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

[kurtinsc]

For those asking what LA would have done in a similar situation, it's right there for you in 2004 stage 17, with Flandis playing the role of today's Vino no less. Sure, not exactly the same circumstances but close enough.

LA came from behind to go for the win when Flandis looked like he couldn't get the job done.

Is that the one where Landis killed everyone over the top of the climb, then Kloden looked like he got away to win the stage only to be passed by Lance at the line?

I'm not sure how similar it was.

 

[Dedelou]

So, anyone know wtf is up with Andy's white shorts/yellow jersey combination? It's hideous! He should go with black shorts like Fabian, way classier.

white shorts because he leads the "young rider classement"

 

[Anonymous]

Let me also say that Vino does not seem to have a problem with it, and he would be the best judge. If he is okay with it, who am I to say differently?

 

[Publicus]

Velonation gets credit for calling a spade a spade:

Again, this morning, Schleck confirmed that this was a climb for his abilities and resembled the kind of ascents that he rides everyday in training back home in Luxembourg, but 210 kilometers later, and Andy told an entirely different tale: "This morning I counted on losing a couple of seconds to Alberto today because I really don’t like this climb. It’s on my black list."

http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/4919/Tour-de-France-Andy-Schleck-suffers-to-Mende-but-not-worried.aspx

 

[Anonymous]

Velonation gets credit for calling a spade a spade:



http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/4919/Tour-de-France-Andy-Schleck-suffers-to-Mende-but-not-worried.aspx

Schlecklet has really shown what a tool he is this year. I really wanted to like the guy, but I put that car in reverse after stage 3 and haven't seen reason to change since. Whiny. Little. Douchebag.

 

[Dedelou]

I am okay with light glue. Would be great if we could discuss this year race and not have to be cluttered with all this Amstrong irrelevant stuff.

 

[ManInFull]

It's amazing that Bertie can affect such emotions.

I mean, he's really just a dumb kid from the boondocks made good. OK, dumb might be too strong, but he's the guy of guy who will probably be taken advantage of by agents all of his life. This kinds of puts LAs toying with him last year, on and off of the bike, in perspective.

Why anyone could express "hate" towards Alberto Contador, is flabbergasting. Why cool aid are you drinking?

From Vino: “I wanted to be up the road to help Alberto if he needed it and to try to win the stage. I can understand why Alberto attacked – he needs to get time on Schleck,” Vinokourov said after finishing third. “Alberto is very strong and he will be even better in the Pyrénées. We are confident about Alberto in the coming stages. The GC is complicated for me. I will ride to help Alberto win the Tour with Astana.”

Most people who hate AC tell me the following:
They don't like his "Pistelro" move that he does when he wins a stage
He wasn't a good teammate in last year's TdF

I'm not sure why the "Pistelro" hand gesture is a big thing. Means nothing to me, but it seems to offend many. Most of the "not a good teammate" talk comes from Lance Lovers who largely get their takes from Versus.

 

[Anonymous]

I am okay with light glue. Would be great if we could discuss this year race and not have to be cluttered with all this Amstrong irrelevant stuff.

I can understand that, at the time I was merely using it as a way of saying that I thought it might deserve to be looked at more critically. In the end, as I just posted, Vino is fine with it, so all of the snarky comments about Contador (mine were not in that category) were wrong. I notice none of those people are here defending their points.

 

[Weapons of @ss Destruction]

Is that the one where Landis killed everyone over the top of the climb, then Kloden looked like he got away to win the stage only to be passed by Lance at the line?

I'm not sure how similar it was.

Similar enough in the motivations and responses IMHO to answer the question of what LA would do, with the major difference being that he took the win in that case where Contador couldn't do the same today.

Still bonus seconds available at that time I suppose, meaning that it was deemed more important for LA the GC man to get down to GC business than it was to try to support what looked like a losing battle in their efforts to have Flandis nab the stage win which is what they had agreed a little earlier during the stage.

My point being that stage wins are nice, but if you've got a GC contender for yellow that always takes priority. Nothing new here in how Contador rode the finale.

 

[DenisMenchov]

They are not far away enough to attack. If Menchov or Gesink would try to attack on an early climb, they wouldn't get away. And even on the final climb I think Contador cs would immediately counter.
However, I hope Gesink forgets the tactic of hanging with the group and waiting for the accelerations he can't follow.
I hope he goes back to the tactic of going in to the lead and dictating the pace himself.
Don't look back, don't react if somebody accelerates.
If Gesink can dictate/ride his own pace from bottom to top of a climb, only very very few have something left to ride away, possibly only Schleck and Contador. But if he waits again and lets the race happen, he has a much harder time.

IMO that is the way Erik Breukink thinks you should ride climbs. First that was done by Rasmussen then Menchov did the same thing. Mollema rode that way in the GIro, and now we have Gesink using the same tactic.


P.S. IMO that is the best way to climb.

 

[Dedelou]

I can understand that, at the time I was merely using it as a way of saying that I thought it might deserve to be looked at more critically. In the end, as I just posted, Vino is fine with it, so all of the snarky comments about Contador (mine were not in that category) were wrong. I notice none of those people are here defending their points.

I see your point. For me at the end of the day I find myself getting defensive about what Vino and AC are often accused of doing. I watch with my eyes avoiding most of the commentaries and I am so surprised to hear later what people are saying. Today was an exciting stage. Perhaps tomorrow we will learn that some riders expectations were crushed.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

IMO that is the way Erik Breukink thinks you should ride climbs. First that was done by Rasmussen then Menchov did the same thing. Mollema rode that way in the GIro, and now we have Gesink using the same tactic.


P.S. IMO that is the best way to climb.

Meh, I like the 'stupid Gesink pulling the peloton and destroying everyone one by one'-tactic more...

 

[DenisMenchov]

Meh, I like the 'stupid Gesink pulling the peloton and destroying everyone one by one'-tactic more...

Yes Gesink can do that, but I`m a Rabo fan and don`t think that is good for him or team. What if he drops Menchov half way up the climb and then he himself gets droped like today with AC or AS attack? What is the point if both Rabo GC contenders lose time???

Best way is to just wheel suck, and it saves more energy wich is really important in a GT.

 

[Ryaguas]

Now IF I WAS Vino And my team leader and teammate came up to me, shadowing a much faster rider on a mission with about half a kilometer to the line when I am struggling to stay up front I would smile , I would do my best to take his wheel. I would take a long breath for now i finally have a a 2 on 1. Then about 20 meters from the line i would burst past both Ac and Joachim. Then i would watch the world with a great smile and hold AC hand in the air and the crowd would cheer , the music would be playing in the background. Childs would have tears in their eyes and their mothers would point at me with admiration.

ROTFL

I'm not sure why the "Pistelro" hand gesture is a big thing. Means nothing to me, but it seems to offend many. Most of the "not a good teammate" talk comes from Lance Lovers who largely get their takes from Versus.

+1

Ppl STOP watching versus! or your need to see the RS icon in the bottom of the screen is that much??

 

[hfer07]

Yes Gesink can do that, but I`m a Rabo fan and don`t think that is good for him or team. What if he drops Menchov half way up the climb and then he himself gets droped like today with AC or AS attack? What is the point if both Rabo GC contenders lose time???

Best way is to just wheel suck, and it saves more energy wich is really important in a GT.

Menchov has shown a good form lately, so he should be there to contest podium- I think Gesink may need to develop a bit more in the coming years, specially in the ITT where lies his weakness & he's going to loose massive time-whereas Menchov can perform very well & seal his 3rd place

 

[Mellow Velo]

Meh, I like the 'stupid Gesink pulling the peloton and destroying everyone one by one'-tactic more...

Me too, but I fear Dennis Menchov (forum version) is calling the shot for next week.
Wheel sucking is going to be big business, since we already know that "Limpet" Leipheimer has targetted Rabo for his velcro grip.

 

[DenisMenchov]

I don`t know what is bad about wheel sucking??? Alberto won the 2007 Tour wheel sucking Michael`s wheel so what???
If you are not strong enough to attack that is the only way to climb.

 

[halamala]

Cote de la Croix Neuve (Distance 3.1 Km, Grade 10.1 %, Elevation 312 m)

Alberto Contador, Joaquim Rodriguez

Time 9 min 32 sec, Speed 19.51 Kph, VAM 1964 m/h, 6.33 w/kg

Andy Schleck, Jurgen Van den Broeck, Samuel Sanchez, Denis Menchov.

Time 9 min 44 sec, Speed 19.11 Kph, VAM 1923 m/h, 6.20 w/kg

Last kilometre (Distance 1.0 km, Grade 10.9 %, Elevation 109 m)

Alberto Contador

Time 2 min 46 sec, Speed 21.69 Kph, VAM 2364 m/h, 7.60 w/kg

 

[Delicato]

I don`t know what is bad about wheel sucking??? Alberto won the 2007 Tour wheel sucking Michael`s wheel so what???
If you are not strong enough to attack that is the only way to climb.

Oh well. If that was wheelsucking...

 

[DenisMenchov]

Oh well. If that was wheelsucking...

Well he dind`t done just that but if there wasn`t Michael he wouldn`t beat Evans. That is my point.

 

[Delicato]

Well he dind`t done just that but if there wasn`t Michael he wouldn`t beat Evans. That is my point.

Well, he attacked everywhere, in Alpes(Tignes,Galibier) and in Pyrenees, actually on EVERY mountain stage. And no, it wasn't because of Michael. It was because he wanted to gain advantage on nearest competitors.

 

[DenisMenchov]

Well, he attacked everywhere, in Alpes(Tignes,Galibier) and in Pyrenees, actually on EVERY mountain stage. And no, it wasn't because of Michael. It was because he wanted to gain advantage on nearest competitors.

In Tignes he lost 3` 31``.

 

[Delicato]

In Tignes he lost 3` 31``.

Because he had a puncture. If there wasn't a puncture, he could be even ahead of Mayo.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

He also lost time, not only to Rasmussen, but also to Leipheimer, on the last mountain stage (Contador that is)
But we're talking ancient history now

 

[flicker]

Cote de la Croix Neuve (Distance 3.1 Km, Grade 10.1 %, Elevation 312 m)

Alberto Contador, Joaquim Rodriguez

Time 9 min 32 sec, Speed 19.51 Kph, VAM 1964 m/h, 6.33 w/kg

Andy Schleck, Jurgen Van den Broeck, Samuel Sanchez, Denis Menchov.

Time 9 min 44 sec, Speed 19.11 Kph, VAM 1923 m/h, 6.20 w/kg

Last kilometre (Distance 1.0 km, Grade 10.9 %, Elevation 109 m)

Alberto Contador

Time 2 min 46 sec, Speed 21.69 Kph, VAM 2364 m/h, 7.60 w/kg

Oh goodness gracious. Numbers do not lie. Saxo had better hammer on the flat to tire out pistol boy. Pistol boy has big numbers. Saxo had better dig deep to snap papa contis elastic.