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

[Nibali]

Andy Merckx!

 

[The Hitch]

Of course they will! You really think they should sacrifice Samu's GC position purely to spite Cadel Evans and make a point?

No they should make Evans work untill he cracks, then go for it.

Schleck is not in as great a position as people think. Hell be far more tired on the climb and is alone and its a long long climb and hes a crap tter.


They can play around a little bit more yet.

 

[HL2037]

Chris Anker the great rolleur

 

[Escarabajo]

Did Andy Schleck drink a whiskey bottle last night??

Becuase that could tilt the race on his favour.

 

[Zoncolan]

Ok Andys chances are gone. Probably wont even get the stage the way this is coming down.

He'll get the stage. Question is what the gap will be? Once the big boys lose the helpers will they start pulling themselves, or start looking at each other?

 

[trevim]

Will Devenyns be a domestique for Leopard in the Ardennes next year?

 

[ak-zaaf]

Not really, Landis' was way more epic and dominating.

Today nobody chased, in 2006 nobody could follow.

 

[bicing]

I still think I'm dreaming.

Andy Schleck attacked from 60km out? Really?!

Damn, I'm going to have to start cheering for him! LOL!

Many of us are now, we love great racing and Andy certainly brought it today. We've all beein chapeau'ing him. Although we're not sure how the tactic will work.

There as been drama t0day - Andy, Contador looking bad with his knee, Leipheimer attacked too!

 

[Maxiton]

I still think I'm dreaming.

Andy Schleck attacked from 60km out? Really?!

Damn, I'm going to have to start cheering for him! LOL!

That's exactly what's happened. Both in the race and in the forum. Phil and Paul are going on about it a bit much, though.

 

[Mellow Velo]

6 or 7 now chasing 3, with a couple of "spares" in the bunch.
12 seconds taken back, so far.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Ok Andys chances are gone. Probably wont even get the stage the way this is coming down.

I wouldn't give up yet.

If the domestiques fail like they have been during this tour, and the leaders have to do the work themselves it could create a pretty interesting situation.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Chasers are really hammering. If they can keep this up Andy may get caught within several KM from the finish.

And just as I type that, Phil says they just aren't going to catch him. We'll see...

 

[Ferminal]

I'm still wondering if Leopard suddenly believes in Frank Schlecks TT ability.

And his climbing...

If this comes back, Andy is no longer a threat so everyone only has to mark one Schleck instead of two (which usually means marking Andy and letting Frank go because he's the lesser Schleck).

 

[hatcher]

Incidentally, Voeckler still hasn't looked even slightly troubled.

 

[Jamsque]

No they should make Evans work untill he cracks, then go for it.

Schleck is not in as great a position as people think. Hell be far more tired on the climb and is alone and its a long long climb and hes a crap tter.


They can play around a little bit more yet.

If they waited around until Evans decided to work himself and then waited some more for him to tire out then Andy would win the stage by five minutes. Sanchez has out-climbed Evans already this tour, it makes perfect sense for Euskaltel to chase now.

 

[ak-zaaf]

Why isn't Andrew getting his checkbook out? He could use a little more help.

 

[abbaskip]

You keep saying this, but I don't see how it is any more true for him then anyone else.


He's not in the race lead. He's got no real responsibilty to chase "because he's the leader".

WHile he has a good ITT and is in a good position time wise... he's not the leader. He's got to ride the best race to suit his interests... not everyone elses. Killing himself and breaking because "he should" is stupid. Others chances of winning are being hurt even more then his are by Schleck being up the road. They need to chase as much if not more then he does.

It would be different if he were leading... but he's not, Voeckler is. And Voeckler hasn't been dropped on a mountain yet... he can no longer claim that he's not at the same level as the favorites.

I fail to see how Evans has any responsibility other then to protect his own GC interest in the best way he sees fit.

This. Glad someone said it.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Peloton is losing the battle...

3 minutes again!!

 

[khodder]

Gap back out over 3 minutes...

 

[meandmygitane]

3 mins again, they are beating the SBS-EUS alliance!

LOL at the Sporza commentary when Voeckler sighed!!!!!!!!!


"(B?)Ooooh... mama!"

 

[max_powers]

Will Devenyns be a domestique for Leopard in the Ardennes next year?

Dries riding well this tour. Should help his team selection

 

[auscyclefan94]

Should I be panicking? If AC and samu leave it to BMC & Evans then they will lose their tour de france chances. That's why they are chasing.

 

[The Hitch]

I wouldn't give up yet.

If the domestiques fail like they have been during this tour, and the leaders have to do the work themselves it could create a pretty interesting situation.

The gap had come down from 3.32 to 2.49 in about 3 km.

At that rate he would finish 5 minutes down.

Thankfully its gone back up again.

 

[goggalor]

Gap increasing...

 

[spalco]

I'm wondering if the peloton knows more than we do. It almost looks like they are playing with Andy. They could be miscalculating of course.