PassedOut Posted July 19, 2009 Report Share Posted July 19, 2009 Irresistible ride by Contador, Armstrong is still strong, but by far not strong enough.It occurs to me that without Klödens asistance at the last kilometers he would loose more than 1,5 minutes to Alberto. Yes. Even with Leipheimer having to withdraw after his crash, the Astana team is very strong. Armstrong will work hard to get a team victory, even though he won't get yellow. He certainly is a still very strong, but can't beat Contador. I think it's amazing that he's still this good at his age and after the long layoff. But time marches on for us all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
se12sam Posted July 20, 2009 Report Share Posted July 20, 2009 Probable order in General Classification:1. Alberto Contador2. Andy Schlek3. Bradley Wiggins4. Lance Armstrong The problem with Wiggins is that his team of domestiques is not as strong as Astana. And Andy Schlek is too talented to be kept down for long. Having said that, one has to admire Lance for what he has achieved in this Tour. I would have thought he will burn out, but he is still in contention for a podium. And though he was outclassed on the climb to Verbier yesterday, he surely played a very intelligent and team-oriented part earlier in the Tour on stage 7 when he shepherded Wiggins and others as Contador made the break. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
el mister Posted July 20, 2009 Report Share Posted July 20, 2009 Seeing Alberto hit that climb was a thing of beauty - Anyone who has ever turned the pedals in anger, at any level, can appreciate what a supremely stylish and strong bike rider Contador is. Armstrong was v impressive, for 37 years of age, but he said himself after the stage 'Days like this really find out who is the strongest - I give myself a B minus' Wiggins is riding out of his skin - a podium spot would be an amazing achievement. He will melt the timetrial later this week, so he just needs to hang in there over the remaining Alpine stages. Easier said than done. It was disappointing to see the race officials relegating Cavendish the other day. Execrable decision on numerous levels, and has effectively decided the green jersey in an office, rather than on the road. It makes Thor look weak, as well, given that he put in a formal complaint. Cav will flatten him on the Champs Elysee. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aberlour10 Posted July 20, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 20, 2009 Did you notice that Carlos Sastre lost immediately contact to the top group at the beginning of the the final climb? Within seconds this distance grew up, it seemed clearly, he was not able to follow anyone of them...but this experinced and sly "fox" did not look to anyone, he climbed his own holding steady tempo and then cashed them one by another, finished far before Armstrong, Klöden & Co. Well done! Robert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PassedOut Posted July 20, 2009 Report Share Posted July 20, 2009 I too found Sastre's finish amazing and wonderful, as was that of the Schleck brothers. Considering how difficult it is to bicycle up a long mountain road even at much slower speeds, it's just breathtaking to see racers accelerate up a steep grade at the end of an already grueling ride. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cherdanno Posted July 20, 2009 Report Share Posted July 20, 2009 Irresistible ride by Contador, Armstrong is still strong, but by far not strong enough.It occurs to me that without Klödens asistance at the last kilometers he would loose more than 1,5 minutes to Alberto. Strong? I think we should measure him by the standard he set for himself. He wanted to win the tour. Without the team trial and the accidents on the third stage, where would he be placed now? Well he's in 2nd Place now. That is at lot better than other so called favorites like Menchov, Sastre or Evans. And without the crash and the team trial he would be pretty much exactly where Sastre and Evans are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vuroth Posted July 20, 2009 Report Share Posted July 20, 2009 Apparently Evans said that yesterday was his worst day ever in the TdF. Apparently that would INCLUDE the crash that might have cost him the tour last year? Sorry I missed this thread for so long. I love the tour dearly, and have only missed a few minutes so far. Armstrong couldn't hold anyone's wheel at the end of the Vervier climb. Sastre has a better chance to win than he does. V Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PassedOut Posted July 21, 2009 Report Share Posted July 21, 2009 Sastre has a better chance to win than he does. Armstrong looks stronger than Sastre to me, but I fully expect Contador to win. Nice teamwork by Astana today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aberlour10 Posted July 21, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 21, 2009 This stage profile for tomorrow promises a lot of action. Even if nothing dramatic and deciding will happen, once is sure, this will be pretty exhausting in view of the individual time-trial next day. http://www.letour.fr/PHOTOS/TDF/2009/1700/PROFIL.gif Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
se12sam Posted July 22, 2009 Report Share Posted July 22, 2009 Wow! Look at the latest standings:1. Contador2. Andy Schleck3. Frank Schleck4. Lance Armstrong5. Andreas Kloden6. Bradley Wiggins So, Andy has reached his destiny position. Now Wiggo has to somehow find the strength to beat the others in Individual time trial by a wide-enough margin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vuroth Posted July 22, 2009 Report Share Posted July 22, 2009 This stage profile for tomorrow promises a lot of action. Even if nothing dramatic and deciding will happen, once is sure, this will be pretty exhausting in view of the individual time-trial next day. http://www.letour.fr/PHOTOS/TDF/2009/1700/PROFIL.gif Sastre got caught out by the acceleration on Vervier. After that, he was either the fastest or second fastest guy up the mountain, after Contador. I was surprised to see him get caught out again on Petit Saint Bernard. After all, Sastre won last year using his uphill acceleration. I've PVR'd today's stage, so I may be a bit out of date. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aberlour10 Posted July 22, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 22, 2009 Very strong performance by Schleck Bros. and fairly done by Contador>>>not to sprint and let Frank win, he has done a lot of work in the leading. Robert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PassedOut Posted July 22, 2009 Report Share Posted July 22, 2009 Very strong performance by Schleck Bros. and fairly done by Contador>>>not to sprint and let Frank win, he has done a lot of work in the leading. Robert Yes, it was right for Contador not to contest the finish. Would have been better for the Astana team, though, if he had not dropped Kloden just before the summit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cherdanno Posted July 22, 2009 Report Share Posted July 22, 2009 Did Armstrong let go of the attack at the second summit because he didn't want to help Wiggins? Or because he wasn't able to? If the former, did he do the right thing? Clearly he would have been a stronger helper for Contador against the Schlecks than Kloeden today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aberlour10 Posted July 22, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 22, 2009 Clearly he would have been a stronger helper for Contador against the Schlecks than Kloeden today.I don't agree with it. Klödens work today was not spectacular but effective, he did not leave Contador for a second till a few kilometers to the last top, and at this moment Contador did not need him anymore. Alberto talked with Klöden about tactic short before he attacked the Schlecks, he recognized very fast (said in interview) that he has any chance for escape today. I can't imagine that Armstrong would be able to help him more in this situation. Robert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
el mister Posted July 22, 2009 Report Share Posted July 22, 2009 It was really all about seeing off Wiggins today. Contador has it in the bag in any case, but Wiggins is a world class time trialer and it's one less thing for Contador to worry about now that Wiggins is a ways back. Wiggins will overhaul F. Schleck tomorrow and maybe A. Schlek if he is in form. It was great to see Thor take off the green skirt and assume the green jersey today. Really epic riding from an 80kg cyclist up the hills. He basically showed Cavandish who is the strong man on the Tour, and that being the fastest sprinter is not enough to claim the green jersey. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kgr Posted July 22, 2009 Report Share Posted July 22, 2009 I don't think that Contador needed anybody today. If he wanted he would have left the Schleck brothers behind.It is more that Armstrong and Kloden need Contador more then the other way around. Contador realised that, but not in time (He attacked and saw that Kloden was the main victim. Then he stopped his attack, but the damage to his team mate was done). That could well cost them 2nd and 3th place if the loose more time on Saturday....In my opinion this is also the real intention of the Schleck brothers: getting a podium place (they don't really believe they can get 1st). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aberlour10 Posted July 22, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 22, 2009 I don't think that Contador needed anybody today. If he wanted he would have left the Schleck brothers behind.It is more that Armstrong and Kloden need Contador more then the other way around. Contador realised that, but not in time (He attacked and saw that Kloden was the main victim. Then he stopped his attack, but the damage to his team mate was done).Reflecting this moment...I ask me what was Contadors primary plan? He decided to attack, he did it, tried it alone. Did he think Klöden is able to follow Schlecks for sure? He knew both brothers are in excellent condition. Why did he try to escape so late ,not far from the last top, knowing the probability they catch him at the down hill was high. Tja, damage to Astana happened, but is it damage to Contador? He knows how strong Klöden can be in time-trial, Schlecks have not a reputation for it. Robert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fluffy Posted July 23, 2009 Report Share Posted July 23, 2009 EDIT because everything I said was trash. I saw a bit of yesterday's stage and I was a bit disapointed by comentators, they were overjustifying Contador's behaviour, I don't know of this super humans, but if Iwas riding a bike liek they do I wouldn't have any energies left to think how an attack might affect everyone if I try. I have enough thinking if I feel strong or not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cascade Posted July 23, 2009 Report Share Posted July 23, 2009 To me Contador's body language suggested that he thought he had done the wrong thing. When he realized that Kloden had not come with him he was looking around for a long time as if he was hoping that Kloden could rejoin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
se12sam Posted July 23, 2009 Report Share Posted July 23, 2009 It was really all about seeing off Wiggins today. Contador has it in the bag in any case, but Wiggins is a world class time trialer and it's one less thing for Contador to worry about now that Wiggins is a ways back. Wiggins will overhaul F. Schleck tomorrow and maybe A. Schlek if he is in form.I think Astana team used a thoughtful strategy in the Wiggins dismantling saga. For the last 3-4 stages, Contador has been carefully "bigging up" Wiggins saying "he is the main threat", "he seemed very comfortable" etc. I'd guess after all the praise Wiggins is more demoralized than he would otherwise be after yesterday's stage! But, to the best of my recollections, Wiggins has not INITIATED AN ATTACK EVEN ONCE. He probably does not know his strengths fully, or is in the wrong team -- with a poor tactician / team director. Contador has taken full advantage of this. Now Wiggins is left precarious, having to depend a lot on what happens in today's time trials and (later) at Mt Ventoux It was great to see Thor take off the green skirt and assume the green jersey today. Absolutely brilliant comment! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vuroth Posted July 23, 2009 Report Share Posted July 23, 2009 Wow, no idea why people are being so harsh on Thor. Thor's been a much more complete rider than Cavendish, and deserved the green even before yesterday's brilliance. Wiggins is a complete unknown quantity - to others, to his coach, to himself. It's one thing to be able to climb well, it's quite another to be able to handle violent accelerations on a mountain, and quite another to do repeated climbs. Wiggins showed yesterday that he's just not up to accelerations on steep inclines. To be fair, though, the others have years of experience on him on this - even the younger riders like Andy Schleck. I also agree that Contador made a tactical error yesterday. He clearly spent a lot of time looking for Kloden after he dropped him. Contador expected to drop at least one Schleck, but failed to do so. In a way, it was a lot like his attack on Arcalis - it looked impressive, but didn't win him much, and may have cost him with his team. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aberlour10 Posted July 23, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 23, 2009 Surprisingly for me, how clear Contador beat several time-trial specialists at the relatively plain and short stage. Robert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PassedOut Posted July 23, 2009 Report Share Posted July 23, 2009 Surprisingly for me, how clear Contador beat several time-trial specialists at the relatively plain and short stage. Robert For me too. Quite a performance! Contador has truly dominated this tour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aberlour10 Posted July 23, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 23, 2009 For me too. Quite a performance! Contador has truly dominated this tour. He doesn't need it for helding the maillot jaune, but I suppose he plans a "Devils Ride" ;) at the Mont Ventoux, to demonstrate all once again who is the boss in todays cycling. I am curious about who will follow Armstrong to his new team RadioShack, Klöden, or Leipheimer?, maybe both? Robert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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