2012 Tour de France: Stage 11: Albertville → La Toussuire - Les Sybelles (148km)

[stampedingviking]

Sky is racist.

Nuff said.

What? Think you better expalin that one

 

[Andre.J]

Yikes!! dont say the D word. Surely it was motivation.

 

[Justin Pain]

Froome attacking wasnt the problem. Wiggins was on Nibalis wheel and safe in the group. So Froome thought he could make up some time on his own (Fair enough). But the consequences of the attack was devestating, for the first time this year Bradley showed his rivals a sign of weakness. Thats why Brad is ****ed.

 

[DominicDecoco]

Riis finds Froome's attack "interesting", and that Froome's intention might have been to display Wiggins weakness so that he will be attacked more in the rest of the race, and that its not impossible that Froome will end up winning.

A bit speculative imo, but interesting nevertheless

Link to that..?

That interview I saw with Bjarne he didn't say anything about secret intentions but just simple stupidity from Froome and Sky since the competitors now know that Wiggins is beatable.

 

[4smajeure]

Horner Cramped

http://www.radioshacknissantrek.com/news/trenches

Chris Horner was part of the early race action, going in the front group until the third climb when he suddenly stopped along the roadside and dismounted his bike. Horner: “This was a super, super hard stage. When I came down the Col de la Croix de Fer I thought I was eating and drinking enough but there was never really enough time, so my legs got cold and they both cramped at the same time. I had to actually get off the bike, drink a bottle and then get back on to ride tempo. It’s rare that this happens. Normally at my age you don’t cramp, you just lose power. But it was a warm day and it was steep and I was averaging 282 watts when I cramped up on the bottom of the climb. There was nothing I could do except step off the bike instead of fall off. I think it was a lack of water. When the pace is high it’s hard to eat and drink enough. I pedaled easy for a good distance then and waited for the Wiggins group to go up the last climb. Once the legs were warmed up I was good on the last climb.”

 

[Montanus]

Froome attacking wasnt the problem. Wiggins was on Nibalis wheel and safe in the group. So Froome thought he could make up some time on his own (Fair enough). But the consequences of the attack was devestating, for the first time this year Bradley showed his rivals a sign of weakness. Thats why Brad is ****ed.

He is? Nibali is +2.23 behind Wiggo and Nibali didn't gain a second on Wiggo today. Nibali needs at least a two minute lead on Wiggo before the last ITT, which means that Wiggo really has about 4 minutes on Nibali. Exactly when will Nibali take those minutes? If Wiggo just keeps his composure and holds a steady pace when the attacks come he won't lose more than max 1-2 minutes, given that Froome is loyal of course. So I wouldn't say that Brad is doomed.

 

[egtalbot]

If he leaves Sky, he wont have the training and dedication

Probably not the cadence, either

 

[Zam_Olyas]

robbys video for this stage.
http://www.therobbyy.com/tour12/wordpress/?page_id=86

 

[Erik_R]

i didnt see any mention about the maximum time cut. did everybody make it? before the stage started i was predicting a lot of sprinters not making the time cut and being tossed out.

 

[Frosty]

i didnt see any mention about the maximum time cut. did everybody make it? before the stage started i was predicting a lot of sprinters not making the time cut and being tossed out.

Most made it but Petacchi and Krivtsov didnt. Think the limit was around 37.00 so Kenny only just scraped home.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/tour-de-france/stage-11/results

162 Alessandro Vanotti (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale 0:34:15
163 Yauheni Hutarovich (Blr) FDJ-Big Mat
164 Tyler Farrar (USA) Garmin - Sharp 0:34:26
165 Juan José Haedo (Arg) Team Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank 0:34:51
166 Aliaksandr Kuchynski (Blr) Katusha Team 0:34:55
167 Kenny Robert Van Hummel (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team 0:36:35
HD Yuriy Krivtsov (Fra) Lampre - ISD 0:45:41
HD Alessandro Petacchi (Ita) Lampre - ISD 0:46:34

 

[Frosty]

Oh dear, wasnt a simple case of not having the legs, turns out that Petacchi crashed on the descent of the Croix de Fer and has suspected broken ribs.

http://tensport.com.au/news/newsarticles/Cycling-Tour-campaign-ends-early-for-Gesink-Petacchi.htm

 

[goggalor]

Brailsford - "Froome's attack was certainly not planned."

Hah, isn't that exactly what Bruyneel said in 2009, after Contador attacked on Arcalis?

Wiggins will want to prove he's the strongest I think. He'll definitely kill the time trial again, but I think he'd like to show who's boss in the mountains... but of course, there are no more MTFs! Ridiculous.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

So... i'm watching the stage again on Eurosport (final k's)... with football commentary

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Hah. The NOS caught Hoogerland after the finish talking to some guy from his team at the finish, probably his soigneur, saying "Damn f*** that was unreal fast. They rode that last climb like it was the last mountain in the Tour."

 

[JRanton]

Crazy attack from Froome. Your team leader has a two minute+ lead with a 50km+ time trial to come and you launch an attack when you know he's on or close to his limit? Let's just say I wouldn't like to have been in Froome's shoes when Sean Yates got hold of him after the stage...

A quick read of Michelle Cound's twitter page (Froome's girlfriend) I think reveals why he did what he did. She's been in his ear.

 

[Erik_R]

froome looks like he wants to win the tour the way hes riding. Saw him in the ITT as well, really gunning for it. At that moment he probably thought he was going to put some seconds into his leader.

Might se a case og mutiny ref contador/Armstrong.
Froome would have won the vuelta if he didnt have to drag Wiggo along

 

[auscyclefan94]

BMC and Evans not giving up after off day.

"He's going to keep fighting. If Sky continues on a decline with their strength in numbers and Cadel shakes off today and has a better day in the coming days, we can get the time back" van Garderen said.

"It's always possible. We won't say today it's finished. We'll keep fighting until Paris." - John lelangue

http://www.bmcracingteam.com/news/n...our-de-france-stage-11-evans-slips-to-fourth/

On the last climb, I lost a very disappointing amount of time to my main rivals. Not something that pleases me in any way. We continue on the same though, we still have a lot more racing to go, certainly being over three minutes down is long way from optimal - it's far from over yet. - Cadel Evans

http://cadelevans.com.au/race_stages.aspx?StageID=93&RaceID=57

 

[Dedelou]

Shame about Evans. Theres something sad about watching the current TdF winner being dropped (like Contador last year). At least he tried to attack but it was clear he just did not have the legs.

Pedro you must have been late last year to miss contador attacks in a few stages. Did we watch the same 2011 tour? In the one I saw, contador had 4 crashes in the first week and a poor TTT, compared to the big teams. The way i remember 2011 had Contador in 86 place in the first few days to end up finishing top ten by the end of the Tour in Paris

 

[Dedelou]

Well at least Wiggo will likely never have to live with the permanent shame of having lost his title like your little suspended hero...save your breath/hate for the Vuelta, I think you'll need it...

Moving on...any comments from Sky after the stage ?

Last I saw, Wiggins has no GT title to loose yet.

 

[Don't be late Pedro]

Pedro you must have been late last year to miss contador attacks in a few stages. Did we watch the same 2011 tour? In the one I saw, contador had 4 crashes in the first week and a poor TTT, compared to the big teams. The way i remember 2011 had Contador in 86 place in the first few days to end up finishing top ten by the end of the Tour in Paris

I was specifically talking about when Contador became unhitched up the Galibier. He made a brave attempt to try and reconnect only to be dropped again. Was not talking about the tour as a whole.

 

[ggusta]

Sky is racist.

Nuff said.

This is the biggest tease since Beth Burnie told me she had a friend that wanted to do a 3 way. get your keister back here and explain! Sky??? Blue?? wtf? help.

 

[ggusta]

Finally some cracks on the Sky armour! This stage gave me the feeling that the level isn't all that high at the moment. I mean, Schleck holding on for so long, Rogers pulling for so long, Van Garderen...I don´t know. What do you think?

Still, the biggest revelation was Van Garderen. It was his most convincing climbing performance ever I think. Much better than a couple of years ago on the Alpe. Hats off to him. Will he fade in the 3rd week or does he have the experience now to do well? We'll see....

About Evans cracking, I'm afraid that Nibali will start to ride for 3rd place instead of the win.

I thought Evans and Nibali's attacks were both not sustained enough to really make the stage that much in doubt. I liked watching Levi try to help cadel for like 4 seconds...and then sink like a stone.

Biggest excitement comes from Wiggins being slightly mental and insecure about his team and his chances. Instead of man vs man, it's man vs himself and his co-workers. If I wanted that, I have an office to go to.

 

[Cimber]

Link to that..?

That interview I saw with Bjarne he didn't say anything about secret intentions but just simple stupidity from Froome and Sky since the competitors now know that Wiggins is beatable.

No link, live tv. He said it was really stupid from a Sky perspective, but tjat it might very well be intentional with the goal to expose wiggins. And in his opinion Froome just might end on top of the podium on Paris

 

[Cimber]

i didnt see any mention about the maximum time cut. did everybody make it? before the stage started i was predicting a lot of sprinters not making the time cut and being tossed out.

No 2 missed it

 

[jens_attacks]

a little bit late

Col de la Madeleine
2012:25,3 km@6,2%---1:05:17---average speed 23.25 km/h(P.Velits-Kessiakoff)
2010:25,3 km@6,2%---1:04:59---average speed 23.36 km/h(A.Schleck-Contador)

Col de la Croix de Fer
2012:22,4 km@6,9%---1:06:18---average speed 20.27 km/h(Rogers-Wiggins-Porte-Froome-Brajkovic-Van Den Broeck-Pinot-Cobo-Nibali-Van Garderen-Zubeldia-Evans)

levi was around one minute faster in 2006 but we know how he paid on toussuire

Col du Mollard
2012:5,7 km@6,8%---16:38---average speed 20.56 km/h(Rolland-Kiserlovski)
2006:5,7 km@6,8%---16:04---average speed 21.29 km/h(Levi Leipheimer)


La Toussuire
2012:18,4 km@6%---45:02---average speed 24.52 km/hPinot-Froome)
2008:18,4 km@6%---45:26---average speed 24.30 km/h(Chris Anker Sorensen)-Dauphine
---45:19---average speed 24.36 km/h(Pierrick Fedrigo)
2006:18,4 km@6%---44:47---average speed 24.65 km/h(Carlos Sastre)
2006:18,4 km@6%---47:02---average speed 23.47 km/h(Moreau-Leipheimer-Piepoli)-Dauphine