Stage 16 and Possible early Coverage

[Escarabajo]

Well, Wiggins did say he fancied the final TT, so he could just be planning to spend most of the week in the bus - it's not as if Garmin need him to work for anyone.

Good point.

 

[Jasper]

Sastre is hanging all the way back in the peloton, almost on the last row. Risky place to be if they attack up front. Or could it be a sign of bad form today?

 

[kjetilraknerud]

Sastre is just playing Mr. Cool. He did the same thing on the first mountain stage. No matter how big the group was, he was always on the back of it - until his attack.

 

[Parrot23]

I see that EuroHoody at Velonews says this a few minutes ago:

"My hunch is that Basso is going to try to blow apart the race today, Sastre and Garzelli go with him. Menchov stays with Di Luca and Leipheimer, then bridges across. Basso or Garzelli win stage, Menchov keeps pink jersey"

 

[Animal]

Sastre is hanging all the way back in the peloton, almost on the last row. Risky place to be if they attack up front. Or could it be a sign of bad form today?

Well that panicky command to Pauwels to come back and help him should have given something away!

 

[BroDeal]

I am stunned. The UniversalSports commentator is actually discussing doping and Valverde. That would never happen in any other american coverage. Phil and Paul would gloss over the subject.

 

[BroDeal]

What is the temperature? The riders all look like they are suffering in the heat--except for Menchov, who always looks cool.

 

[ingsve]

It's really hot it seems ya...We'll see big time diffrences today.

 

[Parrot23]

Dunno the temp, but Eurosport commentator just said the heat is a plus for Menchov, given his Vuelta pedigree. Heat not a problem for him at Vuelta.

Small guys like Levi should handle it better, too (less surface area etc., think I saw something about this in the lit. a while ago).

 

[Parrot23]

Velonews says at 11:30 start local time: Right now the temperature is 28° C (83°F).

(So, say, mid 30s by mid afternoon.)

 

[BroDeal]

Small guys like Levi should handle it better, too (less surface area etc., think I saw something about this in the lit. a while ago).

Smaller guys definitely handle heat better, but I think it is surface area relative to body mass.

 

[ingsve]

Small guys like Levi should handle it better, too (less surface area etc., think I saw something about this in the lit. a while ago).

Ya, it's a matter of surface area vs body volume. The bigger you are the worse the ratio gets for you.

 

[ingsve]

Velonews says at 11:30 start local time: Right now the temperature is 28° C (83°F).

(So, say, mid 30s by mid afternoon.)

Ya, but thats' probably the temp in the shade. No telling how hot it gets in the sun on those barren mountainstops.

 

[BroDeal]

Ya, it's a matter of surface area vs body volume. The bigger you are the worse the ratio gets for you.

Much better put than the way I did it.

With Popoffthebackavich sent ahead, Leipheimer must actually be planning to attack since a Bruyneel team would never actually allow one of its riders to go for personal glory. We might be witnessing a historic event.

 

[Parrot23]

Okay, with reflection off the tar of road, must be a lot of radiant heat too. Bit like cycling on a tanning mirror.

 

[Parrot23]

Popoffthebackavich

LOL, as long as the Astana team car isn't towing a small refrigerator (and there are no visible drip lines hanging from the car), and Menchov doesn't start to sprint like Haussler, I'm cool with things.

Cippo apparently says this is the last day for Menchov to be dropped--or that they've got to do it now type of thing.

Sean Kelly's take on that (Eurosport): manno a manno is not going to work vs. Menchov.

Has to be multiple attacks by multiple teams over a long period. (I assume it means presenting him with what Cadel Evans faced on Alpe d'Huez at TDF last year: too many choices/riders to follow).

 

[Jasper]

Cunego and Scarponi attack in front, Popovych can't follow - or isn't allowed to.

 

[BroDeal]

All that LANCE/LIVESTRONG/NIKE writing on the road must have been paid for by either Armstrong or Nike.

 

[ingsve]

Was that Sastre on the back?

 

[Parrot23]

Looked like it to me, with one other Cervelo guy.

 

[BroDeal]

Soler gone from the race. This Giro did not work out for him.

 

[Escarabajo]

Pain is over for Soler. He retired. It is his third Grand Tour retirement in a row.

 

[BroDeal]

Looked like it to me, with one other Cervelo guy.

He has to be hurting. A final climb attack ala Alpe d'Huez is looking less likely.

 

[BroDeal]

Pain is over for Soler. He retired. It is his third Grand Tour retirement in a row.

I wonder if he crashed or whether it was just fatigue.

 

[Parrot23]

Pity, always good to have some wildcards in the pack who can shake things up.