Tour de France - rest day1 round up

[hfer07]

Andy Schleck has his best chance so far to win the Tour. He might even win it without attacking. Hopefully Contador and Gesink will be recovered by Thursday, and Basso and Sanchez can still play a role.

Andy still has to put a lot of time on Evans before the ITT...so he must attack early in the mountains if he wants the Tout title

 

[auscyclefan94]

Can we just have a boring, normal sprint day on tuesday...it would be much appreciated.

 

[Bennyl]

Can we just have a boring, normal sprint day on tuesday...it would be much appreciated.

you are just trying to save Cadel's teammates because they expended way too much energy to date.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Can we just have a boring, normal sprint day on tuesday...it would be much appreciated.

I dunno.. cadel is benefitting a lot from all this

 

[auscyclefan94]

you are just trying to save Cadel's teammates because they expended way too much energy to date.

*edited by ACF*

Clearly I can see past Cadel and feel sympathy for these human beings in the peleton. It has been absolute mayhem for the riders and the fans watching. I think people would agree that it would be nice if we just had a day or two with no incidents.

 

[Bennyl]

^^^*Groan...some people are just so stupid.

Clearly I can see past Cadel and feel sympathy for these human beings in the peleton. It has been absolute mayhem for the riders and the fans watching. I think people would agree that it would be nice if we just had a day or two with no incidents.

Your original thread made no reference to crashes. I agree with you there, i think the race has had its fair share now and that fingers crossed, we can be incident free for the remainder.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Your original thread made no reference to crashes. I agree with you there, i think the race has had its fair share now and that fingers crossed, we can be incident free for the remainder.

The fact that I wanted it a "boring and normal sprint day" and the fact of what has happened in the past days indicated that.


Didn't mean to call you stupid...that was a bit harsh.

 

[ericthesportsman6]

Andy still has to put a lot of time on Evans before the ITT...so he must attack early in the mountains if he wants the Tout title

Evans isn't the same TT'er he was a few years back. With Schleck's improvement in the area I think he could hold a 30 second lead. Anyways, Schleck won't need to attack because I doubt Evans will be able stay with the Sanchez/Contador/Schleck/Basso? selection on the toughest days.

 

[aahmadhu]

Can we just have a boring, normal sprint day on tuesday...it would be much appreciated.

i miss those boring days.. it's been a while since the last time i dozed off in front of the tv due to a boring stage.. i havent had any in this tour so far.. and dont even start with how the giro went.. yep a normal boring day would help and much welcomed.

 

[Ragerod]

Can we just have a boring, normal sprint day on tuesday...it would be much appreciated.

I actually think we could've done with one more of them in the first week. It's the best opportunity for another sprinter to beat Cavendish and by limiting his opportunities, they've made it even more difficult for other sprinters.

 

[karlboss]

Coming in to the rest day, who do we think will attack in the mountains? Normally the first mountain stage isn't the most telling, but this year it is realy tough and there is a chance for huge gaps. Any GC favourites to try their hand on the tourmalet or earlier?

 

[hfer07]

Evans isn't the same TT'er he was a few years back. With Schleck's improvement in the area I think he could hold a 30 second lead. Anyways, Schleck won't need to attack because I doubt Evans will be able stay with the Sanchez/Contador/Schleck/Basso? selection on the toughest days.

my assumption is based on Contador having a serious issue with his right knee & pulling out of the race (If that ever happens)
and BTW Andy still has to demonstrate his "improvements" in TT'ing, because so far, he's no better than last year....

 

[auscyclefan94]

It will be similar to Hautacam in 2008. Luz Ardiden isn't the most hardest climb but after the Tourmalet and that other climb, the legs should be burning. The fact that it is the first big mountain stage means we won't see massive attacks...imo

 

[ericthesportsman6]

Coming in to the rest day, who do we think will attack in the mountains? Normally the first mountain stage isn't the most telling, but this year it is realy tough and there is a chance for huge gaps. Any GC favourites to try their hand on the tourmalet or earlier?

I think Contador will attack on the Ardiden, he seems almost desperate to prove to himself that he can get rid of Andy. I'd love to see a gutsy move from Samu, attacking with a teammate on the Tourmalet, using his awesome descending skills, and staying away to the finish. But that won't happen. Unless Basso feels really great, he, Cadel, and basically everyone other rider in the race will just be hanging on for dear life in the mountains.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

It will be similar to Hautacam in 2008. Luz Ardiden isn't the most hardest climb but after the Tourmalet and that other climb, the legs should be burning. The fact that it is the first big mountain stage means we won't see massive attacks...imo

hard to say we ussually get an earlier mtf.
this is one of the 4 stages where time is on offer. It is hard enought to be decisive, they will utilize i think.

 

[Ferminal]

It will be similar to Hautacam in 2008. Luz Ardiden isn't the most hardest climb but after the Tourmalet and that other climb, the legs should be burning. The fact that it is the first big mountain stage means we won't see massive attacks...imo

Baby Schleck losing 10 minutes too?

Hautacam is a bit tougher, this week's stage stage is harder though.

Ancizan is a nice little brute:

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

yeah should be a good stage.

Hourquette d'Ancizan

Torumalet:

Luz Ardiden:

 

[greenedge]

All the GC contenders except for Gesink shall improve after this. Gesink will have a case of Hamilton in 04 with not having enough power in legs after a back injury.

 

[just some guy]

Highlights - http://forum.cyclingnews.com/showthread.php?t=14389

 

[Cimber]

The round up as I see it:

The first week has more or less destryod the rest of the race. So many favorites have crashed and have either abandoned, lost loads of time or are suffering from crash-related injuries. Here are the ones from the top of my head:

Brajkovic: Crashed and abandoned
Wiggins: Crashed and abandoned
Horner: Crashed and abandoned
Vino: Crashed and abandoned
VdB: Crashed and abandoned
Levi: Crashed and lots loads of time (out of the GC)
Gesink: Crashed, lost loads of time and is badly injured.
Contador: Crashed, lost some time but most importantly hurt his knee twice.
Sanches: lost some time due to being caught behind a crash
EDIT: Klöden: Crashed and injured

So the only real favorites who go into the 2.nd week without any crash-related problems are the Schlecks, Evans and Basso.

Sanchez isnt hurt by crashes either but has lost significant time. Basso lost alot of time on the TTT and I dont really see him beating the Schlecks in the mountaisn and he wont regain it in the TT, as he sucks as bad as the Schlecks in TTs. So for me its down to Evans vs the Schlecks, unless Contadors knee problems disappear, but knee problems usually need you to rest for a longer period of time, so I am quite pessimistic about that.

So go Evans! You are my last hope.

PS: maybe Sanchez is still game. Especially if he can attack on the 2 stages that finish with a decent (if they are tecnically difficul enough). But he is pretty far behind on the gc, so it will be tough.

 

[dlwssonic]

This is really becoming andys tour to lose. I have the feeling andy will attack on luz ardiden to try to gain as much time as possible on a contador with an injury and bad form. Dont know about gesink but he will certainly loose a considerable amount of time on luz ardiden. i think this podium is looking more likely that its gonna have two schlecks in it but i think frank will screw it up in the TT. GO EVANS!!! Limit your losses on the mountains!! I believe on the first mtf finish there will be an attacker who will finish ahead of a group of contenders including evans sanchez and frank.

 

[greenedge]

I would laugh if Frank steals the limelight from Andy because Contador would not bother to chase. Then i could envisage Andy chasing his brother down ( if that situation occurs )

 

[dlwssonic]

I would laugh if Frank steals the limelight from Andy because Contador would not bother to chase. Then i could envisage Andy chasing his brother down ( if that situation occurs )

no way andy will chase him down. theres a lot of brotherly love

 

[The Sheep]

no way andy will chase him down. theres a lot of brotherly love

Brotherly love is easy as long as you are the one in a better position. Could change if it's not Andy up for the win.

 

[dlwssonic]

Brotherly love is easy as long as you are the one in a better position. Could change if it's not Andy up for the win.

dont think it would be that way anyway. frank isnt strong enough in the mountains and has a weaker TT at the end of a 3week race.