2013 Tour de France, Stage 15: Givors - Mont Ventoux 242.5 Km

[luckyboy]

Only guy I can see finishing ahead of Froome today (break excluded) is Quintana.

Who knows with Contador but I doubt he has ridden into good enough form since Ax-3-Domaines. If he is improving then hopefully Fuente De #2 on stage 18 or 19.

 

[The_Juan]

What are you talking about? Froome could race 15 Alberto Contador's by himself and still win with ease.

Well, we're certainly going to see what he is made of in this final week of the TdF. I, for one, think he is going to crack big time. His deer-in-the-headlights look during the podium ceremony this past Thursday is really bad news because, I suspect, he found out that all the other teams now know what Sky's weakest link is: The team.

I really wish him well, he is a nice fella, down to earth and does all the talking on the bike. If Alberto does not win then I want him to win. He left his blood, sweat and tears at the Vuelta back in 2011 and 2012 and, as a Spanish cycling fan, we can't thank him enough. The Peña Cabarga stage in 2011 is enough of a reason for him to get a TdF!

 

[Sasquatch]

Movistar's revenge on Europcar will be taking the KOM jersey. Quintana is the most likely and to an extent Valverde.

So once Quintana gets top 3 tonight, he'll be close to wearing that jersey, and will attack on the other mountain stages.

They will aim to put Quintana on the podium with the jersey and leave Europcar with nothing.

 

[eljimberino]

Porte will be crucial for Froome tonight, if he's off then Froome will be slaughtered.

 

[Pezrider]

Is Brice Feillu a chance? French rider been quiet. He won a long mountain stage in 2009 I think.
What's his form like?

 

[Sasquatch]

Porte will be crucial for Froome tonight, if he's off then Froome will be slaughtered.

I think Porte will be up there after he helps Froome

The question remains will Porte go full *** or sit back and be sensible?

 

[The_Juan]

Porte is going to get skinned alive tomorrow (his hematocrit is gone).

The question is when.

 

[Kwibus]

Porte is going to get skinned alive tomorrow (his hematocrit is gone).

The question is when.

lol.

So you know his hematocrit is gone? Source please?

 

[movingtarget]

Porte has been looking tired and leaving Froome on his own. Dunno if he will recover for this stage and if he doesn't, Froome will be pretty lonely in the third week.

 

[Jericho]

Movistar's revenge on Europcar will be taking the KOM jersey. Quintana is the most likely and to an extent Valverde.

So once Quintana gets top 3 tonight, he'll be close to wearing that jersey, and will attack on the other mountain stages.

They will aim to put Quintana on the podium with the jersey and leave Europcar with nothing.

We'll see. Quintana is not going to be allowed to go in any breaks, which might be necessary for the KOM jersey. Someone like Valverde is more likely given his GC position (and the fact he out-climbed everyone but Froome and Porte on the last real mountain of this Tour). Not to mention Quintana will likely have white after tomorrow and still has a shot to podium. There's no need to be messing around with KOM points with those goals still achievable.

To those that think Valverde will work for Quintana or that Movistar will simply throw their weight behind Quintana I believe are mistaken. Quintana is 8th. He'll surely move up, but an entire team as strong as Movistar is not going to all sacrifice for a 5th place finish overall (could be better, but I think you get what I'm saying). And Valverde was out-riding Quintana before an ill-timed mechanical. Is Valverde now giving up and not trying to do anything himself on any of these stages? If so, he might as well abandon and just focus on the Vuelta.

I'd be shocked if guys like Costa and Valverde don't go on the attack. Not sure tomorrow is the day, but with rest day coming it makes some sense.

 

[The_Juan]

lol.

So you know his hematocrit is gone? Source please?

He's 30 minutes down dude.

Fried to a crisp right before the hardest week of this year's race.

 

[The_Juan]

What I want to see is Movistar's reaction to Europecar.

Like a piece of gum stuck to their hair.

 

[Kwibus]

He's 30 minutes down dude.

Fried to a crisp right before the hardest week of this year's race.

He indeed seems to be down, but I want to see todays stage first to be sure of it.

You said his hematocrit was down though. I wonder who told you that or was it just a random claim since he seems fatigued.

 

[hfer07]

What I want to see is Movistar's reaction to Europecar.

Like a piece of gum stuck to their hair.

pardon me, but WTF is going on between them?

 

[The_Juan]

You said his hematocrit was down though. I wonder who told you that or was it just a random claim since he seems fatigued.

"Seems fatigued"? Dude's 30 minutes down.

This is a mere observation on my part. On Ax 3 he drops Alberto Contador, and the next day he's holding onto dear life to make the cut. Gets dropped on the way to Saint-Amand... it all points to his form taking a dramatic nosedive.

 

[The_Juan]

pardon me, but WTF is going on between them?

Europecar took part in the peloton's decision to make sure that Valverde, who was 50 meters away at one point, did not make it back to the Froome group. Since Europecar had nothing invested in the day's proceedings Unzué, and most of the Movistar team, took it as a big kick in the nuts and promised "fair" retribution. Meaning every one of Europecar's moves will be countered by one from Movistar.

 

[xrayvision]

da da da da DA DA DA DA DA DA


Moment of truth, if the Dawg goes full *** we will see a new record.

1. Froome
2. Quintana
3. Mollema
4. Valverde
5. Ten Dam
6. Kreuziger
7. Contador....2 minutes down.

 

[xrayvision]

pardon me, but WTF is going on between them?

Valverde believes Europecar helped Belkin with the pace when he got dropped on stage 13, and he´s right, they did. What he forgets is he and his team done the same them selves many times, taking advantage of others misfortune.
But nevertheless, it´s spice to the race if he want´s revenge and they go full ***, so who really gives a f....

 

[movingtarget]

He indeed seems to be down, but I want to see todays stage first to be sure of it.

You said his hematocrit was down though. I wonder who told you that or was it just a random claim since he seems fatigued.

As much as Sky would never admit it, they are missing Wiggo and the loss of Kiryienka and EBH so early in the race even after the team looked like weakening does not help. Plus problems with injuries with some of their other riders. Compared to last year, the wheels have fallen off the train but Froome still looks good and still has a good gap.

 

[DirtyWorks]

As much as Sky would never admit it, they are missing Wiggo and the loss of Kiryienka and EBH so early in the race even after the team looked like weakening does not help. Plus problems with injuries with some of their other riders. Compared to last year, the wheels have fallen off the train but Froome still looks good and still has a good gap.

I don't know, Porte seems to pull it together at exactly the needed moment.

They are missing Uran and his Colombian cohorts! I think Uran would have gotten third at best this year, but a good guy to have around on Ventoux.

IMHO, there would have been political problems inside the team with another Wiggo/Froome TdF.

Hoping for crosswinds before the climb!

 

[DirtyWorks]

Porte is going to get skinned alive tomorrow (his hematocrit is gone).

Link please.

 

[dgodave]

Please! No vent on tomorrows Ventoux.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

No my friends.......... My man Q.U.I.N.T.A.N.A has his eyes & mind set for Alpe d'Huez

This is a "dog fight" between "the dawg" & "El Pistolero"

Quintana can't wait, he will have to move up in the GC and potentially win the stage if he wants full team backing. Otherwise the team will plan differently in the Alps stages methinks.

 

[mrhender]

Today's heat

I hear alot about extreme heat in the finish on Ventoux..

What can this mean for the race? and whome may benefit from the heat?

Both Froome an Quintana are born below the equator so will they benefit the most?

 

[spalco]

The Sky train will do most of the Ventoux climb, then Quintana will try and attack but gets wheeled in by small group of favorites. It will end in a sprint to the line with smaller gaps to follow.

Froome will win.

My expectation for race action is rather low. Hopefully the stage can surprise.

This seems to be the most likely scenario to me, but the race was somewhat unpredictable already so who knows...