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

[Parrulo]

Only the Col du Granon and Col du Chat come close to Giro climbs (that I know of).

those are not bad but still nowhere near crostis, zoncolan, plan de corones, finestre level

A good point by Parrulo but the GirO and the tour are different animals and they should stay like it IMO

the giro has been presenting better parcours for the past few years and has been increasing in popularity as well so the tour dominance is no longer what it used to be.

 

[Mambo95]

Hopefully some decent riders in a break and less of the useless Cofidis riders, and driving it so the chase disintegrates.

I realise this is unlikely.

My pick for tomorrow is one of the Cofidis riders, but not a useless one - Moncoutie.

 

[goggalor]

Thomas will be in the break tomorrow and hold off the favourites on the final climb to the finish. You heard it here first.

 

[luckyboy]

I don't think there are any climbs like Italy's in the whole of France. Different geography.

 

[Parrulo]

i hope that gilbert takes it and none of the breakaway riders win it! i don't want to see that riders winning like that today i was so disappointed when rui costa won!

i want libertine to see this post

 

[Fight.The.Power]

Certain stages of the Giro - especially the hill ITT ! Are tougher than tdf stages but the tdf is run at a much much faster pace. Ask any GC rider!

 

[meandmygitane]

Last km is 7,5% - this is Gilbert territory!

 

[Kwibus]

A good point by Parrulo but the GirO and the tour are different animals and they should stay like it IMO

I agree, but just 1 long climb with an average of above 10% would be great for the TdF. I've watched 2 years of Zoncolan now and both times it was just freaking awesome.

 

[Kwibus]

i hope that gilbert takes it and none of the breakaway riders win it! i don't want to see that riders winning like that today i was so disappointed when rui costa won!

So you only want favourites winning and breaks never ever winning a stage? Wow that would be great.
Today was great to watch from the 2nd cat climb. A lot of action and a winner from the break. The rider that most deserved it.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

this stage will probably end up being nothing. a break will win here

 

[Kwibus]

I hope Rabobank came to the conclusion that Gesinks GC isn't going to succeed this year and allow the riders to ride for themselves. Tomorrow is a day for the break imo. Riders like Barredo, LuLu and Mollema are certainly capable of riding a finale tomorrow.

 

[El Pistolero]

Gilbert to extend his lead for the green here. Definitely the big favorite for the green now. Rojas already showed signs of exhaustion today.

As for the Giro vs Tour debacle, so far this Tour has been a lot better than this year's Giro.

 

[Fight.The.Power]

With regard to Rabo and Gesink. The team would be crazy to start discounting Gesink now. He could come into form later on and be awesome. This is a three week race and we have seen riders that are written off in the the first week come back and win before haven't we??

 

[ansimi]

Break formation should be interesting - lots of quality guys will try to get in.

It depends on the break but OLO will probably try to control for Gilbert and maybe bring it mostly together before the intermediate.

 

[Chef_Vodnik]

Looks like a stage where you can gain nothing, but lose everything due to the hard middle part.

 

[Fight.The.Power]

Chef vodnik you are right. Any GC would be crazy to attack here. I reckon The parthus col will be a very good test who has the ***** for the race , however. A breakaway from the start will fail. A break on the parthus col will have a good chance.

 

[hrotha]

With regard to Rabo and Gesink. The team would be crazy to start discounting Gesink now. He could come into form later on and be awesome. This is a three week race and we have seen riders that are written off in the the first week come back and win before haven't we??

Tomorrow's stage looks like one where Gesink could lose 15 minutes though.

 

[hfer07]

Actually I believe this stage might cause some splits-a leg breaker due to the amount of climbs & activity going on by the GC riders trying stay on front & the battle for the stage. A break away might make it to the end if is well timed.

Apart from the usual suspects, I'm going with Voeckler, my man Uran & perhaps Cunego, since he showed good legs today....

 

[Fight.The.Power]

Hrotha of course it is possible ROFL but unlikely

 

[Fight.The.Power]

Sun Tzu great name btw; but I think it more likely we have a 10 min breakaway and a non GC yellow. Sorry to not be positive but your guess is very poor IMO

 

[Fight.The.Power]

I would love to know how Wiggo would do but that's life I guess

 

[theyoungest]

With regard to Rabo and Gesink. The team would be crazy to start discounting Gesink now. He could come into form later on and be awesome. This is a three week race and we have seen riders that are written off in the the first week come back and win before haven't we??

It's Gesink himself who's discounting Gesink. He says he doesn't have the level to compete right now, he just can't put the power on the pedals, because of the problems with his back. For a guy who has always climbed with the best, to have to let them go at the first acceleration, that's demoralising, I guess.

 

[jobiwan]

I imagine Contador will save himself for Luz Ardiden and as such I can't see any other favorites going hard. I also can't see Garmin doing any more work at all, so it'll be left to Omega and BMC if they want to win.

You'll probably get THOSE guys in the break. Casar, Voeckler, etc. and I'll pick Tommy V. to win!

I hope Tejay gets back in the fray to defend his jersey!!

 

[Fight.The.Power]

Theyoungest - fair enough . . .

 

[YoRUsh]

I imagine Contador will save himself for Luz Ardiden and as such I can't see any other favorites going hard. I also can't see Garmin doing any more work at all, so it'll be left to Omega and BMC if they want to win.

You'll probably get THOSE guys in the break. Casar, Voeckler, etc. and I'll pick Tommy V. to win!

I hope Tejay gets back in the fray to defend his jersey!!

Johnny will probably be in the break tomorrow, in every interview he sounds crazy conficent and hes good good form. Would be cool is TJ gets in the break as well for a nice fight over the points...