TDF Stage 19 - Saturday, July 24 2010, Bordeaux - Pauillac, 51 km ITT

[Bobby G]

If Andy was riding Shimano he would have won the TDF. Their front derailer mechanism is so damn smooth... this makes me cry a little bit.

Ok, why was Alberto 5 minutes slower than Fabian this year, for the time trial, but last year he beats Fabian???

The wind changed direction, simple as. Obviously he wasn't as strong this year anyway, but that's the main reason.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

So, looking at your stats, it is your suggestion that Gesink beating Ryder by 45 seconds is impressive? I would suggest that with your attitude about Ryder, stating that Gesink rode well considering the guy he only beat by 45 seconds is some second rate nobody, unworthy of consideration (even though he beat your fancy little Tommy D on the biggest mountain stage AND in both the prologue and TT), is one that would suggest that Gesink's ride was a total disappointment.

Dude, Hesjedal rode a very suprising Tour and nobody expected him in 7th.

That doesn't mean Gesink rode a bad tour just because he 'only' finished 45 seconds ahead of him Then according to that logic most of the Tour field is an embarressment and should stop their careers because they lost to Hesjedal Or any hope they ever are going to do well in any sort of race.

 

[bobs nob]

Why wouldn't this be a legitimate win for AC to some?

Looking at the TT results, AS would have still lost with 8 seconds. End of story.

In case you didn't pick up on it, the guy who said that is just a sourgrapes Fan of a certain guy who's address is going to be a penitentiary for alittle while.

He's just baiting.

 

[nia O'Malley]

If Andy was riding Shimano he would have won the TDF. Their front derailer mechanism is so damn smooth... this makes me cry a little bit.

Ok, why was Alberto 5 minutes slower than Fabian this year, for the time trial, but last year he beats Fabian???

Wind change. Pay attention

 

[Anonymous]

Not according to Ryder himself, but maybe you don't think MTB counts? Winning one of the most prestigious world cup events at age 22, and second in world champs at 23 suggests maybe he's telling the truth when he claims to be pro since age 19...

Anyhow, quit baiting the poor dutchies.

Yea, they are celebrating 6th place in the TdF ahead of a Canadian nobody!...WAHOOOO!!!!!!

 

[reubenr]

Disagree - the tour has been dominated by skinny climbers for a few years now. Stick in another long ITT (e.g. '80s style 60km+) and you should get more fireworks in the mountains as the Schlecks and Contadors try to put extra time into the TT specialists.



Agree. But "too many" is about 75km more than this year

Whatever! Screw around with the Tour any more than they do now and the race will only become more and more uninteresting. The problem with too many time trials is the situation that you looked at today. There can be huge differences between the early and late starters. Assuming that everyone knows which way the wind blows in Bordeaux, the organizers tried to do their best to make it somewhat interesting, but pretty much assured the winners of the stage, as the forums can pretty much attest.

In short, the TDF is a circus and Contador is Claude Kirschner. He's screwing around with everyone. Do the math. 39 seconds means something. Figure it out. It won't be hard to do.

 

[sublimit]

Vaughters' twitter on Wiggo:

"Not to spoil everyone's Wiggo bashing, but considering the wind increase today, I'd say Wiggo actually was on par with the top 3 guys."

Cancellara, Martin were nailed on today, Wiggans when on form can get in there, Dave Millar can TT when fresh also but he is on his knees..

 

[Train in Spain]

Keeping aside all the chaingate comments. The Spa stage was the most critical this year with the neutralisation. If not Menchov would have won the tour and Hushovd would have won the Green Jersey. So people who keep on talking about the Chain event should do well to remember this.

Ifs and Buts . . . all sport is the same. If Menchov had been in Yellow for the Pyrenees then Astana and Saxo Bank would have changed their tactics to get it back. All those stages where they rode at Tempo instead of attacking would have been changed and seen Menchov distanced by the necessary amount.

 

[ansimi]

Good stage

The wind must have changed quite dramatically with some pretty topsy-turvy results but the top standings for the stage and for the GC guys look right.

Pretty good tour. I hope we get some fun tomorrow.

 

[Moondance]

Yea, they are celebrating 6th place in the TdF ahead of a Canadian nobody!...WAHOOOO!!!!!!

Better than moping that our man finished behind a Belgian nobody

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Yea, they are celebrating 6th place in the TdF ahead of a Canadian nobody!...WAHOOOO!!!!!!

We are celebrating the 6th place in the TDF because it's the first top proper GC rider in the Tour we had since 1998

Man you are thick

 

[euanli]

If Andy was riding Shimano he would have won the TDF. Their front derailer mechanism is so damn smooth... this makes me cry a little bit.

Ok, why was Alberto 5 minutes slower than Fabian this year, for the time trial, but last year he beats Fabian???

Keep posting that rubbish, you might fool someone eventually.

There was a big hill in the TT last year, pan flat this year.
The there was a good bit of wind after Cancellara and Martin completed their times which affected all the later riders.
Last year Contador drafted all the TV motos quite effectively for his entire TT. There wasn't that this year.

 

[Anonymous]

Dude, Hesjedal rode a very suprising Tour and nobody expected him in 7th.

That doesn't mean Gesink rode a bad tour just because he 'only' finished 45 seconds ahead of him Then according to that logic most of the Tour field is an embarressment and should stop their careers because they lost to Hesjedal Or any hope they ever are going to do well in any sort of race.

Look, I am not the one downplaying Ryder's accomplishment. That was you. All of my posts about Gesink were in reference to your posts about Ryder. I actually believe they both did well, but I didn't start throwing around doping allegations because my guy almost got beat. That was you.

 

[MKirilenko]

Wind change. Pay attention

Wind change, dead flat, more KM

 

[theyoungest]

Dude, Hesjedal rode a very suprising Tour and nobody expected him in 7th.

That doesn't mean Gesink rode a bad tour just because he 'only' finished 45 seconds ahead of him Then according to that logic most of the Tour field is an embarressment and should stop their careers because they lost to Hesjedal Or any hope they ever are going to do well in any sort of race.

Dude, relax. These people probably don't even believe themselves that Hesjedal will ever be a better GC rider than Gesink (I don't think even Hesjedal himself believes that). Let them be proud of this totally unexpected result which will probably never be repeated.

 

[VoidSix]

Why wouldn't this be a legitimate win for AC to some?

Doesn't stage 2 and 3 count all of a sudden?
Ok, I'll ignore them.

Now when AS attacked before his chain fell off Vino was countering easily and AC was closing the gap fast after being surprised. The Tourmalet has proven that AS' attack would have been futile. So if his chain didn't fell off AS would have led with 31 seconds after that stage. Unless AC decided to attack after AS' attack failed, but we'll never know.

Contador would have probably won the stage on Tourmalet if Chaingate didn't happen. Let's just say that AS would have been able to hold his 31 second lead after the Tourmalet going into the Time Trial.

Looking at the TT results, AS would have still lost with a second. End of story.

AS attack would've been futile? What about the other time he attacked Contador and took ten seconds? I don't think it's safe to say it would've been futile, and Andy wasn't losing any bike lengths to Contador until the chain debate.

I am not saying Andy should've won the tour, but I think he was slightly stronger in the mountains and probably the stronger rider overall this year. Yellow jersey doesn't always mean you're the better rider, just like 3rd place didn't mean Lance was actually third best last year (you'd have to think Frank Schleck / Wiggins / Kloden were better individuals). It's still the yellow jersey, though.

Not to mention Andy would've had the advantage of starting after Contador if he hadn't dropped his chain, which might have been enough right there.

 

[scribe]

Cadel @ 166th place in this ITT

::acf-flacid::

 

[saganftw]

garmin keeps coming with surprising top 10 riders VdV,wiggins now hesjedal...im looking forward to next year

 

[animefan]

It is ironic that if the peloton had not waited on stage 2 Menchov would be in yellow now...

Menchov fell 0 times this tour \o/

 

[saganftw]

Menchov fell 0 times this tour \o/

gesink too

 

[Moondance]

garmin keeps coming with surprising top 10 riders VdV,wiggins now hesjedal...im looking forward to next year

Robbie Hunter FTT10!!!!

 

[dsut4392]

If Andy was riding Shimano he would have won the TDF. Their front derailer mechanism is so damn smooth... this makes me cry a little bit.

What a crock. If there really were such a difference, Andy would have been riding shimano (rebadged as SRAM of course, just like many other riders past and present have used gear rebadged with their sponsor's logos).

Ok, why was Alberto 5 minutes slower than Fabian this year, for the time trial, but last year he beats Fabian???

Cancellara has been doing --work pulling the team compared to last year, there was ++wind for later starts this year, and --hills compared to last year last year. End of story.

 

[Anonymous]

We are celebrating the 6th place in the TDF because it's the first top proper GC rider in the Tour we had since 1998

Man you are thick

I'm thick? You are the one that was poo pooing the guy who only finished 45 seconds behind your guy. I would suggest that you, ACF, and both of your sour grapes doping allegations about the people who challenge your heroes is the thick part.

 

[luckyboy]

Would've been interesting to see where Menchov would've finished if there was the normal amount of TT's.

Anyway, chapeau Schleck for that TT. Kinda weird seeing how bad he was in the prologue though.

Pretty good Tour (compared to recent Tours) overall though

 

[scribe]

Dude, relax. These people probably don't even believe themselves that Hesjedal will ever be a better GC rider than Gesink (I don't think even Hesjedal himself believes that). Let them be proud of this totally unexpected result which will probably never be repeated.

I say Ryder can actually improve. He has grown much mentally. I like him to podium in the future