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

[No_Balls]

Oh, Portugal were just as bad. But both teams knew a draw was enough for them and played out 0-0 without much fuss. It isn't Spain's mission to entertain, but the press does kind of push it down your throat that they play amazing, flowing football.

It was in the finals so a draw couldn´t be enough, if you lost there you were out. Personally speaking, i have no complaints that the press is (for once) backing up this team, after the press truce with Aragonés/Del Bosque, miracles started to happen. The press have always in the past pushed for their Real Madrid agenda, despite them being crap/out of form.

 

[Anonymous]

It was in the finals so a draw couldn´t be enough, if you lost there you were out. Personally speaking, i have no complaints that the press is (for once) backing up this team, after the press truce with Aragonés/Del Bosque, miracles started to happen. The press have always in the past pushed for their Real Madrid agenda, despite them being crap/out of form.

The Madrid press are horrendous when it comes to football.

 

[FoxxyBrown1111]

Good to know some remember Gijon. So they understand my feelings about today.
Seems i got lucky that i didn´t watch the TdS 2009, it wasn´t on ESP.
Anyone betting of when Schlecks will ride backwards?

Hitch, just imagine we are only 14 months removed from the greatest GT ever. It´s unreal how fast things change.

 

[No_Balls]

I sense a Cipollini intervew coming in which he talks about how the Schlecks are cycling trannies, the Winklevoss twins od grand tours.

Everyone from LA to Basso to Evans to Riis are sying these guys blow in the aggression department.

Yes, we need some cipo-talk soon. Someone has to set down the foot with these two. They have "a lot to learn".

 

[No_Balls]

The Madrid press are horrendous when it comes to football.

Yes, it is no understatement that these newspapers (and the people involved) has destroyed numerous peoples life (like they nearly did with poor Iñaki Saez) and putting their fingers in line-ups and even tactics. They are a laughing stock and a shame, but with great power it most be said.

I kinda like their cycling reports though. Of course it is always spaniards they are intrested in (or to be more precise, Alberto Contador, who happens to be a madridista ) but it follows the general news-flow after the races.

 

[The Hitch]

I know but the press aside, can you do more then playing that game and win?



Laughable but its the spanish press in a nutshell. I have no doubt, though, that other media wouldnt behaved differently (put aside Brazil, Germany et.al)







.

Ok i didnt expect you to be this nice to me. I thought it was going to spark off between us, that at least one of those sentences was going to get you riled.

But you calmed it down.

Well done

 

[The Hitch]

Hitch, just imagine we are only 14 months removed from the greatest GT ever. It´s unreal how fast things change.

Yeah, but at least in cycling we get 3 gts a year to keep us occupied as time flies by. And you never know. Any one of them might be the next great gt. It just takes a bit of luck like Giro 10 had with Laquilla.

In the meantime well always have the memories.

Memories would have been even sweeter with Arroyo in pink, which brings us back to the Tour, because maybe just maybe Voeckler can make up for it here.

Surely not...

 

[No_Balls]

Ok i didnt expect you to be this nice to me. I thought it was going to spark off between us, that at least one of those sentences was going to get you riled.

But you calmed it down.

Well done

It is cool. If the outcome been different i perhaps had been furious right now but i generally don´t care since Spain won and that is all what matters. In the past, they have been playing some wonderful soccer and lost as always, so i guess i have no problem if it was reversed this time.

Besides, i laughed hard with your ciudad Casillas-thing. You, are a funny guy, and i can never be mad because of that.

 

[FoxxyBrown1111]

Hitch

Why not TV? If AC doesn´t heal and about Basso´s form we are not sure, TV will win it. He´ll ride a TT like S. Roche finished a 1987 MTF.

And the Schlecks still won´t get it it in 50 years. They are more busy with looking around, ride zig zag, and blaming others not riding (or waiting) for them.

 

[mewmewmew13]

It's getting a little distracting, now I'm watching Andy to see how many times he cranes his neck around and looks over the others.
wish he would stop it and just ride!

 

[The Hitch]

Hitch

Why not TV? If AC doesn´t heal and about Basso´s form we are not sure, TV will win it. He´ll ride a TT like S. Roche finished a 1987 MTF.

And the Schlecks still won´t get it it in 50 years. They are more busy with looking around, ride zig zag, and blaming others not riding (or waiting) for them.

lol. I read your post 3 times thinking "what the hell is TV" before i realized that you mean Voeckler.

Like I said I would love Voeckler to win it.

But unfortunately he cant win it.

The maths just doesnt add up.

If Andrew can take 1.5 minutes on everyone on the Tourmalet then he can take 2 minutes on Voeckler on Galibier + Alpe.

Voeckler just isnt good enough. Even if he fails on the last mountain stage like Cadel losing 16 minutes in that Giro.

But there is something else for Tommy to aim for.

If Voeckler can have 2 minutes, hell even 1 minute going into Alpe d huez so that all of France realises they have a guy in the yellow 2 days from Paris and flocks to the mountain.

This is what our sport is build for. We are going through France. Voeckler is French, and he is leading

So that on those final mountain stages every man woman and child is out on those streets cheering him on.

France is probably about twice the population now as when they last had a gc contender. If they turn out for Voeckler in the Alps it could be something very special.

Bigger than a Tour de France victory.

 

[FoxxyBrown1111]

Don´t recall if it was here, but it´s been said it´s Evans tour now, or Basso.

But don´t count out AC. Makeable 80 seconds in two MTF, 30 seconds in the TT is all he needs to gain.

In the end the Schlecks might not even make the podium. Of which they deserve.

 

[FoxxyBrown1111]

Hitch

Yes.... But math don´t go with Schlecks. Otherwise they would have tought about their own TT ability vs. that of Evans. They want to have gifted 2 on podium instead of 1 earned winner = they´ll go home emty.

I just remember 2009, when they attacked Armstrong inches from the finish in Ventoux (i don´t count 0,5 second tries as attacks btw). FSchleck proudly finished 4th in Paris.LOL.

That would be great if we get some nice pictures of Voeckler riding trou tousands of fans up alpe. May it will be like the 2004-ITT.

 

[Dedelou]

Not sure about that, I think the biggest winner is Evans, I think the Schlecks, Contador and Basso have all lost today, though maybe Andy a bit more then others.

you forgot Sanchez among today winner. With more mountains top finishes in the third week , today was a good setup for top GC finish in Paris and a huge chance to get the polka dot. IF Contador is indeed rehabing his knee and building up his peek , today was a great evidence he is on track for the final week. We all should remember that Contador is "managed" by Riis for the "Double"

 

[Dedelou]

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

add to Voekler his buddy Rolland.. work like a Jen Voigt type and stays high in two classification : young and GC

 

[Dedelou]

While Andy is watching Alberto, and Alberto is watching Cadel, and Cadel is watching Ivan, and Ivan is watching Andy, Thomas Voeckler may be standing on the top step in Paris.

Perhaps some DS are cursing themselves now about not chasing the break on stage 9

 

[ggusta]

This is it. Big brother is in charge. 'We' couldn't take time, not because everyone is not playing ball, but because Frank is not strong enough to take time. I don't know why Frank is including Cadel with those he's criticising. Cadel's one attack was ten times harder than Frank's weak 5 metre attack which he would have been dropped because of if Andy didn't get to the front and slow the pace down.

If the Schleck's want to criticise someone for not playing ball they should criticise Frank for not having the legs and forcing brother Andy to wait for him when he clearly did.

I always thought Frank was the smart one of the two, and if I am still correct they truly are Dumb and Dumber. I wonder if Andy has the sense to be PO'd over this wasted opportunity? A different strategy may not have yielded better results, we'll never know, but this one was just incomprehensible.

Reotard Shrek.

 

[Dedelou]

Contador said he didn't have good legs today and couldn't attack. But he had no problems following.

you can't really believe what Contador will "spin " to the press? His TDF strategy was modified to address two important race realities: 1. A first stage placing , post crash, that modified to the GC against him and 2nd developing his power to compensate for an injury in his knee. I bet you he is dam happy with today's stage.

 

[Dedelou]

Well if one race favourite is in the second group the others will start riding with their whole team, second group can easily lose a minute. Andy thought his two second gain today was a good day, if we keep having this sort of mountainstages a day like tomorrow might shake up GC more.

Just like the first stage actually.

Nothing should surprise any of us in this Tour. So far stage 1 and 9 had outcome that affected the race in a major way nobody could have predicted. So why not stage 15 and the wind

 

[Dedelou]

lol. I read your post 3 times thinking "what the hell is TV" before i realized that you mean Voeckler.

Like I said I would love Voeckler to win it.

But unfortunately he cant win it.

The maths just doesnt add up.

If Andrew can take 1.5 minutes on everyone on the Tourmalet then he can take 2 minutes on Voeckler on Galibier + Alpe.

Voeckler just isnt good enough. Even if he fails on the last mountain stage like Cadel losing 16 minutes in that Giro.

But there is something else for Tommy to aim for.

If Voeckler can have 2 minutes, hell even 1 minute going into Alpe d huez so that all of France realises they have a guy in the yellow 2 days from Paris and flocks to the mountain.

This is what our sport is build for. We are going through France. Voeckler is French, and he is leading

So that on those final mountain stages every man woman and child is out on those streets cheering him on.

France is probably about twice the population now as when they last had a gc contender. If they turn out for Voeckler in the Alps it could be something very special.

Bigger than a Tour de France victory.

Thanks Hitch for the reminder that the TDF is about bringing the people at the road side so the advertizers get their money worth. When I don't have a chance to go watch it live if forget about that ( damned real estate bubble burst . I am stuck States side ) Good thing, though Voekler may bring a few millions franchisee, but Basso/Cunego will bring enough tifosi. The Deutch own l'alpes already since the 80's and contador/sanchez gave us the spaniard invasion in the Pyrenees. Too bad we can get the Americans, they spend 5 dollar more for each cup of coffee and outspend any other TDF watchers. Vive TV with AC .IC. do we have an DC in the race? I know we have plenty of S*&^t

 

[red_flanders]

Obviously late to the party here, but I have to say I really enjoyed the racing today. Love it when one guy doesn't dominate. I'm really rooting for Contador to win it in the Alps, but that it seems unlikely is making it exciting.

Really good tour in the mountains so far for me. Yesterday looked on paper like a waste and a snoozefest, but it turned out better than most stages, and the kind of ride the organizers are dreaming about when they make a stage like that.

 

[thehog]

Perhaps some DS are cursing themselves now about not chasing the break on stage 9

Well that was Leopard slowing down the peloton to wait for Kloden. Stupid. Just stupid. Can't blame Alberto for that one!

 

[MKirilenko]

Look at the headlines:
"Schleck brothers lament a lack of aggression from GC contenders" Lolwhat?
"Basso critical of Schleck tactics on Plateau de Beille"



Well, I guess that Andy's attack on last 118m and their 0,5s jumps count as "aggression"

 

[Woody22]

Samu wasnt struggling with accelerations.

Unlike some hes been in and Al vs Andy battle before. He saw first hand last year that when Andy goes he usually slows down and those like Samu maintaining their own pace usualy catfch back on.


If Andy doesnt slow down, then hes going to drop those like Basso and Evans anyway so its pointless to follow every attack.

And what do you mean let go. Its every man for himself.. Samu wasnt let go, he crushed his legs and his lungs to go up the mountian himself.

Not my fault Evans didnt have the balls nor the skill to fly up the Plateau de Beille chasing him.

Lets hope thats the same info that the other contenders are getting.

Rob Hayles says Samu can time trial, some sanity restored.

If you think that Evans couldn't have stuck with Samu than you are deluding youself sorry to tell you. He is measuring his efforts and has no problem letting him gain some seconds, given the current GC situation and the fact that he will beat Samu in the time trial.
Sounds like you are becoming a bit depressed that for all his efforts all Samu could gain was 40 odd seconds.
Lets see how easily Samu pulls away from the top climbers when they are holding nothing back in the Alps.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Look at the headlines:
"Schleck brothers lament a lack of aggression from GC contenders" Lolwhat?
"Basso critical of Schleck tactics on Plateau de Beille"



Well, I guess that Andy's attack on last 118m and their 0,5s jumps count as "aggression"

tvh therew was only one serious attack by Andy of hwich he got a gap and spread everyone out a bit but the others gradually responded to it.

Evans responds to Schlecks criticism and talks about the day - Cycling Central

Cadel's nicknames for Hincapie and Burghardt are amusing.