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

[bobs nob]

Navarro, wow, he is some teammate! Singlehandedly dropping everyone except the very favorites.

+1

Awesome job. Now THAT is a domestique. Hope to see better from AC in the pyrenees. That is what he was saying last spring as where the race would be won.

 

[Jamsque]

Evans looking a bit hobbled climbing on to the podium there. I think that crash may have hurt him more than he let on.

 

[sportzchick]

Good on cuddles! Yellow!!!!

yellow suits him

 

[ak-zaaf]

Ah, Cadel in the leaders jersey. Too bad for him there's also a third week in a GT =/

 

[turtlesoup]

who was the last world champ to wear the Yellow?

 

[auscyclefan94]

ACF94 is choking up.

 

[Parrot23]

Evans just has to try to hold Andy's wheel. Same thing with Bertie.

 

[Francois the Postman]

Yes, he showed a little bit of vulnerability, but I still expect him to dance away from the field in the real mountains.

I expect the same, but it's good to see folk adding time gaps to what he needs to do. Even small gaps bring a lot more stages in play as potentially very entertaining to watch, as people will need to do something, or might try to do something too.

 

[BroDeal]

They replayed the Schleck attack, and it was clear he dropped Conti.

He did not have the acceleration of Schleck. Things might be different when it is steeper...or maybe not.

 

[Potomac]

Pretty clear it is down to just Andy and Alberto now.

 

[Anonymous]

I think people are over-stating the importance of Contador getting gapped at the end there. Alberto is strongest on the longest steepest climbs, and the size of the group at the finish today shows that it wasn't super hard. Yes, he showed a little bit of vulnerability, but I still expect him to dance away from the field in the real mountains.

Yea, and as I noted, to that point he had chased every attack himself, and Andy sat in until he attacked. Now Contador gets to ride Andy's wheel, and that should give him the opportunity to return the favor.

 

[bobs nob]

I will only have a modicum of respect for Armstrong IF he stays in the race and rides for the team. If he quits, I will confirm everything I have said about him. He likes to talking about "quitting is forever." Well, not quitting when you are not winning shows real character. Quitting because you have no chance to win shows that you are a weak person.

Now that the fanboys have all left to drown their sorrows, he is a helluva bike rider and it will be much respect to him if he helps fellow RS teammates stage hunt.

 

[Iker_Baqueiro]

*** edited by mod ***

 

[auscyclefan94]

cadel crashed today so his ride was very impressive. Ride of the day.

 

[VeloCity]

I don't know if Contador was just antsy or what, but what was the point in his closing down the Gesink/Sanchez attack? Just a waste of legs and I think a big reason Conti couldn't tack on to Schleck's wheel.

 

[DamonAlbarn]

That's good on you

I think people are over-stating the importance of Contador getting gapped at the end there. Alberto is strongest on the longest steepest climbs, and the size of the group at the finish today shows that it wasn't super hard. Yes, he showed a little bit of vulnerability, but I still expect him to dance away from the field in the real mountains.

Not so sure about his stamina, let's see, should be a cracking tour

 

[stefrees]

Wiggins: "happy to admit I wasn't good enough today"

 

[Kwibus]

I think people are over-stating the importance of Contador getting gapped at the end there. Alberto is strongest on the longest steepest climbs, and the size of the group at the finish today shows that it wasn't super hard. Yes, he showed a little bit of vulnerability, but I still expect him to dance away from the field in the real mountains.

Keep in mind the had an avg of 38.5kmph which is pretty fast a stage like this. Since there was fast but steady pace up most can follow. It was hard tho, you could see it on all the faces.

 

[ak-zaaf]

Pretty clear it is down to just Andy and Alberto now.

Well, that was pretty obvious before the start.
Became a lot more interesting today though.

 

[Publicus]

When did the early crash happen that took out LA? Trying to find it in my DVR.

On the run in to the first climb of the day (La Ramaz).

And AC tried to follow and couldn't. It is what it is. Let's not detract from Andy's day and the day of racing trying to downplay what he just did. He accelerated and AC couldn't follow. I don't think anyone thought he could do that. Maybe even AC. So we will have to see how he responds (remember we have a pretty big day on Tuesday).

 

[autologous]

Get over it, people could have done what they wanted but everyone decided to call it a day after allegedly 80+ crashes.

There's nothing to get over.
There's a fact that remains, indelible.
On the day he was in trouble and seriously at risk of losing the tour, the peleton stopped racing. That won't go away no matter how much you want to ignore it.

 

[bobs nob]

Yea, and as I noted, to that point he had chased every attack himself, and Andy sat in until he attacked. Now Contador gets to ride Andy's wheel, and that should give him the opportunity to return the favor.

It looked to me that the multiple attacks were not a game that AC was willing to play. At least not this early.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Nobody rating cadel. That is very good. AC still biggest threat as he can tt.

 

[sagard]

I will only have a modicum of respect for Armstrong IF he stays in the race and rides for the team. If he quits, I will confirm everything I have said about him. He likes to talking about "quitting is forever." Well, not quitting when you are not winning shows real character. Quitting because you have no chance to win shows that you are a weak person.

I agree. Ride for Levi until Levi has no shot at the podium. Then go win a stage. Don't quit.

 

[Kazistuta]

Matti Breschel just told Danish TV Armstrongs comment after the Euskaltel-crash, where he himself appologised for "rearing" Lance :

"I'm just waiting to get home to get some beer and pizza. I'm too old for this s***!" - That statement says it all! Enjoy your beers and pizza

Btw. GREAT stage with several contenders showing similar strength. Should be fun in the Pyrenees.