2016 TdF, Stage 15: Bourg-en-Bresse → Culoz (160km)

[DFA123]

Re: Re:

They did try. They sent Valverde on an attack. Presumably they told him, rather than just going all in and burning himself out, to ride just above his threshold, at the kind of pace that Quintana could sustain for the remainder of the climb. Once they saw Poels easily reel it in and Froome looking comfortable, they realised that it was hopeless Quintana trying to attack and that he'd likely end up losing time.

Intent and aggression is irrelevant if one rider and his team are putting out significantly more watts than everyone else.

Oh how this race needed Alberto Contador. He'd try.

This * 1000

As was said further up the thread; he'd try in the same way that Aru tried. Except he would have then been put out the back. Bardet, Aru and Valverde all tried, but Poels chased them all down easily while swigging on a can of coke.

 

[dacooley]

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I dont even understand how someone can cheer for a rider as shallow as Quintana. Close family and friends sure, but anyone else?

Lots of categories of fans. Starting from people that find the little colombian taking his one-life time opportunity and becoming one of the best cyclists in the world a very beautiful story and that really is and ending with sky detractors. Not to mention that Nairo already has plenty illustrious showings under his belt: Val Martello, l'Alpe d'Huez, Semnoz, Terminillo... One relatively unfortunate race (so far) is not a big reason a bash a rider that much.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

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Strong Sky and weak Quintana should share equal responsibility for the lack of GC action. 50 seconds Nairo could put into Froome in the mountains in the last Tour gave him way too big vote of confidence and many fans are simply becoming victims of their high expectations.

Froome and Co. under no pressure today. It's all done. 2nd and third might not be set though.

Oh yes, it's 100% set. Froome, Porte, Yates.

 

[doperhopper]

Re: Re:

I dont even understand how someone can cheer for a rider as shallow as Quintana. Close family and friends sure, but anyone else?

Lots of categories of fans. Starting from people that find the little colombian taking his one-life time opportunity and becoming one of the best cyclists in the world a very beautiful story and that really is and ending with sky detractors. Not to mention that Nairo already has plenty illustrious showings under his belt: Val Martello, l'Alpe d'Huez, Semnoz, Terminillo... One relatively unfortunate race (so far) is not a big reason a bash a rider that much.

If the Sky train falls apart in the last 2 stages and Froome bonks Alpe-style and loses minutes... then the narrative won't be "dull Nairo", but "genius Nairo", a composed poker-face one, playing to his strengths. Marathon has 42 kilometers and you may easily lead on 35 km and look relatively fresh.

 

[carton]

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LOL He finished 5th after attempting the double. Something Nibali can't do. Valverde will end up about the same spot, while he rode the Giro last year injured and still won. Out climbed by Henao at Catalunya? He out climbed Froome there and finished 2nd to Quintana. Henao didn't ride Catalunya.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/volta-ciclista-a-catalunya-2016/stage-7/results/


He beat Quintana at Basque Country, who was also beaten by Henao. While everyone knows that Thomas won Nice due to the lone mountain stage being cancelled to weather.

Now I'm not saying he would beat Froome, but would put up more of a fight than we've seen thus far.

I got my Spanish separatist provinces mixed-up. The worst part is that I double-checked, and I still typed it in wrong. In any case he was six seconds behind Henao going into the final stage time trial, six seconds he lost at stage 2 up Garrastatxu and couldn't get back at any point before the time trial.

Anyway, Contador is a better time-trialist than any of the other contenders bar Froome. He's also smart. For all of his grinta, I really, really doubt he'd do anything differently so far. People forget how defensively he raced against Schleck in 2009 and particularly 2010. He's not doing anything ridiculous against this level of competition if he can help it. He might've even helped reel in Froome at Bagnères-de-Luchon, and denied of us of that visual. Maybe after losing time in the TT he would've attacked over the top of the Lacets yesterday instead of Valverde, who would've stayed put so as not to gap Quintana. Or he'd have put in a useless Aru-like dig before then. But I doubt he would've even done that, because as DFA also pointed out, he'd likely ended up getting dropped. And he's smart enough to know this.

BTW, Valverde is only getting dropped by Froome attacks, not by "Skyborgs setting tempo" as Contador was last year. Even though he's been working hard for Nairo.

 

[Escarabajo]

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I dont even understand how someone can cheer for a rider as shallow as Quintana. Close family and friends sure, but anyone else?

Do you have something personal against him?

I am still cheering for him.

Do you know his story and his family's?

In Colombia we love him. I hope that is OK with you.

 

[Sartorius]

Perico: Cancelled Stage 3 at Paris - Nice was medium mountain stage. The only stage with high mountains and MTF was stage 6 and Contador lost 1 sec to Thomas.

 

[Gigs_98]

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Perico: Cancelled Stage 3 at Paris - Nice was medium mountain stage. The only stage with high mountains and MTF was stage 6 and Contador lost 1 sec to Thomas.

Did you even watch the race?