Tour De France

[Sean]

http://tdf.sbs.com.au/tdf2008/stages-map/index/currstage/17#stage_profile

this is tonight. YEEOUCH

 

[Omni]

Yep L'Alpe D'Huez - one of the most painful stages on le tour every year, probably the worst, although I think last night may have been worse. This is THE stage that will decide le Tour, Cadel lost it here last year so he needs to be careful, and realisticly ride it at his own pace as much as possible as long as he's in touch, he'll have to really use the decent on the Col du Galibier well, which is something his MTB background gives him, apart from that none of the decents really help him at all, the 2nd HC decent is nasty and they'll all need to be careful.

 

[tuftman]

This is gonna have to be Cadel in ultimate damage limitation mode. It seems that he has decided that if possible he is going to hold the gap where it is so that CSC have to drive the peleton, then use the TT to springboard his way into the Maillot Jaune....Oh and will the final stage be the celebratory process it normally is or do you reckon that tradition will be broken and they will try and race for the Maillot Jaune????

 

[Omni]

It depends how close it is, but yea it won't really be the first time, Cadel said he was going for it last year, I think it's fair, it's a stage it's for time, it's fair, it's just not easy to beat someone by that much on that stage.

 

[Mariner Girl]

This is gonna have to be Cadel in ultimate damage limitation mode. It seems that he has decided that if possible he is going to hold the gap where it is so that CSC have to drive the peleton, then use the TT to springboard his way into the Maillot Jaune....Oh and will the final stage be the celebratory process it normally is or do you reckon that tradition will be broken and they will try and race for the Maillot Jaune????

Totally agree about Cadel's strategy for tonight. Stick with them all and limit any time gap. At least in the TT, nobody can attack - it's you against the clock only.
As for attacking for the Maillot Jaune along the way to Paris, I bloody hope not, but it will depend on the time gap. But I do recall it going through Cadel's mind last year when he was only 23 secs down. It's a bit naughty, but if it's going to get you the yellow - go for it.

 

[Mariner Girl]

It depends how close it is, but yea it won't really be the first time, Cadel said he was going for it last year, I think it's fair, it's a stage it's for time, it's fair, it's just not easy to beat someone by that much on that stage.

Omini - should have read your post - just secs before me (lol)

 

[tuftman]

That and CSC will be watching like a hawk for any sign of any Silence-Lotto movement and will head it off at the very first opportunity. And Silence will have to do the same. Hopefully CSC driving the peleton up those Hors climbs breaks em(harsh but when an Aussie is involved the gloves are off). My only concern is that Silence look the weaker team by quite a way as far as the donkey's go. Cadel is better then Schleck but CSC as a unit seems to be stronger then Silence. I just want to see Cadel duke it out with Schleck and Kohl(the darkhorse,could do the maillot Polka-dot double) up the L'Alpe D'Huez in the run to the finish of the stage. its gonna be messy methinks

 

[Tassiemariner]

I can't wait for tonight's stage,  The highlight of the Le tour.

CSC will go all guns blazing tonight, The schlek brother will be around cadel all evening and it will be a huge struggle.
If cadel is still within 45 seconds by stage ends, he wil win the tour.

 

[Mariner Girl]

Riders in will be dropped like flies tonight.

Also how good has Stuart O'Grady done? Broken Colarbone form Tour D'Italia only weeks ago. Poor bugger must be torn - his job is to get Frank Schleck the yellow, but his heart has to be with Cadel. I have admired Stuey for years for his heart and guts. 

 

[scottmac]

One of the guy's at my work (bike rider extraordinaries just ask him) reckons that Cadels team have been saving themselves for this stage knowing that it was where he lost it last year. I tend to disagree with him and argued that they were just the weaker team but he still got me thinking. Could it be possible that we will see a different silence lotto team tonight?
Thoughts?

 

[Omni]

Unfortunately he stuffed it up like me and didn't remember it wasn't L'Alpe D'Huez last year it was another mountain at this stage it was the Col D'Aubisque, sorry all, got it stuffed up, wrong mountain, it IS odd to have a tour without L'Alpe D'Huez.

The issue with Stage 21 is that it's basically a Criterion, a billion laps of the Champs Elysees so as such if you get ahead it's really quite easy to reel you in.

Found an interesting stat:
each time a stage has finished at Hautacam, the rider in the yellow jersey has gone on to win the tour.

Guess who finished in Yellow at Hautacam this year (Stage Ten)?

 

[dibo]

Unfortunately he stuffed it up like me and didn't remember it wasn't L'Alpe D'Huez last year it was another mountain at this stage it was the Col D'Aubisque, sorry all, got it stuffed up, wrong mountain, it IS odd to have a tour without L'Alpe D'Huez.

in '05, wasn't it the col d'aubisque where cadel soloed away, and then rode with oscar pereiro (then with phonak) and another coupla riders to vault into the top 10 and announce himself as a major player?

 

[dibo]

evans is strong, but not strong enough to beat the top climbers on the alpe d'huez.

he finished 2.15 behind sastre, and now needs to take 1.35 in the 53km stage 20 TT. he took 1.16 over 21km in stage 4, but the maillot jaune can lift riders like it did for contador last year...

 

[Arabmariner]

Ok, so after 2 weeks of racing, Cadel is still in Yellow.

I want the fence sitters and non believers to promise me that you will watch tonight and Wednesday night stages. You will turn - trust me.  verhead:
They are NOT to be missed.

I watched and I turned...........................unbelievable guts,determination,fitness etc!!

 

[Mariner Girl]

Ok, so after 2 weeks of racing, Cadel is still in Yellow.

I want the fence sitters and non believers to promise me that you will watch tonight and Wednesday night stages. You will turn - trust me.  verhead:
They are NOT to be missed.

I watched and I turned...........................unbelievable guts,determination,fitness etc!!

Good on you. Glad you enjoyed it. Yep, 14 km uphill at the end of 196km of riding does sort out the men from the boys.

 

[Mariner Girl]

evans is strong, but not strong enough to beat the top climbers on the alpe d'huez.

he finished 2.15 behind sastre, and now needs to take 1.35 in the 53km stage 20 TT. he took 1.16 over 21km in stage 4, but the maillot jaune can lift riders like it did for contador last year...

It'm still very confident he can do it. At least no one can attack him - only the clock (lol).
How bloody good is this.....

 

[tuftman]

The question that will decide the tour is this...How much energy have CSC used to get where they are? Cadel will probably come 2nd in the time trial behind Cancellara(TT Machine) but can he get the time required from Sastre who will have all the motivation in the world? I actually wonder who CSC will ride for because surely riding for both would be to hard to manage. Obviously Andy will want to ride for Frank Schleck, but Sastre has the Jersey, and will want his team to defend him from all comers. The intrigue builds.......

 

[Omni]

L'Alpe D'Huez makes a mockery of the run up Observatory Hill at 40km in the Sydney Marathon!

The difference between Sastre & Contador is that Contador always COULD time trial, Sastre couldn't TT to save himself. The Cadel ITT stat to look at is Stage 19 from last year from Congac to Angouleme (55.5km) Cadel finished 2nd with 1h 03' 35", none of the others in the top ten this year came within 2' 50", he made up 1' 27". In Last year's time trial Cadel ran 2' 33" quicker than Sastre.

Cadel clearly has a great chance, whoever wins will deserve it no doubt. CSC are definitely the new DSC.

 

[Mariner Girl]

Is everyone ready for tonights important Time Trial - 53km on a very flat piece of road. They ride individually with the last placed rider going first down to the leader.
So Cadel will be the 4th last rider on the road, so expect him to start around midnight, I guess.

Let's hope he rides safely but FAST enough to grab that Yellow jersey.

GO CADEL verhead: verhead:

 

[dibo]

finally put my money on the counter and bought a roadie this week, and was super frustrated at all the shit weather. got out today though for a cruisy 40km (first real exercise since i f**ked my ankle 10 weeks ago) and it was wonderful. warm sunshine, easy kilometres ticking by, and a comfy and *fast* road bike under me. heaven on two wheels.