Tour de France 2015 Stage 16: Bourg-de-Péage-Gap 201km

[Jagartrott]

Van Garderen:
“Some riders were definitely taking some big risks. I was just trying to stay on the wheel that I was on and then a lot of riders were trying to come over the top and take over positions, and they were just taking way too big a risk,” van Garderen said. “That saw Geraint Thomas take a fall because it looked like Warren Barguil took him out. I’m just glad to have made it down safely."

Sure TJ, because trying to stay on the wheel, that's all this Tour is really about for you eh?

 

[MatParker117]

I really don't understand why gesink and valverde chased nibali but okay, thats there own will so you can hardly blame them for it. However I am really frustrated to see a good nibali after he lost so much time. Just imagine how great this tour could be without stage 10.

Froome would still be two minutes up!

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Re:

Van Garderen:
“Some riders were definitely taking some big risks. I was just trying to stay on the wheel that I was on and then a lot of riders were trying to come over the top and take over positions, and they were just taking way too big a risk,” van Garderen said. “That saw Geraint Thomas take a fall because it looked like Warren Barguil took him out. I’m just glad to have made it down safely."

Sure TJ, because trying to stay on the wheel, that's all this Tour is really about for you eh?

Very true, especially considering Van Garderen being surrounded by BMC riders pretty deep in the finale every day all doing nothing but protecting the American.

 

[miha1234]

Why the hell did Valverde chache Nibale? How they are planning to put Froom in difficulties which such a stupid tactics?

I

 

[Pricey_sky]

Re:

Why the hell did Valverde chache Nibale? How they are planning to put Froom in difficulties which such a stupid tactics?

I

Movistar have settled for 2nd and 3rd already. That's mission complete for them.

 

[SeriousSam]

Quintana still seems to harbour some delusions of the yellow jersey, but he can only really gain time by being the strongest over 40 or so minutes when the road goes up. Thus far, he wasn't.

If Quintana wins Alpe d'huez and Valverde gets 3rd, the race will be a great success for Movistar. To win against this Froome, Quintana would need an even more special physiology than he already has. Unlike Nibali and Contador who are off form, Quintana isn't making any excuses. He climbs as well as he can, at this point in his career. It's not enough. Froome is climbing much better.

If Movistar made a mistake, it was on stage 2.

 

[capuldemetal]

well..anything can happen starting tomorrow.so expect the unexpected!

 

[Eagle]

Re:

Van Garderen:
“Some riders were definitely taking some big risks. I was just trying to stay on the wheel that I was on and then a lot of riders were trying to come over the top and take over positions, and they were just taking way too big a risk,” van Garderen said. “That saw Geraint Thomas take a fall because it looked like Warren Barguil took him out. I’m just glad to have made it down safely."

Sure TJ, because trying to stay on the wheel, that's all this Tour is really about for you eh?

He was also clearly trying to pass Quintana on that corner

 

[Frosty]

Re: Re:

Here is the video showing TJVG touch Barguil

https://vid.me/Zp3H

But as others have said, he then tried to cut people up on corners later on, so TJVG is not sufficient to explain Barguil's poor descending into corners.

I see a lot of harsh words for Barguil, but when you are pushed at 60-70k/hr just before a curve to the inside, like Barguil was touched by Van Garderen, there is simply not much you can do to get through that curve in a good line.

Indeed, if you read the comments on Facebook people are confusing him with William Bonnet (WB, get it?), who started the crash that took Cancellara out. "This is the second crash he's caused -- he should be relegated -- but they won't because he's French" etc. etc. I'm getting SO tired of nationalistic polemic in this Tour . . .

Really?? That's quite.. embarrassing

I'm totally serious. Everyone commenting on Facebook thinks he's the guy who took out Fabian. Bob Roll is probably saying it too, but I don't get that channel.

Re: the stage 3 crash - was it a Giant rider who cut across Bonnet at the start of it?

 

[matter]

Re: Re:

Why the hell did Valverde chache Nibale? How they are planning to put Froom in difficulties which such a stupid tactics?

I

Movistar have settled for 2nd and 3rd already. That's mission complete for them.

Movistar have been riding like this for years.
Valverde chasing after Nibali, in contrast to Gesink, was a pretty bad move tactically and for the spectators.
Nibali is no threat to Movistar but he is still able to unhinge Sky if more of the likes of him try these type of things. Which would be in their own interests if they didn't just only care about defending their positions.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Re:

Why the hell did Valverde chache Nibale? How they are planning to put Froom in difficulties which such a stupid tactics?

I

Did Valverde even chase Nibali? Anyway, Movistar don't plan on putting Froome in difficulties.

 

[reubenr]

Re:

F***, I really hope G is ok!

That was horrendous, stupid from Barguil!

And in the aftermath has the gall to blame Van Garderen for the crash. There is simply no way that Barguil's explanation of what happened could be true: Go here, and see for one's self, http://velonews.competitor.com/2015/07/video/video-barguil-crashes-thomas-off-road-to-gap_378826

 

[Netserk]

I really don't understand why gesink and valverde chased nibali but okay, thats there own will so you can hardly blame them for it. However I am really frustrated to see a good nibali after he lost so much time. Just imagine how great this tour could be without stage 10.

Froome would still be two minutes up!

No, just no.

 

[Pierrot le Fou]

Re: Re:

F***, I really hope G is ok!

That was horrendous, stupid from Barguil!

And in the aftermath has the gall to blame Van Garderen for the crash. There is simply no way that Barguil's explanation of what happened could be true: Go here, and see for one's self, http://velonews.competitor.com/2015/07/video/video-barguil-crashes-thomas-off-road-to-gap_378826

There's a video that shows Van Garderen touching him earlier in the thread.

 

[King Boonen]

Re: Re:

F***, I really hope G is ok!

That was horrendous, stupid from Barguil!

And in the aftermath has the gall to blame Van Garderen for the crash. There is simply no way that Barguil's explanation of what happened could be true: Go here, and see for one's self, http://velonews.competitor.com/2015/07/video/video-barguil-crashes-thomas-off-road-to-gap_378826

Funny, I read it as an explanation rather than blaming someone. TJVG touched his shoulder, he lost his grip on the brake and those couple of seconds stopped him braking in time. He's not saying it was TJ's fault, he's just saying that's what happened.

This kind of thing used to be called a racing incident, now someone always has to be blamed and hung out to dry

 

[MTroon]

Call it whatever you want - Barguil giving an explanation, to casting blame on Van Garderen - the fact of the matter is that he is not taking responsibility for what could have been, other than by the grace of God, a tragedy. Barguil never should have been on the right side of Van Garderen approaching that turn, and after the rub he had plenty of time to brake and correct his line. The only reason we have the luxury of saying this was simply an unfortunate intersection of racing and youthful exuberance is because we are not planning the memorial for G.Thomas today. Regarding the idea of padding dangerous obstacles like 30 cm poles at the apexes of challenging corners in the final kms of a stage at the TdF, of course they should. They don't have to pad 3500k of road, that is ridiculous. 50 pads and ratchet straps, 2 guys with a flatbed truck, €20000, done. Put them up, take them down, next stage. I wonder if anyone inspected that pole prior to the race to see if it had any dangerous protrusions like nails, etc. It makes me wonder when I see riders being hit by race vehicles or striking steel parking poles marked only with cones.

 

[Carols]

Re: Re:

If Froome wins this - with yellow jersey pressure early on, negative media, negative actions by stupid fans, a team where his main mountain helpers Porte, Roche, Koenig and Poels have been absent often, and now apparently sickness in the Sky team - that has to be a more deserved/embattled/respected battle than any of the past three Tours I would say.

Ehm Sky has always been the strongest team... even today he had 3 guys, no other team has more than 2!

8 guys and 3 of them are Sky. Sure what a lousy, absent team LMFAO!