Brilliant today.
Great move by Contador - Both Schleck's and Basso are out of it (mentally), essentially the first ones to crack (Contador wasn't really dropped in the Pyrenees).
Going to be interesting tomorrow - I'm wondering if we will see Evans try it tomorrow-bloody hell he is good going downhill, where he broke his arm last year wasn't it?
I'll raise a point or two on this, if I may.
Basso has unfinished business. Look back at the finish at Luz Ardiden when Basso attacked, stayed, and finished in the Cadel gruppo over the line. It was Basso who immediately looked over his shoulder to see what sort of gap they'd made over Contador. Basso will be there or thereabouts.
Today's finish: Contador could have been toasted by up to 30 sec if Sammy Sanchez hadn't pulled him back up to Evans, but he's still potent.
Evans: we watch and wait. And hope. His belt today was a new attentive and aggressive Cadel trying an overlapping move on Contador I doubt he would have tried 2 years ago. Chapeau!! Made me think of Hinault: 'when you're having a bad day attack so as not to show your opponents how bad you feel. Attack them!'. Contador and Evans could see the Schlecks were having a [relatively] bad day in the rain and cold.
Voeckler: gotta love his panache, his determination not to give it up without a fight.
And off the front: Thor was always going to win that one, always. Whether there were team orders or not I've no idea, I suspect that RH went off under orders to try and draw a sting or two and set it up for Thor, and Phil Liggett was then saying 'Thor won't help out or attack his team mate' when TH and EBH were bridging... camera switches back to them and Thor is past the other two and having a little dig. lol. EBH was too keen, too frisky and Thor was too smart to lose that one. A great smart stage win.
Or is it a badge of convenience?
