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

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

great one is the only one really fitting of the name; contador

 

[BM1979]

great one is the only one really fitting of the name; contador

To me he is the Tainted One , not the great one

 

[just some guy]

To me he is the Tainted One , not the great one

Probably another 1000 riders with the same nichname then

 

[auscyclefan94]

Ok, I will definetly watch tonight!!!!

 

[BM1979]

Probably another 1000 riders with the same nichname then

I agree completely. He only got thrown in that basket when he failed a test , not before .
I am glad he is in the race to liven it up but I will be disappointed if he wins.

 

[patswana]

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.

I am sorry for the offence. Instead, change it to a mechanical incident then. But he'll have some reason that stops him from actually winning but leaves his fans thinking he would have won had it not been for that incident. The UCI & the ASO can't afford for him to win and then have to lose three Grand Tour titles when clenbuterol his case is heard.

 

[Maxiton]

This is tomorrow's descent. Watch Andy get off the bike and phone his mum while sobbing.

http://www.salite.ch/7475.asp?Mappa...v6u0o&dx=485&dy=330&empriseW=970&empriseH=661

Oh, mommy, mommy! Hilarious. But, I'm actually a little concerned for him. Feeling as much fear as he seems to, he's going to be at greatly increased risk.

You got to differentiate between the jokes, the semi serious and the serious posts.

Pretty much everything i write about Samu is at least half joke, other than when i say that i think he would have won without the Mon Allouts screwjob and the ttt. A lot of it is paraphrasing wonderlance, or Ryo, or other fanboys/ trolls/ jokers.

I love Euskaltel as much as the next guy (well maybe not as much as Arnout).

Calling them pro conti support group is just a joke and also i use it because i generally prefer to call persons and entities by nicknames, or describe them rather than always refer to them properly.

And i dont blame them for the ttt, they did what they could, I obviously blame the organisers and the idea of a ttt (which i have always opposed) for that.

I love the team time trial, Hitch. I think it's one of the most exciting aspects of a GT. Why do you oppose it?

Bet Andy crashes on either descent.

Yep. See above.

I think we're at the point of the race where subtlety goes out the window where Contador is concerned. It'll be, "I'm going to attack, I am attacking, I have attacked and you've just been dropped." I like the way he dishes out additional accelerations to those who have managed to follow the first accelerations, all the while looking at his opponent and (presumably) taunting them. Almost like a bird of prey. From here on out it's drop the hammer time for Contador, wherever he can and whenever he chooses. Bum knee? The stopover in Lourdes seems to have fixed that.

Evans will probably find himself responding to Contador's attacks before he (Evans) gets a chance to launch one. The Necks, meanwhile, might try something aggressive, but it will likely go wrong or be to little avail. Contador will gain major time. Basso will lose out. What will happen with Voeckler will be interesting to see. I wouldn't put my money there.

EDIT: This is all going to be 100% wrong, probably, but that's OK.

 

[swuzzlebubble]

Evans, Contador & Sanchez to get away again - on Col de Montgenèvre!

 

[auscyclefan94]

I love the team time trial, Hitch. I think it's one of the most exciting aspects of a GT. Why do you oppose it?

Because the team time trial is exciting but the general classification is an individual classification so why should the time of a team (not the individual) count to the GC?

 

[Maxiton]

Because the team time trial is exciting but the general classification is an individual classification so why should the time of a team (not the individual) count to the GC?

Because cycling is a unique hybrid of individual sport and team sport. Yes, the classification is for the individual, but he gets there only through the help of his team (Evans generally excepted ).

EDIT: Anyway, I have to hit the hay. In my part of the world there's a race on in the morning!

 

[spalco]

I can't see today's stage, so I hope it'll be boring as **** with nothing relevent happening whatsoever.

 

[the asian]

Another misery day for the Schlecks!!

 

[rainman]

I can't see today's stage, so I hope it'll be boring as **** with nothing relevent happening whatsoever.

No chance of that mate. sadly I miss out today also.

 

[Cycling the Alps]

Sestriere (2035m)

Sestriere today.
Check out this climb!

Direct link for 3D Tour:
http://www.cyclingthealps.com/#sestriere-tour
Direct link for Profile:
http://www.cyclingthealps.com/#sestriere-profile
Direct link for Game:
http://www.cyclingthealps.com/#sestriere-game

 

[Cycling the Alps]

Cote de Pramartino (0912m)

Colle Pra Martino (0912m)
This one looks really tricky just before the finish!!!

Direct link for 3D Tour:
http://www.cyclingthealps.com/#cote-de-pramartino-tour
Direct link for Streetview:
http://www.cyclingthealps.com/#cote-de-pramartino-streetview
Direct link for Profile:
http://www.cyclingthealps.com/#cote-de-pramartino-profile
Direct link for Game:
http://www.cyclingthealps.com/#cote-de-pramartino-game

The rest of today's climbs can be found here.
http://sites.cyclingthealps.com/worldtour/tour-de-france-2011

 

[Trofinios]

AC main goal now must be to gain time on Evans, he already has enough time on the Schlecks. But gaining time on Evans on todays stage will be difficult because of the decents. In fact AC could be worried about losing more time to Evans. This could prompt AC to attack on the last climb, on the steeper sections, in order to distance Evans before the descent to the finish starts. It will be too risky to be with Evans when the final descent begins.

The same goes for the Schlecks. They need to take the initiative on the last climb, set a high pace and then attack. Don't wait for Contador to attack with the risk of getting dropped, because then the tour can be over.

 

[the asian]

Basso will have to attack on the Sestrieres if he wants to minimize the losses on the descent. Do you think he will be up to it?? Even a podium finish will be tough for him if he descends like in stage 16.

 

[tobsie]

Cunego? Entering Italy, he will try something today

 

[greenedge]

Could Thor come into contention for a win??? If Kiryienka/ Fedrigo/ Sagan were here i would say them. Gerrans would be favourite for this stage. Cunego would try his *** off but can't get in a break. He will try go with Evans on the descent.

 

[mickkk]

I can't see today's stage, so I hope it'll be boring as **** with nothing relevent happening whatsoever.
Today 16:39

Dont worry you will miss nothing, I am on leave till its over and I carry a huge curse.

 

[Kender]

andy better wear his mountain bike pads today

 

[movingtarget]

Another misery day for the Schlecks!!

The way it's going, neither Schleck will make the podium. They seem to have it in the heads that the L'Alpe Duez stage will be deciding the race. There is always a shake up on that stage but this year it does not come at the end of a long stage. The confidence the Schlecks are still displaying, to me is not genuine. I don't think either one can win the race. The best they can hope for is a place on the podium and the way Sanchez is riding and also possibly further improvement from Basso, I think they will struggle to get there. I think Contador will try and light up the stage again, today, if he is feeling okay.

 

[Ferminal]

Do we get early coverage today, or the normal start time?

 

[Grayguard]

Do we get early coverage today, or the normal start time?

Looks like the usual 14:15 CEST start time.

 

[bjaelkesex]

Do we get early coverage today, or the normal start time?

Normal coverage