2012 Tour de France: Stage 16: Pau → Bagnères-de-Luchon, 197 km

[fluffkitten]

Anything. Remember last year? Andy? Contador? They at least tried.

Great to watch but in the end futile. Unfortunately that seems to be the lesson learned.

 

[manafana]

keisskoff looks strong enough, astana really having good season with its riders, dan martin has it in the legs today.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Ten Dam too weak.
So that will be stage 155? without a dutch win

 

[kjetilraknerud]

Kessiakoff looks really strong today.

 

[Zam_Olyas]

Anything. Remember last year? Andy? Contador? They at least tried.

Okay. lol. gotcha. Thanks.

 

[Catwhoorg]

Wow, Liquigas and BMC are totally animating the race. They really want the victory.

My sarcasm meter overloaded on that one.

Looks like I'll have to replace a few parts.

 

[vcampbell]

Attacking with 100 km to go seems just foolish.

But attacking on the last km of the last climb seems smart? Because if this goes on, then we will see this. Your only chance to crack Wiggins is to attack him, and weaken his teammates.

 

[kjetilraknerud]

Kessiakoff looks really strong today.

I take that back.

 

[Bala Verde]

That's part of the reason, yeah. But Goss' lack of top placings in week 2 might have done the trick as well.

Reg. the climbers jersey I'm not sure which changes to implement. Actually I think the general system is okay, but as Pisti pointed out, there might be a lack of MTF's this year which causes the competition to favor the breakaway artists instead of the GC warriors.

The KoM jersey should be a jersey for the outside-top5 guys, else it's gonna be a contest like the combined classement in the giro (now thankfully a contest in the past), designed for the guys finishing high in the general classement. I like that riders in the top20 can achieve something.

haha I like(d) the combined classification jersey.

I think the competition is just not fierce enough, especially when you see only 1-3 people are (still) in contention, with perhaps only one who really wants it?

 

[Eshnar]

Anything. Remember last year? Andy? Contador? They at least tried.

And failed.

 

[Bala Verde]

Ten Dam too weak.
So that will be stage 155? without a dutch win

SUrprised to see that because he reacted very well to Martin before.

Perhaps the drool was a give a way.

Or just traying to conserve energy. It's still far out.

 

[roundabout]

Group Kern is really motoring.

 

[greenedge better then some]

ahh so ag2r are in the tour i thought it was just a myth...

 

[SantiBotero]

But attacking on the last km of the last climb seems smart? Because if this goes on, then we will see this. Your only chance to crack Wiggins is to attack him, and weaken his teammates.

Of course not, but attacking Wiggins now has no point, he has many team-mates and will not have any problem to get any attack. Total waste of energy. Later on, Nibali & Co. must push, now, it's non-sense.

 

[Catwhoorg]

But attacking on the last km of the last climb seems smart? Because if this goes on, then we will see this. Your only chance to crack Wiggins is to attack him, and weaken his teammates.

If he has more than Froome with him at the summit of Col D'Aspin, its a wasted chance.

Not sure any single team can do that, would take BMC, Liquigas and probably the Shack working together.

So much safer to hold onto current positions.

 

[will10]

ahh so ag2r are in the tour i thought it was just a myth...

lol coming from a Greenedge fan?

 

[Bala Verde]

Peraud, Scarponi, Fofonov, Iglinksy all dropped from the main peloton.

Solid tempo from SKY. Rest day, and heat.

 

[roundabout]

What a bluff by Dan Martin!

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Yep, the French guys drop Dan Martin.

What is it with French riders that can always go 10% faster than they normally do in the Tour?

 

[Bala Verde]

Martin dropped....

stupid.

 

[For The World]

Almost ten dam percent?

This hasn't received enough love.

Dan Martin has now cracked because people didn't love it.

 

[SantiBotero]

I was wondered why Dan Martin was attacking, now that he sit up, it is quite stupid indeed.

 

[kjetilraknerud]

Martin dropped. Great...

 

[webvan]

Dan Martin reminds of Sella before he dipped (too much) in the cookie jar, blasting away at the foot and then blowing

...and again, guy can't pace himself!

TV seems to be suffering!

 

[FellOff]

Of course not, but attacking Wiggins now has no point, he has many team-mates and will not have any problem to get any attack. Total waste of energy. Later on, Nibali & Co. must push, now, it's non-sense.

But one attack won't do it. Need some softening up/joint efforts over a sustained period to shake them up. Looks like they gave up days ago, to be frank. Anyone want to be frank?