.

Yes but it comes down to how much of course given he has a margin now and should be faster in the TT.
I’d certainly like to see him repeat the last stage and put some more time into the Schleck sisters though.

 

[BYOP88]

Yes but it comes down to how much of course given he has a margin now and should be faster in the TT.
I’d certainly like to see him repeat the last stage and put some more time into the Schleck sisters though.

Yeah I'm all for him, Contador, Sanchez and maybe Tommy V(if he can last the pace on the final climb, assuming the pace is like today) working together and putting some distance between themselves and Andy.

 

[Publicus]

We are getting to the point where AC might already have enough time on the Schleck's due to the ITT, but needs to take time on Evans in the mountains.

He doesn't need to drop the Schleck's (perhaps we are not quite there yet, maybe after tomorrow), but he can ride with them to distance Evans.

Tommy V might still pull off a surprise, though.

I think this is what tomorrow will bring us. Andy will have that fire in his belly and will launch a major EARLY attack (given the gradient over the last two kilometers he will need to build a gap) to get over the top of the finally climb with some kind of gap (that's the only way he can minimize his losses). If AC can get on his wheel and put time into Cuddles and Voeckler that's a win for AC. But the key is which Andy will show up tomorrow: "Tourmalet-Fire-In-His-Belly-Andy" or "Hey-Mom-Can-You-See-Me-Andy"

 

[etymology]

my (maybe wishful thinking) prognostication:

if it is raining and contador has legs and good sensations, contador thins out the gc herd with attacks on sestrieres, going over the top with sammu. some of the the herd joins alberto just in time for the pramartino climb. alberto's attacks finish off everyone except sammy by the top of the climb. contador follows sammu down the final descent.

andy and frank lose minutes - they are declared official podium toast. evans and voelker lose just enough time to start really worrying about contador stages 18 and 19.

if it is not raining...same as above *except* andy and frank do not lose quite enough time to be declared toast. they are done, just not offically toast.

what i mostly hope is...the weather is good and the clouds are high so there is no picture loss or constant breakup on sestrieres and pramartino.

 

[knewcleardaze]

What I'd like to know is when is the rider that wants to win this Tour going to do something??? Daggone

 

[patswana]

Contador will have a spectacular crash and will thus have a great excuse as to why he can't win the Tour. Then when he gets banned, the ASO won't have to give the win to the runner up again.

 

[La Vie Claire]

Contador already had several crashes so try again.

 

[Big Doopie]

What I'd like to know is when is the rider that wants to win this Tour going to do something??? Daggone

no offense personally to the above poster, but frankly i get so tired of this reaction.

do you honestly think the riders aren't doing everything they can to win?

just because we don't have another robocyclist sprinting up the last mountain leaving everyone else looking stupid does not mean that everyone isn't trying desperately to win the tour.

evans would never be able to win like merckx, so why are you expecting him to? however, he has -- so far -- done everything right, everything according to his capabilities, even won a stage, for chrissakes...

do you not think voeckler is doing everything? and contador? and basso? and even danielson?

the only rider you could argue missed opportunities to hurt his rivals more is andy schleck -- but even with him, it is possible that he was simply attacking as much as he could and could not sustain a longer acceleration without hurting and opening himself up to nasty counter-attacks?

the aweful thing about the robotic mountain climbing we have seen with the likes of pantani, indurain, armstrong, rasmussen and contador in the last twenty years is that people have gotten so used to it that when riders are not able to sprint up entire mountains any more we begrudge them this.

ridiculous.

it's an exciting race no matter what speeds they go at.

i am not stupid enough to think that the tour can now be seriously discussed without spending most of your time in the clinic -- but to pine for the "good old days" of certain riders being able to defy gravity and physics in general only justifies those who think it's "more exciting" when the riders look inhuman.

 

[theswordsman]

Contador will have a spectacular crash and will thus have a great excuse as to why he can't win the Tour. Then when he gets banned, the ASO won't have to give the win to the runner up again.

After the horrible crashes at the Giro and the Tour, with Weylandt, Soler, and all the guys who had nasty injuries, how do you put crap like this out there? It's so effing wrong.

 

[Ferminal]

That's good but a map would be even better.

The map in the roadbook only starts with 5km to go.

I traced the main part of the descent myself, up until around 3.6km to go. The final part on the flat is just a soft right at 3500m, then a 90 degree left at 1km to go.

 

[The Barb]

no offense personally to the above poster, but frankly i get so tired of this reaction.

do you honestly think the riders aren't doing everything they can to win?

Right on Big Doopie. I get sick of comments like that, which seem to imply that riders are not attacking for some reason other than physical inability.

And no one can criticise Cadel for not attacking. Personally I thought he was far too attacking in the first week and would've been better to keep his tinder dry for the high mountains but it doesn't seem to have affected him.

 

[metya77]

I agree, but do you want to here something really weird -

Evans is looking forward to this stage as a positive stage for him ??????

I don´t get it

muhaha =))) I can't wait this stage. it is show time.

 

[just some guy]

I think this is what tomorrow will bring us. Andy will have that fire in his belly and will launch a major EARLY attack (given the gradient over the last two kilometers he will need to build a gap) to get over the top of the finally climb with some kind of gap (that's the only way he can minimize his losses). If AC can get on his wheel and put time into Cuddles and Voeckler that's a win for AC. But the key is which Andy will show up tomorrow: "Tourmalet-Fire-In-His-Belly-Andy" or "Hey-Mom-Can-You-See-Me-Andy"

Problem everyone will be waiting for it and to do it Andy must drop Fränk

 

[auscyclefan94]

Pramantino has 10% gradients mixed in with 0% ones.

If The Great One brings The Great Racing, maybe he can get Evans to crack.

probably not but well still have Galibier (hopefully) to come.

by the great one who do you mean?

Considering "that Sanchez" (since you dont seem to have heard of him) has proven himself to be a way better climber than Evans over the last few years, including in this Tour, if Sanchez gets dropped then that means Evans will have likely gotten dropped too

Sorry but that is pretty darn funny.

Schlecks especially Andy will be in trouble on the descent of this climb. It is also a rather short climb of which according to them doesnt suit them.