T de F SPOILER

"Simon Mason" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

What are the Disco boys doing? Were they all as knackered as they made out
leaving Armstrong on his own to chase down 3 or 4 people or are they just
saving their legs for the real mountains? I can't believe riders such as
Rubiera were nearly 4 minutes off the pace. Looking at Armstrong being
interviewed I reckon his team are in for an almighty rollicking over
dinner, unless they were bluffing of course, but it didn't look like it.

Aye, I fear the air in the Discovery team meeting this evening will not be
red, white & blue, but a distinct shade of blue from LA... He did not look a
happy bunny on the podium today. Of course, it could be a bluff, and it is
possible, but it's also possible that as many of his favoured domestiques
are now with other teams... One can but hope that this will make for an
interesting time in the mountains.

Cheers, helen s

Simon Mason said:

What are the Disco boys doing? Were they all as knackered as they made out
leaving Armstrong on his own to chase down 3 or 4 people or are they just
saving their legs for the real mountains? I can't believe riders such as
Rubiera were nearly 4 minutes off the pace. Looking at Armstrong being
interviewed I reckon his team are in for an almighty rollicking over dinner,
unless they were bluffing of course, but it didn't look like it.

Really enjoyed watching that ride this afternoon, while I gradually
bring homebuild no2 to a conclusion. It made me realise how important
team work is for any rider wishing to win the TDF, and how if his team
falls away it's then incredibly difficult to accomplish everything on
your own. Very interesting to here Chris Boardman say how difficult
[already!] it might be for Armstrong to win the race if that happens
again. Interesting stuff.

How they ride those climbs is really amazing.

Garry

wafflycat said:

"Simon Mason" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

What are the Disco boys doing? Were they all as knackered as they made
out leaving Armstrong on his own to chase down 3 or 4 people or are
they just saving their legs for the real mountains? I can't believe
riders such as Rubiera were nearly 4 minutes off the pace. Looking at
Armstrong being interviewed I reckon his team are in for an almighty
rollicking over dinner, unless they were bluffing of course, but it
didn't look like it.

They are probably saving themselves for the Ballon tomorrow. It will be
a team effort for him to win the stage. They are all merely peons for
Brasfort after all.
Shame there wasn't more flat after the hill today though, the break
could really have worked him over.
All the best
Dan Gregory

in message <[email hidden]>, Simon Mason

(') said:

What are the Disco boys doing? Were they all as knackered as they made
out leaving Armstrong on his own to chase down 3 or 4 people or are
they just saving their legs for the real mountains? I can't believe
riders such as Rubiera were nearly 4 minutes off the pace. Looking at
Armstrong being interviewed I reckon his team are in for an almighty
rollicking over dinner, unless they were bluffing of course, but it
didn't look like it.

The Discovery boys just didn't have it. Not to take anything away from
Pieter Weening, but today was Kloden's. Armstrong is now facing a
situation where CSC has strength in depth, T Mobile (if they can work
together) has strength in depth, and he doesn't have a single domestique
to support him on the climbs. But, you know, where was José Azevedo? I
thought he was the specialist mountain domestique... 1 minute 25 adrift.
So was George Hincapie. The rest of DSC were 2 minutes 57 seconds
adrift. And that was at category two.

This race has suddenly got interesting.

--
[email hidden] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

;; Madness takes its toll. Please have exact change.

Simon Brooke said:

But, you know, where was
José Azevedo? I thought he was the specialist mountain domestique...
1 minute 25 adrift.

So far adrift, it makes one wonder whether something fishy might be going
on. Or maybe they've just gone to [censored]?

in message <[email hidden]>, Simonb

(') said:

Simon Brooke said:

But, you know, where was
José Azevedo? I thought he was the specialist mountain domestique...
1 minute 25 adrift.

So far adrift, it makes one wonder whether something fishy might be
going on. Or maybe they've just gone to [censored]?

Well, I'd be the first to admit I'm a beginner when it comes to stage
racing strategy. But I find it hard to dream up a strategy which leaves
you leader alone, without any support, in a front group with strong
riders from four other teams, each of which is attacking and forcing him
to expend more energy than he needs to. The domestiques may be saving
themselves for the big hills, but if the leader has worn himself out
that isn't going to help them any.

Yes, I'm trying to think of a clever strategy that they could be playing,
but I have to say I don't see it yet. And either way, the race suddenly
got a lot more interesting.

Somebody spiked the team pasta?

--
[email hidden] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/
;; Sending your money to someone just because they've erected
;; a barrier of obscurity and secrets around the tools you
;; need to use your data does not help the economy or spur
;; innovation. - Waffle Iron Slashdot, June 16th, 2002

I was just willing Vino go up the road, the break with Moreau looked
promising but Moreau sat up a little too quick for my liking and Vino was a
little stuck.

At least two of the T-Mobile boys had a couple of pops of the front. I just
wish Walter Godefroot would mark Vino as the main GC contender. Ullrich is
around but not doing anything.

Any T-Mobile fans could have a look at their own site.
http://www.t-mobile-team.com/cms/tmoteam/en/

--
OJ

Genius may have its limitations, but stupidity is not thus handicapped.
Elbert Hubbard (1856 - 1915)

Simon Brooke said:

The domestiques
may be saving themselves for the big hills, but if the leader has
worn himself out that isn't going to help them any.

It's possible that LA instructed the team to save themselves as he was
confident he could keep in touch with the attackers on a comparitively easy
climb. I doubt Discovery need to defend the yellow jersey vigourously at
this stage.

Quoted message said:

Yes, I'm trying to think of a clever strategy that they could be
playing, but I have to say I don't see it yet. And either way, the
race suddenly got a lot more interesting.

Indeed.

"Simonb" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Simon Brooke said:

The domestiques
may be saving themselves for the big hills, but if the leader has
worn himself out that isn't going to help them any.

It's possible that LA instructed the team to save themselves as he was
confident he could keep in touch with the attackers on a comparitively
easy
climb. I doubt Discovery need to defend the yellow jersey vigourously at
this stage.

Quoted message said:

Yes, I'm trying to think of a clever strategy that they could be
playing, but I have to say I don't see it yet. And either way, the
race suddenly got a lot more interesting.

Indeed.

Lance said he didnt feel too good. Maybe he and the team have been eating
too many of Ulrich's leftover doughnuts?

--
Tumbleweed

email replies not necessary but to contact use;
tumbleweednews at hotmail dot com

Tumbleweed said:

Maybe he and the team have been
eating too many of Ulrich's leftover doughnuts?

Leftovers? I doubt that.

"Simonb" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Tumbleweed said:

Maybe he and the team have been
eating too many of Ulrich's leftover doughnuts?

Leftovers? I doubt that.

I did think that as I hit the send key :-)

--
Tumbleweed

email replies not necessary but to contact use;
tumbleweednews at hotmail dot com