TDF Stage 9 - Tuesday, July 13 2010, Morzine-Avoriaz - Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne, 204 k

[Galic Ho]

Cadel needs a break, Since riding last years TDF he has:
- Rode the Vuelta (3rd)
- Won the World Champs
- Rode since the start of the season in good form including winning Fleche
- Rode the Giro (5th)

And is now back riding the TDF, his 4th GT in a row as well as riding all the one day classics in between.

I was saying this before the Giro. I was saying Cadel would have had 4 consecutive GTs notched up. Last guy to do that was Sastre and he payed eventually. Cadel isn't superhuman. Only thing to answer know is will he lose big chunks, will he pull out or will he somehow soldier on.

Tune in tomorrow to find out.

Oh and Cadel had to race the early season events. BMC needed wildcard entry into the big races. Evans got them that plus two leaders jerseys in the first two GT's. Not bad at all. 3 consecutive GT's and 3 leaders jerseys. Sure only for a day in each but he still wore them.

 

[BroDeal]

Maybe he wanted to honor the yellow jersey by trying to defend it as best as he could despite the broken arm? Maybe his tour is over now so there is no reason to keep it a secret anymore?

That and he might have hoped that the peloton would just ride tempo over the Madeleine because of the descent and flat finish. If anyone knew he had a broken arm then it would encourage them to up the pace. He might have hoped that he could get through several days in yellow, which would be valuable for the team.

Descending as fast as he did, risking a crash on an already broken arm, took some balls.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Gear down and come back for the Vuelta??

not sure bmc are going. but i think the guy needs rest to be honest. His season has been to full on. why not gain form around the wc, and give lombardia a serious go.

 

[Sydney Sider]

I love working-up suckers like you, bello.

I have respect for anybody on a bike. But a pussy is really a pussy you know.

Yeah the bloke must be a pussy riding a stage with a broken arm , we cant all be like you cowboy

 

[Galic Ho]

I love working-up suckers like you, bello.

I have respect for anybody on a bike. But a pussy is really a pussy you know.

There you go again. Real tough guy. Your comments indicate you have little respect and a minuscule intellect. You weren't being sarcastic...you left out the smilies. Only sucker here is you. Later chump.

 

[Crashes and punctures]

I see Brad as a kind of forlorn hope of Sky/British GC pretensions.

learn what we can get with him over the next couple of years and see if he can get on the podium but really its about learning so that Geraint and Kennaugh are in a good position for when Contador etc start getting on a bit.

No TTT, partic last year where it was early in the race, has cost Wiggins a lot vis a vis the other podium contenders.

He does seem to blow in style though. Once he's gone, quite a few dropped riders catch him up and overtake. He needs to find a way to take more pain and for much longer if he is going to get a podium spot in another year.

You could give him some tips on how to take pain.

Last year he didn't blow up big time and was just gradually distanced, which is why it was so impressive. That's what gives me hope that he might be able to turn it around in a future tour - all is not lost completely because he screwed it up this time. The pressure has obviously gotten to him this year but the fans should not write him off.

 

[rhubroma]

Yeah the bloke must be a pussy riding a stage with a broken arm , we cant all be like you cowboy

Broken bones are nothing compared to a broken heart.

Funny how every massive failure is chalked up to broken bones. I want to see the x-rays. Then I'll believe. Only then.

 

[rhubroma]

There you go again. Real tough guy. Your comments indicate you have little respect and a minuscule intellect. You weren't being sarcastic...you left out the smilies. Only sucker here is you. Later chump.

No kiss good-bye?

 

[TRDean]

Broken bones are nothing compared to a broken heart.

Funny how every massive failure is chalked up to broken bones. I want to see the x-rays. Then I'll believe. Only then.

To be honest..who cares if you believe?

 

[rhubroma]

To be honest..who cares if you believe?

In fact TRDean. So why do you?

 

[TRDean]

In fact TRDean. So why do you?

I don't but you are coming off as kind of a internet tuff...not usually your style...is it because you didn't hear it first on your precious RAI?

 

[search]

I think the winner will come from an early escape group because BMC won't be strong enough to bring them back and I don't really know which team could keep the pace high as the col de la madeleine is too far away from the finish to gain any huge advantages. Possibly Astana will keep the pace high to avoid attacks, but they will have no interest in bringing them back because Contador is not going to win this stage anyway. Especially if it rains.

I go for Sandy Casar tomorrow.

good Job Sandy

 

[roundabout]

I was overlly harsh on Evans. It's a shame about the injury.

 

[Nickbeam]

well, nice stage. too bad Denis lost around 50 secs after the Madeleine, i expected, that the margin at least won't grow. Lepheimer is stupid, if he didn't work with Menchov and Ges. that's something unexplainable. but anyway, Denis is the favourite for spot number 3. i don't believe Samu will survive in the 3rd week, he's killing himself right now.

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

Not sure why people are bagging on Cadel. The guy's super tough.

 

[rhubroma]

I don't but you are coming off as kind of a internet tuff...not usually your style...is it because you didn't hear it first on your precious RAI?

No it is simply because I'm feeling a bit devious today.

But hey, TRDean, you have to admit that my "precious RAI" is a tad bit better than Phil and Paul. No?

 

[Elagabalus]

he might as well drop out. Though I'm not sure the wc can really be realistic goal this year. Course isn't for him.

Because his year is already in the toilet?! Just a little humor at a bad time ...

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

Leipheimer focused on wheelsucking again. The guy's the least inspiring rider in the peloton. If there's one rider I hope gets absolutely dropped for 30 minutes, he's the one. Well...other than Armstrong.

 

[rhubroma]

Not sure why people are bagging on Cadel. The guy's super tough.

Super tough? Because from the Outback?

 

[Hotbrakes]

Then there were 2. AC and AS are in a different league. How important will the stage 2 protest be to Andy's chance of victory?

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

Super tough? Because from the Outback?

There's a line between funny and douchy. You passed it about 10 posts ago. It's a shame because you're a good poster 99% of the time.

 

[Publicus]

Did you hear RadioShack has the strongest team in the mountains?

Indeed. With Liquigas a close second.

 

[Winterfold]

You could give him some tips on how to take pain.

rereading that back I can see how it came across - what I meant was his only option to improve his standings is to last 5 minutes longer on the last climb of a difficult stage. He can't drop his weight, he probably can't increase his power, marginal gains are not going to get him that kind of time.

To get on a GT podium we either learns to deal with pain more, or does the other thing

It may well be that he is already taking all the pain that anyone can (although looking at Cuddles I suspect not), in which the only 'option' would be 'the other thing'.

I guess Sky could pay the UCI a lot of money to reinstate the TTT, have 2 ITTs plus prologue (although they ballsed that completely by trying to be clever) and less hilltop finishes. That would be another way.

 

[ruamruam]

Why does Leipheimer never get a sun tan?

Because he rides in the shadows of others

 

[ak-zaaf]

I want to see the x-rays. Then I'll believe. Only then.

What I said, pics or it didn't happen.

Half the peloton is bruised and broken. Or has a mild illness during a GT. Or sees a bike change go wrong. Or is being ganged up on when they really aren't.

For most of the guys that's cycling. For Evans that's why he lost.


Kudos to Lotto for picking VDB2 to be their leader this year right after last TDF when they thought Evans would still be on their team.
Aerts is doing great, Lloyd is doing great and VDB2 has done better than most expected. Moreno is a bit disappointing, but still. Riding around without whiners like Evans and Hoste seems to pay off for them so far.