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

[Dekker_Tifosi]

A lot of riders coming back now.

No Kruijswijk or Hoogerland though. Looks like it's all up to LTD for a dutch stage-win

 

[Publicus]

Good advice from JV

 

[manafana]

martin looks better than he has since he was bit illl.

Least group is doing bit, still 6 sky guys in group, hammer the end of climb someone i hope

 

[Kazistuta]

This year, green was perhaps decided so early because Sagan is so much better and there have been some stages where pure sprinters couldn't score points?

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.

 

[Bala Verde]

7:20 gap

Looks good for the break

 

[Kwibus]

That looked like a total waste of energy from Martin?

Well it got rid of the weaker riders in the leading group. The group needed to get filtered at some point.

 

[Zam_Olyas]

Good advice from JV

What advice?

 

[Bala Verde]

Good advice from JV

what did he say?

More naked females alongside the road?

 

[kjetilraknerud]

Well it got rid of the weaker riders in the leading group. The group needed to get filtered at some point.

Sure, but they would have been dropped eventually anyway.

 

[maltiv]

Once again, the other teams seem to let Sky save Rogers and Porte until the last climb.

 

[Publicus]

What advice?

He told Dan to stop going crazy and look like he's suffering a bit. You don't want everyone to know you have good legs just yet.

 

[vcampbell]

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

 

[TourOfSardinia]

Szymd out the back - again of little use to Nibali.

 

[manafana]

Szymd out the back - again of little use to Nibali.

i can understand him not being able to do it some days, but has only once done anything over past 3weeks, and was on flatish part, meant be climbing diesel hasnt shown it.

 

[kjetilraknerud]

I would have thought that Liquigas would be interested in bringing the break back, as well as getting rid of some Sky riders - the profile looks tailor made for Nibali winning the stage at least.

 

[Zam_Olyas]

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

what do you expect them to do? attack from aubisque or tourmalet?

 

[stazzy]

holding hands with sky up tourmalet

 

[vcampbell]

what do you expect them to do? attack from aubisque or tourmalet?

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

 

[SantiBotero]

Well it got rid of the weaker riders in the leading group. The group needed to get filtered at some point.

Most of them are back anyway.

 

[Fidolix]

congrats to wiggo and froom for wining the most boring tour in ages!!

God I miss Contador and Andy!!

 

[Bala Verde]

Once again, the other teams seem to let Sky save Rogers and Porte until the last climb.

Yeah ideally you would want them to start working early and hard. No SKY can just rely on their non mountain domestiques...

 

[SantiBotero]

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

Attacking with 100 km to go seems just foolish.

 

[will10]

Hopefully Vanendert has the legs to shed a couple of Sky boys on the Aspin.

 

[kjetilraknerud]

Kern to help Rolland later.

 

[webvan]

He told Dan to stop going crazy and look like he's suffering a bit. You don't want everyone to know you have good legs just yet.

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

Here he goes again...

Scarponi dropping apparently...what a champ!