Tour de France 2011 Stage 9: Issoire - Saint-Flour 208 km

[LaFleur]

Mollema, Uran and Coppel all losing ground, looks like a two-way race for the white with only 51 seconds separating

 

[hfer07]

hoogie and flecha riding into the finish together. probably discussing sharing lawyer costs.

& their teams backing up the fees too

 

[Bala Verde]

was that gesink giving lulu a big hug during the interview?

yes...........

 

[thirteen]

This stage really p*sses me off. What the hell is wrong with this Tour?

God f***ing damnit.

i agree.

i'm honestly not sure if i care any more... it's all a bit of a travesty.

 

[ggusta]

hoogie and flecha riding into the finish together. probably discussing sharing lawyer costs.

don't know how it works in europe, but in the US, the lawyer works on contingency for them in this situation, afaik.

 

[MonteCristo]

get a grip..

wow, now that you say that it is clear that I truly was just swinging at the fences. I now, firmly, have got a grip and I can see things clearer now! Thank you! Very constructive, insightful and well thought out response.

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

I only saw the last 5 minutes of the race, so I missed a ton.

Besides Flecha and Hoogerland, was anyone else involved when the car knocked them down? What a mess.

Then I saw a lot of entries in this thread about Conti getting flicked by another rider. What happened there?

 

[dlwssonic]

schlecks should attack as soon as possible as contador has bad form now.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

andy will win this race so easy imo

 

[dlwssonic]

andy will win this race so easy imo

I hope cadel can get a podium

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

omfg gesink in white despite being in the grupetto

 

[ggusta]

they need a new award for today. the "it's a freaking miracle you're still alive" award to flecha and hoog.

The car driver gets the 'Thanks for ruining our national effing tradition on worldwide television award, you already have a million hits on youtube, A-Hole' award.

 

[Dutchsmurf]

don't know how it works in europe, but in the US, the lawyer works on contingency for them in this situation, afaik.

The insurance company pays for this, or that is how it would be in the Netherlands. I guess both teams got an insurance covering legal costs (excluding legal costs for doping and the like of course).

 

[Parrulo]

andy will win this race so easy imo

it is looking more and more like that

 

[roundabout]

andy will win this race so easy imo

Nothing a rest day can't fix.

 

[Animal]

Boardman excellent on ITV4.

On Voeckler's riding style: "He looks like a monkey climbing a stick"

 

[Jamsque]

The lead groups from the peloton at the finish:

Gilbert
Velits
Evans
Schleck A
Martin
Schleck F
Cunego
Taaramae
Contador
Danielson
Samu
Peraud
De Weert

+8
Roche
Leipheimer
Ruijgh
Jeannesson
Gesink
Thomas
Basso
Kloden

Uran and CVV at +31
Karpets at +36

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

I don't see Contador having the form to stay with Schleck. Perhaps I am wrong.

 

[Greenflame]

What a weird, weird day... Crazy crashes, wheel suckers, neutralizations, homicidal car drivers, ... This day had it all.

Contador again didn't impress me though. I know it's hard to draw conclusions from stages like this, but I'm starting to believe the podium might be Schleck-Evans-Schleck in the end. Too early to tell of course, but it's this kind of finish where Contador should clearly have an advantage on the Schlecks, while today he couldn't hold Andy's wheel and Frank actually passed him.

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

oooooooooooooh. Just saw a highlight of the Vino crash that took out Vino, VDB2, Zabriske who are not out of the race. Sad.

 

[YoRUsh]

so stage 10 another boring breakaway day?

Im hoping for a boring stage after today...

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

I don't see Contador having the form to stay with Schleck. Perhaps I am wrong.

I have been saying since giro that the giro and tour combo is too much, too hard.

 

[Bala Verde]

Gesink on the podium receiving the white jersey looking a lot more positive. Radiating almost.

Preudhomme and the commissaires are arguing behind the scenes now and their faces apparently express anger, frustration etc, and they are likely to come up with som edrastic measures to prevent this from happening again...

 

[Dutchsmurf]

What happened with Contador tho. At one point he had to avoid crashing into Martin and then he suddenly was going for his chest/ear. Did his ear piece come off or something? Or am I seeing things?

 

[Gingerale]

contador watch continues...

he hit the ditch today and still to be determined how. i wait for contador to give his story. but i refuse to listen to kirby, the irish commentator on eurosport or the versus commentary. they were quick to write off contador at giro and they are biased.

contador was up there in the same time as the GC's. sure, i can imagine the rest day is a relief for him.

the big pelaton crash and the car hitting hoogerland and flecha is what i will remember.