Rate: Tour de france 2013 Stage 13

[Winnen]

Belkin blew it. They could have put in 2 min minimum if belkins had put some real good work.

I don't agree. They didn't blew it, they had a major contribution to a superb stage. Ten Dam and Mollema could have put in a max of 10 sec extra, in my opinion. They are riding a good TdF so far, but they both are not able to make a difference in this situation.

 

[cineteq]

They are going for it at least. No one knows what will happen.

It's good that they go for it, but with better tactics.

 

[RiccoDinko]

I voted 10. Vino Level would have been froome with a flat, -10 minutes

 

[Eshnar]

It's good that they go for it, but with better tactics.

Today they could have done very little better than they did.

 

[Warhawk]

10, I thought it was the most gripping stage so far this year. Which is a bit surprising, considering.

 

[IndianCyclist]

10. Best Stage so far

 

[Cimber]

9/10. Would have given it 10 if it hadn't been for Valverdes mechanical. Don't like when ppl lose the race cos of such things. Otherwise, truly an epic stage

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Gave it 9.

Only thing missing was serious break action.

 

[Cimber]

Gave it 9.

Only thing missing was serious break action.

What? This was serious break action.

 

[Armchaircyclist]

Vino level, but then I only watched the last 25km, and had really low expectations. The best thing about it is that the Sky vulnerability really was exposed. The feeling that Froome is not on top of things despite that he physically seems the strongest, this helps chances for further attacks by saxo and others.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

What? This was serious break action.

initial break action.

 

[Cimber]

initial break action.

Oh ok. Well no initial break stood a chance anyways the way this was ridden.

 

[Jancouver]

Epic stage. Unlike the ol' boring days of US Postal, SKY was unable to control the race. Looking forward to the mountains.

Voted 10 ... almost Vino level for me

 

[goggalor]

It was fun, but losing Valverde is not good for the race. Froome can surely live with the time loss but it was interesting to see Sky so weak. 6.

 

[Carols]

9

Nailbiting, edge of your seat action. Just plain Great Racing for 90km!!! WIND, you gotta love it

 

[Amsterhammer]

By comparison with what we've been used to, and what we expected from this stage, this gets a Vino from me.

Top, top stage!

 

[murali]

oops. sorry to not mention tht i voted 10.


Once the break was formed with 6 saxo guys in the front, the entire pace setting was predominantly done by saxo and opqs riders. The two belkins riders should have put in more effort, and they could have landed within a min. remember tht in just one serious pull that belkin rider (i dont remember who it was) the gap climbed by 5s.

to mark it as out-of-the-world level, they should hove gained 2+ min on froome

 

[Cimber]

oops. sorry to not mention tht i voted 10.


Once the break was formed with 6 saxo guys in the front, the entire pace setting was predominantly done by saxo and opqs riders. The two belkins riders should have put in more effort, and they could have landed within a min. remember tht in just one serious pull that belkin rider (i dont remember who it was) the gap climbed by 5s.

to mark it as out-of-the-world level, they should hove gained 2+ min on froome

Well BMC, Katusha and AG2R was part of the reason too. I wish they had let Sky do it alone. Then they would have taken 2+ mins.

 

[TheBean]

Great stage. for me, it had the feel of a cobbled classic (with the crosswinds providing the selection instead of cobbles) with the drama of GC thrown in. Awesome stuff

Also gave me the chance to explain how crosswinds and drafting work to a friend of mine who has never been on a road bike.

I can't remember watching a better "transitional" stage in the TdF.

 

[BigMac]

Costa's words after today:

"Hello my friends, today I confess I had no desire to write this but you deserve my attention in both good or bad days and here I am with the promised daily note. Today was a bad day for Movistar. We lost the second place of Valverde, the team's general classification and my 9th place in the GC. One day we had almost everything and now we have almost nothing. Cycling is of course unpredictable and a simple flat can completely change the race scenario.

Missing about 90km to the finish when it all happened. Someone touched behind the wheel of Valverde, causing a flat at an inopportune moment. The team responded immediately in support of our leader and I also got called to work right away. I let myself stay behind to help take forward Alejandro. The whole team was united in working to join the group in front, but unfortunately all this effort was not successful. The Omega Pharma-Quick Step, Europcar and Belkin were some of the teams that pulled in front preventing us to get in the group, and were successful. We ended up crossing the line about 10 minutes after Contador who won today almost 1 minute over Chris Froome, still the yellow jersey.

Nairo Quintana is now our highest ranked mate overall in 8th Place, Valverde went down to 16th position and I am now 18 @ 14'22 "on Froome.

It was a day of bad luck and sorry for the team but we will not give up. The chances of Valverde to be back in the first place are almost nil but there is still almost half a Tour to do.

These were the news of the day, hopefully better luck for what remains of this Tour de France. A big hug and thank you for being by my side even when times are not so good. "

Sad.

 

[murali]

Well BMC, Katusha and AG2R was part of the reason too. I wish they had let Sky do it alone. Then they would have taken 2+ mins.

Haven't figured out why those teams were working. The only challenge for those teams was the presence of Fugslang. peraud was just 11s in front the AST rider. BMC was nowhere in picture.

or was this the case of crab mentality?

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Haven't figured out why those teams were working. The only challenge for those teams was the presence of Fugslang. peraud was just 11s in front the AST rider. BMC was nowhere in picture.

or was this the case of crab mentality?

Cycling is not black or white.
Teams will protect their placement in GC.
Business as usual.

I'm happy Saxo didn't take more time on Froome. Now they need to attack more later.

 

[hfer07]

Vino Level to me, since I had lost interest in the Tour, & quite frankly I was expecting a boring quiet stage with a massive sprint....

Who would have thought today's stage was going to turn out into a masterpiece ? It was magnificent

 

[Tom T.]

10+ for this Tour, 8 in historical terms. Here's hoping Ventoux will be another good one with Froome put on his "back foot" again.

 

[martyfulu]

I gave a 9. The tour should be a slow burner I think. This sets it up nicely.