2011 Tour de France Stage 18 - Pinerolo - Galibier Serre-Chevalier 200.5km

[Descender]

Wrong. The time limit was of course misjudget by several minutes since over 70 riders couldn't reach it.

Or just thought "let's just ride all together at a comfortable pace, since we're so many they won't kick us out".

Time limit rules are a joke.

 

[wirral]

They all get -20 points.

That'll teach them.

 

[dgodave]

That'll teach them.

If I dont get back from my ride by lunchtime, I lose 20 points!!!
.

 

[Fus087]

I think that reinstating today's gruppetto is OK.
However, the rules saying that they'll only get docked the amount of points available for the stage win should be changed: In the Giro (with the same amount of points for every stage) it's good this way, but in the Tour (with 45 points for a flat stage) it should be 45 points for all stages.

 

[El Pistolero]

Andy can't time trial yet takes 2 minutes of a peloton in a valley with headwind

 

[Rooboy]

Yeah, that's how it is and has always been. It's a very subjective process when they set the time limit and that's why they let them complete the race.

The only subjective thing about the finish time is how they classify the stage (or if a rider is considered to have been "unlucky" - accident etc.)

Look at pages 35 and 36 of the rules:
http://www.letour.fr/2011/TDF/COURSE/docs/reglement.pdf

 

[Dead Star]

Andy can't time trial yet takes 2 minutes of a peloton in a valley with headwind

It was hardly a raging first week peloton with HTC etc at the front!

 

[GroupDK]

Which dane has not done his best in your opinion?

You can chose who ever you want to. !!

The only one who has been his effort worth is Lars Bak.

Fuglsang a joke. !

CAS should be one of the main helper for Contador in the mauntains (having problems just being there and normally hanging back at the peloton even thow there are + 50 riders)

Nicki sørensen (not sure he is at the tour 2011)

Vandborg (are playing hide and seek all day)

 

[fourmi]

And to be fair, when Rojas was talking about Cav being eliminated today, he (IIRC) was referring to the possibility of him being dropped early on (on the Agnello) and not reaching the gruppetto.

 

[hektoren]

Amazing stage. Regardless of what's happened before, regardless of what will happen later, Andy Schleck just enschoned his name into cycling fokelore with that race. Eddy Mercx shouting encouragements at him says it all. Chapeau

And well done Evans. Now we know why what happened from Isoard to Galibier, they were too weak. Basso, who has the same style as Evans could follow but all the others dropped off. Amazing climbing display too, he did all he could. Now we have deja vu at the Alpe....

Lastly, Voeckler, ride of the day behind Andy he will likely lose the jersey tomorrow but he out-climbed all but 4/5 of the GC guys.

Chapeau x 1000000000 to all three

Well done, Evans indeed! Evans in yellow in Paris. No repetition of today, tomorrow. Evans picks up a few seconds tomorrow, and come saturday, BOOM, the schlecklets will have lost it yet again. They sure are a sorry sight.

 

[jobiwan]

Andy can't time trial yet takes 2 minutes of a peloton in a valley with headwind

He's owes half of that to Monfort (and Devenyns), and the other half to the indecisiveness of the peloton. It was CAS and Izagirre having to do all the work!!

And I wonder if Devenyns has an upcoming contract offer with Leopard after today!

 

[BYOP88]

Andy can't time trial yet takes 2 minutes of a peloton in a valley with headwind

Hmm lets see if any other rider did that(Spanish ones mostly), a forum a few down would be exploding!!

 

[RdBiker]

I think tomorrow it'll just be the Alpe, the Galibier is probably too far away.

There's under 10K of flattish road before the Alpe so it would be a better day to do what Andy did today. Hard to predict but my guess is that no one will get away but it will be slaughter on the Galibier.

 

[ManInFull]

Andy can't time trial yet takes 2 minutes of a peloton in a valley with headwind

That's what I don't get. Andy did have some folks with him on the descent and the lead-up to the last climb. Most of us thought that the gap would decrease, but it went up significantly! Was it because none of the GC contenders wanted to work together or what?

 

[GroupDK]

the 89 riders can stay in the tour

 

[HL2037]

You can chose who ever you want to. !!

The only one who has been his effort worth is Lars Bak.

Fuglsang a joke. !

CAS should be one of the main helper for Contador in the mauntains (having problems just being there and normally hanging back at the peloton even thow there are + 50 riders)

Nicki sørensen (not sure he is at the tour 2011)

Vandborg (are playing hide and seek all day)

Chris Anker killed himself pulling the group in the valley. I tend to agree on Fuglsang though, he hasn't really been there in the mountains.

 

[Thomsena]

That's what I don't get. Andy did have some folks with him on the descent and the lead-up to the last climb. Most of us thought that the gap would decrease, but it went up significantly! Was it because none of the GC contenders wanted to work together or what?

Chris Anker was leading the peloton in the valley - not the optimal choice, is it.

 

[RdBiker]

That's what I don't get. Andy did have some folks with him on the descent and the lead-up to the last climb. Most of us thought that the gap would decrease, but it went up significantly! Was it because none of the GC contenders wanted to work together or what?

Andy lost over a minute to Evans on the Galibier even though he has previously been a better climber than him. I account that to his effort in the valley.
He simply worked more than the other favourites in the flat parts + had Monfort blowing himself up for him whereas the peloton had Contador's mountain goat and the Euskaltel mountaineers to pull them in the flat.

 

[DamonAlbarn]

the 89 riders can stay in the tour

Wrong decision in my opinion. Of couse 89 is a massive amount but it would:
1) Put out a letter of intent for future races
2) The tour is almost over, so why not flog the lazy ****s?

 

[thehog]

Andy can't time trial yet takes 2 minutes of a peloton in a valley with headwind

Floyd would be proud.

 

[Anonymous]

Ive gone to being nervous to ..... Petrified - I'm afraid the Schlecks will tag team it out of Cadel's reach but I'm not giving up hope as He is right in this

I must issue an apology to the forum re some of my posts....I can get too irrational for my own good

It's cool, just switch to decaf

 

[Ragerod]

Why would they go all out? It's not like they were gonna be thrown out of the race if they didnt make the cut, right?
It seems this rule serves no purpose as it's selectively applied.

It's not selectively applied. The regulations clearly stipulate the situations when the time limit can be adjusted. It's not the first time it's happened and it won't be the last. The headwind made the final climb more difficult and by not adapting the time limit when so many are outside undermines the whole race. Some guys will have taken it easier but it's still twice as big as it needs to be.

Race Regulations - Elimination coefficients
Finishing times may be adapted under exceptional situations (weather conditions, blocked roads, serious accident or incident, etc.) according to the assessment of the Stewards’ Committee, with the agreement of the race management. If the percentage of eliminated riders rises above 20% of starters in the stage, permitted finishing times may be increased upon the decision of the Stewards’ Committee, with the agreement of the race management. It is understood that the riders who finish within the new permitted times will qualify for following stages, without a precedent being set for the rest of the race.

 

[hrotha]

Floyd would be proud.

Pretty epic Spanish commentators moment:

Some guy: When was the last time we saw anything like this?
Delgado: Floyd Landis.
Some guy: ... Errr, better not to remember that.
Delgado: Well, don't ask then!

 

[Descender]

Pretty epic Spanish commentators moment:

Some guy: When was the last time we saw anything like this?
Delgado: Floyd Landis.
Some guy: ... Errr, better not to remember that.
Delgado: Well, don't ask then!

De Andrés is pretty pathetic these days...

 

[goggalor]

Pretty epic Spanish commentators moment:

Some guy: When was the last time we saw anything like this?
Delgado: Floyd Landis.
Some guy: ... Errr, better not to remember that.
Delgado: Well, don't ask then!

_________