Tour de France 2013 *spoilers*

[thom]

I thought it was Kiryienka.

Wiggins would have been extremely useful to the team today.

He would have loved to be sat on the front with 30km to go, chasing for 15km before sitting up to recuperate and do the same tomorrow ;-)

Edit:
The way I see it is Saxo & Belkin will be knackered tomorrow and unlikely to push it again for a couple of days.
Ventoux will allow Froome to excel and possibly blow away the other GC candidates again.

Maybe Saxo have been clever in keeping their powder dry - Contador is indeed something of a genius - but Froome has many chances to hurt the rest this coming week.

 

[Strathlubnaig]

That really was a master stroke in strategic racing by Saxo, taking Mollema, Cavendish, Chavanel and Sagan along was a perfect move, a little incentive for everyone. Turned a meh stage into one othe more entertaining ones so far.

 

[avsd]

I think Thomas is meant to be, and he has limited road experience compared to Eisel last year. .

And Mike Rodgers

 

[rich p]

I'm not sure if Froome had the sprint to go with Cav after the Saxo break. Even Cav says he almost didn't make it and he can put the hammer down for a short time.

 

[smutchin]

Mr Nibbles going against the tide of popular opinion, I suspect:

@VincenzoNibali:
L'azione al #TdF2013 di oggi nei confronti di @alejanvalverde è una cosa che non piace a nessuno!! La ruota gira per tutti prima o poi.
https://twitter.com/VincenzoNibali/status/355713756908621824

 

[jifdave]

Mr Nibbles going against the tide of popular opinion, I suspect:

@VincenzoNibali:
L'azione al #TdF2013 di oggi nei confronti di @alejanvalverde è una cosa che non piace a nessuno!! La ruota gira per tutti prima o poi.
https://twitter.com/VincenzoNibali/status/355713756908621824

VincenzoNibali: The action at # TdF2013 today against @ alejanvalverde is one thing that no one likes it! The wheel turns for everyone sooner or later.

 

[smutchin]

What was that about the wheel coming round, Mr Nibbles?

@mrconde:
There is your answer to why Belkin are in front.. #tdf RT @Nancy_Arreola Tour de Swiss 2011 movistar went full gas when Bauke had a flat

 

[Crackle]

What was that about the wheel coming round, Mr Nibbles?

@mrconde:
There is your answer to why Belkin are in front.. #tdf RT @Nancy_Arreola Tour de Swiss 2011 movistar went full gas when Bauke had a flat

Ah, Bauke Mollema, I knew it happened but couldn't remember who or what stage.

 

[Basil.B]

What a cracker!
Going to be an exciting final week.

 

[400bhp]

Great stage - Sky's wheels have come off.

However...Belkin and Saxo could arguably fight amongst themselves for 2nd and 3rd, so perhaps leave froomster alone...long shot...

 

[lukesdad]

He would have loved to be sat on the front with 30km to go, chasing for 15km before sitting up to recuperate and do the same tomorrow ;-)

Edit:
The way I see it is Saxo & Belkin will be knackered tomorrow and unlikely to push it again for a couple of days.
Ventoux will allow Froome to excel and possibly blow away the other GC candidates again.

Maybe Saxo have been clever in keeping their powder dry - Contador is indeed something of a genius - but Froome has many chances to hurt the rest this coming week.

220ks on that stage before they hit ventoux mind (and the winds blow)

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

This might interest a few: I just bumped into a petition, signed by Marianne Vos and Emma Pooley, addressed to Christian Prudhomme, demanding the right for female teams to ride the TdF. I reckon it's doable so I signed it. https://www.change.org/petitions/as...&utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=share_petition

 

[arghill]

Turned a meh stage into one othe more entertaining ones so far.

Very much. Flat stages are so often formulaic with a breakaway of hopefuls being hung out the front for a 100km then reeled in on demand as it suits the Peleton come the end.

Todays race was so much more exciting. Clever riding by a lot of people on Cavs and Contadors squads.

Hats of to Geirant for doing his best through injury trying to limit the losses.

Might be just because it is fresher in my mind, but this years tour has already beaten last years for entertainment value to me.

 

[NickM]

Sky team look spent. Will they recover for the Alps?

Froome has used them up in what seems to me a somewhat profligate manner. And they have had more than their share of bad luck.

Other contenders for the overall have not just been luckier, but have spent their teams' resources more wisely. This is not to say that Froome cannot win; just that he (and the Sky management) do not seem to be going about it in the cleverest way...

 

[Monsieur Remings]

a much as I've enjoyed today, can't quite get my head around what saxo tinkoff or belkin next move will be...2.30 minutes is still a lot of time to make up on froome....
not sure if anyone else agrees but to me team Sky look spend and I felt today when Sky were on the front, made no dent and fell away too quickly ...
I think froome will have to go old school and take care of himself from now on....

looking at the classifications and surmising that Belkin and Saxo-Tinkoff are still chasing yellow, I'd be interested if anyone has any ideas of what they think the next week holds and how these 2 teams could get yellow...

I can't help thinking that like today, those teams will be as opportunistic as they can be and with greater depth in numbers it looks a frightening scenario for Froome with, I'd say ONLY 2.30 minutes.

Anything can happen in the Alps and I reckon this year, it will. And like Saxo-Tinkoff who only really showed their true ability today, there's the Katusha boys.