TDF Stage 16 - Tuesday, July 20 2010, Bagnères-de-Luchon - Pau, 196 km

[nia O'Malley]

So........when exactly will Lance win the stage? Inquiring minds want to know

 

[Ramira]

Every time they show the stage profile on screen a little bit of me dies. Seriously, who the hell though this stage made any sense, especially the day before the rest day?

It's the traditional rest day in Pau, it's more or less a tradition I think. And since Pau is about 50'ish km from the real mountains there's usually one of these stages in the tour. And if you look past the GC riders they are usually pretty exciting. True nothing happened GC wise but the race for the win is quite good.

 

[Trev_S]

So........when exactly will Lance win the stage? Inquiring minds want to know

Stage 21
The bus ride home.

 

[nia O'Malley]

well there's been more than one so far. And yes, they may shelve the idea next year

 

[cyclestationgiuseppe]

So........when exactly will Lance win the stage? Inquiring minds want to know

his ticket home is 1st class and the rest of the team is coach....so technically he will be 1st to get home.

 

[Jamsque]

It's the traditional rest day in Pau, it's more or less a tradition I think. And since Pau is about 50'ish km from the real mountains there's usually one of these stages in the tour. And if you look past the GC riders they are usually pretty exciting. True nothing happened GC wise but the race for the win is quite good.

So why not have the rest day in Pau today, and then run today's stage in the other direction tomorrow? Boom, I just made the 2010 TdF about five times better.

 

[nia O'Malley]

Stage 21
The bus ride home.

Bio-dieseled bus?

 

[The Hitch]

gap hasnt come down. Horner and Plaza going to go up a bit in the gc. Horner can tt. RS might get 2 in the top 10 after all. Would be in the bottom half though.
Plaza might get a surprising top 10 too.

 

[gorgos]

I assuming Cervelo is telling Konovalovas, who is between the break and the peloton, to wait for the pack.

They can't let him go to the finish and block points for Hushovd.


Edit: Or did they just reel him in?

 

[CatsNK]

Eurosport UK is patting Vino on the back. Startling and welcome.

 

[schnebit]

So........when exactly will Lance win the stage? Inquiring minds want to know

His only possibility of winning is when he crosses the finish line, and not a second sooner!

 

[The Barb]

Barredo being reeled in bit by bit.

No panic from the Armstrong group.

 

[nicholaaaas]

Champs-Elysées - no
Tourmalet - no
TT - no
Bordeaux - no

I guess not then...

he's gonna win the rest day!

 

[The Hitch]

So why not have the rest day in Pau today, and then run today's stage in the other direction tomorrow? Boom, I just made the 2010 TdF about five times better.

so you mean fly to Pau from Bagnères-de-Luchon yesterday?
and then what stage do you have on thursday. it cant be the pau - tourmalet stage because they dont start in pau.

 

[lilyprotector]

Isn't it time the Shack did something for their top GC man?

it's clear now that rs had only one gc man they were going to support. levi is a domestique who happens to have a good gc placement. what i don't get is do they have no faith in levi landing in 3rd & figure it's a futile effort? or do they actually not care & think that it's more important (for radioshack, publicity etc.) that la wins a stage.

 

[reigarc]

his ticket home is 1st class and the rest of the team is coach....so technically he will be 1st to get home.

nah, lance rides on private jet, no 1st class for him.

anyhow, my bet's lance will go for broke. he's not interesed in riding in with the group, he'll likely attack and go for the win or explode.

 

[Bala Verde]

I am putting my money on Fedrigo, although RS has 2 in the group. They should be able to play the team tactics.

 

[Jamsque]

so you mean fly to Pau from Bagnères-de-Luchon yesterday?
and then what stage do you have on thursday. it cant be the pau - tourmalet stage because they dont start in pau.

You are no fun, you know that?

Just like the last 50km of this stage! BOOM!

 

[kurtinsc]

Is there any chance a break stays away on the Tourmalet stage? Could it be like Ventoux last year where a couple survive to the finish, or is it a sure GC-winner stage?

 

[nia O'Malley]

nah, lance rides on private jet, no 1st class for him.

anyhow, my bet's lance will go for broke. he's not interesed in riding in with the group, he'll likely attack and go for the win or explode.

The group doesn't care about Lance either, let's not forget that

 

[Train in Spain]

Don't put too much blame on the stage, ok the end sucks but if the world's best climbers can't be bothered racing each other up the Tourmalet and the Aubisque who's guilty of turning it into a non-event?

Contador is sitting smug knowing he's been given an easy day in Yellow, Saxo Bank obviously didn't fancy the challenge of trying to break him. So much for Andy's fighting talk yesterday.

 

[lilyprotector]

anyhow, my bet's lance will go for broke. he's not interesed in riding in with the group, he'll likely attack and go for the win or explode.

ball to the wall.

i really hope he does it but won't hold my breath.

 

[smoking roach]

If Barredo makes it to the line I hope he takes off his front wheel as a victory salute. Those wheels have worked great for his "attacks", both on and off the bike.

 

[scribe]

Is there any chance a break stays away on the Tourmalet stage? Could it be like Ventoux last year where a couple survive to the finish, or is it a sure GC-winner stage?

I don't think so. The pressure will be on from go.

 

[reigarc]

The group doesn't care about Lance either, let's not forget that

pretty sure everybody in the group wants to win the stage, no gifts, and lance will have to earn the win. he knows it's the last chance in his life to win anything at this level.

he's doing everything he has to do.