|
Tour de France 11 Stage 8: Aigurande > Super Besse Sancy 189km
|
| Wyman |
Posted on 09-07-2011 16:41
|
Domestique
Posts: 645
Joined: 28-02-2007
PCM$: 200.00
|
Interesting stage today... feel sorry for Vino, atleast he had a go! Well done to Rui Costa, really strong at the end there. Got a good feeling about Cunego, last time he rode up super besse he was dropped... and considering he said he was just looking to hang onto the favourites today he's looking good for a top 10.
|
| |
|
|
| mat4404 |
Posted on 09-07-2011 16:43
|
Under 23
Posts: 81
Joined: 05-04-2007
PCM$: 200.00
|
ITV struggling to comprehend why Gesink lost time!! Have they no memory???
Anyhow, I really feel for Gesink. As a fan of his I'm ultra disappointed. I suppose it's not only his injuries but the fact that he prefers the longer steadier climbs?
I suppose it's out of the question that he will have recovered enough by Thursday to be up there for the first big Ascent? He won't give up GTs, that's what riders live for, especially those with GC ambitions.
There are two major problems with this first week. The amount of leaders and the parcours.
Firstly, there seem to be an overwhelming amount of riders who think they could race a top 5 this year. Radioshack brought 4 leaders (and have 1 left). You literally have half the field wanting to be in the first 25 riders either for their own aspirations or to place a team mate there.
Add to this the terrible profile of these first week stages and you have yourself a crash fest. As far as I'm concerned this first week has been a failure. Wiggins, Horner, Kreuziger, Leipheimer, Brjakovic all out of contention. Add to that Sanches and Gesink who've also both slipped a way down the GC. Assuming we reach thursday's stage without further incident, we'll still have seen nearly half the potential GC candidates eliminated from the battle by the first real test. Surely we want to see the best riders all competing against each other at the peak of their condition? I believe the profile is the reason behind the nerves as these uphill finishes mean the GC riders have to mark each other in nearly every stage incase someone tries to nick a second or two.
That being said, the race organisers will have loved the first week. Packed with incident, not dominated by an arrogant Brit, many stage winners. You can't take your eyes off it. Therefore they'll want more of the same next year. If I had my way, we'd have parcours similar to that raced in the late 90's and early 00's. Almost entirely flat first week, couple of hilly stages to start the second week (but no uphill finishes) before we reach the mountains proper. The organisers feel that they have to be so innovative and create a vastly contrasting race each year. They don't!
I'm a very pissed off Gesink and Wiggins fan, but more importantly, a pissed off cycling and TDF fan.
|
| |
|
|
| ruben |
Posted on 09-07-2011 17:55
|
Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 7721
Joined: 23-10-2006
PCM$: 200.00
|
I'll always keep hoping on Gesink but in my mind I've given up on him to ever do something in GT's. 5 grand tours, 4 times a fall, 3 times it was a very bad fall that cost him positions in the gc or even the entire GC...
That's no coïncedance... he lacks the luck of a champion. Like Armstrong when he came back, no more luck, no more wins. |
| |
|
|
| khris |
Posted on 09-07-2011 18:03
|
Neo-Pro
Posts: 302
Joined: 15-06-2009
PCM$: 200.00
|
The big surprise to me was that there was a frenchman in the break, but he didn't get most combatative.  |
| |
|
|
| doddy13 |
Posted on 09-07-2011 20:26
|
Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 7891
Joined: 04-03-2007
PCM$: 200.00
|
https://cyclismas....rui-costa/
This was funny.
There's no point slapping a schleck - Sean Kelly on "Who needs a slap"
|
| |
|
|
| Roman |
Posted on 09-07-2011 23:42
|
Grand Tour Specialist
Posts: 4386
Joined: 29-05-2007
PCM$: 200.00
|
Oh Kreuziger boy.. 
Anyway, quite nice stage.. and I am sad for Vino. 
|
| |
|
|
| pbenoit4 |
Posted on 09-07-2011 23:49
|
Free Agent
Posts: 147
Joined: 06-08-2009
PCM$: 200.00
|
I've never heard Hinault speak, therefore I will forever have this voice and attitude associated with him. |
| |
|
|
| ruben |
Posted on 10-07-2011 00:08
|
Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 7721
Joined: 23-10-2006
PCM$: 200.00
|
Roman wrote:
Oh Kreuziger boy..
Anyway, quite nice stage.. and I am sad for Vino.
what did you think, Kreuziger after a nasty fall with a bruised wrist.
It's impossible to do well. |
| |
|
|
| Roman |
Posted on 10-07-2011 00:20
|
Grand Tour Specialist
Posts: 4386
Joined: 29-05-2007
PCM$: 200.00
|
ruben wrote:
what did you think, Kreuziger after a nasty fall with a bruised wrist.
It's impossible to do well.
In reality, I want Kreuziger to abandon this TdF and take a rest for Vuelta. But no, he suffers really hard and will suffer probably to the end of this Tour.
|
| |
|
|
| Ad Bot |
Posted on 24-11-2024 20:30
|
Bot Agent
Posts: Countless
Joined: 23.11.09
|
|
| IP: None |
|
|
| Kami |
Posted on 10-07-2011 00:30
|
Classics Specialist
Posts: 3485
Joined: 19-06-2009
PCM$: 200.00
|
Roman wrote:
ruben wrote:
what did you think, Kreuziger after a nasty fall with a bruised wrist.
It's impossible to do well.
In reality, I want Kreuziger to abandon this TdF and take a rest for Vuelta. But no, he suffers really hard and will suffer probably to the end of this Tour.
Yea, Kreuziger should abandon, but not for the Vuelta. He's so young, and his talent is getting wasted because he gets put in way to much races. He's been riding 2 GT's for the past 2/3 years.
|
| |
|
|
| ruben |
Posted on 10-07-2011 00:32
|
Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 7721
Joined: 23-10-2006
PCM$: 200.00
|
Roman wrote:
ruben wrote:
what did you think, Kreuziger after a nasty fall with a bruised wrist.
It's impossible to do well.
In reality, I want Kreuziger to abandon this TdF and take a rest for Vuelta. But no, he suffers really hard and will suffer probably to the end of this Tour.
Same here, I want Gesink to abandon the Tour and go for the Vuelta. But I think Rabobank wants to keep him in until at least Luz Ardiden, if he doesn't feel good there it's over. |
| |
|
|
| alexkr00 |
Posted on 10-07-2011 00:40
|
World Champion
Posts: 13915
Joined: 05-08-2008
PCM$: 300.00
|
ruben wrote:
Roman wrote:
ruben wrote:
what did you think, Kreuziger after a nasty fall with a bruised wrist.
It's impossible to do well.
In reality, I want Kreuziger to abandon this TdF and take a rest for Vuelta. But no, he suffers really hard and will suffer probably to the end of this Tour.
Same here, I want Gesink to abandon the Tour and go for the Vuelta. But I think Rabobank wants to keep him in until at least Luz Ardiden, if he doesn't feel good there it's over.
I was thinking the same thing, the rest day will be the key here. But one thing I don't get is why Luis Leon Sanchez or Mollema didn't stay with the rest of the pack today so they would still keep a shot at the gc if Gesink will abandon.
|
| |
|
|
| Roman |
Posted on 10-07-2011 00:41
|
Grand Tour Specialist
Posts: 4386
Joined: 29-05-2007
PCM$: 200.00
|
Kami wrote:
Yea, Kreuziger should abandon, but not for the Vuelta. He's so young, and his talent is getting wasted because he gets put in way to much races. He's been riding 2 GT's for the past 2/3 years.
He is already 25 years old, so he isn't that young and I don't think he is riding too much. Only thing which I think is, that he shouldn't ride this year's TdF as he should prepare himself for the Vuelta, Giro-Tour is too much for everyone, we will see it for sure on Contador really soon. But Vino wanted Kreuziger here as his exclussive helper on his last TdF in his career.. If he is riding one GT for the overall and another one to help his leader and to try to win a stage. Then I think it's ok. 
|
| |
|
|
| Roman |
Posted on 10-07-2011 00:51
|
Grand Tour Specialist
Posts: 4386
Joined: 29-05-2007
PCM$: 200.00
|
ruben wrote:
Same here, I want Gesink to abandon the Tour and go for the Vuelta. But I think Rabobank wants to keep him in until at least Luz Ardiden, if he doesn't feel good there it's over.
IMO Gesink will be fine after two or three days. He has really bad luck, because right after the stage where he had hard fall, here is a hilly stage where he can loose time if he doesn't feel ok.. And he didn't.. But anyway, I think he will be ok for the Pyrenees, tomorrow stage he should stay in the peloton and then it will be the rest day..
alexkr00 wrote:
I was thinking the same thing, the rest day will be the key here. But one thing I don't get is why Luis Leon Sanchez or Mollema didn't stay with the rest of the pack today so they would still keep a shot at the gc if Gesink will abandon.
Yeah, I don't get it as well. Rabobank's card is everything for Gesink. But when you look on the Sky for example, they waited all (or they fell too) for Wiggins on the yesterday's stage, when it was unclear if he can continue. Leopard would waited for Schlecks too as Saxo Bank would waited for Contador. I think it's quite basic tactic in the peloton in the end, one car for the overall. But still, I think Mollema should stay in the peloton at least..
|
| |
|
|
| mat4404 |
Posted on 10-07-2011 01:36
|
Under 23
Posts: 81
Joined: 05-04-2007
PCM$: 200.00
|
I'm 99% sure that Gesink will continue until thursday as long as he loses under 2 minutes tomorrow. The harder clims are earlier in the day so he should be alright until the final climb. The he will re-evaluate on Tuesday morning. His race is over minus the White Jersey and a possible top 10. I don't want him to pull out yet. 3 or 4 more days racing shouldn't affect him too much in respect to a Vuelta ride.
Should he lose around 3 or 4 minutes on thursdays stage, Rabo could have a massive decision to make. Potentially, the white jersey could go to someone in 20th or lower this year, so he really does have a chance there. But is the white Jersey worth sacrificing a good shot at the Vuelta? Probably not.
Incidentally, if he does pull out to ride the Vuelta we could have a very tasty line up there. Potentially, Nibali, Anton, Wiggins, Gesink, Rodriguez. A lot of other top riders could also ride. Could be good. |
| |
|
|
| tyriion |
Posted on 10-07-2011 06:52
|
Sprinter
Posts: 1510
Joined: 29-08-2010
PCM$: 200.00
|
I don't think Gesink is interested in the Vuelta at all. And Rabobank leaders said they'd look into breakaway options so Gesink will stay in and try to win a stage if they can convince him and if the GC is really out of reach after today.
Check out my ManGame team here
|
| |
|
