Sorry to RM but the stage has started and lets be honest you wont be up for the next hour or so
Ok a hilly one and the start of the race proper
Hopefull Hoogeland hangs in and has the legs to compete
Cadel will probably hang on today as well but will the big guns actually unleash a serious attack and see whether the competition has the legs to keep up.
And so it hots up and gets serious
Is Cav in with a shout of those Green points?
yep, will be interesting to see if contador goes on the attack today to get back some of his sizeable defecit to schlecks/Cadel.
will they follow or mark each other?
will be VERY interesting to see if Evans can keep with them comfortably-he'll get a few seconds on schleck no doubt on the final TT but will he still be in touch at that point?
THere was talk of the other green jersey contenders trying to make Cavendish be eliminated for finishing outside the time limit. Wonder where they'll try that if they do.
Yes I think all eyes will be on Contador today. Hilltop finish, I think he needs to go for it, but will the others be able to handle it?
if they let contador get away race is over ....
if they can stay with him and just hang in there its going to be a good race !
I reckon today will be a day for everyone looking at each other and judging form. The first day in the mountains always comes as a shock to someone but I don't think even Contador will light the burners just yet. There's plenty more mountains to come, this'll be one of those days where everyone sets a fast enough pace to make it hurt but without going all guns blazing on the first day.
Cav and his rivals should still be in with a shout at the intermediate sprint, it's flattish up til that point. Once past that, he'll be straight into the autobus! Good lad, getting green yesterday, now that the sprints are out the way for a bit he should hold onto it for a few days at least.
It's the end of the phoney war. Today we'll at least get an idea of who's on form though I'd be suprised if anyone actually delivers a killer blow today.
Ref contador, he'll still expect to pull out a minute plus from Bambi in the TT so the gap's not as bad as it currently looks.
Bertie will have had the beefy broth overnight and be back in the game. We'll see if Cadel has something to show too, the Schlecks have looked ready from the start. Oh and ITV4 from 12 today, not the usual 2pm.
This will be a very hard stage. I've done the Toumallet without doing the 100k's before it.
I think Berts bluffing a bit, think he'll push on with Andy in tow, Cadel will hang in there with out loosing too much time. Not putting Bert for the win mind, think that'll come from Euskatel or Movistar today.
Voeckler to hang on with a heroic display of strength or Voeckler to get shelled out the back within 20 minutes? Hmmm...
Voeckler to hang on with a heroic display of strength
Today of all days it'll be this one.
I hope its not a keep an eye on everyone else basicly neutralised stage, but it could turn out that way
I would like to see what Contador can do now he actually does have to do something. I think he will go for it half way up Luz and pull back 20s or so over everyone else.
I think Voeckler only just in yellow tonight after heroic efforts
Either that or Contador has a mechanical on Toumallet and the Schlecks attack. har har!
some welsh geezer in break away and virtual yellow at the moment 
thomas to be in yellow tonight.
theres as much chance of that as wales winning the rugby world cup
i think today is the first day that I've missed wiggins not being in there...
Yeah, once again proper gutted. I'd have been really excited to see what he could do.
Brad would have got on the podium IMHO or been very close this year such bad luck as he was in top form.
I think bertie wont be that good tbh as I dont think he expected to be here and will be tired from the Giro
Has anyone won both in the same year in the modern era?
Pantani won the Giro and TdF in 1998
Bertie won the Giro and Vuelta in 2008
I reckon..... Frank Schleck attacking on tourmalet, to force Contador to follow, and weaken him for Andy Schleck to attack on Luz!
I'm not so sure Wiggo would have got top 3, but we certainly would have found out the likelyhood today
gap at 7min
GO G!!
Unfortunately, Europcar/Voeckler aren't going to let that one get too far ahead, whether or not they have the firepower to bring it back remains to be seen. Sky will be desperate for the break to stay away...
is there any streaming video anywhere ?
If G manages to stay away then I expect to see him on the podium in future years. He's had an astonishing ride so far IMO. He's always up there at the finish mixing with the big names. Had he not waited for Brad he'd be several minutes up on where he is now. Still not convinced he can climb mountains but I guess we're about to find out. I hope he can because otherwise he is in for a horrific day. Actually racing this stage is going to be pretty tough for everybody.
streams normally on cyclingfans or steephill.tv
ta jonba
I do like the feed stations. It's like when you were a kid and opening your packed lunch box. Some of the stuff is clearly just dumped immediately (the fish paste sandwich in the metaphorical packing up).
Surrounded By Zulus - Member
THere was talk of the other green jersey contenders trying to make Cavendish be eliminated for finishing outside the time limit. Wonder where they'll try that if they do.
That doesn't make sense to me, SBZ. To put Cav outside the time limit means that Gilbert/Hushovd/et al would have to be competing with the proper climbers and really pushing the speed up the last two climbs.
It will be interesting to see how Gilbert does today - there's been some talk of him being in contention for yellow.
I'd love to see Geraint T on the podium, but sadly I think he'll die at around 160km. I've got my fingers and toes crossed though.
hoogerland has the legs great to see
I suffered over Hourquette and TOurmalet couple of weeks ago; nice to see the autobus doing the same...
Good tactics by HTC in the intermediate sprints, Cav making sure his team-mates scooped up the points behind him to deny them to Rojas.
Great to see Hoogerland up there as well defending the KoM jersey. Amazing recovery.
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