TDF: Stage 17 - Alpe d'Huez

Chips Lovell

Hard to call a winner today given that the favourites will probably be more concerned with watching eachother than chasing a stage win. Really depends on who's in the break I guess. You can bet CSC will go nuts on the Alpe, since its their last chance to win the Tour, but can they put enough time into Evans and Menchov to give them a cushion for the TT?

Oh, and go easy on the spoilers. Some of us are watching it tonight.

Caroline_ie

I am for little brother Schleck today. Go Andy!

TinyExplosions

I'm going for a Schleck win -one of 'em has too -it's my bonus stage and I need the points!

Chips Lovell

Caroline_ie wrote: »

I am for little brother Schleck today. Go Andy!

Ah, but do you think CSC will release him from pace setting duties to go for the win? He looked pretty busy pulling the leaders' bunch on the final climbs in the last two stages.

Raam

el tonto wrote: »

Hard to call a winner today given that the favourites will probably be more concerned with watching eachother than chasing a stage win. Really depends on who's in the break I guess. You can bet CSC will go nuts on the Alpe, since its their last chance to win the Tour, but can they put enough time into Evans and Menchov to give them a cushion for the TT?

What were CSC hoping to achieve yesterday? The hard ascent didn't get rid of Evans or Menchov (although he did for himself on the descent) or even Kohl. I suppose Vandevelde was ousted. If Evans can make it through today, I think the tour is his for the taking.

el tonto wrote: »

Oh, and go easy on the spoilers. Some of us are watching it tonight.

Can't stress this enough. Whoever mentioned Menchov in yesterdays thread, SHAME ON YOU.

zzzzzzzz

Raam wrote: »

What were CSC hoping to achieve yesterday? The hard ascent didn't get rid of Evans or Menchov (although he did for himself on the descent) or even Kohl. I suppose Vandevelde was ousted. If Evans can make it through today, I think the tour is his for the taking.



Can't stress this enough. Whoever mentioned Menchov in yesterdays thread, SHAME ON YOU.

I'd imagine they were thinking that if they got time on Evans he could make it up on the descent so possibly holding a lot in reserve for today? I don't know - maybe they should've been more aggressive on the climb and made evans take risks on the descent.

Anyway - should be a great stage today. Evans isn't looking great - from his position on the bike yesterday he looked like that shoulder might be acting up.

Chips Lovell

Raam wrote: »

What were CSC hoping to achieve yesterday? The hard ascent didn't get rid of Evans or Menchov (although he did for himself on the descent) or even Kohl. I suppose Vandevelde was ousted. If Evans can make it through today, I think the tour is his for the taking.

Exactly. Andy and Jens must be superhuman or pretty tired at this stage. Evans just needs to keep the gaps down today and the Tour is his. Menchov probably needs to attack Evans though, which should make things interesting.

niceonetom

i'm hoping that csc go batshít on evans today. if voigt and cancellara are strong today they can really push the pace on the first 2 climbs and hopefully leave evans without much support.

i think they'd be better off trying to hurt him on the croix-de-fer rather than waiting for l'alpe. if they can drop evans on the croix he might get back by the bottom of the alp but they might have done enough damage that he wouldn't be able to respond to another serious attack by the schleks. i think they can make him blow up.

Caroline_ie

el tonto wrote: »

Ah, but do you think CSC will release him from pace setting duties to go for the win? He looked pretty busy pulling the leaders' bunch on the final climbs in the last two stages.

I have no idea it's not really worth it putting me on the spot, I haven't a clue. But looking at all his effort I think he deserves to be given the stage ...and I am certain his mum agrees too.
I am sure Voigt and Sastre are still strong enough to lead the team up the top of the 'hill' hehehe.

Go Andy

Chips Lovell

If I'm going to try and call a winner I'd say that Liquigas will want to get the white jersey back off Andy Schleck. Nibali or Kreuzinger could attack today while he's busy looking after big brother.

TinyExplosions

Anyone got a link for a streaming video in English? Justin TV have removed their feeds after pressure from the ASO, and the time difference between the Eurosport Audio and video feeds is driving me crazy!

Funkyzeit

I'm going to plump for Menchov - not normally the most attacking but after his time loss yesterday I reckon he needs to pull at least 40 seconds back on Evans pre Sat's TT...

Raam

Maybe Big George will want it. He didn't miss out by much yesterday. Does he have it in the legs?

dedon

Big George? He hasn’t a hope!! I cant understand what people see in him. He is a very average rider. Too big to hurl himself up L’alpe.

Gone downhill since his postal days. I wonder why that is now??

Chips Lovell

Raam wrote: »

Maybe Big George will want it. He didn't miss out by much yesterday. Does he have it in the legs?

Snowball's chance in hell. He'd need an Eros Poli style lead to win on the Alpe

dedon wrote: »

Big George? He hasn’t a hope!! I cant understand what people see in him. He is a very average rider. Too big to hurl himself up L’alpe. Gone downhill since his postal days. I wonder why that is now??

He's a classics rider, not a stage racer.

dedon

el tonto wrote: »

Snowball's chance in hell. He'd need an Eros Poli style lead to win on the Alpe



He's a classics rider, not a stage racer.

domestique in my opinion

Chips Lovell

Of course a French rider would be gagging to win this one as well. Di Gregorio might be one to watch after his exploits on the Tourmalet, but he's still a young fella and I doubt if he's got the legs left for it.

Raam

Fine, I think George will come last. Are yis happy now?

Chips Lovell

dedon wrote: »

domestique in my opinion

He's won Gent Wevelgem and Kuurne Brussels Kuurne. On the podium at Paris Roubaix and the Tour of Flanders. He's a bit more than a domestique in fairness.

Poncherello

approx what time will they be approaching the summit of the major climb ?

dedon

el tonto wrote: »

He's won Gent Wevelgem and Kuurne Brussels Kuurne. On the podium at Paris Roubaix and the Tour of Flanders. He's a bit more than a domestique in fairness.

I don’t include any of his achievements during his time at Postal Service

Chips Lovell

Poncherello wrote: »

approx what time will they be approaching the summit of the major climb ?

The Tour website (www.letour.fr) publishes anticpated times for key points on all the stages. For today's stage, it reckons they'll be hitting the Alpe sometime between 4 and 4:30 our time. Remember, they're an hour ahead over there.

TinyExplosions

Raam wrote: »

Fine, I think George will come last. Are yis happy now?

He came 5th (or there abouts) yesterday...

Chips Lovell

dedon wrote: »

I don’t include any of his achievements during his time at Postal Service

Apply that logic and a lot of people didn't have a classics career.

Chips Lovell

TinyExplosions wrote: »

He came 5th (or there abouts) yesterday...

Cos he was in the break and it wasn't a mountain top finish.

dedon

el tonto wrote: »

Apply that logic and a lot of people didn't have a classics career.

I apply such logic to any performance of a rider that achieved such a performance while with Postals. I dont thust any of them

Raam

Ah lads, please, no more, we've had enough on other threads. This is about today's stage and what is gonna happen today.

Junior

Schleck Snr has to make a move today like, be interesting to see how CSC plan this since everything is a team effort, that could be the controlling factor in todays winner.

Chips Lovell

dedon wrote: »

I apply such logic to any performance of a rider that achieved such a performance while with Postals. I dont thust any of them

If you think they were the only team doping at that time, you're in for a big disappointment.

dedon

Valverdre for me!!

Chips Lovell

Junior wrote: »

Schleck Snr has to make a move today like, be interesting to see how CSC plan this since everything is a team effort, that could be the controlling factor in todays winner.

By my reckoning he needs to put four minutes into Evans today. That's huge for one stage.

Chips Lovell

dedon wrote: »

Valverdre for me!!

Domestique in my opinion.

dedon

el tonto wrote: »

Domestique in my opinion.

Team Leader?

72hundred

Anyone have a link to watch it on-line?

EDIT: Found the one that was up a few days ago.
+1 to mloc123 for posting it http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=56582241&postcount=10

Brian?

I know its half way through the Stage but I'm going to throw my prediction in and go for Sanchez.

kenmc

wow, what a finish! how did XXXXX pull out that gap on that mountain! Great riding - wonder if he can hold on. The big boys didn't see him coming... (I hope that's not spoiling too much....)

justfortherecor

Sure, using spoilers is the safest option in 'Go Advanced'.

I think the above post is spoiling it a bit to be honest for people who want to watch it tonight IMO.

trek climber

Just out of interest - has anyone here ever cycled up Alpe d'Huez and if so how tough was it. Hoping to go over next year to do it.

Diarmuid

Well looks like CSC had decided that Sastre has a better chance of beating Evans in the TT. However I don't think he put enough time on Evans in the climb not to loose it on Saturday. After Vanderveld's fall yesterday & Menchov's abysmal descent I think the race is Evans to lose.

Andy Schelk is defo one for the future. You could see he had tons left in him on the climb but had to hold back because of team tactics

zzzzzzzz

Diarmuid wrote: »

Well looks like CSC had decided that Sastre has a better chance of beating Evans in the TT. However I don't think he put enough time on Evans in the climb not to loose it on Saturday. After Vanderveld's fall yesterday & Menchov's abysmal descent I think the race is Evans to lose.

Andy Schelk is defo one for the future. You could see he had tons left in him on the climb but had to hold back because of team tactics

Yeah, I think it was a good call on CSC's part. Evans seemed very preoccupied with Frank the last couple of days so to send Sastre up the road was a good one.

Funkyzeit

aidan.offbeat wrote: »

Yeah, I think it was a good call on CSC's part. Evans seemed very preoccupied with Frank the last couple of days so to send Sastre up the road was a good one.

Not sure CSC got it right. I agree with Diarmuid the the time Carols put in is not enough. Maybe they should have attacked with Frank on Croix de Fer - let Evans chase him down and then attack with Carlos ? Evans may be boring but he's some fighter....

Chips Lovell

Told you Sastre was CSC's man for the GC.

Evans put 1:30 into him in the first time trial, which was 30km. Saturday's is 53km and he's only 1:34 behind.

Looks like its Evan's race to lose now, unless there's a big surprise tomorrow. Menchov will find it hard to put a minute into Evans, but could well take second spot on the podium from Sastre.

Vande Velde must be cursing his crash on Tuesday. With those two minutes he lost he would have been a shoe in for third.

Brian?

I don't think its as open and shut as people seem to think. Yesterday took a lot more out of Evans than it did from Sastre.

If Sastre shows reasonably good form in the TT, he could hang on. I know I'll be rooting for him after the way he attacked yesterday. Thats the way a Tour should be won, not hanging on to wheels and limiting losses like Evans/Menchov.


having said all this I looked at the TT route, made for Evans to put 3-4 minutes into Sastre. Dang.

Diarmuid

I saw an interview with Evans directly after the race. He seemed very happy with himself. Maybe that's just his personality but I think he knows he's way stronger than Sastre in the TT.

Brian?

You'd be happy too if you'd just finished L'Alpe without being broken by CSC. I'd say he started the day thinking he was going to take a hammering from constant attacks by the Schlecks, unfortunatly Frank hadn't the legs and Andy was reined in.

Diarmuid

briankeating wrote: »

You'd be happy too if you'd just finished L'Alpe without being broken by CSC.

Exactly, he knows the TdF is his to lose now.

Chips Lovell

briankeating wrote: »

...unfortunatly Frank hadn't the legs and Andy was reined in.

We don't know if Franck Schleck had the legs to attack or not, he couldn't because his team leader was up the road. Andy's job wasn't to attack, just mark the other favourites.

Raam

Whatever about CSC and Evans... Big George came 65th, so I'm happy with that.

Chips Lovell

Solid one from George so.

Brian?

el tonto wrote: »

We don't know if Franck Schleck had the legs to attack or not, he couldn't because his team leader was up the road. Andy's job wasn't to attack, just mark the other favourites.

I just read a quote on Eurosport where Franck said the plan was for Sastre to jump off and then for him to attack and join Sastre.

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/24072008/58/tour-de-france-blazin-saddles-di-sastre-ous.html

I reckon if Franck had the legs he would have gone hell for leather up L'Alpe. No disrespect to the man though, he's had a great Tour. Himself and Andy are exactly the type of rider I like to see win the Tour, like Contador last year.

The tone of that articile really annoyed me by the way.

Raam

To be honest, I found the stage a bit of a bore. There was one a few days ago which was good, where they kept attacking Evans.
It was good watching Sastre go for it, but Evans know's that he could let him get a couple of minutes on him. He is bound to make it up in the TT. Perhaps all Evans wanted to do was make sure only one CSC got away, because if there was two, then they could do more damage.