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

[Frosty]

Here's what a sponsor betting house is thinking.

Part of the key can be to bet on a guy who is likely to get into an attack and then lay him off when the break gets its maximum time gap.

 

[Alpechraxler]

Pailheres is also the tours highest point this year.

 

[Gugashwill]

Part of the key can be to bet on a guy who is likely to get into an attack and then lay him off when the break gets its maximum time gap.

Yes, that shouldn't be irrational.
But, chances between the GC contenders are indicative.
A favorite is clearly singled out.

 

[The Hitch]

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

since presumably you are looking at gc candidates I'll add valverde.

1Valverde
gap
2 Contador -based entirely on one day in 2011 when he outdescended all gt contenders bar samu for about 20 seconds on pinerolo)

Before that he was seen as a poor descender but that was probably because he never really had to go hard on descents.
3 Evans
4 murito
gap
5 Porte (presumably. Never really tested though)
6 froome (based on tirreno stage)
7 schleck (based on own comments campainging against descents and 2011 gap, but he's done much better on other occasions.

 

[Kwibus]

Descent of the Pailhares is technical right?

Hope the competition of Froome uses this and attack on the descent. Froome sure ain't a good descender.

 

[Flamin]

yea,me too,it would be awesome
still i wonder how Movistar will perform,they have at least 4 great climbers - Q,Piti,Rui and Amador and in addition to this they have other decent domestiques like Plaza or Erviti.


Sagan and Chava say hello ,but from GC you are probably right,Joux Plane descent was crazy indeed.

What was so crazy about that descent? Losing only a second or two to Evans?

 

[b.broadhurst]

Will Sky drill it up Pailheres to get a group of 15?

I think there will only Porte and Froome over the top

 

[Angliru]

The sheer number of habitually aggressive GC guys present and correct suggest there must be some kind of late fireworks, which will presumably take place against a backdrop of ailing Garmin, Europcar and Euskatel attack detritus.

I'm going to plump for Purito - as I have perceptively noticed that he is rather good at riding his bike up hills.

You sir are obviously a cycling scholar! We always welcome a great sense of humor to the forum!

 

[manafana]

froome dog won t be broke here thats for sure, interesting more so to see who does lose time today

 

[Gugashwill]

froome dog won t be broke here thats for sure, interesting more so to see who does lose time today

Won't be broken, but hopefully he'll lose time.

 

[b.broadhurst]

Which GC favs will be inside top 20 of the 1st ITT?

 

[fantomas]

I don't see Europcar going for anything tomorrow. Rolland obviously won't go, and why would Voeckler?
A bunch of 20 guys at Pailheres, 40-50 at the foot of Ax, 10 guys at 3-4 Ks from the summit.

 

[Fight.The.Power]

A number of posts here talking about a Froome attack in the last 1.5km. The last 1.5km are flat.

My mind is cast back to last years Vuelta where things could prove similar this year. Who could pip Froome on a flat 1.5km after the climb.

Valverde of course.

*This years TDF of course

 

[fantomas]

If Froome goes on the semi-flat last 1-1.5 K it won't be to win the stage, but to gain time. I doubt he will care much if Valverde beats him, as long as he gains a few secs on Alberto.

 

[willbick]

Porte and Froome will smash this stage tomorrow and then it will inevitably be all hands to the Clinic for a massive whinging session.

 

[Poursuivant]

Porte and Froome will smash this stage tomorrow and then it will inevitably be all hands to the Clinic for a massive whinging session.

Lol, very true.

 

[Angliru]

Porte and Froome will smash this stage tomorrow and then it will inevitably be all hands to the Clinic for a massive whinging session.

What the hell is "whinging"? My computer's spellcheck doesn't recognize it as an actual word.

 

[Poursuivant]

Which GC favs will be inside top 20 of the 1st ITT?

For the 1st ITT, I would say Froome, Porte van Garderen and Evans should be there. I think Quintana will do well here, as well as an improved effort from Contador.

 

[UpTheRoad]

What the hell is "whinging"? My computer's spellcheck doesn't recognize it as an actual word.

In Americanized English the term is spelled 'whining.'

 

[fantomas]

What the hell is "whinging"? My computer's spellcheck doesn't recognize it as an actual word.

It's like "whining", but less hysterical. Though still quite annoying.

 

[cineteq]

GC Favorites
Daryl IMPEY (ref)
Christopher FROOME +8
Richie PORTE +8
Alberto CONTADOR +14
Andrew TALANSKY +22
Ryder HESJEDAL +22
Alejandro VALVERDE +25
Nairo QUINTANA +25
Cadel EVANS +31
Tejay VAN GARDEREN +31
Joaquin RODRIGUEZ +33
Andy SCHLECK +34
Bauke MOLLEMA +42
Thibaut PINOT +47
Pierre ROLLAND +1.18

 

[fantomas]

For the 1st ITT, I would say Froome, Porte van Garderen and Evans should be there. I think Quintana will do well here, as well as an improved effort from Contador.

Contador can't do worse than in the Dauphiné. He was so uncomfortable in that TT. Looked much better in the ITT the other day.

 

[BigMac]

Kiri will enter BEAST mode set flaming pace and eventually get Froome dropped without even noticing.

 

[Sciocco]

It certainly would be nice to see something exciting on tomorrow's stage(maybe Sunday too!) and not have to wait until the alps.

If not, at least I have 2 more matches of Wimbledon.

 

[batchuba]

You sir are obviously a cycling scholar! We always welcome a great sense of humor to the forum!

Why thank you sir. I do like to drop the occasional analytical bombshell.