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

[BYOP88]

Pierre Rolland is a really good rider and you've probably just missed his good results so far. A lot of them have flown under the radar.

Is Voeckler on something? I don't know. But it's unfair to say it's going to descend into farce when the people who are supposed to be dropping him include Fränk Schleck, Alberto Contador and Ivan Basso.

Let's leave the Clinic matters there.

Agreed, but you missed out Andy.

 

[jsem94]

this was just GC crap

/thread

Completely agree.

Evans rode perfectly though, he's got this tour.

 

[lilyprotector]

I am not going to assume anything but it is time to go to the clinic and discussing some frenchies and their magical improvements.

+1 sadly, after today, hard not to consider it

 

[palmerq]

Let's leave the Clinic matters there.

I agree no more clinic stuff in here please. I am sure there will be a great thread in there pretty soon.

 

[benpounder]

Tommy V is likely to stay in yellow

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.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

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

Vanendert, Sanchez, Rolland, Uran, Peraud all put in great rides too. Evans, who has an advantage over the other riders thought of as GC favourites, did what he had to do.

 

[sportzchick]

Why people are getting angry over what the favorites didnt do on this stage is beyond me....we have another week with 1 flat, one restday and almost a week for the alps - pretty stupid to waste energy on one stage

 

[spalco]

I watch three Tours, five Monuments and the World Championships ever year. I don't know much but I enjoy watching the sport of cycling.

However, there is a doubt that Voeckler is up to his eyeballs on drugs. The first to follow every attack today. He attacked once himself. Only two teams with two riders in the lead group was Leopard and Voeckler and his team-mate who have now hung in on two mountain finishes.

Cycling is about to descent into farce again.

Again, the glass-half-full interpretation is, that maybe cycling is getting clean finally and clean riders who've previously not been spectacular like Voeckler suddenly have a chance again.

 

[Anonymous]

What a **** stage,and we have a flat stage tomm. **** Andy and ASO.

 

[Arnout]

Why....

we have another week with 1 flat, one restday and almost a week for the alps - pretty stupid to waste energy on one stage

Oh yeah they were stupid for the entire Giro.

Come on, millions of people are watching. Way to advertise your sport.

 

[therealtimshady]

Dire tactics AGAIN from the shrecks. The odd attack apart their negativity in the mountains WON'T win them the tour as they need at least 3 minutes on Evans and only putting in about 3 mini attacks won't crack him, Evans will win now as there will be no action on the galibier as they will bank it all and lose on alpe dhuez

 

[luckyboy]

Haha Rob Hayles saying Voeckler can't TT as well as the guys behind him. He knows Andy and Frank are there right?

 

[franciep10]

They're playing into Contador's hands for the Alps. They used their entire team today to gain what?

2 seconds huge gain Simply bad tactics by leopard they burn their team 1 km into the climb which is dumb they should've had 3 team mates except for
the brothers at the base of the climb to set the pace instead of putting your whole team at the front at 60 km to go.

 

[No_Balls]

They're playing into Contador's hands for the Alps. They used their entire team today to gain what?

+1

There was some winners and losers today but one of them wasn´t AC. As i said after Luz-ardiden i have predicted him getting better being ready for the Alps, thus just sitting in the "bunch" today.

Schlecks are the biggest losers today.

 

[Parrulo]

What happened to Velits? Last I knew he was looking good, then he just disappeared... couldn't quite tell where.

true i he was looking good at the start of the climb but tbh i was so worried about bertie, ivan and damiano that never thought about him ever again

 

[Arnout]

What a **** stage,and we have a flat stage tomm. **** Andy and ASO.

Flat stages are more exciting at the moment.

 

[reyan12]

Contador is getting better!Cant wait for the Alps where we can see the best climber and TDF champion !!!

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

this asian guy on sbs has no idea what he is talking about

 

[Wallace]

Basso and Evans are 34 now. After 32 Grand Tour riders begin rapidly lose their strength. I think Basso is still good, but not good to win Le Tour, Evans will bonk.
Franck is now the best climber. Andy has not his best legs in this tour. Conta is dead.

So favourites are Franck, Samuel and may be Cunego.

A pretty much spot on prediction for the day's events.

 

[Sea The Stars]

What is the clinic?

Is it possible to improve like Voeckler has? I find his performances in these mountain stages unbelievable.

 

[Maxiton]

Well, Contador didn't light it up as I thought he would; but this gives a chance for the Alps. For the other faves, too. And, it looks like France is back in its own race . . . .

 

[sportzchick]

Oh yeah they were stupid for the entire Giro.

Come on, millions of people are watching. Way to advertise your sport.

yeah they really want to lose the tour de france on one stage just to keep a hanfull of idiots happy......

 

[luckyboy]

I wonder how the GC would look if Riis was still in charge of the Schlecks. They'd have got more than 2 seconds today that's for sure.

 

[TeoSheva]

the time limit is 28'13"

 

[VeloCity]

Why people are getting angry over what the favorites didnt do on this stage is beyond me....we have another week with 1 flat, one restday and almost a week for the alps - pretty stupid to waste energy on one stage

Yep. Kind of dumb of ASO to have the toughest stage this early - no one is going to go for it at the risk of cracking with so many days left.