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

[auscyclefan94]

Ale Jet or a break!

 

[sars1981]

Looks like another boring stage. Might give it a miss and wait for tomorrow.

 

[HL2037]

I hope someone from Garmin, preferably Zabriskie, goes in the breakaway. Now that they lost their sprinter, what else is there to do for them?

A question, probably stupid: Why is Petacchi called Jet Ale, what does it mean?

 

[jonjungel]

The profile looks somewhat like that stage to Spa. This one is a bit easier, but the riders are more fatigued. If Cervelo force the pace from a long way out, I think they can get rid of Cav and Petacchi on the final climb. This is Thor's best chance for another stagewin, IMO.

 

[Mellow Velo]

Tommy V is due.

Was my pick, for elsewhere.

There's not a km of flat on the course. ALL up and down, all day.
Breakaway much more likely to stick, given yesterday and only 2 other teams interested in chasing.

I fancy the peloton to take another day off, if it is hot again.
Although, it should be fresher. It was pouring with rain in Mende,
an hour after yesterday's finish.

 

[TourOfSardinia]

I hope someone from Garmin, preferably Zabriskie, goes in the breakaway. Now that they lost their sprinter, what else is there to do for them?

A question, probably stupid: Why is Petacchi called Jet Ale, what does it mean?

It's actually ALE JET - probably given by the writers of the Corriere dello Sport in 2003

I guess it means his acceleration is like a jet aircraft - might be slow off the runway but once it goes sprints like a jet.

Also Ale pronounced by the Itallians is Al-lay that sounds the same as the french Allez - as in Allez Allez Allez [Jet]

 

[search]

Also Ale pronounced by the Itallians is Al-lay that sounds the same as the french Allez - as in Allez Allez Allez [Jet]

I think it might have to do something with his name Alessandro

 

[theyoungest]

I think it might have to do something with his name Alessandro

I guess he knows that, but he wants to make clear that it's not pronounced like the beer.

 

[Cerberus]

I guess he knows that, but he wants to make clear that it's not pronounced like the beer.

On the other hand the "Ale Jet" might gain some new fans if it was.

 

[search]

Consider this:

Saxobank don't want to do any work ahead of the Pyrenees, Schleck says the team were very tired after chasing Vino all day.

Columbia don't want to chase because they've lost Renshaw and will say it is up to Cervelo and Lampre

Garmin have lost Farrar and don't have to work.

Lampre will let a break go to stop Hushovd getting points on the road.

Cervelo wore themselves out chasing shadows today.

So I predict a break will go early and long and stay away.

I think this is a very likely scenario. Do you think Schleck will lose yellow today? It depends on who is in the break, but I think Saxo shouldn't bother too much if for example Lövkvist, Ruben Plaza or Moinard is in the break and give them ~10 minutes...

 

[khodder]

Who are some liklies for the break.

I think we see Pineau and or Charteau in there for the numeous mountain sprints in the middle. We are going to see a Shack rider, possibly Popo in for the stage win and team time, same thing with Caisse, though not sure who they put forth. No-one if going to want to chase.

For the love of all things british Sky better get someone in the break.

 

[joy118118]

I think this is a very likely scenario. Do you think Schleck will lose yellow today? It depends on who is in the break, but I think Saxo shouldn't bother too much if for example Lövkvist, Ruben Plaza or Moinard is in the break and give them ~10 minutes...

today SB losing yellow jersey or not makes no sense. they still need to do some work. They should have thrown it to other teams several days ago. now it's too late.

 

[Eyeballs Out]

Sky must be under a fair bit of pressure and if they are going to salvage something, realistically it will have to be today

If EBH doesn't get in the break they are the one team I could see aggressively chasing in the last 50km

 

[auscyclefan94]

+1

Finally someone who agrees. I was beginning to feel lonely.

Yes but there aren't many sprint stages left and Pettachi needs to take every opportunity to take points on Thor as he can get into breaks and win stages.

Sky must be under a fair bit of pressure and if they are going to salvage something, realistically it will have to be today

If EBH doesn't get in the break they are the one team I could see aggressively chasing in the last 50km

with the undulation near the finish, EBH may have some fresher legs in comparison to other guys.

Like Daniel Benson's tweet
Missing today's tour stage for friend's a wedding. A true friend would have his wedding during eneco, not the Tour.

They use the climb that Cadel rode in the Albi tt which cadel won in 2007 so a guard of honur would be appropriate.

 

[Francois the Postman]

If I was a rider gambling on a beak-away, this would be the day I'd take my chances.

I'm curious if Rabo will try to get someone in it this time, so they have a legitimate excuse for not helping out in the bunch chase, or if they simply keep playing "the invisibles" and won't bother as no-one seems particularly fussed.

They certainly have found a way to get reasonably fresh legs to that third week, and even managed to deal with days on which half the team was feeling queasy without suffering any consequences.

Gesink survived the early injury and is sitting right behind Menchov in GC. Menchov has avoided his usual silly time losses, and is looking good. I think they went in with a 3rd podium spot in Paris in mind. I'm wondering if they are starting to dream of an attack on 2nd spot, with reasonably fresh Rabo legs, a Gesink-Menchov Pyrenees two-step, with the (entire) Saxo team getting noticeably more tired, and that ITT awaiting on the horizon too.

I think we know the #1 after yesterday, although Andy and Contador will still play out their predictable roles before we can write it in stone. But I can now see the quiet one slip between them as a consequence, assuming Gesink will stay covered as too dangerous. If Rabo play their cards right.

Today is a weird stage for the weekend, knowing what they have in store on some of the weekdays in week 3. I'm amazed this isn't a stage on the road from the Pyrenees to Paris, with several other days pulled forward by a day.

BTW, it is great to see actual, genuine, tired legs in the peloton, and increasingly so. In week 2! Maybe all of us need to readjust our "usual" expectations a bit, and ponder a bit more about how week 3 would play out if fatigue is a genuine factor. It could actually deliver some real upsets beyond what we have come to expect. It looks like the chances of "dead-cert" people imploding on a given day are drastically higher than in previous years, to me anyway.

Boring as it has been to watch so far, I think Rabo might be onto something.

 

[auscyclefan94]

If I was a rider gambling on a beak-away, this would be the day I'd take my chances.

I'm curious if Rabo will try to get someone in it this time, so they have a legitimate excuse for not helping out in the bunch chase, or if they simply keep playing "the invisibles" and won't bother as no-one seems particularly fussed.

They certainly have found a way to get reasonably fresh legs to that third week, and even managed to deal with days on which half the team was feeling queasy without suffering any consequences.

Gesink survived the early injury and is sitting right behind Menchov in GC. Menchov has avoided his usual silly time losses, and is looking good. I think they went in with a 3rd podium spot in Paris in mind. I'm wondering if they are starting to dream of an attack on 2nd spot, with reasonably fresh Rabo legs, a Gesink-Menchov Pyrenees two-step, with the (entire) Saxo team getting noticeably more tired, and that ITT awaiting on the horizon too.

I think we know the #1 after yesterday, although Andy and Contador will still play out their predictable roles before we can write it in stone. But I can now see the quiet one slip between them as a consequence, assuming Gesink will stay covered as too dangerous. If Rabo play their cards right.

Today is a weird stage for the weekend, knowing what they have in store on some of the weekdays in week 3. I'm amazed this isn't a stage on the road from the Pyrenees to Paris, with several other days pulled forward by a day.

BTW, it is great to see actual, genuine, tired legs in the peloton, and increasingly so. In week 2! Maybe all of us need to readjust our "usual" expectations a bit, and ponder a bit more about how week 3 would play out if fatigue is a genuine factor. It could actually deliver some real upsets beyond what we have come to expect. It looks like the chances of "dead-cert" people imploding on a given day are drastically higher than in previous years, to me anyway.

Boring as it has been to watch so far, I think Rabo might be onto something.

I think you have made some exceelent points. Hopefully Menchov's form is building and he can get his mojo going like in the giro last year. He needs to have that killer attitude like we saw when he finished the giro in 09.

Anyway, Lance has already fallen in the stage so far.

 

[oncehadhair]

Can't imagine the riders chasing the GC will push hard today unless there's someone in the break becoming a threat because they will be saving themselve for tomorrow where the race will probably be decided.

The breakaway group should be worth watching because of the tightly contested competitions for the green, polka dot and teams.

Ideally in the breakaway will be Hushovd Petacchi and maybe McEwen, Charteau and Pineau, and at least 3 representatives each from shack and Caisse d'Epargne.

Can only hope.

 

[Francois the Postman]

And one massive shout-out to VdB, even if it feels weird to write those initials without meaning God. The Belgians really should really consider putting a quota on riders with names that end up looking like that. There should be only one.

But VdB2 (3?) (4?) is my Wiggins-revelation of this year's Tour, although, I suspect, with a much higher chance to repeat the feat in future GTs.

Every stage I expect him to have gone one col too far, only to spot him in the main group without fail. Usually at the front, or jumping off the front. Superb ride, thoroughly enjoy watching it.

 

[auscyclefan94]

And one massive shout-out to VdB, even if it feels weird to write those initials without meaning God. The Belgians really should really consider putting a quota on riders with names that end up looking like that. There should be only one.

But VdB2 (3?) (4?) is my Wiggins-revelation of this year's Tour, although, I suspect, with a much higher chance to repeat the feat in future GTs.

Every stage I expect him to have gone one col too far, only to spot him in the main group without fail. Usually at the front, or jumping off the front. Superb ride, thoroughly enjoy watching it.

Let's wait for the tt... Lets hope he does not knock anyone off with his out of the saddle style which has caused some controversy.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

He is actually improving during this Tour. You could already see in the Dauphine he was good, but definately not in top shape yet.

Though I never thought he would be THIS good. I thought he would be in the group around place 10, battling it out with Kreuziger/Basso etc around 10th place.
But he is way better. More suprisingly, he even took time out of Gesink yesterday. Didn't see that coming at all.

 

[Scirea]

Flecha, Fedrigo and Chavanel. So ****in' boring. Where is Garmin, BMC, Ivanov/Kolobnev, Milram, Cofidis, FDJ, Footon?


Everybody should be up there to get a stage win and they just let this 3 go at the start without a fight.

 

[killswitch]

Flecha, Chavanel and Fedrigo in the break.

 

[Anonymous]

Flecha, Chavanel and Fedrigo in the break.

and the gap has gone out to five minutes in about 4 minutes.. peloton must have stopped..

 

[sublimit]

About time Sky got a rider up there, this could be difficult to pull back. 4.55 already.

I thought Chavanel would try something today as he was going on about wanting 3 stage wins.

 

[Francois the Postman]

He is actually improving during this Tour. You could already see in the Dauphine he was good, but definately not in top shape yet.

Though I never thought he would be THIS good. I thought he would be in the group around place 10, battling it out with Kreuziger/Basso etc around 10th place.
But he is way better. More suprisingly, he even took time out of Gesink yesterday. Didn't see that coming at all.

I know. Almost don't care what he doe on his ITT, I like the way he is carrying his young **** over the French roads. I would have applauded it if he had just hung in there, to get to the spot where he is in GC just now, but he's not shying away from attacking the favourites either. Lovely to see.

I have resigned myself that even Vino will have to retire at some point, so I'm desperately trying to find potential replacements to get equally fired up about. He is an unexpected entry on the list of candidates.

Like you, I had noticed him, but did not picture this as an option (yet).