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THIS IS A TOUR STAGE THREAD - POSSIBLE SPOILERS TO FOLLOW!

These aren't exactly sprinters stages for the next two days. Any chance of seeing some GC attacks?

Hope so...
CSC didn't get enough time, the riders can make it as hard as they want. I think they need to set a high tempo through to sat, and pressure evans so he can't recover as much.
If they sit around, Evans and Sastre straight up is an easy choice.

here's hoping vandevelde dusts everyone on the first climb and stays away

Three words:

Juan Antonio Flecha

here's hoping vandevelde dusts everyone on the first climb and stays away

So you're hoping he pulls a Floyd? But without the "help". :D

Not that they'd let him get away like Floyd...wasn't Floyd down by 8+ minutes?

i think we see nothing. it seems like "tradition" gets in the way a bit as this race ends. GC will stay put, mark each other, and fight it out at the TT. just my guess. later.

i think we see nothing. it seems like "tradition" gets in the way a bit as this race ends. GC will stay put, mark each other, and fight it out at the TT. just my guess. later.

I agree. Pippo Pozzato for the win on that swanky green c-dale. He was "saving" himself today.

there's still 2 days of fair climbs. VdV had another good day today, maybe he'll light it up. cancellara has got to be hurting.

Anyone within 10 minutes won't be allowed to get away in these next two stages.

There probably won't be much GC action until the very last kilometers of the stage. Since the stage ends in a summit, there will be some final attacks that probably won't change much.

It would however be a cheeky move by CSC-SB if they let Andy attack on either the Parmenie or Montvieux. He is not a GC threat (+10 min. down) so he might be allowed to get away, or be strong enough on the mountainside not to need permission from the peleton. With Andy in front, the team could relax a little and let other people pull them over the top. They could perhaps even inflict some damage on Evans if Frank was able to attack a couple of times, since Evans couldn't allow even Frank to get away with his brother as a super domestique up front.
But, bah, unlikely much will happen until the final TT.
I predict a breakaway with AG2R riders since they are close to winning the team competition and perhaps Valverde as winner. (Probably eat crow on that).

--
Regards

Three words:

Juan Antonio Flecha

Nice going Bobke. :lol:

Nice going Bobke. :lol:

I wish I could trade places with him every July. Maybe better if I traded places with Craig Hummer. :innocent:

Anyone within 10 minutes won't be allowed to get away in these next two stages.

plus the climbs aren't hard to break any of the top riders.

break is a relative term. Cadel "broke" on a Cat 2 mountain stage finish already this tour.

break is a relative term. Cadel "broke" on a Cat 2 mountain stage finish already this tour.

Which cat 2 was that?

A quick look at the grade and position of the climbs would indicate that it will be very unlikely that CSC will gain any advantage over Evans,

Km 163.0 - Croix de Montvieux - 13.7 km climb to 4.7 % - Category 2
Km 188.0 - Côte de Sorbiers - 4.3 km climb to 3.2 % - Category 4

I will also say that Evans will win the tour in the true wheelsucking way...without a stage win! :innocent:

This is the breakaway stage where someone in the leading group wins.

This is the breakaway stage where someone in the leading group wins.

Who do you fancy?

I will go with any of these:
Cyril Dessel
George Hincapie
David Moncoutie

Flecha
Fofonov
Knees

Vincenzo Nibali

from eurosport:

More breaking news from Reuters: French customs officers stopped and searched a car driven by Johnny Schleck, the father of riders Frank and Andy, during Thursday's 18th stage, witnesses said. Customs officers first stopped a press car with Luxemburg number plates and searched it 35km into the day's 196.5km ride from Bourg d'Oisans to St Etienne. They then stopped a second car, driven by Johnny Schleck, whose sons are riders from Luxembourg representing the CSC team on the Tour de France. We'll keep you updated when we hear more.

Fränk was pretty adamant with his "I'm tired" comments this morning. I wouldn't be surprised if he attacks on the last Cat 2 to see what kind of reaction the other contenders put up. CSC has to do _something_ to try to get more time, synes jeg.

I am prepared to be wrong.

from eurosport:

Papa Schleck update from Reuters. Looks to our untrained eyes like much ado about nothing: Johnny Schleck, who drives guests around for one of the Tour sponsors, was asked to step out of the car at a roundabout and was searched by a police officer. He was then asked to drive the car towards the other side of the roundabout, where the vehicle was searched by customs officers for 30 minutes. "We will search the car," a customs officer told Reuters without giving any further details. The car later continued on the stage course behind a customs vehicle towards Grenoble.

nobody's attacking. disappointing.

Since CSC has spent so much time at the front today, can someone tell me why there are different team jerseys. I understand the yellow but I don't understand the two half red / half white jerseys and what they stand for.

One is the Norwegian champion's jersey (Kurt Asle-Arvesen), and the other is the Danish champion's jersey (Nicki Sorensen).

This stage is putting me to sleep...which is okay, kind of, because I didn't get much last niiii....zzzzzzzzz....

This is the most absurd commentating I've heard yet.

3.5k 4:35s gap to a 3 man chase and they're talking about how they need to work together so they don't get caught.

One is the Norwegian champion's jersey (Kurt Asle-Arvesen), and the other is the Danish champion's jersey (Nicki Sorensen).


Ah, thank you.:)

I thought the cat and mouse game between Burghardt and Berrado was fun to watch. Very different from previous finishes. Other than that, pretty boring.

Since CSC has spent so much time at the front today, can someone tell me why there are different team jerseys. I understand the yellow but I don't understand the two half red / half white jerseys and what they stand for.

National champions wear their country colors. So CSC has the Denmark and Norway road race champions and the yellow and white jersey. Chancellara has the World Champion jersey for the TT.

National champions wear their country colors. So CSC has the Denmark and Norway road race champions and the yellow and white jersey. Chancellara has the World Champion jersey for the TT.

Frank Schleck is also the Luxembourg national road race champ.

Cunego is utterly worthless.

hahaha has he come in yet?

At this rate Cunego might be competing with Wim... Can't have that.

Cunego's had a rough tour.

I don't envy him right now.

http://tour-de-france.velonews.com/files/images/CUNEGO_0.jpg

Lodare il piccolo principe!!!!!

http://tour-de-france.velonews.com/article/80714/gritty-cunego-battles-to-finish-within-time-cut-after-3rd

Cunego is utterly worthless.

Classy :thumb:

kid's got some stones. good on him for toughing it out

Cunego is utterly worthless.

I'd ride with him. Hell...I'd ride with Wim!

Classy :thumb:

2004: ZOMG Giro Winnar!!!@11!3 + Lombardia!!!1 wo0t!

2005: ...

2006: White Jersey in the Tour. HE'S MAKING A COME BACK!!!1

2007: Moar Lombardia!!?!!112 LoLz, Grand Tours: ...

2008: Amstel Gold, and we aren't done yet, but it's looking a lot more like "..." is on the way.

Cunego's had a rough tour.

I don't envy him right now.

http://tour-de-france.velonews.com/files/images/CUNEGO_0.jpg

Italian news is reporting he's leaving the tour!

Cunego's had a rough tour.

I don't envy him right now.

http://tour-de-france.velonews.com/files/images/CUNEGO_0.jpg

Dude on the right looks like he is having some lulz.

Tomorows stage will be the same as todays it's all down to the time trial! I cant wait, this could be one of the closest tours in history!

2004: ZOMG Giro Winnar!!!@11!3 + Lombardia!!!1 wo0t!

2005: ...

2006: White Jersey in the Tour. HE'S MAKING A COME BACK!!!1

2007: Moar Lombardia!!?!!112 LoLz, Grand Tours: ...

2008: Amstel Gold, and we aren't done yet, but it's looking a lot more like "..." is on the way.

Lucky for him that people that know alot more about cycling put alot more faith in him than you do.
Wasn't he 10th or 12th before his crash today, that's not bad.
Just saying your comments don't show much class, he showed some heart today.

Cunego is utterly worthless.

Considering that there is not a chance in he!! that you'll ever be able to do what he's done, that's a pretty idiotic statement. But looking at your profile explains much.

Cunego is utterly worthless.

You need to spend more time Tugging your undoubtedly tiny Banana and less time talking about things you know nothing about.

Frank Schleck is also the Luxembourg national road race champ.

Nine riders. Six different jerseys. That might be a record.

Norway
Denmark
Luxembourg
Yellow
White
CSC Team

Nine riders. Six different jerseys. That might be a record.

Norway
Denmark
Luxembourg
Yellow
White
CSC Team


Reminds me of then Slipstream's TTT at the T of G.

I'm gonna cry if Cunego drops out. He was having a rough Tour and had every justification for quitting a week ago. But he's hung in there. He is the #1 rider on his team and realizes that sponsorship dollars aren't passed out just so that he can quit a race when things aren't going well. Despite his position in the race, he was still giving Lampre plenty of media exposure.