Official thread TdF Stage 18 Annency-Annency 40.5 km ITT

[seldon71]

And just as a reminder :

Last time we had a power TT right after multiple mountain days (Giro 2008), the Top 10 of the TT consisted following riders (their final overall position) :

1. Marco Pinotti (65.)
2. Tony Martin (128.)
3. Mikhail Ignatiev (140.)
4. Bradley Wiggins (134.)
5. Christian Vandevelde (52.)
6. Danny Pate (137.)
7. Daniele Bennati (70.)
8. Steven Cummings (96.)
9. Vladimir Gusev (45.)
10. Jens Voigt (53.)

As the best of these 10, Vladimir Gusev finished Giro 1 hr 34 mins behind Maglia Oro Contador (who finished 11th in that TT).

 

[ak-zaaf]

Stijn Devolder has also loads of good TTs in his resume. Will he restore some lost QuickStep honors today? He hasn't appeared to be in any real condition though...

his TT isn't improving this year.
he got a 2nd in tirreno and a 3rd in de panne, but in the dauphine he was 87th and in the first tt in the tour 124th.

his best result after winning vlaanderen was a 14th place in halle-ingooigem.
but stijn himself prolly thinks he can win this tt, vuelta and the worlds this year.

 

[LinkAge]

CANCELLARA down 18 sec on ignatiev...
WTF?!

now we wait for the climb , GERGRABSCH lost a lot of time to Ignatiev there... ( 45 sec )

 

[seldon71]

Cancellara 18 seconds behind Ignatiev in 1st split!

 

[seldon71]

CANCELLARA down 18 sec on ignatiev...
WTF?!

now we wait for the climb , GERGRABSCH lost a lot of time to Ignatiev there... ( 45 sec )

Not surprise at all. Cance has been working like a carthorse for team (Schlecks). Ignatiev has had nothing to ride for until today. These TTs after heavy mountains are made for "so-called" surprise winners/podium-men.

 

[RdBiker]

Not surprise at all. Cance has been working like a carthorse for team (Schlecks). Ignatiev has had nothing to ride for until today. These TTs after heavy mountains are made for "so-called" surprise winners/podium-men.

Might be also that he's sacrificing a stage win for fresher legs on Ventoux?

 

[Sophistic]

Cancellara still 18s back at the 2nd check, i have a feeling that the Schlecks won't lose too much today when lightweights like Ignatiev and Clemens are riding that strong.

 

[Pharazon]

this ignatiev time feels somewhat suspicious to me

 

[ak-zaaf]

this ignatiev time feels somewhat suspicious to me

then go complain on the doping forum.


ffs, he's a talented rouleur, it's not like he usually sucks at tt's.

 

[Pharazon]

then go complain on the doping forum.


ffs, he's a talented rouleur, it's not like he usually sucks at tt's.

he's like a minute faster than anyone else up that climb though...

he's probably just been taking it easy the past few days..

Cancellera had to work his *** off for the Schleks yesterday

 

[seldon71]

this ignatiev time feels somewhat suspicious to me

Yes, 'cause you obviously have no clue about Ignatiev...

In U-23 Category : 1 x WC, 2 x WC-2.

3rd in Final TT in Giro 2008 (in front of Wiggo & Vandevelde f ex)

Numerous TT Top 10s in different stage races including a win in Regio Tour.

Completely rested as he hasn't needed to work as domestique to anyone. Karpets is not that big of a star...

 

[seldon71]

he's like a minute faster than anyone else up that climb though...

Nope! F ex Niki Terpstra went the hill clearly faster than Ignatiev. Just lost 2 minutes on flats.

Edit! Actually Cancellara just cut 7 secs off Ignatiev's lead in Cote de Bluffy (that hill)

 

[LinkAge]

CANCELLARA up by 9 sec..

so I guess the key is, start slow, save power for the climb and then give it all

 

[seldon71]

Cancellara has passed Ignatiev on last split. Not by much, but anyway....

Saving his legs - hah!

 

[msjett]

cancellara first! didn't think he had it in the legs...but there you go eh?!?

 

[lostintime]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikhail_Ignatiev

No questioning his ability.

 

[TrudyTas]

Great setting fro a TT - loved the "Get Well Voigt" on painted on the road!

 

[RdBiker]

Apparently the Garmin boys aren't holding back either...

 

[frizzlefry]

I am sick of that stupid Dell commercial on VS. I can never get that song out of my head.

 

[sometriguy]

I am sick of that stupid Dell commercial on VS. I can never get that song out of my head.

I'm sick of the commercials of

The Most Epic Race Ever
The most Epic Field EVER
THE MOST EPIC CLIMB EVER

Hate to break it to versus, but this is a very mundane tour and to find a better field you don't have to go back very far.

Hell, any field with Ullrich, Basso, Armstrong (at his peak) would have easily crushed this field to bits.

Oh well

 

[Mellow Velo]

Ah, those pesky passports, huh?

 

[Rechtschreibfehler]

Moreau does look like a time trialer on his bike.
And actually pretty motivated.
Is he reinventing his abilities completly again?

 

[fairplay]

Good ride by Gustav Larson!

 

[Rechtschreibfehler]

Evans...
Interesting to see he's still finishing.
Or maybe he's really resting for Ventoux?

 

[sometriguy]

Evans...
Interesting to see he's still finishing.
Or maybe he's really resting for Ventoux?

Probably belongs in the clinic, but seems to me that maybe he is under some extra scrutiny like denis menchov.... gotta wonder, possibly getting some threatening phone calls etc