[quote=“larryduff, post: 627636”]
thanks scrunchie. where are you getting these times? unable to find link on letour website.[/quote]
Overall:
- Roche @ 25"
- Martin @ 5’28"
I hope no one followed my advice to back Tom Danielson for top 10? He lost 9’11" today. (not a great number for an American either).
Thanks. Martin loses 5 minutes. Will allow him to have a right go in the mountains anyway.
Larry is imperious on this thread.
Good for Nico, Danielson and Sorenson are the kind of guys he is likely to be close to on GC.
Tweeted by Roche (7th):"@nicholasroche: Not happy with commisaires putting every one in same time. I dont think every one was caugh behind that crash at 500m. Not fare"
You’d have to agree. There was huge splits and maybe 6 or 7 caught in crash yet 58 given same time. No gain for anyone bursting themselves up that hill.
just saw a clip of the finish, one lad went on straight instead of turning into the last bend.
Indeed. Friend of the forum Jonathan Vaughters not happy either. Tough though to differentiate between those that were genuinely affected and those that were just off the pace.
It is a good thing Dan Martin lost a bit off time day, he will be let go in the breakaways in the mountains now.
Just watched a clip of the crash again on you tube and Wiggins was about 5 seconds behind the crash. He see’s the crash stops in front of it and pretends he is caught up in it. He then unclips his shoes and slowly cycles to the line. If the crash hadn’t happened he was losing 10 seconds plus. It’s bad luck on Evans, the 3km rule has to be looked into on uphill finishes like this.
Le Coq Sportif Yellow Jersey Contenders
Wiggins (11/8) - Never has he been in better form. Never has a route suited him as much. Never will a route suit him as much. Doubts remain however. He faded badly in third week of Vuelta last year and his grand tour pedigree while improving hasn’t been amazing. Has a strong team behind him but Wiggins can struggle to react to big accelerations and if isolated could suffer on climbs. Likely to gain minutes on all other contenders with possible exception of Evans against the clock
Evans (11/5) - Quiet enough season but that is perhaps is what is required. Performed well in the prologue and looked noticeably sharp today and in stage one where he was able to force things at head of peloton. Slightly stronger team this year. How fresh he arrives going into final time trial will be key
Menchov (14/1) - Hard to believe this guy is third favourite. While he is one of few with Grand Tour win to his name he hasn’t performed in a long time. Had a good prologue but I think he will struggle badly in mountains. I don’t think he can be assured to finish top ten nevermind win it
Nibali (14/1) - Another in good form with overall win at Tirreno-Adriatico and very credible performances in classics. His descening ability could well come into play looking at several of the stage profiles. He is a better time trialists than many too. Could well win imo and very generous odds of 3/1 to get a podium
Hesjedal (30/1) - Great to see a Garmin rider winning the Giro but it will be so hard to put two Grand Tour podiums back to back. Is a very good time trialist and encouraging signs this far. Team took a bit of damage today but Martin could be of great help.
Van Den Broeck (33/1) - Get the feeling he might improve as race goes on. He can really accelerate going uphill so could put Wiggins under pressure. Time trialiing isn’t good enough to win it though this year
Gesink (33/1) - Very impressive in California but competition was relatively poor. He is a poor descender and while improved against the clock he will leak time there too
Others: S Sanchez doesn’t look in great condition and route won’t suit him. Chris Froome will have to work for Wiggins and has lost time due to puncture. If he was on another team I’d give him a right good chance of podium. Brajkovic hasn’t reproduced his Dauphine showing of 2010 but he has been unlucky since then. Top five isn’t out of the question for him.
F Schleck (50/1) - Some typically annoying comments from him in the build up. Guy can climb but he is too mentally fragile and too shite against the clock to win in my opinion
I’ve got Tour Fever here, lads.
Watching this epic CBS documentary on the '87 Tour
Here’s the La Plagne bit.
Today’s suicide break: Arashiro (Europcar), Moncoutie (Cofidis) and Delaplace (Saur-Sojasun) are the breakaway riders. Eight minutes ahead at the moment.
Jen Voights pulling at the front at near 41, what a man. 
Segan or Cav: which of these lads do you dispise more?
Segan is young and is class but the bollix beat Dan Martin for the Tour of Poland crown last year and I can’t warm to him.
Cav is just a cunt but you’d have to admire his sprinting ability.
Would like to see the two of them sprinting head to head, I’d say Cav would win. He’s a right cunt though.
Shades of Robert Millar there
Both bordering on arrogant all right. Cav is much faster on flat at present imo.
There isn’t a bigger cunt out there than Cavendish, arrogant prick of a manx man. Sagan is cocky with his finishes, but comes across well in interviews, I think he is okay to be honest. Cavendish is way faster at the moment, but i can see that changing.
If a sprinter does not have arrogance and aggression he is no good. All the top sprinters have had it. They are what they are. I’d prefer listening to Cav than some “aw shucks, shure we got lucky today” spiel from a KK hurler.
Huge crash!!! 3km out. Cavendish hopped off the ground