Stage 17 - Thursday, July 22 2010, Pau - Col du Tourmalet, 174 km

joker77

Didn't see it - was it a complete gift by Contador?

ednwireland

go contador - yes !!!

am i the only one that wants contador to win ?

greeeat ride from roche

Chips Lovell

joker77 wrote: »

Didn't see it - was it a complete gift by Contador?

Yeah, he didn't contest.

buffalo

Roche across at +3.25

TinyExplosions

The biggest problem I have is that you never feel that Andy leaves it all on the road... maybe it's a strength of his that he hardly looks like he's suffering, but it gives the impression that he's more int he tank, but chooses not to use it, which I find quite frustrating

Funkyzeit

Great ride Nico...

Chips Lovell

Roche in, 3:26 down on Schleck.

2smiggy

what do you expect ?

two best climbers left the rest behind, and were not able to shake each other. great stage and great viewing

DominoDub

Nico 3:26 down only well done

bbosco

Feckin brilliant from Roche.

NickDrake

Well done Nic. Great ride. Big anti-climax though. Not a great days racing

dastardly00

unbelievably good from Nico!
The look of pain as he was crossing the line was unreal

jwshooter

these two will fill the history books of the TDF in years to come.

joker77

2smiggy wrote: »

what do you expect ?

two best climbers left the rest behind, and were not able to shake each other. great stage and great viewing

Didn't see it, but did it not seem that Contador did not try to shake him? Bit of a difference than the battle you outlined...

nerraw1111

Great race, just the two of them battling it out. They had nothing on each other.

Wouldn't be too quick to say Contador gifted the stage as he did try to pass Schleck towards the finish.

greendom

NickDrake wrote: »

Well done Nic. Great ride. Big anti-climax though. Not a great days racing

I thought it was amazing

ROK ON

Let me say. Well done Roche. Monster ride today.
Fair play to ITV and Gary Imlach always mentions Roche.
Savage amount of tricolours on the Tourmalet.

mcgratheoin

joker77 wrote: »

Didn't see it, but did it not seem that Contador did not try to shake him? Bit of a difference than the battle you outlined...

Contador put in a huge attack at one stage and couldn't shake Shleck. Probably didn't attack again so Shleck couldn't counter.

bbosco

el tonto wrote: »

I'm not talking about the Ikurrinas

Fair enough. Have to say I didn't spot more than one or two....must be the mist and the tiny screen.

NickDrake

greendom wrote: »

I thought it was amazing

All they did was ride tempo. Conta made one dig . Apart from that nothing. I thought Roche was amazing though.

poochiem

i know shag all but that was brilliant viewing...apart from all tha assholes (literally) running alongside for the last few kms. I love the way contador made his break and schleck caught him up and just sat there staring daggers right into his face. rivetting! they shook hands after the line.

the TG4 lads didn't make much of a deal of Roche's ride, although my Gaeilge isn't what it should be.

NickDrake

ROK ON wrote: »

Let me say. Well done Roche. Monster ride today.
Fair play to ITV and Gary Imlach always mentions Roche.
Savage amount of tricolours on the Tourmalet.

ya Kelly seem allergic to mentioning Roche

joker77

NickDrake wrote: »

ya Kelly seem allergic to mentioning Roche

It's a bit strange that isn't it? Something I've picked up on as well over the last 2 weeks - never gives him a mention, always left to the other guy (Harmon is it?) to say where he is.

NickDrake

poochiem wrote: »

i know shag all but that was brilliant viewing...apart from all tha assholes (literally) running alongside for the last few kms. I love the way contador made his break and schleck caught him up and just sat there staring daggers right into his face. rivetting! they shook hands after the line.

the TG4 lads didn't make much of a deal of Roche's ride, although my Gaeilge isn't what it should be.

Ah the TG4 boys wouldnt really know much about it in fairness.

Eurosport studio saying it as it is. Very Disappointing and Schlek through it away. S Roche knows his stuff

Plastik

What has that done to Roche's GC?

greendom

NickDrake wrote: »

All they did was ride tempo. Conta made one dig . Apart from that nothing. I thought Roche was amazing though.

The 2 best riders in the comp slugging it out with each other - neither could break the other - great competition - brilliant stuff.

Durnish

Schleck has a great race/business face.

mal1

Cycled home as fast as I could to see the finish. Got to see the last 300m of Schleck and Contadour (and Roche of course). Great stuff from Roche.

Aoibheann

Excellent stage, I just wish Schleck could have given a dig - but if he was able to, I'm sure he would have. I'm still holding out hope for a ridiculous time-trial result..

Does anyone know how much Roche has jumped up the GC? I'd imagine he's caught a few (Sastre, Lovkvist surely), so maybe he's got back up to his target zone of top 15.

NickDrake

greendom wrote: »

The 2 best riders in the comp slugging it out with each other - neither could break the other - great competition - brilliant stuff.

Dont know about that I reckon if they gave more digs they could have. Roche and the other fella asking for money back and saying it was a poor showing and tatics all wrong.

dastardly00

the top 10 standings are only available so far..... and i don't feel like whipping out the calculator to work things out!
He should gain a couple of places i think

Lumen

NickDrake wrote: »

All they did was ride tempo

I think it's time to return the ladybird book of cycling terminology for something a bit simpler.

Funkyzeit

NickDrake wrote: »

ya Kelly seem allergic to mentioning Roche

Eh Kelly mentioned him several times today culminating in "as we see Nick Roche coming over here and doing a good performance only 3.26 down"

greendom

NickDrake wrote: »

Dont know about that I reckon if they gave more digs they could have. Roche and the other fella asking for money back and saying it was a poor showing and tatics all wrong.

Sounds like he's trying to beat Giles, Dunphy et al for sourness

leftism

Brilliant ride by Nico!

Looks like he'll move up a place or two in the GC after that...

mcgratheoin

Will have leapfrogged Sastre and Lovkvist for definite.

donal_mcg

Schleck was more interested in keeping his 2nd place. Fignon on french tv was remarking how he kept checking behind him (not at Contador, but further back) to see where Sanchez/Menchov were so looks like his objective was not to lose 2nd as opposed to winning it.

dastardly00

greendom wrote: »

Sounds like he's trying to beat Giles, Dunphy et al for sourness

+1 they are all a bit too critical!

Liamo08

I think leaving it all to one stage like this is always going to end in disappointment. I think Schleck really missed out when he won his first stage, Contador was vunerable that day and if Schleck had gone for it earlier he might have put some serious time in. I got from the interviews after that stage that it was only after that day that he thought he had a chance of beating Contador.

mcgratheoin

How far back was Vino??

Edit - think Roche may be ahead of Vinokourov now - up into top 15 again

IM0

Andy blew it, chocked, the best man came second. Tactically he killed andy.

bbosco

mcgratheoin wrote: »

How far back was Vino??

49th, 10'45" down.

Chips Lovell

Liamo08 wrote: »

I think Schleck really missed out when he won his first stage, Contador was vunerable that day and if Schleck had gone for it earlier he might have put some serious time in. I got from the interviews after that stage that it was only after that day that he thought he had a chance of beating Contador.

I think Contador planned to peak in the third week, whereas Schleck had to come into form earlier since he has no TT.

I also think Contador plans to go for the Vuelta too, which might mean he's trying to ride as conservatively as possible in the Tour.

mcgratheoin

Nico in 15th

1. CONTADOR Alberto 1 ASTANA 83h 32' 39"
2. SCHLECK Andy 11 TEAM SAXO BANK 83h 32' 47" + 00' 08"
3. SANCHEZ Samuel 181 EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI 83h 36' 11" + 03' 32"
4. MENCHOV Denis 191 RABOBANK 83h 36' 32" + 03' 53"
5. VAN DEN BROECK Jurgen 101 OMEGA PHARMA - LOTTO 83h 38' 06" + 05' 27"
6. GESINK Robert 195 RABOBANK 83h 39' 20" + 06' 41"
7. RODRIGUEZ OLIVER Joaquin 77 KATUSHA TEAM 83h 39' 42" + 07' 03"
8. HESJEDAL Ryder 54 GARMIN - TRANSITIONS 83h 41' 57" + 09' 18"
9. KREUZIGER Roman 44 LIQUIGAS-DOIMO 83h 42' 51" + 10' 12"
10. HORNER Christopher 23 TEAM RADIOSHACK 83h 43' 16" + 10' 37"
11. SANCHEZ Luis-Leon 161 CAISSE D’EPARGNE 83h 45' 25" + 12' 46"
12. PLAZA MOLINA Ruben 168 CAISSE D’EPARGNE 83h 45' 40" + 13' 01"
13. LEIPHEIMER Levi 25 TEAM RADIOSHACK 83h 47' 03" + 14' 24"
14. KLÖDEN Andréas 24 TEAM RADIOSHACK 83h 47' 23" + 14' 44"
15. ROCHE Nicolas 81 AG2R LA MONDIALE 83h 48' 39" + 16' 00"
16. VINOKOUROV Alexandre 9 ASTANA 83h 50' 36" + 17' 57"
17. GADRET John 85 AG2R LA MONDIALE 83h 50' 38" + 17' 59"
18. LÖVKVIST Thomas 37 SKY PRO CYCLING 83h 51' 09" + 18' 30"
19. DE WEERT Kevin 133 QUICK STEP 83h 52' 42" + 20' 03"
20. MORENO FERNANDEZ Daniel 107 OMEGA PHARMA - LOTTO 83h 58' 02" + 25' 23"

leftism

Roche back up to 15th!

He could be knocking on the door for top 10 if Gadret had given him the front wheel....

ednwireland

overall

1. CONTADOR Alberto 1 ASTANA 83h 32' 39"
2. SCHLECK Andy 11 TEAM SAXO BANK 83h 32' 47" + 00' 08"
3. SANCHEZ Samuel 181 EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI 83h 36' 11" + 03' 32"
4. MENCHOV Denis 191 RABOBANK 83h 36' 32" + 03' 53"
5. VAN DEN BROECK Jurgen 101 OMEGA PHARMA - LOTTO 83h 38' 06" + 05' 27"
6. GESINK Robert 195 RABOBANK 83h 39' 20" + 06' 41"
7. RODRIGUEZ OLIVER Joaquin 77 KATUSHA TEAM 83h 39' 42" + 07' 03"
8. HESJEDAL Ryder 54 GARMIN - TRANSITIONS 83h 41' 57" + 09' 18"
9. KREUZIGER Roman 44 LIQUIGAS-DOIMO 83h 42' 51" + 10' 12"
10. HORNER Christopher 23 TEAM RADIOSHACK 83h 43' 16" + 10' 37"
11. SANCHEZ Luis-Leon 161 CAISSE D’EPARGNE 83h 45' 25" + 12' 46"
12. PLAZA MOLINA Ruben 168 CAISSE D’EPARGNE 83h 45' 40" + 13' 01"
13. LEIPHEIMER Levi 25 TEAM RADIOSHACK 83h 47' 03" + 14' 24"
14. KLÖDEN Andréas 24 TEAM RADIOSHACK 83h 47' 23" + 14' 44"
15. ROCHE Nicolas 81 AG2R LA MONDIALE 83h 48' 39" + 16' 00"
16. VINOKOUROV Alexandre 9 ASTANA 83h 50' 36" + 17' 57"
17. GADRET John 85 AG2R LA MONDIALE 83h 50' 38" + 17' 59"
18. LÖVKVIST Thomas 37 SKY PRO CYCLING 83h 51' 09" + 18' 30"
19. DE WEERT Kevin 133 QUICK STEP 83h 52' 42" + 20' 03"
20. MORENO FERNANDEZ Daniel 107 OMEGA PHARMA - LOTTO 83h 58' 02" + 25' 23"


beaten to it ...........................

Guybrush T

leftism wrote: »

Roche back up to 15th!

He could be knocking on the door for top 10 if Gadret had given him the front wheel....

He's got 2 minutes on Vino in 16th too, so might hold on to 15th to Paris. Here's hoping

Chips Lovell

Delighted for Roche. He's riden his guts out and despite some setbacks is up where he wants to be.

Liamo08

el tonto wrote: »

I think Contador planned to peak in the third week, whereas Schleck had to come into form earlier since he has no TT.

I also think Contador plans to go for the Vuelta too, which might mean he's trying to ride as conservatively as possible in the Tour.

I think that's probably right but it only reinforces the point I was making about how Schleck could have put more time into Contador on Stage 8 he looked incredibly strong that day. Just don't think he really believed in himself until after that day, probably fair enough based on Contador's amazing performance last year.

Brilliant stuff by Roche, delighted for him.

dastardly00

leftism wrote: »

Roche back up to 15th!

He could be knocking on the door for top 10 if Gadret had given him the front wheel....

if roche had finished alongside Gadret during that stage a few days ago..... then he would now be 11th overall!