Best descender among GC contenders? 3 stages that matter: 13, 16, 17

[byu123]

Seems as though there is not much discussion about who are the best descenders amongst GC contenders. The three stages below would indicate that a good descender vs. poor one has a chance to gain significant time.

For example: Leipheimer is generally poor at descending.

How good are Contador, Schleck, Kloden, Evans, Sastre at descending?
How much time could be gained by a good descender vs. poor one in these three stages?


Stage 13

Stage 16

Stage 17

 

[richwagmn]

No idea. But I've always found mountain stages with a big downhill finish quite boring. Seems too easy for a small group to bring back a leader unless the leader is some monster descender and there's not a ton of power required.

I"ll take uphill finishes any day.

That said, LA's a pretty descent descender but I wonder if he has the balls for it today?

 

[Futuroscope]

i dont think it will make such a huge difference...but i think leipheimer and schleck are the weakest at downhill (among the GC contenders). sastre is somewhere in between...
LA,AC, evans and klöden are all good at downhill.

 

[byu123]

I"ll take uphill finishes any day.

I totally agree. Take stage 9 which goes over Col Aspin and Col du Tourmalet one of the epic climbs in TDF history. But the stage almost neutalizes its importance by putting the finish 70km past summit with gradual downward descent past the initial descent. Seems like Tormulet followed by a mountain top finish at another nearby climb would have been much better. I don't get why organizers are hesitant to include more mountain top finishes.

Stage 9

 

[Futuroscope]

agreed. but still all the mountains do make the riders tired so it all adds up and has an impact when they do have mountain finishes.

 

[horseman]

I don't think there is anyone at the moment to compare with Paolo Savoldelli, he was crazy but good to see in action.

 

[richwagmn]

I don't get why organizers are hesitant to include more mountain top finishes.

You and me both. Trying to limit the damage from the mountains maybe? Seems to me if you can climb well, you should be rewarded for your effort.

Actually, much of this year's tour route is puzzling to me. Seems like someone at ASO got bored and just decided to try something different.

 

[The Falcon]

Not Menchov?

 

[craig1985]

I don't think there is anyone at the moment to compare with Paolo Savoldelli, he was crazy but good to see in action.

Go to youtube and type 'Samuel Sanchez' in and you will see what a awesome desender he is. Some of his desending to win stages at the Vuelta are breath taking.

Of breakaway specialists, then Chavanel and Voeckler desend pretty well.

 

[stephens]

I don't get why organizers are hesitant to include more mountain top finishes.

Because there are more towns at the bottom of hills than the top.

Sponsor money, and just plain logistics of getting the show all set up on a mountain instead of having a whole big area of a town to set up in, mean that mountain top finishes will never be that common.

 

[Ninety5rpm]

I totally agree. Take stage 9 which goes over Col Aspin and Col du Tourmalet one of the epic climbs in TDF history. But the stage almost neutalizes its importance by putting the finish 70km past summit with gradual downward descent past the initial descent. Seems like Tormulet followed by a mountain top finish at another nearby climb would have been much better. I don't get why organizers are hesitant to include more mountain top finishes.

Stage 9

Imagine if Astana gets Leipheimer, Kloden or even Popo in a break that crests Tourmalet before Armstrong/Contador. They could get together and team TT it all the way to the finish.

 

[byu123]

Imagine if Astana gets Leipheimer, Kloden or even Popo in a break that crests Tourmalet before Armstrong/Contador. They could get together and team TT it all the way to the finish.

Interesting. So the strategy would be to send Leipheimer and Kloden on a break, perhaps led out by Zubeldia/Paulinho on the Col d'Aspin and if they get away from the Pelaton and stay away, have Armstrong and Contador try and make a break near the summit of the Tourmalet and get away. Have Kolden/Leipheimer wait up for AC and LA and they then join up for the run to the finish in TTT fashion? THAT would be epic. Seems somewhat far fetched but with those four and the terrain of the stage its feasible.

 

[craig1985]

In Pro Cycling Manager (2005 version) in the Giro I was playing as Discovery and I had 5 guys ride off the front on the day's first climb (that was not intentional) and the bunch sat up and gave them 22 minutes and it was a TTT to the finish. Pavel Padrnos won BTW.

 

[Epicycle]

Seems as though there is not much discussion about who are the best descenders amongst GC contenders. The three stages below would indicate that a good descender vs. poor one has a chance to gain significant time.

For example: Leipheimer is generally poor at descending.

How good are Contador, Schleck, Kloden, Evans, Sastre at descending?
How much time could be gained by a good descender vs. poor one in these three stages?

Evans is the best descender in that group being a former mountainbiker. How much time could be gained depends on circumstances. If the chasing group is lead by a good descender like Luis Leon Sanchez or Nibali the other guys will have an easier time. If not, time can be gained. Landis is a good descender and he still managed to take time from Sastre in the descent into Morzine in 2006 even though Sastre was probably a little fresher no matter how doped Landis was.

I think Armstrong's descending has been a little shaky both in the Giro and in the opening Tour stage.

 

[jonjungel]

Imagine if Astana gets Leipheimer, Kloden or even Popo in a break that crests Tourmalet before Armstrong/Contador. They could get together and team TT it all the way to the finish.

Saxo Bank did this last year, and managed to get Velverde out of contention for the podium. It's a good tactic if someone important can't follow on the way up.

 

[mickkk]

Evans can go down hill like shoite off a shovel, my spies say he is lying doggo atm.

Stewie can also gone down hill like a one legged luge artist but as we know, he tends to lose a bit of skin on the way.

 

[Anonymous]

only really levi and frank that are going to have problems..

Levi is notoriously poor at descending, frank, well frank is frank, just dont ride behind him and keep an ambulance ready.

 

[Columbiafan]

One thing is sure, Kloeden will never win a stage or even wear the leaders jersey, he is one of the biggest non-winners I ever saw. He was so much close, but never won... Kloeden will even when he is in good form have to wait for Armstrong and Contador if they are in trouble or work for them, he has absolutely no chance of winning the tour...

 

[elapid]

I doubt that there is much difference in the descending abilities of Contador, Armstrong, Menchov, Evans, etc. Speed may be affected by body weight, but technical skills should be about the same. It is not as though there are flyers like Salvodelli or Kelly or the likes of Rasmussen or Ullrich, who just made you cringe when they headed down hill, contending this year's TdF.

 

[Jayarbie]

only really levi and frank that are going to have problems..

Levi is notoriously poor at descending, frank, well frank is frank, just dont ride behind him and keep an ambulance ready.

Levi and Frank are both domestiques, too, so they really won't care how fast they go downhill.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

In Pro Cycling Manager (2005 version) in the Giro I was playing as Discovery and I had 5 guys ride off the front on the day's first climb (that was not intentional) and the bunch sat up and gave them 22 minutes and it was a TTT to the finish. Pavel Padrnos won BTW.

hahaha. descending is the easiest way to win pcm.
gosh i should get 09

on topic.
LL Sanchez can descend pretty damn well.

 

[ingsve]

Judging from what I saw in the downhill in the prologue it seems that Kreuziger is at a disadvantage on the downhills. He looked quite awkward there.

 

[skidmark]

Evans can go down hill like shoite off a shovel, my spies say he is lying doggo atm.

Stewie can also gone down hill like a one legged luge artist but as we know, he tends to lose a bit of skin on the way.

I have absolutely no idea what you just said.

 

[byu123]

I have absolutely no idea what you just said.

Let me interpret . . .

"Evans can go down hill like shoite off a shovel,"

Cadel Evans descends like "sh!t being knocked off a shovel as you pound the edge of the shovel down to knock off the sh!t currently stuck to it after scooping up what the dog left on the driveway/path/etc." = Evans descends fast.

"my spies say he is lying doggo atm."

Poster's Aussie mates opine that Evans is just biding his time for now and waiting to pounce on the other GC later. Much like a dog (or dingo) does when hunting prey.

"Stewie can also gone down hill like a one legged luge artist"

Stuart O'Grady descends fast like a luge (think one-man bobsled on your back) racer down a luge course. But doesn't do it with finesse much like a one-legged luge artist would

"but as we know, he tends to lose a bit of skin on the way."

As a result of O'Grady's hell bent for metal descending style he often crashes and gets nasty skin rashes as a result.