2013 Tour de France, Stage 13: Tours - Saint-Amand-Montrond (173 km)

[skidmark]

As some one just said to me, it's "game of thrones" on saddles -you ride or your die! - So far we've had 'contenders' Tejay, evens, porte, schleck and now 'valverde' completely destroyed in one days racing - each a different day (Porte is Renly baratheon - i haven't worked out who the demon imp is yet!).

Froome's clearly the best single rider on fomr so far, and he has one TT left but his team has gone to pot (a lannister of some description, me thinks) - meanwhile quintana was shelled in the TT, but with VV gone, it's up to him now; Contador (the last dragon) is arguably the weakest he's been, but his super strong team, and racing nous keeps dragging him back into it; Belkin/Blanco/Rabo have two guys up there, and mollema just put down a big marker. And Dan Martin (the king in the north ) and Garmin (the second sons!!) keep sniffing around looking to cause mayhem. all while, sitting on a couch with his Froomie voodooo doll, Wiggins, the king across the water, laughs. And nibali thinks of 2014, and plots.

And that's before i even think of the green and white jerseys.

It's been absolutely cracking stuff.

Does that mean that once they hit the Wall of Ventoux, we should expect Mikel Snow to lead an motley assault of wildlings that will be semi-non-GC contenders that somehow get enough time to be able to threaten the stopgap defences of Sky?

 

[jaylew]

Mollema's doing the same thing as Valverde = unsportsmanlike. What a fool, it will explode right on his face.

Hopefully. Although I might actually believe him when he said they didn't know the cause of Valverde being behind, just that he was back there.

 

[Opalius]

Hopefully. Although I might actually believe him when he said they didn't know the cause of Valverde being behind, just that he was back there.

True. Bet the whole peleton was super nervous due to the echelons. It would have surprised few teams if a GC rider was left alone in the wind. Doubt that mechanical problems (concerning Valverde) was the first thing that sprung to the minds of the Belkin riders.

 

[Lanark]

Valverde already said he doesn't blame Belkin, because they were already on the front when he got a mechanical. He was more puzzled by Europcar riding.

 

[Kokoso]

in the netherlands people are hystericlaly euphoric. mollema is bad at long climbs as we already saw in the first mountainstage where he almost dropped with still 25 riders in the group. he can easily blow on ventoux and lose 10 minutes. ten dam I have more faith in, but he doesn't have the class

Mollema didn't look especially bad on Albulapass, what is long climb for sure.

 

[Cimber]

Tanja ‏@bambula 50s
My new sounds: Stannard Stage 13 #TdF http://soundcloud.com/roidub/stannard-stage-13-tdf … on #SoundCloud

He said Froome couldn't follow him (Stannard)?? Sound weird after he crushed everyone in the TT. Crossing my fingers that it some sign of fatigue (though I don't think so)

 

[phanatic]

Radioshack was really missing FC today.

 

[Kokoso]

After all the *****ing and whinging in 2011 Mollema can go **** himself.

What whining? He seems rather sympathetic.

 

[murali]

Europecar had to ride for the lone polka point. what is so strange abt it!

 

[Walkman]

1. It wasn't Riis that was interviewed and said they wouldn't work while Valverde had his flat, it was the Saxo DS
2. When did Saxo pull while Valverde had his flat?

You must be new to intelligence.

Riis represent everything that is wrong with cycling (save the face of Fat Pat). Most of what comes out of mouth (regarding cycling) is pathetic, the guys is a lying cheater and will always be.

And yes, I am fine, thanks.

 

[batchuba]

As some one just said to me, it's "game of thrones" on saddles -you ride or your die! - So far we've had 'contenders' Tejay, evens, porte, schleck and now 'valverde' completely destroyed in one days racing - each a different day (Porte is Renly baratheon - i haven't worked out who the demon imp is yet!).

Froome's clearly the best single rider on fomr so far, and he has one TT left but his team has gone to pot (a lannister of some description, me thinks) - meanwhile quintana was shelled in the TT, but with VV gone, it's up to him now; Contador (the last dragon) is arguably the weakest he's been, but his super strong team, and racing nous keeps dragging him back into it; Belkin/Blanco/Rabo have two guys up there, and mollema just put down a big marker. And Dan Martin (the king in the north ) and Garmin (the second sons!!) keep sniffing around looking to cause mayhem. all while, sitting on a couch with his Froomie voodooo doll, Wiggins, the king across the water, laughs. And nibali thinks of 2014, and plots.

That was a valiant effort sir. Allow me to contribute. Valverde as Stannis perhaps? After all, nobody likes Stannis, he can claim to have been cheated, and he is now miles away.

Desperately trying to think who is Hodor...

 

[LaFlorecita]

Riis represent everything that is wrong with cycling (save the face of Fat Pat). Most of what comes out of mouth (regarding cycling) is pathetic, the guys is a lying cheater and will always be.

And yes, I am fine, thanks.

So you admit you were wrong and autologous was right?

 

[The Hitch]

Radioshack was really missing FC today.

To neutralize the stage?

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Mollema didn't look especially bad on Albulapass, what is long climb for sure.

that is the tour de suisse. I think he was worse there than van garderen, costa and some more. that says enough

 

[Cimber]

To neutralize the stage?

haha well played sir

 

[Angliru]

Lol, Mollema saying Valverde has been unsportsmanlike in the last few years as well (obviously hinting at clinic), so he doesn't care about anything.

I have to say that was the best reaction in pro cycling for a long time.

...Mollema's team is without fault in the past years? That is certainly rich.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

...Mollema's team is without fault in the past years? That is certainly rich.

they've never been in a position to gain anything when they were rabo

 

[Descender]

Roman Kreuziger 2013 TdF Champion.

 

[gustienordic]

That was a valiant effort sir. Allow me to contribute. Valverde as Stannis perhaps? After all, nobody likes Stannis, he can claim to have been cheated, and he is now miles away.

Desperately trying to think who is Hodor...

I'm going to go with Jack Bauer

 

[Kokoso]

that is the tour de suisse. I think he was worse there than van garderen, costa and some more. that says enough

Worse then Tejay? Why? I think he was actually the strongest there, only he lost contact on downhill than he chased TJVG and Costa down on his own on the flat. I wouldn't call this worse...
Actually he was the best one on the longest climb

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Worse then Tejay? Why? I think he was actually the strongest there, only he lost contact on downhill than he chased TJVG and Costa down on his own on the flat. I wouldn't call this worse...
Actually he was the best one on the longest climb

was that the final moutnainsatge in suisse right? mollema imo wasn't one of the strongets there, but still him being worse than costa prooves enough. costa himself isn't exaclty a guy for high long mountains either. suisse had horrible competition as usual

 

[Poursuivant]

I seen a Stannard interview where he said something like Froome was a little bit boxed in at the wrong moment, bad positioning.

 

[Frosty]

I seen a Stannard interview where he said something like Froome was a little bit boxed in at the wrong moment, bad positioning.

Seeing it on ITV4 you can see Cav in the background scuttling across with Froome on Kwiatowski's wheel. One Sky rider was trying to move up as Saxo started to put the pressure on.

 

[phanatic]

Valverde allready promised to hurt the teams that hurt him today

http://movistarteam.com/news/2013-7-12/the-gloomiest-face-of-cycling

I like Valverde more and more.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Belkin said everything was planned in May already. Zeeman and co thought this was a good stage for echelons.
Yesterday they spoke with quick step and formed the plan to create echelons