Velominati Super Prestige: Le Tour de France, Stage 18
More than two of the three weeks of this Tour lie in the rearview mirror and the race is impossible to call; nearly every GC Contender has shown some kind of weakness or given something away that makes them look beatable. Contador was dropped on the first uphill finish. The Schlecks have been on the attack but have been unable to make the gains they need to insure a final victory. They’ve also reminded us that what goes up doesn’t always come down as easily. Evans has been the most consistent and oportunistic, but has been racing hard since day one and, while he’s been close, he’s done little to stamp his authority on the race. Voekler has been defying the odds for nine days and continues to hang on to a lead which looks more tenable with each passing day.
So far, the “minor” mountain stages – those without uphill finishes – have proven to be as decisive as those with uphill finishes. Normally reserved for the opportunist breakaway and a non-issue for the GC riders, Stage 17’s rain-slicked descent saw some of the best racing we’ve seen this year buddied up with the biggest impact on the GC since Tommy V took the Maillot Jaune.
Indeed, this year has everyone sitting around the table, questioning the accepted tactics of the recent past. The riders who go fast uphill will need to do something more than just attack a few k’s from the finish. Perhaps they are considering an Hinaultesque attack on a descent before the finishing climb. Or perhaps a Merckxian attack on the first pass, going long to take a huge advantage.
One thing is for certain: the rider who wins this Tour will not necessarily be the strongest one, for we’ve seen they are all closely matched. No, the winner will be the one who decides the old rulebook is better suited for toilet paper than a race manual. The winner will be the one who thinks creatively, leaves caution in the parking lot where Voekler punched his ticket today, and takes an extra dose of Rule #5 (I’m looking at you, Andy).
At this point, whomever rolls into Paris with the Yellow jersey on their shoulders will get the nod of approval from this guy. (Except Contador, obvs.) Vive le Tour, bitches.
Get your picks in by 5am Pacific tomorrow morning for the chance to win 3, 2, or 1 points for the podium spots, and 1 point for 4th and 5th places. Good luck.
Voeckler to lose his jersey.
VSP PICKS:
1. Contador
2. Evans
3. Schleck
4. Schleck
5. Sanchez
go!
VSP PICKS:
1. Contador
2. Evans
3. Basso
4. Sanchez
5. Vanendert
Evans in yellow, limited loss to Contador and will go on to win in Paris, Schleck fade out.
@G’phant
Little Swivel’s 26. Corn-fed’s still a fuckwit. I like Cav more than both these guys now.
@ramenvelo
LBL was the final straw for me; the Tour has merely confirmed it. They put together one decent day of taking turns to stretch out the leaders, but they’ve done nothing since.
VSP PICKS:
1. Contador
2. Andy Schleck
3. Cadel Evans
4. Sanchez
5. Basso
@xyxax
Nice Gallagher reference and it makes sense. They’ve got good talent and complain a shit ton. But to be fair, the Schlecks get along and haven’t compared themselves to the Beatles.
VSP PICKS:
1. Dirty S.
2. Dirty Bertie
3. Basstardo
4. Go Cadel!
5. Frank Schlucks
Here goes nuttin’!
VSP PICKS:
1. Contador
2. Andy Schleck
3. Evans
4. Sanchez
5. Basso
It’s on and …It friggin’ works…
TDF LIVE SRM FEEDS
Sure we can we can all try to look PRO ..
But how about trying BEING ONE in a 12% slope…
Power : +408W
Heart rate : over 163 BPM
Speed : over 15.8 km/h
rpm : over 84 rotations …
Well, fuck it … I’ll never gonna do it…
i’ll just sip one more more glass of this fantastic Vin Naturel red wine in front of the PC
… waiting for the Galibier … ))
@G’phant
If the Schleckys don’t do something, Alberto will win the cuddly lion in the Tour de France Fair and the Schlecks will each get an inflatable space alien.
@Marko
Yeah, more of an appearance/shared profession thing than an attitude thing. The Schlecks are sufferable, the Gallaghers not.
@Alpin
Very nice Alpin. Too early here for that not to mention a full day of work ahead. Love the watching that data as I see them climb. It is actually a little encouraging….at least they are not going better than 20+.
Well, I’ve figured out why Fuglsang’s severely lacking the V. Serious Rule #13 violation today…and lo and behold, he’s dropping out the back.
Andy Schleck attacks?!?
Andy grows a pair! Clentador responding…
Finally!
All the favourites are just waiting to see what the others are going to do.
Too far? A downhill and a valley ahead, or do they think Frank is the main Schleck?
Contador lost his legs! THIS IS LE TOUR!
@Alpin
fuck it, how depressing. Just looking at some of those bikes would raise my HR above those levels, let alone actually climbing on one and piloting it over the alps!
@pakrat
Monfort and Posthuma are up ahead for Andy.
He has a minute gap already.
“Evans waits. He always waits.”
Dutch commentary.
Yeah, but Evans can afford to wait now.
Oh man, look at Schleck smiling like a madman! He’s enjoying this.
The last time check showed le petite Grimpeur up 2 minutes on the pack?!?!
Nice to see Andy go for broke and leave it all on the road.
@Mikeweb
Yep. Now I know why I like him again.
Only… He still descends like my little sister.
@Netraam
Yep. Could he really be that calculating and patient? Watching everyone else for the last 2+ weeks, including in the Pyrenees, knowing all along that he would wait until today (and maybe tomorrow too) to crush everyone?
He’s got help up the road too for the descent and the start of Galibier… very well played – if it works out, of course.
WTF is angry stomach doing??!! Does he really think he can stay away?
@Mikeweb
I don’t know. I think that either someone else came up with this plan or Andy decided it this morning.
That said; go get some you skinny bastard!!!
If he keeps away (big mountain ahead) he’ll be in yellow!
Uran losing his white jersey today. Too bad, Uran is a good rider.
@Netraam
Maybe Spartacus had a little “chat” with him… I’m thinking veiled threats about torturing and executing Andy’s pet pony.
Whether this was planned weeks ago, this morning over a cuppa, or just happened to play out this way after the start of the stage, Leopard Trek are looking like some shrewd tacticians today so far.
@scaler911
for real!
@Mikeweb
With a Schweizerdeutsch accent? I’d do whatever he says.
Sanchez and Contador having an argument. While eating.
It’s time to reconsider some valutation about the descending skills of Andy Schleck,
I think.
The TdF ticker shows the A Scleck group 2 1/2 minutes up. Hopefully Andy doesn’t forget to take on a little fuel and water before Galibier. Maybe someone with half a brain in the team car should remind him…
Roche will no doubt help Andy uphill. Eventually.
Uran back in the peloton, not losing his jersey I guess.
Contador switching his bike. Something about to happen?
@Netraam
LOL! Alles gut!
Clentador just switched to the Gruber assist bike. Look for fireworks…
@Netraam
“¡Yo quiero la victoria!”
“¡Nunca! ¡YO quiero la victoria!”
@Mikeweb
Go down this hill, ja? Fast, ja? Else I’ll break you, ja?
@earnest
*google translate*
LOL
Paul & Phil are claiming on the SBS commentary that Moser was in the SwivelSchleck bus after yesterday’s stage & Lo Sceriffo’s words?
“Attack from Izoard or go home now”
Contrador’s had a mechanical and gone off the back!
@MIkael Liddy
Nice! They just showed a close up of Grimplette and he’s looking VERY fresh…