2012 Tour de France: Stage 7: Tomblaine → La Planche des Belles Filles (199km)

[taiwan]

If he is aiming to get yellow then i would have thought it is an opportunity to take it from the break as Cancellara is not going to defend? Am not saying that it is a stage he is otherwise suited to. Tomorrow is more his kind of stage but there could be someone else in the yellow jersey by that time who is keener to defend.

If I were any GC teamI wold be reluctant to let him away. He's cnspicuously in great form, will do well in the time trials, and opportunities to drop him in the mountains will be limited. I mean he's no threat fo the overall, but the major contenders could crash or whatever, they can't afford to be that generous.

 

[Fight.The.Power]

some insight into today's stage

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjjAGNx2DTw&feature=plcp

Great Post - Thanks

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

Group of 19 ahead including 3 Astana with VINO one of them

let the race begin!!!!!!!!!!

 

[taiwan]

Surely it gets pulled back quicksmart.

 

[Fidolix]

Vino in a breakaway think he got hes eyes on that polky dot jersey thing

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

Surely it gets pulled back quicksmart.

Don't be such a downer

 

[Fight.The.Power]

If Vino wins today it will be a fantastic victory.

Just cannot see it happening at all.

 

[Frosty]

Don't be such a downer

Vino is at 18 minutes so the GC wont be bothered. Depends who else is in the group, and what teams arent in the group

 

[Frosty]

Frank Schleck back with the team car.

 

[cineteq]

No way Sagan finishes in the lead group. There won't be havoc today, but one or two favourites should crack.
And when did sagan become a favourite for GC??

Sagan should be in the the grupetto today, and hoping he'll be in the last climb with Nibali in tomorrow's stage 8.

Any attacks made by people like Schleck and Gesink don't matter for the Sky train. Those guys are far back and are going to lose even more time Monday. If you think ahead a little, Schleck is effectively 5+ minutes behind already. Gesink is effectively at 5+ minutes too. Everyone that lost time yesterday is instantly irrelevant for Sky.

This guy seems to be feeling good

 

[burning]

Lulu Sanchez in the break, he feels probably better compared to previous days

 

[Frosty]

Letour site reporting

Gautier (EUC), Riblon (ALM), Sanchez (RAB), Chris Anker Sorensen (STB), Fofonov (AST), Martin Velits (OPQ) and Albasini (OGE)

as being in the break of 7. No details on time gap though

Edit: 1.25. Looks like this is the break of the day

Sanchez has been riding along at the back so has probably avoided all the crashes of the last few days?

 

[Fidolix]

Letour site reporting

Gautier (EUC), Riblon (ALM), Sanchez (RAB), Chris Anker Sorensen (STB), Fofonov (AST), Martin Velits (OPQ) and Albasini (OGE)

as being in the break of 7.

any info on the gap?

EDIT: Sorry you already said it lol

 

[Frosty]

any info on the gap?

EDIT: Sorry you already said it lol

Im just getting data from

http://www.letour.fr/le-tour/2012/us/live/aso/

 

[markov111]

1min 25sec at 18km

 

[Fidolix]

all strong climbers, theres gonna be a battle for the KOM points

 

[The Barb]

Breakaway established. Peloton unmotivated to chase.

Chris Anker Sorenson the man to beat.

 

[markov111]

those are dangerous 7 riders for the stage win....(not for the GC) so might be left go

 

[burning]

One of these riders can take the yellow tonight, BMC and SKY wouldnt want to get yellow that early

 

[Frosty]

Riblon has won a mountain stage before - the stage to Ax-3-Domaines in 2010

 

[LaFleur]

Evans wouldn't have anything against yellow because he wouldn't have to really defend it because he will lose it anyway on monday..

 

[Fidolix]

those are dangerous 7 riders for the stage win....(not for the GC) so might be left go

I wouldn´t say that, CAS stated he´s in excellent shape, and he can surely stand the distance, I don´t think they should let this breakaway get to much line, it could be fatal, not for the overall gc to Paris ofc but he could do a Voeckler....

 

[taiwan]

Don't be such a downer

Just thought any break of 19 has to be dangerous at this stage in the race.

 

[Azabael]

LL Sanchez in the break, ok I did not expect that. He's been struggling at the back for days with Martin and others. Then the mountains come and he attacks. Epic. Maybe he just doesn't want to ride in the peloton atm, lol.

And great to see Sorensen there again. I hope he can bring the escape to the finish.

 

[Fidolix]

6 minutes gap, 50 km/h average speed, this gonna be fun...