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

[laurensde+]

Re: Re:

Valverde to sprint around?

lol, it's Herrada, no?

Wow I totally forgot, 2 men in the break, what was the point of that

Gawd knows.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Thank God for terrible for weather. Also for somehow inspiring Bauke Mollema to attack not once but twice on a MTF against the best riders in the world. Best moments of his career so far.

 

[Jelantik]

so this is what Quintana said he trained for. Just to follow Froome's wheel? Well, job well done! Now you can be happy for another podium. Froome isn't looking so dominant, maybe he is counting on 3rd week peak.

 

[DFA123]

Re:

Wow Quintana is super super strong; he is so so easily covering attacks and catching up to Froome. I think good decision by him not to attack, especially he got to see who are the key players in form in the tour - Froome, Porte, Martin, Yates.

I think he can bring the hammer down in the 3rd week easily but hopefully he doesn't wait till the last day. I now consider that he is the favorite for the Tour.

Yep, very impressive by Quintana. No need to attack when everyone else is riding strongly and on pretty gentle gradients. Just match them and make the decisive attack in the third week.

 

[hfer07]

Quintanita doing exactly what he needs to and going according to the master plan: Stuck to Froome while applying mind warfare

 

[classicomano]

You are a legend Tom! A legend!

 

[More Strides than Rides]

IMO both Quintana and Porte rode absolutely disgracefully today. Quintana didn't attack one single time, and Porte (although he attacked earlier on the climb) just pulled the group without even trying to drop anyone although, or because, his teammate was in troubles.

Porte may have been trying to solidify the team roles, making it clear to Tejay that he is now the strongest and will need his support later.

 

[huangho]

I'm gonna change my avatar... buuuuu

 

[Bavarianrider]

Almost 4 minutes slower than in 1997.

 

[Jelantik]

Re:

Thank God for terrible for weather. Also for somehow inspiring Bauke Mollema to attack not once but twice on a MTF against the best riders in the world. Best moments of his career so far.

maybe Contador signs with Trek is the reason.. But at least he made it interesting with attacking. Otherwise.. snooze fest from Quintana..

 

[AICA ribonucleotide]

Top 3 on GC are now a Kenyan that declared for the UK, an actual Brit and an Brit that declared for Ireland.

 

[huge]

Either Froome is not as strong as last year, or he has planned to peak slightly later this year, knowing in the previous editions his form was declining significantly during the third week.

 

[Publicus]

Re:

Don't get all the Quintana bashing. Needs to save as much energy as possible to not lose time in the rest day tomorrow

nicely done. :lol:

 

[DFA123]

Re:

Quintanita doing exactly what he needs to and going according to the master plan: Stuck to Froome while applying mind warfare

Exactly; sipping on his drink while glued to Froome's wheel. Froome tried everything to gain a few seconds today - he knows he doesn't have enough advantage.

 

[deValtos]

Shame Ullrich wasn't here to troll everyone.

 

[burning]

Re: Re:

Wow Quintana is super super strong; he is so so easily covering attacks and catching up to Froome. I think good decision by him not to attack, especially he got to see who are the key players in form in the tour - Froome, Porte, Martin, Yates.

I think he can bring the hammer down in the 3rd week easily but hopefully he doesn't wait till the last day. I now consider that he is the favorite for the Tour.

Yep, very impressive by Quintana. No need to attack when everyone else is riding strongly and on pretty gentle gradients. Just match them and make the decisive attack in the third week.

Wait a second, I thought Quintana didn't like gradients like 9+% and last km's were like 7.5%. But Quintana can only shine in stages with 4 long mountains and that stage has to be in 4th week because he has the best recovery.

 

[RattaKuningas]

Quintana is attacking spectators with his passive style. Makes me so frustrated.

 

[Carols]

Re:

Nibali towing Aru up the whole climb showing he is a team player

Have they finished? How far back?

 

[Gigs_98]

Right now we don't know how Froome's shape will be at the end of the tour but if he will really have his peak in the alps and drop everyone there just like he did in the pyrenees 2013/15 Quintana really deserves to be defeated. Of course it's possible that he just wasn't super strong but he looked superb and why not at least try something on the last km. If he sees that Froome can follow him he can slow down immediately.

 

[Kokoso]

Re:

You are a legend Tom! A legend!

Far from legend. But good stage win.

 

[BigMac]

Re:

You are a legend Tom! A legend!

Calm down now. lol.

 

[deValtos]

Re: Re:

Quintanita doing exactly what he needs to and going according to the master plan: Stuck to Froome while applying mind warfare

Exactly; sipping on his drink while glued to Froome's wheel. Froome tried everything to gain a few seconds today - he knows he doesn't have enough advantage.

Well the concern for Quintana is what happens if he loses 30 seconds on Ventoux then a minute in the TT. He's suddenly 2 minutes down. Really think he should've at least tried a tentative attack ...

 

[pink_jersey]

Quintana is worse than Levi...

 

[cineteq]

Re:

Thanks for the laughs guys

Need an exorcist to remove Leipheimer from Quintana

Don't get all the Quintana bashing. Needs to save as much energy as possible to not lose time in the rest day tomorrow

Thank God for terrible for weather. Also for somehow inspiring Bauke Mollema to attack not once but twice on a MTF against the best riders in the world. Best moments of his career so far.

 

[DFA123]

Re: Re:

Wow Quintana is super super strong; he is so so easily covering attacks and catching up to Froome. I think good decision by him not to attack, especially he got to see who are the key players in form in the tour - Froome, Porte, Martin, Yates.

I think he can bring the hammer down in the 3rd week easily but hopefully he doesn't wait till the last day. I now consider that he is the favorite for the Tour.

Yep, very impressive by Quintana. No need to attack when everyone else is riding strongly and on pretty gentle gradients. Just match them and make the decisive attack in the third week.

Wait a second, I thought Quintana didn't like gradients like 9+% and last km's were like 7.5%. But Quintana can only shine in stages with 4 long mountains and that stage has to be in 4th week because he has the best recovery.

Last 5km average about 6% - too gentle for Quintana. He needed to get away earlier and go long from Beixalis - which was presumably why he had men in the break. But Sky train was too strong at that point, so he sensibly changed plan. He easily looked the strongest rider at the end there - would be amazed if he doesn't win this race.