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sandranian · Site Admin

You don't attack the yellow jersey when he has a mechanical, it is just that simple.

Contador's attack today when Schleck dropped a chain was completely classless. What a bastard, who is completely undeserving of the yellow jersey. I hope he suffers from a broken bike tomorrow and Schleck attacks.

WHAT A PRICK.

vanhelmont

I was trying to like Contador, because in terms of ability he looks to me like he does deserve the yellow. If I understood the interview on Versus he said he didn't notice Schleck's problem but that's a little hard to believe. And I don't think Sanchez and Menchov are such a threat that he couldn't wait.

sandranian · Site Admin

He could have told Menchov & co. to wait, and they would have. He attacked, and he drove the break.

He is also full of sh*t when he says he didn't know. No race radio??? That guy is a bastard.

sandranian · Site Admin

5 stage wins...

While Voekler refused to say it when questioned about Frances stellar performance this year at the Tour, I will: Less doping in the peleton. Even the playing field, and somehow French riders do better.

Notably missing at the top of the leaderboards this year are American riders. hmmmm......

nicolas

In Contador's defense, and I'm really not a fan, the Saxo team made it hard to understand when you should wait or not...

Remember Spa ? Are you supposed to wait ? How many times should we wait for the poor Andy ?

Remember Frank Schleck protesting against the cobblestones ? Saying they don't belong in Tour de France ?

Did anyone wait for Cadel when he broke his elbow ? No. Is it fair, the way he lost the Tour in a stupid fall ? No. And yet, I don't hear anyone protesting. Because that's why cycling was made of until stupid Ullrich and Tyler Hamilton waited for Armstrong in Luz Ardiden in 2003.

Let's go back to bike racing, shall we ?

nicolas

sandranian · Site Admin

True regarding LA and helping his teammate. Armstrong's head wouldn't fit in the Superdome.

Regarding "waiting", it has long been the tradition that you don't attack the yellow jersey when he is down...because you aren't beating him fair and square.

Cadel's broken elbow: That was a condition which he suffered under and didn't tell anyone about. No, you don't have to wait for that person. But we aren't talking about that. The fact remains: Contador didn't beat Schleck today: He stole the jersey when Schleck's bike didn't work, which is bullsh*t.

Regarding Saxo's tactics...I didn't understand them, quite honestly, but I think Schleck was supposed to put in a big attack and then try to hold off to the finish. Stupid, if you ask me, because he is not a good descender.

Thursday's ride up the Tourmalet should be epic!

Wisey

In all this, nobody has poited out the obvious: Schleck was attacking in the big ring in the mountains! So we're back to the good old days of Mr 60% Bjane Riis, are we? If you look at Schleck, Contador and Sanchez, the oxygen uptake is all wrong. They are pedaling like helicopters and barely breathing. The occasional grimace notwithstanding.

Go here for a good read: http://www.sportsscientists.com/2010/07/cycling-performance-what-is-possible.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FcJKs+%28The+Science+of+Sport%29

Sandman highlighted the point about French riders winning and no US riders at the top of the GC. Well, I kind of think that Levi is really where he should be relative to some of the other guys around him. And Vande Velde would have been somewhere around there as well. CVV is probably clean, and I think it is worth noting the position of someone like Wiggins (even though I don't like him) as he has a huge engine, has fully published data as is most likey as clean as they come. For me this all points to a race being run at two speeds. That small lead group, and then everyone else. The speeds on the climbs are back up there again as they were last year and as they weren't in the two years prior to that.

Getting back to the chain mishap. I've looked at the footage a few times. Schleck attacks in the big ring, Vino follows and then Contador gets wound up. Schleck's chain derails from the big ring to the inside. Generally speaking, the shifters don't just release for no reason. Add to this that Pro bikes get the treatment on a daily basis. Add to that the Saxo team is one of the most professional teams around from the DS all the way down to the bus driver. Add to that, this particular bike will be ridden by the Tour leader. I think that the chances of mechanic error are at the lower end of low, but not impossible. You can't see it from the footage, but I wonder whether Schleck bumped the lever and caused the unintentional mis-shift himself? Given that he was out of the saddle and full gas, that would be consistent with an ill-timed shift under full load causing the chain to derail on the inside. He also reacted almost immediately to give the lever a good shove to get the chain back up into the big ring, as if he knew exactly where the chain was. If he had bumped it, he would have known. Anyway, just some speculation. Tough luck Schleck. You're a B grade rider with more power output than almost anyone else. That's the only reason he is at the front. No real talent for riding a bike, and no concept of tactical awareness. If they get rid of the radios, he won't finish in the top 15.

Regarding Contador, I don't mind the attack as he was already winding up when Schleck lost his chain. By the time he figured out what was happening, he was already away. Yes, he could have told the others and sat up and waited, but the Tour is all about survival. Many riders haven't survived so far, and if we are really lucky then the godess of luck will desert both Contador and Schleck and we will have at least a half deserving winner in Menchov. (Probably not going to happen though....)

Finally, goon on old mate Voeckler!! Great ride. Did you see the pain he was in to get over that climb? Did you see him struggling to suck in air? What an effort!!! Does it reming you of the leaders? No, I didn't think so........ Have I made my point? Greg LeMond once said that you don't suffer any less if you are a good climber, you just go a little faster. Why don't I see any real "suffering" with these GC riders? Twisted Evil

Wisey

Wrong, wrong, I'm wrong. There... I said it. Embarassed

I got to see a magnified image of AS's chain debacle. The drive chain jams and stops suddenly. This causes his back wheel to lift off the ground for a moment Shocked

. If the rear wheel locked, he would just skid. But if the drive train locked, then the pressure he was applying might cause him to tilt forward and drag the bike upward. maybe? Confused

But what would cause this? I have 2 ideas...... Rolling Eyes

1. Saxo Bank have beed using these after market jockey wheels. They are much larger than standard and are said to reduce friction in the drive train. So idea 1 goes along the line of AS shifts the read derailleur. The oversize jockey wheel makes contact with one of the cogs on the cassette thereby jamming the chain in-between. The drive train stops. The derailleur is pulled backward as AS is applying down force. The chain is now slack between chainring and rear derailleur. He stops, the pressure is released. The rear derailleur flicks forward again under the tension of its own springs. The already slack chain is flicked forward thus derailling it from the chainring.

2. This is my preferred theory. AS had a malfunction with the hidden electric motor in his frame. When he pressed the hidden button, the motor jammed and ruined his whole day. Twisted Evil

To support my theory, please note that the top 2 climbers in the race both ride the same brand bike. It's a conspiracy! Wink

Wisey

Did anyone see this?

They gave Fignon a special combative award at the Tour today.

Well, that's something that I bet nobody ever guessed they would see. Hinault getting all teary for Fignon!!! Shocked

smilingroadrunner

Thanks, Wisey for the images posted of Laurent & Bernard. It would have been special moment that unfortunately wasn't part of yesterday broadcast on Versus.

Two champions, and admittedly--when I think of the Battle Mr. Fignon is waging I get a little "Misty Eyed" also -----but I guess that's part of the 'old fart' in me. Sad

Anyhow, overshadowed in all the controversy yesterday----one of my wishes came true. Thomas got a stage win. Very Happy

I like Steel !!!!
_______________
C.A.
Salina, Ks.

verktyg · Last edited by verktyg on Tue Jul 20, 2010 9:56 am; edited 1 time in total

They are touching pictures.

Thanks for posting them.

Here's another touching picture of 2 greats...

verktyg

AC has no class whatsoever!

When he met with the Spanish Prime Minister after last year's TdF he was dressed like a "vago", a "vagabundo".

He'd just won the TdF! If he didn't have the money, some one on his team could have sported him €500 to buy a new suit and get it pressed before he met his county's leader!

At least Eddy had on a tie in this picture with Belgian King Albert II.

Wisey

One can only imagine what these guys are thinking looking at the state of the current crop of 'champions'. It must be a little disheartening. Fignon certainly intimates this in his book.

Re: Contador's attitude. I guess we need to remember that these aren't guys who were hardned men by the time they were 15 like Sean Kelly, or who risked everything and lived in squallor in order to gain a Pro contract like LeMond and Phil Anderson. They were somewhat talented kids who got absorbed into the program. Since then, everything has been laid on and they don't really know a life outside being pampered superstars. Contador probably thought is was the PM's honour to meet himself! So they are products of the system as much as they are arrogant little prats.

sandranian · Site Admin

Well said, Wisey.