TDF Stage 14: Saint-Gaudens - Plateau de Beille 168km

[Libertine Seguros]

Well he did say Ivan was trying to race.
The stakes are just too high.
Everybody more terrified of blowing up, than winning the race.
It's the Tour's achilles heel.

Far too true. Not losing is more important than winning here. And with the UCI points and the obsession of the big money teams with getting in, it feels like that attitude is permeating more of the sport, sadly.

Very disappointed to see Cuddles revert to his negative side.
Was hoping he'd be his less restrained half.

To be fair, nobody gave him any reason to do anything but be his old pre-2009 negative self. It lost him the race in 2008, but it could win him the race this year if the Schlecks keep on wasting opportunities.

We've had to wait 2 weeks for a GC battle, and then the Schlecks call a little truce until the last 200m so they can ride up the mountain hand in hand with Jean-Christophe Peraud and Pierre Rolland? Weak.

 

[Captain_Obvious]

Voekler must have few of the GC favorites worried now. He answered everything. I think this Tour is wide open right now.

This is shaping up to be a very open tour. Arent we lucky.

 

[dlwssonic]

Oh my I gotta admit that i didnt believe cuddles could win before the tour. But its looking better and better day by day. I tell you if he wins I will go MAD!!

 

[Trofinios]

Time for Leopard-Trek to stop the nonsense of putting both of the brothers on the podium. You can't have it all! If they want to win the tour they have to sacrifice Fränk. Fränk can put Evans, Conti and Basso on the limit and set up Andy for a decisive attack. If they continue what they are doing now, Evans will win the tour. Dumb tactics from LT and the Schlecks.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Injured Gesink beats Tony Martin by a few minutes

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

Hmm, interesting..



As much as I like him, he is still 2 minutes down on Frank. I don't know where that time would come from if I'm honest.

Grenoble.

I don't care how much people think he's declined, he'll stick spank Frank on any 40km+ TT.

 

[krebs303]

What is the clinic?

It is a venture into the dark side. Enter at your on risk.

 

[kjetilraknerud]

I wonder what Gilbert says if Cav and co are outside the time limit, and are allowed to continue because the group is big

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

1+ Timmy.
Soon the Schlecks will cry again. That´s ok w/me. They don´t belong to be TdF-Champs. But the bad thing is, they wasted my time ....

God am i annoyed now. I can´t come down. Never saw such a $hitty boring MTF (i watch cycling since ca. 1980...)

Insider for you: I should go back to soccer.

Baseball was better this

Seriously tho, a terrible stage.
I'm pretty annoyed. My only explanation is everything for the alps.

 

[BYOP88]

I never head such **** in my life. Take your Sanchez goggles off please.


Can I just remind you that it was Samu who was in difficulty after the accelerations and the favourites let him off the front because he is so far down.

Sanchez was only 11 seconds behind Contador at the start today, so you're saying if Contador went, they'd let him go cos he's so far down?

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Injured Gesink beats Tony Martin by a few minutes

I really wish gesink wasn't injured atm.
I feel like he is missing such a great chance.

 

[FoxxyBrown1111]

the only one who deserves big kudos today is VOECKLER - the rest are just COWARDS --- what a stupid stage this one turned out to be

Amen. Thank you. COWARDS. That´s the right word describing it best.

 

[thirteen]

did anyone see Gilbert congratulating Jelle behind the stage? he looked like a little child, genuinely thrilled for his teammate's win.

 

[Arnout]

Sanchez was only 11 seconds behind Contador at the start today, so you're saying if Contador went, they'd let him go cos he's so far down?

I think they have asperges and can't adapt to changed situations.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Can someone tell me how Evans reverted to his old tatics. PLease tell me who needs time before the tt? Evans actually did put in a little dig but the effects of the attack were nullified because he couldn't get around Basso.

 

[Publicus]

Hmm, interesting..



As much as I like him, he is still 2 minutes down on Frank. I don't know where that time would come from if I'm honest.

Allowed? Szymd was dropped early on the climb.

 

[dlwssonic]

if they really raced hard today. contador, voeckler, frank and sanchez could have lost time.

 

[spalco]

http://www.teamskyfans.com/live.html

the france2 stream

Thanks, but justin.tv is ****.

 

[sublimit]

Nice ride by Vanendert , like a clone of VDB

Dont know what happened to the Dutch riders, out the back as usual I suppose..

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

I wonder what Gilbert says if Cav and co are outside the time limit, and are allowed to continue because the group is big

Well, any complaint would basically be a request for the rules and tradition to be ignored. The stage has been incorrectly classified anyway to produce an extremely tight limit, so a large group missing is pretty much inevitable, unless there's a bus on the last km now.

 

[Arnout]

Amen. Thank you. COWARDS. That´s the right word describing it best.

Basso and Sanchez still get a badge of honor from me.

 

[BillytheKid]

Your are still firm that cadel will crack. he might lose time but im not sure if he will crack. if he limits his losses, you get your cadel avatar

Cadel played that better, letting Basso do most of the work. I hope he doesn't crack. AC was the king wheelsucker today.

 

[rides like a girl]

ok...I don't understand the LeOpard Trek strategy. Maybe I need a LeOpard Trek how we win book for dummies.

Use all of your guys on the flat lands, making Paul and Phil gush at how strong the team is, explaining how great the team is for sending two in the break...Yet when we get to the Beille, all the favorites are there with teammates and it is only Frank and Andy.

I read or saw an interview with the team where they stated they need time on Cadel, yet only seem to be preoccupied with AC AGAIN. Andy is like a bobble head doll, constantly looking for AC.

They didn't do a one-two punch. If you attack, then wait and everyone comes back, not really a one-two punch.

I know there is still the Alps stages, but sure seems odd to wait to gain all the time needed in the remaining mountain stages.

Does Andy think that as long as he beats AC he wins? Even if Tommy V and Cadel are ahead of him on the podium? Heck at this rate, Samu will be on the podium, AC will occupy the Schlecks and Samu will keep riding away.

 

[The Hitch]

Whose in Kom. Vanenedert?

 

[sportzchick]

Come on Andy, Cadel, Ivan!!! Contador have a Giro in his legs and an injured knee and you didn't attack him!!

Stop being afraid of him!!!

I cant believe it!!

Is the opportunity of your lifes!!!

I'm so disappointed...

they were NEVER going to blow him off in 2 races regarless of how everyone was feeling - they need to sustain it for the whole of next week

it takes 24 stages to win a tour a france, not 1