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

[User Guide]

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

The weakest field in second week ive ever seen,Bertie and frandy jnr to come back for next year....
might be froomes one and only chance,id be a bit sneaky too
No id of ridden to win at this point I think,yes maybe bad teamwork/sly.
May never happen for him, id do it.

 

[Cimber]

I don't see anything there to suggest that Froome is "gutted" as another comment stated. I think people are seeing what they want to see, trying to manufacture a controversy.

Then read this:

http://translate.google.com/transla...uk%C3%B8ret-froome-er-her-hj%C3%A6lpe-bradley

 

[Mellow Velo]

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

Especially as his man's same weakness was exposed in the exact same manner, 60kms earlier!

I bet Nibali and VDB are smiling over today's developments.

 

[Cimber]

Especially as his man's same weakness was exposed in the exact same manner, 60kms earlier!

I bet Nibali and VDB are smiling over today's developments.

Sorry I lost u. What man?

 

[Cervelo77]

This has probably already been mentioned, but when this is your best placed rider on the stage:

33 Daniel Martin (Irl) Garmin - Sharp 0:14:15

You had a bad day at the office.

 

[Cimber]

This has probably already been mentioned, but when this is your best placed rider on the stage:

33 Daniel Martin (Irl) Garmin - Sharp 0:14:15

You had a bad day at the office.

Well at least Martin had a go at it in the break. Damn unlucky Tour Garmin has had

 

[Justin Pain]

Me thinks:
Brailsford to Froome: "This year its everyone for Wiggins, next year you will wear the captain's armband."

 

[Cimber]

Me thinks:
Brailsford to Froome: "This year its everyone for Wiggins, next year you will wear the captain's armband."

Not the sweetest deal tbh, since next year Andy and Bertie will make it alot tougher to win. That said it would be great if he could mix in and making the du-battle a threesome

 

[Clemson Cycling]

Who would have thought 1 Spaniard in the top 17 in the GC. When is the last time that happened?

 

[Mellow Velo]

Sorry I lost u. What man?

Sorry, I assumed you meant Andy, not Bjarne.

 

[webvan]

Then read this:

http://translate.google.com/transla...uk%C3%B8ret-froome-er-her-hj%C3%A6lpe-bradley

A journalist putting a different slant on the facts it seems...more and better info here http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/latest/533878/froome-explains-his-attack-on-la-toussuire.html

Looks like he was sticking to the original tactics of the morning (taking time on Cadel) and needed some guidance adapting it to the new circumstances.

 

[El Pistolero]

As if Wiggins will not want to defend his pro wrestling title next year. Froome is ****ed if he stays with Sky.

 

[Cervelo77]

Well at least Martin had a go at it in the break. Damn unlucky Tour Garmin has had

No joke. For sure they have had their fair share of misfortune this Tour.

 

[Cimber]

A journalist putting a different slant on the facts it seems...more and better info here http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/latest/533878/froome-explains-his-attack-on-la-toussuire.html

Looks like he was sticking to the original tactics of the morning (taking time on Cadel) and needed some guidance adapting it to the new circumstances.

Hardly as they had already distanced Cadel and just needed to keep a high pace. Froome is no idiot after all, so his attack had nothing to do with Cadel.

Anyways in that article I linked whats interesting is the direct quotes which really do indicate that he feels a tad gutted. And who can blame him? We all would be gutted if we had the legs to attack and distance everyone but had to stay behind cos that is the right thing to do for the team. Everyone has personal ambitions, thats only natural.

 

[Cervelo77]

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?

Meh, I think nobody in contention for GC would want to go too deep at this point. Still a lot of riding to come. I think that is why the folks able to follow Sky's tempo ended up mostly clustered together. For sure we found out who isn't up for it this year today, right Mr. Menchov?

Still, the biggest revelation was Van Garderen. ...

Impressive, yes. Good training even if he does crack in the 3rd week.

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

I don't think so. I think he'll attack in the Pyrenees if he feels good. He will not risk blowing up though.

 

[burning]

As if Wiggins will not want to defend his pro wrestling title next year. Froome is ****ed if he stays with Sky.

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

 

[Bala Verde]

On the avondetappe (dutch cycling tv show), an embedded journalist who went to the post race press conference reported that,

"While wiggins said he was happy and thrilled with today's result, his body language was the total opposite. He was furious, could barely contain himself; he was curt, and the humour he had so effectively used in prior days... there was anything but humour...."

He thought tonight at the SKY dining table, they'd be having a "discussion."

In a post race interview:

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

 

[Cervelo77]

Anyways in that article I linked whats interesting is the direct quotes which really do indicate that he feels a tad gutted. And who can blame him? We all would be gutted if we had the legs to attack and distance everyone but had to stay behind cos that is the right thing to do for the team. Everyone has personal ambitions, thats only natural.

It's weird how the guy ahead after the ITTs gets the leadership position without question. If you have two equally strong riders, which basically Sky does because Froome climbs better than Wiggins, you'd think you'd set them both up, then let them both go for it on a MTF.

 

[User Guide]

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

The point is sky have dedicated this entire group to this goal, all raced together trained together.
How many mountain/altitude training camps they been on?
How many squads can set 9 guys aside to have 1 aim?
How many can send the squad on camps not just the gc men/man?
How many teams can pull the team from a race because its raining and dangerous conditions
Skys money/certain of WT status certainly helped

 

[burning]

The point is sky have dedicated this entire group to this goal, all raced together trained together.
How many mountain/altitude training camps they been on?
How many squads can set 9 guys aside to have 1 aim?
How many can send the squad on camps not just the gc men/man?
How many teams can pull the team from a race because its raining and dangerous conditions
Skys money/certain of WT status certainly helped

Actually they have 6 guys to have one aim to be honest
I just can not understand how Rogers can pull peloton for 50km and Porte can do so well compared to last year when he lost 15-20 minutes in every stage

 

[Frosty]

Details of the two H/D

Petacchi 46.34 - almost 10 minutes out in the end.
Krivtsov 45.41

 

[mewmewmew13]

On the avondetappe (dutch cycling tv show), an embedded journalist who went to the post race press conference reported that,

"While wiggins said he was happy and thrilled with today's result, his body language was the total opposite. He was furious, could barely contain himself; he was curt, and the humour he had so effectively used in prior days... there was anything but humour...."

He thought tonight at the SKY dining table, they'd be having a "discussion."

In a post race interview:

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

One could surmise that very clearly as the scenario was playing out on the screen...especially the embarrassing moment when the maillot jaune was suddenly and utterly alone.

I was thinking 'ooh, wouldn't like to be at the dinner table tonight...'

 

[Big Doopie]

Not the sweetest deal tbh, since next year Andy and Bertie will make it alot tougher to win. That said it would be great if he could mix in and making the du-battle a threesome

are you sure? schlecklet has been god awful of late and if the tour has more than 50 k flat itts, doubt he can even be in contention. and contador -- who can say what his real value is...

it seems that the last two tours certain GC riders have taken a very big step backwards. i doubt it is just a coincidence.

today's stage was slow, riders constantly popped, and a very promising young french rider confirmed all of his talents by taking a very long break all the way to the finish. things are very very different. menchov, basso, valverde, liepheimer, frank schleck, cobo and others are simply unable to produce the performances from before and riders pay for the accumulation of efforts.

i would suggest that contador and schlecklet would probably not be as scintillating as in the past.

 

[MonteZoncolan]

One could surmise that very clearly as the scenario was playing out on the screen...especially the embarrassing moment when the maillot jaune was suddenly and utterly alone.

I was thinking 'ooh, wouldn't like to be at the dinner table tonight...'

Not many tweets from the Sky team tonight.
Well aside from their WAGS

 

[Montanus]

Actually they have 6 guys to have one aim to be honest
I just can not understand how Rogers can pull peloton for 50km and Porte can do so well compared to last year when he lost 15-20 minutes in every stage

Can we just try to be a bit honest. Rogers didn't have to do any work yesterday. Of the 50k he pulled today 30k was pure descending without going full blast, on Mollard and beginning of the final climb Rogers set a relatively slow tempo: the break opened up their lead. It was on Croix de Fer when Evans attacked Rogers was really strong but not stronger than a guy like Tejay for example. Sure, it was a strong performance by Rogers, something you might not would have expect. But otherworldy? A clear case of doping? Nah.