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Very cool - and what a HILL they had to climb :eek:
I don't have Versa, but am on the final day of house-cat sitting for a friend. They have it. I think the cat needs more company, yeah, that's it! The cat needs more company because he is lonely and stuff - so will head back this evening to see the prime-time coverage. They even said I can sleep there if I want (I do not want) so I know they won't mind.
It is good we live in the same apartment complex...
Can't let the cat get lonely ;)
Quote:
Originally Posted by Possegal
This makes me think of a highlights video with the Grateful Dead in the background...What a looonng, strange trip it's been....
Although some people might get tetchy about that livin' on reds, vitamin C and cocaine part.
I don't know...do they test for that? ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by malkin
Ask Tom Boonen...Quote:
Originally Posted by Zen
Happy to see Vino get his stage win today, after Alberto ruined it for him yesterday. I understand that AC needed to gain time on Andy, but it was still rude. :mad: Obviously there were no hard feelings, tho; that was a very heart-felt lovefest between the two after the stage today. Nice to see. :)
Agree on Vino. He worked his butt off for that win. He's a beast!
I think, good for Vino, he certainly worked for that win, but -- Contador needs his team to work hard over the next few days in the mountains, so I wonder if maybe he left too much out on the road today and yesterday? I guess they're counting more on the pure climbers for support.
Here's an interview with Andy Schleck - I like this guy. The interview is in English, starting at 0:21.
http://nos.nl/video/172720-its-not-e...y-schleck.html
I like him too.
I can't see him going the big ego route.
I was waiting to see how this would work out. I guess he left nothing on the road! He must eat nails for breakfast.Quote:
Originally Posted by ny biker
I'm still routing for a stage for Vasil Kiryienka. Good for him for trying again today.
This is such a great tour. Go Andy!
Vino is impressive that is for sure.
Oh he so adorable!!Quote:
Originally Posted by BikeDutchess
I am wondering about his strategy. He has been covering Contador's attacks but he needs more than a 31" buffer for the time trial. Realistically he needs several minutes!
My hubby figures Andy needs to wait until the *last* climb to make his move. If he gains time before then Berto will then attack him on the next one, so Andy's best strategy is to cover Berto until the last major climb and hedge his bets on being able to gain some time on that one. And also - that last climb is the Tourmalet - and its a doozy, so saving his energy and just marking Berto in anticipation of that day is probably not such a bad idea.
Another rider turned himself inside-out today - wow, I didn't know Christophe Riblon but he rode his heart out. I like that the French are having a good tour and every day is an exciting race.
I'm still waiting for Levi Leipheimer to make a move. I really want to be able to say I've "ridden with" a Tour de France winner, not just that I've been dropped by the son of one.
Who besides Andy Schleck could say "If anybody wants to drop me tomorrow, they'll have to be good", and just make me love him even more? :D I soooo want him to put some time on Contador. At his age - is it possible that he's the next Armstrong/Indurain/Merxx? His potential just seems unlimited.
On the other hand, I just can NOT trust Vino. Not after what he pulled a couple of years ago. The harder he pulls, the more days in a row, the less I trust him. Of all the dopers, I think I trust him the least. After his entire team got thrown out for doping, then he got himself on another team the next year, rode just like he's been riding for the past week, and - whaddaya know - got caught doping. To me that says he was determined to do it. Thrown out once already, but thought he could get away with it. :mad: Yeah, it's possible that he's clean now, but I have no reason to believe him. I think that as a cycling fan I feel more betrayed by him than by any of the others.
Go Andy & Levi!
I asked yesterday, if Vino can ride like he has the last couple of days, why in the world did he ever dope?Quote:
Originally Posted by Skierchickie
Makes me wonder if he was honest and never did dope or if he's still doping. I don't trust him either. (Didn't he more or less admit to doping after that big win earlier in the year when everyone booed him?)
However, one of the biggest things that bothers me about him is his attitude. When he first came off of suspension at his first race he wore a jersey with a huge picture of himself on it that said "Vino forever" or something like that. Wow.
My cat is actually does get lonely! She has a dog like personality - greets you at the door, wants to be with you every minute (okay until your cat is staring at you shaving your legs) and looks depressed when we leave. She can tell by our packing and seems to pout. I used to be able to get a friend to come by and entertain my animals because she didn't have cable.Quote:
Originally Posted by Catrin
Today's stage was good. I was hoping Menchov would gain more time and Sastre wouldn't get caught. I loved Riblon winning, he looked like he might cry!
Amazing stage today. Sad for Andy Schleck, but he was doing an amazing job catching up until the downhill. And he seems to have real class (from his interview after).
What happened? Ummm, probable too early to tell me :( I don't have access to Versus, but am sure there will be something online tonight when I get home...Quote:
Originally Posted by Aquila
That was so stressful! My stomach was in a knot from the point when his chain went off right until the end. Talk about bad luck. But, as much as I'm a fan of Andy, I felt a little bad for AC for the crowd's reaction. I don't think he had much choice but to race, given the place of Menchov and Sanchez.
Okay, who the h-e-double-hockey-sticks is in charge of chain maintenance? Oy.
I actually did feel badly for Contador, as I'm not much of a fan of his, but I do think he only took advantage because he couldn't do anything else, not at that point in the race, even if he had realized that Andy had had a mechanical failure and hadn't just popped on the climb. If he had waited, they'd have both been passed up by that whole group of lead riders and the time splits would be even narrower. I think he did the only thing a competitive contender for the title could do.
Andy, however, made an amazing come back. Did you see him passing all those guys on the ascent like they were standing still? I wonder what Lance thought as Andy blew past him.
Roxy
So did I. It was poor sportsmanship on the part of the fans to boo him. Like you said, what else could he do?Quote:
Originally Posted by channlluv
"My stomach is full of fire"
Andy will be back with a vengeance.
I partly agree channlluv, but I think if Contador would've sat up and called off the attack Sanchez & Menchov would've followed suit. It wasn't Contador's fault that Schleck's chain popped off, but I wouldn't want to be the one to take adv. of that situation. Just sit up, call it even for the day, then come out tomorrow ready to battle.
Don't forget how Schleck took time on Contador in the first place on the cobbles. You didn't see Schleck wait for him then so why should Contador wait for him now? Its a bike race. S--t happens. There are crashes, mechanicals, etc. Its just part of it.
What did Ullrich do when Lance hit the deck with a musette? He sat up! What did the riders do when Lance took his little sojourn across the field to avoid Beloki. They sat up!
It's not a very sporting way to take the lead. As I recall Contador rode well on the cobbles. Certainly much better than anyone expected.
Veronica
Well said Veronica. But, I guess if you feel comfortable winning a bike race by taking time on people with mech. failures or crashes then go for it. It is indeed a race.
It is a race but one that has a tradition of respect and sportsmanship out on the course. I dont like that he attacked while the yellow jersey had a mechanical but technically he was not wrong. AC is there to win the TDF not to win fans. Personally I have respect the man's ability and talent but not much else.
On the Eurosport broadcast the commentators said a poll was split 50/50 as to if AC did the right thing. However, they were sure it would have 100% in favor if AC had waited.
Hey - didn't he say he'd be a domestique for Levi? Has he actually done that? Maybe I missed it.
"I want to take my revenge." I love Andy Schleck. **** Contador!!
I also think that if Contador had sat up and told Menchov and Sanchez to wait, they would have done so. I don't even think they would have had to call it even for today -- they could have waited for Schleck to catch up and then start racing again.Quote:
Originally Posted by BikeHN
Gotta add--Yay to Tommy Voeckler! Awesome ride today.
And Hesjedal!
I hope he can hold on to a top ten. He's really coming through for the team.
Veronica
Comment on today's stage by Gerard Vroomen of Cervelo: Contador just gained a great chance to win, but he lost the chance to win greatly.
Seems like opinions are pretty divided among the cycling community. I don't believe that Contador didn't know what happened to Schleck -- even if he didn't see it himself, the team manager would have known.
Anyway, it will be interesting to see how the battle continues tomorrow. Andy is clearly climbing well right now. Astana will have to work at the front tomorrow so maybe Saxo Bank will have a teammate or two who are able to stay with Schleck on the climbs, unlike today.
As for Lance, he's been pretty quiet lately, on the bike and off. He hasn't even been helping with the team's fight for the team classification. I'm wondering if he was more seriously hurt during that crash in the Alps then they let on.
Oh, don't get me wrong. I'm rooting for Andy all the way. I'm just not sure Contador really had an alternative that late in the stage. And I'm not sure he actually saw the chain pop off -- he said so in a post-race interview on Versus. He may not have realized that it was a mechanical problem and not just that Andy was done on the mountain.
On the other hand, he must have realized it as he blew past Andy...
Regarding Lance serving as domestique for Levi, I, um, think you have to be able to ride in front of the GC in order to be domestique, yes? The way he's riding, I think Lance is happy to hang in the front half of the peleton.
Roxy
So sad and frustrating to see Andy lose like that today. He has so much exuberance and joy for cycling that I cheer like mad for him. But he is still a young guy with a lot less experience than Contador, Menchov and Sanchez. I think today will be part of his overall growth and maturation as a team leader. It's nice that he is buddies with some of his rivals but now he knows this isn't sleep away camp. These guys will eat you alive if they get the chance. Hope he can channel his anger and disappointment into taking back the lead. Riis needs to guide him well tonight.
I think his ego is bruised more than whatever he hurt in the Alps.Quote:
Originally Posted by ny biker
It's not the All About Lance Show anymore.
Eh. It's certainly possible, but given his position as owner of the team, I don't think it's most likely.Quote:
Originally Posted by Zen
And here we have Bikesnob's take on today's stage:
Having actually ridden over fallen human beings in order to secure triple-digit placings, I lack sufficient integrity to criticize Contador.
What's really amazing about Andy is that at one point he was 45 seconds back and in the end only 8 seconds from Berto.
He just "ran out of road"... had there been an extra km or two, he could've made up all 45.Quote:
Originally Posted by Zen