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

So without Savoldelli this year, who's the obvious choice for the long fast finish?

So without Savoldelli this year, who's the obvious choice for the long fast finish?

there is none.

later.

not pereiro. hope he mends well.

The descent is steeper than the climb. Who is a great descender, with a chance at the GC? Descending on steep mountains isn't necessarily about having TT weight. Pantani once pulled ahead 3-5 minutes on Ullrich after *descending* the Col du Galibier in the 1998 Tour, even though Pantani was much lighter and couldn't TT at all compared to Ullrich.

It might be crazy... a GC contender crashing on the descent possibly? They'll be flat out.

methinks what makes a great descender is more the size of his balls, not the weight of his ass.

methinks what makes a great descender is more the size of his balls, not the weight of his ass.

That's a great "anatomy quote" for TdF descents. ;)

methinks what makes a great descender is more the size of his balls, not the weight of his ass.

err, huh huh. He said.. balls!
http://www.cnn.com/SHOWBIZ/9612/19/beavis/idiots.lrg.jpg

Maybe someone will resort to that trick they tried 70 years ago where a team helper passed up lead-filled water bottles at the summit of a climb to help his rider descend faster! :o

I see no one is sticking their neck out and making any predictions here. OK I will put my flame resistant underwear on and go with Valverde because he has the most to gain and not much to lose...and because I think he's a better sprinter than the rest.

So Suzie started off the predictions :) I'll go for Sanchez. Euskaltel have to win something, right? He has a reputation for fast descents, if somewhat reckless. He may be too crazy for the others to want to follow, and he is a long way back.

valverde is a great call for tomorrow's stage. sami sanchez also as he's said to be the best at going downhill these days. the little prince is a great descender, but he'll not likely be able to get over the ups in this stage to show his stuff.

popovych is another master descender that I would say to be a great pick for tomorrow under normal circumstances, but he's got other duties and really doesn't seem to be going very well.

http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Mbyc0gFvsEI/default.jpg

The YouTube wants Frank Schleck.

One mo' time Frankie!!

valverde is a great call for tomorrow's stage. sami sanchez also as he's said to be the best at going downhill these days. the little prince is a great descender, but he'll not likely be able to get over the ups in this stage to show his stuff.

popovych is another master descender that I would say to be a great pick for tomorrow under normal circumstances, but he's got other duties and really doesn't seem to be going very well.


Good call there! I would have gone with Cunego had he been riding better. I don't see him magically finding his legs and lungs any time soon. The same with Popo...if he can't get over the climb with the leaders to start with, he won't be descending with them at the end.

The only wild card here is a break getting away with no GC guys in it. If that happens, my secondary choice would be Amets Txurruka...he's still in the race I hope? Euskatel needs a win!!

Ill be surprised if the GC contenders are seperate at the line.

But im pulling for VDV big day.

The Bonette-Restefond is a monster. In 1993 it pretty much narrowed the field down to four contenders for the overall. I expect one or two of the pretenders will be exposed today.

Ill be surprised if the GC contenders are seperate at the line.

But im pulling for VDV big day.

I thought so too until yesterday's stage. They're all hungry and fighting. There's going to be a lot of action on that last climb. Sastre, Kohl & Schleck know they need time but who's going fly and falter?

I think Sastre will fly and bring Valverde with him and winning the sprint.

So Suzie started off the predictions :) I'll go for Sanchez. Euskaltel have to win something, right? He has a reputation for fast descents, if somewhat reckless. He may be too crazy for the others to want to follow, and he is a long way back.

Good call, but is he a strong enough climber to make it over the second climb at the head of the field?

In a shocker, I think Sean Yates is going to come out of retirement, ambush the field at the top of the Bonette, and lay the smackdown on an unsuspecting peloton. You heard it here first!

Ill be surprised if the GC contenders are seperate at the line.

But im pulling for VDV big day.


I can see CSC running the train out again for Schleck and Sastre; with the rest of the GC bunch hanging on just like Stage 15. They'll have to attack early on the last climb to get enough time to cover the descent.

I think/hope VdV goes for it and attacks and tightens the standings even further before he wins on Alpe D-Huez. ;) (still think it's Cadel's year but it's been exciting to watch Vandevelde this year)

Meanwhile, the entire Euskaltel-Euskadie squad will have attacked at the drop of the flag and taken 20 or so other riders with them. Most will get caught before the second climb but another small group will score the stage win. Too bad Soler or Contador isn't here.

Sanchez stuck with the gc group last time, so maybe he can manage it again, or at least, get back on. I see that Txurruka and Zubeldia made it into the group. Maybe they can make it?

Looks like all the GC guys have sent someone up in the break. If they can get some seperation going up the final climb, could be TTT going downhill!
That would be exciting...
I see Sastre, and Voigt/Arverson joined by Menchov going down first, being chased by Evans/Vandevelde/Kohl group.

CSC better get their butts in gear. They've let Cunego become the leader on the road. Freaking idiots!

Someone was saying Tadej Valjevic is in virtual yellow. He can climb too. Any Slovenians been in yellow before?

I'm following it in German and enjoying practicing it :) Ich wuensche ich einer Etappenjaeger war!

If Nibali is in the 1st chase, he would be it.

edit - nope, he's going off the back. Looks like it's Valjevic

Vandevelde is done, nobody knows where he is. It was nice while it lasted.

where's vandevelde? the radio stream isn't saying

meh. dammit.

VdV dropped.

Everyone has a bad day. He's fortunate that it seems to be happening on a day where he can hopefully descend and limit his losses.

Michael

good god, augustin slid down the scree. Fack me, that must've hurt.

I thought that crash was gonna be hella worse than it was. I bet he still crapped himself...

hincapie for the win?

This is suuuuuch an evil descent! Poor Augistin man! He did so well on teh climb! This is so hairraiiising!

This descent is just awful...

hincapie for the win?


I think he's fallen off the lead group on the descent, it remains to be seen if he'll catch on.

We must find a new name for the Cunego group: he just fell out the back of it. From cyclingnews.
CLASSIC!

from eurosport: 7km - Portal, Hincapie, and Siutsou are being distanced by the lead descenders, while Schumacher is further behind them.

Hincapie and Sivtsov (both Columbia) are 30 seconds behind. The yellow jersey group is another minute-plus behind them.

from http://www.velonews.com/live/

later.

Dessel bombs into last corner
Then comes across the narrow finish for the........WIN.

Looks like Menchov put some time into Evans?

Wheeewww that was such a nasttttty stage. Fun to watch, but I'm sure brutal as hell to ride.

Looks like Menchov put some time into Evans?


no. you have it backwords.

30-plus seconds from Evans to Menchov
The CSC boys put some time into Menchov, but could not shake Evans

later.

Looks like Menchov put some time into Evans?

If you mean Evans put time into Menchov sure...
:D

Looks like Menchov lost 30s or so on the descent. I think that puts Evans in really good shape for the TT. I think Menchov need to be closer to Evans for the TT. Feel sorry for Vandevelde. I hope he can still get a top 10. I wonder whether the climbers will gain enough on Evans tomorrow? Remember that Menchov needs to gain time on him too!

vandevelde lost 2:31 to schleck.

He'll need to ride out of his skin tomorrow if he wants to wear yellow.

Bummed about Vandevelde. He looked like he was hanging in there just fine for a while. That's a lot of time...

Augustin's wreck had potential to be way more brutal, but it was still insane.

I'm impressed with Evans though, the Schleck duo is fighting hard and he's still hanging in there.

a long shot, i know, but maybe with vandevelde 3 minutes back he won't be chased tomorrow?

longer shot...menchov, evans and schleck all bonk on the second climb

From cyclingnews...

"Garmin-Chipotle's leader Christian Vande Velde also crashed during the stage, and lost 2'36" on the yellow jersey group."

Was he dropped or did he crash and couldn't get back to the group?

From cyclingnews...

"Garmin-Chipotle's leader Christian Vande Velde also crashed during the stage, and lost 2'36" on the yellow jersey group."

Was he dropped or did he crash and couldn't get back to the group?

Both, was dropped on the climb and crashed on the decent trying to chase back on

Kohl looked like he was ready to go at anytime in the last 3k of the climb, I think he will be the best of the favorites tomorow. Evans on the other hand looked to be laboring towards the top and I sense that he will loose time on Kohl, Sastre & the Schlecks.

To bad VDV couldn't hang with them today, He'll still finish well but the overall may have just slipped away. Menchov losing time was a little surprising, at least for me. I'm sure he'll be in the thick of it tomorrow.

That decent was crazy, to bad for Augustin, Barloworld has had no luck in this tour. It's fortunate that there wasn't more serious issues. It was fun to watch though.

Excellent stage for Dessel, he had to win won sooner or later.

I loved the shot of Voight dropping back to the yellow group, jersey stuffed with water bottles. "Andy? Carlos? Sorry, Bernard... Frank?"

20 minutes later we see Kohl cursing and desperately calling out for water. :lol:

What an entertaining stage! The image of Augustyn deciding to climb up without a bike was also great, in a tragic sort of way. I think his bike is still tumbling down the mountain!