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

[Alpe d'Huez]

I think Voeckler showed at the end he really didn't have any energy to help chase. He was cracking bad at the finish. Another km and he would have lost the jersey.

Tomorrow should be very furious.

 

[patrick767]

LOL @ all the people losing respect for Voeckler... The guy is punching well above his weight, the guy should really be in a grupetto somewhere...

So? May the strongest rider win. Voeckler clearly isn't it. Sure he's overachieving and that's commendable, but I'd still much rather see the best rider win yellow.

 

[Cervelo77]

Is there an up to date live ticker for the riders as they come in?

TDF official live ticker has live standings for stage and all the jerseys. Currently counting at +17 minutes.
http://gaps.letour.fr/us.php

 

[ak-zaaf]

Have to say that I am not upset that Contador dropped either. Might keep ASO from having to give the win away in a month or so anyway.

He can keep his Giro, and can keep this one if one if he wins it (which he won't).
Only his win from last year is on the line.

 

[Ferminal]

Some epic Tomalaris & Tan at the moment.

 

[hrotha]

Can someone with a practical knowledge of cycling can explain me, how in the name of God, Schleck gained so much time on descent and flat(minor ascent) against 40 guys, including some top domestiques?

ps. This Tour should be named "Where is Contador". If Contador isnt (counter)attacking, its ok to let Andy go. Wake up Evans. Deja vu from Sastre 2008?

What top domestiques? They had a couple of BMC guys (one from the break), three or four Euskaltels (one from the break), and two Saxos (who have sucked all Tour). Yes, plenty of people, but they were dead men riding uphill and with a strong headwind. Meanwhile, Andy is strong, Monfort has shown to be in form too and he'd been resting for a while. Add in the not insignificant help from Devenyns (wtf?), and it makes perfect sense.

 

[kurtinsc]

That's my take, too. Evans' needs to get it within 30 seconds to be safe and I doubt that he can accomplish that tomorrow.

I'm not sure one way or the other.

Andy only tries in ITT's in a GT, so it's tough to judge him in the discipline. The last time when both rode an ITT with some sort of effort was the 2009 annecy ITT in the tour. Cadel only gained 30 seconds there.

But he also had poor form in that tour so who knows.

 

[Cervelo77]

TDF official live ticker has live standings for stage and all the jerseys. Currently counting at +17 minutes.
http://gaps.letour.fr/us.php

Still a lot of riders not in yet.

 

[ak-zaaf]

Remember the last time Cadel Evans went in to the final ITT of a Tour needing less than a minute on a climber to win?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWfbGGZE07M

 

[hoolaparara]

Oh Yes everybody is able to perform to the exact same level day after day without a bad day because the peloton is clean now
Thank you Mike Tomalaris. Jeez anybody but Tan at the end please SBS

 

[Epicycle]

Is 57 seconds enough for Andy over Cadel?

 

[The Hitch]

Andy in KOM?

 

[spanky wanderlust]

please, please, please may cadel evans have the ride of his life tomorrow and then again in the itt! only cadel can save this tour now.

deeply saddened by today's result.

except that cadel is still in this thing. would love to see him win.

and wtf is going on with voeckler? he is climbing with the elites now? that's just...astonishing. really.

 

[VoidSix]

My guess is that Leopard's strategy was to have Andy attack early and take as much time as possible today, and then have Frank attack tomorrow. Whichever brother was in the back can wheel-suck off Evans or Basso or whoever follows.

Don't be surprised if Frank takes off tomorrow and tries to get a minute or so on Cadel before the TT. Then all Andy has to do is follow when Cadel tries to close the gap and have Evans do all the work, take a few more seconds at the top of the climb like Frank did today and Schlecks will be 1-2 with a minute apiece on Cadel. They may be able to maintain that.

 

[kanari]

So? May the strongest rider win. Voeckler clearly isn't it. Sure he's overachieving and that's commendable, but I'd still much rather see the best rider win yellow.

So? The forum was full of people saying they were losing respect for TV because he didn't chase... It wasn't his freaking responsibility, jersey or not.

 

[goggalor]

Maybe I was a bit hard on a few people today, especially Sanchez and Contador. They didn't have the legs, okay. But I'm still ****ed at Basso. I'm usually a fan of his style, but I lost a lot of respect for him today. And he can't win it back this Tour, if he goes for an Alpe d'Huez win tomorrow that means he was saving himself today, and that's just not cool when Evans is killing himself on the front.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Rein in white makes me lol in regards to ryo

 

[VoidSix]

Is 57 seconds enough for Andy over Cadel?

If it was enough for Sastre, it's enough for Andy.

 

[Sidbike]

Can someone with a practical knowledge of cycling can explain me, how in the name of God, Schleck gained so much time on descent and flat(minor ascent) against 40 guys, including some top domestiques?

ps. This Tour should be named "Where is Contador". If Contador isnt (counter)attacking, its ok to let Andy go. Wake up Evans. Deja vu from Sastre 2008?

Yes. That is how breakaways stick. The dropped pack spends too much time waiting for other people to start the chase...playing chicken. Then when somebody finally does step up it's too late and the break takes time/wins race.

 

[ak-zaaf]

please, please, please may cadel evans have the ride of his life tomorrow and then again in the itt! only cadel can save this tour now.

deeply saddened by today's result.

except that cadel is still in this thing. would love to see him win.

and wtf is going on with voeckler? he is climbing with the elites now? that's just...astonishing. really.

You're sad that a GC contender has the balls to attack with 60km to go and actually wins it? Wow.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Remember the last time Cadel Evans went in to the final ITT of a Tour needing less than a minute on a climber to win?

this this this this.

also we still have alpe with a massive tactical advantage for the schlecks.

 

[kjetilraknerud]

I'm thinking the hesitation before the final climb cost the yellow jersey group at least one minute, Monfort totally owned everyone. That could mean a lot in Paris.

 

[thrawn]

Mr Tan would you should the hell up you ignorant fool.

Yep. I didn't think it was possible, but SBS found somebody with less intelligence than Tomolaris...

 

[Cervelo77]

Andy in KOM?

74 for Vanendert
72 for Samu
70 for Andy

 

[MKirilenko]

What top domestiques? They had a couple of BMC guys (one from the break), three or four Euskaltels (one from the break), and two Saxos (who have sucked all Tour). Yes, plenty of people, but they were dead men riding uphill and with a strong headwind. Meanwhile, Andy is strong, Monfort has shown to be in form too and he'd been resting for a while. Add in the not insignificant help from Devenyns (wtf?), and it makes perfect sense.

Its still hard to undestand really... 2 minutes... come on. And true that Contador should fire all of them. And where, for the love of God, is Richie Porte? Is he even there? I never heard his name I think.

And about Andy going alone. Its what I said. Evans is always looking for Contador. If he's not chasing, he's assuming its ok. Should have realized earlier that if Contador doesnt follow, he just not there. Wake up Evans really.