2013 Le Tour De France

[Dutchy]

Amazing climb...good article below

http://www.sbs.com.au/cyclingcentral/an ... elieve-You

[mickey]

Tonights stage



I would expect to see an attack or 3 on the last climb. get a lead over the top and as long a u stay upright then u wont be caught

[mickey]

The decent into Gap is where this happened!

[Sploosh]

So right now, as often seems the case, the whole Sky team including yellow jersey boy are sitting at the front of the peloton. I completely understand why they would want to do that. But there are so many other teams, and one would presume they have equally clever tacticians etc. why the hell doesn't someone else do something about it, and grab the bull by the horns and avoid the whole race just being a procession?

[mickey]

basically, if the team of the 2nd place rider was to try and set the pace or break away as a team, then team Sky would just sit behind them and not allow them to gain time.

So instead of wasting that energy, they let Sky do all the work, pace setting etc.

Just like the breakaway will probably survive today, as there is no benefit to Sky to chase them down.

[Sploosh]

That makes sense, except that by doing that the second placed team is basically conceding they will never make up any time, no? Surely they could at least push and hassle Sky and hope that Sky make a mistake, or at least get really tired?

[mickey]

Not while they are in the valleys or the flatter stages.

Look for the other riders still in slight contention for the yellow jersey to attack on the last climb and try and get a minute or 2 back then. thats when Froome (yellow jersey) will be most likely to be on his own, without his team around him

[Sploosh]

Thanks again for explaining it to a newbie like me.

[mickey]

Its no worries, we were all newbies once

[Aerie]

The only problem now is that because I have learned some new things, I can't stop watching, and I have to get up really early tomorrow. It's a quandary, I tells ya!

I remember flicking over in 2009 and watching a little bit, just because I liked the scenery, had no idea about the race. Watched a bit more in 2010 and was fascinated by the Contador/Schleck battle - that is all I really knew, don't reckon I even knew about teams. Then 2011 was Cadel Evans and started understanding what the other leaders jerseys meant, some team tactics. Then last year and this year have begun to understand all the little bits that make up the race. I'm sure there is plenty more to learn, but now I understand it better I can't stop watching. Plus, my body clock is now **** so can't get to sleep before midnight anyway. July is fast catching September as the best sporting month on the calendar.

[pels]

Queen stage tonight, climb Alpe-d'Huez twice.
The decent in between the 2 climbs is quite treacherous.
You would think Saxo bank will have something planned with Contador/Kreuziger 2nd & 3rd in the GC

[Grahaml]

Sensational stage. I wasn't expecting a breakaway to hold out today given how tough those climbs were and the fact the leaders would be certain to ride to their full potential. I also thought Van Garderen as the classier climber would pull away up the second go.

Race for yellow, despite the drama for Froome (he has to get a penalty, if Porte is able to cop it for him the rules are a farce) he is even further in front now. Still, 5 minutes can vanish on one tough climb and there are a few left but you could write your own ticket for any other rider winning the tour from here.

I thought Cadel Evans day was interesting. The commentators seem to be of the opinion he's riding 100% every day like he's chasing a high finish. I don't share that view. I think he and BMC decided the overall places were gone (a former winner has no interest in battling for a 10th place) and so stage wins in the mountains were their aim. Van Garderen had his go today, I expect Cadel will have his in the next couple of days. No way does a guy as good as Evans, who was riding around 12th, finish with the sprinters on merit. Unless he's sick or hurt, he's saving himself.

[pels]

Enjoyed watching the stage last night, great win by Riblon.
Quintana deserves a stage win the way he is riding, so does Porte.
Another brutal stage tonight.

[Grahaml]

This is a stage where I think the breakaway will work and also where someone might stake a claim for the king of the mountains jersey. Froome and Quintana have a fair break so any attempt to take the jersey from them will have to come from either totally dominating a stage Rasmussen style or scoring on all the remaining big climbs.

I'm certain we'll see Cadel Evans try to get into the breakaway today. It'll be much tougher for a breakaway to succeed tomorrow especially when I think a few blokes in the GC will want a chance at a stage. But with 2 climbs he should be able to get away and establish a strong lead with a break and then plan to leave them on the final climb. Only trouble is if I'm in a breakaway I don't want a former winner anywhere near me so they might work against him.

[Aerie]

From the commentary on Tour de France site:

"O'Grady had spent some time behind the peloton encouraging and helping Svein Tuft after his crash. The veteran of 17 Tours is now at the front of a trio that includes Evans (BMC) and Bennati (TST). The only one of this trio to do a turn is the Orica-GreenEdge rider... and now, after about 10 minutes on the wheel of his compatriot, Evans has accelerated ahead in an attempt to rejoin the peloton.

It didn't appear that a word of thanks was given to O'Grady..."

[Grahaml]

Interesting comment, wasn't it? Why should Cadel thank O'Grady? He didn't stop or slow down to help Cadel. He rode tempo and Cadel sat behind. If people riding the tour thanked someone for that their arms would get as much of a work out as their legs!

Good to hear SBS have the rights for another 10 years. Despite the fact Sherwin and Liggett get more wrong than right it wouldn't be the same without them. Just wish Sherwin would get a new phrase to replace "huge chunks of time".

[dedja]

Is it just me or will this be the 2nd year in a row where the winner will not the best performed rider in their team?

Surely this is Cadel's last Tour ... Teejay should be BMC's no 1.

Stuey ... what a champ.

[Grahaml]

Is it just me or will this be the 2nd year in a row where the winner will not the best performed rider in their team?

Surely this is Cadel's last Tour ... Teejay should be BMC's no 1.

Stuey ... what a champ.

No. Froome has been head and shoulders the main man this year. He's gone past Richie on so many mountain passes to either attack or defend.

I'm not sure his last tour, but I don't see him being a contender. There's talk of him going to the Giro to win next year but I imagine he would still do the tour but in a different role. Teejay might be the leader but not based on this year's result. Until the last few days when Cadel threw in the towel on his overall position he was miles ahead of any other BMC rider.

[dedja]

2012
Froome > Wiggins
van Garderen > Evans

2013
Porte > Froome
van Garderen > Evans

van Garderen would have won the double aple d'huez stage if his bike didn't fail, and despite that came 2nd, and is clearly a better climber than Evans. He's only 24 and BMC will build their team around him.

If Cadel has thrown ine towel then why is he there in the first place? Has had a great career but the end is nigh, can't see him winning the Giro ... This year was his best (and perhaps) his last chance.

Stuart O'Grady is up there in the top tier of Australia's greatest ever road cyclists.

[Interceptor]

http://deadspin.com/spectator-picks-wrong-day-to-run-alongside-tour-de-fran-840181766