Stage 18 - Friday, July 23 2010, Salies-de-Béarn - Bordeaux, 190 km

[The Hitch]

Stage 18 - Friday, July 23 2010, Salies-de-Béarn - Bordeaux, 190 km

Considering how boring the mountain stages have been, how boring will these next 2 flat stages be? Im not even going to attempt to build this up. I will record it and then fast forward to the last 5 minutes and watch that.

Cav for the win.

Pettachi for the green.

 

[Moondance]

Well, here's hoping Columbia and Lampre aren't strong enough to chase and Astana offer them no help.

Lars Boom (from a break) FTW!

 

[indurain666]

I'll probably watch the last 30 minutes..I mean...seconds..

Maybe some crosswinds and Saxo Bank attacks, breaks the field, Cancellara buries himself on the front pulling. Astana chasing like crazy behind. Schleck gains 68 seconds and now we have an interesting time trial?..Let me dream

 

[roundabout]

They are going through a great honking forrest tomorrow for a large part of the stage.

 

[The Hitch]

I'll probably watch the last 30 minutes..I mean...seconds..

Maybe some crosswinds and Saxo Bank attacks, breaks the field, Cancellara buries himself on the front pulling. Astana chasing like crazy behind. Schleck gains 68 seconds and now we have an interesting time trial?..Let me dream

we have all thought that for a sec before reminding ourselves there isnt a chance in hell of it happening.

Or is there?










No there isnt

 

[palmerq]

cavendish to win in his sleep... I doubt anything will happen but i wil watch it anyway.. i think petacchi will perform badly and hushovd will keep the green jersey .

 

[The Hitch]

wont renshaws absence not damage cavs chances

 

[Eyeballs Out]

I'd like to hope HTC will relieve Tony Martin of his dogsbody duties tomorrow in preparation for Saturday's TT but I won't hold my breath. Cav should beat Petacchi anyway. EBH probably knackered after today so that should move Hushovd up one place at least

They seem to have the conditions for some crosswinds tomorrow but I'm guessing the roads around here are too sheltered. Maybe Saxo will try anyway.

 

[blaxland]

Ciolek from Milram for the win,they really need a stage win this year....His form looks ok?

 

[craig1985]

I hope a break goes up the road and gains 20 minutes.

 

[macnir]

Ciolek from Milram for the win,they really need a stage win this year....His form looks ok?

I really hope so...but he needs a hilly finish...

 

[onetofifteen]

Cancellara and Schleck to go in an early two man break. Cancellara to do all the pulling and finish 5 minutes ahead of the field. Cancellara to be found to have an electric motor in his bike and kicked out of the tour. Schleck to keep his 5 minutes gained because there is nothing in the rules to punish a rider for what his 'lead out man' does.

 

[Roland Rat]

Contador to crash and Saxo to immediately blitz it on the front.

 

[palmerq]

wont renshaws absence not damage cavs chances

a wee bit but cavendish can beat the guys in the tour without him quite easily he has allready beaten petacchi twice in sprints for 2nd or less without renshaw.. I think cavendish needing a train is a big myth.

 

[auscyclefan94]

NOT CAVENDISH! Go Ale jet!

 

[Roland Rat]

NOT CAVENDISH! Go Ale jet!

Rumour had it that PFC Jet agreed not to contest the sprints in exchange for not being kicked from the Tour. Probably bollix, we'll see in a couple of hours at the first intermediate.

 

[Sasquatch]

Rumour had it that PFC Jet agreed not to contest the sprints in exchange for not being kicked from the Tour. Probably bollix, we'll see in a couple of hours at the first intermediate.

How reliable is this rumour? I have money on Thor to win Green but still $2.50 it's tempting to put more on.

 

[Roland Rat]

How reliable is this rumour? I have money on Thor to win Green but still $2.50 it's tempting to put more on.

Probably not reliable at all. I can't even remember where I heard it, other than it was from someone who I didn't automatically dismiss as knowing nothing (i.e. it was from a real proper journo type actually at the Tour).

 

[theyoungest]

I hope a break goes up the road and gains 20 minutes.

I hope Vino makes that break.

 

[The Hitch]

I hope a break goes up the road and gains 20 minutes.

preferably with someone less than 20 mins behind in it.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Gesink! And then they somehow confuse him with Boom.

Now I'm just dreaming.

 

[ttrider]

hopefully a 20 min break with 2 caisse depargnes in it
the sight of popovych pulling like a madman for a classification no one else gives a **** about again would be priceless

 

[Ferminal]

This is going to be terrible...

Break of the day has a huge total of four riders:

Breschel
Oss
Vaugrenard
Pineau

A lead of 3'25", can't see it moving too much for 100km.

 

[Dedelou]

since we are dreaming this morning and we all expect a boring stage: schlecky and contador escape unseen and therefore they are not chased .. they gain enough time to stop at a local motel for a quickie. The take all the sprint points in the process and andy let conti win the final sprint so he can at least have a stage

 

[Mellow Velo]

This is going to be terrible...

Break of the day has a huge total of four riders:

Breschel
Oss
Vaugrenard
Pineau

A lead of 3'25", can't see it moving too much for 100km.

Slow too. Race average was just 43kph for the break "action".
Now going along at about 36kph.........