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

[thehog]

I still don't get why Sky had to pull from the beginning...

They thought it was the Olympics again. The way Porte has been talking it up I think they thought they'd control the entire Tour.

 

[Christian]

I just saw the crash of Peter Kennaugh, those always look really bad when someone falls down into the bushes.... brings back the memory of Vinokourov being carried out by two team mates, Augustyn, Ullrich, Schleck...

Seemed like it was the fault of the rider who passed him. I've read some places that it was Ryder Hesjedal, is that accurate?

 

[postmanhat]

The start reminded me of the first Tourmalet stage from 2010 which saw a lot of attacking on the Peyresourde and Aspin before a regrouping on the way to the Tourmalet.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/tour-de-france-2010/stage-16


Full list of withdrawals today

174 DENNIS Rohan GRS DNS
126 GUTIERREZ José Ivan MOV withdrawal
95 NOVAL GONZALEZ Benjamin TST withdrawal
38 SCHÄR Michael BMC DNS
4 KIRYIENKA Vasili SKY outside the time limit

I thought Kiyenka finished with Cavendish?

I thought Sky would fade in the third week, but Froome's going to have it do it solo from now on, with the bad luck and lack of form they're having

EDIT - just read back and found the answer. Here's hoping Stannard finds some super-form

 

[wwabbit]

Seemed like it was the fault of the rider who passed him. I've read some places that it was Ryder Hesjedal, is that accurate?

Yes it was Hesjedal.
Coincidentally, it was Garmin that started all the aggression right after that incident.

 

[Bavarianrider]

I think Marcel Kittel deserves credit.
Many expected him to drop out of the Tour in the Pyrenees. But so far he hasn't struggled at all. Seems like he really improved his mountain skills a lot!

 

[Normandy]

Interestingly, just watched the sports news on BBC in UK. Not one mention of Sky/Froome leading the Tour.

Tennis and Formula 1 only. Mr Brailsford will not be happy

 

[Scott SoCal]

Frankie nails it.

http://www.bicycling.com/video/tour-talk-stage-9-0#/video/all/created/d/1

 

[Gugashwill]

There' so much to comment, but everything what I would say should come down to - looking forward to the rest of the race!

 

[TANK91]

At least we learned one thing about today. The tour isn't just about one day. Froome still reign supreme today. But his faithful lieutenant toppel so hard in on one swoop. But Paris is still along way. The hardest stage hasn't come yet. Also the revelation of Quintana form. It's just too bad he went too early yesterday..

here's porte comment after dauphine:
"We are not at the top of our game just yet," he said. "I'd be a little worried if I was Contador or Rodríguez. As quiet as they are, I think they're a little bit stressed."

The Dauphiné wasn't an easy race and we were one-two. That's the goal. The other guys say they are chasing form, but I don't see how they can recover from two and a half minutes or whatever they're down in a dead flat 30K time trial. That's a lot of time to pull back in three weeks."

Boy how wrong he was after today. Not only he lost his position, he coughed almost 11 minutes. Top form ey Porte? How come you cough so much time with rider who you called chasing his form?

Pathetic comment, just becuase Porte was so good yday who cares. Your hardly that good at predictions 2 days in a row Contador has followed wheels and he would have been dropped today did you see him on the last climb 1 minute I thought he was ok then he was really grimacing, Kreuziger is stronger, but as you said 100 times in the build up its all about the 3rd week huh.

 

[TANK91]

They tried when Quintana attacked but each time Froome responded.

Froome will be isolated again in the Alps, there's no doubt about that. His team is ****, and there are harder stages over consecutive days where they can try to do damage.

That why Froome will be 3 minutes plus after the ITT, he will go all out on Ventoux which is a 1climb stage and he will be 4 mins plus clear by the Alps and another ITT where he could gain a min to 30 secs. Portes lost loads on his own today can you honestly seeing Froome lose like 5 minutes plus Froome can probably afford 1 bad day in the Alps if he gains what I just said. And its not like Porte lost 18 mins because he bombed he lost like 5 6 mins chasing for over 80 kms as the rest of the gap he would have tooke easy noing he cold not get back on, Kennaugh, Porte will be ok for the rest if Lopez picks up he will be fine two. Kiry is gone. Froome is the boss.

 

[BigMac]

People are clearly overreating over Movistar. Like it was said, 80% of you were expecting this stage to be won by a break and still insult Movistar for actually doing something that in my opinion, was the best that could be done. Movistar did whatever they could, literally destroying Sky, not able to shoot down Froome because he is too strong, and most of all, Valverde did'nt have the legs. You people were shown since the first day to be all 'wet' over Quintana, always praying for him to take a dump on Valverde and keep on. It is only the first week of his first Tour, so he never proved anything over 3 week racing, at least when riding for GC. How come he could have kept on the attack on last climb? You blame Valverde? In case Nairo had the legs and kept on going, Froome would eventually follow him with ease, and Valverde was shown not to have the legs. That my friends, would be tactical suicide. At the moment, apart from Froome, Movistar might have the two best riders in Top10, one in second, the other just a few seconds away from third.

Valverde never said his main objective for this Tour was the win, but the Top3, wich Movistar might well achieve with 2 riders. Why don't you blame Contador or Evans? Alberto even sent Kreuzo at some point, in last climb, to the front of the race, in order to try and prevent attacks. This Tour was won from the day it departed from Corsica, it was always a fight between the rest.

 

[TANK91]

I disagree. They still have stage 18, stage 19, stage 20 to hurt Froome.

Froome is most likely going to be isolated on all of those days. If not all of them, then you would think 2 of them. They still have at least 2 days to throw the kitchen sink at Froome.

Will they? Probably not because Froome is on another level to everyone else. But rest assured, they are going to try.

Stage 20 lol ha ha you serious, roome will ride from the bottom the whole climb if he wants and lose barely anytime have you seen the profile.

EDIT: Froome

 

[pastronef]

Ye ye, rub it in will you

ah ok
if there was any other rider with Jacob (sauf garmin and belkin) i'd have shouted for him.
but when there's a garmin, i'm for them.

 

[richard_91]

Interestingly, just watched the sports news on BBC in UK. Not one mention of Sky/Froome leading the Tour.

Tennis and Formula 1 only. Mr Brailsford will not be happy

To be fair, Murray just became first British winner of Wimbledon in 77 years, and someone got hit with a wheel in the pits in the F1...and BBC cover both those sports but dont have any rights to cycling

Not saying its right, but that will be why.

 

[jens_attacks]

even IL MITO has been shocked by saxo movistar fail...grandeee!

Froome was hopelessly alone, surrounded by 6 Movistar and 5 Saxo, all of whom incredibly failed to take advantage of this unique opportunity to put the English rider in the wind, eventually chasing each other, with Froome on their wheel.

http://www.53x12.com/do/show?page=indepth.view&id=137

very true about madiot. ...

but hey...vaughters learned from his mistakes....remember..."stop working, we're fighting for second place"...ronde 2011.

 

[TANK91]

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.

Your a funny guy do you no that, only 1 multi mountain stage left lol, or do you expect Movistar to attack on the flat before Ventoux ha ha. Their is still 2 ITT's were Froome will gain 3 minutes plus. And the Sky team will go easy in the ITT's and 3 flat stages before Ventoux will mean they don't have to work. Froome tactically weak lol, don't you mean Valverde. And you ovi looke at the Vuelta last year and dint see that Froome was tyred.

 

[TANK91]

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.

Your a funny guy do you no that, only 1 multi mountain stage left lol, or do you expect Movistar to attack on the flat before Ventoux ha ha. Their is still 2 ITT's were Froome will gain 3 minutes plus. And the Sky team will go easy in the ITT's and 3 flat stages before Ventoux will mean they don't have to work. Froome tactically weak lol, don't you mean Valverde. And you ovi did not look at the Vuelta last year and dint see that Froome was tyred.

 

[TANK91]

Contador always goes very well after rest days, they really work for him. Froome should be very worried.

What is he planning on going in a break, day after rest is flat. I agree he gets better but come on all year we hear the same he is peaking for the TDF and he has not even attacked in 2 stages. He is not even a fav for a podium(as of now) his own teammate is stronger.

 

[TANK91]

Get used to it.


Yeh because they gave some 23 year old who attack with 40 odd kms to go a lesson.

 

[LaFlorecita]

TANK91 are you trying to imitate the skyborg?! Full *** I mean. Calm down your favorite is in yellow. No need to get so worked up.

 

[Inquitus]

Conty bloodbag rest day spesh, then a good TT, I guess we'll see, if he doesn't suck on Tues then hes back to his previous.

 

[TANK91]

TANK91 are you trying to imitate the skyborg?! Full *** I mean. Calm down your favorite is in yellow. No need to get so worked up.

Huh what I int just a fan of Froome, see the post about Quintana, as you have heard me say Movistar and Saxo are working for the wrong guys. Do you agree? Quintana attacked 40 kms to go yday and he is 23 and today he was the only one prodding Froome everyone else is pathetic. I so hope Quintana gets second this guy will dominate the TDF eventually.

 

[Gubby Allen]

I fancy Dan Martin for this stage today. JRod may go well too.

Just cleared out the bet365 account. Called that at 11:15am when he was 25/1.

 

[TANK91]

Conty bloodbag rest day spesh, then a good TT, I guess we'll see, if he doesn't suck on Tues then hes back to his previous.

Their is a diff forum for him, not in here please.

 

[Gubby Allen]

To be fair, Murray just became first British winner of Wimbledon in 77 years, and someone got hit with a wheel in the pits in the F1...and BBC cover both those sports but dont have any rights to cycling

Not saying its right, but that will be why.

With those 2 and the Lions yesterday its still 3rd/4th on the pecking order, 2.weeks out. With the Open and Ashes it wont even be top 2 on the final weekend.