Official thread TdF Stage 18 Annency-Annency 40.5 km ITT

[Anonymous]

Good win for Conti, he deserves the yellow( get ready fo a Lance like domination for the next few years people)

And Lance is a real legend! He will be on the podium after 3 years of retirement and at the age of 38, best Tour in a long time

I wouldn't count that chicken yet. Frank will have something to say about that on Saturday.

 

[Azdak6]

Yeah, I don't know what Paul and Phil are talking about. I can't be bothered to look it up, but didn't he lose like 5 minutes last year? Sure it was longer...but still.

And also, I'm not sure if Lance can be TOO pleased with his result. He only gained like 15 seconds on Andy Schleck.

Once again, it shows the difference between a 37 yr old and 25 (?) yr old--Andy Schleck can only get better--Armstrong can only slow down the decline.

It's always the race of truth.

 

[TRDean]

AC and A Schlek todays dodgy dealers. Hope it won't take months to come out like Di luca.........

***** Monkey!!

 

[RdBiker]

Don't get your hopes too high. Remember that they ride for Bruyneel and Riis.

 

[rhubroma]

He lost 12 secs to Cancellara on the last 3.5K

He had a headwind, whereas Cancellara had a tailwind. All the top riders, except AC, lost time to C in the final.

I think this says it all. LA should have decided to comeback sooner, or on another team, or else, if JB was a must, then as a servant of AC.

AC is going to become 10 tmes the cyclist Lance ever was. He's a genius on the bike, not tactically, but in pure physical terms and in regards to his smooth, supple, aesthetic peddle stroke. Just pure class. And I'm not even a particular fan of his, but I have never, in 28 years following this sport, seen the likes of him. Not Hinault, nor Lemond, or Indurain, Pantani and Armstrong. The guy has everything, even age on his side. A true phenom That's the truth.

The only thing he lacks are the classics, but the sport is different from the Eddie-Hinault era. Unfortunately. The Worlds will come though.

 

[indurain666]

AAMAZINNGGG...CONTADOR BEATS CANCELLARA IN A FLAT TT BY 3 SECONDS

At age 26, this guy has 4 grand tours, wow...

 

[Belokki]

I wouldn't count that chicken yet. Frank will have something to say about that on Saturday.

Possibly! But thats not the point... Lance defyde his critics, including myself! I was affraid he'll be a bust like Indurain or Mercxks, that his return is the biggest mistake he's done, but he's proving me wrong so far, Looking forward to Ventoux

 

[luckyboy]

Race radio apparently says that Vaughters thinks that there was something wrong with Wiggins' timings

 

[sometriguy]

Race radio apparently says that Vaughters thinks that there was something wrong with Wiggins' timings

sounds unlikely.... even so, with video evidence it would be very easy to protest if they did mess it up

 

[Anonymous]

All I will say is that if walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, check the duck over real good in the tests.

 

[indurain666]

Possibly! But thats not the point... Lance defyde his critics, including myself! I was affraid he'll be a bust like Indurain or Mercxks, that his return is the biggest mistake he's done, but he's proving me wrong so far, Looking forward to Ventoux

Yeah for sure... same here!! I mean I was expecting him top 20 today!!, Instead the guy goes top 15, amazing performance, I am pretty sure he will be twitting a lot of happy messages

 

[sometriguy]

Poor Kloden gets no love... Phil and Paul make it sounds like he really messed up today while they say lance really "rose to the occasion" .... ummmm

 

[Belokki]

He had a headwind, whereas Cancellara had a tailwind. All the top riders, except AC, lost time to C in the final.

I think this says it all. LA should have decided to comeback sooner, or on another team, or else, if JB was a must, then as a servant of AC.

AC is going to become 10 tmes the cyclist Lance ever was. He's a genius on the bike, not tactically, but in pure physical terms and in regards to his smooth, supple, aesthetic peddle stroke. Just pure class. And I'm not even a particular fan of his, but I have never, in 28 years following this sport, seen the likes of him. Not Hinault, nor Lemond, or Indurain, Pantani and Armstrong. The guy has everything, even age on his side. A true phenom That's the truth.

The only thing he lacks are the classics, but the sport is different from the Eddie-Hinault era. Unfortunately. The Worlds will come though.

We'll see... Remember Ullrich? He won The Tour at the age of 24, dominating in the hills and tha mountains, he was thought unbeatable, then Lance came along and busted all the predictions

Hope to see a rivalry between Andy and Conti like the one with Lance- Ullrich, meaybe Andy will have more luck than Jan

 

[luckyboy]

sounds unlikely.... even so, with video evidence it would be very easy to protest if they did mess it up

Apparently, Wiggins heard the announcer say he was in first place as he crossed the line. Plus, he can't understand how he lost that much :/

 

[Parrot23]

One thing is for sure: Ventoux is going to be a hell of a shootout for 3rd spot on podium.

 

[Azdak6]

We'll see... Remember Ullrich? He won The Tour at the age of 24, dominating in the hills and tha mountains, he was thought unbeatable, then Lance came along and busted all the predictions

Hope to see a rivalry between Andy and Conti like the one with Lance- Ullrich, meaybe Andy will have more luck than Jan

I'll say this--based on what I have heard him say, Andy doesn't seem to be intimidated by Contador one bit. False hopes? Perhaps, but the right attitude.

 

[Azdak6]

Apparently, Wiggins heard the announcer say he was in first place as he crossed the line. Plus, he can't understand how he lost that much :/

There was a small time vortex in the last 2K--maybe Wiggins went the wrong way around the barrier.

 

[franciep10]

Exactly WBT!!! Jeez with all these ***** monkeys around here complaining that he wasted energy with his attack yesterday...who woulda thunk it.

He was being sarcastic, look at the roll eyes.

 

[clydesdale]

AC and A Schlek todays dodgy dealers. Hope it won't take months to come out like Di luca.........

Schleck has been around 20th place at both Time Trials this year. It wasn't THAT much of a shock.

 

[Bala Verde]

Apparently, Wiggins heard the announcer say he was in first place as he crossed the line. Plus, he can't understand how he lost that much :/

Wiggins lost 30s on chrono 3, 42 on chrono 4 and 43 on chrono finish... Doesn't seem like anything irregular happened, even including a presumed cramp?

 

[TRDean]

He was being sarcastic, look at the roll eyes.

Yea? So was I...no need to look at roll eyes.

 

[hfer07]

Never hoped to see the day that Contador ever beat Cancellara in a TT-just mind blowing. but I guess he still has to "prove" the goddamn world once more who's the strongest
some items to consider:
1-) is JB too stubborn to let AC walk away after this TT?
3-)Is LA's ego too big to exclude him from his new team?
2-) I just hope AC "passes" the doping tests

 

[Mellow Velo]

The Ventoux:
I think Bertie will do to Frank, what he did to Evans, there, but can Lance pull a Piti?
Have to fancy the Schlecks to work over Lance.
However, If I were Wiggins, I'd just stick like glue to Rip Van Wankle and pull a reverse of the Colombieres.

 

[croix_de_fer]

Hey Lance!, did Contador follow the plan today?

 

[Mellow Velo]

Wiggins lost 30s on chrono 3, 42 on chrono 4 and 43 on chrono finish... Doesn't seem like anything irregular happened, even including a presumed cramp?

Seems to have lost a lot from the top of the climb, to chrono 3, though.
Did he stop for a quick cup of tea?