Stage 9 - Tuesday, July 13 2010, Morzine-Avoriaz - Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne

ROK ON

NickDrake wrote: »

Oh you are hilarious!! How long did it take you to think up that response?

See you on the road someday and you will feel the burn when I destroy you

LMAO. Thems fighting words.
Do we have another challenge.
@CHE. You have to pick up the gauntlet man.

Race Race Race Race


Oh this is so like being in the school playground all over again.

CheGuedara

joker77 wrote: »

Do I detect a hint of sarcasm?

I didn't hear the eurosport commentary mention it at all, unless I missed it there?

No, no sarcasm at all, just didn't know what it was for and wouldn't be a twitter user to ever have found out

doccy

ROK ON wrote: »

LMAO. Thems fighting words.
Do we have another challenge.
@CHE. You have to pick up the gauntlet man.

Race Race Race Race


Oh this is so like being in the school playground all over again.

As long as this Che guy doesn't have the help of a doctor with a name like a sports car.

c0rk3r

During the world cup the soccer forum had a thread entitled "I can’t stand the vuvuzelas" or something similar. It was a thread where people could vent their annoyance and frustrations without clogging up the main match day discussions. Can we have something similar here with doping? So many irrelevant posts just stick to the race.

joker77

c0rk3r wrote: »

During the world cup the soccer forum had a thread entitled "I can’t stand the vuvuzelas" or something similar. It was a thread where people could vent their annoyance and frustrations without clogging up the main match day discussions. Can we have something similar here with doping? So many irrelevant posts just stick to the race.

There's a few posts like that already.

It's up to the Mods to step in, warn and then ban people for off topic discussions, as per what happens in the soccer forum, when threads get derailled

niceonetom

It'll be a sad day indeed when a thread in this forum stays completely on-topic.

NickDrake

joker77 wrote: »

There's a few posts like that already.

It's up to the Mods to step in, warn and then ban people for off topic discussions, as per what happens in the soccer forum, when threads get derailled

Ban them for going off topic? Bit harsh. And The regulars (CHE , ROK on) I was taking the piss.

joker77

Not saying I agree with it, just saying that's what happens if there's an appetite for it, it's all down to the modding

I'd love to know what % of the peloton got a refill yesterday. A large number by the looks of it. Contador and Schleck? Surely nobody could really believe those guys are clean?

NickDrake

kennyb3 wrote: »

Maybe just stop being so self righteous and condescending and make some valid arguements and people might take you a little more serious

where was I not being valid by mentioning potential doping?

IM0

I was going to say a sub forum for doping, but having heard the forum types which have been turned down already Im not holding my breath for that one...maybe a stickied thread of DOPING while the tour is running , it gets old, really old really quick. You dont know ****, you never will, treat riders as either all clean [and dont speculate] or all durty...and move on :pac:

ednwireland

doccy wrote: »

Can you fluke a 4th place in a Grand Tour? In fairness he climbed very well last year.

i think contador not being allowed to attack and andy waiting for frank helped ..... a lot

ROK ON wrote: »

Here is the thing, I predict pretty confidently that he will not place in a road race between now and career end.

Last few days have shown Wiggo what Grand Tour racing is all about, and despite the hype he is not at the business end of things.

i agree

i actually thought sky were mad chasing him, i actually think sky has a problem with its management form the track as their they found a formula - put out x watts for x mins and your likely to win
road racing is hugely different wiggins was saying the no's were right after the prologue, well i guess theree my be a bit more to it

it reminds me of toyota coming into F1 and wanting to win a world championship in 3 years never even won a race

L'Enfer du Nord

joker77 wrote: »

twitter saying that Cadel raced with a fractured elbow today

I heard Phil Liggit say after stage 8 that Evan had had alot of Good luck! I think he meant in contrast to Armstrong, - there was me thinking wasn't Evan in the same crash as Armstrong? (Armstrongs two other shashes were minor/self inflicted.)

Used to like Ligget, still do. But I think his comentry is going out to the US so any thing he says is coloured by that.

doccy

ednwireland wrote: »

i think contador not being allowed to attack and andy waiting for frank helped ..... a lot

For real? Contador attacked on the first summit finish if i'm not mistaken. This time last year, I think people were casting aspirations on Contadors climbing ability (LA, Lemond).
Personally I've no axe to grind but I thing its a bit much to say anyone fluked probably a lifetime best of 4th in a Grand Tour.

mcgratheoin

Nico not doing too badly despite suffering.
If you had said to him before the tour that after going through the Alps he'd be in the top 20, within a minute of Rogers, Sastre and Wiggins and ahead of Armstrong and Evans I reckon he'd have snapped your hand off!

fenrir

Ive been lurking on this forum a long time but i thought people might like
these photos of Nicholas looking relaxed before the start in Morzine this morning





Sorry if i am derailing from the doping discussion

petethedrummer

thereturn wrote: »

Evans has worked with Ferrari so wouldn't be confident that he is clean myself.

I wouldn't be so sure he has. That article has since been taken down. There is no other mention of him working with Ferrari, except in links to that article. If he had been, it would be all over forums. I'm reading now that he has denied working with him.

Evans works with Aldo Sassi who was part of the Ferrai/Conconi team when they doped Moser in his hour record attempts. Sassi is apparently more ethical than the other two.

Thats not to say Evans is clean though, but I'll delude myself a little longer. He also has the Tom Boonen seal of approval: http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/boonen-calls-for-lifetime-suspensions

Cape Clear

fenrir wrote: »

Ive been lurking on this forum a long time but i thought people might like
these photos of Nicholas looking relaxed before the start in Morzine this morning





Sorry if i am derailing from the doping discussion

Like that jersey a lot. Where can it be got at what price? thanks

RobFowl

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/fractured-elbow-shatters-tour-hopes-for-evans

That explains things a bit.
Evans rode today with a fractured elbow.
Intends to continue as well.
Tough cookie ........

alibabba

I said i'd drop into the forum and read the stage events, hard to pick out the stage posts with all the off topic posts. Most of which has been discussed over and over again.

petethedrummer

pffft, you don't pedal with your elbows. Joke.

Sean Kelly was saying on eurosport that it looked like his gearing was too tough. Kelly also said the same thing during the Giro as Basso dropped him. I wonder would he benefit from easier gearing and a higher cadence, particularly today with a fractured elbow. He seems to have to get out of the saddle more than the others.... Anyways, I'm sure Cadel knows better than me whats suits him.

DirkVoodoo

alibabba wrote: »

I said i'd drop into the forum and read the stage events, hard to pick out the stage posts with all the off topic posts. Most of which has been discussed over and over again.

Such is the nature of internet forums, you can get a full uninterrupted report from the likes of eurosport here.

doccy

Fractured Elbow is a killer, but Evans cracked due to the pace. I mean he went backwards when things exploded same as everyone else.

JacksonHeightsOwn

roche didnt do too bad today, well, he did alot better than "too bad" imo

as someone else said, he's within a minute of sastre and wiggins, and according to everyone involved in cycling, them 2 are grand tour contenders

i think Roche is doing himself proud, seeing as its only his first real forray into the GC contending category

titan18

doccy wrote: »

Fractured Elbow is a killer, but Evans cracked due to the pace. I mean he went backwards when things exploded same as everyone else.

Haven't seen the stage yet, but if he wasn't injured, I'd doubt he wouldn't have been with the Levi and Menchov group.

doccy

titan18 wrote: »

Haven't seen the stage yet, but if he wasn't injured, I'd doubt he wouldn't have been with the Levi and Menchov group.

For what it's worth I disagree. I predicted before todays stage that Evans would lose out today. Not claiming any particular brilliance on my part, but for me he was close to cracking the previous mountain stage.
Its a shame it already looks like a two horse race. I'd have loved to have seen five or six riders still in with a chance after the Alps.

iregk

Cape Clear wrote: »

Like that jersey a lot. Where can it be got at what price? thanks

I love the jersey as well bu those sorts are just mankey! Actually even Nico said it in his first indo piece.

Anyway back on topic. I think the problem with Evans today was that he could really move his upper body much so when the hills got tough he could barely move his arm which didn't help his position on the bike. Its a bit much to say he was simply dropped end of. As someone on here said before he is probably the only rider in recent times to do with WC jersey justice.

On the Nico watch he is doing himself and the team proud. As he said himself nobody was looking at him coming into the tour and for the first week. This time last year he was about 50th or so if I'm not mistaken so he is doing fantastic stuff.

JacksonHeightsOwn

Cape Clear wrote: »

Like that jersey a lot. Where can it be got at what price? thanks

here you go bud

RobFowl

doccy wrote: »

For what it's worth I disagree. I predicted before todays stage that Evans would lose out today. Not claiming any particular brilliance on my part, but for me he was close to cracking the previous mountain stage.
Its a shame it already looks like a two horse race. I'd have loved to have seen five or six riders still in with a chance after the Alps.

Without wanting to state the obvious he had actually broken the elbow earlier that day.
I broke mine in 2005 in a race. 4 weeks off the bike and then could only cycle 20mins holding onto the bars. One handed cycling and TDF alpine stages don't really mix well.
I think the fact that he didn't stay with Wiggo or Roche or catch them on the descent shows it played a big part in his downfall today.

fran oconnor

chrisbonnie wrote: »

here you go bud

the winter bib tights look good,might get a pair to replace the ****e perl izumi's i brought back.

doccy

RobFowl wrote: »

Without wanting to state the obvious he had actually broken the elbow earlier that day.
I broke mine in 2005 in a race. 4 weeks off the bike and then could only cycle 20mins holding onto the bars. One handed cycling and TDF alpine stages don't really mix well.
I think the fact that he didn't stay with Wiggo or Roche or catch them on the descent shows it played a big part in his downfall today.

Fair enough but he didn't lose time that day, he lost time today. And he also made back 1 min and a half back on the descent on Contador and Schleck.
Sure, if his elbow is gone or if he had to ride up the mountain with one arm, I can admit I'm wrong.

uberwolf

Eurosport confirm the story anywho. It's stories like these which underline the epic nature of the sport.

Chips Lovell

Two horse race now, with the advantage to Contador. The interesting question will be how they both ride in the third week. Will Contador peak later than Schleck? Or is Schleck just stronger on the mountains this year full stop? Either way, I'm sure Alberto is happy enough for Schleck to attack away in the Alps as long as he can stay near him. The more Schleck wears himself out trying to get a gap, the more likely Contador will be able to put him to the sword next week.

That's not to say Schleck is riding a bad race. He's playing the cards he's been dealt and has to come out swinging.

Dodge

eurosport ahd a quick interview with Contador last night (outside the Astana bus)

He said that after himself and Schleck had tried to attack each other 2/3 times, they decided to work together to put time into their rivals. I think Contador is happy enugh not to be in yellow yet

froog

i'd kinda like armstrong to win one stage, go out with a bang. won't happen though.

Hermy

I was also hoping to see Armstrong go out with a bang and but he's still hanging on in there despite three bangs on Sunday.

petethedrummer

petethedrummer wrote: »

He also has the Tom Boonen seal of approval: http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/boonen-calls-for-lifetime-suspensions

Cadel also has the Lemond seal of approval:
http://www.bikeradar.com/blogs/article/talking-tour-with-greg-lemond-17369


sorry for the thread resurrection.