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

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Typical Evans. Last year was excpetion.

He always had one/two days that he bonked. Seems everything is back to normal then ...

Last year they soft-pedalled through the pyrenees. Only 2 mountain stages were raced seriously

Ironically, this is the first day they soft-pedalled in the mountains in this tour, and Evans drops

 

[Christomir]

Probably not. I fully expect Voeckler to drop him somewhere along the way. And it's not certain that they'll stay clear.

Ah, OK. For some reason I thought Feillu was actually the better climber of the two. Maybe I was wrong...

 

[will10]

Typical Evans. Last year was excpetion.

He always had one/two days that he bonked. Seems everything is back to normal then ...

Nah, it's Sastre 09 all over again, the guy's just over the hill.

 

[its like that]

Voigt and Vino trying to bridge the gap here

 

[Bala Verde]

Nah, it's Sastre 09 all over again, the guy's just over the hill.

Not yet. He still has the Peyresourd to go...

 

[vcampbell]

Now Nibali should attack on the descent, just to not let Sky to drop the pace, so Cadel can't rest.

 

[doperhopper]

damn! Eurosport shows frikin' basso & nibs cooking ad instead of liqui downhill train!

 

[richwagmn]

Voigt and Vino trying to bridge the gap here

Go Vino. Another rider with balls.

 

[Swifty's Cakes]

Not yet. He still has the Peyresourd to go...

I see what you did there, very droll.

 

[Frosty]

Does one year make that much difference? He's probably past his very best but Evans just doesnt seem to have reached top form at any point during the year, dunno why

 

[Bala Verde]

VDB2 and Nibali have even more reason to race hard today.

 

[woodburn]

damn! Eurosport shows frikin' basso & nibs cooking ad instead of liqui downhill train!

Tour feed. Not Eurosport's decision what to show.

 

[will10]

Does one year make that much difference? He's probably past his very best but Evans just doesnt seem to have reached top form at any point during the year, dunno why

Well last year his buildup was perfect, this year it wasn't, a year older a year weaker, doesn't take much to lose that edge.

 

[its like that]

Does one year make that much difference? He's probably past his very best but Evans just doesnt seem to have reached top form at any point during the year, dunno why

It does when you go from age 34 to 35

 

[Dutchsmurf]

Tour feed. Not Eurosport's decision what to show.

??? No commercial breaks on my feed. Eurosport adds them.

 

[The Joker]

Does one year make that much difference? He's probably past his very best but Evans just doesnt seem to have reached top form at any point during the year, dunno why

My theory is that he now has a kid.

In previous years, he used to train behind his wife, who would ride ahead on a scooter. Now, she is at home with the kid, and he has to train by himself. A lot of times he probably decided to stay home and spend time with his wife and kid rather than go out and train solo...

 

[The Barb]

1:10 from Voekler/Feillu to the Vinokourov group

 

[will10]

Jens' legs say shut up Jens.

 

[Morbius]

It must be harder to get motivation when you are already a tour winner, then when you think you have one last good chance to get a win

 

[webvan]

Nah, it's Sastre 09 all over again, the guy's just over the hill.

Yep, pointed it out last week already, same desperate attack (Col de Romme for Sastre)...didn't expect him to be so weak though...

Nice to see Basso pulling at last, about time!

 

[fluffkitten]

Looks like Jens' legs finally said enough.

 

[woodburn]

??? No commercial breaks on my feed. Eurosport adds them.

Yes. That is true. But the direction on camera shots are all done in France.

 

[DominicDecoco]

Come on Chris you beauty!

 

[The Barb]

If Voeckler goes over the final climb with Feillu just behind and again not challenging for the mountain point, Voeckler will gift the stage to Feillu, right?

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

My theory is that he now has a kid.

In previous years, he used to train behind his wife, who would ride ahead on a scooter. Now, she is at home with the kid, and he has to train by himself. A lot of times he probably decided to stay home and spend time with his wife and kid rather than go out and train solo...

I always suspected he would be poor this year, purely because he won last year.

I struggle to see how anyone could retain motivation when they achieve their career goal so late in the day - it's a very different thing to a 25 year old winning and then kicking on to achieve more.