SHACK ATTACK: Radioshack fail dismally!

[Publicus]

Okay, thanks for clearing that up. How did he keep going with the broken spoke or did the puncture gradually develop over time from the spoke being broken.

Conjecture on my part, but my guess is that the crash loosened/damaged the spoke and the cobbles did the rest. It must have been a bytch dragging it along. I think he (along with everyone else) is hoping for an easy day tomorrow.

 

[Weapons of @ss Destruction]

Do you seriously want to bet otherwise?

It's an internet discussion forum. Do you seriously believe that anyone other than yourself is taking any of this seriously?

 

[auscyclefan94]

Is that what the Tour is about? Team Classification? Jeebus.

Yep, BMC 5th, Shack attack 15th on the stage.

 

[Mellow Velo]

I hear that Contador stole Lance's wheels, so he had to go and buy some.......
.........but he bought the wrong ones.

 

[euanli]

For those who want the original lance shouting at contador picture

http://www.daylife.com/photo/0ez0adD9gW5Ua

 

[Angliru]

Yet they were still going to hammer Contador today. I'm sure Lance was expecting a repeat of 2004.

He was foolish enough not to recognize that Contador and Iban Mayo are not one and the same. He really should have caught on last year when his efforts to intimidate Contador only motivated him more.

 

[Angliru]

Great ride for Evans. If he can manage to wheel-suck throughout the mountain stages, he will be looking good going into the ITT. I think it may be difficult for AC to get 1 minute Evans.

If Contador can put 40 seconds into Andy Schleck, I dont' think putting a minute into Evans will be a problem.

Agreed though, great ride by Evans. Based on his recent performances, I don't think he'll be simply wheelsucking. He'll be aggressive when he needs to be, just hopefully he'll be smarter about choosing those moments and not simply taking off from the front ala Dauphine 2009.

 

[Cerberus]

If Contador can put 40 seconds into Andy Schleck, I dont' think putting a minute into Evans will be a problem.

Agreed though, great ride by Evans. Based on his recent performances, I don't think he'll be simply wheelsucking. He'll be aggressive when he needs to be, just hopefully he'll be smarter about choosing those moments and not simply taking off from the front ala Dauphine 2009.

Problem is I just don't see him making any acceleration that Contador can't follow, or follow the accelerations that Contador makes for that matter. He might get second depending mostly on what form AS is in, but no more than that.

 

[Angliru]

As the greatest tactical mind in the history of the sport, save the great tactical mind of a certain Mr. Lance Armstrong, I am not in the least bit worried about what will occur. Lance wins by 12 minutes!

Ok, in all seriousness, it's an interesting question. And frankly, it's actually a liberating situation for the entire Radio Shack team. They aren't that far out of contention (reminds me of the Giro when everyone pronounced Basso's race over) and they've got enough live dogs on their team to make their presence known and felt over the next two weeks.

Psychologically is where I wonder how they respond. They (along with a number of other GC candidates) seem to put a lot of stock in AC loses significant amounts of time (if not crashing out) today. That didn't happen. It will be interesting to see if they can put this behind them and race the race that is now in front of them (instead of the one they prepared for in their minds).

I think they're shell-shocked by AC's performance. The expectation was that he would lose at least a minute to Armstrong on this stage, not gain time on him. It appears that inspite of the years that they spent working closely with Contador, they have once again underestimated his resolve. How many times does Contador prove them wrong till they recognize what they are truly up against? Even I had my doubts and hoped for minimal time losses but after this stage I am simply even more impressed with Contador effort and cool under fire. Before the stage he did say in an interview that he was calm and not going to get stressed about stage 3. Tranquilo.

 

[karlboss]

Honestly does anyone think with 3 mountain top finishes against him and 1 minute and one long flat time trial potentially for him, Evans can sit, wait and fight only on these days? Can anyone? Then again, this isn't the giro.

 

[Christian]

“Andy [Schleck] was in the front, but he had a great team and he didn't have to do anything,” Armstrong continued.

... as in: "I don't have a great team" ?!

I guess Lance agrees with whoever started this thread

 

[Pot Belgique]

Imagine if Wiggo and flatted. the whining dog would be heard all the way back to Manchester.


He'd have to whine loudly, He's from London.

 

[Tangled Tango]

I'm not a Lance supporter by any means, but come on, this **** happens randomly. How many times in the past have we seen a front runner in PR ruled out because of bad luck?

True LA may of flatted regardless, but when he moved past Popy, he was crisscrossing the road like an amature, looking for a good or smoother path. Didn´t look good and such erratic riding couldn´t of helped.

Back to the orginal topic: I only saw team RS at the front before any cobbles. Early on before the going got really tough they were mostly gone. Also to say they are all climbers?? Kloden & Levi are strong TTers and should of been at the front with LA. It looked like an overall disaster as far as their pre-stage plan.

 

[Publicus]

If you have a chance, check out Kloden's tweeter feed if you want a good glimpse of the psychological aftermath of yesterday's stage. Radio Shack put a lot of eggs in the AC falters/Armstrong excels basket. Horner made similar comments in his blog. I wonder when we will hear from Bottle.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Imagine if Wiggo and flatted. the whining dog would be heard all the way back to Manchester.

He'd have to whine loudly, He's from London.

In typical Pom fashion. Morzine Avoriaz will be very interesting

Agreed though, great ride by Evans. Based on his recent performances, I don't think he'll be simply wheelsucking. He'll be aggressive when he needs to be, just hopefully he'll be smarter about choosing those moments and not simply taking off from the front ala Dauphine 2009.

Yes I agree. If he iss going to attack you need to make big attacks and not 50 half hearted attacks right in front of the rider you are trying to crack. I personally don't see Conti attacking on Morzine. I doubt he will want to take the lead so early in the race. He has to restrain himself from attacking which is hard for him as his team won't be able to defend him for a long period of time. He knows he can get time in the pyrenees with his violent attacks so needs to wait. At least Evans has some good flat guys who can ride on the front for those stages. For the climbs, astana owns bmc even though morabito is going well.

 

[auscyclefan94]

If you have a chance, check out Kloden's tweeter feed if you want a good glimpse of the psychological aftermath of yesterday's stage. Radio Shack put a lot of eggs in the AC falters/Armstrong excels basket. Horner made similar comments in his blog. I wonder when we will hear from Bottle.

I like this one from klodis

RT @HashTDF RT @philipsquire: @andykloedi The "forums" are full of "experts" who know how the #tdf should be ridden. Amazing ho [..]

Reading through some of the tweets, Klodi is a real arsehole and has major sour grapes

the top group could be formed only big because of the fall! it was a lottery, material damage, fall or forefront! Congratulations to Tor! "

Your far from right klodi.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

evans will never win a grand tour in his life. he's lucky to get podium. he sucked in the giro as well despite his good efforts in the mud stage

 

[bobs nob]

Okay, so Lance buried himself today trying to get back on but couldn't, I personally can't stick the man and wish he'd disappear up his own ar$e at some point, preferably soon, but chapeau for today, gutsy performance.

HOWEVER, the Shack as a team blew it. Their sole aim today was to put big time into Berto and they failed miserably. You fanboys can blame bad luck but that's a nonsense, look at the stats:

Armstrong 32nd
Horner 42nd
Brajkovic 44th
Lumphammer 64th
Klodi 78th
Popovych 90th
Paulinho 127th
Rast 136th
Murayev 138th

For team aiming to rattle Contador and take advantage of a stage they blew it!

+1
point set and match

 

[auscyclefan94]

evans will never win a grand tour in his life. he's lucky to get podium. he sucked in the giro as well despite his good efforts in the mud stage

it is a radioshack thread ____. if you are going to post stupid comments, post them in the right thread.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

it is a radioshack thread you idiot. if you are going to post stupid comments, post them in the right thread.

That still doesn't change my opinion.

 

[Publicus]

In typical Pom fashion. Morzine Avoriaz will be very interesting


Yes I agree. If he iss going to attack you need to make big attacks and not 50 half hearted attacks right in front of the rider you are trying to crack. I personally don't see Conti attacking on Morzine. I doubt he will want to take the lead so early in the race. He has to restrain himself from attacking which is hard for him as his team won't be able to defend him for a long period of time. He knows he can get time in the pyrenees with his violent attacks so needs to wait. At least Evans has some good flat guys who can ride on the front for those stages. For the climbs, astana owns bmc even though morabito is going well.

He will attack. He is a minute back on Evans a good/great climber who excels in long TTs. He can't wait until later to try and get it all back and to build a cushion. Hopefully BMC is in yellow by Sunday.

Plus you have to remember that Basso, Samu, Armstrong and crew and others are going to look to redeem their TdF. Saturday, Sunday and Tuesday are going to be hard days.

 

[auscyclefan94]

He will attack. He is a minute back on Evans a good/great climber who excels in long TTs. He can't wait until later to try and get it all back and to build a cushion. Hopefully BMC is in yellow by Sunday.

Plus you have to remember that Basso, Samu, Armstrong and crew and others are going to look to redeem their TdF. Saturday, Sunday and Tuesday are going to be hard days.

I agree others will attack but i think AC may wait. Morzine is not overly steep near the top either.

The part which I said "AC won't attack" was wishful thinking.

 

[wattage]

Radioshack just had bad luck with all the punctures. And it's not like their Tour team is packed with big heavy classics riders. I think Lance did put in a very good ride, he did pretty much everything there was left to do after that puncture.

 

[Publicus]

I agree others will attack but i think AC may wait. Morzine is not overly steep near the top either.

The part which I said "AC won't attack" was wishful thinking.

AC likes/prefers to counterattack, especially when others are forced to attack (see Arcalis). If he can pick up 20 seconds on a guy like Evans without going deep, then he will. Heck Liquigas and Radio Shack could make the weekend/Tuesday very hard. Saxo Bank may have won the battle yesterday (with Andy's success) but may ultimately lose the war (with Frank's absence). I don't think Andy is in the same shape as he was in 2009. Frank looked stronger (IMO).

 

[Roland Rat]

Toto!

http://nyvelocity.com/toto

Brilliant