TDF11: Stage 18 - Pinerolo --> Galibier Serre-Chevalier 200.5 km

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Freakie said:
Here's my take:

Cadel proved himself to be the strongest rider in the peleton today. Andy has absolutely cooked himself with that effort and if he backs it up tonight he has been to the butcher. Cadel single handedly brought back 2 mins in 9.5km on Andy.

That was a hell alot of effort just to gain 57 seconds and I doubt that will be enough to even come close to holding Cadel off in the TT.

Voeckler was amazing and it would be a tragedy if he does not finish on the podium, sure deserves it more than whinging Andy and Frank "I hold onto bottles for 20 seconds at a time"Schleck. I really hope one (if not both faulter in the TT and Voeckler continues to ride out of his skin.
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quite a sling he got there
and contador had a bit of a piggy back behind cars
what is the point of rules
 
I'm not so sure Evans will be as dominant over the other GC riders in the TT as others are saying. 2 gruelling mountain stages will take it out of him, and I think it will be a bit of an equaliser. Would certainly not be wanting to chase anything over 1 minute 30 going into the ITT.
 
Huge TV ratings.
22 Tour De France 2011 Live: Stage 18 SBS ONE 456,000 101,000 159,000 55,000 54,000 87,000

Tomorrow night will be even bigger, should top 500,000. As a comprasion 271,000 watched Sastre beat Evans on Alp d'Heuz in 2008
 
alfy! said:
I'm not so sure Evans will be as dominant over the other GC riders in the TT as others are saying. 2 gruelling mountain stages will take it out of him, and I think it will be a bit of an equaliser. Would certainly not be wanting to chase anything over 1 minute 30 going into the ITT.
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he seems to have a lot of pop in those pistons still
 
If Monfort hadn't waited as much and gone a bit further down the mountain, I wouldn't have been surprised if Schleck crashed in an attempt to catch up to his teammate as quickly as possible. He nearly ran off the road at the start of the descent.

Just watching a bit of a replay on now, Monfort really took them down the mountain quickly ... caught up easily to some of the guys in front, who latched on to the Leopard Trek guys. Still can't understand how they were allowed to make so much time in the valley. At the very least, the peloton should have kept the lead under 3 minutes before the final climb.
 
Hornberger said:
Huge TV ratings.
22 Tour De France 2011 Live: Stage 18 SBS ONE 456,000 101,000 159,000 55,000 54,000 87,000

Tomorrow night will be even bigger, should top 500,000. As a comprasion 271,000 watched Sastre beat Evans on Alp d'Heuz in 2008
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It's going to be huge - friday night footy will definitely be taking a back seat.

Given the short stage - anyone have an idea as to when it might finish?
 

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Tonight is very interesting, not to mention the Time Trial will be great viewing. What a tour this has turned out to be. Voeckler deserves a podium for effort alone, great grit and determination, though the poor guy will be pipped at the post, very tour style....
 
WALL-e said:
Tonight is very interesting, not to mention the Time Trial will be great viewing. What a tour this has turned out to be. Voeckler deserves a podium for effort alone, great grit and determination, though the poor guy will be pipped at the post, very tour style....
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I think Voeckler has nothing more to give, he will lose minutes of Alp d'Heuz.
 
Its dejavu all over again - this is Sastre all over again. Whether it be Andy or Frank leading going into the TT they will find a way to hang on and minimise the damage. Just like Cadel only took half the time expected off Sastre same will happen again.

It was damned if youdo, damned if you dont - hindsight is a wonderful thing - initially allowing Andy to go was the tright decision I thought, just unfortunate that he had no way of knowing that cantador, basso, sanchez were cooked! if he went with andy he faced the very real probability of wasting energy and getting rundown by the pack which wouldve happened 9 times out of 10. Just seems the bloke is destined to just miss again.

Tonight will be brutal but he just has to go with Frank tonight and even if he pulls Andy along I think he has to gamble that Andy has cooked himself last night and wont have the tank to go all the way, so too Voeckler who looked like he was about to pass out. Cadel looks very strong and needs to give it all tonight - If he's down by more than 30secs tonight I personally dont think he will reel them in in the TT, too much pressure
 
Reserved but he didn't let it go....

http://www.cadelevans.com.au/cadelsdiary.aspx

Behind in our group, with 15km to go, no one was willing to work. A bit strange for a French guy in yellow, this close to Paris.....and even a chance for the White jersey as well. For me, without Voeckler's help, it put me in a loosing situation, with the wind though, escaping from the group was going to be very difficult but not very time effective, so, I just did one turn....for 9km....Basso did swap off for a few seconds, and I think that Europcar guy who could have had White today did one short turn as well, not how I would be looking to set myself for Paris, but we'll see when we get there.
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Incredibly frustrating last night watching the time difference continue to climb....I started to get very crapped off with the peleton.

Several comments on here on Cadel's decision not to chase down Andy.....difficult to say whether he made the right decision or not. I don't mind saying however that I got goosebumps watching Cadell drag the other riders' sorry arses up that mountain. Schleck was outstanding but I thought Cadel was inspirational.

God I hope he still has something left in the tank. Really worried about Frank.
 
it was baffling that a 9 man breakaway, which only had 3 working in the group, got more a minute further away than a 60 man peleton, with team members in it on the flat stage in between the 2nd and 3rd mountain. It should never have got to 4 min, should have stayed at 3. that is where Cadel might have lost the tour. letting Schleck go at 60Km to go was the right decision. Maxime Monfort deserves a huge Thank you for his efforts.
 

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TDF11: Stage 18 - Pinerolo --> Galibier Serre-Chevalier 200.5 km

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