2008 Tour de France Stage 17 - Wednesday, July 23: Embrun - L'Alpe-d'Huez, 210.5 km

[TheDarkLord]

I'm sorry but the way CSC are rideing Cadel wont need help anyway. High tempo constant speed, it's playing into his and Menchovs hands

That's not the point. If they attack at some point and leave him behind, then he needs someone to pull him up so that he doesn't waste too much energy himself.

Edit: Cunego gone [as expected].

 

[b1_]

Dropped.

Edit: Even if he can get back, there is no way in which he can help Evans.

Popovych is still with Evans.

 

[TheDarkLord]

Aha! CSC is beginning to pay the price. Voigt gone!!!

 

[missile]

Popovych is still with Evans.

The TdF website says otherwise.

 

[TheDarkLord]

Popovych is still with Evans.

Either you're not watching the same race, or your commentators are doing a poor job identifying riders. Please...

 

[serpico7]

Aha! CSC is beginning to pay the price. Voigt gone!!!

Yep, paying the price indeed. Who's going to set the pace between this climb and the final?

 

[missile]

Yep, paying the price indeed. Who's going to set the pace between this climb and the final?

Even the commentators are saying that CSC isn't doing any real harm to Evans or Menchov riding this steady pace.

 

[TheDarkLord]

Even the commentators are saying that CSC isn't doing any real harm to Evans or Menchov riding this steady pace.

Ditto with the Eurosport commentators. In fact, they even said that they are not going to beat Evans if they don't attack in this climb. And considering that they haven't, it is indeed looking like game over.

 

[missile]

The TdF website says otherwise.

Funny, I thought I just saw Popo in the lead bunch, toward the front!

 

[ad9898]

So, the last time a leader put 3 mins into his rivals on 1 stage was Ullrich in '97 in St.Etienne and before that Indurain in '94, CSC obviously didn't have the strength at the end of the day.

Its surely between Menchov and Evans now.

 

[Klodifan]

Ditto with the Eurosport commentators. In fact, they even said that they are not going to beat Evans if they don't attack in this climb. And considering that they haven't, it is indeed looking like game over.

isnt it funny? everyone but csc realize the obvious...

 

[TheDarkLord]

Funny, I thought I just saw Popo in the lead bunch, toward the front!

Maybe that was Aerts?

Agree Klodi, but it is also possible that Sastre and Schleck are not strong enough to attack and still survive the final climb.

 

[missile]

Funny, I thought I just saw Popo in the lead bunch, toward the front!

I must have been mistaken. The TdF website and cyclingnews both show that Aerts is with Evans, but that Popo is not with the lead group.

 

[Scotttri]

Funny, I thought I just saw Popo in the lead bunch, toward the front!

Evans definately has a team mate up there, but is it Popy or Aerts

 

[TheDarkLord]

Evans definately has a team mate up there, but is it Popy or Aerts

Official site says Aerts. CN says Summeren. Maybe there are two Lotto riders?

 

[b1_]

Evans definately has a team mate up there, but is it Popy or Aerts

Must be Aerts. Every time they get close to that second Lotto rider the camera flicks away. Can't get a clean look at it. They're saying Aerts at the summit so it must be him.

 

[serpico7]

Cancellara is back. What a beast.

 

[TheDarkLord]

The official site says that Cunego has gotten back to the yellow jersey group. That is impressive considering how far back he was dropped.

 

[b1_]

So much for CSC smashing the race apart before L'Alpe-d'Huez.

 

[alvynmcq]

Kohl to attack at the base of Le Alpe?