Le Tour de France 2011 STAGE 8 - Aigurande-Super-Besse Sancy 189 km

[GroupDK]

Bump and grinding among the days tour car peloton
http://tour.tv2.dk/article.php/id-41583484:riis-påkørt-tourbilen-er-smadret.html

 

[peacefultribe]

Just watched the final climb again - can't see Contador favouring one side more than the other tbh.

He just upped the pace a couple of times. The camera angle was awful (just side on Contador) when Cadel went so we couldn't see if AC was pulling him back or not.

I was watching streaming video, can no longer stand to watch Versus, and they showed overhead shots. You can definitely see it then.

 

[Parrulo]

saying contador only rode 1 good itt in his life is just proving that you don't know anything about cycling. but who cares anyway.

once again the GC riders just looked at each other so we still don't know who is strong and who isn't.

rides of the day are no doubt costa and hushovd. i tip him for winning the tour now with hincapie a close second (talking about hushovd here)

 

[LaFlorecita]

Time to put two urban legends straight:

1st "Berto was not at his best in 2010" => Wrong. A. Schleck just got better in the mountains, AC stagnated on a very high level.

2nd "Berto is a world class ITT rider" => Wrong. He is and always has been strong in short, hilly ITTs. He always was able to ride a longer ITT slightly above average. He did ONE great (certain-Heras-style) ITT in his whole live in 2009 and I guess nobody wants to know exactly HOW he did this. Face it: Last years Tour ITT was more the usual AC-ITT compared to the one 2009. And 2010, he already was at his best (see above).

blablabla. Obvious hater is obvious. Check him crying after the TT and check his time trial results.

Edit: He got 4th place in the olympic time trial, which was 47 km long.

 

[ggusta]

Bump and grinding among the days tour car peloton
http://tour.tv2.dk/article.php/id-41583484:riis-påkørt-tourbilen-er-smadret.html

Google translate of article from danish to english.

Long story short:No one hurt, Rear ended by Vacansoleil.

http://tinyurl.com/6ef5gk5

 

[Descender]

No offence, but I hope the ridiculous Gesink hype is toned down a bit now it's become clear he's nothing but a second-tier rider.

 

[cody_57]

feeling compelled to say something positive about Versus coverage.

i like when they put a camera in on team cars. also, very interesting hearing Radio Shack given instructions and report pre race. feeling bad for Horner which makes me root for Kloden.

Sorry, but the feed is from French TV, VS is just having P&P comment over it, they have no control over what they or we see.

 

[Parrulo]

No offence, but I hope the ridiculous Gesink hype is toned down a bit now it's become clear he's nothing but a second-tier rider.

wow just cus he had a crash he is a second tier rider? good job fine sir

 

[2wheels]

Deux chapeaux for Thor now; he was the big winner today. BMC guys must feel a bit used up for nothing. I'm sad for Gesink; not really a fan but I hate to see good GC guys wasted by injuries. Other than Cadel maybe, I don't think the real GC guys were too worried about this stage-- looked more like a recovery ride than a race for most of them. I'd bet on fireworks tomorrow, though.

 

[Gingerale]

ha! glad i didn't post during this race when it was shown live! phil liggett would have had me so worked up with his remark on TJVG, "the man from Montana is really flying!"

no exclamations about riblon or rui costa who were right with tejay

yet to see how contador is riding.

does anyone have a statement translated post race from gesink who was off the back?

going under 10k banner.

 

[Descender]

wow just cus he had a crash he is a second tier rider? good job fine sir

No, he's always been a second-tier rider. It's up to those who posit he is more than that to prove it, not the other way around.

And again, I like Gesink and nothing would make me happier than seeing him prove me wrong.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

wow just cus he had a crash he is a second tier rider? good job fine sir

+1

I guess he has only watched a couple races.

but ya he is a 2nd tier rider because you say so.

anyway I am not sure how this could make anything 'clear', I mean the injuries only make it more unclear really. But whatever.

 

[Parrulo]

No, he's always been a second-tier rider. It's up to those who posit he is more than that to prove it, not the other way around.

And again, I like Gesink and nothing would make me happier than seeing him prove me wrong.

oh common he is only 24 or 25 and he has already a couple of good GT results under his belt. the guy still has time to improve. i do agree however that he is hyped a bit to much on this forum and tbh i still think nibali is overall a better rider then him unlike what many dutchies say.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

oh common he is only 24 or 25 and he has already a couple of good GT results under his belt. the guy still has time to improve. i do agree however that he is hyped a bit to much on this forum and tbh i still think nibali is overall a better rider then him unlike what many dutchies say.

hopefully he quits this race so we can see them go head to head at full form

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Time to put two urban legends straight:

1st "Berto was not at his best in 2010" => Wrong. A. Schleck just got better in the mountains, AC stagnated on a very high level.

And a stagnated Alberto was still better than Andy.

2nd "Berto is a world class ITT rider" => Wrong. He is and always has been strong in short, hilly ITTs. He always was able to ride a longer ITT slightly above average. He did ONE great (certain-Heras-style) ITT in his whole live in 2009

6th, stage 13 ITT, Tour de France 2007 (54km)
- ahead of Leipheimer, Karpets, Millar, Menchov, Gutíerrez and Voigt
5th, stage 20 ITT, Tour de France 2007 (55,5km)
- ahead of Cancellara, Gutíerrez, Schumacher and Grabsch
2nd, stage 10 ITT, Giro d'Italia 2008 (39,4km)
- ahead of Klöden, Pinotti, Menchov, Leipheimer, Larsson
4th, Olympic Games ITT (47,3km)
- ahead of Evans, Sánchez, Rogers, Zabriskie, Grabsch
4th, stage 5 ITT, Vuelta a España 2008 (42,5km)
- ahead of Lang, Klöden, Bruseghin
1st, stage 4 ITT, Volta ao Algarve 2009 (33,7km)
- ahead of Klöden, Martin, Plaza, Machado, Millar, Grabsch
5th, stage 4 ITT, Dauphiné Libéré 2009 (42,4km)
- ahead of Lang, Moerenhout
1st, National Championships ITT 2009 (47,8km)
- ahead of Sánchez, Gutiérrez, Plaza
1st, stage 18 ITT, Tour de France 2009 (40,5km)
- ahead of Cancellara, Wiggins, Evans, Martin, Armstrong, Larsson, Sánchez, Zabriskie
6th, stage 3 ITT, Dauphiné 2010 (49,5km) AND WE CONSIDERED IT A DISAPPOINTMENT
- ahead of Thomas, Grabsch, Ovechkin, Gretsch
3rd, stage 21 ITT, Giro d'Italia 2011 (32,8km) AND HE SHOWBOATED HOME
- ahead of Porte, Meyer, Gretsch, Lang, Menchov

I'm not going to bother posting his multiple wins at shorter ITTs, but let's consider the above as evidence that his 2009 stage win was hardly a fluke, just a good day.

and I guess nobody wants to know exactly HOW he did this. Face it: Last years Tour ITT was more the usual AC-ITT compared to the one 2009. And 2010, he already was at his best (see above).

HOW he did it? Well, by getting on his bike and completing the course in a faster time than anybody else.

AC has far more top 10s in ITTs than places around 35th (where he was in Pauillac) in his entire career.

 

[El Pistolero]

+1

I guess he has only watched a couple races.

but ya he is a 2nd tier rider because you say so.

anyway I am not sure how this could make anything 'clear', I mean the injuries only make it more unclear really. But whatever.

And then you guys have the guts to call me a hater on Dutch cyclists

Oh well, he should enter the first mountain stage to see how it goes and if he's crap just leave. You guys will be sad for a few weeks, but once the Vuelta goes he'll be a favorite for the victory. That's better than finishing fifth or something at the Tour.

 

[trevim]

Well nice day to be a portuguese!

Very good to see a fellow countryman winning something big! Rui Costa isn't the best of the climbers nor the best of the punchers but I think that he is one of that kind of guys that handle himself very well in a breakaway. He showed that in Switzerland last year riding very clever tactically with Rojas and now today. With 10km to go I was worried that he was spending too much chasing down Van Garderen, Riblon and Gaultier but he timed his move perfectly. Good job!

Very disappointed with Gesink. It's a pity that he is injured because I think that along with Sanchez he would be the one to the 3rd place. I hope he recovers and can do something in the Vuelta because such a great talent needs results to go alongside.

(Second year in a row with a portuguese stage win! Who's gonna win next year?)

 

[Parrulo]

hopefully he quits this race so we can see them go head to head at full form

that would make for a great vuelta unless the dutchies cough D_T cough starts with his nibali hate (he himself admitted that nibali was one of his least favourite riders) and starts going on about how gesink will crush nibali weeks before the vuelta even starts

And a stagnated Alberto was still better than Andy.


6th, stage 13 ITT, Tour de France 2007 (54km)
- ahead of Leipheimer, Karpets, Millar, Menchov, Gutíerrez and Voigt
5th, stage 20 ITT, Tour de France 2007 (55,5km)
- ahead of Cancellara, Gutíerrez, Schumacher and Grabsch
2nd, stage 10 ITT, Giro d'Italia 2008 (39,4km)
- ahead of Klöden, Pinotti, Menchov, Leipheimer, Larsson
4th, Olympic Games ITT (47,3km)
- ahead of Evans, Sánchez, Rogers, Zabriskie, Grabsch
4th, stage 5 ITT, Vuelta a España 2008 (42,5km)
- ahead of Lang, Klöden, Bruseghin
1st, stage 4 ITT, Volta ao Algarve 2009 (33,7km)
- ahead of Klöden, Martin, Plaza, Machado, Millar, Grabsch
5th, stage 4 ITT, Dauphiné Libéré 2009 (42,4km)
- ahead of Lang, Moerenhout
1st, National Championships ITT 2009 (47,8km)
- ahead of Sánchez, Gutiérrez, Plaza
1st, stage 18 ITT, Tour de France 2009 (40,5km)
- ahead of Cancellara, Wiggins, Evans, Martin, Armstrong, Larsson, Sánchez, Zabriskie
6th, stage 3 ITT, Dauphiné 2010 (49,5km) AND WE CONSIDERED IT A DISAPPOINTMENT
- ahead of Thomas, Grabsch, Ovechkin, Gretsch
3rd, stage 21 ITT, Giro d'Italia 2011 (32,8km) AND HE SHOWBOATED HOME
- ahead of Porte, Meyer, Gretsch, Lang, Menchov

I'm not going to bother posting his multiple wins at shorter ITTs, but let's consider the above as evidence that his 2009 stage win was hardly a fluke, just a good day.



HOW he did it? Well, by getting on his bike and completing the course in a faster time than anybody else.

AC has far more top 10s in ITTs than places around 35th (where he was in Pauillac) in his entire career.

libertine there is no point trying to argue with this guy. even when showing him this kind of data

 

[Gingerale]

strong ride in the rain by costa!

oh that probably smarted tj when vino passed him.

i don't see what posters are saying about contador's riding/pedaling being compromised. not doubting he might have pain. but i'll go by what conti says himself and wait. this is not mt. etna.

evans and shlecks look good.

chris was testing. contador then testing. contador out of the seat on pedals looks perfectly fine.

whoa cungego! and gilbert!

phil ligget has to get his dig into contador " i'm not sure contador is as sharp as he appears, here." lolzzzzz apparently contador "appears" sharp to liggett but he's throwing the doubt of course. how would he think that? contador was fine.

fun stage at the end

shoulda got out of bed and watched live.

 

[pugdog]

Well nice day to be a portuguese!

......

(Second year in a row with a portuguese stage win! Who's gonna win next year?)

Tiago of course.

 

[hrotha]

oh common he is only 24 or 25 and he has already a couple of good GT results under his belt. the guy still has time to improve. i do agree however that he is hyped a bit to much on this forum and tbh i still think nibali is overall a better rider then him unlike what many dutchies say.

I don't think Gesink is hyped. He's talked about, which is different.

 

[Je ne sais quoi]

A troubling stage. Gesink, et al.

Damn crashes! A lot of riders looking forward to the rest day.

My first thought earlier was that Contador was injured, but still game.
Looking for a recording, not a very good one, but here he is with Schleck on his wheel (skip forward to 2:50):
Link:
http://www.steephill.tv/players/720/aso-tdf-2011/?title=Official+Stage+8+Highlights&dashboard=tour-de-france&id=1044785351001&yr=2011

With respect, if he was a horse and trotted by you looking like that, you would say he was lame. [On edit, I've changed my mind after viewing the videos posted by Climber further down the thread ]

Sad to hear that Intxausti had to retire. He has one of my favorite names in the peloton! El Inagotable!, his name reminds me of Inexhaustible in English. So for me Intxausti's retirement is a metaphor for the peloton as they limp into rest day.

 

[Descender]

+1

I guess he has only watched a couple races.

but ya he is a 2nd tier rider because you say so.

anyway I am not sure how this could make anything 'clear', I mean the injuries only make it more unclear really. But whatever.

You keep guessing, matey. I have lost the count on how many times I've had to hear this or this other contingent hyping a rider as the next coming of Eddy Merckx only to see him fade away or, most commonly, never become anyone of significance.

Gesink said himself today his legs aren't working btw, I fail to see how his chute had anything to do with that.

 

[Gingerale]

hopefully he quits this race so we can see them go head to head at full form

+ 1!

nibali and gesink at vuelta.

will "love boat" be there too?

 

[spalco]

wow just cus he had a crash he is a second tier rider? good job fine sir

What has he ever done anything to prove he's more than that?