Stage 16 and Possible early Coverage

[Alpe d'Huez]

II wonder what Løvkvist went through.

Remember all the talk a week ago about Wiggins? People saying he was doped because he had a good climbing day, blah, blah. Well, you think Løvkvist cracked? Wiggins finished 4th from the last in the Autobus, over 48 minutes back, and now sits 1:44:06 behind.

 

[Anonymous]

What a disastrous day for Astana. Whatever strategy they had, backfired. And for all of Levi's talk about how he would just as soon finish 10th in Rome than 2nd, he showed zero aggression, and made zero attacks. I'm guessing their strategy, if you could call it that, was to send Popo up the road to get riders to chase, then exhaust everyone and have Levi ride them off his wheel. Something he's pretty much never done on his career on this big of a stage. The strategy also would have made more sense if he didn't ride simply like he was trying to win the stage. And it would have sent more fear had Astana sent Lance instead of Popo. And Lance's pull was at the exact wrong time, basically helping other riders put hurt into Levi, while chasing Popo down. WTF? The flat had almost nothing to do with Levi's faltering. He just doesn't have it, and whatever strategy they had, completely failed.

in the end levi didn't get it done. being the class act he said "“I was not as strong as those guys, it is plain and simple, they were stronger". he made no excuses.

as for lance, i recall him bridging up a small gap to the menchov group for a time then going back to levi. the way i see it, lance knew it was go time and levi needed to be with him but couldn't.

levi says, "(Without Lance) I would have lost much much more time. He saved me minutes and minutes,”

as for astana tactics, i thought when you are in contention it's a good idea to be present in the break away. how is having a teammate up the road a bad thing? nobody was chasing popo. they knew he wasn't trying to steal the jersey from a teammate. if levi had come off the front of the menchov group as hoped he would have been the one to make the catch.
an astana sweep wouldn't have been out of the question as i think lance had more in him today.

 

[Aditya]

Lance is starting to look good isn't he...?
And the way he towed Levi up the mountain...we could have a surprise in our hands if he works as a domestique for Contador. It'll be like how Andy Schlek helped out Frank and Sastre, no one would be expecting it.

 

[kjetilraknerud]

Remember all the talk a week ago about Wiggins? People saying he was doped because he had a good climbing day, blah, blah. Well, you think Løvkvist cracked? Wiggins finished 4th from the last in the Autobus, over 48 minutes back, and now sits 1:44:06 behind.

I think Wiggins was just testing himself, too see what he could do on a climb with his new weight etc. After that, he probably didn't feel too good, and decided too stay within the time limit on the rest of the hard stages - then he'll give it a go in the final TT.

So, I think Wiggins' "crack" was partly on purpose, whereas Løvkvist's surely wasn't

 

[180mmCrank]

Lance was certainly strutting his stuff - he went up to the Menchov group - I am not sure how long he could have stayed there (he says something twittery about 'you'll have to wait until July to find out!'). But it's hard to deny that he's improving. The intial burst up to the big boys was all about Lance but I would give him a ton of credit for helping Levi once he dropped back.

Di Luca has surprised me the most - I think it's been awesome the way he has not just hung in there but he's taken it to Menchov whenever he has had the legs. It's been great. And I think I said before but Basso has been a joy to watch. I always thought Sastre would be able to do something like he did today - not that it's a great feat to make a prediction about the current TdF Champ being capable of putting time into folk.

Maybe it's the temperature or the fact the days themselves are super tough but it looks like the guys are having to really work for it. Not a lot of dancing on the pedals and skipping up the slopes today. They are really having to grind it out... It just looks a little different to what we have seen over the last few years. Maybe I am imagining things

 

[rhubroma]

This just in from La Gazzetto dello Sport: Sastre interviewed after the stage win.

Sastre: "Armstrong aveva detto se io avevo vinto il Tour anche lui poteva tornare a correre? Non me ne frega niente di quello che dice. Sono sicuro di quello che sono e quello che faccio. E qui lottero fino in fondo."

Sastre: "Armstrong had said that if I had won the Tour, even he could return to race (a better trans., though, would be: he (Armstrong) should make a comeback)? I couldn't care less what he says. I'm confident ("sure" is Sastre's word) about who I am and what I do. And here I'll fight till the end."

I doubt there's a better response to Armstrong's arogance and belittling manner, than Sastre's winning yesterday and droping Lance!

 

[180mmCrank]

This just in from La Gazzetto dello Sport: Sastre interviewed after the stage win.

Sastre: "... Sono sicuro di quello che sono e quello che faccio. E qui lottero fino in fondo."

Sastre: "... I'm confident ("sure" is Sastre's word) about who I am and what I do. And here I'll fight till the end."QUOTE]

What a great statement! Here is a guy with massive belief in his own ability and someone who is super comfortable in his own skin. Someone we could all learn from

 

[craig1985]

It's the same guy (Californian, I think). Must be loaded: goes to all the GT's, multiple stages.

I met him once in the 2007 TdF and he is a engineer (I think aerospace but I could be wrong) and is from Seattle. Works over 60 hours a week from what he told me.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Nice to hear Sastre keep his confidence and not be intimidated by Lance, or anyone else. The guy is basically one of the two best cyclists in the world right now (along with Contador), and a brilliant strategist. He's got every right in the world to be confident and unafraid of anyone.

Everyone has already written in Contador or Lance to win the Tour. Well, I for one think unless he's burning himself out here, Sastre has a great chance to repeat.

 

[skippy]

menchov

unless dennis falls off his bike laughing at the efforts of others , he has this race to lose!
all the racers who finished yesterday are "heroes"! i remember only stueys victory in grenoble as a hotter day than yesterday!
unrelenting climbs(17000ft) no shade to hide under most of the time, narrow roads. put most of my time in early in the morning and as i went up mt petrona i had some jackass from "sporza,be"klaxoning me at 11.45 (6hrs earlY) AS HE wears a "auth. badge". dumbf.. forgets he is supposed to encourage cycling &it pays his wages!

where do these imbeciles come from? hope he doesn't show up in 2010 uci roads, he will have an even hotter time!

 

[craig1985]

Nice to hear Sastre keep his confidence and not be intimidated by Lance, or anyone else. The guy is basically one of the two best cyclists in the world right now (along with Contador), and a brilliant strategist. He's got every right in the world to be confident and unafraid of anyone.

Everyone has already written in Contador or Lance to win the Tour. Well, I for one think unless he's burning himself out here, Sastre has a great chance to repeat.

This. It has great to see him bounce back after the death of his brother-in-law Jose Maria Jimenez which knocked him back for some time. And he seems like a great guy as well, very modest in interviews, but when it comes to the mountains, boy can he attack.

 

[skippy]

membership

what is it with "senior" or "junier".

you can find me as "skippydetour" on twitter.com, not sure of my rank there!

 

[craig1985]

Number of posts one would think.

 

[Parrot23]

I met him once in the 2007 TdF and he is a engineer (I think aerospace but I could be wrong) and is from Seattle. Works over 60 hours a week from what he told me.

Thanks for that. Then he's QUITE the fan: works hard to get to the GT's. If he's from Seattle and an aerospace engineer, then maybe he's with Boeing, if they are still there. Got wings!

 

[lookkg386]

Nice to hear Sastre keep his confidence and not be intimidated by Lance, or anyone else. The guy is basically one of the two best cyclists in the world right now (along with Contador), and a brilliant strategist. He's got every right in the world to be confident and unafraid of anyone.

Everyone has already written in Contador or Lance to win the Tour. Well, I for one think unless he's burning himself out here, Sastre has a great chance to repeat.

Easily one of my favourite riders, can he beat Contador in the tour - I don't think so - but he'll give a good race as he should. Don't forget he rides with the pressure of the number 1 on his jersey. He seems to handle the pressure well though.

 

[Jasper]

The question is whether or not he will burn himself up in his quest for pink these last few days? He probably won't feel it now, but what if it costs him that extra few percents he needs to battle Contador and young Schleck in the third week of the Tour. We all know he has tons of experience and knows his strenghts limits like no one else, but what if the desire to overthrow Menchov and Di Luca (who doesn't need to save energy for the Tour) takes the better of him? Menchov in that case sits a bit more comfortable now, with his reassuring lead over Sastre and Leipheimer, and the TT on the final day which favors him. Holding off Sastre doesn't cost nearly as much power as gaining time, or so he makes it seem.

 

[Anonymous]

Sastre: "Armstrong had said that if I had won the Tour, even he could return to race (a better trans., though, would be: he (Armstrong) should make a comeback)? I couldn't care less what he says. I'm confident ("sure" is Sastre's word) about who I am and what I do. And here I'll fight till the end."

he's evidently a rider with a long memory and a thin skin.
anybody know exactly what lance said when that has his shorts in a twist?

let's see, lance beat him in the tour 4 times, then contador beats him and he wins the one without either. he's 3 1/2 years younger and lance has been off for 3 years and injured a month ago, and lance is no threat to him in this giro. he wins a giro stage and it's suddenly "i guess i showed him."?
please!
i'm not sure this throw down was such a good idea.

guess it will get settled by legs, if not this week, then in july with him continuing to lose every tour lance is in, but this time to contador.

 

[mr. tibbs]

he's evidently a rider with a long memory and a thin skin.
anybody know exactly what lance said when that has his shorts in a twist?

let's see, lance beat him in the tour 4 times, then contador beats him and he wins the one without either. he's 3 1/2 years younger and lance has been off for 3 years and injured a month ago, and lance is no threat to him in this giro. he wins a giro stage and it's suddenly "i guess i showed him."?
please!
i'm not sure this throw down was such a good idea.

guess it will get settle by legs, if not this week, then in july with him continuing to lose every tour lance is in, but this time to contador.

I think you missed the point. Armstrong took a snarky jab at Sastre and Sastre basically brushed it off by saying "I am happy with myself, my abillities, and my accomplishments."

He didn't say "I guess I showed him." Sastre only spoke of his feelings about himself. Armstrong is the one who was "throwing down" on other people.

 

[Mr.DNA]

he's evidently a rider with a long memory and a thin skin.
anybody know exactly what lance said when that has his shorts in a twist?

Are you hoping that you can make Lance look like a good guy by making other riders look bad? Trying to paint Carlos Sastre as a bitter *** is a real stretch.

"Long memory and a thin skin"... hmm, which rider would fit that description?

 

[Anonymous]

I think you missed the point. Armstrong took a snarky jab at Sastre and Sastre basically brushed it off by saying "I am happy with myself, my abillities, and my accomplishments."

He didn't say "I guess I showed him." Sastre only spoke of his feelings about himself. Armstrong is the one who was "throwing down" on other people.

was this something lance said recently?
if it was, i see your point.
i was thinking it was something said last year.
that's why i asked what exactly was said when.

 

[rhubroma]

he's evidently a rider with a long memory and a thin skin.
anybody know exactly what lance said when that has his shorts in a twist?

let's see, lance beat him in the tour 4 times, then contador beats him and he wins the one without either. he's 3 1/2 years younger and lance has been off for 3 years and injured a month ago, and lance is no threat to him in this giro. he wins a giro stage and it's suddenly "i guess i showed him."?
please!
i'm not sure this throw down was such a good idea.

guess it will get settle by legs, if not this week, then in july with him continuing to lose every tour lance is in, but this time to contador.

Once again somebody who refuses to "see" anything which casts Armstrong in a negative light, because of being a Lance apologist.

As Mr. Tibbs said, you missed the point. Lance's was a statement of hubris and was belittling of Sastre's accomplishment at the Tour last year. Lance's comment was made last year after the Tour, got recorded by the cycling journalists here in Europe and then was transfered by an Italian writer to Sastre following his stage win yesterday. Lances statement had the arogant implication that Sastre was a b-rate champion, one who, evidently, wasn't worthy as a Tour win because he's not strong enough and, in any case, not nearly as Lance was.

It's this lethal character flaw of the Texan which renders him a thouroughly unlikable, arogant SOB. Only his manipulation of mass media has fooled the likes of the Lance apologists into thinking in reallity he's actually a really nice guy.

The mark of a truely great man, isn't in doing great things, but in having the humility to respect the accomplishments of those "less gifted than you." Lance doesn't have it in him to be a truly great man.

By contrast Sastre is. He earned my heartfelt respect in another interview in the same newspaper early in the season during Giro prep training. When asked if his rivals frightened him, Sastre's response was: "No I don't fear any collegue, but I respect all of them, from the strongest to the weakest." Perhaps Sastre's noble and wise statement (he has made no enemies in the peleton) implied that he allready knew waht Lance thought of him as a cyclist and as a Tour victor. But even if it didn't it allows us to see he who has done a great thing, becomes great himself by his humanity.

In a sport where everyone suffers terribly at times, where each rider gives what he can based upon his own nature -from the strongest to the weakest - Sastre's approach to looking at his collegues has the sentiment of a man who has real empathy, which is the mark of a noble character.

Whereas all we get from the Texan is egocentricity and a false character portrayal through his personal media propaganda and Livestrong. But every once in a while, and in spite of all his efforts to show himself otherwise, his arogance and at times nastyness (the Simeoni affair), which is at the heart of the man's persona, comes out.

 

[jaylew]

Terrific stage! I wasn't able to watch it until recently and it was hard to stay ignorant about the results, but somehow I managed it. Gotta love the Universal as-live replays!

There was a time when I didn't like Carlos, but over the last few years, I've become a fan. Good for him.

LL's performance wasn't entirely unexpected. Pretty obvious his peak form has past and he is going downhill. I expect the Gila TT results for LA and LL to be somewhat reversed on the last stage. Things might have gotten a bit more stressed at the Contador home...

I'm tempted to criticize Liquigas a bit, but I don't know. Perhaps with better tactics, they could have put someone on the podium(which I guess is still possible), but at the end of the day I just don't think Ivan or Pelli were strong enough for the win.

 

[flyor64]

Terrific stage! I wasn't able to watch it until recently and it was hard to stay ignorant about the results, but somehow I managed it. Gotta love the Universal as-live replays!

Man...you held out that long without finding out before you watched?!?! Good for you.

I do not have the patience. I got home to watch the last 10KMs on the DVR...stopping the live text following for the drive home...only to discover that "it wasn't taped" Secretly, and this remains on the forum , I think my wife deleted it thinking it was Sunday's stage...

So I immediately sat down the CN and read the results...I couldn't wait for the Eurosport replay at 1 am last night even...

 

[jaylew]

Man...you held out that long without finding out before you watched?!?! Good for you.

It helped that I was volunteering at a race most of the day and then out with friends who aren't following the Giro.

The hardest part was navigating the Universal site without accidentally seeing who won the stage. I had already made that mistake with the Gerrans stage.

 

[whiteboytrash]

Good post. As Roger Federer said: "Its nice to be important but it's more important to be nice". Now thats from a guy who smashed his opponents.

Armstrong represents everything that is ugly about America. A complete lack of understanding for other countries & cultures. When he came back I thought he'd matured & was more thoughful. But it's the same old s&it again.

If there's a fight in the peleton, 98% will side with Sastre.

Once again somebody who refuses to "see" anything which casts Armstrong in a negative light, because of being a Lance apologist.

As Mr. Tibbs said, you missed the point. Lance's was a statement of hubris and was belittling of Sastre's accomplishment at the Tour last year. Lance's comment was made last year after the Tour, got recorded by the cycling journalists here in Europe and then was transfered by an Italian writer to Sastre following his stage win yesterday. Lances statement had the arogant implication that Sastre was a b-rate champion, one who, evidently, wasn't worthy as a Tour win because he's not strong enough and, in any case, not nearly as Lance was.

It's this lethal character flaw of the Texan which renders him a thouroughly unlikable, arogant SOB. Only his manipulation of mass media has fooled the likes of the Lance apologists into thinking in reallity he's actually a really nice guy.

The mark of a truely great man, isn't in doing great things, but in having the humility to respect the accomplishments of those "less gifted than you." Lance doesn't have it in him to be a truly great man.

By contrast Sastre is. He earned my heartfelt respect in another interview in the same newspaper early in the season during Giro prep training. When asked if his rivals frightened him, Sastre's response was: "No I don't fear any collegue, but I respect all of them, from the strongest to the weakest." Perhaps Sastre's noble and wise statement (he has made no enemies in the peleton) implied that he allready knew waht Lance thought of him as a cyclist and as a Tour victor. But even if it didn't it allows us to see he who has done a great thing, becomes great himself by his humanity.

In a sport where everyone suffers terribly at times, where each rider gives what he can based upon his own nature -from the strongest to the weakest - Sastre's approach to looking at his collegues has the sentiment of a man who has real empathy, which is the mark of a noble character.

Whereas all we get from the Texan is egocentricity and a false character portrayal through his personal media propaganda and Livestrong. But every once in a while, and in spite of all his efforts to show himself otherwise, his arogance and at times nastyness (the Simeoni affair), which is at the heart of the man's persona, comes out.