Le Mével a chance for top5 GC now ?

[Libertine Seguros]

No they haven't. And a lot of people currently in the top 30 are going to lose massive amounts of time once they do. Le Mevel himself will certainly be losing substantial time on the likes of Contador, Scarponi and Menchov. But Le Mevel is a decent climber, decent enough that nobody who is 7 minutes behind him when they do hit the big mountains is particularly likely to overhaul him.

Maybe in the Tour, where the racing is nice and conservative until the last climb. But this is the Giro, after one week and one, not especially testing, MTF. There are many, many more mountain stages, including some where he'll be lucky not to lose 7 minutes in one go to the best riders on the day. While he's clinging on to his top 10 slot, riders could be dropping time to be allowed to go in those breaks in the mountains later on.

 

[Eric8-A]

I think Etna will be the first real test for Le Mevel. Will he crack and lose time? Or will he stay in contention with the others?

 

[Ferminal]

The first true test of his Garmin transformation.

I think he will lose 1-2.5"

 

[auscyclefan94]

Le Mevel can top 10 overall. Tonights climb is long but not too steep and not too many rhythm changes therefore he can get into a nice tempo and just hold it.

 

[Midnightfright]

Pretty much agree with most of the other posters with regards to his chances on todays stage. He wont be able to keep up with the elite guys but fully expect him to finish in a 2nd group with the likes of Arroyo, Garzelli and Pinotti.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

First real test was today, and he must be feeling pretty confident after finishing just a minute down on Contador.

Quite a few other possible contenders for a top 10 spot lost a chunk of time, including guys who might have had serious hopes of a podium spot. He could still explode on on the big three climbing stages and lose ten minutes on his peers, but for the moment things are looking good for him. There are less people behind him who are near certainties to overtake him than there were a few days ago.

 

[Eric8-A]

He actually did much better than I expected. I was expecting him to lose the time that Pinotti lost. He moved up to third overall now. The thing is that the Giro is still in its early stages and it seems that the majority of the GC contedners are taking it easy to maybe conserve themselves for the final week. Hopefully Christophe doesn't get too confident with himself and doesn't burn himself out too soon.

 

[roundabout]

The gaps are still small. It's only a minute from Le Mevel to 11th, but it's looking good.

 

[greenedge]

I think Le Mevel should attack on stage 11.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

I think Le Mevel should attack on stage 11.

He obviously agreed with you.

I like the cut of his jib. Most fringe GC men who found themselves doing well would concentrate on conserving energy, clinging on for dear life, and minimising losses as they slowly slide down the GC. He's going for the jugular instead, which is great to see.

 

[maltiv]

He obviously agreed with you.

I like the cut of his jib. Most fringe GC men who found themselves doing well would concentrate on conserving energy, clinging on for dear life, and minimising losses as they slowly slide down the GC. He's going for the jugular instead, which is great to see.

Indeed. Very courageous ride by Le Mevel. Too bad it didn't work out, but he deserves credit for trying.

 

[El Pistolero]

He obviously agreed with you.

I like the cut of his jib. Most fringe GC men who found themselves doing well would concentrate on conserving energy, clinging on for dear life, and minimising losses as they slowly slide down the GC. He's going for the jugular instead, which is great to see.

Cause he knows he has no chance at a top 5 and rather wears the pink jersey for some time and perhaps win a stage while add it. Didn't work out, but that's cycling.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Cause he knows he has no chance at a top 5 and rather wears the pink jersey for some time and perhaps win a stage while add it. Didn't work out, but that's cycling.

Sure, he has very little chance of a top 5 barring some unforeseen cataclysm striking down some of the big guns, but he does have a chance at a top 10, which is not to be sniffed at.

Most fringe GC men would hold on for dear life and ride incredibly conservatively in the hope that enough rivals screw up to allow a 9th or 10th or spot. He's been trying to secure a top 10 by going on the attack and from a spectator's point of view you have to like that.

 

[El Pistolero]

Sure, he has very little chance of a top 5 barring some unforeseen cataclysm striking down some of the big guns, but he does have a chance at a top 10, which is not to be sniffed at.

Most fringe GC men would hold on for dear life and ride incredibly conservatively in the hope that enough rivals screw up to allow a 9th or 10th or spot. He's been trying to secure a top 10 by going on the attack and from a spectator's point of view you have to like that.

Think a lot of fringe GC men in this GT don't know their limits yet, Le Mevel does, so that's probably the reason for his attack today.

 

[roundabout]

Think a lot of fringe GC men in this GT don't know their limits yet, Le Mevel does, so that's probably the reason for his attack today.

That's the first time he is riding for GC in a Grand Tour so once again you're not making any sense.

 

[El Pistolero]

That's the first time he is riding for GC in a Grand Tour so once again you're not making any sense.

He was 10th in 2009 TdF. And 14th in last year's Vuelta.

So once again, you're not making sense.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Sure, he has very little chance of a top 5 barring some unforeseen cataclysm striking down some of the big guns, but he does have a chance at a top 10, which is not to be sniffed at.

Most fringe GC men would hold on for dear life and ride incredibly conservatively in the hope that enough rivals screw up to allow a 9th or 10th or spot. He's been trying to secure a top 10 by going on the attack and from a spectator's point of view you have to like that.

Again, this is the Giro. Last year Vladimir Karpets went on a 45km solo ride on a flat stage before the big mountain tests to try to win time back. When Emanuele Sella was 7th before the Passo Fedaia stage in 2008, he went straight into the breakaway. Garzelli has done many a suicidal long lone break over the years while well-placed on GC. And what of those GC men who invigorated a flat stage with a break last year and caused Cadel Evans to start throwing punches at Daniele Righi? And of course, you would have considered Arroyo to be a fringe GC guy at last year's Giro, with two top 10s at the bottom end of it to his credit.

Admittedly, the team he's on being known for relatively conservative-riding GC men (mostly as they're unexpected GC men admittedly) probably doesn't help the expectation that he won't attack.

 

[roundabout]

He was 10th in 2009 TdF. And 14th in last year's Vuelta.

So once again, you're not making sense.

The notion that a rider can get a relatively high position on GC without specifically aiming for it has just flown past you at a great speed.

*wooosh*

 

[rzombie1988]

I really didn't like reading his quote in the interview on the main page about how he can't win now. If he can't win, why is he even there? Might as well go home. Sure it's really unlikely that he will win, but if he doesn't believe he can do it, how can anyone else?

 

[Eric8-A]

I really didn't like reading his quote in the interview on the main page about how he can't win now. If he can't win, why is he even there? Might as well go home. Sure it's really unlikely that he will win, but if he doesn't believe he can do it, how can anyone else?

Well of course he wasn't going to win the overall. He was pretty much saying that he wanted to win a stage. He feels his chances for winning a stage are over with the big climbing stages coming up where the big hitters will come out and play. Why doesn't he leave? Another goal of his was to land a top 10 spot on GC.

 

[greenedge]

As i said Contador was willing but then something happened.... to not give Le Mevel the jersey. nice attack though he might be tired.

 

[El Pistolero]

The notion that a rider can get a relatively high position on GC without specifically aiming for it has just flown past you at a great speed.

*wooosh*

Think you should reread my post.

It seems to have flown past your head quite fast. I said he knew his limits, he does

*Woooooooosh* Kinder garden is right next door though.

 

[roundabout]

Think you should reread my post.

It seems to have flown past your head quite fast. I said he knew his limits, he does

*Woooooooosh* Kinder garden is right next door though.

How about a source for Le Mevel knowing his limits in a Grand Tour? You saying so is not a source.

And no, using two Grand Tours where he wasn't the protected rider from the start won't cut it.

 

[nobilis]

You're talking about Le Mevel as if he was nobody or a surprise to be up there. He already had a top 10 finish at the 2009 tdf.

 

[Eric8-A]

It's all over for him now. He wanted a top 10 spot and now lies in 16th. From here, I only see him dropping spots.