posted Jul 16, 2009

I'm trying to figure out why Pellizotti and Martinez are trying to settle the KOM before the Alps. Have I missed something, have they removed the Alps when they reinstated the radios?

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posted Jul 16, 2009

Wow.....that was a pretty impressive recovery from Astana after Lance's little equipment mishap.

That little episode will depress a lot of non-astana GC riders.

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posted Jul 16, 2009

Columbia will probably look after the last cat 3 col if it makes sense to waste energy.

Mind you that col is short but very steep (over 10%), so le peleton will probably lose some time (waiting for the sprinters).

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posted Jul 16, 2009

But if only one of them was in this break, they could scoop up something like 20 points without the other one getting anything.

That's quite a big chunk, even if the climbs are not too big.

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posted Jul 16, 2009

Regarding the state of French rural roads in the early 20th Century: in 1910 the tour took in the Pyreness for the first time (before the advent of the freewhhel).
A letter to the organisers from the French roads authority read: "You are clearly unaware the passes you speak of don't exist. There's something over the Tourmalet but nothing over Aubisque save the simple trail woodcutters use to drag timber down the mountain with oxen."

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posted Jul 16, 2009

comment by CorruptedMind (U11408920)
posted 1 Minute Ago

I'm trying to figure out why Pellizotti and Martinez are trying to settle the KOM before the Alps. Have I missed something, have they removed the Alps when they reinstated the radios?
--------------------------------------------

No idea, as soon as we get to the big'uns anything can happen, and anyone could overhaul them.

LA has just had a mechanical issue, 3 team mates trying to get him back into the pack.

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posted Jul 16, 2009

I think this suits Columbia nicely. I am not so sure they really want to chase for a long time today, cav will possibly be looking at stage 14 for his next win and comparative rest today and thus not expending to much energy tomorrow will suit them.

If someone else chases (Garmin maybe for Farrar, or Rabobank for Freire), they will sit and hit in the last 5 km’s as they will if they break stays away and the peleton contests 8th place.

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posted Jul 16, 2009

Dear Peter
I clearly remember Marcus Burghardt's spectacular collision with a labrador during the ninth stage of the 2007 Tour. I was wondering if any other animal encounters, venomous or otherwise, have occurred during the race? Interviewing Laurent Fignon probably came close.

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posted Jul 16, 2009

A good tactic to win the polkadot jersey in recent years is make sure you're ahead in the ranking before the real climbing starts. Pellizoti & AMrtinez will now start with a significant lead on their competitors & probably join all early escapes in mountain stages. Don't bet Against Pellizoti finishing Le Tour in the polkadot jersey.

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posted Jul 16, 2009

There was actually four Astana guys bringing Lance back to the pack: Muravyev, Rast, Popo and Paulinho.

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posted Jul 16, 2009

18h 54m for the 482km stage. Hope there was a rest day after!

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posted Jul 16, 2009

LeTour wouldn't be the same without an annual "dogstrike"......nice phrase by the way.

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posted Jul 16, 2009

Was that a dog? I thought it was some sort of game bird.

I'm afraid it looked to be a little bit 'splattered' for want of a much better word.

It was Sabatini from Liquigas that nearly got wiped out by the car.

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posted Jul 16, 2009

I wonder if the wee terrier managed to write off the bike like that labrador who met with Burghardt a couple years back.

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posted Jul 16, 2009

Supposedly Pellizotti had initial designs on a high finish in the GC, but since he didn't ride well in the Pyrenees, he's shifting his focus to KOM. Laying the groundwork today for a serious assault in the Alps, perhaps?

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posted Jul 16, 2009

I know they rode every other day back then,but this years tour is over 2000km shorter than the longest ever in 1926

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posted Jul 16, 2009

Its nuts trying to settle KOM now, there are three 9k climbs tomorrow (2 x Cat 2 and 1 x Cat 1).

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posted Jul 16, 2009

That dog was almost certainly killed - I saw blood on the road.

I was distraught as well, esp. as the pictures went back and showed it again in slow motion.

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posted Jul 16, 2009

You wouldn't want to be the guy doing the servicing on Vaugrenard's bike tonight!

Wiping bits of Yorkie away with a damp rag doesn't sound like fun.

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posted Jul 16, 2009

why are the riders still complaining about the no-radio day?

Nobody got lost or kidnapped or anything unsafe

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posted Jul 16, 2009

Martinez & Pellizoti are just trying to earn as much points as possible to get a lead on rivals, they're not trying to settle anything.

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posted Jul 16, 2009

Are you watching the coverage on Eurosport? I'm amazed Sean Kelly's enthusiasm hasn't sent you to sleep yet!

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posted Jul 16, 2009

Re. 1528- Are you listening to the Euro Sport commentary or do you just get the same info?

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posted Jul 16, 2009

the longest stage of the last 30 yrs is the 338 k Nantes - Bordeaux stage from the 84 tour, longest since then - 1993 286.5k isola 2000 - marseille

Been bored since the discussions of 400 + k stages

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posted Jul 16, 2009

1st Pellizotti (4pts) 2nd Martinez (3pts)

Predictable.

Race to the finish now. Any team want to chase the break?

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posted Jul 16, 2009

"I was wondering if any other animal encounters, venomous or otherwise, have occurred during the race? "
_____________________

In one of the early years there was a rider who hallucinated that he was being chased by a bear - does that count?

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posted Jul 16, 2009

Gap just tumbled by 30 secs.

Peloton being pushed on by Ag2r and Astana.

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posted Jul 16, 2009

A few years ago Eric Zabel had an encounter with a runaway horse that ran into the peloton.

As for the bear, when the TdF first went into the Pyrennees, there were wild bears and wolves up there, so it might not have been an hallucination...

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posted Jul 16, 2009

Re 1542. Sun shining on Suffolk today though, and looking forward to the stage home - 8km, flat with the exception with a category 80 climb over a humpback bridge and a slight uphill rise over the front doorstep at the finish - thems what passes for climbs in these parts.

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posted Jul 16, 2009

Scriv...it's

MILRAM

not MilMAR.

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posted Jul 16, 2009

What are the Columbia team doing, whats the tactics, why are they not chasing this breakaway down. This was a winnable stage

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posted Jul 16, 2009

Looks like the break will succeed now, but let's not forget there are plenty of points available for 8th place and below, so we should still be seeing Cav, Thor et al sprinting it out to the line.

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posted Jul 16, 2009

Talking of animals reminds me of some of Mario Cipollini's shocking outfits http://tinyurl.com/ddlxvy

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posted Jul 16, 2009

Argh.

Looks like I may lose my bet for today - I really didn't think they'd let them go...

Oh well, nice for the break to succeed, and do you prefer Calzati or Sorensen if these two can stay away from the rest?

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posted Jul 16, 2009

Comulbia have to get to Paris too. Cycling is about best using your limited energy. Columbia have already used more enrgy than other teams. Think they just waited until the last 40 kms, saw it was too big a gap & decided to save energy for the stage to Besancon.

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posted Jul 16, 2009

Lance Armstrong, Oracle of Austin.

After all, you don't ride as many races as he has without picking up some tactical nous.

Maybe Cavendish and company are tired, and the other sprinters' teams didn't feel like going it alone?

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posted Jul 16, 2009

Balimac
It's also about using your team resources wisely. Perhaps the Coumbia team are a bit tired after the work they did yesterday, or perhaps are conserving themselves for the tougher stages coming up, when they need to look after Martin in the white jersey and perhaps Kirchen for an overall top 10 placing.

I suspect this stage was a bit tougher than the profile looked at first glance, and also that there is a decent tail wind (given the average speed), favouring a break staying away.

AG2R and Astana have done the minimum they needed to in ensuring that the GC doesn't change too much, but without busting a gut to bring back this break, when another one would probably have gone away.

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posted Jul 16, 2009

For once my prediction was right, Highroad is taking it easy today, saving their energy for the big days to come. As I said the team is not all about Cav.....

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posted Jul 16, 2009

ok so tomorrow we're into the mountains, any predictions on how Cav/Thor will fair against each other. Has Cav got anything in the mountains or is he just going to have to hang in there

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posted Jul 16, 2009

18pts for 8th place!! Cav is still going to have to sprint.

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posted Jul 16, 2009

columbia were happy enough not to chase today as yesterday was a hard day, as will tomorrow. If someone else brought it together they would have been more than happy and they will contest the last 5-10kms, but cav will be looking at stage 14 for his next win.

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posted Jul 16, 2009

Calzati is playing a sneaky game. Think he can do better.

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posted Jul 16, 2009

5K to go...can he stay away? What a kick!

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posted Jul 16, 2009

Very strong kick... Sorenson is going to take this.

Too much for Pauriol as well he's gone from the chase.

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posted Jul 16, 2009

He can. He deserves it for all the hard work he did for his team.

the end showed how tough this stage was.

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posted Jul 16, 2009

Bali

they will both more than likely be in the autobus at the back, they may try and hang in for a while, maybe for the first intermediate at least, but green is on hold tomorrow.

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posted Jul 16, 2009

Sad news about the little dog though. It wasn't its choice to have an idiot for an owner.

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posted Jul 16, 2009

Well done, Sorensen wins in Vittel, now help yourself to a refreshing bottle of the local mineral water you deserve it.

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