Lot of silence about Le Tour
- Thread starter karlchilders.sixpack
- Start date
Andy finished 17th in the stage...not great, but not shabby.
Congrats to Cadel...he just took it.
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Congrats to Cadel...he just took it.
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Perhaps it wouldn't have mattered, since he lost today by over a minute, but I don't think he should have chased Contador at the start of yesterday's race. Take it easy, stay in the peloton, and then try to put some more seconds on Evans on Alpe D'Huez.
Really impressed with Evans today, though.
Really impressed with Evans today, though.
He lost it when he was unable to keep the 3+ minutes he had gained on that stage. When Evans closed that to :57, it was done. He couldn't add time on him 2 days in a row. He should have kept time on that day and then just tracked Evans yesterday. He definitely should not have worried so much about Contador... Or, if he was going to follow Contador, he should have done more to work with him to best Evans. I think he was trying to protect Frank and not run him out of a podium as well</p>
I also thought that the Schlecks training with Cancellara would help but after watching today... I just think this was Evans' tour. He was the only person that seemed truly on top of his game from the start to end.
I do agree with you on yesterday. I really thought Schleck should have worked with Contador once they broke free. Bad move to let Evans get back in it...
I do agree with you on yesterday. I really thought Schleck should have worked with Contador once they broke free. Bad move to let Evans get back in it...
Cadel was possessed, and looking back at it now, you can see what an amazing Tour he rode. It did seem the Schlecks were awfully worried about Bertie, and rightly so. Even off form, he suffered through and made a hell of a show. I'm not even close to a fan of Pistolero, but that TT ride today showed guts. But just maybe Cadel should have been more on their mind. No one really knew what he was going to have, and I think he got ignored a little.
Looking at the tour as a whole, Cadel got it right, and he got lucky. He was lucky that Contador was off. He can't hang with Bertie on the peaks, but he caught a break in that Contador was obviously out of form. The trouble Bertie had in the early stages also helped. What he did right was never panic when the Schlecks tried to steal the tour in the Alps. Not only did he not panic, he pretty much led the main GC contenders himself. Pacing like that, on those climbs, for that long... stage win or not, that was strong. Then today's TT... don't really know what to say. Cadel is a good time trialer, but that was the ride of his life. Don't know if it was pressure or the Alps that got to Andy, but I don't think it would have mattered. Cadel just ripped the yellow off him and punked him out.
Finally... Voeckler. You can't help but be impressed by what he did. He respected the yellow and rode like a champ. He even threw out the best TT of his life trying to get on the podium. Very well done.
Awesome tour all around.
Looking at the tour as a whole, Cadel got it right, and he got lucky. He was lucky that Contador was off. He can't hang with Bertie on the peaks, but he caught a break in that Contador was obviously out of form. The trouble Bertie had in the early stages also helped. What he did right was never panic when the Schlecks tried to steal the tour in the Alps. Not only did he not panic, he pretty much led the main GC contenders himself. Pacing like that, on those climbs, for that long... stage win or not, that was strong. Then today's TT... don't really know what to say. Cadel is a good time trialer, but that was the ride of his life. Don't know if it was pressure or the Alps that got to Andy, but I don't think it would have mattered. Cadel just ripped the yellow off him and punked him out.
Finally... Voeckler. You can't help but be impressed by what he did. He respected the yellow and rode like a champ. He even threw out the best TT of his life trying to get on the podium. Very well done.
Awesome tour all around.
by the press car... He goes from there to lead for 10 days, finish 4th and give a helluva charge at winning this thing. His ride today was overshadowed. He finished, what 11th?
I definitely think Cadel rode a perfect storm to the top. Not saying at all that he didn't deserve it. He did. But, its wasa perfect mixture that helped him. I definitely think that he was never as prominent in the Schlecks' minds as he should have been.
All in all, AMAZING TOUR. I typically DVR it and watch the first 3/4 of a stage in FF of 2 or 3. I stop for climbs, crashes and attacks. That way, I only spend about 2 - 2 1/2 hours per day watching. This year, I was stuck for the past 2 days (and most of the entire tour) watching it for 4 hours because I couldn't miss anything... Great watching...
I definitely think Cadel rode a perfect storm to the top. Not saying at all that he didn't deserve it. He did. But, its wasa perfect mixture that helped him. I definitely think that he was never as prominent in the Schlecks' minds as he should have been.
All in all, AMAZING TOUR. I typically DVR it and watch the first 3/4 of a stage in FF of 2 or 3. I stop for climbs, crashes and attacks. That way, I only spend about 2 - 2 1/2 hours per day watching. This year, I was stuck for the past 2 days (and most of the entire tour) watching it for 4 hours because I couldn't miss anything... Great watching...