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

[The Hitch]

Still some booing for AC.

Stephen Roche says that all French TV, radio etc.. people were saying that he did the right thing yesterday.

Roche has been by far the most defensive of LA from the start.

I think the french might be booing cos contador is spanish. They often boo spanish athlets, tgey played the wrong anthem last year wgeb conti won.

 

[theyoungest]

Why they didn't try set a sprint with Horner puling until 150 m with Armstrong on his wheel and then sprinting?

Perhaps Horner isn't fast enough for that, and neither is Armstrong? Notice how Horner had to hold back to not finish before Armstrong.

Armstrong fanboys: it's final, there's no way this guy could have won the Tour this year. There just isn't.

 

[Publicus]

This.

Lance got in the break... but it wasn't a great one for him to get a win from. Too many of them had a better sprint. I don't think he had the legs... but I thought to have a chance that he would need to make a move on the last climb... or barring that attack when Barredo did.

Riding to a sprint with that group simply was never going to work.

Let me get in on this one as well. He was game today. I too thought, with Horner there, he would push the group to bring Barredo back and then launch a counter-attack.

But good on him for putting in a day's work. He took his shot and missed, but he took his shot. Now get off the stage.

I kid, I kid. But seriously, go already.

 

[alberto.legstrong]

contador booed again.

wow

They need to get over it. But, whatever.

 

[Big GMaC]

Perhaps Horner isn't fast enough for that, and neither is Armstrong? Notice how Horner had to hold back to not finish before Armstrong.

Armstrong fanboys: it's final, there's no way this guy could have won the Tour this year. There just isn't.

And Horner still finished ahead!

 

[theyoungest]

And Horner still finished ahead!

He did? Seriously? Well, proves my point.

 

[salixcycling]

It was a great stage and even a better finish.

It was a great start and a good finish. The bit in the middle? Forgettable.

 

[Publicus]

Perhaps Horner isn't fast enough for that, and neither is Armstrong? Notice how Horner had to hold back to not finish before Armstrong.

Armstrong fanboys: it's final, there's no way this guy could have won the Tour this year. There just isn't.

That's been clear for awhile, but I certainly think everyone knows the emperor is no longer wearing any clothes.

 

[slimkay]

Yep. A large tumor will have been extracted from the sport of cycling once Armstrong leaves.

Wow, man. You're really bitter. What has he done to you, man?

Please, give it up. LA doesn't even know you exist and would probably laugh at you if he knew what you are doing at the moment (ie. spitting nonsense about him on an Internet forum).

I'm sure most of the bashers here wouldn't be man enough to tell this to LA's face, like that guy earlier in the Tour.

 

[Mellow Velo]

Perrick Fedrigo's last tour stage win:



snap!

 

[kurtinsc]

I was thinking about time bonuses while riding today and I came to the conclusion that they've (or the actually the lack of them) helped riders from escape groups win more stages. The GC teams have no reason to waste energy chasing riders who have no meaning to the GC on mountain stages. With time bonuses Astana would probably have been more active since Contador would've gained time from winning/finishing high.

I agree. I've been against the decision to take away bonus seconds for a while. I HATE "gifting" stages... here, help me get more time and I'll let you win at the finish. I want to see people RACING... not making deals. I think bonus time at the finish encourages that.

 

[lilyprotector]

contador booed again.

wow

oh, missed that. had to walk the poor dog who had been waiting forever.

do you all think that the boos will continue into paris?

 

[oevkride]

According to Hushovd, Ciolek actualy did lead him out on purpose. He seems to have a lot of good friends in the peloton.

 

[The Hitch]

i thought people said france had top 5 in polka dot.

Cunego is 3rd.

 

[alberto.legstrong]

By branding, are you slyly referring to puncture marks?

Track Marks

 

[salixcycling]

i thought people said france had top 5 in polka dot.

Cunego is 3rd.

France did have the top 5, until Cunego went over the Col d'Aubisque. Still, 5 out of the top 6 is very good, plus winning so many mountain stages.

 

[Publicus]

oh, missed that. had to walk the poor dog who had been waiting forever.

do you all think that the boos will continue into paris?

Probably unless he or Andy stomps a mudhole in the other on Thursday (though my guess it will be a repeat of Mt. Ventoux) and, in the case of AC, he takes more than 31 seconds on Andy, or if Andy gets back in yellow. Should definitely end Saturday (assuming he has the legs) in the TT.

A lot of folks have baked into their mind that it was a malicious attack and it's going to take awhile to undo that misconception (if it can ever be undone).

EDIT: And this is not intended as an invitation to re-litigate the matter.

 

[Big GMaC]

I think HTC - Columbia stole the RaboBus today.

So far Maxime Monfort is the only rider finished...

we are now +25 mins...

 

[skidmark]

Now you see, to me, this rubbish is worst than name calling. You aren't just insulting an individual poster, but entire nations, including Belgium, The Netherlands, Italy and France.

Nobody would know who, or what, france was if it wasn't for Armstrong.

 

[badboyberty]

I was really impressed how Armstrong tried to set Horner up for the stage win as a symbolic thankyou for all the work his team-mates have done for him over the years.



Oops. Horner was doing the leadout, my mistake, I thought because he finished ahead of Lance, Lance had set up the sprint.

 

[MKirilenko]

I heard that booing has a different significance in France, it is commonly used by dimwits to show their total ignorance and lack of propriety

 

[gorgos]

I think HTC - Columbia stole the RaboBus today.

So far Maxime Monfort is the only rider finished...

we are now +25 mins...

The rest are probably setting the pace for a desperate Cav in the grupetto?

 

[Roland Rat]

Nobody would know who, or what, france was if it wasn't for Armstrong.

I'm especially lucky, Mrs Rat is French so if it wasn't for Lance I'd never have known she was a real person and not an alien.

 

[timmarshall]

I think they may just have finished, i was watching the HTC/google tracker and they were traveling at 40ish, now him and tony martin have just pulled up to 0 and their blips on the map have disappeared

 

[skidmark]

The rest are probably setting the pace for a desperate Cav in the grupetto?

That'd be pretty sweet if they did a blistering 8km sprint train in the grupetto... I guess they wouldn't make too many friends, though, but it'd be funny to watch.