Stage 8: Station des Rousses - Morzine-Avoriaz 189km

[The Hitch]

and so we come to the alps. A mountain top finish at Morzine-Avoriaz. Contador surely has to be the favourite but will he attack. Verbier last year was similar, but the tour is still young. In the giro the first mountain top finish didnt feature any fireworks as the gc contenders werent willing. Will this be the same.

 

[Delicato]

Is the last km flat?

 

[rxgqgxnyfz]

http://weather.yahoo.com/france/rhone-alpes/avoriaz-23410335?unit=c

Should be cold and rainy.
________
Yamaha srx

 

[roundabout]

+20 at 1800 meters is cold?

3.5 hours of transit then some riding by Astana and Radioshack, then Contador wins. zzzzz

 

[Moondance]

Patriotism compells me to pick Robert Gesink. This will be the year he gets more than one pro victory

 

[Kwibus]

Patriotism compells me to pick Robert Gesink. This will be the year he gets more than one pro victory

Let's hope so, but he will need to be better then today. As he said he suffered pretty bad.
Besides I doubt Rabo will let him attack when he brings AC and AS with him, but Menchov can't follow.

 

[The Hitch]

Patriotism compells me to pick Robert Gesink. This will be the year he gets more than one pro victory

will he go for it on the one day when no one would notice?

 

[Liquigas]

Could be a very boring stage with the expected outcome of Contador attacking and winning it easily. I hope someone can stay with him for the sake of excitement.

 

[Nickbeam]

Contador to win this, Schleck, Menchov, Wiggins somewhere close to him. Basso and Evans will lose something around a minute

 

[Ninety5rpm]

http://weather.yahoo.com/france/rhone-alpes/avoriaz-23410335?unit=c

Should be cold and rainy.

That will make a big difference over today. Germans should respond better; Australians not so much.

 

[Ninety5rpm]

Contador to win this, Schleck, Menchov, Wiggins somewhere close to him. Basso and Evans will lose something around a minute

And what about a certain Texan?

 

[Ninety5rpm]

The big boys might want to launch someone ahead to be there to help on the Morzine.

 

[Boleyn]

And what about a certain Texan?

He'll do better on stage 9 after he has had the rest day to help prepare him.

 

[Ryaguas]

OK ppl... lets start making ours predictions... I'm going with:

Winners: Cuddles time!, El Pistolero and Basso - Kreuziger (With Liquigas working hard to close some gap)
DarkHorses: Andy, Lance, Gesink or Le Mevel going heroic...

I will really like this stage... I love those finish... now we are going to see who are the real contenders! I'm going again with Liquigas, they gave today a free day so tomorrow they will be right in the front of the Peloton hammering the gap for Basso and Kreuziger...

 

[The Hitch]

That will make a big difference over today. Germans should respond better; Australians not so much.

so is haussler in the better or in the not so much catergory.

 

[Nickbeam]

And what about a certain Texan?

i really don't know. last year i was 100% sure he won't be even close to the podium, but he did it. so i'm not going to predict this year. hope he won't make the top 10

 

[Moondance]

so is haussler in the better or in the not so much catergory.

No way anyone named Heinrich Haussler is not German, no matter what his passport says

 

[Jamsque]

+20 at 1800 meters is cold?

3.5 hours of transit then some riding by Astana and Radioshack, then Contador wins. zzzzz

This. Also, I predict that at least two out of the following four riders will lose enough time to put them completely out of contention: Sastre, Evans, Wiggins, Menchov.

 

[Mellow Velo]

Only one Ramaz ramp, half way up.
No name goes and we'll have the long, long tempo train causing all the pain.
A sterile Shackfest not an attackfest.
Maximum minnow damage, minimum viewing entertaiment.

Same again on Tuesday.
The ASO blow.
(hope I'm totally wrong)

 

[Sophistic]

I predict that we won't see the kind of dominant performance from Contador that we have seen last year in Verbier, if he wins then just by a relatively small margin <20s. Second prediction: Andy Schleck is not gonna drop Cadel Evans and Ivan Basso. Third: Armstrong loses time to atleast 4 other gc favorites.

 

[luckyboy]

Know it won't happen, but it'd be great if Sylvain managed to hang on to yellow. Otherwise, it'd be cool if Conti attacks.

 

[Moondance]

Know it won't happen, but it'd be great if Sylvain managed to hang on to yellow. Otherwise, it'd be cool if Conti attacks.

If all out war between the favorites is declared I don't think Chavanel can hang on... But if Bertie boy decides he wants to preserve his team and ride conservatively (i.e. not attack) then Chavanel does have an outside chance of clamping on, and preserving his yellow. He does have 1:30 on Evans and 2+ minutes on the likes of Contador, Schleck etc.

 

[scribe]

I predict that we won't see the kind of dominant performance from Contador that we have seen last year in Verbier, if he wins then just by a relatively small margin <20s. Second prediction: Andy Schleck is not gonna drop Cadel Evans and Ivan Basso. Third: Armstrong loses time to atleast 4 other gc favorites.

guys around here wearing astana pj's should be very worried if contador doesn't put his stamp on the race tomorrow.

Radioshwck and liquigas will be very visible late in the stage, Saxo at the base. I think Evans will be in yellow.

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

I'm not sure if Contador is going to put his stamp on the race this early, actually. He's already said that he expects the race to be decided in the Pyrenees.

 

[enrecul]

surprise

i dont think conti is going to fire. i have a feeling he is nervous and not quite there in form as he was last year....the dauphine on alpe d'huez was a little concerning cause he couldnt break the slovene.

basso has been invisible till now i expect him to be up there.

reckon schleck is going to produce something......voigt was cruising today to stay with motorboy but reckon he will deliver for andy tomorrow

cadel looks like he will be up there for the stage tomorrow

1.schleck
2.conti
3.basso/cadel

i would hate to have vino as my second in command.reckon vino is out for himself

the shack look disjointed.....not many bodies around lance today. expecting lance to wilt tomorrow

hope nico roche can hang in there for a top 10