TdF Stage 12 - Fri 16th - Bourg-de-Péage - Mende 210.5km

[thrawn]

farrar abandons the race

 

[Mellow Velo]

Race radio saying Tyler Farrar abandons.

 

[Beech Mtn]

Farrar abandoning, according to Eurosport

 

[ak-zaaf]

Even Lotto are working now.... Rabobus, mehhhh, not so much.

Finally some patience and smart thinking at Rabo. No Dekker or Breukink this year?

Ouch, Farrar out. There goes my office game.

 

[Francois the Postman]

Even Lotto are working now.... Rabobus, mehhhh, not so much.

Excellent.

Sorry, but they drove me up the wall over the last years by featuring heavily when the race really wasn't calling for it. And blowing up towards the end when the rest still had that energy in reserve.

If they manage to reach the Pyrenees having kept just about all their powder dry, "at last".

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

Cavendish not looking happy at all. He's about to get shelled.

 

[sportzchick]

farrar abandons the race

awww darn it

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

Ryder is totally fried.

 

[crispy]

I have to agree with this line I heard from Sherwen earlier - "when these guys get to the finish today they will know they've been in a bike race".

 

[Jamsque]

That's a damn shame for Tyler, he has looked quick all tour and I think with Renshaw gone he had a chance to steal a march on Cav.

 

[Henrik]

I really can't understand Cervelo here, this can not be a good finish for Sastre? Why are they using their team on this?

 

[Moondance]

Okay the break is toast. Klodi is playing games and the peloton is working well. Now its all about softening up potential stugglers among the GC faves in the bunch.

 

[Hairy Wheels]

And Cervelo keeps smashing it on the front....still wondering why

 

[sportzchick]

I really can't understand Cervelo here, this can not be a good finish for Sastre? Why are they using their team on this?

he might think he can win the stage

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

Thor is going to give it a go for points.

 

[Moondance]

Thor is going to give it a go for points.

If they think that they're outrageously stupid.

 

[Cerberus]

he might think he can win the stage

Yes, but why does he think he can win the stage?

 

[Jamsque]

This downhill run-up to the Mende should let the front four recover a bit, they ought to be able to go up fairly quickly. It will be touch and go whether they stay away or not.

 

[Hairy Wheels]

Thor is going to give it a go for points.

If they haven't looked at the profile, maybe you'd be right. This climb is only 3km...but 12-16%.

 

[sportzchick]

Yes, but why does he think he can win the stage?

confidence? feeling good ? why else

 

[Francois the Postman]

And Cervelo keeps smashing it on the front....still wondering why

Saxo too tired, maybe Riis made a suggestion that they liked the sound of?

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Van Poppel took the wrong drugs?

A total anti-Sastre climb and he lets Cervelo ride?

 

[Carl0880]

Another possibility, maybe Contador will attack and if he can reach Vino, especially without Schleck, maybe they can pick up an extra couple of seconds, because its downhill mostly to the finish with about 700 m finish straight if I recall from their last visit.

 

[crispy]

classic line from Ligget - "everybody will throw everything at everyone" on the final climb.

 

[Anonymous]

the final climb