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

[trevim]

Looks like Roche will be back just in time to get dropped again. Nice descending nonetheless.

Just in time to get some water before the final climb

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Quintana is a good descender, especially when it's technical.

This downhill is a fast downhill where you have to push the big ring. It's not a good downhill for Quintana. Nothing to do with his technical skills.

I wonder why people don't think

 

[More Strides than Rides]

Dont think the tactic from Movistar was that good afterall. Sky just went the same pace they would have gone had he never attacked, and now hell have a 35 sec or so advantage going into the climb but be far more tired than he needed to be.

Not sure. It was after Anton's attack that Quintana's gap stopped going out. I feel like they realized they were not doing enough, and then picked it up.

Don't think it was in the plan to go over the top with only Froome, Porte, and Kenneugh

 

[acetray]

Is Talanski still in the peloton?

 

[Miburo]

only if they start looking around like in 2010

Please not, it's already bad enough that it once happened.

 

[woodburn]

What was the gap over the top of Pailheres?

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Is Talanski still in the peloton?

Yeah, he was at the back with Martin and Mollema on the last ascent. Suffering, but still there

 

[Roude Leiw]

Ascent of paileres on the slower side and far from ullrichs record of 2005 it seems

 

[darwin553]

I'm thinking the whole Tour. Having a guy with you at least until the foot of the last mountain is valuable even for Cadel. It's not like he'll win anyway but I'd like to see him have a good race.

Sky are pulling back Quintana. :/

It is a shame BMC don't have a Porte or Mick Rogers for Cadel

 

[Fight.The.Power]

I think 30 seconds could be enough for Quintana, but I don't know if he can save that into the climb.

He will be very fatigued by now.

Although I made that call on Sagan yesterday

 

[goggalor]

Colombians have never been good at descending.

I thought Quintana was alright. He was good in the Dauphine last year.

 

[willbick]

Is dan moreno in the lead group?

 

[sultanofhyd]

What was the gap over the top of Pailheres?

1'03"

10 char

 

[The Hitch]

Not sure. It was after Anton's attack that Quintana's gap stopped going out. I feel like they realized they were not doing enough, and then picked it up.

Don't think it was in the plan to go over the top with only Froome, Porte, and Kenneugh

Its worked fine. Kenneugh can maybe do another 1-2k on Ax3 maybe more. Then Porte can do pretty much the rest of the climb until Froome decides to go.

 

[gthx_gthx_]

What was the gap over the top of Pailheres?

A minute advantage for Quintana. And like 30 sec advantage to Rolland.

 

[Parrulo]

Manolo Sainz bets on Rui Costa on the current race situation.

I dunno what to say, honestly.

He must be insane. No way will Costa ever be able to follow the top 5 climbers here.

Unzue should have talked to Riis. Maybe Kreuziger would have agreed to go too.

But Valverde still has Costa and without Kreuziguer, Contador would be left without any super dom.

I was thinking guys like Fugslang, Pinot, Rolland, Martin, Mollema to be honest.

 

[Miburo]

Is dan moreno in the lead group?

yea he is still there

 

[darwin553]

I thought Quintana was alright. He was good in the Dauphine last year.

Do you still think he's ok after losing 30 secs on this decent?

 

[spalco]

Quintana is a good descender, especially when it's technical.

This downhill is a fast downhill where you have to push the big ring. It's not a good downhill for Quintana. Nothing to do with his technical skills.

I wonder why people don't think

He's a good TTer as has been mentioned many times, so what exactly is his problem here?

I think the surface is tricky today in the heat with maybe soft tarmac.

 

[Zam_Olyas]

Did anyone timed quintana up that climb?

chassepatate ‏@chasse_patate 2m
The average speed of Quintana on col de paillhères is 19.6 km/h. About 2 mins slower than Ullrich's record

 

[Publicus]

Quintana is a good descender, especially when it's technical.

This downhill is a fast downhill where you have to push the big ring. It's not a good downhill for Quintana. Nothing to do with his technical skills.

I wonder why people don't think

My guess is they simply can't differentiate between the varying types of descents

 

[trevim]

It is a shame BMC don't have a Porte or Mick Rogers for Cadel

Van Garderen clearly is having a bad day: he isn't exactly a great climber but I don't think he's doing as much as we could expect from him.

 

[wwabbit]

Anyone getting tired of Pinot-cam?

 

[Ferminal]

But Valverde still has Costa and without Kreuziguer, Contador would be left without any super dom.

Rogers...?

 

[Publicus]

Did anyone timed quintana up that climb?

46' and some change