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MCBoo, I know the terrain there very well, I ski on it! 🙂
Paul Sherwin says Andy Schleck has been renamed Andy Stiffneck, cos he keeps looking behind him . . .
Always liked Ser Che & Briancon is a really nice place to pass some time.. or to meet your mates before heading off on a Crusade
did the Marmotte last year, was a whole bunch of punishment but the ride down from Galibier (the side they are about to climb) was the ultimate in wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! Just goes on and on, then that beautiful River Isere valley all the way to Bourg d'Oisans. They get to do that tomorrow of course.
I bloody love that part of France, locals are super-nice too <no seriously>
Good point to go to ads, ITV4 🙄
(spoiler for those without Eurosport to flick to)
& they make Tartiflette 🙂
Andy goes.
nice!
Tartiflette perfection right here - http://www.lebercail-serrechevalier.com/
Mmmmm, Tartiflette.
massive risk going this early. will he stay away on the descent, if not will he have anything left for the galiber?
StiffNeck attacking? He's got to go downhill in a moment, he'll probably poo his lycra the moment it goes beyond horizontal.
Andy goes.
Finally showing some aggression he's got two mates up ahead too. Interesting.
I reckon Andy's move is a softener for Franks attack on the final climb, looks too far out to be successful in its own right.
Everyone else letting him go probably wasn't in the original plan though.
I wanted TV to win, but is AS wins it off this big attack (with a good bit of team tactics - teammate still up front to help on the descent/valley) then he has to deserve it. The only trouble is, the last time I can remember an overall contender heading off on an epic this far out was in 2006...
The only trouble is, the last time I can remember an overall contender heading off on an epic this far out was in 2006...
Reminded me of that too.
"which one of the guys who's won the TdF recently has attacked so far away from the finish of a mountain top finish"
Floyd Landis, Paul, Floyd Landis 😉
Look at Andy's stem. That * is slammed to *. How can he not win?
Schleck, A. not holding anything back on the descent on this one !
Andy Schlecks team mate to show him the line to take down the mountain and then TT him along the valley floor to the final climb?
So who was it saying AS couldn't descend?
This is become a classic stage - loving it - apart from the f'ing adverts!
Can't say I've noticed any adverts (and it's refreshing to get Harmon/Kelly for a change)
Go stiffneck! Will it all payoff? Not looking bad for leopard.
Frank will be hanging on the back wheel like a bad smell of anyone who moves out of the yellow jersey group now. I reckon it's going to stick unless Bertie goes ballistic on the last climb.
Contador & Sanchez chatting while descending at +60km/h . . . remember yesterdays thread about "us" descending? lol
what helmet is it that sammy sanchez is wearing, big horizontal vents, looks pretty kool?
ps Yell for Cadel 🙂 I remember getting a 1999 video of him winning the UCI world cup in Mountain biker international
New bike for Bertie...
Contador descending through those cars is like watching an artform - no matter what history he has you cant deny his talent on a roadbike
So, the Basque v Spanish issue is solved then! Euskaltel car helping Bertie out there!
Bertie switches to the battery powered bike for the climb...
Helmet is catlike
15km of headwind coming up . . . .
It's looking like a stage + yellow for Shreck the younger, unless he blows up on the Galibier.
AS has arranged for snow on the Galibier - so the stage will be shortened 😉
Euskatel are now wearing Orbea helmets
was gonna say i didnt think it was a catlike, they are the 'lots of small holes' ones
so did contador really swap his bike for a lighter one? could he not just swap for a singlespeed with the best gear for the final climb, or at least with only a single chainring ❓
Got to agree Contador catching the pack up after switching bikes was amazing! What a buzz
Just gone past the hotel where I stay to ski! Wooo! And, behind the crowd, a really cool bike shop as well!
so did contador really swap his bike for a lighter one? could he not just swap for a singlespeed with the best gear for the final climb, or at least with only a single chainring
No, there is a weight limit, which all the bikes are basically at.
no think he changed it for different gearing, Harmon and Kelly just mentioned that they 'used' to change bikes for lightness.
huh. so what were ITV4 talking about then?! 😕
fair enough did know they changed sponsor
It's looking like a stage + yellow for Shreck the younger, unless he blows up on the Galibier.
The latter is of course the crucial question - expect him to at the very least lose time on those behind who've kept their powder dry.