Stage 19: Saint-Jean-de-Maurienn - La Toussuire-Les Sybelle

[TourOfSardinia]

Sastre may have done something here.

 

[Escarabajo]

Re:

I can already hear the post Tour interview with Froome,

"Well in reality I was having very tough days in the Alps, and if the others had attacked me more, successively, I may have cracked. The team was on the edge the whole time. But thankfully my competitors stayed in wheel and we were able to mask my trouble."

You could get the same answer from Quintana!

 

[luckyboy]

Man this is dull. Roll on the Vuelta

 

[gazr99]

Re: Re:

Someone needs to attack, Majka looks like he is about to break and can't see Pouels having too much left in the tank

I think only Froome and maybe Condator/Quintana has anything left.

Poels looks fairly fresh.

He's almost been dropped once already, which is why once on the front I can't see him being there for much more than 2kms max

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

Bravo Nibali.

 

[Punkan]

GC battle has been extremely boring.

 

[mr. tibbs]

Re: Re:

Imagine if Contador had taken that attitude to Murito in the 2012 Vuelta.

No one was criticising Movistar on PSM or PDB. There we could see Sky were indeed stronger.

The last few days however they haven't. Both Froome's best domestiques have dropped. Contador has been attacking giving them a platform to jump onto. They haven't had to create anything, the opportunities have been given to them. They haven't even tried.

Its the equivalent of a team losing 2-0 with 30 minutes to go, the other team gets a red card, but instead of trying to fight back, they just put on extra defenders to try and protect their goal difference.

Agreed with Hitch. Spot on, as usual.

Alos, Irondan, convince them to do something about this new quote system.

 

[DFA123]

This climb is too flat - rubbish choice for the end of a 'queen's stage' in the Alps. It's far too easy to follow wheels - the MJ group is nearly the same size now as at the start of the climb.

 

[One Eyed Aussie]

GC group going to ride in together. Quintana, Contador, Valverde not having great days.

 

[Rollthedice]

Re:

DAi Nibali!!!!!!!!!!

(apologize for the fanboyness but this is so epic)

It is! Tomorrow he'll drop Valverde for the podium.

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

WTF is going on here? Majka setting the pace for...whom?

This stage has gone from suck to blow. (props if you get the reference)

 

[Punkan]

Come on dawg, a classic 5k attack please, just for the fun of it.

 

[Lyon]

Movistar thinks the winner is the one with most riders on the podium.

 

[phanatic]

Re: Re:

Another racist comment from Kirby.

What did he say?

Described the spectators as Americans indians with their 'whooping noises'.

Were they chanting like at Braves or Seminole games?

(PS: To the Seminole Indians, thank you my friends)

 

[jaylew]

Re: Re:

Nibali deserves the podium.

Not even remotely.

Deserves probably yes. But it's almost impossible

He doesn't deserve a damn thing except maybe this stage, depending on how you feel about the kosher-ness of his attack.

 

[Afrank]

Re: Re:

DAi Nibali!!!!!!!!!!

(apologize for the fanboyness but this is so epic)

It is! Tomorrow he'll drop Valverde for the podium.

Today the stage win, tomorrow the top step in Paris!

 

[glassmoon]

Nairo just gave up like that?
Edit: nope.

 

[etymology]

Re:

Is this the worst stage ever to have been ridden in the history of the sport?

not. even. close. to. worst. stage. ever. ridden.

 

[Eyeballs Out]

Tinkoff riding to limit the gap to Nibali for Contador (who only ever rides for first place - oh yes indeed)

 

[mr. tibbs]

Re:

This climb is too flat - rubbish choice for the end of a 'queen's stage' in the Alps. It's far too easy to follow wheels - the MJ group is nearly the same size now as at the start of the climb.

I think tomorrow was supposed to be the queen stage, but then it got neutered cuz landslides.

 

[difdauf]

Re:

This climb is too flat - rubbish choice for the end of a 'queen's stage' in the Alps. It's far too easy to follow wheels - the MJ group is nearly the same size now as at the start of the climb.

The group wouldn't be the same if they attacked...

 

[TI-Raleigh]

Poels gone.

 

[Simurgh]

Goodbye to Poels

 

[TourOfSardinia]

Re:

Movistar thinks the winner is the one with most riders on the podium.

they'll be equalled at least by the podium girls

 

[DFA123]

Re: Re:

People give out about Sky, but Movistar has ruined this tour, Valverde should F off to another team if he wants to be a GC leader and won't do a bit of DOMing. In any case Quintana has been a joke...

What has ruined the GC spectacle is Froome being miles stronger than everyone else. Quintana has tried, but hasn't got close to dropping him. Valverde isn't strong enough on the hardest climbs to put in a meaningful attack, he is just trying to hang on. Even Contador now is trying to protect 4th/5th position, while 6th-10th have been doing the same throughout the last two weeks.

Froome's strength has made everyone re-assess their goals from the race.

Well said. Quintana has done his homework, turns out he simply isn't good enough. Contador turned up in aweful shape, overestimating either himself or underestimating the competition. Nibali has somehow **** up his preparation.

When everyone is completely inferior to the strongest rider with the strongest team and sound tactics, GC will be boring.

Imagine if Contador had taken that attitude to Murito in the 2012 Vuelta.

No one was criticising Movistar on PSM or PDB. There we could see Sky were indeed stronger.

The last few days however they haven't. Both Froome's best domestiques have dropped. Contador has been attacking giving them a platform to jump onto. They haven't had to create anything, the opportunities have been given to them. They haven't even tried.

Its the equivalent of a team losing 2-0 with 30 minutes to go, the other team gets a red card, but instead of trying to fight back, they just put on extra defenders to try and protect their goal difference.

I think the difference is that Contador was 2-0 down (i.e under a minute) and was playing against a team that had consistently thrown away leads in the past.

Quintana and Valverde are 4-0 down (three to four minutes) and against an opponent that is a very strong front-runner.

At that stage you just regroup and try to keep the score respectable.