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The Pro Cycling Thread
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Cissy Fairfax
07-07-2013
Froome and Porte all alone for Sky at the moment. Chance here for Movistar and Katusha.

This is only the first of 5 climbs and a cat 2.
aggs
07-07-2013
Originally Posted by SJB 2007:
“Saying that... Froome looks isolated... Interesting!”

All Froome has to do is stay with his main contenders today. It's not a mountain top finish so the opportunity for getting shed loads of time back is not really there so much.

Tomorrow is a rest day and then at least 4 rolling stages until the next big asks. Plenty of recovery time.
SJB 2007
07-07-2013
Froome needs to keep Porte with him... The other teams look like they working together.

Something will crack today...

Tour back on?
John259
07-07-2013
Originally Posted by aggs:
“Tomorrow is a rest day and then at least 4 rolling stages until the next big asks.”

There's an individual time trial on Wednesday though.
SJB 2007
07-07-2013
Originally Posted by aggs:
“All Froome has to do is stay with his main contenders today. It's not a mountain top finish so the opportunity for getting shed loads of time back is not really there so much.

Tomorrow is a rest day and then at least 4 rolling stages until the next big asks. Plenty of recovery time.”

The Peloton need to try something i believe... If they work together, something might happen today.

The way the rest of the Sky Team fall apart on that first climb was a bit shocking imho.
aggs
07-07-2013
Originally Posted by John259:
“There's an individual time trial on Wednesday though.”

True, but I think that a lot of the team will just ride round - I can't see Contador or Valverde taking time out of Froome in a time trial.

If Thomas or Martin have recovered enough I could imagine them giving it a good go, but at the minute the main contenders to Froome aren't the people who can get that amount of time in 20 miles.
aggs
07-07-2013
Originally Posted by SJB 2007:
“The Peloton need to try something i believe... If they work together, something might happen today.

The way the rest of the Sky Team fall apart on that first climb was a bit shocking imho.”

Oh, for sure - the peloton are going to be trying to break Sky, as they should

Sky had a phenomenal day yesterday and that is going to take it out of them. They will have recced the route and decided that it was the stage to get the time on and today a stage that could technically be sacrificed to recovery.
Mystical123
07-07-2013
Have the peleton broken Sky already today? Surely Froome is in trouble if Porte can't get back with him... and they really need Kennaugh too, that crash was unlucky. All depends how much Froome has left in the tank after yesterday I guess.

Could end up being a day of just limiting losses to the extent that he can claw back in the time trial, which he's presumably going to win or at least come top 3 in...
jcafcw
07-07-2013
If they can't take time out of Froome today then I think the Tour really will be all over baring a collapse from Froome.
aggs
07-07-2013
Originally Posted by Mystical123:
“Have the peleton broken Sky already today? Surely Froome is in trouble if Porte can't get back with him... and they really need Kennaugh too, that crash was unlucky. All depends how much Froome has left in the tank after yesterday I guess.

Could end up being a day of just limiting losses to the extent that he can claw back in the time trial, which he's presumably going to win or at least come top 3 in...”

Froome is really only in trouble if he has a mechanical and needs pacing back, really, I think.

The situation obviously isn't ideal but I don't think it's as drastic as is being commentated.

It's a long downhill run to the finish which takes the sting out of the stage.
jcafcw
07-07-2013
Froome made a mistake there I think.

Let Valverde go and ask Contador what are you going to do about?

You still won't be in the yellow Alberto if you let him go.
Mystical123
07-07-2013
Valverde's too close in GC to let go, he could have ended up staying away, especially with team mates around him. Froome made the right call to go after him, though it is also playing into Valverde's hands as Froome hasn't got any help to chase down.

But Evans has managed to claw himself back, so Porte might be able to as well. I do think Froome will be vulnerable if he goes into the next climbs without any of his team there, and Porte's the only one capable of getting back to him. Sky's lack of strength in depth is really showing here - last year this wouldn't have happened. But Froome is capable of dealing with it if he doesn't have to over-exert himself doing too many chases too early, and he's a decent descender so he can afford to let rivals get up to about a minute up the road, though obviously he won't want to do that at all.

I expect Valverde will try again, and maybe Contador's saving himself for the final climb...


Have to say though, looks as if Sky have made a bad team selection error in not having enough decent climbers - there are far too many mountain stages left for them to be able to cope with this type of stage repeatedly. Hopefully the rest day will help Porte and Kennaugh, but they can't help Froome defend the jersey alone. Boasson Hagen is good for the flat stages, but most of the rest of Sky have been pretty anonymous so far, and their lack of depth on these mountain stages is startlingly poor.
swingaleg
07-07-2013
Just starting on the 3rd climb and immediately the Sky group stat going backwards again after catching up 2 minutes on the flatter section

With 3 climbs left, including this one, I don't think there's much chance Sky will get back to the Froome group now

Froome will be in a lot of trouble later when the teams start firing off their GC contenders and he has to chase every one of them down................I guess he has to be clever and maybe let someone go, try to pick the right one to let go..........and hopefully the other GC contenders will then work with him to bring them back.
swingaleg
07-07-2013
Sean has a mouthful of cake...............Carlton asks him a question

Shades of TMS

Sky are dong OK.............they're holding the gap if not catching up. If they can hold the gap on the climb they might be able to catch up on the next downhill and flatter bit
swingaleg
07-07-2013
Oops...............looks like Porte and Kennaugh have cracked again on climb 3..............

What a great stage !.................
jcafcw
07-07-2013
Froome will be quite happy to sit in the pack. They still have to attack him and then he decides who to cover.

How is Valverde in TTs?

You could let him go for a minute and mark Contador as Contador will have to mark Valverde. Let Saxo do the work.
aggs
07-07-2013
I seem to think Valverde has won TT's in the past. He's certainly better than Contador - but not good enough to get a minute and a half back on Froome in 20 miles.
Mystical123
07-07-2013
Great work from Froome to show the other teams they're going to have to do even more than they tried today in order to take the yellow jersey from him.

I would guess he and Valverde will be able to give themselves a bit more breathing space from the rest of the GC contenders during the time trial, so the Alps could well be a Movistar v Sky showdown to decide the Tour. Or Movistar v Froome...

Sky have some serious regrouping to do on the rest day, they can't afford to let another day like today happen in the Alps - even if Froome thinks he'd be capable of handling it, it will only be as an absolute last resort. They need to get Porte and Kennaugh back to the strength they showed yesterday.
afx237vi
07-07-2013
Kiryienka outside the time limit and David Lopez collapsed at the finish according to Twitter.
Mystical123
07-07-2013
Originally Posted by afx237vi:
“Kiryienka outside the time limit and David Lopez collapsed at the finish according to Twitter.”

Uh oh, Sky were probably hoping for Kiryienka to recover in case they're forced to do some of the pacemaking on the flat on Tues...

Will he get reprieved and given a fine like Cavendish has on a few occasions, or eliminated? I guess it doesn't look great for him as the autobus came in 10 mins within the time. Am I right in thinking that Thomas made it within the time?


ETA: I see Sky's twitter says Kiryienka won't be able to continue. That's another problem Froome doesn't need! And a bit of a boost for Movistar after their failure to capitalise today.
shoestring25
07-07-2013
today showed what a great rider froome is that he was able to do it alone without the support of a team. the sky team really cracked today and showed there not as strong as last year
afx237vi
07-07-2013
Originally Posted by shoestring25:
“today showed what a great rider froome is that he was able to do it alone without the support of a team. the sky team really cracked today and showed there not as strong as last year”

I think it was more like Movistar's failure to capitalise, tbh. All Froome had to do was sit there. I dunno why he was even concerned about Quintana, considering his descending ability. It was a wasted day for Valverde.
Mystical123
07-07-2013
Originally Posted by afx237vi:
“ I dunno why he was even concerned about Quintana, considering his descending ability. It was a wasted day for Valverde.”

He would have been concerned about the possibility of Valverde getting across a gap to join Quintana, but yes, I thought it strange how the commentators didn't pick up on Quintana's lack of descent ability today. Froome did have to cover anyone within a couple of minutes of him on GC though to show his intent to defend the yellow jersey, and Movistar asked a few questions of him but not enough.
SJB 2007
07-07-2013
Contador and Valverde don't have a chance to beat Froome with or without teamates imho... He is so strong.

After the TT. Movistar and Saxo bank will have to have a think who they are backing.

Quintana has looked fantastic, but has to keep stopping because Valverde is an old grandad!

Sorry, but i don't think Contador has it at all... The Tour will be over for him after the TT. He will have to show a huge leap in form... He hasn't shown any this year... At least i haven't seen it!

As for today.... Movistar blew it because of Valverde.

On the final climb they should have sent a man up the road, and then sent Quintana after him. Froome would have to have check him.

In the end they settled for knocking out Porte, and 2nd place.... Oh, and giving Froome a pretty easy last 50-60km's :/
SJB 2007
07-07-2013
Originally Posted by shoestring25:
“today showed what a great rider froome is that he was able to do it alone without the support of a team. the sky team really cracked today and showed there not as strong as last year”

Agreed, they are not as strong, but i never expected anything as bad as that.

Boasson Hagen is a wreck, what on earth is up with him?

As for Lopez and Siutsou. They are about as much use as a chocolate teapot at the moment.

Thankfully for Sky, the other teams don't know their arses from their elbows!
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