Tour de France 2011 Stage 7: Le Mans - Châteauroux 218 km

[H2OUUP2]

That's when you have the MJ and a sprinter. Normally you'd just keep the break within ~5 minutes and let the sprinters' teams do the rest. But if you want it all, you just have to work harder. JV should stop whining.

.........And cut those sideburns. Seriously?

 

[just some guy]

Does look pretty cr@p on the roads again

 

[H2OUUP2]

Looks wet again. With 21 stages though over 23 days, you have to expect a couple wet days....oh well.

 

[roundabout]

It should be better than it was today.

It s a light improvement which is expected today but she sky remains grey the major part of the day. Clouds persist and only some bright periods form but they remain discreet. Showers occur and remain rarer and more low in intensity than for the stage of yesterday.

 

[riobonito92]

I think Garmin will refuse to chase. JV has hinted at that and the team are possibly too tired anyway. Also, if they spend the first 2/3 of the day on the front they won't have a lead-out train and so will have a lreduced chance of a stage win.

Lotto won't (shouldn't)do any work on the front either.

 

[2wheels]

Maybe tomorrow will be the day for some bickering over who controls the peloton. I'd love it if Garmin just sat up and let a big break go-- and in fact they should stick someone like Danielson or Hejsedal in it, and then sit back and see who chases. It's a bit of a gamble, but I'm guessing that the sprint teams would blink first and that Garmin could have an easy day, and still get towed up to the front in time for Thor to contest the sprints. Do it JV! and then shave. . .

 

[Mambo95]

You'd think Cav wouldn't bother with the intermediate, but he'll probably think he's good enough to win both and go for it, if an opportunity presents itself and HTC don't have to work too hard. Gilbert will certainly go for it, Rojas too.

I really think that the intermediate will be much like the intermediates of old (when the bunch was together), with only two or three riders bothering. HTC just need to make sure the break takes the top places so Cav only loses a point or two.

 

[goggalor]

My guess is that HTC won't catch the break until after the sprint and Cav will just sit on JJ's wheel and follow him over the line with minimal effort, happy to take a one point loss. It's quite possible that they'll be the only ones who bother with it (maybe Gilbert).

Rojas will definitely bother.

 

[Bavarianrider]

Should be the frist real borefest of the Tour. But hey, the first week has really been good so far.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Cav.

Duh.

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

Maybe tomorrow will be the day for some bickering over who controls the peloton. I'd love it if Garmin just sat up and let a big break go-- and in fact they should stick someone like Danielson or Hejsedal in it, and then sit back and see who chases. It's a bit of a gamble, but I'm guessing that the sprint teams would blink first and that Garmin could have an easy day, and still get towed up to the front in time for Thor to contest the sprints. Do it JV! and then shave. . .

Don't remember last years tour of qatar?

When you start ******ing about with traditional race roles and ettiquet, you lose the right to complain when people attack your misfortune later on.

 

[H2OUUP2]

Don't remember last years tour of qatar?

When you start ******ing about with traditional race roles and ettiquet, you lose the right to complain when people attack your misfortune later on.

Exactly. You have the yellow jersey. Quit complaining and Drive the bus. And then shave. . .

 

[Anonymous]

Im tempted not to tune in till about 3pm, BUT

There are five or six level crossings in the first 100km. Level crossings and rain/wind are always good for a laugh.

Or maybe the organisers will get it wrong and the peloton will get held up and lose ten minutes to a breakway group.

Maybe a level crossings jersey is called for, 3,2, and 1 for the first three riders over each one.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

how is the weather going to be next days? I hope for heatwave in central massive

 

[Boardslide]

hoping for a split/ break on the sprint.

also want everyone in the peleton to refuse to work, garmin for 50km then make HTC earn it.

riobonito92 "I think Garmin will refuse to chase. JV has hinted at that and the team are possibly too tired anyway. Also, if they spend the first 2/3 of the day on the front they won't have a lead-out train and so will have a lreduced chance of a stage win.

Lotto won't (shouldn't)do any work on the front either. "


Why should Garmin be allowed such special treatment, they've been wanting to be in this position for so long (top dog's) on GC & with a top sprinter that they should take their responsibilities seriously and work on the front for the win.

Over the years when HTC spend hours on the front because of having Cav for the sprint no one is concerned about them being too tired to be able to form a train. Garmin should man up & shut up. This is what being at the top entails. Lotto should also be up there with no free pass.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

exactly. it's not as if garmin has any strong gc guys, they should go 100% for flat stages and keeping yellow and stop whining

 

[TourOfSardinia]

Maybe a level crossings jersey is called for, 3,2, and 1 for the first three riders over each one. Sponsored by SNCF

surely Thomas Tank would take that jersey

 

[Captain_Cavman]

It's a Garmin and HTC day. Cavendish is looking a big favourite for every flattish sprint now so there's no point anyone else towing him to the line. But obviously Garmin won't want to lose yellow cheaply either. They'll have to come to some arrangement or lose out.

 

[krismtb]

Nice. This route goes right through the town I used to live in back when I was a kid - Ecueille! Too bad I won't be there.

 

[Cobblestones]

Why would the peloton allow a break which includes a Garmin rider?

And when Garmin refuses to chase, they likely just screw Thor out of yellow.

 

[goggalor]

Garmin will chase tomorrow, but after that I doubt we'll see them on the front again.

 

[Archibald]

I feel Siwfty will show everyone why was he picked for this Tour. Anyway the Tour experience will be massive bonus for him. Something like Thomas last year, and now going from streght to streght.

Swifty's been leading Thomas in their train so far and it worked well today, so I doubt they'd change it while EBH is looking this good

I am very curious to see how the intermediate sprint plays out so close to the finish.

does make you wonder at 26kms from the end. I can't see them reforming the trains in that time, so doubt they'll do much for it other than motor through

Lotto won't (shouldn't)do any work on the front either.

but you know they will...

exactly. it's not as if garmin has any strong gc guys, they should go 100% for flat stages and keeping yellow and stop whining

tut tut to be forgetting CvV!

 

[Libertine Seguros]

tut tut to be forgetting CvV!

He said strong guys for the GC. VDV is a secondary, at best, challenger.

 

[goggalor]

It would be perfect for Farrar if Cav and the rest duke it out for the sprint points. Since he's done in the points comp he can kick back and be fresh for the final.

 

[craig1985]

I think I won't bother watching this. Highlights for me.