Schlecks Stage 14 appreciation thread

[bicing]

You should have used this image

A good image that portrays two stooges, but I was going for something else - "Frank bent over backwards for his brother"

 

[JPM London]

That was, indeed, strange. But I am not sure if Andy eased of or just did not have the ability to hold his own high pace in this important moment. If I remember correctly, it was still a long way to go.

That makes me wonder - can a rider drop himself when he attacks?

Andy keeps looking back no matter if he's attacking or if he's sitting in the back. I thought he was just keeping an eye on Conti (you know, the guy is definitely not a thread to them) and his brother (to make sure he doesn't lose his other half), but maybe he was keeping an eye on his own shadow? "Where am I - oh, here - that's ok, then"

I get the point of making little attacks to test the opposition, but at some point you have to either make the real attack or stop pretending - you can't wait for the opposition to just stop and go "hey guys, I'm kinda tired - I think I'll just wait here for a bit while you go on ahead. Don't wait up, I'll be there shortly - 2 seconds or so"

 

[The Hitch]

At 4 minutes down, Sanchez is not one of top guys, whether you like it or not.

"Top guys" has absolutely nothing to do with whether someone is down on the gc or not.

But by your logic, I also presume your taking Basso at 3.20 and Contador at 4.10 to not be top guys either

So by "only one of the top guys to take any time", you mean, only one out of "Cadel, Schleck bros and Voeckler", to take anytime right?

Beating Cadel and Voeckler. What an earth shattering achievment.

 

[JPM London]

33 secs on Bertie and 20 on Basso and Evans. Of course that's taking time. If Evans had done it, the board would have had a collective orgasm.

That was Frank, not Andy - I think you have your brothers mixed up, mate...

I totally agree - if one of the brothers look a winner this year it's Frank - which I'd be happy with. It's always the little brother who gets the attention, unfairly in my view...

 

[mr. tibbs]

At 4 minutes down, Sanchez is not one of top guys, whether you like it or not.

General classification after stage 14 # Rider Name (Country) Team Result
1 Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Team Europcar 61:04:10
2 Fränk Schleck (Lux) Leopard Trek 0:01:49
3 Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC Racing Team 0:02:06
4 Andy Schleck (Lux) Leopard Trek 0:02:15
5 Ivan Basso (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale 0:03:16
6 Samuel Sanchez Gonzalez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 0:03:44
7 Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Saxo Bank Sungard 0:04:00
8 Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre - ISD 0:04:01
9 Thomas Danielson (USA) Team Garmin-Cervelo 0:05:46
10 Kevin De Weert (Bel) Quickstep Cycling Team 0:06:18

That's only 1:40 off of Evans and 1:30 off of Andy. There is one finish in the Alps that really suits Samu. I think he's riding himself into a podium position.

 

[Arnout]

Its simple he's the only one (together with Vanendert) that put in time on the other favourites in the mountains. Still maintaining he's is not among the best is ignorant at best and outright stupid in my eyes.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

At 4 minutes down, Sanchez is not one of top guys, whether you like it or not.

That's 4 from Voeckler, not from Fränk or Cadel.

Sánchez is now ahead of Contador.

Sánchez is a top guy, whether you like it or not. You can't just write out a guy with multiple GT top 5s because the glove doesn't fit.

If the glove doesn't fit, you must acquit.

Take out the stage 1 crash and Sánchez is snapping at Andy Schleck's heels. He's the only GC guy to have made a race out of the Pyrenées.

 

[Moondance]

Huh!!!!

I thought you'd written off your beloved Asturian like he was an Italian government bond.

 

[hrotha]

Credit goes to avernicola from that Spanish forum:

 

[Jeanne]

Credit goes to avernicola from that Spanish forum:

stop, that's too much muahahaha

 

[No_Balls]

Seeing the two brothers "racing" together makes me remember something i have seen before. They clearly acts like the old Festina-gang and specially comparable to Richard Virenque and Laurent Dufaux in the latter 90´ies.

Virenque and Dufaux always "double-timed" their attacks but had often difficulties to maintain momentum and build gaps. More often then not they´ve settled in for stage wins and with Virenque, the Mountains jersey. There were times when they could going in a break and put some serious times into their rivals but rather eased off, unable to seize the moment.

Andy is the new Virenque.

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

It's pretty disgusting to see this kind of lynch mob mentality which has developed on this board.

You're completely right.

I can't believe these sickos thought an internet cycling forum was an appropriate place to discuss the favourite for the biggest cycling race in the world riding as if he has no interest in winning.

 

[The Hitch]

I thought you'd written off your beloved Asturian like he was an Italian government bond.

I said it would take a Landis like comeback, from the crashes.

So its still unlikely but hes giving it the good old colleges shot

General classification after stage 14 # Rider Name (Country) Team Result
1 Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Team Europcar 61:04:10
2 Fränk Schleck (Lux) Leopard Trek 0:01:49
3 Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC Racing Team 0:02:06
4 Andy Schleck (Lux) Leopard Trek 0:02:15
5 Ivan Basso (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale 0:03:16
6 Samuel Sanchez Gonzalez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 0:03:44
7 Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Saxo Bank Sungard 0:04:00
8 Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre - ISD 0:04:01
9 Thomas Danielson (USA) Team Garmin-Cervelo 0:05:46
10 Kevin De Weert (Bel) Quickstep Cycling Team 0:06:18

That's only 1:40 off of Evans and 1:30 off of Andy. There is one finish in the Alps that really suits Samu. I think he's riding himself into a podium position.

That's 4 from Voeckler, not from Fränk or Cadel.

Sánchez is now ahead of Contador.

Sánchez is a top guy, whether you like it or not. You can't just write out a guy with multiple GT top 5s because the glove doesn't fit.

If the glove doesn't fit, you must acquit.

Take out the stage 1 crash and Sánchez is snapping at Andy Schleck's heels. He's the only GC guy to have made a race out of the Pyrenées.

Oh look!

No response from king of the world.

What a surprise

 

[Cimber]

They ****ed it op for themselves. They worry too much on Contador instead of taking Evans for real. The fact that so many favorites were in the final group just shows that the Schlecks either didnt have the punch they need or they were simply to afrad to go 100% or afraid to drop the other bro.

Imo they need Contador be better in the alps if they wanna win this Tour. Otherwise its gonna be Evans.

 

[cyclestationgiuseppe]

You're an idiot. Firstly, Cadel closed down most of the attacks. Secondly, what reason does he have to attack himself? Give me one reason why Cadel should attack.

I am entitled to my opinion, and he HAD to close attacks or lose time and thus any podium spot. The FACT that he never actually attacked himself makes him a wheelsucker. Just like he has always been. Why should he attack? Because he wants to win maybe?

and if you would like to resort to name calling, go out and play with the other children on the block.

 

[Cimber]

I mean, if the situation were reversed, and Contador had 1:45 on Andy, Contador wouldn't be putting in huge attacks either. Too much of a risk when you have a lead that you can sustain in the ITT.

I am surprised that Andy didn't try to gain more on Cadel, though. He can't beat Cadel in the time trial so he needs to get his time where he can.

And that is the problem. They worry about Contador when that they need to worry about atm is Evans.

 

[Cimber]

I am entitled to my opinion, and he HAD to close attacks or lose time and thus any podium spot. The FACT that he never actually attacked himself makes him a wheelsucker. Just like he has always been. Why should he attack? Because he wants to win maybe?

and if you would like to resort to name calling, go out and play with the other children on the block.

You seem to forget the fact that Evans do not need to attack to win the way the GC looks at the moment. If the TT was tomorrow he would win the Tour. Its all the others who need to attack Evans, not the other way around.

 

[goggalor]

I am entitled to my opinion, and he HAD to close attacks or lose time and thus any podium spot. The FACT that he never actually attacked himself makes him a wheelsucker. Just like he has always been. Why should he attack? Because he wants to win maybe?

and if you would like to resort to name calling, go out and play with the other children on the block.

Only problem with your FACT is he did actually attack at one point.

 

[patrick767]

Are they even going all out? I don't get stage 12 and especially stage 14 this year. Last year Andy Schleck and Contador were clearly the best. Sometimes 3rd and 4th place finishers Sanchez and Menchov were in the mix, but the groups by the MTF of a huge stage like today were smaller. We'd have seen Contador and Schleck battling each other with maybe two other riders even close.

Now we have Jelle Vanendert (huh?) distancing all of them on the final climb. We have Voeckler, who's not even a top tier climber, staying with a group of nine riders who crossed after Sanchez. Really? They can't even drop Voeckler? With all due respect to the Frenchman, there's just no way he should still be with the best climbers in the world.

What is going on here?

 

[airedefuego]

wind

Thomas Voeckler: “When I saw how windy it was in the valley prior to climbing to the Plateau de Beille, I thought my chance would be to hide from the wind as much as I could"
That could explain defensive tactics and really small time differences at the end.
Exposing yourself to 45km/h headwind to gain 30- 45 sec doesnt sound like a good deal. And you may pay for that later. Hope not for Sammu!
After all Tour de France is a war and today was just another battle

 

[therealtimshady]

Watching the negativity of the likes of the shrecks
And Evans makes me think
How much the tour misses the swashbuckling style of pantani (even if his performances may be questioned) as he wouldn't have cared about saving his legs for another day he would have just tried to destroy the field whatever

 

[thehog]

And that is the problem. They worry about Contador when that they need to worry about atm is Evans.

Today's stage reminded me of Flanders. For all Leopard's huffing and puffing it didn't count for much. Canc was by far the strongest at Flanders but lost it to an energy concious Nuyans. Will the Shleck's lose it to a Saxo rider all over again? They seem more intent for putting on a show than winning the race.

Question is how do the Shleck's win it from here? They've got to stop doing all the work for one. Hand it over to Eurocar. Make Tommy V lead the race. Then they need plan 3 attacks. Not attack on a whim then stop. If there's too much wind then don't attack. Wait.

 

[hrotha]

Thomas Voeckler: “When I saw how windy it was in the valley prior to climbing to the Plateau de Beille, I thought my chance would be to hide from the wind as much as I could"
That could explain defensive tactics and really small time differences at the end.
Exposing yourself to 45km/h headwind to gain 30- 45 sec doesnt sound like a good deal. And you may pay for that later. Hope not for Sammu!
After all Tour de France is a war and today was just another battle

But Voeckler spent most of the time at or near the front. Basso is going to have nightmares about him.

 

[cleverhans]

Schleck tactics...Schrecklich

hrotha "What were they trying to accomplish? Who decides the tactics at this team?"

+1. I find their tactics, well, let's see, incomprehensible? Mysterious? Opaque?

Andy had legs, you saw him shoot away at the end to gain...2sec

It's management. look at Liege, look at what they did to Molema in Lux. Today they all but carried the other contenders to the line. Like Liege. Sheesh. Fire the coach!

 

[just some guy]

There

I am entitled to my opinion, and he HAD to close attacks or lose time and thus any podium spot. The FACT that he never actually attacked himself makes him a wheelsucker. Just like he has always been. Why should he attack? Because he wants to win maybe?

and if you would like to resort to name calling, go out and play with the other children on the block.

There is no reason for Evans to attack today. Next Thursday probably and then we will see on friday.

Evans road smarter today than he did in 07 and 08 - and if you think he should have attacked today then Im sorry your cycling knowledge needs help.

Evans is favourate to win at this point