Review of the tour!

[auscyclefan94]

Best win of the tour?
Best Stage of the tour?
Quote of the tour...
Dissapointment of the tour?
Surprise of the tour?
What are you looking forward to in the 2011 tdf?

(Some of these questions may cross over for some people)

Rate the tour in the poll...

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Missed too much of it due to family issues, but I'll give it a go. Mostly by starting out saying it was better than last year, but still a bit lacking:

Best win of the tour? Thor on the cobbles would be my guess. Or Andy's win at Morzine on 8.
Best Stage of the tour? Same two.
Quote of the tour... Hmmm...
Disappointment of the tour? Moment: Andy's mechanical or Frank crashing out. Rider: Has to be Lance not having anything left.
Surprise of the tour? Has to be Jurgen Van Den Broeck.
What are you looking forward to in the 2011 tdf? Lance not being around and causing a circus. Someone other than Contador winning. Or something other than Contador vs. Schleck.

 

[Moondance]

Best win of the tour? Cav's stage 5 win... I know, I hate him too, but at least he showed that he cared; and it's revived his year and he's almost the same Cav again (sadly).

Best Stage of the tour? Stage 9 to St. Jean de Maurienne. There was a nice battle between the break (and a great win for Casar) and the 4 groupings of GC men, and the long chase on the flat was exciting.

Quote of the tour... Yawn, not interested really in this, so I don't have much to choose from; but Robert Gesink's quote that he was descending "like an old woman in a wheelchair" still makes me smile a bit.

Dissapointment of the tour? Lance... To a lesser extent the Giro boys (Evans, Basso, Sastre... Vino obv. excepted).

Surprise of the tour? Van den Broeck. Was just lacking a bit when the climbing got serious, but otherwise he's a very welcome addition to the Tour GC line-up in the future. Hesj a close 2nd.

What are you looking forward to in the 2011 tdf? Robert Gesink winning the white jersey.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Best win of the tour? Sylvain Chavanel in stage 7. Went solo a long way out and took back the yellow jersey that he lost just as controversially as Andy if you wanted to be pedantic.
Best Stage of the tour? Stage 9, because I totally expected it to be a neutral disappointment, and in the end it turned out to be even better than the Monte Grappa Giro stage, with Sánchez' chase back on a key thing to cheer for, and Caisse expertly inserting themselves into a second consecutive GC mix they had no right to be part of, then the break faffing about and letting Bertie and Andy catch them...
Quote of the tour... "Samuel Sánchez is not a very good descender" - Phil Liggett
Disappointment of the tour? Week 3.
Surprise of the tour? Anthony Charteau
What are you looking forward to in the 2011 tdf? No Lance love-in. More mountains. To be honest I'd like to look forward to the 2010 Volta and Vuelta, and the 2011 Paris-Nice, Vuelta al País Vasco and Giro, before I build anticipation for next year's Tour.

 

[Sasquatch]

Best win of the tour? - Contador's overall win. Rodriguez's stage win.
Best Stage of the tour? - The stage Rodriguez won.
Quote of the tour...? - None
Dissapointment of the tour? - Renshaw being kicked out
Surprise of the tour? - Petacchi winning the Green Jersey (assuming he holds onto it)
What are you looking forward to in the 2011 tdf? Nibali showing he's more superior than Kreuziger and leading Liquigas and finishing in the top five. Contador to reassert his dominance and win easily over Schleck. - Providing there are no cobbles.

 

[El Imbatido]

Best win of the tour?
I guess you can't class it as a win but in my patriotic Australian eyes Evans getting Yellow was a win. Actual win - Thor on the Cobbles

Best Stage of the tour?
Some people wont like this answer but i quite enjoyed Schleck and Contador trackstanding on Ax-3 Domaines with Menchov and Sanchez seizing a chance to get 10 secs back trying to drop each other and also the climb of the Tourmalet. Also the cobbles stage was pretty awesome

Most disappointing stage of the Tour? - New question
Stage 16 - Another classic ASO designed mountain stage..........with 50km of flat after some of the best pyrenean climbs - Pyresourde, Aspin, Tourmalet, Solour, Aubisque

Quote of the tour...
Phil Liggett - "People like Contador have never faced these cobbles before....Clever people like Armstrong know what they're all about"

Dissapointment of the tour?
Wiggins and Sky and ASO making those stupid mountain stages with 50km of flat at the end so it is nearly a bunch sprint

Surprise of the tour?
Van den Breakaway confirming he can stay with the big boys and thus shedding the 'Van de Breakway' title

What are you looking forward to in the 2011 tdf?
Schleck and Contador going at it again

 

[Christian]

Best win of the tour? Tommy Voeckler.

Best Stage of the tour? Tourmalet

Quote of the tour... "If I had attacked one more time, I would have dropped myself" - Andy Schleck

Disapointment of the tour? Team Sky, Tony Martin, Oscar Freire, Jacob Fuglsang ...

Surprise of the tour? Daniel Navarro, Astana in general

What are you looking forward to in the 2011 tdf? Seeing the Schlecks in a stronger team

 

[bjaelkesex]

Best win of the tour? Vino - what a comeback

Best Stage of the tour? Stage 9

Quote of the tour... "If you draw your sword and you drop it, you die" - Ryder Hesjedal on Andy Schleck's chain incident

Disapointment of the tour? Wiggins, Liquigas and Sastre

Surprise of the tour? Ryder Hesjedal and the 6 French stage wins

What are you looking forward to in the 2011 tdf? Another race with no doping scandals (knock on wood)

 

[oncehadhair]

Best win of the tour? Riblon Stage 14
Best Stage of the tour? Stage 17. Blow for blow. Noone else in it.
Quote of the tour... Schleck about dropping himself if he tried one more attack.
Disapointment of the tour? BRAJKOVIC. And Evans of course - I should expect it by now.
Surprise of the tour? HESJEDAL
What are you looking forward to in the 2011 tdf? Contador, two schlecks and the new boys, Hesjedal and Van den Broek - and no one-gnut for Phil and Paul to drool over.

 

[icefire]

Best win of the tour?
Quite a few: Hushovd, Chavanel's second win in stage 7, Vino.

Best Stage of the tour?
Stage 9 to St Jean de Maurienne

Quote of the tour...
I think we’re turning cycling into a sport for spoilt brats (Carlos Sastre)

Dissappointment of the tour?
Stage 2 and the Pyrenees

Surprise of the tour?
The first block of mountain stages was more entertaining to watch than the second one.

What are you looking forward to in the 2011 tdf?
There are to GTs before that.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

I'd like to change my answer to Disappointment to echo the others about the ASO making absurd "mountain" stages with 50km to the finish after the last climb.

I'd also like to say Next Year I'd like to see more mountain top finishes, one monster mountain stage, plus at least 3 TTs, with total distance over 100km.

To be honest I'd like to look forward to the 2010 Volta and Vuelta, and the 2011 Paris-Nice, Vuelta al País Vasco and Giro, before I build anticipation for next year's Tour.

Me too! Post of the day! Was just thinking about the Vuelta and looking it up.

 

[Sophistic]

Best win of the tour?
Schleck in Avoriaz

Best Stage of the tour?
52k ITT

Quote of the tour...


Dissappointment of the tour?
F.Schleck dropping out, A.Schleck dropping his chain, Pyrenees

Surprise of the tour?
Van den Broeck, Hejsedal / Armstrong, Wiggins

What are you looking forward to in the 2011 tdf?
A healthy Schleck Tag-Team, tougher mountain top finishes

 

[The Hitch]

Best win of the tour? Riblon stage 1 of pyranees
Best Stage of the tour? Madeline, nothing else came close
Quote of the tour... Easy - "I will continue this tour, broken ribs are overated anyway" - Jens
Dissapointment of the tour? the Pyranees. As impossible as it seemed, each stage was more boring than the previous. Dead heat between the dullest stage of the tour - 16, and the anti climax on tourmalet - 17
Surprise of the tour? - Moreau
What are you looking forward to in the 2011 tdf? - Nothing really, expect it to be boring. I guess Cancellara not wearing yellow for first week as day 1 is a sprint and day 2 is a ttt.

 

[The Hitch]

I'd like to change my answer to Disappointment to echo the others about the ASO making absurd "mountain" stages with 50km to the finish after the last climb.

I'd also like to say Next Year I'd like to see more mountain top finishes, one monster mountain stage, plus at least 3 TTs, with total distance over 100km.


Me too! Post of the day! Was just thinking about the Vuelta and looking it up.

This year was supposed to be a hard mountainous tour. I expect next year to have about 2 mtfs, 1 on your mountain, (they havent had it in 2 years) and 1 on some cat 2 climb.

 

[icefire]

Quote of the tour...

I missed this one:

At the start [of the stage] I wanted to congratulate the winner, but I don't know how you're supposed to congratulate that kind of winner.
(Carlos Sastre, the day after the Tourmalet)

 

[Barrus]

Best win of the tour?

Thomas Voeckler, that jersey the crazy crowds, his joy, really one of the most beautiful wins I've seen this year

Best Stage of the tour?
Col de la Madeleine

Dissapointment of the tour?
The Pyrenees, did not bring what was expected. And the defensive tactics by several teams, although they should've really attacked

Surprise of the tour?
For me personally: actually getting to like Cavendish
But really the Footon squad, they really soldiered on and did much better than I expected, although they did not win anything, they did show that their heart was in the race

What are you looking forward to in the 2011 tdf?
Hoping that more people get mixed up concerning the win, no more crazy fair play discussions, more real attacking racing, more agressive riding

 

[Francois the Postman]

Daft question of the day: what is "high", the 1 or the 10?

 

[Mambo95]

Best win of the tour? Christophe Riblon, followed by Cavendish in Bordeaux

Best Stage of the tour? Stage 3 on the cobbles followed by the stage to Mende

Quote of the tour... "They just fall off. There's no reason why. You'll just be riding along and there they'll be like a bleeding carrot in the middle of the road lying in pain." Matt Lloyd on Euskaltel

Dissapointment of the tour? Sky for me. I wanted them to do well. It's early days though. Also riders waiting, or being expected to wait, any time someone has a mishap. Just get on with it.

Surprise of the tour? Ryder Hesjedal

What are you looking forward to in the 2011 tdf? All of it.

 

[AtletiSK]

Best win of the tour? Voeckler
Best Stage of the tour? Madelaine and Mende
Quote of the tour... "If you draw your sword and you drop it, you die" Hesjedal
Dissapointment of the tour? Lance Armstrong and Radioshack
Surprise of the tour? Ryder Hesjedal
What are you looking forward to in the 2011 tdf? to see more attacks in the mountains from favourites and another Alberto-Andy battle, and maybe - if it happens - to see Peter Sagan taking part

 

[online-rider]

Best win of the tour? Cancellara yesterday
Best Stage of the tour? The day Renshaw got kicked out.
Quote of the tour..."I just like to watch 'em Ride" -Tom Cruise(apparently)
Dissapointment of the tour? HTC Columbia winning stages
Surprise of the tour? Tony Martin and Mich Rogers getting toasted.
What are you looking forward to in the 2011 tdf? -

Nothing against Renshaw by the way I just hate winners

 

[Anonymous]

Best win of the tour? Voeckler winning stage 15
Best Stage of the tour? Stage 3. Every TdF should include cobbles.
Quote of the tour... Can't find the exact quote or author, but I believe I was commentary from Eurosport "Its often you come around a curve and find a Euskaltel rider on the ground"
Dissapointment of the tour? Basso
Surprise of the tour? Hesjedal
What are you looking forward to in the 2011 tdf? Ricco coming back and livening things up.

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

Best Stage of the tour?
Some people wont like this answer but i quite enjoyed Schleck and Contador trackstanding on Ax-3 Domaines with Menchov and Sanchez seizing a chance to get 10 secs back trying to drop each other

By far my favourite moment of this year's tour!

 

[luckyboy]

Best win of the tour? Chavanel to Station des Rousses/Voeckler's win
Best Stage of the tour? See above/cobbles
Quote of the tour... Sastre's thing about what he thinks racing is turning into.
Disappointment of the tour? No positives, Liquigas (thought Sky were more disappointing, but personally I wanted Liquigas to do well).
Surprise of the tour? Charteau, VDB2
What are you looking forward to in the 2011 tdf? More MTF's, one more TT so Menchov is right up there, Columbian team maybe?, Vacansoleil/attacking teams rather than the teams with 'contenders' which were added this year, AFLD maybe able to carry out testing?

 

[DrC0721]

Best win of the tour? Vino Stage 13
Best Stage of the tour? I really liked the cobbles, sorry Frank
Quote of the tour? Carlos Sastre when asked about the peleton stopping for a Samuel Sanchez, "I don't see that in the Formula one, I don't see that in the motor gp, I don't see that in runners, just cycling."
Dissapointment of the tour? Cadel through no fault of his own
Surprise of the tour? Van Den Broeck
What are you looking forward to in the 2011 tdf? AS and AC showdown again. Preferably someone else mixing it up in there. A mountain ITT would be awesome like in the Giro to show who is the best climber.

 

[Pedaaldanser]

Best win of the tour?
Hmmm... I find it hard to remember any good one... I guess I'll go for Chavanel's second win.
Best Stage of the tour?
Definitely the cobbles, they should add those more often.
Quote of the tour...
Sastre's quote is most appropriate: "I think we’re turning cycling into a sport for spoilt brats", but Hesjedal's quote is the best: "If you draw your sword and you drop it, you die"
Dissapointment of the tour?
Armstrong, I hoped he was at least going to put up a fight.
Liquigas as team was invisible, I hoped Kreuziger and Basso would compete with the best.
Once again people riding the Giro for GC failing in the Tour.
Surprise of the tour?
Quickstep for doing well in a totally different situation without Boonen.
Several French stage wins.
Jurgen van den Broeck.
No doping related stories yet.
What are you looking forward to in the 2011 tdf?
More cobbles, more competition for 1st place, several uphill finishes. No stupid stages with HC mountains in the middle