TdF 2011 general discussion thread - likely to contain spoilers

[Honest John]

Take back what I said about the Schlecks, this is genius (if he pulls it off)

"If.."

He does have a descent to do shortly.

[Nick H.]

I wish I was there. They're killing themselves today but they've still got to do the Telegraphe, the Galibier and the Alpe d'Huez tomorrow...and they seem to be clean.  A true fight to the death. I'd love to see Frandy, Bertie and Evans explode, with Voeckler finishing in yellow. But I suppose that's too much to hope for.

[Honest John]

I'd love to see Frandy, Bertie and Evans explode, with Voeckler finishing in yellow.

+1

[Karla]

CN says there's 4:12 between Schleck and the peloton.  That's incredible!  Whoever wins this year's Tour, the lesser spotted Schleck must surely win the sandbagger extroadinairre award, possibly taking it off Armstrong 10 years after 'The Look'.

[Nick H.]

Andy finally looks like he's in pain with over 7 very steep k to go. Excellent. And Tommy's being towed along nicely by Evans. Even more excellent.

[Nick H.]

Bertie's bluffing I reckon.  He'll attack big time with 2k to go.

[Hot Flatus]

It's too late for Bertie to do much, I think

[Nick H.]

He cracked at 1.9k. Shows how much I know.

[Karla]

Bertie's bluffing I reckon.  He'll attack big time with 2k to go.

I was wondering wtf Contador was going to do tomorrow, he must have been planning something big.

But no!  He's cracked!  We've just witnessed the moment when Alberto Contador lost the Tour de France.

[Gah, it didn't post first time because Porkins got in first]

[Tim]

Well played by Tommy for another day of yellow.

[gonzo]

Anyhow, as I said:

GC:
1) Schleck (A)
2) Evans
3) Schleck (F)

Also, if someone could find the bit where I predicted that the Schlecks would blow things up in the Alps I'd appreciate it for bragging rights

PS. notice how Frank had an easy ride today whilst everyone else basically died. Expect Frank to win tomorrow!

[Karla]

Anyhow, as I said:

GC:
1) Schleck (A)
2) Evans
3) Schleck (F)

Also, if someone could find the bit where I predicted that the Schlecks would blow things up in the Alps I'd appreciate it for bragging rights

PS. notice how Frank had an easy ride today whilst everyone else basically died. Expect Frank to win tomorrow!

You kept the faith, you are indeed vindicated.  Well done, good and faithful servant.

[Nick H.]

Hats off to the low budget wild card Europcars, who even had a domestique in the yellow jersey group.  Great to see some good honest Frenchmen up there after years of domination by big bucks foreign cheats.

[gonzo]

Ah, I wish you hadn't typed that Mr B because now I feel bad about bragging about this post:

I watched it again this evening and Cuddles was far closer to the limit on that climb than Andy. The only reason that the bunch came back to Andy was that he sat up to see where everyone had got to. If he has that form in the big climbs next week, I'm expecting to see him gain 1 or 2 minutes on the first big day of climbing.

Edit - could I nominate this attack as being being one of the best moments in recent history: the attack, the tactics and the general suffering!

[citoyen]

This race is mad, Ted.

d.

[Nick H.]

Epic day. Did Boardman just say it was the best day of Tour racing ever?

[Salvatore]

Cav finished outside the time limit, but so did lots of others. If it's more that 20% of the field (I think about 50% are outside the limit), the jury can keep them in.

Rojas finished inside the limit, so he won't be best pleased if Cav is allowed to continue.


edit: the grupetto is safe, and Cav stays in green but loses 20 points

[gonzo]

Another very interesting race is that between Cunego and Basso. Partly because they've both been changing positions ever since they've been in the top 10 and also because they were at one time 'superhuman' and have now returned to more believable levels of performance. I have a nasty suspicion that Basso will take it from the pair (I've got Cunego in my fantasy TdF team).

edit - currently, they're on exactly the same time!

[spesh]

Chapeau to Andy Schleck, he grabbed the race by the balls today. 
Chapeau to Evans, he limited his potential loss, and probably finished off Contador and Sanchez. 
Chapeau to Voeckler, he's still hanging in there. I'll have what he's having... 

... If Voeckler's still in yellow on Friday morning, it's going to have to get ugly on the way to the Alpe, and it's going to have get ugly early.

Voeckler's still in yellow and neither Schleck has enough of a cushion over Evans yet.

The Telegraph is perhaps too early, but my guess is that Frank will attack on the Galibier, and Evans will have to do all the work again unless Europcar think there's a chance of keeping Voeckler in yellow for another day.

Edited to correct the order of the two cols.

[gonzo]

How well do you think that everyone will have recovered by the TT? I'm guessing Frank'll be off the front tomorrow and, as you point out Spesh, Cuddles will have to do all the work. Again.

I'd say that the race was now down to 4 men; the two Schlecks, Tommy V and Cuddles. Tommy V isn't going to do any work, the Schlecks aren't going to chase each other thus leaving Cuddles. Basso and Cunego are going to fight each other for 5th, so it's possible that Basso will pull hard to drop Cunego which might play into the hands of Cuddles, but who can say.

Further proof that this is the best tour since I've been interested in the sport!

Edit - I wonder how much time Vockler would have if the TV car hadn't taken out two of his breakaway companions?

[spesh]

Cav finished outside the time limit, but so did lots of others. If it's more that 20% of the field (I think about 50% are outside the limit), the jury can keep them in.

Rojas finished inside the limit, so he won't be best pleased if Cav is allowed to continue.


edit: the grupetto is safe, and Cav stays in green but loses 20 points

I presume it's 20 points on offer at the top of the Alpe d'Huez, so if >20% are hors delais tomorrow, Cav drops to 5 points* behind Rojas, but should be confident of retaking the green jersey on the Champs Elysee on Sunday.

* I'm banking on the peloton being blown apart well before the intermediate sprint at Bourg d'Oisans, and neither Rojas nor Gilbert picking any points there.

[Honest John]

Gosh, that was terribly exciting. And I'm glad Voeckler managed to hold on. Allez, 'Ti-Blan!

Would Schleck (A) have done so well if he hadn't had Montfort to hold his hand down the nasty hill into Briancon? He still seemed to take some of the corners a bit too wide. I've descended that hill and it's not very technical.

Cav finished outside the time limit, but so did lots of others. If it's more that 20% of the field (I think about 50% are outside the limit), the jury can keep them in.

Rojas finished inside the limit, so he won't be best pleased if Cav is allowed to continue.


edit: the grupetto is safe, and Cav stays in green but loses 20 points

I presume it's 20 points on offer at the top of the Alpe d'Huez, so if >20% are hors delais tomorrow, Cav drops to 5 points* behind Rojas, but should be confident of retaking the green jersey on the Champs Elysee on Sunday.

* I'm banking on the peloton being blown apart well before the intermediate sprint at Bourg d'Oisans, and neither Rojas nor Gilbert picking any points there.

According to the TdF site it's:

1.CAVENDISH M. THR 300 Pts
2.ROJAS J. MOV 285 Pts
3.GILBERT P. OLO 230 Pts

which I don't think is where it was this morning.

But, since about 80 people including Linus Gerdemann, Sandy Casar, Sylvain Chavanel and Fabian Cancellara were all given the same time as Cav, it looks as though the time limit has gone by the board this time.

[kcass]

From Cycingnews - The grupetto made it to the finish line within the time limit. Green jersey Mark Cavendish of HTC-Highroad was behind that group, and actually finished outside the time limit. The race jury allowed him to stay in the race but deducted 20 points from his total. He now leads Movistar's Joaquin Jose Rojas by only 15 points.

EDIT - Everyone that finished outside the time limit had 20 points deducted so there are now nearly 50 riders with totals ranging from -1 to -20 in the points competition.

[Honest John]

From Cycingnews - The grupetto made it to the finish line within the time limit. Green jersey Mark Cavendish of HTC-Highroad was behind that group, and actually finished outside the time limit. The race jury allowed him to stay in the race but deducted 20 points from his total. He now leads Movistar's Joaquin Jose Rojas by only 15 points.

EDIT - Everyone that finished outside the time limit had 20 points deducted so there are now nearly 50 riders with totals ranging from -1 to -20 in the points competition.

Oh dear. He'll have to make sure he gets all the points in Paris, then.

[Honest John]

Mark Cavendish of HTC-Highroad was behind that group, and actually finished outside the time limit.

Do you know who else was outside the limit?