Stage 16 - Tuesday, July 20 2010, Bagnères-de-Luchon - Pau, 196 km

ednwireland

all schleck has to do is emulate merckx - easy

Pain on tap in the Pyrenees

This stage pays homage to one of the greatest exploits in Tour history. In 1969, on a stage that crossed the same four passes as today's, race leader Eddy Merckx launched a solo attack at the foot of the Aubisque and rode away to the finish in Mourenx, just west of Pau, arriving almost eight minutes clear of his rivals.

It would be astounding to see anyone attempt to copy the Belgian's incredible ride, especially given the long run-in to the finish.

Inquitus

With such a long finish after the final climb, you have to think noones going to take any time out of anyone today, and that the tour will be decided on Thurs mountaintop finish.

joker77

2 Cat 1 and 2 HC? Jaysus....

jwshooter

Daddy says nicholas is going ti try get in a break and attack early on .

Chips Lovell

I vote for unpredictable. They could stay together, but it could be all over the place as well if it kicks off. That much climbing can really cause havoc if some people want to make a go of it and guys will be beginning to realise that they don't have many chances left to move up the GC.

kennyb3

Inquitus wrote: »

With such a long finish after the final climb, you have to think noones going to take any time out of anyone today, and that the tour will be decided on Thurs mountaintop finish.

i wouldnt be so sure, this is a long stage and there is a lot of climbing

pprendeville

anyone read Nico's blog? Gadret wouldn't give him his front wheel. Rekon Nico will be in one of the breakaways over the next few days or will be pushing hard to regain time lost yesterday.

Rovi

Roche is in the first breakaway.

Guybrush T

And Lance and Wiggins,for those hoping for a last hurrah from Armstrong this could be the day...

bbosco

Rovi wrote: »

Roche is in the first breakaway.

Great stuff from Nico, let's hope he's got in the right break. Funny how his old man was Mr Cool on the bike. Always looked cool no matter what the pace or the pressure. Nico's the complete opposite today

niceonetom

I think Gadret just went out the back.

alibabba

Go roche

xz

LIVE STREAMING HERE http://www.fromsport.com/v-0/0/148/v-14923.html

Morrisseeee

Today should be 'mega', 188kms to go and attacking already, go Roche go Schleck !

RobFowl

niceonetom wrote: »

I think Gadret just went out the back.

12:11 CEST

Interesting to see Nicolas Roche up here. The Irish rider was very annoyed with his teammate Jean Gadret yesterday. It seems that Gadret refused to give Roche a wheel when he punctured on the last climb and added insult to mechanical injury by attacking as Roche was chasing back on. Even more interesting is that Gadret is now trying to bridge to the leaders..


Not quite out the back !!

niceonetom

RobFowl wrote: »

12:11 CEST

Interesting to see Nicolas Roche up here. The Irish rider was very annoyed with his teammate Jean Gadret yesterday. It seems that Gadret refused to give Roche a wheel when he punctured on the last climb and added insult to mechanical injury by attacking as Roche was chasing back on. Even more interesting is that Gadret is now trying to bridge to the leaders..


Not quite out the back !!

Saw him on his own. He could only be in one of two places like that. I picked wrong.

Vandenbroke could doom this break anyway...

Captain Havoc

What happened to Roche there? I've just tuned in

Dodge

I think Vino helps the breakaway. can't see Astana rushing to bring him back

Dodge

Grr, just as I was typing. Must have been another mechanincal for Roche

joker77

How can Vino still have enough in the legs for a breakaway today???

bbosco

Captain Havoc wrote: »

What happened to Roche there? I've just tuned in

No idea. He was in the lead group, then my router crapped out. When I got connected to Eurosport again they were showing with the 'Arriere de la course' caption

joker77

That's a lot of bad luck, he's out the back of the main bunch as well now yea?

Captain Havoc

bbosco wrote: »

No idea. He was in the lead group, then my router crapped out. When I got connected to Eurosport again they were showing with the 'Arriere de la course' caption

I tuned in just for that and was reading here that he was in the first break so was wondering, "12.09, ROCHE IN DIFFICULTY:Roche has dropped out of the lead group and is now in the five including Sastre and Vinokourov" Sounds like he may have put in too much yesterday trying to catch up. If this is the case he might go for John Gadret after todays stage.

Rovi

I THINK I just saw him with 2 teammates towards the back of the peleton.

Morrisseeee

Roche is at the back of the Peloton with his teammates atm

Dodge

But what is that based on. We have the same feeds as them and he wasn't shown in difficulty. Just "arriere" all of a sudden

Dodge

Morrisseeee wrote: »

Roche is at the back of the Peleton with his teammates atm

maybe one of them needed his wheel

Captain Havoc

Dodge wrote: »

But what is that based on. We have the same feeds as them and he wasn't shown in difficulty. Just "arriere" all of a sudden

The live feed on the tour site.

Morrisseeee

43 secs peleton behind break group, a group incl Armstrong and Wiggins!!

ednwireland

jens voight crashed (has he forgotten how to descend ) think hes back up and chasing

the question is carolineS on the cycling weekley feed the same one as here ?

Dodge

Captain Havoc wrote: »

The live feed on the tour site.

Sorry, I read that too but a lot of their stuff is wrong. From what I gather its based on TV pictures

Captain Havoc

Dodge wrote: »

Sorry, I read that too but a lot of their stuff is wrong. From what I gather its based on TV pictures

Don't ever get results from it, you'll find things like Cavendish winning mountain stages and Mondory five minutes ahead in the GC.

pprendeville

where exactly is roche? on yahoo eurosport it say he's at the back of the pack (gap to pack) with basso and petacchi. watching it on tg4 but its muted and i cant get sound on.

Captain Havoc

pprendeville wrote: »

where exactly is roche? on yahoo eurosport it say he's at the back of the pack (gap to pack) with basso and petacchi. watching it on tg4 but its muted and i cant get sound on.

Yes he's at the back.

Rovi

He was at the back of the peleton a few minutes ago.

Chips Lovell

Who said this stage was going to be boring?;)

Rovi

There's a cluster of ag2 riders in the middle of the peleton, hopefully he's there.

Morrisseeee

Looks like break away group are going to be caught, 18secs now

Rovi

Note to self: spell Peloton correctly in future

manafana

so exciting already, how am i supposed get any work done.

dastardly00

So was Nico in the breakway, then got dropped, then caught by the peloton, and dropped again?
I'm a bit confused

pprendeville

ya impossible to study while this is going on. poor roche, this could really put him down GC if he doesn't get back to the peloton.

im confused about roche as well. no info on any of the websites with a live text feed as to what happened.

where's schleck?

Morrisseeee

Peloton breaking up, big time, Roche and Samuel Sanchez falling off

Rovi

dastardly00 wrote: »

So was Nico in the breakway, then got dropped, then caught by the peloton, and dropped again?
I'm a bit confused

He was in the breakaway and appears to have had some sort of 'difficulty' and dropped behind the peloton, and he then got back into the peloton.

joker77

Looks suspiciously like some kind of injury

glanman

very good text commentary here, an irish guy writing it... for those who cant watch...

http://live.cyclingnews.com/

Dodge

ROche mus tstill be riding OK if he's with Gesink, Rodriguez and the 2 Sanchezes

dastardly00

Dodge wrote: »

ROche mus tstill be riding OK if he's with Gesink, Rodriguez and the 2 Sanchezes

I don't think Roche is in that group.... further back

Morrisseeee

Amazing, Armstrong fav (13/2) to win todays stage ! Well he was, he's now 11/2 !!

alibabba

Jasus not sounding good for roche. Btw why are they climbing Touremolet twice this week?

dastardly00

alibabba wrote: »

Jasus not sounding good for roche. Btw why are they climbing Touremolet twice this week?

They are celebrating 100 years of the Pyrenees in Le tour, and the Touremolet is a historic mountain climb. So the organisers thought it'd be a great idea to have it in twice!