TDF Discussion - here be spoilers

[Zen]

i hate to say this but if this weren't a team effort Lance might give AC a run for his money.
I think Lance and JB are fomenting their "cool " plan for next year, banking on that and letting AC have this one.

[BikeDutchess]

More twitter talk:

A fan to Lance

"I see you are upset because of the attack of AC. But I don't think you waited for Heras or Landis back in the days..."

Lance's response:

"No but I always followed team orders. Always."

Sounds like AC is not the best team player - seems this is the second time that he attacked when it was not the team's planned strategy. Indeed a good thing they're parting ways after this year.

[papaver]

i hate to say this but if this weren't a team effort Lance might give AC a run for his money.
I think Lance and JB are fomenting their "cool " plan for next year, banking on that and letting AC have this one.

I think you are giving lance too much credit here. If he could have followed AC he would have. No question about that. Long steady climbs he can handle, but short explosive demarages are too much for him. But still an amazing performance by Lance.

[arielmoon]

I have to agree even though I got such a twinge of hope when Lance caught back up yesterday.

[papaver]

I think lance can win on the mont ventoux though. It's only one climb and a very steady one.

[Trigress]

I think Contador was trying to grind the Schleck brothers to bits, and Klöden's breakdown was just an unfortunate side effect.

Contador is the Astana captain, he is free to do whatever he can and must in order to secure his yellow jersey. Much as I dislike Astana, I understand Contador perfectly well, it is he who has got a loose Armstrong on his deck. Kudos to Contador for riding offensively, the same to Carlos Sastre for trying and to the Schlecks who sadly weren't strong enough to lose Contador - the tour needs aggressive and offensive riders like this.

[Kalidurga]

Latest news on Jens is that he may require surgery to repair his cheekbone: http://www.velonews.com/article/9567...-on-cheek-bone

And I got a chuckle out of Schmalz's take on the whole Contador/Schleck/Kloden situation today: http://nyvelocity.com/content/featur...hmalz-stage-17

[tulip]

I wonder what Contador's tweets say...

I was out surfing this morning, so I missed the whole thing. But I'll catch the recap tonight. Sounds like it was an interesting day.

[PinkBike]

I think Contador was trying to grind the Schleck brothers to bits,
and Klöden's breakdown was just an unfortunate side effect.

tigress
+1
i think you nailed it. thats the way i saw it.
i think he was surprised klodi couldnt follow,
he kept looking back to find him.
i was thinking schleck1 would attack
with 'berto isolated out there.
that's the way they gave sastre the tour last year,
attack then counterattack.

[pll]

Chiming in after a long time. I agree with Tigress. Contador had to secure the yellow jersey. Both Wiggins and Armstrong were a threat to him. Lance was happy to follow team orders as long is it was absolutely clear he was the undisputed team leader and that his jersey would have been defended. Contador could not count on that and needed to hedge against Armstrong in the time trial.

I think Contador was trying to grind the Schleck brothers to bits, and Klöden's breakdown was just an unfortunate side effect.

Contador is the Astana captain, he is free to do whatever he can and must in order to secure his yellow jersey. Much as I dislike Astana, I understand Contador perfectly well, it is he who has got a loose Armstrong on his deck. Kudos to Contador for riding offensively, the same to Carlos Sastre for trying and to the Schlecks who sadly weren't strong enough to lose Contador - the tour needs aggressive and offensive riders like this.

[Aggie_Ama]

My thoughts are Contador is an amazing rider who hasn't learned the team aspect yet. He is young, he is strong, why need anyone else? Of course I am not a Lance fan either make no excuses he can be just as selfish, it reminds me of the T-Mobile year with Kloden, Vinokoruv and Ullrich - too many chiefs on the road.

I love the Schleck boys because their team is a team. When Andy said they rode strong because it was so awful to have Jens crash out I wanted to give him a big hug! I am young enough for him but my husband is cuter.

Thor was amazing, I was impressed that he was going to show the jersey honor after Cavendish's whining in the paper. Not sure Cav's comments hold any weight after that performance.

[chutch]

Lance should be quiet. Contador was Astana's team leader then all of a sudden Lance decides he wants to race his bike again and comes back... how could there not be tension there? And, if I'm Contador, I'd be looking out for myself before the team because of how all that went down. I've been a Lance fan for a long time, but this year he seems to have a chip on his shoulder and I don't like it.

Regarding the finish yesterday... I was so frustrated! I don't think it was a victory for the Schlecks at all. How can it be when no one is racing to the line? I think there should have been a sprint, let the best man win the stage. I was mad at all three of them for not racing. It's a bike RACE- go for the overall and the stage win!

[Zen]

Lance might give AC a run for his money.

I mean as in the overall race, the old man has lost his edge, but just by a sliver.

One of Contador's tweets said "And now the matador shall dance with the blind shoemaker!"

[jobob]

Thank you so much for the link to Schmalz!

I was chanting THOR WILL SMASH while watching today's stage.

[Skierchickie]

One of Contador's tweets said "And now the matador shall dance with the blind shoemaker!"

What in the world does that mean? Clearly, he's the matador, but after that I can't wrap my poor little brain around it.