TDF Stage 15: Limoux - Montpellier 187km

[Ferminal]

YAY VS interview with Bob Stackbarrel.

Talking about TJVG being a great talent the day after he signs with BMC........

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

Someone make a stage 16 thread so we have something to do until 10km to go.

or a Ten Dam appreciation page

 

[woodie]

Talking about TJVG being a great talent the day after he signs with BMC........

Allegedly

haha

 

[cineteq]

Talking about TJVG being a great talent the day after he signs with BMC........

He better starts helping Evans from now on

 

[rides like a girl]

officially scared...

Radio Shack is mixed with the Saxo Bank train....oh the places my brain goes with that...hopefully eveyone stays on their bike...

 

[Jeanne]

AHRG; not that picture again!!!!

 

[TourOfSardinia]

Vino Attacks

A tribute to Vino?

 

[thirteen]

off to do the dishes, yippee! can my day get more exciting?

 

[spalco]

or a Ten Dam appreciation page

****.

As disappointing as this Tour has been so far, it's produced some first class heroes too.

 

[Bala Verde]

Talking about TJVG being a great talent the day after he signs with BMC........

has he already featured as their 'nissan-trek-jiffylube-tropicana-haagendasz-miller-coors-kellogs-dove-rider profile hero of the day'?

 

[Amsterhammer]

The Dutch (NOS) commentators have discovered the 'explanation' for Fuglsang's disappointing Tour - he's wearing his #13 the right way up - instead of in the accepted upside down mode.

 

[Publicus]

A tribute to Vino?

that's awesome

 

[PedalCastro]

I'm just back from a ride, what did I miss, i'm gonna go out on a limb and say.. absolutely nothing.. That or TGBM has ridden away from the bunch and is 30 mins up?

 

[Jeanne]

at least no insane crashes for once

 

[Publicus]

The Dutch (NOS) commentators have discovered the 'explanation' for Fuglsang's disappointing Tour - he's wearing his #13 the right way up - instead of in the accepted upside down mode.

He had a disappointing TdF LAST year. He's highly rated, but I'm not sure why. Maybe someone can explain it.

And here is the wind!

 

[SirLes]

I suspect the reason for this stage being on a Sunday is 1/3 of France is currently driving to the south. Another 1/3 are driving home from the south and the final 1/3 are in the south, sitting by the side of the road watching the Tour and drinking wine

 

[Mellow Velo]

Bob Simpleton interviewed by the 2 Pees.
Just when I thought the day couldn't get any worse.

Looks like BMC will be having a major clear out of all their dead wood......
......no Cadel jokes, please.

I suspect the reason for this stage being on a Sunday is 1/3 of France is currently driving to the south. Another 1/3 are driving home from the south and the final 1/3 are in the south, sitting by the side of the road watching the Tour and drinking wine

I suspect you are in with that last third.

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

that's awesome

Ya, even the letour.fr website is bored.

 

[spalco]

Bob Simpleton interviewed by the 2 Pees.
Just when I thought the day couldn't get any worse.

Looks like BMC will be having a major clear out of all their dead wood......
......no Cadel jokes, please.

Are they definitively done or what?

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Weekend stages in recent GTs:

Giro 2008:
Stage 1: TTT
Stage 2: Agrigento (intermediate stage, hill finish won by Riccò)
Stage 8: Tivoli (mostly flat, uphill finish won by Riccò)
Stage 9: San Vincenzo (flat stage)
Stage 14: Alpe di Pampeago (after Passo Manghen)
Stage 15: Passo Fedaia (after Pordoi, San Pellegrino, Tommaso Agordino, Giau and Falzarego)
Stage 20: Tirano (after Gavia, Mortirolo and Aprica)
Stage 21: ITT

Tour 2008:
Stage 1: Plumelec (mostly flat with uphill finish won by Valverde)
Stage 2: Saint-Brieuc (mostly flat with slight uphill finish won by Hushovd)
Stage 8: Toulouse (flat stage)
Stage 9: Bagnères de Bigorre (mountain stage over Peyresourde & Aspin)
Stage 14: Digne-les-Bains (flat stage)
Stage 15: Prato Nervoso (MTF)
Stage 20: Cérilly (ITT)
Stage 21: Paris (flat stage)

Vuelta 2008:
Stage 1: TTT
Stage 2: Jaén (mostly flat stage with uphill finish won by Valverde)
Stage 7: Andorra La Rabassa (MTF)
Stage 8: Pla de Beret (MTF)
Stage 13: Alto de l'Angliru (MTF)
Stage 14: Estación de Esquí Fuentes de Invierno (MTF)
Stage 20: Navacerrada (mountain ITT)
Stage 21: Madrid (flat stage)

2009 Giro:
Stage 1: TTT
Stage 2: Trieste (flat stage)
Stage 8: Bergamo (intermediate stage won by Siutsou from escape)
Stage 9: Milan circuit race (neutralised, flat stage)
Stage 14: Bologna San Luca (intermediate stage with hilltop finish won by Gerrans)
Stage 15: Faenza (intermediate stage won by Scarponi from escape)
Stage 20: Agnagni (flat stage with uphill sprint won by Gilbert)
Stage 21: ITT

Tour 2009:
Stage 1: ITT
Stage 2: Brignoles (flat stage)
Stage 8: Saint Girons (neutered mountain stage)
Stage 9: Tarbes (even more neutered mountain stage)
Stage 14: Besançon (flat stage won by escape)
Stage 15: Verbier (MTF)
Stage 20: Mont Ventoux (MTF)
Stage 21: Paris (flat stage)

Vuelta 2009:
Stage 1: ITT
Stage 2: Emmen (flat stage)
Stage 7: ITT
Stage 8: Alto de Aitana (MTF)
Stage 13: Sierra Nevada (MTF)
Stage 14: Sierra de la Pandera (MTF)
Stage 20: ITT
Stage 21: Madrid (flat stage)

Giro 2010:
Stage 1: ITT
Stage 2: Utrecht (flat stage)
Stage 7: Montalcino (intermediate stage, strade bianche)
Stage 8: Monte Terminillo (MTF)
Stage 14: Asolo (Monte Grappa stage)
Stage 15: Zoncolán (MTF)
Stage 20: Passo Tonale (MTF after Gavia)
Stage 21: ITT

Tour 2010:
Stage 1: ITT
Stage 2: Bruxelles (flat stage)
Stage 7: Station des Rousses (intermediate stage, uphill finish)
Stage 8: Morzine Avoriaz (MTF)
Stage 14: Ax-3-Domaines (MTF)
Stage 15: Bagnères de Luchon (mountain stage, over Port de Balès)
Stage 20: ITT
Stage 21: Paris (flat stage)

Vuelta 2010:
Stage 1: TTT
Stage 2: Marbella (flat stage)
Stage 8: Xorret del Catí (MTF)
Stage 9: Alcoy (intermediate stage won by David López from escape)
Stage 14: Peña Cabarga (MTF)
Stage 15: Lagos de Covadonga (MTF)
Stage 20: Bola del Mundo (MTF)
Stage 21: Madrid (flat stage)

Giro 2011:
Stage 1: TTT
Stage 2: Parma (flat stage)
Stage 8: Tropea (flat stage with uphill finish won by Oscar Gatto)
Stage 9: Rifugio Calvanico (MTF)
Stage 14: Zoncolán (MTF)
Stage 15: Rifugio Gardeccia (MTF with multiple climbs)
Stage 20: Sestrières (MTF after Finestre)
Stage 21: ITT

Tour 2011:
Stage 1: Mont des Alouettes (flat stage with uphill finish won by Gilbert)
Stage 2: TTT
Stage 8: Super-Besse (intermediate stage won by escape, no GC action)
Stage 9: Saint-Flour (intermediate stage won by escape, no GC action)
Stage 14: Plateau de Beille (MTF)
Stage 15: Montpelier (flat stage)
Stage 20: ITT
Stage 21: Paris (flat stage)

It's clear that the Tour has the least key stages on weekend days, while the Vuelta is the most likely to play it safe and put a mountain stage every weekend. The Tour this year in terms of the stages it puts on at weekends is no worse than 2008 (when the Tour also started in the north-West) but still, compared to the epic stages the Giro has been serving up at weekends it is a bit of a letdown.

 

[Mellow Velo]

Are they definitively done or what?

No, no. Hoping for long term HTC plus1.

 

[BYOP88]

I'm just back from a ride, what did I miss, i'm gonna go out on a limb and say.. absolutely nothing.. That or TGBM has ridden away from the bunch and is 30 mins up?

No he had an hour on the peloton, stopped off at a Cafe had some lunch, got passed by the peloton, thought oh wait I'll have dessert first, finished that realized he'd left his wallet back at the hotel at the start of the stage, cycled back to get it, rode back to the cafe paid the bill, then caught and passed the peloton and now has a 45 minute lead.

 

[joy118118]

Talking about TJVG being a great talent the day after he signs with BMC........

i think i will not see his name next two years like his best friend in BMC

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

Jeez Libertine, you been busy. But looking all that stuff up is better than doing the dishes.

 

[Random Direction]

i am level 2: lustful

I'm with you on level two. And wishing I stayed in bed instead of getting up to watch something that is putting me back to sleep. Maybe a cow will come on to the course to liven things up a bit.