Author Topic: Tour de France 09 (may contain spoilers) (Read 74179 times)

MSeries · « **Reply #50 on:** 07 July, 2009, 05:00:48 pm »

In theory yes, I suppose. The French and the UCI would have a field day making up a rule in such a situation

andrew_s · « **Reply #51 on:** 07 July, 2009, 07:25:38 pm »

Quote from: DuncanM on 07 July, 2009, 04:53:28 pm

So in theory, ythey could get to paris and then take the times from the prologue? I guess they might have the other individual TTs to 1/100th of a second too.

All the TTs are timed to the 100th, and the 100ths from all the TTs are combined for the tiebreaker.
So in this case Cancellara's prologue time plus Saxo's 5th rider time came in at 0.2s (or whatever) less than Armstrong's prologue plus Astana's 5th rider time.

αdαmsκι · « **Reply #52 on:** 07 July, 2009, 08:10:17 pm »

The clock for the team time trail stops when the 5^th man crosses the line, and on the ITV4 coverage they pointed out the the 5^th man of Astana was already slowing before the line, which may have caused Lance Armstrong not to gain the yellow. Oh, and the name of that 5^th man: Lance Armstrong!

David Martin · « **Reply #53 on:** 07 July, 2009, 08:12:07 pm »

The same situation hapened in the tour of britain a few years back - decided on prologue fractions.

The fifth Astana rider was armstrong who had sat up and was fiddling with his gears as he crossed the line.

Adrian · « **Reply #54 on:** 07 July, 2009, 08:45:19 pm »

Quote from: adamski on 07 July, 2009, 08:10:17 pm

The clock for the team time trail stops when the 5^th man crosses the line, and on the ITV4 coverage they pointed out the the 5^th man of Astana was already slowing before the line, which may have caused Lance Armstrong not to gain the yellow. Oh, and the name of that 5^th man: Lance Armstrong!

That's what you get when you allow someone who isn't a pro racer to join in, insufficient attention to the fine detail.

Adrian · « **Reply #55 on:** 07 July, 2009, 09:22:41 pm »

Erik Zabel gave us a superb example in the 2004 Milan San Remo

livestrong10_02 · « **Reply #56 on:** 07 July, 2009, 09:23:03 pm »

does LA care who's got the jersey, not a chance. its saxo on the front all day tomorrow and the astana boys have an easy day

, IF he had taken the jersey today he would have gifted it away tomorrow anyways

Hot Flatus · « **Reply #57 on:** 07 July, 2009, 09:25:59 pm »

Quote from: livestrong10_02 on 07 July, 2009, 09:23:03 pm

does LA care who's got the jersey, not a chance. its saxo on the front all day tomorrow and the astana boys have an easy day , IF he had taken the jersey today he would have gifted it away tomorrow anyways

It'll be Columbia on the front all day again, I suspect. Why would Saxo bother? They'll just sit with Larnce

mr magnolia · « **Reply #58 on:** 07 July, 2009, 09:28:06 pm »

Quote from: adamski on 07 July, 2009, 08:10:17 pm

The clock for the team time trail stops when the 5^th man crosses the line, and on the ITV4 coverage they pointed out the the 5^th man of Astana was already slowing before the line, which may have caused Lance Armstrong not to gain the yellow. Oh, and the name of that 5^th man: Lance Armstrong!

surely he sat up because Contador had made re he was in front of him, anLA wan´t going to get that back. Contador certainllooked like he wanted to be in front f LA!

Aidan · « **Reply #59 on:** 07 July, 2009, 09:34:37 pm »

To quote Robbie Mcewen on Twitter "I'm sure @Lancearmstrong did that on purpose to leave cancellara in the jersey. He sat up in last 50m. Nice. I repeat, LA will win."

Really Ancien · « **Reply #60 on:** 07 July, 2009, 09:44:16 pm »

It was notable that Cavendish was doing a lot of work, even leading Columbia over the line, in thanks for stage 3. The lad will go far. I see Cadel's true to form though, he couldn't even take a compliment.

Damon.

GruB · « **Reply #61 on:** 07 July, 2009, 09:44:32 pm »

I always thought he didn't like the jersey too soon as it took too much out of the team to keep it, defend it. Makes sense to keep it close to make them work harder to stay in touch though.
Whatever, it make it exciting to watch.

Adrian · « **Reply #62 on:** 07 July, 2009, 10:08:26 pm »

Quote from: Really Ancien on 07 July, 2009, 09:44:16 pm

I see Cadel's true to form though, he couldn't even take a compliment.

Well as he is 3 minutes down, meaning that his normal tactic of wheel sucking the leaders over the bumpy bits isn't going to get him very far, he is probably a bit grumpy.

spesh · « **Reply #63 on:** 07 July, 2009, 10:56:33 pm »

Cadel's mood is understandable, given that once again, Lotto have been found lacking. If my memory serves, over the last few tours, he was the only rider in his team able to stay with the pace every time the road pointed upwards. Armstrong, Contador and Sastre have had no shortage of team-mates ready and able to shelter them in their slipstream whilst ripping the peloton apart on the lower slopes of the big mountain passes.

Really Ancien · « **Reply #64 on:** 08 July, 2009, 01:41:32 am »

Obviously the dream for the journalists would be Armstrong in Yellow for the anniversary of the Moon Landing when they cross the Grand St Bernard and the Petit St Bernard on stage 16 on July 21st ( The anniversary is July 20th in The USA, time diffferences.) The ideal scenario would be Armstrong losing the jersey to a demon descender. The headline being 'Armstrong falls to Earth'. or some variation of that. The ultimate denoument would be his regaining the Jersey at Mont Ventoux. the headline being 'Armstrong on the surface of the Moon' with the TV tower rocket-like in the background,

Damon.

MSeries · « **Reply #65 on:** 08 July, 2009, 09:02:59 am »

Lance f*****g Armstrong. I'm going to get a DVD of the 2007 Tour and play it everyday, Chicken Legs was much more entertaining that this gibbon.

Aidan · « **Reply #66 on:** 08 July, 2009, 10:24:14 am »

Quote from: MSeries on 08 July, 2009, 09:02:59 am

Lance f*****g Armstrong. I'm going to get a DVD of the 2007 Tour and play it everyday, Chicken Legs was much more entertaining that this gibbon.

Take it you don't like him then?

citoyen · « **Reply #67 on:** 08 July, 2009, 11:56:08 am »

Looking at today's stage... anyone prepared to bet against Cav?

Of course I want to see him win again, but I hope Boonen is at least in the mix today - it's about time someone made a race of it.

d.

vorsprung · « **Reply #68 on:** 08 July, 2009, 11:59:49 am »

Quote from: smutchin on 08 July, 2009, 11:56:08 am

Looking at today's stage... anyone prepared to bet against Cav?

Of course I want to see him win again, but I hope Boonen is at least in the mix today - it's about time someone made a race of it.

d.

Dunno what Boonens form is like
Bennati has beaten Cav this year, istr

mattc · « **Reply #69 on:** 08 July, 2009, 12:16:34 pm »

I'll be quite happy if Cav wins all the flat stages and finishes in Green. British cycling (note small c) needs all the publicity it can get. (Green jersey will still be hard if he gets no intermediates, so I predict a fight.)

I reckon the Drama at Astana will become the central attraction of the race. Lance has really got his work cut out to put down the "young" pretenders.

(I quite like Boonen - I'll root for him in any race without Cav!)

MSeries · « **Reply #70 on:** 08 July, 2009, 12:20:25 pm »

I think once Cav realises that the MV is a real possibility he'll make sure that his rivals don't sweep up the intermediate points on the road. What we have heard him say and what the plans are will be different things IMO, he's talking a good game for his rivals to listen to. Remember sprinting is like boxing, blows to the head are often carried out with words.

MSeries · « **Reply #71 on:** 08 July, 2009, 12:22:56 pm »

I predict Armstrong will crack in the mountains and not get to Paris.

Hot Flatus · « **Reply #72 on:** 08 July, 2009, 12:28:48 pm »

Quote from: MSeries on 08 July, 2009, 12:20:25 pm

Remember sprinting is like boxing, blows to the head are often carried out with words.

Yeah right.

citoyen · « **Reply #73 on:** 08 July, 2009, 12:29:34 pm »

Quote from: vorsprung on 08 July, 2009, 11:59:49 am

Dunno what Boonens form is like

Well, he won Paris Roubaix, didn't he? I don't think he can be ruled out.

Quote

Bennati has beaten Cav this year, istr

So has Farrar, but he hasn't looked close in the Tour so far.

d.

Really Ancien · « **Reply #74 on:** 08 July, 2009, 12:49:36 pm »

I'm thinking back to stage16 last year, when the Schlecks drew the sting of Cadel and Sastre went up the road. Astana wil be in a position to do that, with their strength in depth, but so could Saxobank.

Damon.