TDF Stage 13 - Saturday, July 17 2010, Rodez - Revel, 195 km

[hrotha]

Who cares, it'll be a bunch sprint anyway.

That's the spirit.

 

[Anonymous]

Question: has Rabobank been in ANY breakaway at all this Tour?
I can vaguele remember Moerenhout once...and Boom in the first stage.
And that's pretty much it right?

Actually yes. Moerenhout was in a fairly long break in one of the early stages ( I can't remember which one).

It sticks in my mind as I remember Phil talking about how Axel Merckx would be cheering loudly from home as Moerenhout is a good friend of his.

It stuck because I know Axel as well.

 

[Mellow Velo]

This break is broken, in anycase.
A tranquillo day amongst the rolling hills, until the final 25kms.

 

[PekiSam]

TAARAMAE Rin from COFIDIS OUT!

I heard that Taaramae has interrupted. Do you know why?

 

[bobs nob]

I think it is mostly age, and, indeed, not being with it completely. When you are sharp and have en edge reflexes, you naturally spot and avoid danger before it happens. He probably remembers in the head that he could safely sit in certain positions without worrying, but now the body ain't playing ball. Looks to me he thinks he can ride in a certain way only to be caught short continuously.

Not having the wall of team shirts around him won't help, but it's more than that I think.

Bit like me going back to the Netherlands and assuming I am back on home turf, rather than in a foreign country that I don't really know any more. I have a confidence that isn't backed up by actual awareness of the ins and outs, and get caught short all the time.

More or less agree. He hasn't taken the preparation for the tdf very seriously since last year. He seems always to be involved with other things and this has not been his priority.

The lack of focus on prep leads to the types of problems he has had. There is an expression 'You make your own luck.' Witness his good fortune when he was winning.

...and all of this is prior to 'The Landis Affair' which has only made the distractions much greater.

 

[Cobblestones]

This place is pretty dead today. Is fatigue setting in or are you all saving yourselves for the Pyrenees?

 

[Beech Mtn]

Question: has Rabobank been in ANY breakaway at all this Tour?
I can vaguele remember Moerenhout once...and Boom in the first stage.
And that's pretty much it right?

Moerenhout's break was the day Rabo took over the team classification after the stage. I can't believe you could forget something as monumental as the all-important team classification.

 

[TourOfSardinia]

Shame the gaps fallen I'd like to have seen Fedrigo keep his nose in front.

 

[Beech Mtn]

More or less agree. He hasn't taken the preparation for the tdf very seriously since last year. He seems always to be involved with other things and this has not been his priority.

The lack of focus on prep leads to the types of problems he has had. There is an expression 'You make your own luck.' Witness his good fortune when he was winning.

...and all of this is prior to 'The Landis Affair' which has only made the distractions much greater.

Cyclingnews has a picture of Lance rushing to the start line at the last minute, looking stressed. I'm assuming that contributed to his crash in the neutral zone today.

 

[Fourier]

Shame the gaps fallen I'd like to have seen Fedrigo keep his nose in front.

But now the peloton is so close he can smell them

 

[Cobblestones]

Cyclingnews has a picture of Lance rushing to the start line at the last minute, looking stressed. I'm assuming that contributed to his crash in the neutral zone today.

Did Levi snatch the team car?

 

[search]

I can't believe you could forget something as monumental as the all-important team classification.

à propos team classification...yesterday i read on the website of team Milram that they already won the stage team classifaction twice at this years tour

I don't know how I could miss this incredible success

 

[bobs nob]

à propos team classification...yesterday i read on the website of team Milram that they already won the stage team classifaction twice at this years tour

I don't know how I could miss this incredible success

....and yet somehow, the millram team's management is disgusted with their PERCEIVED lack of success. What race are THEY watching?

 

[Beech Mtn]

Did Levi snatch the team car?

That would be too funny! After all these years, Bottle gets a chance to flex his team leader muscles.

Now that Levi has "tamed" Vino, LA will be no problem.

 

[bobs nob]

This place is pretty dead today. Is fatigue setting in or are you all saving yourselves for the Pyrenees?

saving ourselves

 

[Beech Mtn]

....and yet somehow, the millram team's management is disgusted with their PERCEIVED lack of success. What race are THEY watching?

And the sponsor is leaving! What kind of lousy sponsor doesn't respect team classification success?!?

 

[Kazistuta]

Did Levi snatch the team car?

Yeah, he missed his favorite TV show last night and wanted to catch up on the rerun....

 

[Beech Mtn]

I hope Petacchi beats Cav in the sprint.

Is there any wind between now and the finish for Alberto to worry about?

 

[bobs nob]

Yeah, he missed his favorite TV show last night and wanted to catch up on the rerun....

Yes, TV Land was having a Flintstones marathon featuring Levi's clone, Kazoo.

 

[Beech Mtn]

What this stage needs is a cobbled section between here and the finish.
I don't care what Frank Schleck says.

 

[Beech Mtn]

Jeez. Jesus has crashed almost as much as Lance in this Tour.

 

[sublimit]

Pettaci is the only guy capable of beating him but Cav is showing better form now.

should be a good finish.

 

[Beech Mtn]

Lance is about to get dropped again. On the flat.

 

[Beech Mtn]

Bunch of Saxos off the back too. Domestiques resting up for the big days to come.

Ballan attacks

 

[thrawn]

strong attack from ballan