Tour de France 2012 (with SPOILERS)

[smutchin]

The whole Sky strategy depends upon Brad putting as much time as possible into Cadel in the TTs and limiting losses elsewhere. He will be flat out.

Agreed, that's the likely scenario. The point is that going last gives him the luxury of other options if they become necessary. And that's why he made the effort not to allow Evans and Nibali to escape on the descent yesterday.

Though I suspect Sky have got this whole race so finely mapped out that they already know exactly what time he's going to post today...

I'm expecting Evans to be a bit closer than he was in the Dauphiné TT though. Brad will take seconds off him rather than minutes.

Zubeldia is the interesting one today - could well be up into third spot overall by the end of play. Where on earth did he come from? Could make things a bit lively in the mountain stages if Radioshack still have Zubeldia, Monfort and Gallopin all close enough to the top of GC to be considered a threat if they decide to attack...

d.

 

[smutchin]

I got a bit carried away watching the Pinot show yesterday and forgot to check on how Cavendish got on after a day of repetitive climbs. As I can't made head nor tail of the letour site, which seems to be saying GC not available yet, does anybody know how he got on? I thought the stage might give a very rough indication as to how he might get on at the Olympics.

Everyone who finished came in well inside the cutoff. Cav was in the second to last group. Suspect it's meaningless wrt the Olympics.

d.

 

[thom]

Agreed, that's the likely scenario. The point is that going last gives him the luxury of other options if they become necessary. And that's why he made the effort not to allow Evans and Nibali to escape on the descent yesterday.

Though I suspect Sky have got this whole race so finely mapped out that they already know exactly what time he's going to post today...

I'm expecting Evans to be a bit closer than he was in the Dauphiné TT though. Brad will take seconds off him rather than minutes....

d.

Unless Cadel has a mechanical, Sky think they will not be able to gain time on him on a road stage but they can lose time on him and the chances are they will at some point. The one weapon they have over Cadel is TTs. 2 of them. 2 chances to build a time buffer to cover Cadel's digs in the last few km of a mountain stage or Brad bonking, crashing or having his own mechanical.

I agree, they will expect seconds rather than minutes but they desperately need as much as possible today.

I think Froome will go hard too and he can get time back on Nibali and Menchov.

 

[frayBentos59]

What's not to love ?

ok ok! you've ground me down...I'm impressed. very impressed

 

[Paul_L]

Tony Martin just gone quickest in TT out of 67 finishers so far.

Millar and Cummings 5th and 6th respectively.

 

[Paul_L]

Who is the Tony alongside Rob Hayles in the Eurosport studio?

 

[zimzum42]

Who is the Tony alongside Rob Hayles in the Eurosport studio?

 

[marinyork]

Tony Martin just gone quickest in TT out of 67 finishers so far.

Millar and Cummings 5th and 6th respectively.

Would just like to clear up that it looks like according to the coverage you've just watched too of the eurosport studio, that Tony Martin had a puncture. No live pictures of it. Really bad luck if that was the case.

 

[Paul_L]

Would just like to clear up that it looks like according to the coverage you've just watched too of the eurosport studio, that Tony Martin had a puncture. No live pictures of it. Really bad luck if that was the case.

I was following the live updates on letour.fr and it's a bit out of date now. Millar and Cummings are now 9th and 11th.

I've since seen the coverage on ES where they picked up on TM's flat. They seemed to think his time is not a great one.

 

[Flying_Monkey]

Casar isn't that far behind Martin at the first time check...

 

[smutchin]

To paraphrase Oscar Wilde, to get one puncture in a TT is unfortunate, to get two looks like poor tyre choice.

d.

 

[Flying_Monkey]

And Cancellara goes almost 40 seconds faster at the intermediate!

 

[raindog]

Goss and Renshaw surprised at the % of yesterday's stage
44x23 to climb 14%
http://storify.com/quizeye/gearings

 

[Flying_Monkey]

Chavanel goes faster than Martin too! Cancellara's time will stand I think, though.

 

[smutchin]

Chava comes in just 26" down on Cancellara. Good effort!