[LordOpie]

Advance discussion of what and who. I'm friggin' psyched! This is going to be a monster stage.

Predictions? Concerns? Will this stage be the one that decides the tour? Or will the TT on Saturday be more relevant than ever?

I'm gonna say that the tour is won or lost on this stage. The stage ends on a serious uphill after several climbs. Chunks of time will be won or lost.

The only question is, should I call in sick tomorrow?

 

[Westy]

It seems that Ras winning with his possible doping scandal would be bad for the sport. I wonder if some of the teams will work together to take him down?

 

[OGRipper]

In the words of Paul: This might not be a day to win the Tour, but it's definitely a day to lose the Tour.

I will not be surprised to see a break get up the road and stick. There are a lot of people who need to salvage something from the race and the main GC guys will be marking each other for most of the day. It will also be interesting to see how the rest day treats the riders.

I want to see an epic battle with lots of fireworks and a final selection of the main GC guys early on the Aubisque. It is 16K, lots of road to get time on anyone who is hurting, and lots of time to pull back any moves by the contenders. Disco will need Popo to be there for sure.

It would be great to see Hincapie hang long enough to lend a hand...it would be even better to see Hincapie get in a break and win the stage...

There is no question for me that the TT on Saturday will be hugely important.

 

[luelling]

I bet we are going to see some hard driving at the front by Disco. They need to wittle down Rabobank and isolate Ras so Contador can attack the hell out of him and gain time. I wonder were we will see the big move? The climbs mid stage are hard, but that would be really early for a move by Contador. Maybe he'll try and go on the second to last climb.

What would be ideal would be to have a Disco guy in a breakaway, Contador attack and drop Ras and then have the Disco guy work for Contador the rest of the stage.

 

[Westy]

I predict Levi will continue to sit on and not do a moment of real work. He still needs to recover from the .002 seconds he spent on the attack the other day.

 

[luelling]

I predict Levi will continue to sit on and not do a moment of real work. He still needs to recover from the .002 seconds he spent on the attack the other day.

LMAO!!!

 

[golgiaparatus]

I think disco will attack and try to isolate Rassmussen. Whewn they do they will attack with Everyone that is left, namely Popo, Levi and Contador, in that order.

The smart move that I see is for them to isolate rass and attack with popo with levi on his wheel. If rass counters make sure Contador is on his wheel... counter with Levi. Rass will have to follow, keep Contador on his wheel and then counter with repeated attacks by Contador. Then on Thursday Rass will be to tired to hang in the TT.

The likely move though is that Disco tries to isolate rass and the attacks hard with Contador, leaving Levi to grind up @ his own pace.

Wednesday is going to be good but the TT will decide who the winner will be.

Oh as for Evans... I predict that he and Chris grind up and try to limit damage. If they are smart they will simply follow the disco moves.

 

[luelling]

I bet Disco plays all their cards for Contador, he has a real shot at winning. Levi has proven he can't win the Tour. I can't believe he didn't work on his quick accelerations on climbs last winter, how do you expect to win the Tour when all you can do is grind along and let everyone else pace off of you? I quit believing in him last year when he lost a bunch of time in the first time trial, talk about choking

 

[Cant Climb]

I hope Mauricio Soler is up in the lead group.
That guy is a riot.

My new favorite rider........hope he's not a flash in the pan.

 

[LordOpie]

is this scenario unethical:

three riders, two from the same team, the three are rotating, they position as follows: team A's #1, #2, and then the other team's #1. Team A's #2 guy slows down and allows his team leader to take off and forcing the other guy to go around him.

Is that bad or strategy? Cuz I can see how easy that would be to isolate and hinder Ras considering that Disco has four guys who are working together deep into the mountain stage and Ras doesn't seem to have any help.

 

[Echo]

I wouldn't call that unethical at all, it probably happens all the time.

 

[Westy]

Blocking is considered very bad form and can be dangerous. If you mean simply not responding to an attack, that is different.

 

[GravityFreakTJ]

I can't wait for tomorrows stage. Contador just seems to have endless engery in his legs. Yesterday when he attacked eleventy million times ( altho to late in the climb) he had Chicken hurting. I think if it had came earlier he had a chance to put some time on him. All depends on how everyone comes off the rest day.

 

[Westy]

I can't wait for tomorrows stage. Contador just seems to have endless engery in his legs. Yesterday when he attacked eleventy million times ( altho to late in the climb) he had Chicken hurting. I think if it had came earlier he had a chance to put some time on him. All depends on how everyone comes off the rest day.

Nice signature.

 

[Echo]

Blocking is considered very bad form and can be dangerous. If you mean simply not responding to an attack, that is different.

Would it be blocking though? I'm not saying brake check the guy or move to stay in front of him. Just be between him and the guy who attacks.

 

[LordOpie]

Blocking is considered very bad form and can be dangerous. If you mean simply not responding to an attack, that is different.

What I'm suggesting is... Contador is in second position, George in third, Ras rolls back around to take up draft position, Contador bolts, George keeps same pace.

 

[Westy]

Would it be blocking though? I'm not saying brake check the guy or move to stay in front of him. Just be between him and the guy who attacks.

I don't see just being there as a problem but slowing the pace right when someone attacks or swerving to not let someon around is bad. That is why you stay right behind your most dangerous rival if they move ahead of you. You will sometimes see someone who has a teammate in a breakaway come to the front of the peloton when the sprinting teams give chase and slow down. They will get yelled at and forcefully pushed off the front.

 

[golgiaparatus]

I bet Disco plays all their cards for Contador, he has a real shot at winning. Levi has proven he can't win the Tour. I can't believe he didn't work on his quick accelerations on climbs last winter, how do you expect to win the Tour when all you can do is grind along and let everyone else pace off of you? I quit believing in him last year when he lost a bunch of time in the first time trial, talk about choking

I think they are going to try to put him in 3rd. Evans is going to be tired from having no support, rass is going to be tired from fending off Contador. I think levi can pass them both if he has a good TT. How good is it for a sponsor search when you have 2 of 3 places on the podium filled? Pratty damn good methinks.

Edit: I guess that would put him in 2nd... lol, even better.

 

[DRB]

What I'm suggesting is... Contador is in second position, George in third, Ras rolls back around to take up draft position, Contador bolts, George keeps same pace.

Absolutely nothing wrong with that.

 

[douglas]

its pretty common for your teammate try to slow others down

 

[DRB]

Would it be blocking though? I'm not saying brake check the guy or move to stay in front of him. Just be between him and the guy who attacks.

I like brake checking singlespeeders on climbs. I think that's funny.

 

[LordOpie]

I like brake checking singlespeeders on climbs. I think that's funny.

wonderfully evil

 

[Echo]

I like brake checking singlespeeders on climbs. I think that's funny.

I almost took out JBP on Saturday when he downshifted just as I was dropping the hammer on a climb. It actually was pretty funny.

 

[DRB]

The discovery press conference was good. Levi is a stand up guy. A team win is what he is saying is important. And that if he has to sacrifice himself to get it, he will.

Johan made a point of saying how great a tour Levi is having (the best he ever had) and that he feels bad to some extent that the things have come out the way they have. And that he appreciates the level of professionalism that Levi has shown.

 

[Wumpus]

It will also be interesting to see how the 'doctors' treated the riders.

fixed that for you.