Team strategies for Friday?

[richwagmn]

Trying to think of team strategies for this Friday's stage. I have no good ones but (actually they're all bad)...

Astana: Ride hard tempo, launch LA/AC at end. So many bullets for these guys.

Saxo: Follow Astana, wait for leading group and let Andy go nuts? Do they try to ride tempo?

Garmin: Just bide time.

Cervelo: Sastre waits for last week?

Silence-Lotto: Evans just needs to wait. Or does he attack and Astana let other teams chase?

 

[Baggins27]

Trying to think of team strategies for this Friday's stage. I have no good ones but (actually they're all bad)...

Astana: Ride hard tempo, launch LA/AC at end. So many bullets for these guys.

Saxo: Follow Astana, wait for leading group and let Andy go nuts? Do they try to ride tempo?

Garmin: Just bide time.

Cervelo: Sastre waits for last week?

Silence-Lotto: Evans just needs to wait. Or does he attack and Astana let other teams chase?

I think Astana and Saxo will keep the pace high and then let battle commence.......


At the moment I can't see any other pattern to Friday's stage. It should be a cracker though.

 

[Amsterhammer]

Will any of the teams seriously try to reel in Moncoutié, whom I expect to set off on an expedition. Tony Martin might have a go too, though I don't think they'd let him get too far up the road.

 

[dgodave]

Silence-Lotto: wait. follow. NO attacks. let Evens suck as much wheel as he can find. Keep him as fresh as possible until Ventoux, and then just unleash everything... see if it works.
.

 

[benpounder]

Astana will most likely keep their powder dry until Friday where they can set a blistering, but consistant pace and ride others off the back. Not enough uphill road for Evans, Menchov, or Sastre to target it, but I wouldnt be surprised if they try and follow.

Arroyo, Pellizotti, Kreuziger, Schlecklet, or Tony Martin would be my picks for the most likely to attack on that 1km 6.5% grade just before the finish.

 

[Mellow Velo]

Good Question, but few variables, I'd say.
Where Astana and Saxo lead, others will follow.

I'm wondering how much following of tomorrow's break, will Saxo do?

Might be an idea to save energy and let the maillot jeune pass to some unsuspecting French guy, so his team can be chewed up, chasing Friday's inevitable breakaways, over the earlier and tougher climbs.

I just can't see any way of staying ahead of the trains, for any noteworthy rider.
It has to be the late, late show, on Arcalis and, to do that, a rider first has to survive the drive.

 

[Anonymous]

I think Astana and Saxo will keep the pace high and then let battle commence.......


At the moment I can't see any other pattern to Friday's stage. It should be a cracker though.

Yea, because of the profile and the constant climb to even begin the final climb, it will be on Saxo to set the pace until Astana take over the tempo and really whittle the group down (if they want to have the yellow Friday). Then again, from what I have read, the final 10K aren't super hard and we could see one of those groups of 5 or so not being able to drop each other and riding in together.

I for one hope to see Contador attack and take charge, but they may still want to see Lance in yellow. I don't think Spartacus will be one of the 5 or so. Unfortunately, neither will Gesink....

 

[Mellow Velo]

The final 10kms:-


Not how I remember it. Thought it got tougher in the mid-section, before easing back at the top....

Best climb is at Km 127.0, Col de Serra-Seca, a 7.7 km climb to 7.1 %, but almost 100km from the finish.

 

[frizzlefry]

Silence-Lotto: wait. follow. NO attacks. let Evens suck as much wheel as he can find.
.

He's pretty good at that.

 

[Anonymous]

I've never ridden it, but the interesting part to me is the fact that the last 68K are uphill pretty steady, at least from the profile. That little ramp at 195K looks pretty fun.

 

[dgodave]

He's pretty good at that.

Exactly. Play to his strengths. But he will have to unleash a monster attack at some point.... unless he gets really lucky. Save everything for Ventoux.
.

 

[Baggins27]

I've never ridden it, but the interesting part to me is the fact that the last 68K are uphill pretty steady, at least from the profile. That little ramp at 195K looks pretty fun.

Profiles like that just make me think............... "ouch". There will be some tired looking guys finishing on Friday.

 

[frizzlefry]

Exactly. Play to his strengths. But he will have to unleash a monster attack at some point.... unless he gets really lucky. Save everything for Ventoux.
.

I dont think he has a monster attack in him. Has he ever?

 

[dgodave]

I dont think he has a monster attack in him. Has he ever?

True. Bad choice of words. He just needs to see if he can ride people off his wheel on a long enough climb. Obviously this is a long shot. But what else can he do?
.

 

[Cobblestones]

Contador would have to hope for someone to attack so he can counter and thereby leave LA (and LL and possibly Kloden) in the dust. Maybe he'll call Valverde who can fix something with Caisse. They still owe him one.

 

[richwagmn]

True. Bad choice of words. He just needs to see if he can ride people off his wheel on a long enough climb. Obviously this is a long shot. But what else can he do?
.

Beg his way onto a good team? Learn to be a team leader? Has the physical ability but lacking in team leader skills.

 

[Publicus]

Yea, because of the profile and the constant climb to even begin the final climb, it will be on Saxo to set the pace until Astana take over the tempo and really whittle the group down (if they want to have the yellow Friday). Then again, from what I have read, the final 10K aren't super hard and we could see one of those groups of 5 or so not being able to drop each other and riding in together.

I for one hope to see Contador attack and take charge, but they may still want to see Lance in yellow. I don't think Spartacus will be one of the 5 or so. Unfortunately, neither will Gesink....

I don't see how Contador isn't fired up for this stage. In Spain, the fans will be going nuts. He may not throw down the gauntlet, but I surely expect him to pick it up. Definitely going to be going into the office late Friday morning and whatever happens it will be one of the more unproductive days I've had in a long time.

 

[richwagmn]

Contador would have to hope for someone to attack so he can counter and thereby leave LA (and LL and possibly Kloden) in the dust. Maybe he'll call Valverde who can fix something with Caisse. They still owe him one.

But what do you think the arrangement is with LA and AC? Are both free to go? Does Bruyneel control who goes and when? I can't wrap my head around Astana's strategy with two leaders.

 

[Publicus]

Contador would have to hope for someone to attack so he can counter and thereby leave LA (and LL and possibly Kloden) in the dust. Maybe he'll call Valverde who can fix something with Caisse. They still owe him one.

Luis Sanchez is one of his good friends and I expect him to be in the mix on Friday.

 

[workingclasshero]

Astana will most likely keep their powder dry until Friday where they can set a blistering, but consistant pace and ride others off the back. Not enough uphill road for Evans, Menchov, or Sastre to target it, but I wouldnt be surprised if they try and follow.

Arroyo, Pellizotti, Kreuziger, Schlecklet, or Tony Martin would be my picks for the most likely to attack on that 1km 6.5% grade just before the finish.

i'd be surprised if they didn't!!

think evans will give it a go or two, then settle down. he's not got a lot to lose now anyway. don't think him or sastre can wait for last week never mind mont ventoux if they fancy a shot at winning. even the podium will be hard work if they don't pull a few secs back here and there.

menchov is so far out of it that he could almost change target to the KoM now (if he was allowed)

 

[Publicus]

But what do you think the arrangement is with LA and AC? Are both free to go? Does Bruyneel control who goes and when? I can't wrap my head around Astana's strategy with two leaders.

I honestly think it is going to come down to who is feeling good when the road kicks up to 8.7% (just at the start of the switch backs). The grade favors a Contador attack, so we could see Sastre go for a long bomb.

 

[dgodave]

Beg his way onto a good team? Learn to be a team leader? Has the physical ability but lacking in team leader skills.

He thinks and rides like the MTB racer he once was (I say that as a mostly MTB racer myself). Every climb is like an uphil TT rather than a road race.
.

 

[Anonymous]

I don't see how Contador isn't fired up for this stage. In Spain, the fans will be going nuts. He may not throw down the gauntlet, but I surely expect him to pick it up. Definitely going to be going into the office late Friday morning and whatever happens it will be one of the more unproductive days I've had in a long time.

Excellent point....the American forgets about national pride........I will be sentenced to two weeks of watching Fox News....

 

[Publicus]

Excellent point....the American forgets about national pride........I will be sentenced to two weeks of watching Fox News....

Perhaps I can pardon you. Fox News is cruel and unusual punishment.

 

[Snake8]

But what do you think the arrangement is with LA and AC? Are both free to go? Does Bruyneel control who goes and when? I can't wrap my head around Astana's strategy with two leaders.

LA already said they will both be protected to the base of the final then they will see who has the legs to go. I dont think you'll see AC/LA attacking each other except as a counter attack. Only real question is whether they send someone up the road early and who it might be. Kind of tough when all the good riders on the team are already top ten. Maybe Popo goes up the road to ride for the stronger of the LA/AC....