Tour de France - Stage 8, 195km - Castres / Ax 3 Domaines, July 6th

[dgodave]

Sting and Arnold Schwarzenegger had a child?
.

 

[veganrob]

I don't think either AC or Froome will be sending any serious message tomorrow. They are just going to be doing a little dancing. Playing a game. AC will pull out the dagger later in the Tour and kill the Dawg.

 

[willbick]

I don't think either AC or Froome will be sending any serious message tomorrow. They are just going to be doing a little dancing. Playing a game. AC will pull out the dagger later in the Tour and kill the Dawg.

Are u freakin serious?? Sky dont mess around on MTFs. They will lay it all down and Froome will give it everything when he comes off Portes wheel in the Final km

 

[Afrank]

Froome has been dreaming of this moment likely since he was little fella. I imagine he is chomping at the bit to attack on the first mtf as team leader at the Tour. I think it will be almost impossible for him to restrain himself from attacking earlier than many here predict and going for the stage win. Whether he will succeed is another matter. I'm hoping that Contador, Valverde, Quintana, Purito and Pinot put him in the blender, work him over with anyone of the five taking the stage win.

I hope so too, but I think most of them will take a more conservative approach to the first mtf. And Sky no doubt will be setting a high pace to separate the contenders from pretenders.

 

[willbick]

Porte and Froome will be putting the other guys 'in the blender', just you wait and see.

 

[Anderis]

I think somebody from Garmin will attack at some point. They have 4 top10 GC contenders and Vaughters said they would attack a lot.

I expect Sky to set the pace and drop most of 2nd tier contenders, like last year on stage 7. I think around 8-12 riders will finish under a minute after the best GC contender. Can't imagine an early attack from Froome or Contador. It's too early.

The break may win it if they make a big gap on the flat. Until Col de Pailhères starts, I can't see anyone interested in setting high pace and chasing the breakaway.

 

[ILovecycling]

Porte and Froome will be putting the other guys 'in the blender', just you wait and see.

Omg,crazy Sky fan...Porte even won't finish in Top5 tomorrow,remember.

 

[Alpechraxler]

Porte and Froome will be putting the other guys 'in the blender', just you wait and see.

To get reeled in by Talansky ?

 

[willbick]

Omg,crazy Sky fan...Porte even won't finish in Top5 tomorrow,remember.

Anyone who says anything positive about Sky is of course a 'crazy sky fanboy'. Yawn

 

[Gloin22]

Omg,crazy Sky fan...Porte even won't finish in Top5 tomorrow,remember.

Haha, that made me smile.

The world now is split into Sky lovers and Sky haters. A man can't be somewhere in between.. lol

Anyway, pretty reasonable that Porte can do top 5 tomorrow, why not?

 

[LaFlorecita]

Haha, that made me smile.

The world now is split into Sky lovers and Sky haters. A man can't be somewhere in between.. lol

Anyway, pretty reasonable that Porte can do top 5 tomorrow, why not?

Them putting the others in the blender would be pretty ridiculous though.

 

[arvc40]

It would have to be a pretty big blender lol

 

[Gugashwill]

Just looked at the composition of finishing groups in Albi and I'm wondering if some coalitions for tomorrow are arranged.

 

[b.broadhurst]

Just looked at the composition of finishing groups in Albi and I'm wondering if some coalitions for tomorrow are arranged.

Like?

10 chars

 

[Gugashwill]

Like?

10 chars

Heavens vs. Earth, alike.

 

[Escarabajo]

I think somebody from Garmin will attack at some point. They have 4 top10 GC contenders and Vaughters said they would attack a lot.

I expect Sky to set the pace and drop most of 2nd tier contenders, like last year on stage 7. I think around 8-12 riders will finish under a minute after the best GC contender. Can't imagine an early attack from Froome or Contador. It's too early.

The break may win it if they make a big gap on the flat. Until Col de Pailhères starts, I can't see anyone interested in setting high pace and chasing the breakaway.

That is a given. Take it to the bank.

 

[uconnryan]

How would you rate Froome, Contador, Rodriguez, Evans, Porte, and Schleck from best to worst descenders?

 

[LaFlorecita]

How would you rate Froome, Contador, Rodriguez, Evans, Porte, and Schleck from best to worst descenders?

Evans
Rodriguez
Contador
Porte
Froome
Schleck

 

[uconnryan]

Evans
Rodriguez
Contador
Porte
Froome
Schleck

Thank you.

 

[Maaaaaaaarten]

How would you rate Froome, Contador, Rodriguez, Evans, Porte, and Schleck from best to worst descenders?

Evans, Contador, Rodriguez, Porte, Froome, Schleck

For Porte I really have no idea how he does though, he was pretty bad in the TT in Pais Vasco this year, but he maybe he just wasn't taking any risks there, which he would take in the TDF.

Evans and Contador are good descenders, don't know for sure who is better,

Rodriguez is normal, not exceptionally good, but certainly not bad either. Though I'm not too sure, can't remember too well how he descends when he needs to. But I don't remember him attack or gaining time in a descent, but I don't remember him losing time in a descent either. But maybe my memory is letting me down.

Froome and Schleck are both bad descenders, don't who's better or worse.

 

[UNC5483]

Have been waiting for this stage. Though the first day in the mountains can be hit or miss, we do get some hints as to who can legitimately win this race. Tomorrow we being the process of finding out who that is. I suspect those who can win will finish together. And I suspect that those who can't will be exposed. Looking for a group of 10-15 to finish together, behind a small breakaway with maybe Rolland...

 

[LaFlorecita]

Evans, Contador, Rodriguez, Porte, Froome, Schleck

For Porte I really have no idea how he does though, he was pretty bad in the TT in Pais Vasco this year, but he maybe he just wasn't taking any risks there, which he would take in the TDF.

Evans and Contador are good descenders, don't know for sure who is better,

Rodriguez is normal, not exceptionally good, but certainly not bad either. Though I'm not too sure, can't remember too well how he descends when he needs too. But I don't remember him attack or gaining time in a descent, but I don't remember him losing time in a descent either. But maybe my memory is letting me down.

Froome and Schleck are both bad descenders, don't who's better or worse.

Think Rodriguez gained time on Alberto on the downhill parts in the tt in la vuelta

 

[Gugashwill]

Have been waiting for this stage. Though the first day in the mountains can be hit or miss, we do get some hints as to who can legitimately win this race. Tomorrow we being the process of finding out who that is. I suspect those who can win will finish together. And I suspect that those who can't will be exposed. Looking for a group of 10-15 to finish together, behind a small breakaway with maybe Rolland...

Maybe someone decides to make a statement, but first 15 shouldn't be separated with more than 30-60 seconds.
In case that a breakaway doesn't take the stage.

 

[Maaaaaaaarten]

Think Rodriguez gained time on Alberto on the downhill parts in the tt in la vuelta

Ah, if that's right than Jrod is a pretty good descender! Though descending on a TT bike is different from descending on a normal bike I guess. But we know from 2011 Contador can attack with moderate succes on descents. So if guys like Jrod and Evans join him + maybe Kreuziger who I think is a decent descender as well. who knows.

They'll certainly be going faster than Froome.

 

[Gugashwill]

Ah, if that's right than Jrod is a pretty good descender! Though descending on a TT bike is different from descending on a normal bike I guess. But we know from 2011 Contador can attack with moderate succes on descents. So if guys like Jrod and Evans join him + maybe Kreuziger who I think is a decent descender as well. who knows.

They'll certainly be going faster than Froome.

Would be nice to see Spaniards and Evans starting the Ax-3 in front of Froome and leftovers of Sky.