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

[ak-zaaf]

Lots of Cadel hate from the Dutch. Why? Gesink is in a great position coming into the harder mountains, where he will likely excel.

I think Gesink will separate himself from chaff like Leipheimer in the Pyrenees. I think he's looking good for a podium spot. He'll pass Sanchez, Leipheimer, and maybe VdB2. Not sure about Menchov.

Well, let's see if he can stay on his bike first.

 

[theyoungest]

i can see levi following the wheels all the way to paris

I don't. He'll have to let go on the Tourmalet, if not sooner.

 

[rhubroma]

Alright, I take it all back. Evans had a hellish day. Hats off.

No, seriously, the guy has the worst luck. I honestly don't recall a cyclist with his abilities that nothing ever goes right for and for so many years in a row. His career has been mostly about failures. Giro 2002. Tour 2008. Vuelta 2009. Giro 2010. Tour 2010. Or am I mistaken?

 

[badboyberty]

Lots of Cadel hate from the Dutch. Why? ....

I suspect ACF might be the root of that.

 

[Thee_chisa]

Well, let's see if he can stay on his bike first.

yeah, he is bound to fall off sooner or later either him menchov or both of 'em

 

[theyoungest]

Well, let's see if he can stay on his bike first.

And now the Dutch turn against their own

 

[step23]

Gesink pulled out of last year's Tour with a broken arm, didn't he? What a wuss.

Curse of the Rainbow Jersey caught him? That's a pity he was so happy in yellow, I thought he keeps it longer.

 

[Thee_chisa]

sastre bad day today too, he has had it.

 

[Thee_chisa]

where's ACF?

 

[goggalor]

I think the person who wrote that was being sarcastic. I don't think he meant the Wuss thing to be taken seriously.

Correct, I don't think any of them are wusses...

In fact, I'm a bit of a fan of both Cadel and Gesink.

 

[Cobblestones]

Curse of the Rainbow Jersey caught him? That's a pity he was so happy in yellow, I thought he keeps it longer.

They should just send him another stuffed lion. That surely will cheer him up. He likes them so much.

Anyway, I think he did very well considering the injury. He lived up to the yellow. But I think it might be better for him to pull out now. Heal and regenerate. Maybe he'll come back for the end of the season.

 

[Arnout]

over 50k, i don't think he is as good as some of the others around him

Sanchez is normally very strong in the third week and in that week he can battle for victory in time trials. And don't be fooled by thinking he went too deep today. Last Vuelta he went very deep in one stage, only to be the best climber to the Pandera in the next stage. Sanchez is very good in recovering, even in race.

 

[Thee_chisa]

They should just send him another stuffed lion. That surely will cheer him up. He likes them so much.

Anyway, I think he did very well considering the injury. He lived up to the yellow. But I think it might be better for him to pull out now. Heal and regenerate. Maybe he'll come back for the end of the season.

not really, considering what a great season he has had, - there is more to cycling than the tour de france.

 

[Barrus]

Best moment of the stage was in the commentary on Sporza, they were talking about Hincapie and USPS, some paraphrasing, but this is how I remember it:

He used to be the last man in the mountians for Armstrong. He was really strong in the mountains, but hey all the USPS riders were. But well, that was before the time of the bloodpassport. None of them really can do that since

I was really laughing at that point.

Other good things:
The moment of the picture of Cadel that was posted earlier, with Morabito.
Voigt really giving everything to pull along AC and AS for a few more kilometres.
The water bottle exchange between Gutierrez and Contador.
The battle of Pineau for as much points as possible
Charteau taking the Madeleine

 

[jaylew]

i still worry about menchov, i can't see him or sanchez going for #3.

out of the current top 10 i think s sanchez can't timetrial, same with VDB and gesink.

He's certainly not fantastic, but Sanchez can TT quite well when on form. He was 2nd in the final TT in the Vuelta last year, just 5" behind Millar and 6th in the first one. He's won several TTs in his career including one at the Vuelta. I'd rate him right in the middle among the currrent top-10, ahead of Basso, VdB, Rodriguez, Schleck, and Gesink.

I know you continue to doubt him, but he's usually strongest in the 3rd week of a GT so it will be interesting to see how he goes. I was tempted to say he looked like he was peaking early, but his form going into the Tour didn't look good at all. I figure he will stay in a podium position.


*Edit* I see a bunch of people beat me to it.

 

[Thee_chisa]

Sanchez is normally very strong in the third week and in that week he can battle for victory in time trials. And don't be fooled by thinking he went too deep today. Last Vuelta he went very deep in one stage, only to be the best climber to the Pandera in the next stage. Sanchez is very good in recovering, even in race.

i must admit to not having much faith in SS, but i am coming round to him, i was shouting him on today as he tried to catch the leaders. i like his spirit, he has guts and desire.

 

[hrotha]

Contrary to everybody else, I think Wiggins's performance this year is a very nice surprise.

I feel sorry for Evans.

 

[Bumeington]

Nice job of work Lance did for Levi.
I think Buffalo did more work for Alberto than LA did for LL.

Buffalo is Jose Enrique Gutierrez who was 2nd to Basso in the Giro 2006 NOT Jose Ivan Gutierrez who featured in today's breakaway

 

[Jamsque]

Millar last man home. Riding with broken ribs.

I didn't even realise Millar had had a crash, when did that happen? He was nearly ten minutes behind the next slowest guy, he must have ridden most of the Madeleine on his own. I'm amazed he's still in the race.

 

[Thee_chisa]

Contrary to everybody else, I think Wiggins's performance this year is a very nice surprise.

I feel sorry for Evans.

i can see him getting top 10, maybe top 5 if he is lucky and others aren't. top 10 deffo though. shame for cadel, but he does this. the jour sans rears its ugly head again

 

[kurtinsc]

I don't. He'll have to let go on the Tourmalet, if not sooner.

Levi is looking to be in prime wheel-sucking form to be honest.

He's not going to be able to go with the quick acceleration attacks, but I think he'll be able to suck the strongest climbers who diesel up the climbs. He's done that so far, and hasn't looked like he's been struggling overly in doing so.

 

[Thee_chisa]

I didn't even realise Millar had had a crash, when did that happen? He was nearly ten minutes behind the next slowest guy, he must have ridden most of the Madeleine on his own. I'm amazed he's still in the race.

cobbles or spa stage i think

 

[cow_penalty]

http://www.bmc-racing.com/int-en/te...ce-stage-9-evans-raced-with-broken-elbow.html

13. July 2010

Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne, France

A fracture in his left elbow kept Cadel Evans of the BMC Racing Team from defending his lead Tuesday on a challenging mountain stage at the Tour de France.

Final Climb Too Difficult
The world champion lost contact on the slopes of the Col de la Madeleine and saw the yellow jersey slip from his shoulders after only one day in the lead. After Evans arrived at the finish in 42nd place, 8:09 behind stage winner Sandy Casar (Francaise Des Jeux), BMC Racing Team President Jim Ochowicz revealed Evans had broken his elbow in a crash in the opening kilometers of Sunday's stage.

Teammates Didn't Know
"We decided not to tell anybody about it and try and fake it through the race," Ochowicz said. "We didn't want to let our competitors know and have them attacking him during the race on the early climbs. We weren't sure what the outcome was going to be. He doesn't have full mobility in his elbow, so he had difficulty staying with the group. At the end, the injury just overwhelmed him."

Suffering, But With Pleasure
Evans said he did his best on the 204-kilometer stage, given the circumstances. "I wasn't at the same level as I was on Stage 8," he said. "I had a big crash at the start of that day and I'm really paying for the consequences from that. I suffer on my bike every day but I do it with pleasure. The guys and the team have supported me and believed in me in this whole project. I'm so sorry to have let them all down."

Evans Will Continue
BMC Racing Team's Dr. Max Testa said X-rays taken Sunday at a clinic in Morzine revealed the fracture. Evans will continue in the race unless there is a risk of permanent damage, Testa said. "It's a stable fracture – small – but very painful," he said. "Cadel is a super tough guy so he managed very well. He did as much as any human could do."

 

[Publicus]

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

Especially with his climbing style. That took a ton of balls not to get off the bike on a 25KM climb and then bomb the descent. He did the yellow jersey proud today. Chapeau Cuddles! Now pack your bags and he'd back to Italy for a well deserved break.

 

[Cobblestones]

not really, considering what a great season he has had, - there is more to cycling than the tour de france.

Well, yeah, that's what I said, isn't it? Pull out of the TdF now and focus on the later part of this season. There's plenty of good races still coming up.