Big vote for the yellow jersey podium girls today :-). And another solid stage for Wiggo. Time trial will be epic tomorrow. Sad to see Sanchez drop out in what looked like a silly crash. Btw is there anybody from Lampre in this race? Jeez!
Fred Velo is decimated as well. Was counting on Sammy to win some climbs. Will Tony Martin TT his brains out now? He's been sitting in the back recuperating all week. Or is he out too? I'm afraid to look.
Fred Velo is decimated as well. Was counting on Sammy to win some climbs. Will Tony Martin TT his brains out now? He's been sitting in the back recuperating all week. Or is he out too? I'm afraid to look.
Don't look Chris, don't look. Poor Tony seems to be stuck under a big cloud of bad luck. I hope things turn around for him at the Olympics.
Hey- and don't forget the amazing ride by new Tour BF for this year. Holy crap, I nearly thought he was gonna beat Fabians time there at the very end! 4th place in the TT and moves up to 8th overall plus regaining the white jersey- not bad at all!
Really bummed to see Frank so far out of contention for the GC at this point- he actually had a pretty decent TT today.
Sorry...what's the over / under on Sky doping, especially Froome?
Puts in a monster 2k pull yesterday that shatters the peleton, leaving only 5-6 riders. While he's still at the front, Cadel attacks. Froome responds, goes over the top of Cadel and takes the stage, then...
Today he gets second in the TT beating Cancellara handily. I don't know what Froome's TT palmares are but we know Wiggins' and Spartcus': world, olympic and national champions...and Froome finishes right between them the day after the ride ^above^?
hmmmmmm........
Sorry, but when you have a domestique (super, give him that) putting together days like this, it makes me think that Sky is the new Postal -- doping (alleged) domestiques ripping the legs off of GC contenders and their teams so their GC man (Armstrong and Wiggins) can finish them off.
@ Rich, sad to say, this crossed my mind. That any of us have that inital reaction to a great performance tells you something very bad about pro cycling ... it could be very different in 10 yrs if there are not changes made.
All that said, Wiggo had a great day today, probably put mortal time gaps into all of the other contenders. Plus, with Froome on the climbs, he has the perfect Lt. to send up the road in pursuit of truly dangerous moves. I'm betting you will see Wiggins, Froome, Evans, Menchov, Nibali and Van Garderen in a little grupetto at the summit of the major climbs for the next two weeks. No one else seems to have the legs to stay away from them, let alone stay with them when they put the hammer down.
May make for a dull race ... aside from places 2-5 and 6-10.
While it doesn't address results from today- it does take a look at yesterday's stage and asks the same question. The analysis doesn't prove or disprove anything- but it does seem to indicate there isn't anything particularly suspicious (again- not looking at the TT results from today).
Tim- I'm still hoping they will let Frank get away one day for a stage win on one of the mountain top finishes! Give me at least that much to hope for!!!
It's still around. A U23 kid just came back from a suspension. If Froome keeps it up, if he doesn't have that down day, then he's found the magic recovery beet juice. But as long as he passes the tests....... This is why I keep thinking it's not over. If the blood oxidation levels go up naturally, every rider will have a bad day. And if they're a gc guy on a long climb they could give up a minute or two, easy.
1. Froome / Wiggins performance is not a sudden 'blip'. See last years Vuelta and the evidence through this season. 2. Both are part of the GB cycling program. The negative PR of a positive test would far outweigh any success in the Olympic year. 3. No evidence (either rumor or otherwise) re doping in the Sky or GB program
So unusually for me (I am a confirmed Postal sceptic!) I don't see anything suspicious here although I completely understand why sadly people link TdF success to doping.
@ nemo ... it certainly would be exciting for his team and would be some redemption for him personally. However, I have to question his drive/motivation in this event/this season. He's had issues with his team, issues with his brother not being able to race, issues with his season program and injuries. For all the world, he seems (to an admitted outsider) for all the world to want to be someplace (anyplace) else other than on the TdF - nearly all the time.
Even assuming FS wants the revenge/personal validation/F-U to team RS/whatever, I do think the tactics of letting him go would be complex. Recall that TNRS is in the team overall lead, so a big move by a capable RS rider might draw Sky out (2d place in the team overall) -- even possibly sending Froome on a big climb, though they have other weapns to be sure. If FS goes, and Sky chases (esp with Froome), then all of the GC guys in places 5-10 need to chase him and will tow Wiggins to him, by default. Makes it hard to win from a select group when you have shown you can't (at least thus far) climb with that group (~ 2:00 lost on first mtn day) and may well not be given license to ride off the front.
Also, since Evans so badly needs time, he might well cover a FS move, thinking they could make a good pairing ... but that would also obviously draw Sky, others.
IMO, if FS wants a stage, he would need to make an attack that was covered by, say Van Garderen and Boasen Hagen or Froome, that leaves Wiggins and Evans watching each other. On a very long & steep climb, he might be able to hold them off/wear them down -- but candidly, I would not bet on it based on what we've seen so far.
One more point. I noticed that Wiggins and Froome both used a (Hed?) tri spoke today despite their own sponsorship with different equipment vendors. Interesting how that technology has lasted. Not sure but Lance was the first (?) user back in the 90s?
Rich I'm with you. While i loved the rant from Wiggo, it reminded me a bit of the rants from others in baseball and other sports. I just find it implausible to have such a kick ass mountain stage and fu so soon with a TT of his life (Froome). That said its fun as hell to watch!! I just hate that Andy and Alberto aren't racing.
OMG...our boy Jens spent so much energy bridging up to the leading foursome but couldn't push any more to take the win. I was jumping up and down cheering for him! Alas, no bouquet or podium girls for him this go around.
Happy for French Tommy; I totally cheered for him last year when he ended up in 4th.
Hats off to Nibali and Van den Broeck for trying to get some time on Wiggo, but Team Train Sky just kept up the tempo. Richie Porte is an ANIMAL!
@ Scott .. Agreed, great ride by Voigt to get up there and fantastic effort by Voeckler to be in the break all day (literally) and take the win. Gutsy performance. Will be interesting to see whether he actually has designs on the climber's jersey or just stage hunting.
As for the rest of the GC riders, nice move by VDB, but he was never going to take much time with so much downhill after the climb. Nibali made a smart move, and if Sagan had been able to help him more, he may have been a bigger threat. Disappointed that BMC were so hard pressed to support Evans on a mid-mountain day where they didn't have to make the race.
Very impressive riding by Sky - just a demolition team on the climbs.
The climbers will have to take another run at GC tomorrow, as the uphill finish is one of only two remaining.
What a beautiful stage, in so many ways. The road snaking along the limestone spine of the Jura up the Columbier; the crowds who lined that entire HC climb, bottom to top; the cascades across the white stone cliffs.
And the racing! So many men who attack with passion, if not always success: Voeckler, Nibali (don't forget Sagan), VanDenBrouke (and Rolland), Cav/Eisel pulling at the front on the first climb of the day, VOIGT!!!, Van Garderen ... It was a stage which held my intgerest throughout, not just a 45 minute finishing climb, or a 10 minute set-up/sprint finish. From the intermediate sprint all the way to the end, there were so many stories unfolding, intrigues and little battles, we could almost forget about "Cadel vs Sky" for a bit. But When it's one man agains
My iPad froze up while writing the last post ... and I've lost my train of thought!. Tomorrow's stage may be even more epic, with 2 HC climbs and a Cat one to finish. I was hoping it would be a day for Rolland on my team, but now he's got to take a back seat to Voeckler's KOM goals. Maybe Tommy can get over the first two HCs 1st, then Rolland can go for the win on the final climb?
Comments
The Young Turks are devastated one of their mentors went down. Then the Hulk failed to get over the last climb, belieing my rep. as The Oracle.
Don't look Chris, don't look. Poor Tony seems to be stuck under a big cloud of bad luck. I hope things turn around for him at the Olympics.
Wiggins dominated, Froome did incredible, and Fabian took 3rd after leading for quite a while.
Cuddles, Vincenzo and Menchov all held on but lost some good time to Wiggo.
Really bummed to see Frank so far out of contention for the GC at this point- he actually had a pretty decent TT today.
Sorry...what's the over / under on Sky doping, especially Froome?
hmmmmmm........
Sorry, but when you have a domestique (super, give him that) putting together days like this, it makes me think that Sky is the new Postal -- doping (alleged) domestiques ripping the legs off of GC contenders and their teams so their GC man (Armstrong and Wiggins) can finish them off.
Maybe this belongs in another thread
@ Rich, sad to say, this crossed my mind. That any of us have that inital reaction to a great performance tells you something very bad about pro cycling ... it could be very different in 10 yrs if there are not changes made.
All that said, Wiggo had a great day today, probably put mortal time gaps into all of the other contenders. Plus, with Froome on the climbs, he has the perfect Lt. to send up the road in pursuit of truly dangerous moves. I'm betting you will see Wiggins, Froome, Evans, Menchov, Nibali and Van Garderen in a little grupetto at the summit of the major climbs for the next two weeks. No one else seems to have the legs to stay away from them, let alone stay with them when they put the hammer down.
May make for a dull race ... aside from places 2-5 and 6-10.
While it doesn't address results from today- it does take a look at yesterday's stage and asks the same question. The analysis doesn't prove or disprove anything- but it does seem to indicate there isn't anything particularly suspicious (again- not looking at the TT results from today).
Tim- I'm still hoping they will let Frank get away one day for a stage win on one of the mountain top finishes! Give me at least that much to hope for!!!
If Froome keeps it up, if he doesn't have that down day, then he's found the magic recovery beet juice. But as long as he passes the tests.......
This is why I keep thinking it's not over. If the blood oxidation levels go up naturally, every rider will have a bad day. And if they're a gc guy on a long climb they could give up a minute or two, easy.
1. Froome / Wiggins performance is not a sudden 'blip'. See last years Vuelta and the evidence through this season.
2. Both are part of the GB cycling program. The negative PR of a positive test would far outweigh any success in the Olympic year.
3. No evidence (either rumor or otherwise) re doping in the Sky or GB program
So unusually for me (I am a confirmed Postal sceptic!) I don't see anything suspicious here although I completely understand why sadly people link TdF success to doping.
Even assuming FS wants the revenge/personal validation/F-U to team RS/whatever, I do think the tactics of letting him go would be complex. Recall that TNRS is in the team overall lead, so a big move by a capable RS rider might draw Sky out (2d place in the team overall) -- even possibly sending Froome on a big climb, though they have other weapns to be sure. If FS goes, and Sky chases (esp with Froome), then all of the GC guys in places 5-10 need to chase him and will tow Wiggins to him, by default. Makes it hard to win from a select group when you have shown you can't (at least thus far) climb with that group (~ 2:00 lost on first mtn day) and may well not be given license to ride off the front.
Also, since Evans so badly needs time, he might well cover a FS move, thinking they could make a good pairing ... but that would also obviously draw Sky, others.
IMO, if FS wants a stage, he would need to make an attack that was covered by, say Van Garderen and Boasen Hagen or Froome, that leaves Wiggins and Evans watching each other. On a very long & steep climb, he might be able to hold them off/wear them down -- but candidly, I would not bet on it based on what we've seen so far.
To which I reply "methinks the lady doth protest too much."
Of course, it's the Tour, it's cycling, I've been watching it for years so I'm at the same time a huge fan but also hugely cynical.
Its the speed suit, and the wax on theframe to make it slipprier ... Like X C skiing. Also, as Paul keeps reminding us, he's Kenyan.
IMO , anyone doping in 2012,esp @ the TdF and a stage winner, is playing Russian Roulette with 4 bullets in a 6 hole cylinder.
Btw, the Garneau helmet worn by Europcar is dead sexy.
Really? I think it makes Voekler's head look MASSIVE!!
http://bit.ly/O1M3ry
Happy for French Tommy; I totally cheered for him last year when he ended up in 4th.
Hats off to Nibali and Van den Broeck for trying to get some time on Wiggo, but Team Train Sky just kept up the tempo. Richie Porte is an ANIMAL!
@ Scott .. Agreed, great ride by Voigt to get up there and fantastic effort by Voeckler to be in the break all day (literally) and take the win. Gutsy performance. Will be interesting to see whether he actually has designs on the climber's jersey or just stage hunting.
As for the rest of the GC riders, nice move by VDB, but he was never going to take much time with so much downhill after the climb. Nibali made a smart move, and if Sagan had been able to help him more, he may have been a bigger threat. Disappointed that BMC were so hard pressed to support Evans on a mid-mountain day where they didn't have to make the race.
Very impressive riding by Sky - just a demolition team on the climbs.
The climbers will have to take another run at GC tomorrow, as the uphill finish is one of only two remaining.
What a beautiful stage, in so many ways. The road snaking along the limestone spine of the Jura up the Columbier; the crowds who lined that entire HC climb, bottom to top; the cascades across the white stone cliffs.
And the racing! So many men who attack with passion, if not always success: Voeckler, Nibali (don't forget Sagan), VanDenBrouke (and Rolland), Cav/Eisel pulling at the front on the first climb of the day, VOIGT!!!, Van Garderen ... It was a stage which held my intgerest throughout, not just a 45 minute finishing climb, or a 10 minute set-up/sprint finish. From the intermediate sprint all the way to the end, there were so many stories unfolding, intrigues and little battles, we could almost forget about "Cadel vs Sky" for a bit. But When it's one man agains
My iPad froze up while writing the last post ... and I've lost my train of thought!. Tomorrow's stage may be even more epic, with 2 HC climbs and a Cat one to finish. I was hoping it would be a day for Rolland on my team, but now he's got to take a back seat to Voeckler's KOM goals. Maybe Tommy can get over the first two HCs 1st, then Rolland can go for the win on the final climb?
Giddyup!