2014 Tour de France, Stage 8: Tomblaine – Gerardmer/La Mauselaine: 161km

[arvc40]

What a great bit of riding by Team Contador.

 

[ciranda]

Fantastic Kadri, he really deserves it.

Contador will win the Tour by 3+ minutes

Porte will win the Tour by five+ minutes.

 

[bambino]

Strange... I saw most of the AC fanboys saying at least 20 sec for Berto over Nibali today before the race. I think the reality was 3? You should actually be disappointed, right and not make huge statement over sprint win? Why would Berto hold back when there was a chance to drop the rest even way more? I thought I saw him asking Nibs to make a stab 500 m to go and help to get more, but Nibali would not even bother. The race is on - 3 seconds in sprint (which Nibali doesn't master anyway) means nothing.

 

[Dutchsmurf]

And 7 seconds on Porte, 19 on Valverde. There were never gonna be really big timegaps on a finish like that, but he has a lot of time to make up and he will chip away at it at every opportunity.

There is also Mollema and VdB and the likes. Better to make sure those aren't going to surprise you later.

 

[Roude Leiw]

Pretty sure that Nibali looked down when he was dropped in the Dauphine. Maybe a way of blocking out the fact he is getting dropped, etc?

I look down like this if i am cooked to see if there any gears left or if I have some kind of mechanical, so take your pick if you all want to read a lot into a man looking down at his gears when crossing a finishing line. I concur with Kwibus, sit back and relax

 

[webvan]

Great stage win for Blel Kadri

My man Nibs is still in yellow. Contador looking strong - that climb was nothing to him.

Horner telling it like it is on NBCSN

What did he say? Weather too hard for him to be in the mix?

 

[Afrank]

There was a headshake check out the replays

NBC had a replay a bit ago where Nibali ducked his head down and spit. Don't know if that's the headshake everyone is talking about.

Like I said, will have to watch the replay later.

 

[buckle]

Porte v Contador. On the bigger climbs Porte will strike and may well lose Nibali on La Planche.

 

[retzko]

It s no longer question if Conta takes time( he will drop nibali) the question is can he close the gap. the excluison of 2 cobbles strokes could have been deciding. With 1 min extra .....

 

[red_flanders]

haha and expect Saxo train to do this again and again?, they will be done by monday

Well, we shall see, but yeah, I don't get the feeling they have any extra days of this in them.

 

[infeXio]

Well ridden stage IMO - the favourites testing each other and the climbs seemed rather brutal despite the lack of length. I look forward to monday's climb fest

 

[arvc40]

Contador is just saving himself for when he devestates Nibali on Monday

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Wonderful win for Kadri even if the peloton didn't chase hard for a large part of the stage.

Not many wins for the lad, but when he delivers its often spectacular.

Tinkoff used the resources perfectly and removed some contenders/pretenders. Almost like a Sky train. But I hope the model will not continue on all mountain stages. Lets get some more man against man battles from a distance.

 

[kingjr]

I thought I saw him asking Nibs to make a stab 500 m to go and help to get more,

Imagine Froome had done this. The forum would go mental about how stupid that is.

 

[MBotero]

I'm impressed by Nibali,this was not his type of finish but he handle it very well.Looks like Porte is not matching these guys,so should be a battle in 2 for TDf win Contador vs Nibali.

 

[mwallack3]

Chris Horner absolutley loving his chances in the mountains in the 2nd and 3rd week right now in post-race interview.

 

[roundabout]

Fantastic Kadri, he really deserves it.



Porte will win the Tour by five+ minutes.

I am actually dead serious.

 

[Publicus]

so much effort for 3 seconds, can saxo train do this over and over again? Lemond is also questioning Saxo' tactics, he is saying Saxo should let Astana rider, save the energy for Monday blow

You take time on your rivals where ever you can. Be that 3" or 3'. Contador showed that he's much stronger on the climbs (one that does not really suit him (given its brevity)) than everyone in the race.

 

[manafana]

Contador excellent and probably people over reacting other way now about this 3 sec gap to Nibali work to do yet to repeat this in the days to come but yes looks at his best Nibali and Astana going have a hell of a lot of work.

Otherwise Kwia cracked bit recovered well multiple mountain days will catch him out he can't be expected to live with Bardet and Pinot on a day like today.

 

[climber_corbin]

I'm a little fed up with all the GC contenders saying the finishing climb didn't suit them: Contador, Nibali, and now Porte. I know where they're coming from, but on Monday the excuses have to stop! For me, Nibali and Contador both within themselves, but Contador significantly more so.

 

[Climbing]

Seriously, Nibali this strong on this kind of finish... if it is really his form, he has every chance of winning this...

 

[LaFlorecita]

so much effort for 3 seconds, can saxo train do this over and over again? Lemond is also questioning Saxo' tactics, he is saying Saxo should let Astana rider, save the energy for Monday blow

Don't worry, next time it won't be for just 3 seconds.

 

[Red Rick]

1. Great stage victory for Kadri, he really deserves it
2. Contador didn't look like he was putting in huge accelerations. He also looked as fresh as a daisy on the finish line
3. You don't let your biggest competitor take 3 seconds on you unless you can't go any harder. The difference is mental
4. Nibali usually suffers the least from bad weather, these conditions favoured him
5. Astana's and Sky's performance is worrysome. If Contador has the strongest team, he'll be able to go on long range attacks to gain minutes

 

[No_Balls]

Except that wasn't at all what happened. That's a big exaggeration.

I see, i see. You prefer the version where Nibali was surrounded by teammates UK Postal Style, with wind in his hair, determined look riding into the sunset at this brutal HC-climb.

Stay true to your beliefs, son!

 

[trevim]

Don't worry, next time it won't be for just 3 seconds.

How can you go from pessimistic to optimistic so fast?