TdF Stage 18 [Possible Spoiler Content]

Group of 87 riders in the ‘autobus’ got in at 35mins 40secs, technically outside the limit but I can’t imagine them being thrown out, not with Cav, Gilbert, Cancellara, Hushovd, Farrar included.

Rojas got in at 31mins 17secs so was inside the limit so hasn’t been deducted points.

Gilbert should have dropped points to though.

Cav still in the race but loses 20 points. Still in green by 15pts from Rojas

1. CAVENDISH Mark 300 pts
2. ROJAS Jose Joaquin 285 pts

oh, you edited to 20-1 on.

I thought 10-1 on was probably a bit soft for “sewn up”

The question is, how good are you for your 4-1 on as somebody I don’t know on a forum? Just wondering what my risk is if I take you on that and lay it off at 6/5?

what is/was the time limit then ? – site I found suggested 13% of winner’s time (mountain stage, 32 km/h) which would be 13% of 368 mins = 47-48min

The question is, how good are you for your 4-1 on as somebody I don’t know on a forum? Just wondering what my risk is if I take you on that and lay it off at 6/5?

both pay your stakes into my paypal account (gift) and I will act as banker

Good – happy to pay up first and let you pay me back (with my winnings!).

IF – you can find me that 4-1 ON horse you tried to belittle me with the odds for earlier.

Twitter reckons AS has beaten TV in 11 of the 12 time trails they’ve both ridden.

So who all loses 20 points?

So who all loses 20 points?

My understanding of it is that everyone in the grupetto loses 20 pts the only real contender in the points that finished within the time limit was Rojas so he closes the gap between 1st and 2nd.

Fignon in ’89 was an amazing end of tour. I don’t believe they’ve ever had a TT on the last day since?

IF…

You’re really not quite as confident as you try to make out?

Why don’t you just go and put your money on at the bookies – you can even get 7/5 when I looked a bit harder. If you reckon the real odds are 1/4 then you’re onto a winner. Of course if you want to give* me your money I suppose you might stand a chance of also winning an online argument, and that’s priceless. I’m happy to nominate Stoner (somebody I think most here would trust, and I know where he lives!) as the escrow banker in that case if he’ll take on something so silly.

* I’ll lay it off with the bookies – not into gambling, but I like a nice arbitrage.

Brilliant race today and it was good to watch it on my day off, I hope AS to win the tour, just need another good day tomorrow like today, excellent ride from great man AS.

Just watched the highlights and what a great race. I cannot believe the pain threshold these guys must have.

Even the Joe McElderry song at the end couldn’t spoil it!

Edit: Just stuck a fiver on CE @ 7/5 mainly due to the fact that he looked less like death than the other contendors 8)

Tommy is going to have difficulty getting out of bed tomorrow morning. He looked gone when he arrived. And at the interview he was coughing.

I really want him to, somehow, win.

Just watched the highlights and what a great race. I cannot believe the pain threshold these guys must have.

“It never gets easier, you just go faster.”
Greg LeMond

The reality is remember the first time you really went for it on a climb, i doubt it hurts pros more, you just go faster and learn pain is good so don’t ease off.

if Andy Schleck can get the Yellow jersey on his back for the time trial it maybe all the motivation he needs to hold off Cadel. Get some of that magic that’s kept Tommy in the race. It’s still all to play for, Tommy looked the weakest of the contenders and Frank looked the strongest. Andy will be worn out but Cadel must be pretty tired after dragging everyone else up the Galibier. A Truely thrilling race this year.

Just watched the highlights. ASs attack was amazing, but the fading at the end may cost him. The TT isn’t that long or flat this year which will be in his favour. Tommy is the one if a few Frenchman I have ever warmed to and I’d love him to win. I thought that Evans was as impressive as AS today, he put his all into closing the gap with little help. Hard to predict the top podium come Sunday but if I was pushed I’d say: Evans, AS, Tommy.

A Truely thrilling race this year

+1. Today was one of the best stages I’ve seen, this years race has been fantastic all round, wide open right from the start. Great choice not to have a prologue.

I SO want Voeckler to keep yellow but it’s not going to happen. He looked absolutely wrecked today, could see he had nothing there when he went to the front alongside Evans on the final climb. And he’s not got a hope against Evans in the TT.

Frank’s turn to go for it tomorrow I reckon – one of them wll have to attack again to get the time gaps over Evans in the TT. Contador is (thankfully) out of contention now.

Shame about Cav losing 20 pts but he was pretty philosophical about it at the end, really hope he can hang on to green in Paris.

i wonder if Voeckler will actually try and win the tour next year? I do think he doesn’t believe what he is doing.

Well, I’ve taken your advice and cut out the middleman and put my hard earned on CE direct as you didn’t seem too keen. Funny really as I’ve never been that keen on him but will now have to cheer him to the end – gives an edge to the watching experience. The romantic in me would love to see TV win instead but don’t think he stands much chance. Another heroic day from AS to give himself a chance would be awesome so I’d not be too fussed about loosing my cash.

Great photo – That’s sure to be used by Trek and the other sponsors.

Today was one of the best stages I’ve seen, this years race has been fantastic all round, wide open right from the start. Great choice not to have a prologue.

+2

Voeckler is one tough guy

i loved the bit with Merckx shouting at Schleck

why/what was merckx shouting ?

Merckx was getting very excited about someone taking on the TdF the old skool way like he used to and was shouting encouragement. He also got quite abusive to the random fancy dressed chickens and budgie smuggler wearing dicks that seem to think it’s cool to run alongside the lead rider which was amusing to watch.

He also got quite abusive to the random fancy dressed chickens and budgie smuggler wearing dicks

Christian Prudhomme was also in the car; it was him shouting at numpties…

ahh.

Why do they do that? I have to say I’d struggle to ride with that lot around me as well as people standing in front of me until a spit second before getting run over to get a photo and the general exhaust fumes of all those cars and bikes around them. But then again I’d be 2hrs back down the road so wouldn’t be a problem!

as you didn’t seem too keen

Not that desperate to take money off you* – if I was as sure as you seem I’d take a punt at the bookies, though personally I reckon they’ve got the odds about right (tempted by TV at 16/1, but I think that’s my heart not my head) – you’ve got me looking at arbs now though…

I just hope Frank doesn’t win it – any of the other 3 deserve it the way they’ve ridden (I suppose Frank did attack the other day, but he’s spent a lot of time sitting on wheels and it was hardly in the class of his brother). The first time I could honestly say that about either AS or CE.

not into gambling

Not entirely true – I made a few hundred on the last Olympics when I was sure the bookies were being too pessimistic about the number of medals we’d get.

* by that I mean that I’d be up on the deal, not necessarily that you’re wrong

as it was for Fignon in 1989, though I suspect you might not have been following the TdF back then

I missed the whole damn thing, even the highlights 🙁

ITV Player (and a proxy if you’re still in Germany)?

Yeah that’s all covered but I was out all afternoon, missed the highlights show and they don’t put it on the player til after I’ve gone to bed…