Official Thread: Stage 17 Bourg-Saint-Maurice to Le Grand-Bornand

[BroDeal]

Evans hanging on the absolute BACK right now.. looking rough. I smell an abandon today.

I already predicted that he was sick, getting sicker, and might blow today.

 

[Anonymous]

Well, so far this morning, the only rider I would even know was in the race is Lance based on the Versus coverage...well, they did give a full 10 seconds to Jens' crash...

 

[msjett]

Pretty bad, shows Evans riding with Cav....oh well, win some lose some...

edit...it now says that charley is pacing him back up to the peleton.

 

[53x11 in DC]

Wegelius pacing him back - he's back on (but was a good 300m OTB)

 

[msjett]

Good to see Menchov having a go.

 

[BroDeal]

Good to see Menchov having a go.

Must be trying to salvage something from this Tour.

 

[Mellow Velo]

Karpets involved in a pile up!
What's up with Cuddles: Done a "Mayo" and left his form at the Dauphine?

 

[53x11 in DC]

For you Spaniard/Basques, Verdugo, Moreno and Arrieta all also in the break now, with 1:15. 5 km to the summit, and the rain begins. Millar and Lance at back getting rain gear

 

[issoisso]

I'm not liking this. Armstrong in the rain is always far, far better than in any other weather.

He's got a lot of luck with weather today.

 

[Publicus]

That's not much of a limb to go out on!
I suspect the attacks may star even earlier.
The Col de Romme is particularly vicious, steep early on, but also with narrow roads. Look at the profile here
google here

I'm bold like that!

I was thinking someone may have a go during the first K of the climb, but that would be a risky move with so much difficult climbing thereafter plus the descent. Not sure who is strong enough or desperate enough to pull that kind of a move (Evans is already struggling), but I would love to see someone try.

 

[53x11 in DC]

I see CN.com has the live report up now, so my day is done...

 

[Anonymous]

I'm not liking this. Armstrong in the rain is always far, far better than in any other weather.

He's got a lot of luck with weather today.

I was thinking the same thing. It sucks, I am going to miss the greater part of the live coverage today. Gotta go do some work. Contador better ride smart today because this is just the kind of thing that Lance wanted to see.

 

[BroDeal]

How does Contador do in the cold?

Some Spaniards say they like the heat, but Heras had some great performances in crappy conditions, like his win on the Angilru.

 

[Publicus]

I'm going to go out on another limb and say that Evans abandons before the Col de Romme. He's heart is clearly no longer in this.

 

[Rechtschreibfehler]

I was thinking the same thing. It sucks, I am going to miss the greater part of the live coverage today. Gotta go do some work. Contador better ride smart today because this is just the kind of thing that Lance wanted to see.

I still believe that Armstrong will look pretty helpeless when Saxo-Bank will hit the Col de Romme as hard as they can. It starts out really steep and doesn't stop being a steep climb all the way to the end.

Ah Gerdemann again.
Maybe he can close the gap decending brilliantly.

Well....whatever.
He'll do better than this Tour some time. Maybe, hopefully.

 

[53x11 in DC]

VdV looks like a million bucks today. If it weren't for him having to work for Wiggo now, I bet he'd have a go on the Romme.

 

[Mellow Velo]

The weather is the same for all. Look at Voigt, yesterday. Who would have thunk it?
Armstrong fell on a nothing corner on the Giro's Veruvius stage.
Wiggins doesn't like riding in the rain, though.

 

[Anonymous]

How does Contador do in the cold?

Some Spaniards say they like the heat, but Heras had some great performances in crappy conditions, like his win on the Angilru.

I don't know, but he was just drinking which is important to remember in the rain. He is going to need to be really smart today.

 

[BroDeal]

I'm going to go out on another limb and say that Evans abandons before the Col de Romme. He's heart is clearly no longer in this.

I really think there is something wrong with him other than losing faith that he has a shot at winning.

Maybe Kenny will have company today.

 

[53x11 in DC]

Pelli with a polka-dot vest, too!!

 

[Anonymous]

The weather is the same for all. Look at Voigt, yesterday. Who would have thunk it?
Armstrong fell on a nothing corner on the Giro's Veruvius stage.
Wiggins doesn't like riding in the rain, though.

Astana 1,2,3 on GC?

 

[Publicus]

How does Contador do in the cold?

Some Spaniards say they like the heat, but Heras had some great performances in crappy conditions, like his win on the Angilru.

Don't know a definitive answer, but it always looks like Contador is suffering a bit in the heat. So I imagine the rain will keep his engine relatively cool. Plus he never seems bothered during the earlier spring races (Paris-Nice, Pais Vasaco (sp), Castilla y Leon, etc.).

But that's all pure conjecture on my part.

 

[53x11 in DC]

I really think there is something wrong with him other than losing faith that he has a shot at winning.

Maybe Kenny will have company today.

I want KVH to lose another 45 today, but not abandon. Riding up the Petit-St-Bernard yesterday, there were a bunch of "Kenny van HummeL"s painted on the road, with a RED 'L'. So cruel.

 

[Anonymous]

Thor sprinting for the top of the climb, WTF is up with that?

 

[BroDeal]

Wiggins doesn't like riding in the rain, though.

How the can that be? He's freakin British.