TDF Stage 17 - Thursday, July 22 2010, Pau - Col du Tourmalet, 174 km

[theyoungest]

I timed the last 9 k at 26:20 (Schleck attacked at aprox. 10 to go).

I'd say Hesjedal's top ten this year is as impresive a ride than Wiggins' 4th, if not more so. Will we see Ryder lead Team CBC in le Tour deux mille onze (and finish 25th)?

Canadian Broadcasting Center?

 

[auscyclefan94]

Richie Porte can't attack uphill, let stand even follow the best.

He couldn't even follow the great Bauke Mollema in the final mountain stage (and some other mountain stages) in the Giro.
We all know the great Bauke Mollema will destroy Schleck and Contador with at least 10 minutes advantage next year

Well not many in the world of cycling can follow someone like Bauke Mollema or Cadel Evans when they are riding uphill! That is minus the hot sauce!

 

[nicholaaaas]

You know............putting down repeatedly one amazing athlete doesn't make the other amazing one any better, and it is just you who looks bad and ***.
Give it a rest too, I was repeating what Contador said, that 8 seconds made him nervous, you're repeating the voices in your own head apparently.

no I'm being realistic. And guess what we're adults I don't have to like people I don't want to

 

[Francois the Postman]

The dutchies are turning on each other!/QUOTE]

"We" have had discussions, self-reflections, and different opinions all the way through.

You appear the only one who has missed the ongoing critical comments that the Dutch keep making about their own riders, and the different readings and expectations that are attached to them.

The Dutch aren't nearly as unified as you portray, or experience, them.

 

[turtlesoup]

Hesjedal said he still feels strong after todays stage, any1 know what garmins list looks like for the vuelta?

 

[auscyclefan94]

Good for you, you'll finally see what an actual country looks like.

Is that a country full of brothels and prostitutes?

 

[El Pistolero]

Hinault has a serious soft spot for AS. I've noticed a while ago, did anybody else?

Also AS is one of the few who seems to actually pay attention (with interest shown) to what he says at hand-shaking time

Schleck completely ignored Hinault during the handshaking though. I think Schleck fancies someone with more meat in his belly.

 

[ak-zaaf]

Richie Porte can't attack uphill, let stand even follow the best.

He couldn't even follow the great Bauke Mollema in the final mountain stage (and some other mountain stages) in the Giro.
We all know the great Bauke Mollema will destroy Schleck and Contador with at least 10 minutes advantage next year

I've made a deal for next year with the people organizing the tour-game at my work, so I can play for free if Mollema is the only rider in my team. They don't know what's gonna hit them.

 

[Roland Rat]

I'm not the biggest Levi fan - I doubt being a Levi fan is even physically possible - but I cannot begin to express my disgust with RadioShack. Levi has been killing himself for a top GC place when that was the only thing the team had, he was dropped, and Klödi, Horner and Armstrong went all lalala and kept going. The only help he found was Paulinho, and I reckon it must have taken a while for Paulinho to catch him.

Yes, he would have cracked regardless, but come on, this is disgusting. I hope RadioShack folds and their decent riders find a team elsewhere. They've been a cancer to this race.

Just on RS - it will be hugely positive for the Tour not to have The Armstrong Show around next year. Hopefully Bruyneel and his negative tactics will also be absent.

 

[ManInFull]

I am completely uninspired by Contador, though he raced very intelligently.

Why? Because he didn't drop AS? It's highly likely that he could not drop him. Deal with it. LOL

 

[Futuroscope]

Andy worked the entire climb. Only an a-hole like Cadel would take the win after a climb like that.

/edit: don't report me ACF ;p

so what? andy worked because he had to work. these kind of gifts (although it's not certain contador would have won..even if he normally is more explosive) hurt the sport. talk about anticlimax.

i think it had more to do with contador feeling bad about what happened the other day (which he shouldn't in my opinion).

there should be no mercy. too much talking going on between contador and andy.

 

[therhodeo]

A split in the wind is really Andy's only chance now and even then something extreme would have to happen to gain too much time because chances are even if Contador got caught out in a split other GC guys would too and there would be lots of guys working at the front to bring it back.

 

[Eyeballs Out]

I timed the last 9 k at 26:20 (Schleck attacked at aprox. 10 to go).

I'd say Hesjedal's top ten this year is as impresive a ride than Wiggins' 4th, if not more so. Will we see Ryder lead Team CBC in le Tour deux mille onze (and finish 25th)?

I agree with this. Hesjedal hasn't just plodded round protecting his position, he's ridden an attacking race and put in a couple of big efforts in breaks that didn't work out as well as one that did

 

[Anonymous]

It's clear now. Contador is the new Armstrong.

Wheelsuck in the mountains. Win in the TT.

And everyone says you had a "smart race".

This reminds me of Armstrong "giving" Pantani the win on Mont Ventoux.

 

[auscyclefan94]

I always knew akzaaf was one of the dutchies who didn't hunt with the rest of the pack. He finds his own prey!

 

[ak-zaaf]

Is that a country full of brothels and prostitutes?

No, its not. But if you do want to visit a hooker and finally get laid you can. Isn't that great?

 

[ak-zaaf]

so what? andy worked because he had to work. these kind of gifts (although it's not certain contador would have won..even if he normally is more explosive) hurt the sport. talk about anticlimax.

This doesn't hurt the sport. This IS the sport. Get used to it.

/edit: Would Contador have taken the stage that would also have been fine, I was just trolling ACF.
But these kind of 'gifts' are among the things that make cycling as beautiful and complex as it is.

 

[schnebit]

so what? andy worked because he had to work. these kind of gifts (although it's not certain contador would have won..even if he normally is more explosive) hurt the sport. talk about anticlimax.

i think it had more to do with contador feeling bad about what happened the other day (which he shouldn't in my opinion).

there should be no mercy. too much talking going on between contador and andy.

Yup... it was Andy's job to work, not Alberto's. I agree that Alberto shouldn't have gifted him the stage. Really made things anti-climactic.

 

[nia O'Malley]

Schleck completely ignored Hinault during the handshaking though. I think Schleck fancies someone with more meat in his belly.

Nah he doesn't actually. Maybe he did during the second one in 5 minutes but that's understandable

 

[TRDean]

so what? andy worked because he had to work. these kind of gifts (although it's not certain contador would have won..even if he normally is more explosive) hurt the sport. talk about anticlimax.

i think it had more to do with contador feeling bad about what happened the other day (which he shouldn't in my opinion).

there should be no mercy. too much talking going on between contador and andy.

Thats what ACF was talking about after he bent over for Cuddles...

 

[Francois the Postman]

Is that a country full of brothels and prostitutes?

You forgot drugs.

And yes, the tourists really seem to go for it.

 

[auscyclefan94]

so what? andy worked because he had to work. these kind of gifts (although it's not certain contador would have won..even if he normally is more explosive) hurt the sport. talk about anticlimax.

i think it had more to do with contador feeling bad about what happened the other day (which he shouldn't in my opinion).

there should be no mercy. too much talking going on between contador and andy.

we should put muzzlers on all the riders then?

No, its not. But if you do want to visit a hooker and finally get laid you can. Isn't that great?

No spamming or advertising of one's business on the net please!

 

[turtlesoup]

the best thing FS and AS can do is get away from bjarn riis.

 

[nia O'Malley]

This doesn't hurt the sport. This IS the sport. Get used to it.

Yup. 10 chars

 

[Francois the Postman]

Thats what ACF was talking about after he bent over for Cuddles...

And Cuddles came second again!

Sorry...sorry... open goal... I shouldn't but couldn't resist.....I'll log off now.