2014 Tour de France, Stage 18: Pau–Hautacam (145.5 Km)

[Pricey_sky]

Nieve has looked good, but 3mins doesn't seem enough with Scarpa, Kangs and Bird being still there for Astana. If Astana rides then they get caught.

Yes the gap has tumbled with Valverde going on the descent, if it had been up near 4 minutes they had a chance.

 

[Kokoso]

No helper for König already? Bad team, really. Almost no help in the mountains at all.

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

No helper for König already? Bad team, really. Almost no help in the mountains at all.

Well, Machado did have a terrible crash.

 

[GuyIncognito]

No helper for König already? Bad team, really. Almost no help in the mountains at all.

The only climber they brought is injured

And who needs a team to ride for an anonymous top 10?

 

[JimPanzen]

No helper for König already? Bad team, really. Almost no help in the mountains at all.

I think as a wild card team, they didn't really make a team suited for König's GC ambitions but rather for showing themselves in breakaways and for stage wins.

 

[TomasC]

No helper for König already? Bad team, really. Almost no help in the mountains at all.

He has Huzarski up front at least.

 

[zombo10]

Go for Astana now! Nibali ftw!

Final flourish for them on this Tour 2014!

 

[Escarabajo]

Nibali has this one if time differences remain to the foot of the climb.

 

[Kokoso]

The only climber they brought is injured

And who needs a team to ride for an anonymous top 10?

Don't talk stupid.

 

[Rollthedice]

Nibali has this one if time differences remain to the foot of the climb.

By the way his team is moving I'd say he clearly wants this stage.

 

[Pricey_sky]

This 20k of flat between the climbs has killed the break, damn you ASO!

 

[the_cutter]

How many Movistars where there behind Astana 5-6? It's very impressive, yet they haven't managed to do a single thing with this advantage and will lose the 2nd place to Papy Peraud.

 

[trevim]

Well, Machado did have a terrible crash.

Mendes was there until like 1km to the Tourmalet. And he has probably got back on in the descent. Machado is still suffering from the crash, Huzarski is in the break and NetApp doesn't have anymore climbers.

 

[maxmartin]

This 20k of flat between the climbs has killed the break, damn you ASO!

agree, these long valley is annoying

 

[Kokoso]

I think as a wild card team, they didn't really make a team suited for König's GC ambitions but rather for showing themselves in breakaways and for stage wins.

No. Netapp build team around König as sole leader. Of course they wanted to show themselves in breakaways, too.
Machado, Mendes a de La Cruz should have been main helpers for the mountains.

 

[GuyIncognito]

Well, in the absence of Sky and Contador fanboys, we have this guy. Sigh.


Anyway, the hard part of the climb starts at 8.5 to go approx.

 

[damian13ster]

Ok 5 more kilometres and let the fireworks begin! How big is the peleton?

 

[thrawn]

Rojas dq'ed.

 

[Carols]

Rojas does a Froome?

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

Rojas kicked out of the race.

 

[Pricey_sky]

Rojas dq'ed.

What did he do?

 

[Zam_Olyas]

Rojas...come on ASO..give him a break

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

What did he do?

Pulled a Froome and hung on to the team car apparently.

 

[cineteq]

- Will Bardet get the white jersey back?
- Will Majka stay close enough to Nibali?
- Will Valverde be dropped?
- Will Peraud pay for his efforts yesterday?
- Will Horner win the stage?

 

[wirral]

Rojas...come on ASO..give him a break

Insufficient number of finishes between 5th and 10th. He missed too many stages.