July 14, Stage 12: Cugnaux - Luz-Ardiden 209km

LuckyGent88

Thomas has really kicked on here and looks in great shape.

so many strong riders struggling.

bertiecont

if roche can stick in there he should move up close to top 5! fulgagsang, martin, kloden, gilbert & volcker should all finish well behind him today!

D3PO

bertiecont wrote: »

HTC are always caught between the Cav-express train and GC - seems martin & velits did too much work on the front the last week

True. I reckon Velits will be ok though. He didnt do that much work the first week.

bertiecont

with gesink gone thomas looking to get white back? who would be fav now? tamerae (??) or maybe uran for sky?
thomas will not last in big mountains unless he is a break like today

John.Icy

Peraud was a fantastic pick up for AG2R, great addition to be up there and help, even outlast Roche!

bertiecont

could leopard be using men too early in the race?

bertiecont

LLS also dropped from main group but vockler hanging in there - looks like the yellow jersey magic that thor had last week helping him hang on

bertiecont

20 mountain points for top of tourmelat - how many on offer at the finish?

D3PO

has LL Sanchez been dropped by the peleton ?

the virtual standings on letour.fr seem to indicate he is dropped as it has Tommy V @ 2.19 ahead of him now

John.Icy

Looks like one of the two AG2R fella's who were near the front has dropped right back down to a teamate at the back of the peleton!!

copacetic

bertiecont wrote: »

if roche can stick in there he should move up close to top 5! fulgagsang, martin, kloden, gilbert & volcker should all finish well behind him today!

Is he still there? Saw 109 and 103 from his team but not 101?

D3PO

John.Icy wrote: »

Looks like one of the two AG2R fella's who were near the front has dropped right back down to a teamate at the back of the peleton!!

yikes lets think positive here

kmart6

Happy Roy got over first on Bastille Day!

bertiecont

baby schelk flatted and rabo & saxo have attacked! love it!

D3PO

Schleck stops for a wheel change and bang Saxobank start to push the pace in the Peleton.

Chaingate all over again :p

bertiecont

leopard garthered at the front and increased pace in stage 1 after alberto crashed and then soft pedalled to the line after the crash within the last 2km even through some of that group were from earlier crash - if he loses time he can't complain too much. plus he's not in yellow this year to no need to 'respect' him if he has a mechanical!

copacetic

copacetic wrote: »

Is he still there? Saw 109 and 103 from his team but not 101?

Never mind, saw him there putting gillet on, going well, well done to him. Lot of good climbers dropped today already.

bertiecont

gilbert & vockler climbing well - how come so many 'mountain' guys are getting dropped?

John.Icy

Hope that was Roche at the back there over the top! Didn't look as good as Roblon, but he has time to recover!

bertiecont

he must be up there - can't imagine ag2r having 3 guys in front group while team leader is dropped!

D3PO

bertiecont wrote: »

gilbert & vockler climbing well - how come so many 'mountain' guys are getting dropped?

Id imagine bumps and bruises form all the crashed in the first week are telling their toll on some.

anyway the best climbers in the wrold Thomas & Roy are going strong :pac::pac:

CramCycle

bertiecont wrote: »

he must be up there - can't imagine ag2r having 3 guys in front group while team leader is dropped!

I thought he was in the pack?

D3PO

CramCycle wrote: »

I thought he was in the pack?

he is hes in there with Riblon & JC Peraud and has Kadri up the road so lots of support for him today.

kmart6

When you see there's 2 guys up there with him now just imagine the support he could have if Gadret had not dropped out and Dupont wasn't bollo*ed...might have increased his chances a bit! And don't forget Kadri is up the road!

bertiecont

ya, was stupid for the team to include them - a waste of 2 places on the team.

D3PO

bertiecont wrote: »

ya, was stupid for the team to include them - a waste of 2 places on the team.

Id blame the riders over the team. They know their own bodies the yshoudl have pushed back that they werent right to go.

Would have been far better use as support in the Veulta in 5 weeks time

bertiecont

should be an interesting finish today! schleks need to get time on evans & contador due to lack of TT ability, contador needs to get time back on evans as they can TT around the same - evans is sitting pretty and just needs to try and follow wheels!
will contador go on the attack of wait until schleks attack and go with them and see if he can pip them in last few km for a bit of time?
I think with he knee still not right he'll try and just sit on the schleks wheel and let them do the work to drop evans and try to get his own time back on them in the alps!

bertiecont

gadret is same problem as with wheel incident last year - french rider, on a french team in the TDF - that emotion over riding the sense!

D3PO

bertiecont wrote: »

should be an interesting finish today! schleks need to get time on evans & contador due to lack of TT ability, contador needs to get time back on evans as they can TT around the same - evans is sitting pretty and just needs to try and follow wheels!
will contador go on the attack of wait until schleks attack and go with them and see if he can pip them in last few km for a bit of time?
I think with he knee still not right he'll try and just sit on the schleks wheel and let them do the work to drop evans and try to get his own time back on them in the alps!

Reckon AC will have a go with maybe 2km to go and try and grab 15 - 20 seconds. I hope otherwise as I cant stand cheats but lets not open that can of worms today

D3PO

Nico must be feeling pretty damn good as they have sent Riblon up the road.