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Le Tour: Voeckler speaks...

seshomoru

seshomoru

Sophomore
Apr 24, 2006
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Says he can't win: LINK

He's pretty much got the same feeling I do. The entire tour is basically set up to be decided on Stage 18 and 19, with the individual TT the next day to see which of the GC contenders can take 41km of pain to the podium. He's ridden damn well to hold the yellow this long, but the Alps will get him.... probably. Because there is always the chance the other GC contenders will spend to much time waiting on each other to move and he can just hang around. I still think the Schlecks, Evans, Basso, and Contador will be putting on a show on the Galibier and d'Huez. Somebody has to go an take the tour eventually, and Thursday and Friday are the last chances.
 
seshomoru

seshomoru

Sophomore
Apr 24, 2006
5,542
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I had to follow it on the websites tracker, but I'll be catching the replay later off the DVR. I didn't think there would be much action today, but the last 15km for the GC contenders was pretty interesting.

Looks like Evans and Bertie got sick of Andy and Frank's ****. Frank managed to recover, Andy didn't. The new top ten, with Andy slipping, Contador rising, and Sammy Sanchez sneaking into the top 5. Awesome tour for the Olympic champ so far. Also... another stage win for the world champ. Thor is having an awesome tour, and he even spent some time in yellow.

<table class="main"><tbody><tr class="first"><td class="col_1">1.</td>
<td class="col_2">
VOECKLER Thomas</td>
<td class="col_3">181</td>
<td class="col_4">TEAM EUROPCAR</td>
<td class="col_5">69h 00' 56"</td>
<td class="col_6"></td>
</tr>
<tr class="fondLigneTable">
<td class="col_1">2.</td>
<td class="col_2">
EVANS Cadel</td>
<td class="col_3">141</td>
<td class="col_4">BMC RACING TEAM</td>
<td class="col_5">69h 02' 41"</td>
<td class="col_6">+ 01' 45"</td>
</tr>
<tr class="">
<td class="col_1">3.</td>
<td class="col_2">
SCHLECK Frank</td>
<td class="col_3">18</td>
<td class="col_4">TEAM LEOPARD-TREK</td>
<td class="col_5">69h 02' 45"</td>
<td class="col_6">+ 01' 49"</td>
</tr>
<tr class="fondLigneTable">
<td class="col_1">4.</td>
<td class="col_2">
SCHLECK Andy</td>
<td class="col_3">11</td>
<td class="col_4">TEAM LEOPARD-TREK</td>
<td class="col_5">69h 03' 59"</td>
<td class="col_6">+ 03' 03"</td>
</tr>
<tr class="">
<td class="col_1">5.</td>
<td class="col_2">
SANCHEZ Samuel</td>
<td class="col_3">21</td>
<td class="col_4">EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI</td>
<td class="col_5">69h 04' 22"</td>
<td class="col_6">+ 03' 26"</td>
</tr>
<tr class="fondLigneTable">
<td class="col_1">6.</td>
<td class="col_2">
CONTADOR Alberto</td>
<td class="col_3">1</td>
<td class="col_4">SAXO BANK SUNGARD</td>
<td class="col_5">69h 04' 38"</td>
<td class="col_6">+ 03' 42"</td>
</tr>
<tr class="">
<td class="col_1">7.</td>
<td class="col_2">
BASSO Ivan</td>
<td class="col_3">91</td>
<td class="col_4">LIQUIGAS-CANNONDALE</td>
<td class="col_5">69h 04' 45"</td>
<td class="col_6">+ 03' 49"</td>
</tr>
<tr class="fondLigneTable">
<td class="col_1">8.</td>
<td class="col_2">
CUNEGO Damiano</td>
<td class="col_3">161</td>
<td class="col_4">LAMPRE - ISD</td>
<td class="col_5">69h 04' 57"</td>
<td class="col_6">+ 04' 01"</td>
</tr>
<tr class="">
<td class="col_1">9.</td>
<td class="col_2">
DANIELSON Tom</td>
<td class="col_3">52</td>
<td class="col_4">TEAM GARMIN - CERVELO</td>
<td class="col_5">69h 07' 00"</td>
<td class="col_6">+ 06' 04"</td>
</tr>
<tr class="fondLigneTable">
<td class="col_1">10.</td>
<td class="col_2">
URAN Rigoberto</td>
<td class="col_3">118</td>
<td class="col_4">SKY PROCYCLING</td>
<td class="col_5">69h 08' 51"</td>
<td class="col_6">+ 07' 55"</td></tr></tbody></table>
 
M

MemphisMaroonClubDog

Redshirt
Mar 3, 2008
877
0
0
You may have talked of this already but I missed it...

I thought Farrar came off as a total ***** after just losing by a wheel. I am of the opinion that with all of the fans, cameras and press, someone would have caught wind of the green jersey doing something illegal. I cannot believe he would have taken such a chance. Plus, basically, his whole team went back and TTT it to get him back to the off the back group.
 
seshomoru

seshomoru

Sophomore
Apr 24, 2006
5,542
199
63
They are sort of the wide receivers of the sport. It's not their fault they got beat, somebody else was getting away with something. I'm pretty sure there's an official near the green the entire way, so I doubt he got away with anything. He's just better than all the other guys right now.
 
seshomoru

seshomoru

Sophomore
Apr 24, 2006
5,542
199
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Descents are where you really can find out who has guts and can handle a bike. It was an awesome move by Contador and Evans. Sounds like Andy is just counting on the two summit finishes in the next two days. He's either going to look like a genius or get his ego cut down to size. While I was cheering for him, I haven't really liked how he's raced the tour so far, and I think it was more out of spite for Pistolero that I was rooting for Schleck. I really would like to see Evans win the thing, actually.
 
karlchilders.sixpack

karlchilders.sixpack

All-Conference
Jun 5, 2008
19,585
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Who will it be? Evans, Schleck x 2, Contador,Vocekler,or Sanchez
Been pulling for A. Schleck, but picking Evans.

Whose going to win?
 
seshomoru

seshomoru

Sophomore
Apr 24, 2006
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Evans, Sanchez, and the Schlecks have two support riders up the road with the two final climbs remaining. Great position to be in. I can't actually watch until tonight on DVR, but I'm following the best I can off the tour website. So it kind of sucks trying to make a prediction when I can't see how the riders look, but I'm really starting to hope this is Cadel's year.

Interesting note that flashed on the tracker: In the last twenty years, only Indurain, Armstrong, and Cancellara have held the yellow jersey for more days than Voeckler.
 
seshomoru

seshomoru

Sophomore
Apr 24, 2006
5,542
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63
You'll have support riders out on breaks, the KOM contenders out for points, and there's even an intermediate sprint that could make the descent off the Galibier itneresting. The the d'Huez.... which should be ridiculous. Whichever teams support stays the strongest will have a huge advantage, and both BMC and Leopard-Trek have been good so far. Andy and Frank probably need more time on Evans because he's such a vastly superior time trialer. What may look like a huge lead going into Saturday might not even be enough if they wear themselves out totally. They have to attack again. And who knows, Cadel might just go and take the tour tomorrow if he's got the legs. Can't wait.

Voeckler is all but done for, but what an awesome tour for him. I don't think he can hang two days in a row with such ridiculous climbs (there was 12 miles of climbing at a 9% grade today). Plus, he's not even close to an average time trialer. What a ride, though. Most, me included, didn't think he'd keep yellow out of the Pyrenees, yet he's in the middle of the Alps with it.
 
karlchilders.sixpack

karlchilders.sixpack

All-Conference
Jun 5, 2008
19,585
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He was all but asking for help, no one would help out.
When Andy took off, and it was apparent that he was going to get a lead, you couldtell they were talking about going, but no one wanted to do the work...
Till finally Evans said screw it, and took on all of the work,... getting help from NO ONE! Volecker, and Schleck2 rode his tail, while Contodor finally gave out.
Brutal leg...fans were crazy.
 
seshomoru

seshomoru

Sophomore
Apr 24, 2006
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199
63
Frank wasn't going to attack and help close the gap on Andy. Contador obviously couldn't do it. Voeckler is just living on borrowed time and was happy to be there. Cunego and Basso could have possibly gone, and probably should have, but they may have just wanted to stay close and hope they still have legs tomorrow. It really just came down to Cadel realizing Andy was about to steal the tour and he was the only one who needed to or could do anything about it.
 
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