2013 Tour de France, stage 18: Gap - Alpe-d'Huez, 172.5km

[maltiv]

Where's Voigt? Why isn't he waiting for Andy?

 

[Ruby United]

Break will definetly make it.

 

[Dutchsmurf]

When the descent flattened and widened it would have taken a bit of energy. It became a power descent which was why sky/Movistar were able to pull them back with ease

Nice try saxo, had to try for the win, but they may have lost 3rd in the process

By then they weren't riding hard tho.

 

[Rollthedice]

Some really dumb tactics from Saxo. First they sent Roche and Paulinho on the flat with the break 6 minutes ahead. They rode into the wind for 1 and half hours, then got caught by the peloton and dropped immediately.

They did nothing on Alpe. Rogers got dropped while sky set easy pace.

Finally Kreuziger AND Contador attacked on the descent, despite the fact that peloton was still big, spent a lot of energy and predictibly got caught by the peloton on the long flat

Total disaster tactic.

 

[batchuba]

Movistar being Movistar.....

 

[Christian]

Oh Riis, that old sly dog.

UCI announce surprise bike-check at the arrivée.

10 minutes later: bike change for Velasco

 

[wwabbit]

Uh oh... AC mechanical and Movistar is driving on

 

[The Hitch]

Contador often changes his bike before the final mountain. Remember Etna.

 

[goggalor]

That was so dumb. Why did they attack with both Contador and Kreuziger, and then only have Roman pull? I thought Contador went with a domestique.

 

[sultanofhyd]

French TV said Contador changed his bike just now.

Too light for the UCI control at the finish?

Yes, they rode an underweight bike to attack on the descent and are changing to a heavier bike for the climb.

 

[Broth3r]

Oh Riis, that old sly dog.

UCI announce surprise bike-check at the arrivée.

10 minutes later: bike change for Velasco

Why would he want a lighter bike for a downhill attack?

 

[More Strides than Rides]

French TV said Contador changed his bike just now.

Too light for the UCI control at the finish?

Right, take the light bike down the hill and the heavy one up

 

[Christian]

French TV said Contador changed his bike just now.

Too light for the UCI control at the finish?

+1 ten characters

 

[Ruby United]

Any possibility for break to be caught?

 

[happytramp]

People need to chill out. Not even if the Saxo boys sprouted wings and were flown up and down the mountain on a cloud carried by a choir of angels could they have challenged Froome. Try and keep some perspective gentlemen.

 

[Afrank]

Seriously just some clueless people on here.

Movistar have a top 3 GC contender.
They are riding for him NOT for SKY.

My god, you can't make up the hatred.

It would have been in Movistars interest to let Sky do the work and not try to bring them back. The more time Kreuziger spent off the front the more energy he used. Sky would have chased them down eventually, it would be more in Quintana's interest to let them Kreuziger stay off the front longer and use up more energy.

Plus Movistar could save their riders for the ascent if their needed.

 

[Parrulo]

So seems like it has been fairly disappointing . . . just like my grade will be on this exam

 

[Scirea]

Any possibility for break to be caught?

Very slim.

 

[wwabbit]

Contador thinking he's doing a bike change to make up yesterday's ITT?

 

[Zam_Olyas]

Movistar not evil now like they were when they pull the peloton back in P-N 2012?

 

[Tom T.]

Contador's all done.

 

[For The World]

Awesome bunny hop by Riblon.

 

[Christian]

Right, take the light bike down the hill and the heavy one up

Too light for UCI surprise control

 

[the sceptic]

Any possibility for break to be caught?

yes

10 char

 

[murali]

7+ min for break, so TJ FTW???