TDF Stage 15 - Monday, July 19 2010, Pamiers - Bagnères-de-Luchon, 187 km

[red_explosions]

Used to respect Contador a lot, but no longer. That was a weasel attack and he deserves all the boos he gets. Yellow is the appropriate colour. What a muppet.

 

[salixcycling]

Apart from the incident & the controversy behind it-you know what? I'm glad it happened! Why? from now on it won't be that watching-each-other-bvllSh!t If Andy really wants it back-then make sure he gets his bike tuned up real good & then put some massive attacks on Contador, so we the public can finally watch a "race for the yellow"

+1

This should avoid another stage like yesterday and make them race

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

AC is saying he didn't know AS was fully stopped behind him, AS was attacking him a lot and when he saw his chance, he went on and didn't have time to realise what had really happened

yeah right.
he should at least man up to what he did.

Sorry, but it we are talking about fairness, then no, it isn't okay to attack at that point if you know he isn't back there because he is in trouble.

i disagree, schleck did nothing wrong, ac could have avoided being in that position, lack of concentration gets punished.

on a whole, this controversial moment doesn't bother me a great deal, unlike the crap spartacus pulled earlier in the tour. Because at the end of day, I wanna see aggressive riding, then that negative bs.

 

[Biological Entity]

Maybe this is a stupid point of view, but perhaps Contador does not think his only rival is Schleck. Sanchez and Menchov are both close in time, and Menchov in particular might be considered a threat to attack for real. Perhaps it is a mistake to think Contador thinks it is a two man race just because the media does.

But AC was at the front of that group. Menchov and Sanchez was chasing him.

 

[lilyprotector]

what contador did today was poor, poor form. Forget stage 2 and 3, that was week one stuff. It doesn't matter. You don't attack the yellow jersey on a mountain pass in week 3 when there's a mechanical. His yellow is an embarrassment today.

well said!

 

[theyoungest]

Schleck is certainly moving within striking distance of Menchov and Sanchez for the TT. He really should be worried.

 

[Ramira]

Unless Menchov is better then AS on the stage to Tourmalet there's no way he's a real threat to him, I can see him take about the gap he has now but on the form Schlek has had he will lose another minute or so to Tourmalet. Also after yesterday I doubt Schleklet cares about getting 2nd I think it's win or bust for him whether he finishes 2nd or 5th.

 

[Paco_P]

Contador is racing Menchov and Sanchez too.

Didn't Schleck get the yellow jersey by taking advantage of Contador's fall in an early stage?

 

[luckyboy]

Contador says in interview he thought Andy got dropped or blew or something. Says he had no idea Andy had a mechanical. And that either way this is part of racing.

What a moron and a liar.

Seems kinda plausible seeing as he didn't see Andy stop.

 

[Anonymous]

Contador says in interview he thought Andy got dropped or blew or something. Says he had no idea Andy had a mechanical. And that either way this is part of racing.

What a liar.

 

[alberto.legstrong]

Something tells me the stage to the Tourmalet is going to be awesome, AS is either going to drop Contador or fall of his bike, better make sure you have the time to watch it .

I think on thursday I will be a few hours late for work.

 

[lostintime]

Contador says in interview he thought Andy got dropped or blew or something. Says he had no idea Andy had a mechanical. And that either way this is part of racing.

What a moron and a liar.

Yeah , since the do have radios(still), he can't claim ignorance.

 

[Publicus]

To be honest I can sorta understand his decision in the heat of the race, but the casual way he seemed to go about it after the finish acting like he won the yellow because he was actually better then AS (with the pistolero shot etc) really shows poor manners to me. Here's hoping AS will win the next 5 tours .

And if what people are saying is true about the interview that only makes it worse, no way in hell he didn't know what happened AS was about 10 yards ahead of him when his gear got stuck AC 100% saw that.

I don't think he knew that Andy had come to a full stop. I think folks need to slow down and remember this was a race. He didn't have the benefit of a pause button, or instant replay or anything like that. He saw Andy slow down. I don't know if he saw him get off his bike. But all of this happened in the course of Andy laying down an attack while AC was at the back, and AC closing down that attack after getting through the pack. Instantaneous decisions were made and we have our result.

I don't see the distinction between this stage and stage 3.

 

[balkou]

In any case, seeing the ease with which Vino marked Andy, I don't think it was the attack that would have decided the stage's outcome, let's be realistic.

Anyway, the big loser of the day wasn't even in the race. I'm sure Kaizer Jan is now in front of his mirror and spits his idol...

 

[khardung la]

So:

AS crashes badly before Spa, Contador waits for him because Cancellara makes a show. AS was over that day, Contador forgave him.

The next day Contador (and many others together, including FS) crashed. AS pulled by Cancellara did not wait. Contador had a mechanical also (broken spoke).

AS passes from being some time far from Contador after his awful TT to be in front of him.

AS attacks for the first time (!!!) in the Pyrinees, when Contador is back of the pack for whatever reason, probably getting to his team's car. AS does not have a proper mechanical (it was not a flat tyre for example), but does not manage to shift properly his gear. Contador reacts to the attack and looks back several times while climbing, obviously not giving all out wondering what to do. After some 1-2 minutes he prepares himself to follow the descend of SS, a great wheel to follow in the descend.

If Contador would have wait for AS cycling would be lame. One thing is a crash because a guy in the audience gets in the middle, other is giving more chances with no reason.

Contador should have finished Schleck in Spa.

Well ridden by AS, I hope he can be as strong in the Tourmalet.

 

[Ramira]

I think on thursday I will be a few hours late for work.

Hehe, good move, or maybe you'll have a bit of "summer flu"

 

[lostintime]

All this trauma dram will make for good last week though. Let's see if AS can channel his anger into riding.

 

[indurain666]

Forget stage 2 and 3, that was week one stuff. It doesn't matter.

So the first week of the Tour does not count towards the final result? I am pretty sure Allex Zulle disagress based on his experiences of 99 and 97

It is amazing how much all of you LA fanboys/AC haters are willing to ignore reality and facts in order to criticize your nemesis.

Bravo Alberto

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Unless Menchov is better then AS on the stage to Tourmalet there's no way he's a real threat to him, I can see him take about the gap he has now but on the form Schlek has had he will lose another minute or so to Tourmalet. Also after yesterday I doubt Schleklet cares about getting 2nd I think it's win or bust for him whether he finishes 2nd or 5th.

i don't think menchov has really showed signs of much weakness, he has followed pretty much everything in the last couple days. He has been just as AC and AS in the last two days.

Seems kinda plausible seeing as he didn't see Andy stop.

no he saw, definitely.

 

[BYOP88]

OK I like Contador and Schleck and I'm not that bothered who wins tbh although a part of me wants Menchov to win, but if what happened today happened the other way round, ie Schleck's chain didn't come off when he attacked and Contador's did is there the "unwritten" rule that Schleck has to stop racing or is it just the privilege/protection of the yellow jersey?

 

[Dedelou]

Poor form to attack during a mech...catch em Andy!

yeah yeah.. spartacus to the rescue. Stop the tour andy is in trouble. stop the tour stop the tour . Pleassssssssssee..

 

[AlHooKoo]

AC to his team,

Ok, we know Andy is way stronger than me,
so when we get to the Tourmalet, I want you guys to ride the road 4-wide and let me by. Whatever you do, don't let Andy Schleck get by you or I'll lose the Tour for sure.

 

[luckyboy]

Has anyone else been getting 404's when they refresh this thread?

 

[Ramira]

Has anyone else been getting 404's when they refresh this thread?

Been getting them when I tried to post a reply. I think the forum is flooded atm .

 

[Dedelou]

Forget about the mechanical AS can't respond/close the gap

VAMOS ALBERTO!

yeah.. it looks like they baby him on the last kilometer to let him get back closer and then wipe him off on the descent.