July 9, Stage 8: Aigurande - Super-Besse Sancy 190km

ednwireland

The favourites emerge

This stage joins two towns also linked in the 2008 Tour. The route between them is slightly different, though, with the cat 2 Col de Croix Saint-Robert providing a stiff test prior to the final climb up to the ski resort of Super-Besse. Three years ago, Riccardo Riccò led the field home while Stefan Schumacher lost the yellow jersey after crashing in the final charge to the hill-top finish. Neither, of course, will race this year, but the yellow jersey could still change hands. The final ramps are steep enough to split the field and to ensure all the yellow jersey favourites will be working hard.






no twiggo

Pherekydes

There's a double sting in this tail. Before the last ramp of 1.5k @7.6% there's an uncategorised climb of 3.5k @5%.

This will surely cause a selection before the final climb. Big changes to the GC tomorrow.



Evans seems best placed to take the maillot jaune.

Hopefully, Nico can hang on to the big boys.

NickDrake

Contadope will take this. He will be mad to get time back and not long now until the rest day so he can have some steak. Evans in yellow

happytramp

If Contador does attack we might finally get to see if Schleck has what it takes to stay on his wheel.

Morrisseeee

An interesting stage, but stage 9 is tough aswell so some GC'ers might not push too hard, all eyes will be on AC & AS, or maybe Evans might try and make further gains ?!
It's a good stage for a breakaway, and they might just succeed.

happytramp

Morrisseeee wrote: »

An interesting stage, but stage 9 is tough aswell so some GC'ers might not push too hard, all eyes will be on AC & AS, or maybe Evans might try and make further gains ?!
It's a good stage for a breakaway, and they might just succeed.

Agreed, don't see anyone killing themselves just yet.

vistafinder

Andy S will probably start looking over his shoulder looking for his brother while Alberto C dissapears up the road. Niko should get well up on Gc.

ColSheehan

I think we will see many of the main favourites in the fight for the stage win tomorrow. I also think Evans will be the best placed to take the yellow off Thor after a brilliant fight to keep it on his shoulders. Looking at the GC, Contador would be a safe bet for the stage win considering he needs to gain time now more than anything. I'd say both of the Schlecks will have a go as well, Frank is 3rd in GC and Andy is in the top 10 as well only around 10 or so seconds.. Either way one of them will attack/counter-attack and more than likely it'll be for the younger one 7 stages in already and I must say, it has been unbelievable so far! Roll on the next two weeks

Beasty

ednwireland wrote: »

no twiggo

I realise we are now beyond the bewitching hour, but please don't refer to events from a current day stage (including GC positions, jersey holders, who's out etc) in any other thread without spoiler tags

The no spoiler tag rule applies only to events pertaining to the stage being covered

Thanks

Beasty

Sundy

Looking forward to watching this! Will be interesting to see how the GC shapes up tonight.

ednwireland

Beasty wrote: »

I realise we are now beyond the bewitching hour, but please don't refer to events from a current day stage (including GC positions, jersey holders, who's out etc) in any other thread without spoiler tags

The no spoiler tag rule applies only to events pertaining to the stage being covered

Thanks

Beasty

sorry gov

kmart6

Vino caught everyone by surprise there....and putting a fair bit of time into the peloton!

John.Icy

Looks like the break will stay away now, Peleton just can't reel them in!

ednwireland

cracking stage, great ride from hushovd

hushovd what a ride

kmart6

Gilbert,AC,Evans and Andy trying to go!

Don't think Vino is going to manage it!

kmart6

Can't believe Thor has managed to keep the Yellow!

Unlucky for Vino.

Evans really lifted the pace at the end there!

Fair play to Costa staying out and getting the win!

corny

Same thing from Schleck. Only racing against one man. Hope he never wins the tour.

Think Nico finished in the front group. Unless it was Riblon.

themandan6611

great stage and worthy stage winner

kmart6

corny wrote: »

Same thing from Schleck. Only racing against one man. Hope he never wins the tour.

Think Nico finished in the front group. Unless it was Riblon.

Looked like two AG2R in there...so he more than likely was one!

copacetic

The coverage was a bit farcical there, time from front to yellow jersey says 1' 6" with 1k to go, so you think the front 2 will easily stay away. Then camera pans up and they are in shot less than 30" back!

themandan6611

copacetic wrote: »

The coverage was a bit farcical there, time from front to yellow jersey says 1' 6" with 1k to go, so you think the front 2 will easily stay away. Then camera pans up and they are in shot less than 30" back!

i find this handy, quiet well updated

http://gaps.letour.fr/us.php

Bottleopener

Thor Hushovd is my hero. That was awesome.

petethedrummer

Contador looks pooped. Struggling on a hill where Hushovd could keep up. Doesn't look good for him.

ednwireland

petethedrummer wrote: »

Contador looks pooped. Struggling on a hill where Hushovd could keep up. Doesn't look good for him.

he did ride the giro

roche finished 19th 15s down looks like his legs are getting there

upto 14th overall

Aoibheann

3rd through to 24th awarded the same time, actually delighted to see Hushovd keep the yellow jersey for one last day (although knowing him, he could put in another massive effort and keep it after a very lumpy stage tomorrow! ) and great that Roche finished with the same time as the GC guys.

kmart6

Very large group finishing 20 minutes down!!

Aoibheann

Just spotted that Gesink finished 1'23 down and Hesjedal was a further 10 seconds behind.. Wouldn't have expected that result in a stage like this at the beginning of this tour. Hesjedal's having a bit of a nightmare thus far though, he's 5'46 down in total.

kmart6

Aoibheann wrote: »

Just spotted that Gesink finished 1'23 down and Hesjedal was a further 10 seconds behind.. Wouldn't have expected that at the beginning of this tour.

Well Gesink is hurting from his fall...and wouldn't be near the white jersey at all if the Sky lad's hadn't waited for Wiggins yesterday!!

Aoibheann

kmart6 wrote: »

Well Gesink is hurting from his fall...and wouldn't be near the white jersey at all if the Sky lad's hadn't waited for Wiggins yesterday!!

Oh, absolutely! This Tour seems to have had more crashes in the first week than I can recall happening in the three weeks of most other Tours, it's insane.

I'd quite like to see Gesink at least match his result from last year, so I guess I'm scrutinising his times too much. He's still not far behind and I would expect him to move up assuming he manages to avoid hitting the tarmac any more!

kmart6

Hard to see it happening though...had four team mates back with him trying to get him back on near the end today!

kmart6

Nico on twitter:

What a day!! Amazing ride by Thor to keep jellow!! Feeling a bit better every day!

Aoibheann

kmart6 wrote: »

Hard to see it happening though...had four team mates back with him trying to get him back on near the end today!

True. Alas, there goes my Velogames team! :pac:

kmart6 wrote: »

Nico on twitter:

Good to hear that he's improving, excellent timing for it and with a rest day coming up after the weekend hopefully he can maintain his current position (or something similar) in the GC for the duration.

Gipo3

Roche on Twitter:

"What a day!! Amazing ride by Thor to keep jellow!! Feeling a bit better every day!"

kmart6

Coulda swore I saw that somewhere already.... :rolleyes:

Idleater

Bottleopener wrote: »

Thor Hushovd is my hero. That was awesome.

Immense ride by him all right. Delighted to have so many of my team finishing so high up (Gilbert, Sanchez, Cunnego, Evans, Martin and of course Thor).

Evans looked solid too, and Sanchez and Cunego stretching the legs. Steakboy sandbagging for the big hills I wonder???

Lumen

Idleater wrote: »

Steakboy sandbagging for the big hills I wonder???

I hope not. I just got 5/1 on Evans for the overall. :pac:

Idleater

Lumen wrote: »

I hope not. I just got 5/1 on Evans for the overall. :pac:

I endorse that product and or service
BMC worked well. They look quite organised and efficient.

happytramp

Idleater wrote: »

BMC worked well. They look quite organised and efficient.

Yeah, but they put in a shed load of effort to try get Cadel in yellow and I reckon they'll pay for it tomorrow.

ROK ON

I only saw the last 8km, but what a finish to the stage.

Evans is doing his usual thing (as is Gilbert) by being at the very front every day. I just wonder how he will perform when the tour hits the very long climbs next week and the week after. You simply cant keep going for three weeks - needs to spend some time taking it easy. I actually felt for Vino, but Gilbert was awesome. Maybe given that kick he should have gone a bit earlier - who knows. Will be fascinating between Rojs, Cav and Gilbert all the way to Paris - 3 very different contenders for the Green.

There are guys (say Contador, Basso, Sanchez) who I think will be a lot more effective when the climbs are simply much longer. Good tour thus far - lots happening.

Hopefully Gilbert can stay in green. Roche doing ok - avoiding trouble and finishing with front groups daily. Hopefully he wont be tired by the time we reach the mountains.

Leroy42

Hard one to judge today, last hill wasn't tough enough (says the guys sitting on the couch!!!) to make a selection, the fact that Thor managed to stay witht the lead group (awesome as it was) shows that it wasn't too bad.

Saying that Bertie didn't look like he had that explosive jump he had in Giro, certainly it took him a while to get back to Evans wheel when he went. Evans is not exactly known for his kick. Andy certainly looked in grand shape, dispels those rising thoughts that he was off form.

All in all, after the build up, it was a bit of a let down, (from a GC point of view, the stage itself was great).

Looking at tomommows profile, I don't expect anything to happen in that either.

Lumen

LOL

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iL9vJFRtPb4

Hermy

He's going to cry again, isn't he?

happytramp

Bless him . He does seem like a decent chap.