Tour de France Stage 4: Lorient - Mur de Bretagne - 172.5 km

[Galic Ho]

what were good'ol phill and paul saying while contador was attacking?

They were saying Contador was cracking, despite putting every other rider into trouble. Only Evans had the strength to beat Contador today. Been mostly Paul. Liggett is senile, but bearable. Totally ignore their great hope Andy Schleck. He choked big time today. Karma got one up today. She'll be back for the rest of him later. I say give Franck team leadership. He can't stay upright often enough, but he isn't a tool.

Today was a really good stage. Got lots of points in the fantasy league. Shame I still didn't have AC, but all is good. I have a feeling Andy Schleck is going to lose some serious time in a weeks time. Every GC rival beat him, except CVV. Gesink, Bottle, Horner and Cunego better. Wigans and Basso both better. Jurgen is surprisingly very strong. 10th but he led Gilbert out and pulled at the bottom of the hill. Gutsy. Respect. Kloeden, Samu, Vino and of course the two strongest guys today, all better than Andy Schleck. Great way to instill confidence. Guy looks weak. All it will take is Contador to apply the screws and he'll crack. Then the rest can take a crack. Right now, my GC is looking like AC, Evans and Jurgen. Long way to go though.

 

[jobiwan]

Thank you for your reply Dekker_Tifosi. However I am a fan of Frank so obviously will be biased. I watched the Tour in 2009 and on stage 17, Frank rode clear with Contador, Kloden and his brother in the high mountains. After a while Kloden began to suffer. Frank won the stage. Last year I thought he would ride well after winning the Tour De Suisse and second in Tour of Luxembourg but he had an unfortunate injury.

I also watched the Liege this season and Frank was the only rider whom Gilbert could not ride away from. That says that Frank is in good shape this year.

If Alberto suffers from the Giro later on and Andy isn't as good as one year ago, then a new name will win. But I am not sure about Gesink or Evans. Every year I read this forum and lots of writers support these two but they always struggle. Last year as well Basso was said to be good after his Giro win but he was nowhere to be seen. So maybe Frank has an outside chance of victory?

Frank was gifted that stage by Andy and Alberto.

As for this year, there's this little TT in Grenoble that will do him in.
Goodness, even Andy's better than Frank at the ITT, and THAT'S saying something. Top 5 at best for Brother Frank.

 

[goggalor]

Ryo, you can't be happy with Evans stamping all over Uran Uran, right? (Actually a super ride by him.)

I really like Evans' "come get me" sprinting tactic. Leading the sprint from far out and going so hard that hopefully no one can get off his wheel. Contador showed us some of his panache again too. **** the people who say lifting his arse on a stage like this is desperate. He's just a winner.

 

[No_Balls]

When Contador attacked there was a small group of 4 or 5 riders or so who were on his wheel immediately, followed by several more who were able to scramble back shortly afterwords. Wiggins and Leipheimer have never been able to follow explosive attacks and rely on maintaining a steady high pace to gradually pull back time after an attack. Horner was gassed after chasing back after a flat and catching back on at the bottom of the climb. AS and Basso both have shown relatively poor form for their standards in the pre-tour races and have so far not shown any signs their form is improving.

Yes and they (except those sprinters who is able to survive in these kinds of environment, although they lose the sprint) LOST time so what is your point?

 

[Polish]

Great Stage Win Go Cadel!

And Big George controlling the race in the run up WOW.
Truly a Peloton Whisperer.

But as exciting as those last 2 kms were, the real race took place the previous 170km as the rider's legs and lungs were micro-dosed with the cumulative fatique that makes the Tour de France a brutal march towards Paris.

Be careful, NEVER a DULL moment in the Tour.
DULL is another enemy that will bring down the lesser men grrrr.

 

[Poursuivant]

Me neither, if you had to bet against Gilbert, why not pick Evans? Bad odds?

Contador was 14/1 and Vino was 22/1. Gilbert was 8/13. I chose them two because I thought they could win, especially Contador.

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

So were was Voeckler?

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Thank you for your reply Dekker_Tifosi. However I am a fan of Frank so obviously will be biased. I watched the Tour in 2009 and on stage 17, Frank rode clear with Contador, Kloden and his brother in the high mountains. After a while Kloden began to suffer. Frank won the stage. Last year I thought he would ride well after winning the Tour De Suisse and second in Tour of Luxembourg but he had an unfortunate injury.

I also watched the Liege this season and Frank was the only rider whom Gilbert could not ride away from. That says that Frank is in good shape this year.

If Alberto suffers from the Giro later on and Andy isn't as good as one year ago, then a new name will win. But I am not sure about Gesink or Evans. Every year I read this forum and lots of writers support these two but they always struggle. Last year as well Basso was said to be good after his Giro win but he was nowhere to be seen. So maybe Frank has an outside chance of victory?

We'll see who's right at the end of the Tour, but Fränk will not finish top 5, I tell you now.
Andy is the man

 

[Angliru]

should of been given his props a long time ago on this forum.....

better late then never!

He gets his "props", just not in winning grand tours, or should I say the Tour.
This stage was more up his alley in terms of what types of finishes that he excells. It remains to be seen if he can cut his losses enough in the mountains and then make it up in the time trial. He hasn't shown that his form can hold that long in the Tour for him to bank on the ITT to take him to the promised land.

Nevertheless, kudos to him for a great effort. Same to Contador.

 

[Angliru]

Bah, now I have to think of some excuses for Andy. No fun.

Not to worry, he has an encyclopedia full of them as do his fans.

 

[Angliru]

Kinda to be expected.

Not Wiggins finishing ahead of Andy though.

 

[Sebastian]

Mende last year, Bretagne today.

We need more of these short steep climbs! (even if Andy's no good at them )

I agree. This is so much more fun than a flat stage/(finish). Actually every time a sprinter doesnt win a stage I am happy.

 

[Galic Ho]

Hi everyone. I was very impressed with how Frank Schleck hung onto the leaders despite this not being a finish that suits him. I put some euros on him before The Tour and maybe some more after today? What does everyone think? He will lose maybe two minutes in time trial but I would not be surprised if Contador starts to feel the effects of the Giro by week three and Frank puts some more time into him and some others. He will have no problems dropping Gesink, Evans, Basso and those kind of second tier GC contenders in the high mountains.

Frank looks in better condition than Andy who I must say, I thought would do better today. Frank was anxiously looked around as they crossed the line too. But perhaps Andy is waiting until later in the Tour to produce his best. I hope so but I'm not confident.

Nice ideas, but Evans, Basso and even Gesink are not second tier GC guys. Two of those IMO have a very realistic chance of making the podium this year. Evans and Basso are exceptional GC riders. Gesink is very similar to Basso, so in theory if one can do it, so can the other. On form right now, Evans looks like the strongest GC guy in the race, with AC a close second.

 

[funnytanlines]

ah, but andy has no excuses!

http://velonews.competitor.com/2011/06/news/andy-schleck-i-have-no-excuses-now_180568

“I have no excuses now. Everything around me is 100 percent. It’s now up to me. I have to play the cards in the Tour. It’s Frank and me,” he said. “I know it’s a heavy weight, but I’m 100 percent professional. I know how I have to train, what I have to eat and the lifestyle I need. I think that when I do that, I’m 100 percent and I do my best, and there’s no more I can do.”

Not to worry, he has an encyclopedia full of them as do his fans.

 

[Sebastian]

i really hope so! first i like frank and unlike andy he isn't that stupid.

second, i am tired to listen to people saying how andy is the big thing for the future when he is 2 years younger than alberto (who knows who is going to end their career first?) and the difference in quality and palmares is abysmal.

Exactly my feeling too. I wish Frank well but I can not stand Andy.

 

[red_flanders]

Nice win for Evans. Note that this is his first non-relegated win, and his first win on a road stage. Clearly he's a much better tactical rider than he used to be when he was a hideous wheel-sucker.

I am very interested to see what happens when the mammoth climbs hit. This tour will be 100% won in the mountains.

 

[Angliru]

but knowing how much he'll need in the mountains is he puting out too much too early, or will this (more likely) pay off for him?

It was often said of Valverde that he expended too much energy early in the Tour and be spent come week 3. It wasn't till he took on a over conservative strategy of racing the grand tours that he finally won one.

My argument was that if they (Valverde and Evans) are expending energy early in the race (grand tours) then their opponents must do the same to avoid losing time to them. In this case it applies to Evans and Contador.
They animated the stage and their opponents have to react in kind or risk losing time and some still did.

 

[No_Balls]

ah, but andy has no excuses!

http://velonews.competitor.com/2011/06/news/andy-schleck-i-have-no-excuses-now_180568

“I have no excuses now. Everything around me is 100 percent. It’s now up to me. I have to play the cards in the Tour. It’s Frank and me,” he said. “I know it’s a heavy weight, but I’m 100 percent professional. I know how I have to train, what I have to eat and the lifestyle I need. I think that when I do that, I’m 100 percent and I do my best, and there’s no more I can do.”

What the hell is that suppose to mean?

 

[VemrJR?]

I thought the way AS stood virtually still, while riders with lesser pedigree rode past him, resembled the way he cracked uphill in toc. That said I'm surprised he only lost eight seconds ...

 

[ManInFull]

What the hell is that suppose to mean?

It means that Andy is a hard-working, humble cyclists who gives his all and never takes the short-cut. His high cadence and preparation makes him a winner, unlike some of the others in the Tour.

 

[Damiano Machiavelli]

On form right now, Evans looks like the strongest GC guy in the race, with AC a close second.

The only thing we have seen so far is a couple of power climbs. Based on that, Thor might be the winner in Paris.

 

[red_flanders]

Anyone see any comments from Contador on the stage? English-speaking media seems disinterested.

 

[Blakeslee]

Yes and they (except those sprinters who is able to survive in these kinds of environment, although they lose the sprint) LOST time so what is your point?

My point was it was reasonable to expect the riders I listed to lose a small amount of time on such a short climb due to the reasons I mentioned. What happened at the finish today gives me a slim glimmer of hope that Contador will not be able to dominate in the mountains as he has in the past and that some of the other riders may be able to keep him close enough to have a chance at winning.

 

[Damiano Machiavelli]

I thought the way AS stood virtually still, while riders with lesser pedigree rode past him, resembled the way he cracked uphill in toc. That said I'm surprised he only lost eight seconds ...

Maybe a spectator offered him a beer and he slowed down while deciding whether it was time to get sloshed.

 

[ManInFull]

My point was it was reasonable to expect the riders I listed to lose a small amount of time on such a short climb due to the reasons I mentioned. What happened at the finish today gives me a slim glimmer of hope that Contador will not be able to dominate in the mountains as he has in the past and that some of the other riders may be able to keep him close enough to have a chance at winning.

I call this wishful thinking. You want him to do poorly because you want life to be fair. I will be happy with anyone but Baby Schleck.