blue gunslinger
Hall of Famer
No Froome or wiggo c u sky
Tour de France 2014
- Thread starter monty1104
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- Jan 13, 2001
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I know a lot can happen in any GT, but realisitcally can anyone actually see Nibali losing from here? Froome is out and Contador is over 2 minutes behind already.
With Froome gone, Contador is on his own as the standout climber in the peleton. He's also one of the best TT riders. It's hard to see any of the other riders pulling back the time they lost to Nibali today, but Contador might be able to do it. He won't make it all up on one stage, but there are 5x mountain top finishes and a long ITT to come with which he has to work.
I think the TDF became a 2-horse race last night and not the same 2 horses that started the course!
I think the TDF became a 2-horse race last night and not the same 2 horses that started the course!
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- #79
Contador is a must have for the fantasy stuff now. Needs some stages to get back the yellow. Is Porte worth a dabble as well?
blue gunslinger
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with no froome or cav has been a shake up
Put simply, yes.
We haven't seen Nibali's mountain form yet, and his run in form to the Tour was less than impressive. Contador could pull that back in one climb, let alone the whole tour.
Still Contador's to lose now that Froome is out, but Nibali having 2 minutes in his pocket makes it fascinating. Then you add Talansky, Valverde, Porte and co. and it's still going to be fun.
Agree 100% - the most recent tours (sky aside) have shown that anyone can crack in the mountains. This isn't like previous years where once someone got a lead there was no way to peg him back due to various issues. We saw it even on the first couple of mountain stages last year. You hit the big climbs and the pelaton disintegrates.
Really looking forward to the first mountain stages (when its worth staying up for me...
)
Nibali was dropped regularly by Contador at the Dauphine. I think Contador can make up that time no worries. Depends on how good Nibali's climbing form is now.
Quintana was a similar distance back on Uran at the Giro.
Quintana was a similar distance back on Uran at the Giro.
grouse mate
Premiership Player
Porte looks like he's not overawed at all to be the number 1, the team support in the big hills might be an issue though. Definitely Alberto's race to lose from here on.
- Feb 13, 2011
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Ok I have a racing tactics question. Why don't teams go on a break away? why is always groups of 1 or 2 from a smattering of teams?
monty1104
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- #87
If a whole team went on a breakaway, the peleton would deem it to be too dangerous to them, so the whole peleton (or certain teams within the peleton) would work together to bring them back. Also, breakaways very rarely work (even large ones) and the breakaway riders will usually lose time by the end of the stage. If a whole team put themselves in that situation it would most likely end up a disaster, with riders burning themselves out and losing time.
in the giro a couple of years back there was a massive breakaway like that, cadel ended up losing like 15 minutes. Thats why they rarely succeed. If the whole team can go with the breakaway, the other teams probably can too. Then its not the breakaway... its the pelaton.
grouse mate
Premiership Player
+ to what the others above have said it is a lot more physically demanding to ride in smaller groups, the guys that do go in breakways, very few do it on consecutive days. The riders in the middle off bunch barely have to pedal, they just get sucked along on the flat ground.
blue gunslinger
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might only be a handful of risers that get to Paris
The carnage has not even begun yet
The carnage has not even begun yet
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With Porte 1.58 behind is he any chance at GC or more like a podium chance
eaglesfan99
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%80 chance for podium %15 chance for gc
The question I have about Porte is... How much time did he lose looking after Froome who kept falling off, before abandoning the race leaving Porte as the number 1? Would he have been in that lead group and not stuck back with Contador if not for the other goings on?
Still wouldn't have thought he could win it, but he might have been a lot closer than just under two minutes down if he didn't have to stop/slow down for Froome. Would have made it more interesting anyway.
Thoughts?
Still wouldn't have thought he could win it, but he might have been a lot closer than just under two minutes down if he didn't have to stop/slow down for Froome. Would have made it more interesting anyway.
Thoughts?
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- #95
Makes sense, think about last year how much did he lose the day he went back to get stuff for Froome, takes alot more out of you doing that.
He wouldn't have been in the group he was when they went through the cobbles, if he'd stopped for Froome. Froome crashed twice on stage 5. I think Porte stopped the first time, but not the second time (when Froome abandoned).
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- #98
Stage 10 needs a preview asap, one of the most brutal stages in a long while
Orazio2Joe do your thing!
Orazio2Joe do your thing!
