Tour de France is over

[Cervelo77]

Contador can't lose any time on the hilly ITT if he wants to keep this close. With the mountains in the 3rd week this is far from over, but it's looking like other team have the best chance to take time from Froome on the stages where teams can exploit their team strength against a weakened Sky. They need to be persistent. As Hinault would say "They must ATTACK!".

Best thing about this tour is that a) Contador is behind; b) Contador does not play for 2nd place.

 

[DirtyWorks]

And we still have a week of mountains to go, Sky is looking weak, contador and Nairito will be ready to do some damage in the alps. Good luck dawg, because this Tour is far from over.

I don't think Sky/Froome is looking particularly weak. Porte put in an excellent TT and Froome is managing well. He didn't need to be in that lead group, but it would have been nice.

Ventoux is more familiar ground for Sky, so I think we'll see another extraordinary effort from Sky with Porte protecting Froome for a good, long, while before Froome destroys the field.

 

[Microchip]

And we still have a week of mountains to go, Sky is looking weak, contador and Nairito will be ready to do some damage in the alps. Good luck dawg, because this Tour is far from over.

Boy, am I clinging for dear life to comments like these!!!

 

[hfer07]

Honestly - I wasn't expecting these events to unfold today-They certainly bring some hope to look ahead to the next stages... BUT -as delightful & encouraging the current situation appears- I'm going to reserve my decision after the Ventoux , because no matter the time Contador & Team Saxo may grasp from here on, it won't count for nothing if FroomeStrong puts another 1:45+ on sunday-let alone the next ITT though......

 

[Afrank]

I don't think Sky/Froome is looking particularly weak. Porte put in an excellent TT and Froome is managing well. He didn't need to be in that lead group, but it would have been nice.

Ventoux is more familiar ground for Sky, so I think we'll see another extraordinary effort from Sky with Porte protecting Froome for a good, long, while before Froome destroys the field.

Froome and Porte are definitely in fine condition. But as for the rest of Sky, they've lost Kiryienka and EBH, Geraint isn't going to be doing any work with his injury, then Kennaugh did crash (I forget if he was injured badly or not though). And today Siutsou and Stannard didn't look too great.

Froome will probably be okay on the climbs with Porte, but the team definitely isn't looking great at the moment. And as stage 9 showed, they can be put in trouble on stages with multiple climbs. Before the Tour, one would expect Sky to be able to bring Saxo back fairly easily in a situation like today.

 

[murali]

Right now, Froome is under pressure. He has to make time (at least not lose to AC) in both MTF and ITT.

If quintana goes for an attack like the one in stage 8, sky doesn't really have an answer.

 

[180mmCrank]

It was the kind of day the Tour will always throw up .. and there will be more of the same. Froome didn't need to chase today but others did and they were found wanting.

The last week is really really tough and there is no way that everyone is going to survive.

Exciting times.

 

[wwabbit]

Right now, Froome is under pressure. He has to make time (at least not lose to AC) in both MTF and ITT.

If quintana goes for an attack like the one in stage 8, sky doesn't really have an answer.

SaxoBank and Belkin will answer for Sky, lol.
To really hurt Sky, there needs to be a break with SaxoBank and Belkin members involved, like what happened earlier.

I think the loss of Valverde as a contender hurts Sky a bit - that's one less team to watch the other contenders.
It might even be advantageous for Sky to allow Quintana up the road to get back some time on Contador and Mollema.

 

[hfer07]

Honestly - I wasn't expecting these events to unfold today-They certainly bring some hope to look ahead to the next stages... BUT -as delightful & encouraging the current situation appears- I'm going to reserve my decision after the Ventoux , because no matter the time Contador & Team Saxo may grasp from here on, it won't count for nothing if FroomeStrong puts another 1:45+ on sunday-let alone the next ITT though......

Don't say I didn't tell you folks.......

 

[Dutchsmurf]

Was there ever any doubt really?

 

[warmfuzzies]

Contador can still win. Contador needs to improve his form, benefit from some crosswinds, plus a short litany of bad luck for Froome including: (1) bonking up L'Alpe d'Huez, falling during the last time trial, and losing 2 more teammates. The way I see it, Contador's got Froome right where he wants him.

 

[Microchip]

Am going to follow some other Tour/Race...

 

[murali]

i think the tour is over as far as GC race is concerned.

But I think i will still be watching, esp after a certain pighead cheated a nice little boy up the climb. The battle between them is going to be legendary.

 

[IndianCyclist]

Contador can still win. Contador needs to improve his form, benefit from some crosswinds, plus a short litany of bad luck for Froome including: (1) bonking up L'Alpe d'Huez, falling during the last time trial, and losing 2 more teammates. The way I see it, Contador's got Froome right where he wants him.

You are a Contador fan but now that comment is desperation i would say
The writing has been on the wall all season. In the Dauphine it became crystal clear just not so dominating. Contador simply doesn't have the form of the Vuelta 2012 so much so that Kreuziger is able to tow and match him in the climbs. He has not been able to attack even once. The only thing to do now is to secure 2nd place otherwise he will be left with nothing if he still continues to think about 1st place.

 

[LaFlorecita]

You are a Contador fan but now that comment is desperation i would say
The writing has been on the wall all season. In the Dauphine it became crystal clear just not so dominating. Contador simply doesn't have the form of the Vuelta 2012 so much so that Kreuziger is able to tow and match him in the climbs. He has not been able to attack even once. The only thing to do now is to secure 2nd place otherwise he will be left with nothing if he still continues to think about 1st place.

Warmfuzzies is definitely not a Contador fan.

PS The second place IS nothing for a guy like Contador.

 

[Boeing]

The questions have is not why is Froome so good, it is why is everyone else so bad? Did they all catch a parasite?

 

[Pricey_sky]

The questions have is not why is Froome so good, it is why is everyone else so bad? Did they all catch a parasite?

After today this point is growing on me more and more. Froome is strong, that's obvious however his rivals apart from Quintana seem dreadfully off form. Contador doesn't look the same, Evans/Schleck have been dropped when the pace gets high. Rolland seems like he just wants the polka jersey and sabotaged any hope of this with crazy riding. Pinot lost his Tour on descents and looks mentally broken. Purito has been anonymous. Valverde hit and miss.

The list goes on and on.

 

[cineteq]

The questions have is not why is Froome so good, it is why is everyone else so bad? Did they all catch a parasite?

Yeah, I understand they got bilharzia.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

After today this point is growing on me more and more. Froome is strong, that's obvious however his rivals apart from Quintana seem dreadfully off form. Contador doesn't look the same, Evans/Schleck have been dropped when the pace gets high. Rolland seems like he just wants the polka jersey and sabotaged any hope of this with crazy riding. Pinot lost his Tour on descents and looks mentally broken. Purito has been anonymous. Valverde hit and miss.

The list goes on and on.

Exactly the same situation as last year's tour.

Very poor field this year, very poor field last year.

Gotta wonder if we are operating at the WT level here.

Where are the top talents hiding? Giro? Not sure, Nibali was beaten to pulp last year. Would he be competitive this year? Maybe.

 

[Microchip]

Exactly the same situation as last year's tour....

I have to wonder if it’s “arranged” this way.

 

[cineteq]

Exactly the same situation as last year's tour.

Very poor field this year, very poor field last year.

Gotta wonder if we are operating at the WT level here.

You're really insulting and making fun of us. Stop it.

 

[maxmartin]

It is over when I laid my eyes on those veiny arms.

 

[maxmartin]

we rule!!!

 

[gustienordic]

Exactly the same situation as last year's tour.

Very poor field this year, very poor field last year.

Gotta wonder if we are operating at the WT level here.

Where are the top talents hiding? Giro? Not sure, Nibali was beaten to pulp last year. Would he be competitive this year? Maybe.

Trolling
Easily one of the most stacked GC races in recent history - the only GC guys who have top 10'ed a GT in the last 2 years who are not there are:

Benat Inxausti
Scarponi
Basso
Uran
Pozzo
Henao
Nibali
Betancur
Majka

 

[The Hitch]

After today this point is growing on me more and more. Froome is strong, that's obvious however his rivals apart from Quintana seem dreadfully off form. Contador doesn't look the same, Evans/Schleck have been dropped when the pace gets high. Rolland seems like he just wants the polka jersey and sabotaged any hope of this with crazy riding. Pinot lost his Tour on descents and looks mentally broken. Purito has been anonymous. Valverde hit and miss.

The list goes on and on.

Valverde hit and miss? He was actually 2nd on gc till a mechanical cost him 10 minutes. Of course he wasnt going to go full out today to defend 22nd place or wherever the **** he is

Also, i see Mollem Ten Dam and kreuziger very very good. And Contador is a minute or so below his ridiculous 2009 best. Froome is way above that so to say that they are all just underperforming is wrong.