2013 Tour de France, Stage 7: Montpellier→Albi (206 km)

[Afrank]

Since apparently no one else wanted to create the thread for this.

Looks like a sprint stage to me, Cav FTW. Slight chance for the break to take it if the teams in the peloton take it easy and let them get away. Sprinters teams will probably want the green jersey points though, IMO.

 

[slosada]

Considering that GC teams are tired of accidents and Cannondale wants/needs one stage for Sagan, it will be hard for some sprinters to get back after the 3ca- 2cat combo.
Sagan FTW

 

[Ruby United]

OPQS are gonna have to be better for Cav for him to win. The break will get close imo but be caught and Cav ftw.

 

[Netserk]

Cannondale should push hard midway through the stage to insure that Cav and Greipel can't contest the intermediate sprint.

 

[bolingbroke]

As much as I'd like to see Cav in a sprint finish, I doubt that it's going to suit him or Greipel and Kittel tomorrow. It's another day Sagan, EBH and the like. Or a breakaway.

 

[Gubby Allen]

Considering that GC teams are tired of accidents and Cannondale wants/needs one stage for Sagan, it will be hard for some sprinters to get back after the 3ca- 2cat combo.
Sagan FTW

There may be some money to be made here. It's one of those stages where you look at the odds and think you're looking at a different stage. The big 4are streets ahead in the betting. It looks like a Sagan stage but that's it. I'd be surprised to see Kittel still with them after the first climb and coming in within 10 minutes. It'll be a make up of Sagan, Gerrans, Impey, Rojas, Gilbert, Voeckler, Lobato at the finish for me.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Lets have a strong break please.

Anyway the Gorilla will pick up his 2nd win.

Kittel will be dropped on one of the climbs, Degenkolb gets a chance to sprint.

 

[Erythropoietin]

There may be some money to be made here. It's one of those stages where you look at the odds and think you're looking at a different stage. The big 4are streets ahead in the betting. It looks like a Sagan stage but that's it. I'd be surprised to see Kittel still with them after the first climb and coming in within 10 minutes. It'll be a make up of Sagan, Gerrans, Impey, Rojas, Gilbert, Voeckler, Lobato at the finish for me.

I don't understand the odds either, we could very well see the same scenario as on stage 2.
Who will sprint for Orica though; Impey or Gerrans? Anyone heard or read anything?

 

[jens_attacks]

i hope greipel takes it. most important all the favourites to be ok and a nice sprint like today's one

 

[trevim]

Right now my expectation and desire is just that we have a breakaway instead of group riding

 

[Gubby Allen]

Lets have a strong break please.

Anyway the Gorilla will pick up his 2nd win.

Kittel will be dropped on one of the climbs, Degenkolb gets a chance to sprint.

I was wondering when Degenkolb will get a crack. All the talk beforehand was that they would ride for Kittel on the flattest stages and Degenkolb for something with a few lumps, but he hasn't really figured yet.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Nice water mark in the bottom left corner of that first pic Afrank

 

[kingjr]

I was wondering when Degenkolb will get a crack. All the talk beforehand was that they would ride for Kittel on the flattest stages and Degenkolb for something with a few lumps, but he hasn't really figured yet.

Degenkolb tried to do something yesterday after Kittel's crash and came in 12th. He really struggles with his positioning in the final.

 

[Poursuivant]

There may be some money to be made here. It's one of those stages where you look at the odds and think you're looking at a different stage. The big 4are streets ahead in the betting. It looks like a Sagan stage but that's it. I'd be surprised to see Kittel still with them after the first climb and coming in within 10 minutes. It'll be a make up of Sagan, Gerrans, Impey, Rojas, Gilbert, Voeckler, Lobato at the finish for me.

I agree with this. I think the sprinters will struggle to get back on before the final two category climbs and if they do, they could easily be dropped on the last two if someone like Cannondale drill it. I am going to tip Sagan to get off the mark.

 

[Afrank]

Nice water mark in the bottom left corner of that first pic Afrank

One thing Velorooms is great for, is race previews.

 

[roundabout]

I am impressed that the slapped their watermark on an image that is not their.

 

[Orbit501]

Juan Antonio Flecha FTW!

 

[manafana]

I dont see how sprinters dont get back on greipel for me again his team will be strong to chase any gap early on from climbs.

 

[uconnryan]

I'd like to see a poll for who thinks this will be a bunch sprint and who thinks breakaway.

 

[Orbit501]

I dont see how sprinters dont get back on greipel for me again his team will be strong to chase any gap early on from climbs.

I agree with whoever it was earlier that said Cannondale should drill it on the cat 2 to drop Cav & Greipel for the intermediate sprint points, then keep it going to make sure they're not at the finish. Trouble is, we all know Cannondale aren't strong enough to do that. However, I still have doubts that all the sprinters will be there. I think a break might take this.

 

[Parrulo]

Nice water mark in the bottom left corner of that first pic Afrank

Oh the good people of Velorooms taking credit for someone else's work, in this case ASO,

I am impressed that the slapped their watermark on an image that is not their.

Exactly, pathetic really

 

[manafana]

yeah cannondale cant ride hard for long at all their a very weak team

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

I'd like to see the string of different winners continue.

So, I'm hoping for Sagan or EBH here.

 

[Christian]

I am impressed that the slapped their watermark on an image that is not their.

Yeah not everyone can do that! But I think they have a computer expert running the place.

 

[TheGame]

Oh the good people of Velorooms taking credit for someone else's work, in this case ASO,

Exactly, pathetic really

What a great example for a moderator to be setting. Slagging off another website.

If you look at the code for the image, they have not actually watermarked the original image, the watermark is dynamically added as the file is hosted on their server (firebug is your friend). So the watermark will appear automatically on any files on their server. You are using their bandwidth on a 2mb image file, they watermark it. You can't really make it out but it says "image hosted on" in small letters.

2500 views of this thread, the image is 1.66mb - Thats 4gb of bandwidth you have used from them. And you are complaining about a watermark

Cyclingnews don't allow hotlinking to their images at all, velorooms add a watermark. Looked at the original thread they put the image in and it clearly marks the image as (C) ASO.