TdF Stage 20 - Saturday July 25 - 167 km - Montélimar → Mont Ventoux
07-25-09, 09:39 AM
#251
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But seriously, Contador should have layed the smack down, hard, on Andy. To me, it's still in question whether or not Contador is as dominant as many people make him out to be.
If I'm not mistaken, this was the first year AC rode head-to-head against AS and 21 seconds at the end of a first week stage isn't necessarily setting in stone that AC can drop AS (talking 2+ minute time-gap on a mountain stage). It did seem apparent that AS cannot drop AC, however.
Basically, if AS improves on other aspects such as his ITT skills and can simply not get dropped by AC, like he did this year, it's going to be close in the future. Couple that with AC's tendency to make simple mistakes (like not eating
), it provides the backdrop for a great drama going forward in my humble opinion.
If I'm not mistaken, this was the first year AC rode head-to-head against AS and 21 seconds at the end of a first week stage isn't necessarily setting in stone that AC can drop AS (talking 2+ minute time-gap on a mountain stage). It did seem apparent that AS cannot drop AC, however.
Basically, if AS improves on other aspects such as his ITT skills and can simply not get dropped by AC, like he did this year, it's going to be close in the future. Couple that with AC's tendency to make simple mistakes (like not eating
), it provides the backdrop for a great drama going forward in my humble opinion.Contador learned a lot during this tour and today was a great example.
07-25-09, 09:45 AM
#252
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Contador is as dominant as people think, myself now included. Does anyone really think that he couldn't have laid down the law today? Andy and Frank were suffering today. Armstrong was simply amazing and I really feel the 2nd best rider in the tour.
Contador learned a lot during this tour and today was a great example.
Contador learned a lot during this tour and today was a great example.
schleck or contador should have won that stage and i think contador would have easily because of all the energy that schleck expended attacking.
boring stage. very PC ending.
ed rader
07-25-09, 09:49 AM
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contador could have ridden away from schleck or at least blown the race wide apart at the end taking only schleck with him.
schleck or contador should have won that stage and i think contador would have easily because of all the energy that schleck expended attacking.
boring stage. very PC ending.
ed rader
schleck or contador should have won that stage and i think contador would have easily because of all the energy that schleck expended attacking.
boring stage. very PC ending.
ed rader
07-25-09, 09:59 AM
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ed rader
07-25-09, 10:04 AM
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Contador is as dominant as people think, myself now included. Does anyone really think that he couldn't have laid down the law today? Andy and Frank were suffering today. Armstrong was simply amazing and I really feel the 2nd best rider in the tour.Contador learned a lot during this tour and today was a great example.
The best rider is clearly Alberto Contador, second best was Andy Schleck. Lance rode a great race. But was the 3rd best rider. There is nothing to support the argument that he was 2nd. Not if you actually watched the race.
07-25-09, 10:10 AM
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No matter how we look at it, next year's TDF is going to be VERY interesting.
Looking forward to the Schleck - Contador duel in the mountains next year.
Hopefully he can improve his (Andy) tt'ing until then.
Looking forward to the Schleck - Contador duel in the mountains next year.
Hopefully he can improve his (Andy) tt'ing until then.
07-25-09, 10:14 AM
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07-25-09, 10:15 AM
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Frank Schleck ruined this stage. Andy and Alberto would've been ripping up the mountain if Andy had not been waiting for his brother, with AC marking him. Too bad, I was really hoping Frank could put on a show and make it interesting.
Also, I wish Nibali had gone for it after he joined AC and AS, but before the rest of the group caught up. He had ditched the people who cared, and it was his only chance to move up. Besides, I really like him!
Also, I wish Nibali had gone for it after he joined AC and AS, but before the rest of the group caught up. He had ditched the people who cared, and it was his only chance to move up. Besides, I really like him!
07-25-09, 10:18 AM
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The course was terrible. Had there been the usual number of mountain top finishes I think we would have had a much better race.
The race was boring because basically it was the Schleks v. Team Astana which limited the attacks and was the reason why some many stages were won by non-GC'ers including Ventoux
The race was boring because basically it was the Schleks v. Team Astana which limited the attacks and was the reason why some many stages were won by non-GC'ers including Ventoux
07-25-09, 10:21 AM
#263
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But seriously, Contador should have layed the smack down, hard, on Andy. To me, it's still in question whether or not Contador is as dominant as many people make him out to be.
If I'm not mistaken, this was the first year AC rode head-to-head against AS and 21 seconds at the end of a first week stage isn't necessarily setting in stone that AC can drop AS (talking 2+ minute time-gap on a mountain stage). It did seem apparent that AS cannot drop AC, however.
Basically, if AS improves on other aspects such as his ITT skills and can simply not get dropped by AC, like he did this year, it's going to be close in the future. Couple that with AC's tendency to make simple mistakes (like not eating), it provides the backdrop for a great drama going forward in my humble opinion.
If I'm not mistaken, this was the first year AC rode head-to-head against AS and 21 seconds at the end of a first week stage isn't necessarily setting in stone that AC can drop AS (talking 2+ minute time-gap on a mountain stage). It did seem apparent that AS cannot drop AC, however.
Basically, if AS improves on other aspects such as his ITT skills and can simply not get dropped by AC, like he did this year, it's going to be close in the future. Couple that with AC's tendency to make simple mistakes (like not eating
), it provides the backdrop for a great drama going forward in my humble opinion.No reason for Contador to do anything but mark Andy. Contador was VERY dominant in this tour.
I look forward to years of Alberto versus Andy.
07-25-09, 10:22 AM
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armstrong was fortunate that andy was concerned about dropping his brother and contador didn't drop the hammer .... but in all likelihood LA probably still would have made the podium because the older schleck and wiggins were at their limits.
what a yawner.........
ed rader
07-25-09, 10:25 AM
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armstrong was fortunate that andy was concerned about dropping his brother and contador didn't drop the hammer .... but in all likelihood LA probably still would have made the podium because the older schleck and wiggins were at their limits.
what a yawner.........
ed rader
what a yawner.........
ed rader
07-25-09, 10:30 AM
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07-25-09, 10:30 AM
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ed rader
07-25-09, 10:38 AM
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Tony Martin rode a great Tour as well.
Wiggins was an impressive surprise. Cadel and Sastre were disappointing.
Andy Schleck was trying to get his brother third place. He had no chance at all of getting first and very little chance of losing second.
07-25-09, 10:44 AM
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armstrong was fortunate that andy was concerned about dropping his brother and contador didn't drop the hammer .... but in all likelihood LA probably still would have made the podium because the older schleck and wiggins were at their limits.
what a yawner.........
ed rader
what a yawner.........
ed rader
07-25-09, 10:50 AM
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Same in all forms of racing. If your leading in points you don't need to crash out in the last days of the season.
07-25-09, 10:58 AM
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the only person who could have animated the race was AC. but he chose not to. hell i'm up now. i've got to get my gear ready for a wedding this afternoon. i have to go out of town and it's going to be a long day...
man i wish i would have slept in........
ed rader
man i wish i would have slept in........
ed rader
07-25-09, 10:59 AM
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But it sure would have made for a HELL of a more exciting finish if he did go for it. Too conservative for my tastes, especially since the last stage is a flat snooze-fest.
Or maybe Contador was also close to his limit, but because he internalizes pain, no one could tell?
07-25-09, 11:01 AM
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ed rader
07-25-09, 11:12 AM
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TV coverage showed at least two times when AC had a quick grimace on his face in the last couple of km - made me wonder if he wasn't close to his limit (since Andy had REALLY accelerated a couple of times, which had to be tough breaks to cover).
07-25-09, 11:23 AM
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And it is not unusual for breaks to win big Mountain Top finishes. It happens all the time.
What to do? Just make it a TT like they did Le Alpe du Huez that one year? I think one mountain top finish TT per year would be a nice addition to the tour.