Official Thread: Stage 20: Montélimar - Mt. Ventoux 167km

[The Barb]

All in all, I'm glad I could watch the TDF this year. Any TDF is better than no TDF.

What low standards you must have to say that.

Any food is better than no food ... but I don't want to eat dog feces.

Any sex is better than no sex ... but I don't want to nail Fatima Whitbread.

 

[Anonymous]

I've never seen someone whine so much about other people.

Could it be that the jerks are circling for the thrill?

 

[ThisFrenchGuy]

True, but Andy couldn't shake Contador either. I don't think Andy could've won the stage unless Bertie gifted it to him.

I do not know.
I admit it would have been pointless for GC (not many gaps upon arrival), but Andy should have tested Contador for the stage, he looked pretty good today.

The whole brother in arms deal is nice and all, I won't deny, but Andy cannot tow Franck forever, esp. in upcoming Tours.

But overall, I think Pellizotti would have been a better winner. He was one of the exciting guys while the peloton was boring, and he tried 3 or 4 (?) times to win a stage this tour. He didn't have the legs though.

Good for Rabo. Tony Martin seems to have done something wrong, he should have tried to drop Garate (maybe he couldn't?).

All in all it was not an easy climb. I don't think it is whining to say that the plan for this Tour did not work. I agree with the people saying that ASO should stop trying to "manufacture" excitement. Ventoux was somewhat meaningless because of tactical considerations (Andy waiting for Franck) and the gaps for 1st and 2nd place were too large already. Hope they will learn their lessons for next year.

 

[Publicus]

???? Fanboy nation will get to cheer the 3rd place jersey....strike that, I am being told there is no jersey for 3rd place.

Sadly Phil Ligett seemed to celebrate Lance's successful 3rd place as more of an accomplishment than winning the MJ. Must be the hater in me, because he couldn't have possibly said that.

 

[BroDeal]

The race was what it was. Some liked it, some didn't. That's life.

Of course it you don't like something and dare to say anything about it then frizzlefry, Amster, and Circlejerk get mad that someone actually had an opinion that was different than theirs.

 

[Mellow Velo]

Interesting to watch Andy, but ultimately this stage was a bust.

Just for a different quote.
Well, this sort of battle was always on the cards.
Odds on we'd have a strong wind and once again, it's the dredded headwind.

I suppose it is a measure of this Tour's failings, when one considers that the definitive mountain stage, time wise, actually turn out to be the short hop up to Verbier.

 

[Anonymous]

What low standards you must have to say that.

Any food is better than no food ... but I don't want to eat dog feces.

Any sex is better than no sex ... but I don't want to nail Fatima Whitbread.

I gotta say, that one is true.

 

[Cobblestones]

I do not know.
I admit it would have been pointless for GC (not many gaps upon arrival), but Andy should have tested Contador for the stage, he looked pretty good today.

The whole brother in arms deal is nice and all, I won't deny, but Andy cannot tow Franck forever, esp. in upcoming Tours.

But overall, I think Pellizotti would have been a better winner. He was one of the exciting guys while the peloton was boring, and he tried 3 or 4 (?) times to win a stage this tour. He didn't have the legs though.

Good for Rabo. Tony Martin seems to have done something wrong, he should have tried to drop Garate (maybe he couldn't?).

All in all it was not an easy climb. I don't think it is whining to say that the plan for this Tour did not work. I agree with the people saying that ASO should stop trying to "manufacture" excitement. Ventoux was somewhat meaningless because of tactical considerations (Andy waiting for Franck) and the gaps for 1st and 2nd place were too large already. Hope they will learn their lessons for next year.

Agree on all accounts.

 

[The Barb]

Hope they will learn their lessons for next year.

I hope so too but I won't count on it.

Designing a good course is about as difficult as tying a shoelace, but after over 100 years they'll still fumbling with the laces like they've got leprosy.

 

[ThisFrenchGuy]

On a side note, as a French guy, nice to see that Le Mevel is ten at GC. Kreuziger did a nice move today and took place 9.

There's only 3 seconds between Wiggins and F.Schleck I believe, could it play tomorrow? I know the Champs is not really done for breakaways but a last move at the end of the stage?

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

I will echo a good day for Garate, his name has been mentioned for some time to do something big, and he finally did. Though I have to say I'm a bit jaded about anyone in a Rabo jersey these days. And I am glad to see some of the younger riders perform well.

Regardless of who won or didn't or who placed where, I too was disappointed with the stage. There was indeed so much talk about how the Ventoux would be the decider, it would all come down to the Ventoux. But in the end, very little change on GC. It was not that different than most of the other mountain stages, or flat stages, actually.

I'd be hard pressed to believe anyone who honestly says this Tour was exciting, or lived up to the expectations.

 

[BroDeal]

I gotta say, that one is true.

Tom Arnold might disagree.

 

[colwildcat]

I agree that the stage was a bit anti-climactic, but the race was already decided for the most part, and I think there was more fatigue from yesterday than they planned for.

I do think it's ridiculous to sit here and say if you take out a stage 2+ weeks ago, that you can somehow predict what would have happened. The tactics would have completely changed.

 

[The Barb]

Tom Arnold might disagree.

Hehe ... very good.

 

[Anonymous]

Tom Arnold might disagree.

Maybe, but even if he had to hold his nose, he was still in there. That's still one in the win column for "any sex."

 

[Murray]

Designing a good course is about as difficult as tying a shoelace, but after over 100 years they'll still fumbling with the laces like they've got leprosy.

So, I suppose the ASO can expect your impressive race-organizing resume at their door any minute so you can demonstrate how easy it is.

 

[Cobber]

So, I suppose the ASO can expect your impressive race-organizing resume at their door any minute so you can demonstrate how easy it is.

Well... it's not really that hard. Here's a hint - do not put the col du Tormalet 70 km from the finish with no other mountains in between!

 

[Anonymous]

As for the Tour. It was over hyped and under exciting on many levels. There was some good racing, and a few interesting stages, but on the whole, it never lived up to my expectations. Then again, as a friend of mine always says, "expectations are just a premeditated resentment."

Happy about Thor, but past that...

 

[Cobblestones]

I think the biggest disappointment today was that Bertie didn't try to go for the stage win. I think he might have it in him. He went with Andy a few times. He should've tried at least once to attack him just to check him out. If anything he was the ultimate teammate today and all the haters (Phil the shill foremost) should shut up and apologize on their knees. Bertie likely sacrificed a stage win for a third place of a domestique.

 

[The Barb]

So, I suppose the ASO can expect your impressive race-organizing resume at their door any minute so you can demonstrate how easy it is.

No, you're right ... they totally know what they're doing.

Let's not ever criticise politicians either, because hey, we've never led a country.

 

[horseman]

I thought this was a very exciting stage, the work put in by the Saxo Bank team, especially Stuey O,Grady, and then the Astana team was great. On the climb itself the way that Armstrong hung on and followed the attacks was brilliant, he is well past his best but he still one of the best around at stage racing.

 

[colwildcat]

I think the biggest disappointment today was that Bertie didn't try to go for the stage win. I think he might have it in him. He went with Andy a few times. He should've tried at least once to attack him just to check him out. If anything he was the ultimate teammate today and all the haters (Phil the shill foremost) should shut up and apologize on their knees. Bertie likely sacrificed a stage win for a third place of a domestique.

I think he figured 3 stages was enough, and he didn't need to go for it. I commend him for helping Lance bridge an attack with a couple of km to go, and for staying on Schleck's wheel. He might have actually listened to the DS today

 

[ThisFrenchGuy]

I guess we can cut some slack to ASO: They tried something and it didn't really work.

The whole "not deciding the race before 3rd week" was detrimental for the Pyrenees and it's too bad. "Elles ont été escamotées" as we said here but in retrospect, more decisive stages at the middle of the races would maybe have helped.

All in all we also have to consider that Armstrong-Wiggins-F.Schleck-Nibali-Kloden were maybe just that close in form to each other and that they are not the "attacking type", explaining why they always finished all kind of cluttered to each other.

 

[lafleche]

I think the biggest disappointment today was that Bertie didn't try to go for the stage win. I think he might have it in him. He went with Andy a few times. He should've tried at least once to attack him just to check him out. If anything he was the ultimate teammate today and all the haters (Phil the shill foremost) should shut up and apologize on their knees. Bertie likely sacrificed a stage win for a third place of a domestique.

Who decided LA was a domestique? Did all that tempo he set give it away?

 

[Padeiro]

Yep. I liked the idea of a big mountain for the penultimate stage, but it should be several mountains like the classic Aspin-Tourmalet-Ardiden or Galibier-CroixdeFer-L'Alpe d'Huez.

You need several mountains to get everyone on their tip before the big clime at the end.

And yet we complain when they use PEDs...