2016 TdF, Stage 9: Vielha → Andorra Arcalis (185km)

[Red Rick]

One talk with Froomey and LRP will make BMC work

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Froome chatting and smiling like he was on a training ride.

 

[Singer01]

I just counted 6 sky riders still with froome. Nothing to worry about for him yet.

 

[Punkan]

If Kiry comes back, he can take a minute or two on the flat part.

 

[DFA123]

Re:

Valverde in yellow is probably better for Sky than Movistar in the long run - would be fun to see it play out either way

It seems this suggestion isn't going to go away. Valverde has clearly worked for Quintana in every mountain stage so far - having seen his style in the last 15 or so years, it's obvious that he's not riding for himself here.

Him being in yellow and high up on GC just gives Sky another headache, because they don't even have the option to let him go up the road. They would have to burn domestiques to chase down his attacks.

 

[spiritualride]

Valverde is superhuman. No cyclist of the last 15 years has impressed me as much as him.

Random Valverde fact: he has 15 top-10s in grand tours.
Fact 2: He has finished on the podium in a grand tour in all of the last 5 years, while competing in 2 GTs in each of the last 5 years.
Fact 3: He has finished in the top 10 of his last 8 grand tours.

Superhuman consistency and output.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Re:

If Kiry comes back, he can take a minute or two on the flat part.

On the other hand, Sagan could be absolutely key for the break.

 

[rei_da_montanha]

Re:

Contador is injured. What a pain face he made.
Quintana is so horrible... why he didn't attack froome? He has 3 teammates in front of him

OMG
Stop with you crazy ***! lool

 

[rick james]

Bertie done?

 

[Rollthedice]

Schleck making acquaintance with his future teammate Contador.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Bertie dropping out now I think.

 

[Asero831]

Dumuolin, Costa and Rosa might work later on. How will Sky control this race?

 

[rick james]

Stannard and Kiry back for Froome

 

[markene2]

Contador abandons soon probably

 

[Red Rick]

This break wouldve had a chance had Contador not dropped

 

[LaFlorecita]

OMG, dafuq did I miss already.

just got home, what's happened???

Why Sky let Valverde go lol?

A gigantic break got away, around 40 riders with several Movistars. Contador attacked with Henao and Valverde on his wheel, Henao dropped back to help the choo choo train, Valverde and Contador bridged to the first group, but Contador dropped soon after and even had to let Sagan and Impey go. So Sky didn't let Valverde go, he fought his way into that break.

 

[Lance Armstrong]

Re: Re:

If Kiry comes back, he can take a minute or two on the flat part.

On the other hand, Sagan could be absolutely key for the break.

No one in the break will work with Valverde being in.

 

[rainman]

Leaving Bertie in there for now, seems a bit pointless

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

Re:

Cavendish already 8 minutes down..
DNF looming

He's 5:45 down, less than 4mins behind the peloton and catching.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

It definitely looks like Contador is about to abandon.

 

[DFA123]

Re: Re:

If Kiry comes back, he can take a minute or two on the flat part.

On the other hand, Sagan could be absolutely key for the break.

No one in the break will work with Valverde being in.

Of course they will. He may not be that popular on this forum, but he's really well regarded in the peloton, they're not going to give up their own chances to spite him. Especially having already put in a huge effort to get away on the first climb. Plus, they know there is a good chance at some stage that he will drop back to put in a shift for Quintana - leaving someone else to potentially claim the stage.

 

[Lance Armstrong]

Lol at Cav-bus behind the grupetto. Rensburg, Eisel, EBH, Cummings and Cav.

 

[Punkan]

Sky train eating up time now.

 

[Red Rick]

This stage shows what stages you need more. Climbing from the start. And then not just one cat 1, but preferably a HC or more then 1 climb before you put a long flat in.

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

Re:

Lol at Cav-bus behind the grupetto. Rensburg, Eisel, EBH, Cummings and Cav.

Given he rooms with Renshaw one can only hope he doesn't have the same illness