2014 Tour de France, Stage 9: Gerardmer – Mulhouse: 170km

[Forunculo]

Praying for someone like TVG, Pinot, Navarro, Rolland or Talansky making the break to retake time. A massive break. That could force Astana, SKY or Tinkoff to pull.

And what about Purito tomorrow starting his KOM conquest?

 

[whittashau]

I am just saying that by Cernay, Nibali may not have the team support, whereas I expect AC will.

I imagine Scarponi will be there based on today, and that Birdsong will be too if he's feeling better. Kangert is questionable considering his crash two days ago.

 

[RobbieCanuck]

I imagine Scarponi will be there based on today, and that Birdsong will be too if he's feeling better. Kangert is questionable considering his crash two days ago.

Yep, good points.

 

[luckyboy]

Albasini, Hansen, Spilak, Sagan, Gerrans, Edet. Anybody's guess

It'll end up being some random like David Cimolai or a NetApp rider or something

 

[hfer07]

Breakaway FTW - perhaps someone like Rolland, G, Spilak, Peraud, Jeremy Roi,Albasini, can make it if the conditions favor them...

 

[sultanofhyd]

They're not gonna let Peraud and Rolland go in a break. Without punctures on the cobble stage Peraud would be up there in the top 5, he has shown very good form in the first week.

 

[Aditya]

I am just saying that by Cernay, Nibali may not have the team support, whereas I expect AC will.

How things change? People were doubting AC's team support after the cobbles stage and now they're doubting Astana. We'll come to know the true power of the teams only after stage 10.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Breakaway FTW - perhaps someone like Rolland, G, Spilak, Peraud, Jeremy Roi,Albasini, can make it if the conditions favor them...

Guys like Schelck, Zubaldia, Konig needs to take this opportunity and latch onto a break to gain time back. Perfect stage for it.

Could get 2-4 minutes back here.

 

[sultanofhyd]

Guys like Schelck, Zubaldia, Konig needs to take this opportunity and latch onto a break to gain time back. Perfect stage for it.

Could get 2-4 minutes back here.

Zubeldia? Break? What?

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Zubeldia? Break? What?

I know, shocking.

Anyway "needs" is the key word.

Machado and Horner as well.

Some break action will get them some spotlight and with some luck they can get back in business, at least temporarily.

Trying to hang onto Tinkoff's train tomorrow with get them nowhere.

 

[murali]

Zubeldia? Break? What?

why not

he will take a natural break for 2-4 min and return to the back of the peloton

 

[murali]

is it possible for someone to do a Tony Martin?

I wud have asked anyone to do a Vino, but with 20km pan flat finish tht looks very unlikely.



Also, wh wud u reckon as the required gap for the break to win?
My gut feeling is 4+ min at the top of the last climb.

 

[meat puppet]

People doubting astana climbing doms are in for a surprise. Possum today, furious tomorrow

 

[Dazed and Confused]

is it possible for someone to do a Tony Martin?

I wud have asked anyone to do a Vino, but with 20km pan flat finish tht looks very unlikely.



Also, wh wud u reckon as the required gap for the break to win?
My gut feeling is 4+ min at the top of the last climb.

Doubt it, Astana and Tinkoff's teams are just too strong.

Some more GC contenders/pretenders could lose more time today, if the break is very strong and semi dangerous.

But we could have 4 PCT riders up the road.....

 

[hmpower]

First up like Andrew talanetsky stay upright whole, race for cash injuries to not take its toll and for him get some time back Or my bet put on high win overall could be shot.. but what about rein taaraame?

 

[Kwibus]

They're not gonna let Peraud and Rolland go in a break. Without punctures on the cobble stage Peraud would be up there in the top 5, he has shown very good form in the first week.

Yeh really unlucky puncture he had. He is doing really really well. He would've finished the cobbled stage with Cancellara probably.

 

[Kwibus]

Voecklers glory days are over since the start of this year. He comes short in all his attempts this year, unfortunately. A rider that I really started to love over the last years. I used to dislike him, but his "I always attack" mentality won me over. I actually started liking his silly faces

 

[wirral]

Voecklers glory days are over since the start of this year. He comes short in all his attempts this year, unfortunately. A rider that I really started to love over the last years. I used to dislike him, but his "I always attack" mentality won me over. I actually started liking his silly faces

Tommy's attacks are never over. He is already strategising the best place to attack his coffin.

 

[Ruby United]

is it possible for someone to do a Tony Martin?

I wud have asked anyone to do a Vino, but with 20km pan flat finish tht looks very unlikely.



Also, wh wud u reckon as the required gap for the break to win?
My gut feeling is 4+ min at the top of the last climb.

It depends on who is in the peleton. If sagans is still there and has three or more teamates, though I doubt it, than 5+ mins is fine. If however, their are just a couple of gc riders who can't be bothered chasing even 3 minutes should be fine.

It depends on who's in the chasing group and their determination.

Break ftw-Adam Hansen or Tommy V

 

[No_Balls]

How things change? People were doubting AC's team support after the cobbles stage and now they're doubting Astana. We'll come to know the true power of the teams only after stage 10.

People didn't care/Payed attention/ignored/knew Astana had the best team over cobbles and used this advantage. Situations will of course be reversed seeing of how much energy already been spent and work being done. The signs are there for a total meltdown.

 

[el_angliru]

It's not all about Tinkoff-Saxo and Astana. This stage is somewhat similar to last year's stage 9 where Garmin caused total carnage in the peloton by attacking again and again! We could hope that some teams other than TS, Movistar, or Sky have the guts to rip it apart today!

My dream scenario would be if some of the very good climbers like Rolland or Kadri are trying to get in the break (for the mountain jersey or the stage win), and also some very good stage hunters like Chavanel or Voeckler. Add a few domestiques from some of the GC teams (Sky, Astana, TS, BMC, Garmin, Movistar, etc.) and the stage could be epic! Especially if some teams are riding very hard in order to control things (like Sky tried on stage 9 a year ago).

But the most likely scenario is probably that a lesser break gets away while the peloton is having a relatively calm day before tomorrow's stage.

 

[Aditya]

People didn't care/Payed attention/ignored/knew Astana had the best team over cobbles and used this advantage. Situations will of course be reversed seeing of how much energy already been spent and work being done. The signs are there for a total meltdown.

They were caught off-guard, yesterday. I feel Birdsong and Scarponi will be up there with Nibali till AC takes things into his own hands. Stage 10 will do some damage to Astana but I doubt it'll be significant enough.

 

[LaFlorecita]

They were caught off-guard, yesterday. I feel Birdsong and Scarponi will be up there with Nibali till AC takes things into his own hands. Stage 10 will do some damage to Astana but I doubt it'll be significant enough.

Caught off-guard? No way, Fuglsang and Kangert were dropped good and proper.

 

[Rollthedice]

Caught off-guard? No way, Fuglsang and Kangert were dropped good and proper.

Birdsong was dropped, stomach problems apparently. Kangert was sent back for him.

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

It seems like most of the action might be before live coverage starts. Is it to be covered and taped? If so, will any channel, or the host broadcaster, be brave enough to show much of it in preference to live coverage of fairly static phases of the race?

Or will more interesting coverage be available only in the highlights programmes?