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

[Matteo.]

all convinced that froome sets as usual in the third week. but he has said repeatedly that changed preparation to peak in the third week.
so beware

 

[sir fly]

Re: Re:

Maybe an outside win is possible. Would be brilliant if Yates or Martin would troll Froome or Quintana

No chance.
They won't be let an inch of road until they're out of contention.

Quite aside from the likelihood that they'll get clubbed like baby seals in the time trial. As well as the fact that they don't have teams. Martin in particular basically waves goodbye to his nominal team mates on the first climb of every day.

Yes. And it's only the first week done.
Their current placings will encourage them, for sure, but it's a long way to Paris.
A good thing is that behind them, at the moment, there isn't many stronger riders.

 

[Jungle Cycle]

already waiting for TdF 17 hoping for Contador+Molema, Nibali+whoever.. this year is gone.. it's sad for Quintana. What a waste of talent..

 

[movingtarget]

Re:

Chapeau Big Tom D., great ride!

GC battle very animated by all except Nairito. Would have been nice to see him take a dig!!!! Yates!, Martin, Mollema nice rides. Richie forgets he is no longer on Sky. Froome will get tired covering everything himself. Well at least one can hope

Interesting I thought I saw Porte attacking Froome more than a few times. Quintana was the loser on the day unless he is waiting for the next flat stage.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Martin must be really hoping that Alaphillipe get his act together at least a bit. He's the only other person on the Etixx team who shouldn't automatically be grupetto fodder as soon as the road turns uphill. Martin would probably kill for the nearly unimaginable luxury support that Kruijswijk got at the Giro.

 

[Beech Mtn]

Re: Re:

Quintana looked imperious, all the more puzzling he didn't try anything. Froome definitely less strong uphill than last year (at least for the first MTF). He couldn't shed the likes of Martin, Porte and Yates (let alone Quintana), that is telling.

I thought he looked bad. His face looked very pale and tired. I guess it was just me noticing this.

Agree. The shot of him coming over the line - he was very pale, and didn't look like his usual self. I hope it was only him being temporarily empty due to the stage and the weather, and not that he's sick. Last time he was so sick in the races, he didn't look this pale, so I'm going to cross fingers that it was weather or something.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Time gaps not enormous - they revealed the different "tiers", but didn't really end anyone's GC hopes. Even Aru could theoretically still podium (obviously he won't) after Nibali paced him up the climb and limited his losses. Barguil and Kelderman the only real casualties.

 

[CheckMyPecs]

Smart riding by Nairo. This time he's close to Froome at the end of week 1 and can therefore afford to wait until week 3.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Buchmann fights his way from 23rd to 22nd today. One step closer to that magical 20th.

 

[movingtarget]

Re:

Martin must be really hoping that Alaphillipe get his act together at least a bit. He's the only other person on the Etixx team who shouldn't automatically be grupetto fodder as soon as the road turns uphill. Martin would probably kill for the nearly unimaginable luxury support that Kruijswijk got at the Giro.

Martin has been impressive but he will probably lose big in the TT. Yates has also done well.

 

[Carols]

Re: Re:

Chapeau Big Tom D., great ride!

GC battle very animated by all except Nairito. Would have been nice to see him take a dig!!!! Yates!, Martin, Mollema nice rides. Richie forgets he is no longer on Sky. Froome will get tired covering everything himself. Well at least one can hope

Interesting I thought I saw Porte attacking Froome more than a few times. Quintana was the loser on the day unless he is waiting for the next flat stage.

You did, but there was definitely a period of time when he was just pulling the group with Froome on his wheel, just like old times.

 

[bigcog]

Re:

Froome is waiting for Ventoux I think. None of his attacks today were long ones.

Yep, attack on ventoux and hopefully gain time and gain a bit of time in ITT's. Then just use the team and follow Quintana.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Re: Re:

Martin must be really hoping that Alaphillipe get his act together at least a bit. He's the only other person on the Etixx team who shouldn't automatically be grupetto fodder as soon as the road turns uphill. Martin would probably kill for the nearly unimaginable luxury support that Kruijswijk got at the Giro.

Martin has been impressive but he will probably lose big in the TT. Yates has also done well.

Yes, I agree entirely.

 

[hrotha]

Re:

Smart riding by Nairo. This time he's close to Froome at the end of week 1 and can therefore afford to wait until week 3.

Kruijswijk taught us that there are no certainties. You take as much time as you can whenever you can, or pay the price.

 

[Fergoose]

Fantastic for Dumoulin and great for him to beat a couple of riders reknowned for being quite tactical/selfish. He was looking really pale after his attack and I feared the worst. I think the rain helped him.

I don't think we can conclude too much about the GC contendors given the extremes of weather as they went up the last couple of climbs. If the Alps are dried we'll probably see a completely different shuffle.

 

[CheckMyPecs]

Re: Re:

Smart riding by Nairo. This time he's close to Froome at the end of week 1 and can therefore afford to wait until week 3.

Kruijswijk taught us that there are no certainties. You take as much time as you can whenever you can, or pay the price.

Movistar > LottoNL. A very big chunk of the time lost by Kruijswijk on that stage was due to lacking a team to help him on the flat section between L'Agnello and the MTF.

 

[arvc40]

Quintana was smart today. He saw multiple attacks and realised they where all a waste of energy.

 

[Escarabajo]

BTW, why is Sky changing their tactics and sending Henao on the attack instead of setting tempo until they are completely deflated?

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Re:

BTW, why is Sky changing their tactics and sending Henao on the attack instead of setting tempo until they are completely deflated?

I can only think it's because Henao is better as a rapid changes of gear climber than as a slow, endless grind kind of climber. Also he is still GC relevant. If an attack from him is chased down, well and good that's some other contender spending energy. If it isn't chased down, then Froome has a choice between allowing Henao to take time or jumping to him.

It is an odd detail though. Everything else in the way Froome's domestiques ride is unchanging since his first moments as a Sky leader. So the change is curious.

 

[yaco]

Think that Quintana is just going - Doubt he will drop any serious time in a stage - Then again he is capable of having one big day in the mountains.

No surprise the three best climbers Froome, Quintana and Porte finished together.

 

[IndianCyclist]

This TDF is a race of attrition. One by one a contender is falling by the wayside every stage unlike previous TDFs en masse capitulation

 

[Fergoose]

Re:

BTW, why is Sky changing their tactics and sending Henao on the attack instead of setting tempo until they are completely deflated?

It is strange. I guess it's a way to see if any of Froome's rivals are really struggling without him having of launch an attack. Where the tactic fails is that Froome chased Henao down as soon as Martin had joined Henao. Froome should just ride tempo, stare at Nairo and ask him what he is going to do about it.

 

[huge]

Re:

BTW, why is Sky changing their tactics and sending Henao on the attack instead of setting tempo until they are completely deflated?

I actually think it's a brilliant tactic.

Henao going forces Froome's rivals to chase him down, if they have the legs, while Froome can just sit on their wheels. Instead of his rivals attacking him, it's Froome that is indirectly attacking them.

And if they don't follow Henao, Froome has got a team mate ahead if he decides to attack himself.

 

[Alexandre B.]

Barguil recovered well for a guy who was dying on the penultimate climb, finishing with Aru and Nibali.

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

Re:

Think that Quintana is just going - Doubt he will drop any serious time in a stage - Then again he is capable of having one big day in the mountains.

No surprise the three best climbers Froome, Quintana and Porte finished together.

Yates, Froome & Quintana finished together. Yates sprint saw Porte drop a couple more seconds.