Tour de France 2015 stage 20: Modane - Alpe d'Huez

[sky2500]

Paul sherwen is a idiot , enough said.

 

[Zoophonic]

Barguil again looks very tired.

 

[Matt92]

Sky found an ally in AG2R? Froome protecting Yellow and Bardet protecting the KOM Jersey. Froome may have given a nod to Bardet that he won't challenge him for the KOM Competition unless his GC contenders tip his hand.

The problem is Froome will have to counter his opponents, and I'm afraid Bardet will not be able to follow Quintana & co. Anyway, Ag2r is not really doing Sky a favor, I think Sky would have gladly soft-pedalled the whole climb.

 

[mspgrandi]

People do not understand cycling... Ag2r is not doing work for sky or is not sky ally, if peraud was not pulling at the front sky would do no work whatsoever and the group would still have all sprinters in it. Thank god ag2r are pulling.
Zero ambition from movistar to make the stage hard. froome will be rested and will not lose 2.30 to quintana. but valverde will also be rested and will not loose 1.20 to nibali

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Sky found an ally in AG2R? Froome protecting Yellow and Bardet protecting the KOM Jersey. Froome may have given a nod to Bardet that he won't challenge him for the KOM Competition unless his GC contenders tip his hand.

This is absolutely what is happening. Shrewd/smart move on the part of Sky.

How is ag2r an ally to Sky?

Driving the pace to discourage attacks from other top GC guys while allowing Sky to not have to burn matches on the CdF.

But Quintana isn't gonna attack from 60 km's out (I assume by "other top GC guys" you refer to Quintana?)

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Re:

People do not understand cycling... Ag2r is not doing work for sky or is not sky ally, if peraud was not pulling at the front sky would do no work whatsoever and the group would still have all sprinters in it. Thank god ag2r are pulling.
Zero ambition from movistar to make the stage hard. froome will be rested and will not lose 2.30 to quintana. but valverde will also be rested and will not loose 1.20 to nibali

Exactly. Sky doesn't need an ally and I highly doubt any kind of deal has been made. After all, Froome rode for KOM points yesterday.

 

[mspgrandi]

I am surprised Tinkoff / Contador do not do anything. I guess Contador is cooked, cant take it anymore..

Movistar... wow no words, so bad ... so poor

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Yawn. I'm on the verge of falling asleep

 

[53x11 in DC]

Re:

People do not understand cycling... Ag2r is not doing work for sky or is not sky ally, if peraud was not pulling at the front sky would do no work whatsoever and the group would still have all sprinters in it. Thank god ag2r are pulling.
Zero ambition from movistar to make the stage hard. froome will be rested and will not lose 2.30 to quintana. but valverde will also be rested and will not loose 1.20 to nibali

ag2r is most certainly working with sky today. Smart move for both

 

[Lyon]

2+3 = 5 while 1 is just one. Not many matematicians here I guess.

 

[Fight.The.Power]

Re:

ITV Cycling ‏@itvcycling 5s5 seconds ago
Reports that spectators near Alpe d'Huez already being very aggressive towards Team Sky, trying to board their support vehicle #TDF2015

Oh dear. I do hope nothing bad happens today.

Why don't Sky just try some simple PR work ? Handing out 1,000 Sky caps and T-shirts at each stage would do wonders to boost their popularity. They have deep pockets don't they ?

 

[bassano]

Nibali to try again

 

[Zoophonic]

Re:

I am surprised Tinkoff / Contador do not do anything. I guess Contador is cooked, cant take it anymore..

Movistar... wow no words, so bad ... so poor

I think it's been said a few times that Contador has remarked he's "done" and it's Majka given rope to do something today. Scarponi starts to wind it up

 

[mspgrandi]

Thank god for Nibali... without him pyrenees and alps would have been dull as a dishwasher...put the team on tourmalet, made reace hard on the alps .Vincenzo nibali true winner , true champion

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Reporter: "Will you attack at the bottom of the climb [Alpe d'Huez] to take time on Froome?"
Quintana: "Most likely yes, but we will see how the stage develops"
Translation: "No, I'll go for the stage victory and not try to crack Froome"

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Gesink in difficulty I think

 

[infeXio]

Only Porte remaining?

 

[53x11 in DC]

Sky found an ally in AG2R? Froome protecting Yellow and Bardet protecting the KOM Jersey. Froome may have given a nod to Bardet that he won't challenge him for the KOM Competition unless his GC contenders tip his hand.

This is absolutely what is happening. Shrewd/smart move on the part of Sky.

How is ag2r an ally to Sky?

Driving the pace to discourage attacks from other top GC guys while allowing Sky to not have to burn matches on the CdF.

But Quintana isn't gonna attack from 60 km's out (I assume by "other top GC guys" you refer to Quintana?)

He's not taking 2:30 from Froome in AdH, so sky is obviously looking to eliminate the possibility of attacks on the CdF. Memories appear to be short. Contador and Purito inThe Vuelta a few years back ring a bell??

 

[auscyclefan94]

Anacona smashing it now!

 

[Jelantik]

contador looks like in difficulty. Sounds like he is tired today..

 

[Arnout]

Scarponi is the only helper of one of the big guys who is able to sustain a high tempo for a significant time, without him the Tour would've looked differently.

 

[Zoophonic]

Re:

I can't imagine a bit of PR would help.

"Excuse me gents. Rather than pee on my wheels would you like a cap? "

Frankly they would probably burn them. Idiots - anybody with that kind of lunacy need taking off the mountain forthwith.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

This is absolutely what is happening. Shrewd/smart move on the part of Sky.

How is ag2r an ally to Sky?

Driving the pace to discourage attacks from other top GC guys while allowing Sky to not have to burn matches on the CdF.

But Quintana isn't gonna attack from 60 km's out (I assume by "other top GC guys" you refer to Quintana?)

He's not taking 2:30 from Froome in AdH, so sky is obviously looking to eliminate the possibility of attacks on the CdF. Memories appear to be short. Contador and Purito inThe Vuelta a few years back ring a bell??

No, I agree that's he's not.

 

[Squirbos_19]

Attack by Valverde

 

[TourOfSardinia]

Re:

contador looks like in difficulty. Sounds like he is tired today..

like his team
Rogers
Roman K
both
OTB