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Le Tour 09: Stage 15 - Pontarlier - Verbier (SUI)
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| doddy13 |
Posted on 18-07-2009 16:33
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After Stage 14's boredom, we head into the mountains. Weather forecasts snow (at Le Tour!?!), this is one of the crucial stages and the begining of what could be a amazing final week,
Crucial stage for overall
The general classification leader could change again today as the Tour reaches the Swiss mountains. The second of the three mountain top finishes of this year's Grande Boucle in Verbier is another chapter on the road to the overall victory.
For starters, the GC favourites will warm up their legs on the Col des Mosses (13.8 km at 4 percent) before tackling the final climb up to the ski resort (8.8 km at 7.1 percent) after a pretty long journey of 207 kilometres.
Verbier welcomes the Tour for the first time, but has plenty of experience as a stage finish in the Tour de Suisse. The final ascent will reveal some of the tactics of the overall contenders, who should use the opportunity to gain some seconds - or minutes - on their rivals before the ultimate challenge on the Mont Ventoux.
--- wwww.cyclingnews.com
There's no point slapping a schleck - Sean Kelly on "Who needs a slap"
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 24-11-2024 11:12
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| Waghlon |
Posted on 18-07-2009 16:36
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Expect Astana to keep a high pace with Evans being the only attacker. He will fail.
THE THOMAS VOECKLER PROPHET OF PCM DAILY
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| schleck93 |
Posted on 18-07-2009 16:37
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I expect Armstrong to fail! And contador to win with evans and Schleck attacking and failing
BenBarnes wrote:
Thor wears a live rattlesnake as a condom.
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| issoisso |
Posted on 18-07-2009 16:41
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Armstrong in cold weather, especially rain = stronger Armstrong than usual
So, please, let the alps stages be extremely hot and sunny.
please. |
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| Waghlon |
Posted on 18-07-2009 16:42
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I want tommorow to be hellfire hot. Pleeeeaassseee?
THE THOMAS VOECKLER PROPHET OF PCM DAILY
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| schleck93 |
Posted on 18-07-2009 16:42
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*dances a hot and sunny day dance*
BenBarnes wrote:
Thor wears a live rattlesnake as a condom.
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| ember |
Posted on 18-07-2009 16:43
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It will be interesting if Armstrong goes early and Evans, Schleck etc follows, but not Contador...
What will happend then? |
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| SotD |
Posted on 18-07-2009 16:46
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Nothing will happen... Pellizotti and Martinez will either go on a long break with a couple of lo-life french kids, or a group of 6-7 semi good will break away, with Pellizotti and Martinez doing the only work on the major part of the stage. Towards the final climb 1 of the attackers will get a sufficient advantage and win the stage, meanwhile the Astana kills most riders... Evans will probably try to jump away, whilst everyone else will use the interviews afterwards to defend why they did nothing. (Read: Cold weather and Astana making it difficult)...
With this prediction i'm 90 % to be correct... Only thing that could change this is crashes or a weaker Armstrong than expected. |
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| niconico |
Posted on 18-07-2009 21:36
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I'm going to mix it up a little now saying that something will happen tomorrow. I have had some good luck predicting nothing will happen so far, and never change a winning team, but seriously something needs to go down on this stage, and something will. I'm positive. Eventhough Astana are strong it won't prevent Andy from attacking, and I think he and Cadel will be the firsts to try. They might not be succesful and then Contador might pull another attack a la Arcalis and take yellow, but we will see more attacks tomorrow and from a lot of riders I reckon. I think they've realized that it's now or never.
Hopefully.
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| kida |
Posted on 18-07-2009 21:46
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ember wrote:
It will be interesting if Armstrong goes early and Evans, Schleck etc follows, but not Contador...
What will happend then?
Well if LA attacks and others like Schleck, Evans follow than Contador can follow I don't think there's anything in the "rules" preventing that, but you really think Armstrong will do a Merckx? |
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| CrueTrue |
Posted on 18-07-2009 22:11
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More than anything, Armstrong wants yellow. I'm still convinced that he isn't strong enough when the real action begins, but he might do well on a rather short climb as we're having tomorow - thus making tomorrow his (probably) last chance of getting the yellow jersey.
We'll see some action, hopefully  |
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| Immortal |
Posted on 18-07-2009 22:20
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My prediction: basicly what SotD said
Also, for Armstrong to pull a Mercx and go early on the stage, he would have to be an idiot, which he isn`t, so he won`t.
Then again, come to think of it, with weather conditions favouring Armstrong and a reasonable profile it might just be crazy enough to work. If Armstrong really wants to beat Contador and win this Tour, it could be his best shot.
Still, am I the only one thinking the whole Armstrong vs. Contador-rivalry seams a bit superficial and more like a publicity-stunt than an actual rivalry?
Surely, to put two so strong personalities on the same team you would eighter have to be a downright genius or a complete how-do-I-open-this-wall?-idiot.
Then again, looking at it just now, that very last description seams to fit Bruyneel rather well.
Anyway, crossing fingers for an exiting stage tommorow (we really need one)  |
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| CrueTrue |
Posted on 18-07-2009 22:27
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The media part of it - you're partly right, I guess. The thing I've noticed is that both Bruyneel and Armstrong are saying that there's some tension within the team. Why would they say that? I mean, if there really were any tension, wouldn't you normally shut up about it and say that everything is fine? |
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| hakab |
Posted on 18-07-2009 22:56
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From Contador's part it was they are not best friends but they are friends and talk at the dinner table and have no problems.
Lance after Contador attacked and gained 21 seconds on other GC contenders his feelings were hurt and he was all whiny about it. |
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| schleck93 |
Posted on 18-07-2009 23:09
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The weather report from the area says sun tomorow so it isn't armstrong weather.
BenBarnes wrote:
Thor wears a live rattlesnake as a condom.
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| Biathlon |
Posted on 18-07-2009 23:17
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schleck93 wrote:
The weather report from the area says sun tomorow so it isn't armstrong weather.
Conta and Lance + the rest of Astana will win anyway I hope
Edited by Biathlon on 18-07-2009 23:36
Words to live by
"What would Lance do?"
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| Rin |
Posted on 18-07-2009 23:18
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I hope that Andy gets that one
Go Saxo Bank
 Team Bianchi - 2012 Man-Game ProContinental Tour Champions
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| schleck93 |
Posted on 18-07-2009 23:31
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I don't see why people think this stage is flat untill Verbier.. I see 4 category 3 climbs and one category 2 climb, and the only "flat" section is from the bottom of Col des Mosses to Martigny. Then the 17 km from Martigny to the bottom of Verbier it is actually rising at low percentages, but when going for that long it gets hard. So I don't see this stage having a "flat" inrun to Verbier at all.
BenBarnes wrote:
Thor wears a live rattlesnake as a condom.
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| Deadpool |
Posted on 18-07-2009 23:35
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The funny thing is that, even if he does well here in the Alps, Lance still has to contend with the mountain he hates more than any other, Ventoux. Even if he's still in it by stage 20, thats where I see his downfall.
I like Cadel tomorrow, but only by 15-20 sec or so over a group of all the other major contenders (i.e. Contador, Schleck, Sastre, etc., etc.) |
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| Phanekim |
Posted on 19-07-2009 01:32
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contador is gonna attack and attack hard i dont think he'll get away though.
Edited by Phanekim on 19-07-2009 01:33
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