Jquest

Second day they end up together. I think those two are in cahoots together. It's like " Hey Sammy. Stick to my wheel and you'll end up in second as long as I get first. You just have to pull when it's your turn."

SunSwingsLow

he sucked wheels of strong riders.

xfimpg

Funny... every time i watch Bernard Hinault on the podium shaking the riders' hands, he has this look of "If I was still riding, I would tear you a new A, boy."

diphthong

truth.

Kind of Blued

Contador and Sanchez aren't trying to keep it a secret. Neither of them have any teammates with the ability to be there when they're needed apparently, so they might as well help each other out. Although if it had been Leopard-Trek, they would have had Perez drop back to help Sanchez.

Contador is basically riding solo, meanwhile, the fact that the Schlecks have the best team in the world around them just makes their mediocrity more pathetic.

DXchulo

Exciting stuff today. Love them or hate them, you have to give the Schlecks credit for not losing time there. I'm surprised Evans wasn't up there with Sanchez and Contador. Evans could have helped on those flat final 3k and it wouldn't have hurt him to have a little more time on the Schlecks.

They showed an interview with Contador and he's looking confident going into the next 2 stages.

DXchulo

Yeah, we know Sanchez and Contador have a partnership going on, but take that away and it would still make perfect sense for them to help each other out there. They're both better descenders than the Schlecks and they both need time on GC. They're pretty close in time and Sanchez has been looking strong, so he's not not just helping Contador, he's helping himself.

TommyL

Yes, he won me a t-shirt today! I was afraid to write his name down after writing him down yesterday and being wrong.

+1. It seems like when the GC favorites look around and see someone is missing, it should be game on. Like yesterday when Contador attacked, and there were 6. Basso didn't make the jump, so I thought they would all work together to drop him. 1 down 5 to go. The Spaniards are working together, but any two GC guys in that position are smart to work together.

SouthFLpix

Terrible day for Voeckler. He is now vulnerable to Evans in the TT. Evans is the man to beat in the Alps. Everyone, including Voeckler, needs to attack him.

Gutsy win for Eddy Boason Hagen. He can climb pretty darn well for someone that has a good sprint.

USAZorro

Pretty sad work on the cameras to not show the Evans group pull back Contador and Sanchez. Had to have been Evans and Basso doing most of the work to pull things back.

globecanvas

Fun stage, and I know there was a lot going on as Contador/Sanchez came into the final km, but total TV fail not to show *any* of the Evans/Schleck chase group until they were suddenly crossing the line at the same time. Contador and Sanchez were going hard, I thought the chase was 30 seconds back. The chase must have been seriously busting ass.

[edit] heh USAZorro, synchronicity.

globecanvas

BTW I am liking Sammy Sanchez more each day. I would pick him for a podium spot at 11/4 (current odds).

taricha

Random slightly humorous thing I found while looking for some video of the chase that caught contador/sanchez: Stage 17 Tommy V. "interview"

C_Heath

Im tired of this Voekler "I cant win, I have zero chance" hes trying to bury himself while yet staying under the radar. I aint stupid. Go cadel (since andys fallen so far back)

SunSwingsLow

So now tonight when Cadel goes nighty night he has to be thinking, uh-oh AC looks strong. This could cause him to ride a touch tight and then when AC starts putting the attacks him cause him to push into the red and lose a bigger amount of time.

Also...seems the BMC boys have taken control of the Peleton when it counts. Leopard Trek may have riden themselves to hard to early in this TdF only to realize they dont have the strongest GC contenders.

SunSwingsLow

also i would say the Podium wil be AC/Cadel in 1/2 or 2/1 and Sanchez will grab 3rd Voeckler 5th and FS 5th(maybe)

Laggard

My all time favorite tour stage was in 1992 when Chiappuci won at Sestrieres. To this day it's the most people I've ever seen at a TDF stage.

OrionKhan

Yeah, Tommy keeps throwing out the "I'm not even thinking about the podium" card. He is climbing surprisingly well. Every time there is a big attack, he always seems to be covering it fairly well. He may go into the ITT with a diminished lead and lose it there.

billydonn

Awesome fun viewing today! Great contrast between the wide open valley road and the little country lane. Agree that it is regrettable that the cameras missed Cadel and the Schlecks chasing down Contador and Sanchez. I have no idea who will win this thing but it should really be fun to watch!