Viva Le Tour - Tour de France 2011

[Grahaml]

Riders in contention can be separated by minutes in time trials, to suggest otherwise is folly.

No doubt you'd rather be in front by as far as possible, but the Schlecks have both consistently lost around 3 minutes on the final individual time trial to the strong GC time trial riders. Voeckler is a little more of an unknown, but no doubt he's working harder than the others to hold his position. For him, it's worth burning his petrol tickets for another day and taking a 15 minute loss down the track.

[The Sleeping Giant]

Of course if Cadel is feeling 100%, he could dominate the tt. However, history says it is rarely achieved (taking the yellow on the 2nd last stage). It would be folly to underestimate the Schleks and Contador (or Voeckler) if they have the yellow jersey going into the tt. I would be alot more confident if Cadel had it after Alp D'huez.

[Jase]

Riders in contention can be separated by minutes in time trials, to suggest otherwise is folly.

No doubt you'd rather be in front by as far as possible, but the Schlecks have both consistently lost around 3 minutes on the final individual time trial to the strong GC time trial riders. Voeckler is a little more of an unknown, but no doubt he's working harder than the others to hold his position. For him, it's worth burning his petrol tickets for another day and taking a 15 minute loss down the track.

I think I heard this, though could have been dreaming at the time, that Voeckler in his past 2 TT has lost over 9 minutes to the eventual winner...though these were over 55Km's, but still you would have to suggest that he isn't going to be able to hold on, no matter what happens in the Alps...

As I said though i could have been dreaming this during one of my dozes last night...or the night before...

[dedja]

correct weight ...

[The Sleeping Giant]

I think I heard this, though could have been dreaming at the time, that Voeckler in his past 2 TT has lost over 9 minutes to the eventual winner...though these were over 55Km's, but still you would have to suggest that he isn't going to be able to hold on, no matter what happens in the Alps...

As I said though i could have been dreaming this during one of my dozes last night...or the night before...

He's a tough little Frenchman (bastard) though.

[Grahaml]

It's hard to judge time trials when riders aren't giving it 100%. Those not worried about placings and that aren't gunning to win the stage just ride to avoid elimination. But it's the stage where you can't hide, your team can't help you and everything you've left on the road catches up with you. The harder you fight for the time, the more it will take out of the legs for the time trial.

One reason nobody has taken the tour lately in the time trial is because the leader has been the stronger time trialler. But you only have to go back to Indurain to find a rider who banked on his time trial ability to gain time, so he didn't need to gain in the mountains.

[geppscrossrams]

The TT course that will be used in this years TDF is the exact same course that was used in the Criterium du Dauphine (lead-up race to the TDF). Voeckler lost approximately 2 1/2 minutes to Cadel.

[pels]

For whats it worth at the recently completed Critérium du Dauphiné in June
TT which is being run over the same course in the tour, this was the difference betwwen Evans & Voeckler
6 Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC Racing Team 0:01:20
40 Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Team Europcar 0:03:18
2 mins thats makes it even more interesting.

I think Thur & Fri stages wil be decisive and anyone down to Contador can win this still.You reckon whoever wants to win this
will attack Thur & Fri and be in Yellow on Sat and stay in yellow.

[Grahaml]

Correct. Couple the previous results with the sort of form and fitness of those in contention and Evans looks like he should perform even better again. But that final climb is a beauty. The Schlecks need time on the TT specialists, otherwise even Contador is a chance to pass them. Contador can't catch rely on that and he's almost certain not to make up that time on Cadel. I expect those 3 will do the majority of the attacking and Cadel will cover up until the tough slopes of Huez. But the strategy all hinges a heck of a lot on how long Voeckler sticks with the contenders. When he pops he'll possibly drop right off the top 10 board. But if he's still there at the start of Huez, the attacks will have to come earlier to shake him. He's talking down his chances, but he's not done with just yet.

[mickey]

7 stages left, 6 stages of racing, less than 5 minutes covering the top 8 riders in the GC and the Alps still to come!


OVERALL STANDING ON TIME (YESTERDAY)

1.VOECKLER T....EUC....65h 24' 34"
2.SCHLECK F....LEO....01' 49"
3.EVANS C....BMC....02' 06"
4.SCHLECK A....LEO....02' 15"
5.BASSO I....LIQ....03' 16"
6.SANCHEZ S....EUS....03' 44"
7.CONTADOR A....SBS....04' 00"
8.CUNEGO D....LAM....04' 01"
9.DANIELSON T....GRM....05' 46"
10.DE WEERT K....QST....06' 18"


Tonights stage

JEAN-FRANÇOIS PESCHEUX’S ANALYSIS : Ideal for a wily campaigner

“It’s the start of the final week. The race heads into Gap, crosses the Col de Manse, then drops down again into the finish after completing a small circuit. As we’re heading towards the Alps, this stage is not flat, which is what you would expect, but it isn’t too hard either as it just rises steadily throughout. It will suit a rider in the mould of Flecha or Garcia Acosta, that is to say one of the wily old campaigners who can cope with the climbs pretty well. Be aware also that something often happens after the second rest day, and it may be something completely unexpected. In 2003, for example, in order to avoid crashing into the prone figure of Joseba Beloki, Lance Armstrong opted, on pure instinct, to indulge in a bit of cyclo-cross over an Alpine meadow. That stage ended up making the headlines without any previously expecting it to.”

and the last 5km

[Jim05]

Pissing down with rain. Plenty of carnage tonight i reckon, hope Cadel stays out of trouble

[mickey]

Contador and Evans have attacked and left the Schlecks standing still

[mickey]

Fantastic ride by Evans tonight... took 1m07s from the Schlecks

[pels]

Well Contador and Evans have blown this race out of the water tonight.
It was supposed to be boring stage but far from it, Contador attacked the peloton and Evans & Sanchez were the only ones who could follow.
Evans biggest rival is now Contador & with a couple of brutal stages to come I fear Contador big time.
Evans did everything right tonight, but Contador will attack in the coming days and thats when the big test will come for Evans.
Aren't the Schlecks a bunch of trash talking flat track bullies, all hot air.
They have the best team and 1-2 contender and they can't handle the pace.

Here is the GC
1 Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Team Europcar 69:00:56
2 Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC Racing Team 0:01:45
3 Fränk Schleck (Lux) Leopard Trek 0:01:49
4 Andy Schleck (Lux) Leopard Trek 0:03:03
5 Samuel Sanchez Gonzalez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 0:03:26
6 Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Saxo Bank Sungard 0:03:42
7 Ivan Basso (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale 0:03:49
8 Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre - ISD 0:04:01

[mickey]

Will be interesting too see how Andy copes with having to play second fiddle to Frank for the next week.

[The Sleeping Giant]

Well done Cadel. Took some chances and it might pay off. Is 2 mins enough too hold off Contador in the Alps?

[Jim05]

Fantastic ride by Cadel, dont want to put the mozz on him but i reckon he is almost home

[Jase]

Fantastic ride by Cadel, dont want to put the mozz on him but i reckon he is almost home

[Grahaml]

Brilliant stage last night, just about from nowhere. It looks like Cadel was thinking an attack was on, whether by another rider or by himself, can be the only reason he was second in the peloton up that climb. Contador probably scared everyone with his strength and now again looks the #1 threat as far as Cadel is concerned. Andy will now play the role of a workhorse for Frank again. Dropping back over a minute combined with his TT weakness makes him effectively 3-4 minutes behind. Because he's got a team mate in a better position he'll have to surrender the team leader's role unless Frank gets dropped.

Apart from gaining time on everyone that matters (from a few seconds over Contador and Sanchez to over a minute on Andy) reducing the Leopard double act to 1 is massive. They now don't need to worry about Andy so much, while Andy will happily chase down Contador for Frank. Every other year, things seem to have gone against Cadel. This year, everything's going his way. This time yesterday he was the man to beat still, now he's got one foot on that top step. If he can stay out of trouble and mark attacks, I'm sure he'll take Voeckler without needing to attack.

[Freo HeaveHo]

As much as i love the tour I can't wait for it to finish. This sleep deprivation is killing me