[LordOpie]

WTF is with Disco? How does the team leader find himself all alone with a mechanical? If Levi is the leader, how is there not a domestique with him to donate his bike to Levi at any moment?

Also, what a crash with Rodgers and Arroyo. And Arroyo flies into the woods and then catches back up with Rasmussen. Amazing. And that's with Arroyo getting some medical treatment on his bloody hand.

But Disco needs to make some decisions and re-group, cuz that's some sloppy "team" work.

And O'Grady's crash. A lot of mess today.

 

[dhmike]

i totally agree with you on there should have been a domestique backing up levi today. the rogers crash was pretty bad it looked like arroyo got the worst, but he got right back to racing .i was kind of surprised that rogers is done.

 

[LordOpie]

did you see the fvcking puncture in Rodgers' hand? Nasty!

And that push that Levi got from the support vehicle was too much eventho I'm a Disco fan. That excuse that he was getting a saddle adjustment was dumb. If true, then WTF? Cuz how does the support vehicle not have a bike specifically set for their "star"?

And McEwen didn't finish in time, wow.

 

[reflux]

Crazy stage fo sho, but fun as hell to watch.

It's a damn shame that Rogers had to abandon the race. It was tough to watch him get off the bike with tears streaming down his face. The pain and anguish came through the television all too well.

If this is how a clean peloton reacts when it hits the Alps, how bad are things going to be when it hits the real mountains (Pyr)?

 

[douglas]

And that push that Levi got from the support vehicle was too much eventho I'm a Disco fan. That excuse that he was getting a saddle adjustment was dumb. If true, then WTF? Cuz how does the support vehicle not have a bike specifically set for their "star"?

.

following riders fined 50 CHF, penalized 5 points and 10 seconds for illegal bidon pulls: Leipheimer and Gusev (both Discovery Channel), Mercado (Agritubel), Wiggins (Cofidis), Jegou (FDJeux), Camano (Saunier Duval)
Leipheimer (Discovery Channel), fined 50 CHF for irregular mechanical assistance
Discovery Channel sport director fined 200 CHF for above offenses
sport directors from T-Mobile and Euskaltel fined 100 CHF each for driving infractions

 

[Echo]

Good to see Cadel hanging tough so far in the hills. Maybe this is his year!

 

[LordOpie]

So did anyone else think that Mayo was a tool for cooperating so little in the chase group and then 'stealing' second place?

I understand that's "strategy", but if I was any of those guys and found myself near him over the next two weeks, I'd ride his wheel and help him in return not at all.

 

[Echo]

That whole chase group was pretty much acting like asshats. If they had worked together they could have easily run down Rasmussen.

 

[dhmike]

did you see the fvcking puncture in Rodgers' hand? Nasty!

sorry opie , i missed the puncture.

 

[MtnbikeMike]

So did anyone else think that Mayo was a tool for cooperating so little in the chase group and then 'stealing' second place?

I understand that's "strategy", but if I was any of those guys and found myself near him over the next two weeks, I'd ride his wheel and help him in return not at all.

Sure, I thought he pulled a dick move, but then there was Valverde stealing 3rd as well.

 

[DRB]

WTF is with Disco? How does the team leader find himself all alone with a mechanical? If Levi is the leader, how is there not a domestique with him to donate his bike to Levi at any moment?

I'm thinking the Levi isn't as "protected" as Discovery might have indicated. Contador was/is looking much stronger than Levi right now. The way he rode away from Menchov and Sastre after the flat....

 

[DRB]

So did anyone else think that Mayo was a tool for cooperating so little in the chase group and then 'stealing' second place?

I understand that's "strategy", but if I was any of those guys and found myself near him over the next two weeks, I'd ride his wheel and help him in return not at all.

I'd say that of all that group that did nothing and earned the ire of group was Evans. He didn't chase anything down plus half the time he was in the way of those trying to chase guys down. At least Mayo attacked a couple of times and he did chase Moreau down more than once.

 

[LordOpie]

I'm thinking the Levi isn't as "protected" as Discovery might have indicated. Contador was/is looking much stronger than Levi right now. The way he rode away from Menchov and Sastre after the flat....

Are you suggesting some trickery from Disco? Like Contador has always been the intended GC, but they told everyone it was Levi so Contador could sneak into yellow before Disco openly defended him?

 

[OGRipper]

I'm thinking the Levi isn't as "protected" as Discovery might have indicated. Contador was/is looking much stronger than Levi right now. The way he rode away from Menchov and Sastre after the flat....

Yeah, that's one problem with the "wait and see who is best" approach. Also, not sure if it's true or not but the commentators said Levi's personal spare bike was up the road, so he had to grab a more generic team bike that wasn't dialed in for him.

 

[MtnbikeMike]

On a side note...anybody see CSC's new wristbands? frikkin' awesome

 

[reflux]

On a side note...anybody see CSC's new wristbands? frikkin' awesome

Link?

 

[MtnbikeMike]

at the bottom of the page

 

[reflux]

at the bottom of the page

Thanks. Wouldn't "hurry the f@<k up" make more sense?

 

[MtnbikeMike]

Those are still being tested.

 

[LordOpie]

"Stuart (O'Grady) brought them for the team in London and asked everyone to wear them," said Team CSC rider Frank Schleck. "If it's tough, we look at the wristband and we do what it says. When it gets hard, you harden up. So far it's worked pretty good."

A lot of good that did him with broken ribs, vertebrae and collar bone.


How about: "Don't Crash!" wristbands? I have one.

 

[SPINTECK]

A lot of good that did him with broken ribs, vertebrae and collar bone.


How about: "Don't Crash!" wristbands? I have one.

Exactly!! I love Stewey, but he's messing w/his Karma with negative "Fvck" statements.

Back to the Mayo statement that I'm too lazy to quote- Mayo did a good move b/c he knew everyone but Moroe was there to screw that group up. I really think Valverde made a mistake and should have worked w/Moroe- i didn't think sastra and shlek were that much better than valverde.

I'd like to see Keshiken become leader of Astana and open up the turbos. My bet is that guy is a monster.

 

[LordOpie]

I'd like to see Keshiken become leader of Astana and open up the turbos. My bet is that guy is a monster.

Speaking of such things, will Linus become the new leader of TMO? I mean, he's in 2nd and two of the top three are out, yeah? I'd like for them to do that. I'd even root for the kid to get the Yellow and White jerseys. Has anyone done that before?

 

[reflux]

Speaking of such things, will Linus become the new leader of TMO? I mean, he's in 2nd and two of the top three are out, yeah? I'd like for them to do that. I'd even root for the kid to get the Yellow and White jerseys. Has anyone done that before?

Can he TT? It'll be interesting to see how he holds up to the big dog climbs next week. He was clearly suffering yesterday after the great ride the day before.

 

[reflux]

Those are still being tested.

True. I wonder if the backup wristbands say: Gnarcore. For when hard isn't enough.

 

[James]

Exactly!! I love Stewey, but he's messing w/his Karma with negative "Fvck" statements.

Back to the Mayo statement that I'm too lazy to quote- Mayo did a good move b/c he knew everyone but Moroe was there to screw that group up. I really think Valverde made a mistake and should have worked w/Moroe- i didn't think sastra and shlek were that much better than valverde.

I'd like to see Keshiken become leader of Astana and open up the turbos. My bet is that guy is a monster.

I'd kinda like to see a return to the climbing monster Mayo of old I guess.
I think that the Chicken needs to have some *amazing* days in the mountains to stand a chance, based on his TT ability. Unless he's really been working on it over the last year, which if I was him, I would...

As much as I want Vino to take it this year, if he can't, having Kash there is probably a pretty solid anchor for the team. Though being that far down probably means that Vino will be an attack monster again this year...

 

[GravityFreakTJ]

Oh man teh Chicken legged one had to TT soon I really hope he has been workin on it ...ALOT. It was painful to watch last year and i really felt for the guy.


On another note...i want one of those wristbands!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:biggrin: :biggrin: :biggrin:

 

[OGRipper]

Drunkcyclist.com has been selling black "Livewrong" bracelets since Big Tex started selling the yellow ones.

Linus has huge potential and it will be interesting to see what he can do. I personally don't expect much in terms of the overall but won't be surprised if he has another good day or two.

I would love to see Rasmussen kick ass in the TT - and by that I mean stay upright and not lose too much time. A lot of the GC contenders seem to be holding back while they wait for the final week and I won't be surprised if it turns out that they gave up too much.

 

[James]

Drunkcyclist.com has been selling black "Livewrong" bracelets since Big Tex started selling the yellow ones.

Linus has huge potential and it will be interesting to see what he can do. I personally don't expect much in terms of the overall but won't be surprised if he has another good day or two.

I would love to see Rasmussen kick ass in the TT - and by that I mean stay upright and not lose too much time. A lot of the GC contenders seem to be holding back while they wait for the final week and I won't be surprised if it turns out that they gave up too much.

I think that everyone looking ahead to the Pyranees and their knees are shaking a little bit.
It'll be interesting, one of the better tours in some years, with a bunch of favorites out, who knows what'll happen?

 

[SPINTECK]

I've always been a Mayo fan, but he just can't keep it together for a few days, let alone a few weeks. He is due though.


I looked at the pyrenees profile today and they are truely wicked. I don't remember any stages being that hard in the past, but I"ve never really analyzed them before.


Going to be exciting that is for sure.