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

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Moviefan1203 said:
I don't see how people are saying this. I already think this Tour has been light years better than the Giro. Accidents are part of the sport, the only difference is this year it is happening to GC riders instead of the normal group of rag tags.

Better than the Giro? Ha!!

The only thing "stirring" about this Tour so far have been the crashes.

Nothing compared to having an Etna stage in the first week.

And if I see another damn bicycle made of tractors as the only point of interest on a parcours that literally puts one to sleep, I'm going to throw my shoe at the television screen.

To say nothing of the way the contenders are racing, which with the rare exception of a gutsy Vino the other day, makes it difficult for one not to catch up on his shut-eye.

The bad news is that we have to wait till Thursday, of the second week!, for it to get any better. That is, if we haven't totally lost interest by then.
 
Jul 4, 2009
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Hoogerland is nothing short of Superman. Ive never seen barbed wire damage on a human like that outside of Combat. To continue to ride was incredible and finish only 16 minutes down. I love the bloke, I want to have a sex change and have his babies.

Theres no way he can continue to ride, babrbed wire is filthy, hes going to be on massive antibiotics, and the no needle policy forbids Intramuscular or IV antibiotics. He will get an infection, if hes stitched they will break, the scrubbing in the hospital would have near killed him anyway. I wouldnt want to be him waking up today.

Have the rest of the tour of Jonny, get some beers instead.
 
Mar 10, 2009
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rhubroma said:
Better than the Giro? Ha!!


And if I see another damn bicycle made of tractors as the only point of interest on a parcours that literally puts one to sleep, I'm going to throw my shoe at the television screen.

.

:D

I agree the car driver should have braked, but he didn't because he had 2 big Kawasakis on his bumper, so he chose the softer option ....
 
The 2011 Giro was a pale imitation of the 2010 and 2005 editions and over shadowed by tragedy.
Remove the dramatic element of the various crashes from the first week of the past two editions of Le Tour and this year comes out on top................but not by much.
It has benefited from Phil Gilbert turning out.

I was on the hill in Muy de Bretagne and was amazed by the size of the group. But for Vino on the Super Besse stage, the situation would have been the same: racing begins at the red kite.

I now fear for the remainder of this edition, with Vino out of the mix and Contador carrying a knee problem.

The rest seem content to race like sheep, huddled around the conservative Schlecks and their big mate.

Tends to suggest to me, that with a number of undercard contenders out, the rest are already racing for those coverted 3rd to 6th spots.
I hope I am wrong or else the mountains could turn into a terminal bore.
 
Aug 1, 2009
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Andy has said that Contador is who need to attack, in other words, "I'm going to weelsuck till the very end", this guy has no pride? I mean, at least show the world that you didn't win the tour because of the 3km rule, beat Contador in the high mountain if you want to enter in the cycling history.
 
Jun 9, 2011
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Spaniard said:
Andy has said that Contador is who need to attack, in other words, "I'm going to weelsuck till the very end", this guy has no pride? I mean, at least show the world that you didn't win the tour because of the 3km rule, beat Contador in the high mountain if you want to enter in the cycling history.

For sure he will attack. he obviously need to do gaps with evans, kloden...
 
Jan 3, 2011
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Spaniard said:
what I mean is that Andy will suck Contador's wheel and if they drop the other contenders Andy won't do anymore.

For that reason + Contadors knee injury I think Contador will not make any moves in the pyreness but just sit tight and try to recover. Then in the Alps he might feel better + Schlecks will HAVE to attack Evans.

The best the Schlecks can do is actually to attack on Luz Ardiden to take advantage of Contadors injury and get time on Evans asap.
 
Jun 9, 2011
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Spaniard said:
what I mean is that Andy will suck Contador's wheel and if they drop the other contenders Andy won't do anymore.

the same tactic that contador used in tourmalet stage of TdF 2010 and after verbier in TdF 2009 :eek:

if contador attacks and andy get wheel giving no relays i doubt that contador will continue making a pace, if i not remember bad that not happened in the last 2 Tours and i doubt that will happen in this tour when with current time differences its possible that contador could close that gap in the TT.
 
Scirea said:
That's one of the 'most wrong' things i've read about this Tour. Ask guys like Sylvain Chavanel, who gets dropped from the peloton on basically flat stages etc.

I would think that it was/is not his intention to be of bad form for his home country's grand tour, especially considering:
1. He had such good Tour last year
2. It's not like his team is going in with multiple prospects for success. Boonen has shied away from bunch sprints and they have no one to contend for the gc or even close, so Chavanel would be one of their great hopes for Tour success with a stage win if possible.
 
Papparrazzi said:
:D

I agree the car driver should have braked, but he didn't because he had 2 big Kawasakis on his bumper, so he chose the softer option ....

He put himself/hersel in a position that was left with nothing but an unpleasant outcome, be it driving the car into the ditch on the other side of the tree, braking abruptly (and likely hitting the tree head-on) causing the moto's to tailend him/her in the process, or the worst option (the one that he chose), accelerate, swerve to avoid hitting the tree and take out the defenseless riders who are the purpose his/her being there in the first place.
The action was inexcuseable and I've always wondered when something like this would happen after witnessing so many close calls. Now we have 2 in the space of one week.

There has been a complete loss of priorities on the part of some of these drivers and IMO on the part of the race organizers whose responsibility it is to impart upon these drivers the fact that THE RIDER'S SAFETY IS PARAMOUNT. Let me repeat this: THE RIDER'S SAFETY IS PARAMOUNT. This should be drummed into all the driver's head till they don't want to hear anymore and then drummed into their heads again.
 
Spaniard said:
what I mean is that Andy will suck Contador's wheel and if they drop the other contenders Andy won't do anymore.

I think both Andy and Frank will attack, just to see where Contador's form is, especially if he's isolated in mountains the way he's been left to fend for himself for most of the first week. It would be the logical thing to do. If you sense weakness in your opponent then you must take advantage of it. Now their siamese twin like bond will likely be their biggest weakness, well Andy's for certain. Frank in my opinion has a much better tactical mind and is lnot as preoccupied with little brother's whereabouts all the time. I believe Andy has this idea that the two of them should be able to tagteam their opposition and still come out 1-2 in the end, which is quite unlikely. Maybe he believes by just the force of his talent that he can somehow carry big brother to the podium with him. They've had 2 opportunities to do so (2008 & 2009) but it has yet to happen. One of them, or both has dropped the ball each year for whatever reasons.

Now with this severely depleted group of contenders and the time cushion that they currently have on Contador this would be the ideal year for them to make their dream a reality. Who is left to challenge them for that 3rd podium spot? Evans, Samu (lost time in TTT), Basso, Contador, Kloden(lost a bit of time due to his crash and is injured), Gesink (questionable performance so-far). Andy should have this wrapped up with a fatigued, injured Contador, injured Kloden, Samu at a time deficit before the real climbing has even started, Leipheimer at a deficit already (not that he had a chance) and Wiggins, VDB2, Brajkovic, Horner, Vino all hospitalized and done.

And as Contador was recently quoted as saying: "This is not my Tour". If they don't (or Andy doesn't) win it this year and get Frank on the podium with him they won't have many better opportunities until Contador's talents decline, or he gets a 2 yr suspension.
 
Aug 12, 2009
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Angliru said:
I would think that it was/is not his intention to be of bad form for his home country's grand tour, especially considering:
1. He had such good Tour last year
2. It's not like his team is going in with multiple prospects for success. Boonen has shied away from bunch sprints and they have no one to contend for the gc or even close, so Chavanel would be one of their great hopes for Tour success with a stage win if possible.

chavanel had an accident like many others. I'm quite sure he'll try something as soon as he's doing better. at least he's still in the race...
 

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