Official thread: le Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré

[53x11 in DC]

Folks - seriously. I know many of you have raced before, so you should know better than to criticize what Contador did today (or for that matter, what Leipheimer did at the Giro, or Evans in the past)

1. Bertie had ZERO reason to take a pull/go to the front. ZERO. ZILCH. NADA. It was fully the responsibility of Evans and his team (snicker snicker) to bring ValvPiti back. He is not interested in protecting his second place on the GC, because....

2. He is clearly riding himself into form. Looked rough today, and is obviously measuring his efforts for the Tour. I had been hopeful he would attack to gain time and challenge for the GC, but it is clear that he is using this as a tune-up.

Put yourself in Bertie's cleats... if you're on the limit already, and are not concerned with the outcome of the DauphLib, why would you go to the front and blow yourself up to help Evans retain the yellow jersey?? Again, makes zero sense.

 

[Anonymous]

did i see valverde make a deal with Szmyd?

 

[MKirilenko]

Wow, you guys whine a lot about all the wheelsucking bs. I totally agree with 53x11 in DC about Contador's tactics today. If it was TdF stage u bet he would have attacked, as many times as against Rasmussen in 07 if needed. Not mentioning the fact he would actually chase his own teammate Zubeldia, who came 3rd, just like dumb Nibali did a few times attacking and chasing Szmyd at the same time, and closing the Szmyd/Valv - Evans gap.

Wonder what caused Szmyd to stop, prolly mechanical. Respect to Valverde for not breaking the deal (yes they made it, they showed it like dozen times on eurosport - valv saying "YES, i take yellow, u take stage" )

 

[Zoncolan]

They made a deal for Szmyd to win the stage in exchange for helping Valverde by taking pulls. Szmyd died a bit in that curve(or had a small mechanical?) and Valverde waited a bit for him.

That would explain it.
Gesink did rather well today. I think he did very well yesterday as well. Coming along really nice. With their TTT skills and Menchov and Gesink on the team, Rabobank will be a force at the Tour.

 

[53x11 in DC]

did i see valverde make a deal with Szmyd?

Looked that way - Szmyd did alot of work for him. It was a well-deserved trade and a class act by ValvPiti to wait after the mech issue. Probably the last class act he'll display for a few years.

 

[Mellow Velo]

I guess I'd better take my tongue out of my cheek, now, lest I cause more confusion in the ranks.

Like I said, they were both riding the Tour, today, especially Bertie.
Cadel is definitely going the better of the two, but he's not going to bust a gut trying for the GC.

It ain't going to make for a pretty Dauphine, 53. I think you mentioned that was a concern of yours, yesterday.

Now, the '07 DL, with Vino. That was a ripper!

 

[MKirilenko]

U think MV? For me their faces were saying:
AC: "Omg, how boring is this tempo"
CE: "Omg, why do I have to chase Valverde?"
Maybe its just me, but really it seemed that way, when they took closer look at favs faces But I guess it might be misleading, when u take Basso's 'shy smile all the time 'into account

 

[53x11 in DC]

It ain't going to make for a pretty Dauphine, 53. I think you mentioned that was a concern of yours, yesterday.

Now, the '07 DL, with Vino. That was a ripper!

Spot on, MV

 

[Jasper]

That would explain it.
Gesink did rather well today. I think he did very well yesterday as well. Coming along really nice. With their TTT skills and Menchov and Gesink on the team, Rabobank will be a force at the Tour.

Exactly what I was thinking. With a good Gesink (and maybe even Ten Dam) at his side, Menchov will be more comfortable than ever.

 

[MKirilenko]

Checked last K on YT couple of times, and yes, its seemed like Szmyd had a mechanical, he stopped rapidly, looking at his wheel(?) and his hand went probably to the mic as he was desperate to win this, he might have asked for new bike or sth. Also fans were pointing on his wheel.

 

[knorensnor]

indeed a very weird stage...i believe everyone of the riders have an explination for their way of riding, except for evans. why the hell didn't he just ride a hard tempo the last kilometres of the ventoux? contador wasn't going to attack him and he knew...instead of jumping to everyone's wheel, he better rode his own tempo, now he litterally gave the jersey to Valverde...

I must say that I'm surprised by the form of Fuglsang and Millar...and I'm happy for szmyd he won a race like this, after an unexpected finish =)

this stage just needed a good silence lotto which wasn't there, i expected more of Van den Broeck today...

 

[Kazistuta]

Fuglsang today wasn't a surprise to us following him a bit closer. Dauphine is his big goal this "spring", and after an unlucky crash in the prologue he's had a couple of days to recoup. He's definitely a promising climber and he did outstanding work for older Schleck in Paris-Nice. But a fifth placing on Ventoux is maybe a bit more than expected (I only expected him to be in the top10)

Let's see what he does saturday.

Millar climbing so well is a BIG surprise to me too, though. But asuming he's clean it's great to see him at the front again.

And yes, Szmyd deserved this victory after all his unselfish work for various team captains the last couple of years.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

U think MV? For me their faces were saying:
AC: "Omg, how boring is this tempo"
CE: "Omg, why do I have to chase Valverde?"
Maybe its just me, but really it seemed that way, when they took closer look at favs faces But I guess it might be misleading, when u take Basso's 'shy smile all the time 'into account

I have to disagree.

Contador didn't look superb to me. A few times in the beginning of the climb, when Gesink accelerated, Contador had to let a wheel length a few times and was pulling faces. He didn't seem in his top form. Later on the climb that was confirmed.

 

[Epicycle]

.
Millar climbing so well is a BIG surprise to me too, though. But asuming he's clean it's great to see him at the front again.

And yes, Szmyd deserved this victory after all his unselfish work for various team captains the last couple of years.

Remember Zabriskie did the same thing on Ventoux a few years ago and finished 5th overall. The Dauphine is much different than a GT.

I feel the same about Szmyd. He had his chances on Lampre but could never pull off the big win.

 

[180mmCrank]

My 2 cents...

Valverde pulled a great ride today. He was bold, he backed himself and it payed off. It was great to watch.

(I am sure he did the deal for the win with Szmyd - and this is all part of the rich tapestry of pro-cycling - the Szmyd mechanical and Valverde waiting on the last cornermade it look staged but it was so what the heck )

It was great to see Gesink mixing it up and Millar seems to have his form going in the right direction for a great TdF.

Evans continues to be a mystery to me. He just seems to do things that defy (cycling) logic or protocol. IMO it was his job in Yellow to go after Valverde. Clearly the other contenders thought so too and hence the almost comical behaviour of the group when Evans was clearly not going to take responsibility for defending the jersey. I don't know if this pushing back on protocol is tactical genius or just (stubborn) misjudgement. He is a strange one IMO.

Contador is just biding his time I don't think there is any doubt that he will be the one to beat in July. Does anyone know who is in the Astana team car for this race? Not JB I guess?

 

[knorensnor]

Contador is just biding his time I don't think there is any doubt that he will be the one to beat in July. Does anyone know who is in the Astana team car for this race? Not JB I guess?

I believe thay said it's Dirk Demol in the car. and yes, good form or not, contador knows what he's doing and he will be there in july.

 

[Belokki]

Cadel will never win... he's too "lazy"

 

[lookkg386]

Valverde was always in this race to win so well done to him. Miller rode excellent today too!, suprised me that he stayed in group so long.

I think Evans rode the race he wanted, without doubt he would have been watching Contador so to lose no time to him is a positive.

The build up to the Tour just gets better!!!, after the Giro I was way fired up but now seeing Contador, Evans and company it keeps looking better!

 

[BroDeal]

Cadel will never win... he's too "lazy"

I wonder if Evans is one of these gigolos at the end of a string who does not know what to do without being told.

 

[lookkg386]

Sebastien Lang (SIL) who has been evacuated has just had a fall and been evacuated by ambulance. Cadel is losing his team mates..Aerts(dns), Ralf (fall) now Lang will definately make it hard to stay in yellow.

Cadel's twitter says nothing broken!, I guess good news for Lang and S-L.

 

[180mmCrank]

The build up to the Tour just gets better!!!, after the Giro I was way fired up but now seeing Contador, Evans and company it keeps looking better!

+1 It's going to be an awesome race me thinks...

 

[lookkg386]

Also just noted that Basso will not start next stage ???

 

[patswana]

Also just noted that Basso will not start next stage ???

Poor guy has a fever, apparently. Must be all the pigs.

 

[lookkg386]

Funny how blowing up on the Ventoux will really bring it on...

 

[Anonymous]

Looked that way - Szmyd did alot of work for him. It was a well-deserved trade and a class act by ValvPiti to wait after the mech issue. Probably the last class act he'll display for a few years.

Yes, very class act. It's still the thing that amazes me about this sport.
The double take Valverde took when he saw Szmyd had come back to him was beautiful.

As it turns out there was no mechanical.

Szmyd said; "As I was almost sure to win, I became stressed out. I had the feeling I might throw up. My legs simply stopped. I told myself, 'you have to do it'. Eventually, I caught Valverde who behaved as a lord of cycling"

That's so... cute..

So used to helping others that he had to force himself to win.