Andy Schleck: "Evans is no threat"

[delbified]

cadel can lose a couple of minutes to andy in the mountains and pump them back into him in the TT and still win. he's in a good position right now, as long as he keeps his climbing legs.

 

[Bennyl]

Cadel loses 2 minutes in a stage in every GT he rides in. Backing up from the Giro, sadly, I think he will probably lose at least that and more in the mountains. If he finishes top 5 he should be very happy and it would be quite an acheivement for the World Champ. Good classics campaign and top 5 in two Grand Tours is a top year.

 

[biker jk]

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[Sasquatch]

Cadel won't finish top five. He'll be lucky to hold onto top ten. He's going to drop like a fly in the third week.

This will be the order of the top six -or close to it come Paris.

Contador
Schleck
Menchov or Sanchez
Menchov or Sanchez
Kreuziger
Rodriguez

Fill in the blanks after that.

 

[Archibald]

Didn't know in which thread to put it, but what about Andy's victory salute? Can anyone explain?

simple sibling teasing... "hey Bro, look, I can move both arms!"

 

[auscyclefan94]

cadel can lose a couple of minutes to andy in the mountains and pump them back into him in the TT and still win. he's in a good position right now, as long as he keeps his climbing legs.

I agree. People are very quick to forget the nasty crash cadel had at the start of the stage. Seriously, I am glad cadel isn't rated as if he wins, it will be all the more sweeter.

Cadel said that he was conserving a bit in the finish because it had been a tough day. Andy Schleck had a good day but lets not get ahead of ourselves because he outclimbed some guys including AC.

AC is still the favourite.

 

[eljimberino]

Yes, Schleck might not rate Evans, but Contador doesn't rate Schleck either, judging by the way AC let AS go. I think AS showed a lot of immaturity post race.

Rabobank and Liquigas with two climbing men at the end of the day?

Why was Gesink sprinting so hard?

 

[Cerberus]

Yes, Schleck might not rate Evans, but Contador doesn't rate Schleck either, judging by the way AC let AS go.

Yeah, the way Contador attempting to cover Andy Schleck and failed is clearly proof that he doesn't take him seriously as a competitor, he rightly focused his effort on bigger threats such as Van Den Broeck.

 

[eljimberino]

So you're saying Sanchez can outclimb Contador now? Contador sat up. Call that a fail if you like.

 

[auscyclefan94]

So you're saying Sanchez can outclimb Contador now? Contador sat up. Call that a fail if you like.

Your both right, yes Sanchez and Andy got away from AC and co but the fact of the matter is that it is only 10 seconds and it was the 1st mountain stage. Things change. Contador did not sit up but he is still the best climber in the race.

 

[Cerberus]

So you're saying Sanchez can outclimb Contador now? Contador sat up. Call that a fail if you like.

On this climb yes. Watch the race footage, Contador just couldn't follow, he tried - he failed, he then tried to take Sanchez' wheel and failed that to. If you don't trust you own eyes listen to what Contador said after the race

“I didn’t quite have the punch in my legs to react when Andy attacked,” Contador said at the finish. “Last year, Andy put me on the ropes. Now it’s obvious that he will be my most dangerous rival this year.”

If you want to dismiss both Race footage and post-race commentary I don't know what I can do to help you.

 

[delbified]

it's just one stage. riders have good and bad days. i wouldn't be surprised to see contador mash his rivals later on. who knows what will happen.

 

[eljimberino]

I sit corrected.

 

[M Sport]

Cadel loses 2 minutes in a stage in every GT he rides in.

As does Andy. More than two minutes actually, and sometimes in more than one stage.

 

[Cerberus]

it's just one stage. riders have good and bad days. i wouldn't be surprised to see contador mash his rivals later on. who knows what will happen.

I quite agree, we shouldn't overstate the significance of a 10 second loss right before the rest day. I do think it's interesting because it's the first sign of weakness from Contador in the Tour where last year he showed none (and the first sign of strenght from Andy this year), but it's a very small sign and the Pyrenees might tell a quite different story. IMO Andy will need to have 2-3 minutes in the TT over Contador and 1-2 minutes over Evans to win. Contador is still the odds on favourite, but I'm less sure about the outcome than I was before stage 8.

 

[eljimberino]

Well Verbier off the top of my head was stage 15 last year? Yesterday and the day before were rather difficult. Perhaps due to the heat, more difficult for Contador who seems to want to hit his straps circa stage 15?

Or may be he is actually climbing slower, as the Dauphine suggested?

The team time trail really did throw last year out.

 

[Cerberus]

Well Verbier off the top of my head was stage 15 last year? Yesterday and the day before were rather difficult. Perhaps due to the heat, more difficult for Contador who seems to want to hit his straps circa stage 15?

Or may be he is actually climbing slower, as the Dauphine suggested?

The team time trail really did throw last year out.

Verbier was stage 15, but Arcalis was stage 7 so that's the same as this stage. Overall though I think we agree - it might mean something or it might mean nothing. Marvel the product of our collective wisdom!

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

ANdy is spot on.
Over the past few years we have seen how difficult the giro-tour double is.
This giro was the hardest is so long, insane really.
Evans also went hard out in the ardennes.

come back to reality pal.
EVANS HAS NO CHANCE! unless he is doping?

get real auscycle.

 

[Andre.J]

Andy Schleck has said that Evans is no threat for the overall gc at the tdf. Your thoughts on that nasty, malicious, arrogant comment?

Cadel is going to kick Andy's boney ****!

Andy is right. His only threat is Contador.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Looks like Andy was right. Can't see Evans holding this. He was in huge problems at the last 1,5km (evans)

 

[cyclingmad]

Cadel won't finish top five. He'll be lucky to hold onto top ten. He's going to drop like a fly in the third week.

This will be the order of the top six -or close to it come Paris.

Contador
Schleck
Menchov or Sanchez
Menchov or Sanchez
Kreuziger
Rodriguez

Fill in the blanks after that.

Basso, Sastre and Gesink will also feature in this tour it is much more a climbers tour than last year and riders will bide time for harder stages and more opportunities. Bit of topic I guess

Evans looked to pop quicker today than others in the top 10. Contador seemed to follow okay until the Kreuziger and then Sanchez attacks. The last few years show the middle mountains only reveal who isn't going to contend the last week determines the winner. Evans will be okay until the Pyranees then drop out of the top 5 as the real contenders step it up

 

[skidmark]

As does Andy. More than two minutes actually, and sometimes in more than one stage.

I'm not sure about that... from my memory, of AS' GT rides, he didn't lose more than 2 minutes (overall, much less in a stage) in the 2007 Giro, he only lost more time when he bonked on the Hautacam in the 2008 TdF, didn't lose more than 2 minutes in any stage last year (lost 45 seconds on Verbier, like 1:30 in the final time trial?), and didn't lose more than 2 minutes on any stage before pulling out of the Vuelta (unless he did on the one he crashed).

This is just purely by memory, but that makes it 1 stage in 4 career GTs, which seems like a pretty good record.

 

[sportzchick]

Found this jem in eurosports blazing saddles artical...

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/blog/blazin-saddles/article/631/

Rest day prediction: In a rare burst of serious reflection, Saddles predicts some deserved credit being doled out to Cadel Evans, whose stonking year continued with another jersey for his collection. Since disappointing in last year's Tour, the Australian has worn gold in the Vuelta, pink in the Giro, rainbows as World Champion and now yellow as leader of the Tour. Anyone with a clue who last achieved this superb accomplishment

firstly what the heck is stonking (I still lol'd) and secondly does anyone know who did that last

not bad for a wheelsucker

 

[phlatties]

stonking (stonking) v. see Shleckognize

 

[offbyone]

Cadel has tactically had a good tour so far. It will be interesting to see if BMC is up to the task to support him. Unfortunately, we all know cadel is only a tantrum away from being out of yellow. I wonder what the vegas odds are on him hitting a reporter before the end of the tour