2014 Tour de France, Stage 10: Mulhouse > La Planche des Belles Filles 161.5 Km

[TourOfSardinia]

Valverde believes - MOV on the front

 

[maxmartin]

Great point - I had not even considered the Vuelta implications but as you say, Froome and Contador will both probably be there now.

I can understand Purito losing 20+ minutes to get into breaks but almost a full hour ?

Nibali may also join the party

 

[53x11 in DC]

Did everyone saying the race is more open now miss the part where everyone is several minutes down on Nibali

You are absolutely right. No rider in the history of GT's has ever made up more than 3-4 minutes on a presumed winner. And no presumed winner has ever cracked, especially after looking invincible in the first week.

 

[webvan]

Pretty silly to see Lotto pulling like that...

 

[Ramira]

Did everyone saying the race is more open now miss the part where everyone is several minutes down on Nibali

To be honest, I don't think many are saying the race is more open (some are sure, but not many). What we are saying though, is that this race is still shaping up to be a lot more exciting than most in the last 20 years, and everyone saying this race is now over and they'll stop watching are doomsayers.

Honestly I'm dissappointed Contador is out, like I was with Froome, but honestly I expect more excitement in the rest of this tour than there would have been had Froome not crashed and ridden at his 2013 level.

So I'm going to keep watching this race, if only to see how insane Tony Martin can get.

 

[The Barb]

Peloton pushing really hard now ... not looking great for the break.

Love to see Pinot pull this one out.

 

[kurtinsc]

Yes i agree, it just sucks both favs are out.Nibali is clearly in form if you look through posts i no you were confident and i was aswell. Nibali did not try in 2012 CdD, so i knew he would beat Talansky. It was a disgrace people thinking Talansky had more shot than Nibali to podium. Talansky is not even better than Sky's number 2.

Out of curiousity... why do you think this?

Talansky finished 10th in the Tour last year and 7th in the Vuelta before that. Porte has a 7th in a Giro in 2007 and a 19th in the Tour last year as his best to GT finishes. Porte has a P-N win, 2nd in Basque and Dauphine and 4th in Romandie. Talansky has a Dauphine win, 2nd in P-N and 2nd in Romandie.

Talansky has been riding for a top pro-team for a shorter period of time and has had equal or greater success then Porte so far. What makes you say Porte is better then Talansky?

 

[Fzotrlool]

Kwaitkowski has just been sitting there in second without doing anything! >_>

 

[Alcanelo]

Carlton Kirby is a nasty piece of work "...so stop asking"

 

[Rollthedice]

Break will be catched. Nibali to beat Horner to the line.

 

[maxmartin]

Pretty silly to see Lotto pulling like that...

working for VDB?

 

[Afrank]

Great point - I had not even considered the Vuelta implications but as you say, Froome and Contador will both probably be there now.

I can understand Purito losing 20+ minutes to get into breaks but almost a full hour ?

Since he was using the Tour to get into form, he may not have entered it in great form. So that could explain losing much more time then he would need to get in a break.

 

[del1962]

To be honest, I don't think many are saying the race is more open (some are sure, but not many). What we are saying though, is that this race is still shaping up to be a lot more exciting than most in the last 20 years, and everyone saying this race is now over and they'll stop watching are doomsayers.

Honestly I'm dissappointed Contador is out, like I was with Froome, but honestly I expect more excitement in the rest of this tour than there would have been had Froome not crashed and ridden at his 2013 level.

So I'm going to keep watching this race, if only to see how insane Tony Martin can get.

Difficult to sAY really though, two options, Nibali wins easily (in which case a fit Contador and Froome would have made the race more exciting) or Nibali shows weakness and others gain some time back, which will make GC interesting, especially if a few in the fight.

 

[maxmartin]

Out of curiousity... why do you think this?

Talansky finished 10th in the Tour last year and 7th in the Vuelta before that. Porte has a 7th in a Giro in 2007 and a 19th in the Tour last year as his best to GT finishes. Porte has a P-N win, 2nd in Basque and Dauphine and 4th in Romandie. Talansky has a Dauphine win, 2nd in P-N and 2nd in Romandie.

Talansky has been riding for a top pro-team for a shorter period of time and has had equal or greater success then Porte so far. What makes you say Porte is better then Talansky?

Winning Dauphine is usually a bad sign for Tour, who is stupid enough to waste much energy there?

 

[TourOfSardinia]

Purito still bossing TV

 

[maxmartin]

Kwaitkowski has just been sitting there in second without doing anything! >_>

he has A man team in front of him

 

[movingtarget]

That was not really my point. I was trying to show that everyone was unfairly ignoring VDB, which you did again, by putting TJVG and Talansky above him.

Porte I can sort of understand, as he flashed something special last year. But to put Talansky and TJVG so far above him you mention them and not VBD, based on what? And remember, the Dauphine etc are not good measures, VDB is probably the least talented of the GC contenders, so he has to build his entire year around the Tour to compete, and when he doesn't crash, he's top 5 (finishing above TJVG in 2012).

Fair points. It's pretty open for the top 3 or 5.

 

[slosada]

any Colombians watching they race or do they only watch Colombians?

I am and it's being broadcasted live there (Starting at the fine 8AM, when you are at the office).

Sad for Atapuma (his surgery went well), puzzled for Acevedo and within expectations for Serpa.

People that follows the race are sad about losing the two biggest candidates. Now I would only say what a responsible Betancur would have achieved.

BTW, cobblestone stage was awesome.

 

[del1962]

Winning Dauphine is usually a bad sign for Tour, who is stupid enough to waste much energy there?

The last two tour winners won the Dauphine so Talansky to win the tour (probably not because lost time in crashes though)

 

[Alcanelo]

What has happened since Contador abandoned? I have ES on but not really watching

 

[Arredondo]

Gap is 2.47. Looks like Purito and Kwiat have a good chance for victory

 

[kurtinsc]

Winning Dauphine is usually a bad sign for Tour, who is stupid enough to waste much energy there?

A young rider who was expecting to have Froome and Contador in the Tour so went for a big win with a daring attack.

Not saying he's going to win or even podium... just saying he's probably a better bet then Porte is. I can't understand the faith people have in him.

 

[trevim]

Maybe I'm weird but to me the biggest question mark over this race is Nibali's climbing legs for the true big climbs. He wasn't convincing in any MTF this year; obviously he stepped up now but to me it's still a doubt how good he may be.

 

[webvan]

Horner in the front, keep an eye on him in the last two climbs...

 

[maxmartin]

Gap is 2.47. Looks like Purito and Kwiat have a good chance for victory

No way gap will be closed.