Tour de France - Stage 9, 168.5km - Saint-Girons / Bagnères-de-Bigorre, July 7th

[Frosty]

182 classified so far so we are missing a few.Muravyev retired. Kiryenka not classified yet.

 

[sjonnie]

Foome says was one of the hardest days he's had on a bike but that he felt in control all day, that the other teams had positions they were riding for and he was happy to follow them. He says it was natural that after all the work they did yesterday they would be weaker today but overall he was happy with the stage.

 

[Sasquatch]

They were more than half that at the start of the second climb. Only lost about 12-14 mins in 4 cat1 climbs.

Yeah, Quick Step, Lotto, Argos, Liquigas would have pushed it like crazy in the last 30km.

Great time!

 

[JimPanzen]

As selective as the first third of the stage seems to have been, the last part wasn't ridden fast imo. Even Quintana's attacks were half-assed, almost everybody could follow. But even if, that kind of racing will wear out some guys seriously over the course of the remaining two weeks.

 

[bolingbroke]

He was in the group with Gesink at some point, cameras were on him... simply not good enough to follow. He was dropping from groups that later came back in front

Actually he wasn't IN that group, He was at the front of the group because obviously no one was willing to help him

 

[theyoungest]

Laurens ten Dam: 'Quintana gave us some lessons in Colombian climbing today. Yesterday he got schooled on Dutch climbing.'

 

[movingtarget]

lol,

Movistar effectively removed a strong tactical weapon from Sky.

Solid and a well executed plan by Movistar today.

Porte has one bad day but he will still be there to support Froome next week. Valverde wil lose time in the TTs anyway. Froome lost no time. All they have done is knocked one of Froome's domestiques out of contention. He is still in the race as a support rider.

 

[Ryongsyong]

lol,

Movistar effectively removed a strong tactical weapon from Sky.

Solid and a well executed plan by Movistar today.

Who, Porte? He has a week to recover now thanks to the Prudhomme's ridiculous mountain-avoiding route. Actually, so do the rest of us ... wake me up when the sprint stages are over.

 

[richard_91]

Movistar ahould have been hitting one twos on 2nd to last climb, in reality Froome had 3 minor attacks to answer on the last climb and even the if Quibtana head gotten away by 20 seconds or so e would have been confident of catching him on the descent.

However a great stage, be interesting to see people tactics from now on, have to think Sky will e a lot stronger as tey all will have sat up once it was clear they couldn't get back and help Froome (Porte included) throw a rest day and a TT that none of them need To go full gas on they should be rejuvenated

 

[zigzag wanderer]

182 classified so far so we are missing a few.Muravyev retired. Kiryenka not classified yet.

Muravyev was reported as retired but didn't. Came in 179th.

 

[BYOP88]

Wait so Richie 'super climber' Porte finished closer to Cavendish than he did to the front group?

 

[ruamruam]

Dan Martin & Quintana to attack on last climb and get to finish. Martin to win sprint!!

Ok got Quintana wrong but close otherwise.

 

[Pippo_San]

It's ridiculous the second best climber can bonk so hard after a splendid day like yesterday.
It feels very early 2000, makes me wanna go to the clinic.
Ok he can be sick and whatever, but really, come on...

Anyway. I was ready with my new avatar for a Birdsong win, and as always he screwed up everything in the end...

At least the spaniards provided some LOL moments here and there with their stupid tactics

 

[slim charles]

Well, the beginning of the stage was fantastic. The rest was not on the same level of excitement, but it was still a fun stage.
I guess everyone was too tired to try some big attack. But if Contador can actually ride into some sort of form, he can still be dangerous to Froome. He spent a lot today and yesterday, he will feel it at some point [I guess]

 

[burning]

Laurens ten Dam: 'Yesterday he got schooled on Dutch climbing.'

That sentence is the most *** thing I have ever read for a long time

 

[Sasquatch]

Wait so Richie 'super climber' Porte finished closer to Cavendish than he did to the front group?

Love it!

 

[ruamruam]

Wait so Richie 'super climber' Porte finished closer to Cavendish than he did to the front group?

Rest day tomorrow and we all know what happens on rest days!!1

 

[GroupDK]

last rider ' aka sky rider at 38 min.. ouchh

Kirienka

 

[Sasquatch]

Rest day tomorrow and we all know what happens on rest days!!1

Ready for Froome and Porte 1 and 2 in the time trial on Wednesday!

 

[fantomas]

Wow, Kiriyenka out?

 

[JRanton]

last rider ' aka sky rider at 38 min.. ouchh

Kirienka

Outside time limit. Eliminated.

 

[burning]

Ready for Froome and Porte 1 and 2 in the time trial on Wednesday!

Porte will ride very slowly on TT, thats for sure

 

[Rollthedice]

Movi should have attacked on the penultimate climb but they have a Valverde/Quintana problem. Saxo should have helped but they have an Alberto problem. The finish was too far to gain time on Froome. By terminating Porte I think Movistar did the best they could on a stage which should have been zero to GC.

 

[Don't be late Pedro]

Wait so Richie 'super climber' Porte finished closer to Cavendish than he did to the front group?

Once he had lost enough time what incentive is there to try and finish quickly?

 

[jilbiker]

What do you expect he was receiving no help and was literally on his own and eventually gave up. He lost that amount of time through circumstance not because those riders are that much better than him.

Porte's statement yesterday about Quintina was immature and must have ticked off the entire Peloton. It was a "rub-it-in-your-face". He will get no help from anyone in the Peloton. Sky will also have a difficult two wks, they will get no help from the field. But Froome does not care, he thinks he is Capt Superman. When will this fella learn? he had the same attitude in the early stages of Vuelta 2012 and then got the burn out. if he was tactically aware he should not have played out his hand so early in this TDF. I know folks will claim he had TDF 2012 in his legs but like Tiger Woods has said, Majors are won with whats between your ears not with your hands (for golf, legs for cycling). I still say thats Froome's weak item in the armour, tactical smarts.