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

[Pricey_sky]

And I thought this Tour couldn't possibly be worse than this year's Giro

The Giro was alot worse! no attacks at all just a steady tempo up the mountians which suited Hesjedal perfectly.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Evans has to risk losing big time in order to have a chance to win. Sky will set a super slow tempo in order to keep 5 riders at the base of the Peyresoude.

 

[vcampbell]

The Giro was alot worse! no attacks at all just a steady tempo up the mountians which suited Hesjedal perfectly.

There were attacks... 1 km to go... from Rodriguez...

 

[Panda Claws]

Looks like he went out to collect bidons for the others....took on about 5 or 6 just before the top.

Nice.


Voeckler is 27 points behind Kessiakoff still, that is 22 if he can beat him on the Tourmalet too.

Could still be an interesting fight.

 

[Eshnar]

Oh c'mon this Tour has had attacks already, the giro didn't.

Only one stage had "attacks", as far as I recall. The only good stage of this Tour. The Giro had a good stage on the Stelvio and 3-4 passable stages. This Tour one good stage (La Toussuire) and a passable one (La Planche...). It can still overtake the Giro ofc, and I hope it does, but I'm not really positive.

 

[webvan]

Can't wait to read the power calculations for this climb. My guess is around 4 w/kg.

Wiggo said you had to be ready to push 400 watts on each climb...so I guess he saved some energy for the next ones...

I can see VDB2 attacking in the last 3kms of the Tourmalet, then off we go!

 

[auscyclefan94]

Is Gilbert that desperate to get on TV?

LOL, Evans is going to attack early I'd imagine.

Shorted it for you. Tactics are not his problem this year. It's pretty clear by now he's brought a spoon to as knife fight.

He will probably not win but your analogy is not true. He is a fighter and will attack, attack, and attack!

 

[Panda Claws]

The only interesting stages in this year's Giro were:

1. That stage were Rodriguez outsprinted Basso, who was looking a little bit like RoboBasso again with a very high pace on the last climb.

2. The stage that De Gendt won.

 

[Eshnar]

The Giro was alot worse! no attacks at all just a steady tempo up the mountians which suited Hesjedal perfectly.

You mean just like the steady tempo we saw in every single climb but La Toussuire?

 

[Frosty]

Long downhill now, before a long climb (2%?) up the valley to Luz-St-Saveur at the foot of the Tourmalet. Scenery watching time now, hope that some attacks start fairly soon on the Tourmalet.

 

[Montanus]

Finally some action: swedish commentators on Eurosport had to leave the buildning they are sitting in because it's on fire. Now english commentary instead.

 

[Eshnar]

The only interesting stages in this year's Giro were:

1. That stage were Rodriguez outsprinted Basso, who was looking a little bit like RoboBasso again with a very high pace on the last climb.

2. The stage that De Gendt won.

C'mon Piani Resinelli was interesting too.

 

[Pricey_sky]

There were attacks... 1 km to go... from Rodriguez...

My mistake... I suppose you could match that with Froome's little attacks at the end of the mountain stages so far

 

[auscyclefan94]

What is the temperature?

 

[Pricey_sky]

What is the temperature?

Eurosport commentators said its around 30 degrees. Nice and warm.

 

[Panda Claws]

C'mon Piani Resinelli was interesting too.

The finish was beautiful yes, with Rabottini winning. But besides some Cunego action in the breakaway only the last few km's were interesting but you had some good points, so far the Tour has not been really interesting either.

It probably just seems that way too me, because I am a VDB fan and he is finally attacking.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Gilbert back in field....*facepalm*

 

[Panda Claws]

Gilbert back in field....*facepalm*

Appearantly he just went to fetch bottles.

 

[fluffkitten]

I tune in to discover Eisel is still on the front. Just how slow are they going?

 

[Eshnar]

The finish was beautiful yes, with Rabottini winning. But besides some Cunego action in the breakaway only the last few km's were interesting but you had some good points, so far the Tour has not been really interesting either.

It probably just seems that way too me, because I am a VDB fan and he is finally attacking.

Let's say both are being depressing so far
If nothing happens today nor tomorrow, I'll claim the Giro had been awesome compared to the Tour...

 

[Pricey_sky]

I tune in to discover Eisel is still on the front. Just how slow are they going?

Yet they still managed to drop a handfull of riders on that climb

 

[auscyclefan94]

I tune in to discover Eisel is still on the front. Just how slow are they going?

Cav wasn't far off the front on a HC climb! They are going slow and anoth45km or so till the start of the weaker side of the Tourmalet.

 

[fluffkitten]

Yet they still managed to drop a handfull of riders on that climb

So people just can't go up HC climbs. Thing is I would have said Bernie was one of them which is why the slow comment.

 

[Morbius]

Cav wasn't far off the front on a HC climb

All good training for the Col de Box Hill at the end of the month

 

[Zam_Olyas]

Who wants to predict when"

rogerssss timeeeee

" will start