Tour de France - stage 17 - Embrun L'Alpe-d'Huez 210.5 km Spoiler

The peloton is getting shredded on the Croix-de-Fer. Cunego is gone.

Sort of looks like CSC is faltering...

Sort of looks like CSC is faltering...

seems like all the guys on TV agree. i guess only the final climb will tell us. surely they know they must get time today. :rolleyes: later.

i don't think the hard work by csc on the croix de fer was intended to get rid of evans and menchov, like paul is saying. i think it was intended to isolate them both on d'huez while they have 2 or 3 members there

Agreed, Cancellara is not going to drop Evans on a mountain climb.

Last climb of the day, someone's got to make a move..

Agreed, Cancellara is not going to drop Evans on a mountain climb.

If Sastre and Schleck want it, they'll have to prove they are the strongest regardless!
Let the fireworks begin!

It's on now!!!!! :)

... Brad

THe only option for any of the non csc riders is start attaching now (easier to say than do anyways), at some point the brothers wont be able to respond... csc wants to do 1 and 2 at paris for sure.

Go Sastre!!!

Go Sastre!!!

Yes, go Sastre!!!

Yes, go Sastre!!!

Go Carlos!!!!!! :thumb:

... Brad

This is really turning out to be one hell of a race. I'm loving it.

I know it's said every year, but the spectators running alongside these guys are driving me crazy. I can't even imagine how frustrating that has to be for the riders.

How Sastre does in the TT??? The TT is the only way Evans can win the Tour. Go Cadel... Damm it!

How Sastre does in the TT??? The TT is the only way Evans can win the Tour. Go Cadel... Damm it!

Certainly Cadel didn't want to see Sastre put so much time into him. However, I think Evans will take several (3+) minutes into Sastre in the final TT.

... Brad

thank goodness. with today's results, i should move ahead of ryanf in the fantasy game. just barely.

How Sastre does in the TT??? The TT is the only way Evans can win the Tour. Go Cadel... Damm it!

Water is wet

Guess CSC decided Sastre was the the better TT option than Frank. Got to put your eggs in some basket, and so they have.

While exciting, I'm not happy that the Tour will likely be won by a guy who made only one tiny attempt to attack... don't like the wheel sucker.

TT will decide. Christian it is too far now just as kirchen. The only one with real chances in my opinion is still Evans.

Not a Sastre fan at all. Looked like Andy Schleck certainly had the legs to win today, and I sure would have liked to see him rather than Sastre have a go at it. Damned team tactics!

While exciting, I'm not happy that the Tour will likely be won by a guy who made only one tiny attempt to attack... don't like the wheel sucker.

1+

Not a Sastre fan at all. Looked like Andy Schleck certainly had the legs to win today, and I sure would have liked to see him rather than Sastre have a go at it. Damned team tactics!

Cycling, to me, is a team sport.

Andy will have his day. He's the third-man on a super team. That's the hand he was dealt. Or accepted.

While exciting, I'm not happy that the Tour will likely be won by a guy who made only one tiny attempt to attack... don't like the wheel sucker.

I like team tactics, so I'm not a fan of the ITT deciding the tour. That said, Evans did what he had to do, and others didn't do what they had to do. So is racing.

Not a Sastre fan at all. Looked like Andy Schleck certainly had the legs to win today, and I sure would have liked to see him rather than Sastre have a go at it. Damned team tactics!

WTF. Andy Schleck was 9 minutes down on GC. CSC not only won the stage, but gave CSC a legit shot of winning the TDF.

It was an epic stage, with fantastic tactics by CSC.

The fact that CSC has their own in-house intense testing/anti-doping regimen makes me much happier to see one of their guys take the yellow in to Paris if at all possible.

Though versus only seems inclined to talk about Garmin-Chipotle and Columbia, those aren't the only folks who are making non-mandated attempts to get things under control.

Wait, who gave whatsisface the yellow jersey? I don't mean Schleck, I mean the guy that handed it to him on the podium.

4. Cadel Evans (AUS) SIL - at 1'34" <-- still with chances
5. Denis Menchov (RUS) RAB - at 2'39" <--- hmm... who knows...
6 VANDEVELDE, Christian USA TSL 4:41 <-- This would be a miracle

The Tour will be decided between them if nothing happens the next days prior to the TT.

WTF. Andy Schleck was 9 minutes down on GC.

So what? I completely understand why CSC did what they did, but I just really do not like Sastre. That's all.

Guess CSC decided Sastre was the the better TT option than Frank. Got to put your eggs in some basket, and so they have.

we were discussing that last night. i think the fact that csc didn't do anything yesterday meant they figured schleck for second, and all the eggs were going in the carlos basket today

Andy looked so calm in every camera shot I saw (and he got A LOT of face time!). Why the heck would you have an American moviestar(?) present the yellow in the TdF? It seemed so out of place and completely inappropriate. Unless there's something about Michael Douglas and the TdF that's I'm not aware of. If anything, it should have been his wife!

Could someone post the GC after today? The sites I frequent are getting slammed.

1 Carlos Sastre Candil (Spa) Team CSC - Saxo Bank 74.39.03
2 Frank Schleck (Lux) Team CSC - Saxo Bank 1.24
3 Bernhard Kohl (Aut) Gerolsteiner 1.33
4 Cadel Evans (Aus) Silence - Lotto 1.34
5 Denis Menchov (Rus) Rabobank 2.39
6 Christian Vande Velde (USA) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 4.41
7 Alejandro Valverde Belmonte (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne 5.35
8 Samuel Sanchez Gonzalez (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 5.52
9 Tadej Valjavec (Slo) AG2R La Mondiale 8.10
10 Vladimir Efimkin (Rus) AG2R La Mondiale 8.24

While exciting, I'm not happy that the Tour will likely be won by a guy who made only one tiny attempt to attack... don't like the wheel sucker.

while i'm not a big cadel fan, i think he takes too much criticism for this. he's good enough to hang on to the good climbers' wheels, but not good enough to do it himself. i wouldn't call that last 4-5 kilometers of his a 'tiny attempt to attack'; i think he absolutely busted a gut trying to limit the time loss. i think you saw absolutely everything he had. and did you notice that everyone else had no problem sitting on his wheel? this criticism implies that he's good enough to ride really strong riders off his wheel; i don't think he can do that

while i'm not a big cadel fan, i think he takes too much criticism for this. he's good enough to hang on to the good climbers' wheels, but not good enough to do it himself. i wouldn't call that last 4-5 kilometers of his a 'tiny attempt to attack'; i think he absolutely busted a gut trying to limit the time loss. i think you saw absolutely everything he had. and did you notice that everyone else had no problem sitting on his wheel? this criticism implies that he's good enough to ride really strong riders off his wheel; i don't think he can do that

I agree, I think cadel hung in there and gave it everything today to make sure sastre did not get past the 3' mark. I cannot wait for the next few TDFs to watch Andy Schleck take it all:)

Wait, who gave whatsisface the yellow jersey? I don't mean Schleck, I mean the guy that handed it to him on the podium.

Bernard Hinault.

Tour de France winner in 1978, 1979, 1981, 1982 and 1985.

Bernard Hinault.

No, it was Michael Douglas.

Wonder if fignon might like to handle the yellow jersey after the TT or in paris :D

Wonder if fignon might like to handle the yellow jersey after the TT or in paris :D

LOL he'll never get past that, will he? he has said that he's more famous in france for losing that tour than for winning two others

So what? I completely understand why CSC did what they did, but I just really do not like Sastre. That's all.


And you would prefer for them to have ridden to try to give a stage win to a 23 year old in his first TDF, with zero chance to win the TDF, as oppossed to supporting their team leader (who has finished the TDF as high as 3rd) getting a stage win, and a chance at winning the race?

Sastre not only was their best option, he's paid his dues over the years, and established his right to claim the position of team leader. It wasn't just good team tactics.CSC owed Sastre the chance to do what he did.

Had Sastre's attack failed, one of the Schlecks would have attacked next. Sastre deserved his shot and he made the most of it.

And you would prefer for them to have ridden to try to give a stage win to a 23 year old in his first TDF, with zero chance to win the TDF, as oppossed to supporting their team leader (who has finished the TDF as high as 3rd) getting a stage win, and a chance at winning the race?

Sastre not only was their best option, he's paid his dues over the years, and established his right to claim the position of team leader. It wasn't just good team tactics.CSC owed Sastre the chance to do what he did.

Had Sastre's attack failed, one of the Schlecks would have attacked next. Sastre deserved his shot and he made the most of it.
Totally agree. Evans was intent on keeping with Frank Schleck, and pretty much ignored Sastre until the latter started putting in a serious timegap.

Otherwise, I think Evans would have simply paced Frank Schleck all the way to the line, maybe giving up 10-20 seconds at most.

Great tactics. It might not get CSC the jersey in the end, but this was their best shot. Good job.

-bullseye

Is Phil getting to old for the tour? He had no clue about CSC's tactics on the Alp. How many tines did he say "Frank simply does not have it"?

No, it was Michael Douglas.

LoL

So I guess CSC looked at who was the better time trialist and decided to go for him, on paper it works but I don't think Sastre got enough time.

Do you think they counted on Sastre getting more than 1:34????

And you would prefer for them to have ridden to try to give a stage win to a 23 year old in his first TDF, with zero chance to win the TDF, as oppossed to supporting their team leader (who has finished the TDF as high as 3rd) getting a stage win, and a chance at winning the race?

Sastre not only was their best option, he's paid his dues over the years, and established his right to claim the position of team leader. It wasn't just good team tactics.CSC owed Sastre the chance to do what he did.

Had Sastre's attack failed, one of the Schlecks would have attacked next. Sastre deserved his shot and he made the most of it.

Maybe you have difficulty reading, I don't know. I do not like Sastre. Of course I would have preferred for Sastre to not take the stage, and for Schleck to win, his first Tour or not. CSC's best interests aren't something I lose sleep over. Do you?

Wait, who gave whatsisface the yellow jersey? I don't mean Schleck, I mean the guy that handed it to him on the podium.

eet was zeee grande cuckold (see avatar) :p :D

I wondered about Sastre sitting up before the line, zipping up, and 2-arm saluting. I hope he does not lose the Tour by 3 seconds.

My boss is letting come in late today. What a nice chap.

I called him on that. He said he'll have you come in all day on Saturday (at straight time) to make up for it. :roflmao2:

I wondered about Sastre sitting up before the line, zipping up, and 2-arm saluting. I hope he does not lose the Tour by 3 seconds.

He'll lose by more than 3 seconds.

While exciting, I'm not happy that the Tour will likely be won by a guy who made only one tiny attempt to attack... don't like the wheel sucker.

-1

I think that Cadel is getting a bad rap here. You can hardly compare "one tiny attempt to attack" to the barrage of team attacks by CSC. I find it valiant to be able to hang on and counter multiple attacks from at least 5 different CSC riders varying who attacks, when, and levels of intensity.

I wondered about Sastre sitting up before the line, zipping up, and 2-arm saluting. I hope he does not lose the Tour by 3 seconds.

Did Sastre do the pacifier bit when he crossed the line, or does he not do that anymore?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/media/images/39298000/jpg/_39298267_sastre_ap300x200.jpg

Totally agree. Evans was intent on keeping with Frank Schleck, and pretty much ignored Sastre until the latter started putting in a serious timegap.

i don't agree. i don't think he ignored anyone at all. i think evans had a very precise amount of time he was willing to give both frank and carlos, and he was willing to let the first serious jump go. he didn't know who it would be. he couldn't chase down every attempt they made; it would have ground him down. whoever goes first, let him go, and see if anyone else racing for third or a white jersey will run somebody down. if not, when a time gap reaches that certain number, now it's time for him to destroy himself to keep it under control. not being a climber, i think this was a smart move. he didn't have to give it everything he had until the last 4-5 kilometers. i'll bet he was hoping that frank would jump; he could give him a lot more time before he had to respond, due to frank's poorer TT abilities compared to carlos