Sunday, June 17 - Tour de Suisse, Stage 9: Näfels[LinthArena] - Sörenberg, 215.8km

[Bala Verde]

I did think he'd dial back his expectations, but before yesterday's stage he was 4th overall, not far back from Gesink and Schleck, and a very real threat to win. And I thought Movistar would use him as a second (green) bullet in case Costa struggled, rather than gambling on Rui.

After yesterday, I'm not surprised that he did it, but at the same time, the last two days have shown us a new side to Alejandro Valverde. I'm pretty much Valverde defender #1 on these boards, but I felt the race parcours was better suited to him than Costa, and knowing how Unzué is so supportive of Valverde, I figured they'd play the 1-2 card rather than using Valverde as a super-dom.

good analysis. thanks.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Provisional GC

1 Costa
2 F Schleck +14
3 Leipheimer +21
4 Gesink +25
5 Nieve +40
6 Kreuziger +47
7 Danielson +48
8 Kruijswijk +59
9 Valverde +1'42
10 Roche 1'52

That's a pretty heavy-hitting top 10. Certainly an impressive roster for Costa to have beaten.

 

[jmspinto]

The name is ... Rui Alberto Faria da Costa, just keep remembering because you´ll need it in the future!

It´s a great, great vitory over the likes of Schleck, Leipheimer, Gesink, Nieve, Kreuziger (all big names).

Very, very important the help of a great champion called Alejandro Valverde! To have such a champion helping you on the stage is a privilege!!!

 

[united123]

Valverde sacrificed his own GC for Rui's win. Chapeau Alejandro, I was expecting Rui to blow and Movistar to have sacrificed both bullets.

yh how sweet of him like he would of won anyway he clearly want going for GC he's going to the tour and then will blow up 3rd week with his shocking recuperation.Great win for costa he won this on verbier valverde didn't win this for him,lol at rabo way to go gesink lol make costa work his brain gets worse evry day lol.

Great scenery this race by the way pity about The shxt finish tho

 

[Havetts]

KoM podium ladies are stunning

 

[Libertine Seguros]

yh how sweet of him like he would of won anyway he clearly want going for GC he's going to the tour and then will blow up 3rd week with his shocking recuperation.Great win for costa he won this on verbier valverde didn't win this for him,lol at rabo way to go gesink lol make costa work his brain gets worse evry day lol.

Great scenery this race by the way pity about The shxt finish tho

Valverde is a bit like Evans has historically been though, if he gets a sniff of victory he goes for it, and being 4th ahead of two stages suited to him at the end meant I thought Valverde might have been used as a secondary weapon for Movistar. Instead he rode for Costa and provided him with shelter and protection. If Valverde hadn't been there, Costa would have been riding by himself trying to control a lot more, and would probably have struggled in the long run. Valverde pulled the péloton for about 15km of false flat controlling and holding threatening breakaways even when it was 3 against 1.

And if one stage won this for Rui it was the ITT in my opinion, rather than Verbier. Verbier put him in the position for it, but the ITT gave him the cushion to defend. He couldn't have defended his gains from Verbier on Arosa yesterday, but his gains from the TT, he could.

A great win nonetheless, and Movistar are probably rather lucky he had that scare with the tainted supplements, otherwise they would probably have lost him over the winter of 2010-11.

 

[united123]

Provisional GC

1 Costa
2 F Schleck +14
3 Leipheimer +21
4 Gesink +25
5 Nieve +40
6 Kreuziger +47
7 Danielson +48
8 Kruijswijk +59
9 Valverde +1'42
10 Roche 1'52

That's a pretty heavy-hitting top 10. Certainly an impressive roster for Costa to have beaten.

it is but less not kid ourselves cost wont be riding tour for GC. and with a long itt in this race,nieve is the only won not doing the tour and he sucks in itt the rest our not really flat out i mean f schleck was trying but he sucks in ITT,but still very impressive what sort of rider will he be is he going to be a stage racer

 

[united123]

Valverde is a bit like Evans has historically been though, if he gets a sniff of victory he goes for it, and being 4th ahead of two stages suited to him at the end meant I thought Valverde might have been used as a secondary weapon for Movistar. Instead he rode for Costa and provided him with shelter and protection. If Valverde hadn't been there, Costa would have been riding by himself trying to control a lot more, and would probably have struggled in the long run. Valverde pulled the péloton for about 15km of false flat controlling and holding threatening breakaways even when it was 3 against 1. And if one stage won this for Rui it was the ITT in my opinion, rather than Verbier. Verbier put him in the position for it, but the ITT gave him the cushion to defend. He couldn't have defended his gains from Verbier on Arosa yesterday, but his gains from the TT, he could. A great win nonetheless, and Movistar are probably rather lucky he had that scare with the tainted supplements, otherwise they would probably have lost him over the winter of 2010-11.

dont get me wrong valverde played a part i just think cosa on verbier was the main thing plus the ITT,will valverde go to the tour for stages,KOM or GC cuz i no we haven't got much to go on but valverde seems to have weak recuperation,but the other thing is its a pretty weak Hc mountain's so what do you think

 

[jmspinto]

it is but less not kid ourselves cost wont be riding tour for GC. and with a long itt in this race,nieve is the only won not doing the tour and he sucks in itt the rest our not really flat out i mean f schleck was trying but he sucks in ITT,but still very impressive what sort of rider will he be is he going to be a stage racer

Rather amusing! I just want to see what these poor souls are going to do on the Tour!.. Probably they´ll try some top ten finishes just like they did here!

 

[Red Rick]

I wonder what Carlos Barredo is thinking right now

 

[Libertine Seguros]

I wonder what Carlos Barredo is thinking right now

He'll probably congratulate him. He made a point of it after the Tour stage to Super-Besse last year, and the two of them have taken to tweeting each other with congratulations on good results. Think there's no long-lasting grudge there.

 

[trevim]

You can have the dinner. Atleast people start acting normal again in this country.

I'm sorry but Netherlands must win and Portugal be eliminated. I just can't stand the Cristiano Ronaldo soap opera anymore.

About the race:
- Congrats to Rui. He won in is usual style: not the best climber, not the time-trialist. Fought well yesterday to limits losses and I think he deserves this. Biggest win in his his career and the biggest win in portuguese cycling ever. It's a pity that tomorrow all the sports journals will make the front cover with the football team, regardless the result.
- Valverde: I wasn't expecting that he would devote himself to anyone but I take my hat off to him because he completely filled the super-domestique role. I hope Rui can payback in the Tour.
- Gesink: I'm glad he lost but only because I prefered Rui or Frank to win. I can only hope he get as strong as he can and be a major force in the Tour. And also, I hope he gets the payback tonight in football
-Schleck: I'm sorry that he lost because I would have liked to see him win a stage at least. Lots of attacks, trying in every mountain, just like a climber should do always. I hope he can keep it up for the Tour. At least to put some pressure on Sky.

 

[FujiAnton]

Congrats to Rui Costa, great win! And to Valverde, did a great job!

Oh, and what a surprise, Gesink struggling again in the last two mountain stages! NOT

 

[airstream]

Well, we can consider this one a quite successfull repetition of an epic Croix-de-Fer-Mollard-Toussuire raid.

Congrats to Rui! Great ride.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Congrats to Rui Costa, great win! And to Valverde, did a great job!

Oh, and what a surprise, Gesink struggling again in the last two mountain stages! NOT

Yeah...struggling so badly that he was one of the best 5 climbers of this race. That's horrible after breaking your leg.

Seriously, you're a waste of space

 

[LaFlorecita]

Yeah...struggling so badly that he was one of the best 5 climbers of this race. That's horrible after breaking your leg.

Seriously, you're a waste of space

Wow that's harsh.,

Fuji I don't consider you a waste of space.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Wow that's harsh.,

Fuji I don't consider you a waste of space.

He is, only hating posts. Never see him do anything else

 

[LaFlorecita]

He is, only hating posts. Never see him do anything else

Hating on your favourite riders

He isn't hating on Costa and Piti

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Hating on your favourite riders

He isn't hating on Costa and Piti

No, he never shows up here except to hate on riders, wether it's Gesink or someone else. It's pathetic

 

[Kwibus]

No, he never shows up here except to hate on riders, wether it's Gesink or someone else. It's pathetic

I'm not sure if his hating failed, because...

Oh, and what a surprise, Gesink struggling again in the last two mountain stages! NOT

He says... Gesink struggling again in the last 2 mountain stage... NOT!!.
So what he's saying is that Gesink wasn't struggling in the last 2 mountain stages.

 

[dlwssonic]

Yeah fuji anton meant gesink wasn't struggling.

 

[united123]

Rather amusing! I just want to see what these poor souls are going to do on the Tour!.. Probably they´ll try some top ten finishes just like they did here!

duh
if you look at the top 10 they are mostly peaking for the tour GC were as cost is not / i wasn't belittling his achievement in anyway read back a few posts you loser

 

[roundabout]

No, he meant that it wasn't a surprise that Gesink was struggling.

 

[cineteq]

obligatory RaboFail.

Only dutchies would say that. How's this a Rabofail? Gesink's Tour prep went very well IMO.

Now, the biggest Suisse fail was Frank and RSNT. He was strongest rider, but marred by terrible team support and tactics.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

No, he meant that it wasn't a surprise that Gesink was struggling.

Indeed.

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