FFS RealMan, gone 2 o’clock and nothing yet?

So here we are. As Imlach said yesterday, I think we all have to thanks the organisers for setting out a route that has left us with so many possibilities with only a couple of stages left.

What’s going to happen today then? Will Cuddles take 57 seconds off Shrek? Will Tommy get himself on the podium?

Hmmm…looks like an undulating stage. Could be interesting. Not sure…who would an undulating TT favour?

What a tour so far – I’ve really enjoyed it.

Oops, raceface got in there before me 🙂

whoops 😳 posted also.

Its been a fantastic tour – and the last few riders today should be thrilling!

I dont think that sport gets any better than this. Race of truth to win a 3 week tour – you couldn’t think up a better finale.

Its been a fantastic tour – and the last few riders today should be thrilling!

It really has – I really really really really want to ride L’Alpe one day!!

hoping that cadel will go for it today 😀 reckon it’ll be close though.

racefaceec – sorry dude, you were actually in before me with the post…to hell with it, if anything it just reflects badly on the student who’s probably still in bed 🙂

deadlydarcy no worries 😀

This is the first tour I’ve really followed closely and it’s been fantastic. Only real downside for me so far was Wiggins going out.

in the dauphine Tony Martin got the win with 55:27, de gent has only done a 57, and that is the best so far.

talk of rain showers which could really mess things up.

they were saying that cadel has ridden the course before,whereas andy hasn’t.some technical corners by all accounts.

talk of rain showers which could really mess things up.

Or make it interesting 🙂

(would prefer a clean dry race though – less variables in the race of truth the better)

SBZ puts it very well above.

Cadel Evans was 1:20 down on Martin in the dauphine

whereas andy hasn’t

Anyone else think this is just bloody mental (if it’s true)?

One thing that always struck me about US Postal and Discovery when LA rode with them (leaving aside the did he/didn’t he issue) was the almost scientific approach they took to the preparation for the tour – each stage was ridden, telemetrics taken, attacks planned, etc etc.

I’m happy to be corrected in thinking it’s mental – perhaps it’s the schedule that prevents teams having a chance to ride the stages? I know Armstrong was criticised for preparing solely for the tour while all the other teams were busy racing around Europe…

Don’t think anyone is going to beat that time from Tony Martin.

I started the third version of this thread but have since removed it to avoid confusion. As this one has gained a little momentum I thought I’d add in the extra bits here:
.
Start times of the top twenty:
14:21 Jelle Vanendert (Omega Pharma-Lotto)
14:24 Peter Velits (HTC-Highroad)
14:27 Christian Vande Velde (Garmin-Cervélo)
14:30 Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Cervélo)
14:33 Haimar Zubeldia (RadioShack)
14:36 Arnold Jeannesson (FDJ)
14:39 Jerome Coppel (Saur-Sojasun)
14:42 Kevin De Weert (Quick Step)
14:45 Rein Taaramae (Cofidis)
14:48 Jean-Christophe Péraud (Ag2r-La Mondiale)
14:51 Pierre Rolland (Europcar)
14:54 Tom Danielson (Garmin-Cervélo)
14:57 Ivan Basso (Liquigas-Cannondale)
15:00 Samuel Sanchez (Euskaltel-Euskadi)
15:03 Alberto Contador (Saxo Bank-Sungard)
15:06 Damiano Cunego (Lampre-ISD)
15:09 Thomas Voeckler (Europcar)
15:12 Cadel Evans (BMC)
15:15 Fränk Schleck (Leopard Trek)
15:18 Andy Schleck (Leopard Trek)
.
.
and by some sort of comparison the top ten from the 2011 Critérium du Dauphiné which was run over the same course in early June
.
1. Tony Martin (Ger) HTC-Highroad in 55-28
2. Bradley Wiggins (GB) Sky at 11 secs
3. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Sky at 43 secs
4. David Zabriskie (USA) Garmin-Cervelo at 58 secs
5. Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Radioshack at 1-17
6. Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC Racing at 1-20
7. Geraint Thomas (GB) Sky at 1-35
8. Christophe Riblon (Fra) Ag2r La Mondiale at 1-37
9. Rein Taaramae (Est) Cofidis at 1-55
10. Rui Da Costa (Por) Movistar at 1-59
.
.
Some useful links:

http://live.cyclingnews.com/
http://gaps.letour.fr/us.php
No SRM data today.

Handful of seconds outside his Dauphine time after a 3 week tour, no wonder he looks so happy.

That’s the stage winner done, now to the GC contenders.

Matt

Are those times Grenoble local time or BST?

Hmmm…seeing Wiggo’s name up there just raises the “if only” doesn’t it? 😐

The schlecks would of ridden it and driven round it, but not on closed roads.

They were Central European Times but have adjusted them to BST.

Hmmm…seeing Wiggo’s name up there just raises the “if only” doesn’t it?

it really does. Especially as he reckoned he was taking it easy on the corners so as not to jeopardise his overall position or potentially injure himself in the run up to the tour. In an all out death or glory run he could probably have taken those 11 seconds off Tony Martin.

Realy want to like Evans being an ex world MBR champ and an Aussi but i can’t seem to muster any love so heres hoping 1 second a KM is going to be enough,after all there are no scary steep hills to go down.Come on Andy!!

ouch 😯

Gilbert just cracked his nuts on the top tube. Nasty.

that’s gotta hurt 🙁

Quick reminder of the positions of the top 6 prior to the time trial

1. SCHLECK Andy : 82h 48′ 43″
2. SCHLECK Frank : + 00′ 53″
3. EVANS Cadel : + 00′ 57″
4. VOECKLER Thomas : + 02′ 10″
5. CUNEGO Damiano : + 03′ 31″
6. CONTADOR Alberto : + 03′ 55″

Not sure whether Evans can take the minute out of AS but I do think that Voeckler will finish in third with FS in 4th

thinking about Frank, he has done nothing over the last couple of days. It is possible his legs are fresher than either Cadel or Andy.

We won’t actually know how well CE is doing (other than seeing him ride a blistering ride perhaps), we’ll have to wait until FS & AS set off and then see if they lose time to him. . . . .

and andy has a couple of huge advantages, he will know what time he has to do and he has the yellow jersey

trying to do a spreadsheet so I can track the riders through the checkpoints, but I’m rubbish at excel…

trying to do a spreadsheet so I can track the riders through the checkpoints, but I’m rubbish at excel…

Stoner(d)’s online 🙂

its the weekend. Down tools.

Why might “Geraint Thomas not be in the TdF next year” as just stated on the TV?

He’s mainly a track rider so is going to do nothing that takes away from his olympic chances.

A few of the British olympic squad won’t be riding I think, there’s not much of a gap between the two.

No chance of Frank hanging on to second.

I think there are two GC stories here and they both involve the Schlecks limiting their losses.

Cadel Vs Andy
Voeckler Vs Frank

Cadel Vs Frank is a foregone conclusion. No way on earth that Cadel won’t take 4 seconds out of FS.

Head tells me AS, CE, FS
Heart wants: CE, AS, TV

love AC’s bike . . . . 6 Grand?

My wife does that with spds too 😉

olympics innit

edit: too slow