[Closed] TdF Stage 9 - A Clearer Picture [Spoilers]

So who is Chris going to ride for next year?

Isn't it the 100th tdf next year? Can't imagine Sky not pouring money in to create an unbeatable team

Isn't it the 100th tdf next year? Can't imagine Sky not pouring money in to create an unbeatable team

It's meant to be nuts with respect to climbing though, and Contador will be back, and Andy really wants it.

Biggest threat might be Nibali at 2:23. You'd bet on him being more likely to be capable of an exploit in the hills to pull that back.

What I was thinking, though at least Evans will also have to close him down if he goes. Rapid as hell on the downs too.. going to be some nervous moments in the Pyrenees.

My update is based on an informal look at the competition. And my local league is a lot smaller 😉

Can't imagine Sky not pouring money in to create an unbeatable team

Yes, but who ELSE is going to be pouring money into finding a podium finishing GC contender? There are a few teams that must be looking already. I should think Chris can almost name his price.

Can't imagine Sky not pouring money in to create an unbeatable team

But if you were him, wouldn't you fancy giving yourself the chance to win rather than finishing on the podium riding in support of Wiggins? I mean if he was on a different team and hadn't got delayed by a crash on stage 1 (which probably wouldn't have happened if he was leading a different team) you'd have to reckon he might have put a bit more time into Brad on stage 7, and even if not, at 42s back Brad would be terrified of what Froome could do to him in the big mountains.

That's always assuming that Brad is team leader next year and they're not going to do a La Vie Claire 85/86 or Telekom 96/97. We're also assuming here that Brad will win this year, oh and that they're not both going to get blown away by Bertie and Frandy next year.

interesting that CB was talking about Evans and Nibali tag team attacks on the Sky team and who does Wiggins chase. Alternatively this is a very aggressive Sky team and they've already smashed BMC and Liguigas on the first mountain stage, maybe they'll attack again themselves.

2 in each tag team. Wiggins chases Evans, Froome chases Nibali.

Which leaves no one to chase Sagan. Just, as I imagine, he planned.

interesting that CB was talking about Evans and Nibali tag team attacks on the Sky team and who does Wiggins chase. Alternatively this is a very aggressive Sky team and they've already smashed BMC and Liguigas on the first [b]mildly hilly[/b] stage, maybe they'll attack again themselves.

FTFY

They could also go for the tactic of putting Froom into any breakway, BMC to chase the breakaways down and leaving Wiggins with fresh legs.

But if you were him, wouldn't you fancy giving yourself the chance to win rather than finishing on the podium riding in support of Wiggins?

Yep, but it only works if the group paying are capable of putting together a complete team. Part of Sky's success so far surely is to have put together a team with so many hugely strong climbers. It's also not clear that it is possible to have a team with two close candidates for the GC win though

edit: but it's a long way to go still though 🙁

[i]Which leaves no one to chase Sagan.[/i]

yeah unfortunately he's not that much of a climber though, he only managed 2 mins on Cav on the first mountain stage.

yeah unfortunately he's not that much of a climber though, he only managed 2 mins on Cav on the first mountain stage.

Or so he's led the majority of people to believe. He's the very definition of an outside favourite for yellow in my eyes.

[i]They could also go for the tactic of putting Froom into any breakway, BMC to chase the breakaways down and leaving Wiggins with fresh legs.[/i]

isn't that going to be the British Olympic team tactic ?

if you are looking for a dark horse, someone from RadioShack-Nissan possibly, they have a very strong team looking at the GC.

Or so he's led the majority of people to believe. He's the very definition of an outside favourite for yellow in my eyes.

Caught for 3 minutes by Sandy Casar 😆

Great stuff. Just think - we'd be chuffed to bits with Froome even if Wiggo wasn't there!

So I'm wondering - have Sky got the deepest pockets in the Tour? They must have one of the biggest sponsors, no?

So I'm wondering - have Sky got the deepest pockets in the Tour

I was wondering that as well. I saw a bit of one stage and all the team cars came by and when you saw the Sky cars they looked a step up - very nice indeed

I can't see a dark horse challenging for GC now. Evans has got it all to do now and he has a twin threat to counter. Who do you attack? Will they work together? Hard times for cuddles.

Hopefully Liquigas will help control Evans a bit.
Maybe also Katusha for Menchov.
Otherwise I hope Porte and Rodgers are feeling strong!

Can't see froome moving from sky.
Most likely that they would target froome on to the tour (more mountains next year), and wiggo goes for the giro or vuelta (maybe both)

If next year is a really hilly year then I would favour Froome for the leader and Wiggins in Support. Wiggins can stay with in the climbs but it seems Froome is more than comfortable. Also, Wikipedia tells me he is 27 (damn my hopes of becoming a pro are fading fast) which means he has got a few stabs at the GC yet. I think he'll want to stay there for what it will be worth to him in a couple of years.

Also next year will hopefully see GT back in the squad.

Higgs-Boson is most likely to leave if you want my opinion.

Hopefully we'll see some suicidal attacks in the mountains by the top ten GC riders. Would make for an exciting race.

Did I notice Froome and Wiggins with an energy gel hiding up their legs? Interesting for a 50min race. Maybe to begin the recovery process as early as possible & limit damage more than to give energy?

Hopefully we'll see some suicidal attacks in the mountains by the top ten GC riders. Would make for an exciting race.

Cuddles and Nibbles will HAVE to attack. At the moment, the former has to attack just to stay in second, as Froome could take that from him in the next ITT.

2x quick TdF Qus:
1) in the TT Im pretty sure I didn't see any front rims over 50mm ish, so is it that the consensus is that 50mm is the right balance for aerodynamics vs weight, OR is there a UCI restriction?
2) They were alluding to Wiggins holding the shirt from day 7 to Paris being "unprecedented". Is it? If so (or if not) who has the record for the yellow days to the finish?

After today's performance 'Shi# just got real' we actually could have our first ever British tour winner.

So is now about the right time to start cultivating the mutton chops as a national expression of pride?

[img] http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQwUv5t79QeRXrgzh3KBEXoXBRk85Khozzd3kHOSU-g8w4xTzLTOOhcre1T [/img]

Sporting heroes sport 'burns!
[img] [/img]

Stoner, two very good questions;
1 - Dunno, the UCI regs are so labyrinthine that it's verging on impossible to know! I'd imagine that on what looked like a bit of a twisty one, that sort of rim depth was about right.
2 - No idea! I'd wager it was Merckx or Anquetil or someone from that era, however.

who has the record for the yellow days to the finish?

Not certain that it's the record, but Merckx managed 21 days (19 of which were consecutive) [url= http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1970_Tour_de_France#Classification_leadership ]in 1970[/url]. He passed the jersey to a teammate for safe keeping for a few days...

Lance held it for the final 13 days in both 1999 and 2003.

you could run a full disk according to the UCI rules

I was wondering that as well. I saw a bit of one stage and all the team cars came by and when you saw the Sky cars they looked a step up - very nice indeed

New Jag estates.

RealMan - Member

yeah unfortunately he's not that much of a climber though, he only managed 2 mins on Cav on the first mountain stage.

Or so he's led the majority of people to believe. He's the very definition of an outside favourite for yellow in my eyes.

The mind boggles... Realman, have you been watchin Le Tour/Sagan.

who has the record for the yellow days to the finish?

It turns out that three riders have worn it from start to finish, but none in the modern era.

The first rider to wear the yellow jersey from start to finish was Ottavio Bottecchia of Italy in 1924. Nicolas Frantz (1928) and Romain Maes (1935) are the only two other riders who have done the same.

They were alluding to Wiggins holding the shirt from day 7 to Paris being "unprecedented"

Well usually it's the mountains that decide the MJ and they don't start til the middle, so I wouldn't be surprised if that is the case since this tour might be decided on the TTs which are earlier. And more numerous than is typical too afaik.

The mind boggles... Realman, have you been watchin Le Tour/Sagan.

You've got to read between the pedal strokes.

thanks to minty goodness.

Cripes, I don't watch ITT's, can't get my head around solo "me against the clock" mentality..

But ..

Blinkin ek, what a performance by Wiggo and Froomie.. Basso's 10 mins down on GC.. Thats 10 mins..

"strokes chin at possible TDF winner in Wiggo, pending crashes"

Wow, what a performance from Wiggins and Froome

Putting a min into Cancellara in a TT is utterly bonkers for someone so skinny.
Is it only me who finds Wiggins eyebrows unsettling.

anagallis_arvensis - Member

Putting a min into Cancellara in a TT is utterly bonkers for someone so skinny.

I agree. Fair to say that King Fabu had a bad day and frankly, if he or Martin are on top of their game they are untouchable.

Wiggins skinniness looks worse by his height. Think I am more excited by Froome at the moment as he looks v comfortable on the 'hills'.

Twiggo looks awesome on a TT bike.

I know it's a rest day tomorrow but a individual TT performance like Wiggo's is going to have an impact when they hit the hills from Wednesday.

It will definitely be a tag team attack, just like they used to on Armstrong. Can't wait as it should make for really good racing.

great result but still a long way to Paris. Don't count anything yet....

Cancellara prefers flat tts this one rolled a bit and didnt suit him as much

Does anyone have a view on how long Cav will stay in the race? I think he'll probably quit within the week. Wednesday's stage is flat for most of the first half, so he will probably stay to make a hole in the air for Wiggins on that stage. It seems pointless him risking everything to spoil Team GB's chances in the 'lympics, though. We saw what happened to one of Spain's Olympic team yesterday - carted off in an ambulance after a low speed crash.

Thing is on the tag team idea, Sky can still tag team the others back - if they feel it makes sense. Remember Sastre, Schleck and Schleck* taking Evans apart a couple of years ago?

How about Froome to attack as early as possible as we go into the mountains? Force Cuddles and Nibbly to chase and let Wiggins slipstream with the rest of the Sky boys?

By the way did anyone else think as EB-H, Rogers and Porte all slowed after the second time check that they'd been told to conserve their energy? Or were they just knackered?

*think it was them anyway

They were alluding to Wiggins holding the shirt from day 7 to Paris being "unprecedented". Is it? If so (or if not) who has the record for the yellow days to the finish?

Slight hyperbole if there is such a thing.

Armstrong won twice when he had the MJ from stage 8 onwards, and in one year he had it from stage 4 onwards except for one day when Voight had it.

In 1961 Anquetil held it at the end of every day of the tour, although not at the end of the first stage as there were two stages on the first day and his performance in the second of them resulted in the MJ.