TDF 2010 Prediction Thread

at first I was like, what's the big deal? Then I saw the replay

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcN2HrkrnF4

and it sure looks Contador knew Schleck was in some sort of trouble [HTML_REMOVED] not only kept going but attacked like hell!

If the consensus in the peleton is it was bush league the Alberto won't get much help the rest of the way. Then again it is the big show [HTML_REMOVED] at that point adrenaline would have been crazy high.

Back in stage 2(or 3) when Alberto lost a bunch of time due to a rubbing wheel Schleck was part of the attack that put some time on Alberto. Shouldn't they have held up for a wheel change?

In any event at least the Tour got more interesting, not Giro interesting, but still pretty good.

It's the biggest bicycle race in the world … would you slow down if you could make time up on your biggest rival?

Uhhhh … yeah? If you had any class you would. Especially if it is a 20 second fix. Most riders want to win fair and square. Look at the history of the Tour - it is customary not to mount an attack and wait for the leader in those circumstances. In stage 2, the Cancerella made the rest of the peleton wait for Andy Schleck and demanded there be no sprint finish. This will probably cost Thor Hushovd the Green Jersey this year (his biggest rivals Cavendish and Petacchi were nowhere near the front after about 60 riders crashed). The difference between those guys and Contador is CLASS. Some of the peleton probably has no respect for the guy now and it may come back to haunt him later on …

Uhhhh … yeah? If you had any class you would. Especially if it is a 20 second fix. Most riders want to win fair and square. Look at the history of the Tour - it is customary not to mount an attack and wait for the leader in those circumstances. In stage 2, the Cancerella made the rest of the peleton wait for Andy Schleck and demanded there be no sprint finish. This will probably cost Thor Hushovd the Green Jersey this year (his biggest rivals Cavendish and Petacchi were nowhere near the front after about 60 riders crashed). The difference between those guys and Contador is CLASS. Some of the peleton probably has no respect for the guy now and it may come back to haunt him later on …

The difference there might be that Cancellara is Shleck's teammate. Would Cancellara have made the peloton wait if it was Contador who crashed?

Back in stage 2(or 3) when Alberto lost a bunch of time due to a rubbing wheel Schleck was part of the attack that put some time on Alberto. Shouldn't they have held up for a wheel change?

The cobblestone stage was a completely different situation. Firstly, the nature of the terrain and style of racing on that stage means that there is rarely a peloton of contenders to slow down even if they wanted to. It's every man for himself with riders increasingly strung out due to carnage (flats/crashes), and everybody trying to get a holeshot going into each successive section of pave. Complete and utter chaos/carnage, and why the riders don't like it in a stage race like the TdF.

Secondly, the leaders hadn't established themselves yet by that stage. And any yellow jersey wearer at that point in the race is a temporary holder, not a true contender for top spot on the GC podium. (So no waiting for Chavanel, or Armstrong or anyone.)

Thirdly, no one knew about Contador's broken spoke/rubbing wheel until after the race, so how were they to wait for him? And apparently the broken spoke was quite late in the race, as Contador himself chose to ride on rather than getting a wheel change. Contador as well as the rest of the peloton were already behind at the point of the Frank Schleck crash.

Bottom line, Fingerbang himself has apologized for his douchebag move. So there you go. Although his apology rings pretty hollow, both in his demeanor in the video and on the stage.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/contador-makes-youtube-apology-to-schleck

The difference there might be that Cancellara is Shleck's teammate. Would Cancellara have made the peloton wait if it was Contador who crashed?

Cancellara took off like a banshee on the cobblestones, even though a lot of people crashed. If Schleck had crashed on the cobblestones, would Cancellara have made everyone wait again? I'd guess a resounding yes.

What I'd like to know is how Schleck dropped the chain. Was he shifting? Was it the supposed "frame flex" from his 900 jiggawatt output? Or was it because he uses SRAM instead of Shimano… ;)

As for Contador:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1MOLzFpqrU

Does nobody remember in 2003(?) when Lance got hooked by that spectator's handbag and went down? Hamilton and Ulrich waited for him to latch back on. There are so many unwritten rules and etiquette to follow in road racing and Cuntador's move was one of them.

I hope Saxo completely blocks him in on the final mtn stage while Schleck attacks.

Does nobody remember in 2003(?) when Lance got hooked by that spectator's handbag and went down? Hamilton and Ulrich waited for him to latch back on. There are so many unwritten rules and etiquette to follow in road racing and Cuntador's move was one of them.

I hope Saxo completely blocks him in on the final mtn stage while Schleck attacks.

Or maybe Shleck should attack on the final stage into paris… since etiquette seems to be totally thrown out the window.

Zinn's technical analysis of Chaingate 2010 (Stage 15):

http://velonews.competitor.com/2010/07/news/technical-qa-with-lennard-zinn-why-did-schlecks-chain-come-off_130090

Cole's Notes version: The SRAM rear derailleur design is to blame.

Uhhhh … yeah? If you had any class you would. Especially if it is a 20 second fix. Most riders want to win fair and square.

I guess you would have known it was a 20 second fix when you were "racing" past AS as he got off his bike, right? What about the other 20 riders that rode past AS when he was fiddling with his chain …. are they all classless d'bags as well?? Why didn't they wait? Different rules for AC 'cause everyone knows he's the favourite?

What a joke. Armchair racers criticizing AC for racing … winning Grand Tours is what he does for a living, not sitting up to wait for AS cause he f***ed up and dropped his chain.

Bottom line, Fingerbang himself has apologized for his douchebag move. So there you go. Although his apology rings pretty hollow, both in his demeanor in the video and on the stage.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/contador-makes-youtube-apology-to-schleck

Purely a PR move … and a bit of a wimpy move at that. I wish we were talking about Vino and not AC … Vino would never have apologized … he's way too hard for that sh*t.

Does nobody remember in 2003(?) when Lance got hooked by that spectator's handbag and went down? Hamilton and Ulrich waited for him to latch back on. There are so many unwritten rules and etiquette to follow in road racing and Cuntador's move was one of them.

Tangling with a spectator and dropping your chain …. two very different scenarios ATMO.

Zinn's technical analysis of Chaingate 2010 (Stage 15):

http://velonews.competitor.com/2010/07/news/technical-qa-with-lennard-zinn-why-did-schlecks-chain-come-off_130090

Cole's Notes version: The SRAM rear derailleur design is to blame.

RD design or those stoopid oversized jockey wheels? Doesn't AC use the same gruppo?

Remember this?

http://www.versus.com/cycling/videos/lance-waits-for-ullrich/

sportsmanship and class are good things. something that most sports need more of, not less. a real sportsman wouldnt want to beat his competitor if the reason for doing so was a faulty chain.