stevesurf

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

2wheeled

Ricco ftw with the favorites looking at each other to see who'll break first.

Suzie Green

You stole my pick! OK, I'll go with Sastre instead. I would have taken Valverde but I think he'll be too well marked and I'm not sure a 2nd category climb is enough to just ride away.

marin1

A. Schleck

acape

Breakaway will stick tomorrow, Voeckler will be in it. GC contenders will hang tight.

stevesurf

I know, somewhat longshots, but I'm going with either Vandevelde or Kirchen. I don't think anyone can predict the outcome of uphill attacks and an uphill finish.

gapowermike

Voeckler for the KOM points. Tomorrow should be the first real GC action.

ultraman6970

wonder if evans will have legs for this one tomorrow. Now that the colombian guy is out probably we will see a lot of attachs and stuff comming from the spanish riders. Not frenchs tomorrow.

bac

+1

... Brad

marqueemoon

I'll go with Frank Schleck with Valverde making up some of the time he lost in the TT.

Breakaway gets caught at the foot of the last climb. Sorry, Jens.

roadwarrior

For the real GC guys, this is a good workout. For the guys that can't climb, it will be a bit of a struggle. As will tomorrow. The Massif is no fun. Not sustained climbs like the big mountains, but somwhat steep and they come in bunches. The next few stages will loosen up the times a bit.

The real race starts on stage 10.

RockyMtnMerlin

Cyclingnews reminded us that Abduwhatever won here the last time. So if he could win, the climb should not eliminate all of the sprinters. Might be a very interesting finale.

teetopkram

Hmm....guess I was expecting more from this climb...seems a bit anti-climatic...boring even...

I just hope Ricco doesn't start running his mouth again...or wait...maybe I do to liven things up a bit.

bac

He only cries (that his team let him down) when he loses. Give him a few more stages.

... Brad

ridethecliche

The kids got spunk!

That was quite the stage. It doesn't mean anything yet, but I think it's cool how two garmin guys are smack dab in the top 5.

stevesurf

I totally agree; go Kirchen, the new mellow johnny!

Devil

I don't know about Ricco running his mouth after this stage, but you've got to laugh at the way he treats the podium girls and "dignitaries." He didn't bother to kiss one podium girl today and it took him all of two seconds to shake hands with every old "dignitary" on the platform.

GGDub

Wow, I didn't think it was possible but Evans is sucking even more wheel the last year.

Nice attack by Vandevelde, too bad there was a downhill and a flat right after, it killed their momentum big time.

mikey71469

" Wow, I didn't think it was possible but Evans is sucking even more wheel the last year. "

He doesn't have much choice; his team is useless on any road that goes up.

Nickel

Very exciting stage but I feel bad for Schumacher.

ridethecliche

I think it's funny that he fell when he hit kirchen's wheel and Kirchen's now in yellow.

He was too close to the barriers, he should have known better. He didn't have anywhere to when Kim had to move over due to the guy in front of him zig zagging.

marin1

Yeah not a good move, he should read bike forums to learn how to race properly.

Nickel

I guess that's why you always protect your front wheel.

Allen H

Was Schumacher hurt? I'm traveling and won't get to see today's stage.

Pedaleur

Naw. He got clipped with 300m to go and lost 25 seconds and the yellow. There was a bit of confusion when Valverde's last man (Periero?) swerved off at a corner. Valverde initially followed him and then swung to the right, and the whole group swung with him, and Kirchen and Schumacher touched wheels.