Stage 11 TDF :Courchevel - Briancon Spoiler

jhuskey

This had to have taken a little out of DC. I will be curious to see how well they do Stage 12 ,which should be an easier stage but all theses guys have to be spent.
Attack,attack,attack. Who will do it next?
At least it is not completely boring yet.

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wolfix

limerickman

Todays stage was a lot tougher than stage 10 : I expect that there are a lot of tired bodies tonight.

DC worked hard : but the other teams had to stay with them too.

At least there is some fight in the race, which is good for the TDF.

Rudy

So how much time lead does LA have on Vino now? and others?

Ted B

From Cycling News:


General classification after stage 11

1 Lance Armstrong (USA) Discovery Channel 41.59.57
2 Michael Rasmussen (Den) Rabobank 0.38
3 Ivan Basso (Ita) Team CSC 2.40
4 Christophe Moreau (Fra) Credit Agricole 2.42
5 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Illes Balears-Caisse d'Epargne 3.16
6 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Gerolsteiner 3.58
7 Santiago Botero (Col) Phonak Hearing Systems 3.47
8 Francisco Mancebo (Spa) Illes Balears-Caisse d'Epargne 4.00
9 Jan Ullrich (Ger) T-Mobile Team 4.02
10 Andreas Klöden (Ger) T-Mobile Team 4.16

Vino is a bit further down on the map...

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Originally Posted by Flyer:
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Powerful Pete

Off the Eurosport website:

OVERALL STANDINGS:
1. Armstrong,
2. Rasmussen at 38',
3. Moreau at 2'34",
4. Basso at 2'40",
5. Valverde 3'16"

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limerickman

Vino is now approx 4min 20 back.
Moreau gained a few seconds back on LA.
Everyone else is in the same position as they were yesterday.

wolfix

It couldn't have taken much out of Discovery...... If it did, Hioncapie would not have been there in the end. The time of Vino from the bottom of the last 2 climbs to the finish was about the same as the peloton minus the time bonuses , so he didn't take anytime away from the peloton during the last 2 climbs...... Great ride though !!!!!!!! I wish more riders were like him ...... If he ends up at Discovery next year and Armstrong does retire , he will be my choice to win the TDF.

Tyke1968

The top 10 after the 11th stage is:
1. Lance Armstrong (USA) DSC - 1,859km in 41h51’57" (43.902km/h)
2. Mickael Rasmussen (Den) RAB - at 38"
3. Christophe Moreau (Fra) C.A - at 2’34"
4. Ivan Basso (Ita) CSC - at 2’40"
5. Alejandro Valverde (Spa) IBA - at 3’16"
6. Santiago Botero (Col) PHO - at 3’48"
7. Levi Leipheimer (USA) GST - at 3’58"
8. Francisco Mancebo (Spa) IBA - at 4’00"
9. Jan Ullrich (Ger) TMO - at 4’02"
10. Andreas Kloden (Ger) TMO - at 4’16"

Ted B

I expressed in another thread that I would be more than interested to see how he would perform under the auspices of C. Carmichael and co. That would be very interesting.

__________________
Originally Posted by Flyer:
It is a matter of reading comprehension that you challenged by.

rejobako

I don't think so. This stage didn't set up well for an escape by those who are close on GC. Note that Disco simply let Vino and Botero (both over 5 minutes out on GC) expend their energy up ahead, and kept them at a comfortable distance as that group worked together up the climb. Despite all of Vino/Botero's time trial skills, which are considerable, they still gave up most of their 3-minute plus advantage on the long descent to the finish -- a simple matter of aerodynamics.

If Rasmussen or Basso had attacked, I suspect the gap wouldn't have been permitted to extent out as far as the leash provided to Vino/Botero today. And Discovery was in prime position, with at least 5 riders available to chase. An attack by Rasmussen or Basso may have "broken things up", as you say, but I think it would have been doomed from the beginning on a stage that has so far to go after the last climb.

The other consideration, of course, is that perhaps neither man had much left to attack after yesterday. (Especially Rasmussen, who had the long breakaway before the rest day.) Armstrong, too, is probably relieved that the attacks came from Vino/Botero and not Rasmussen/Basso.

As a chess match, Disco sacrificed a 2 minute pawn today for the sake of fortifying protection around its King. Lance was able to ride behind his team all day, out of the wind and in a relatively comfortable pace, while none of his close rivals gained a second. Meanwhile, Vino and Botero have crept closer to the top, but they burned a lot of fuel today.

jhuskey

No one wants to consider that that Discovery team ever tires defending the lead.
They had to push to make up time on the break away after the climb. They were not not riding at a casual rate at the end.
If CSC attacks in stage 12 this will take more out of them.
Will they attack ,I don't know but I am sure not excited about watching another run away where nothing happens for a week and a half.
Today proves that there is still a race to be run.
Be assured I am not against Lance but if Discovery is going to totally control the remaining stages we might as well go fishing in lieu of the excitment that remains.

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MJtje

Oke my take: EVERYTHING IS UNDER CONTROL! That's how disco thought about this stage. They could have gone faster up the mountain, but what was the point. And I keep saying it: although good for the tour.........today Vino will pay back again for this HUGE effort! Obviously all the contenders couldn't attack, because of the strong pace of the disco's!

Oh and people who think Rasmussen is going to attack. Update: theo de rooij said that he wants to keep that 2nd place (which is the problem with everyone they seem to think they can't win 1st; which is correct!) and the polka dot jersey. So IF Illes balears attack the place of LA and thus of Rasmussen LA has an alley in Rasmussen.

It's all hopes from now.........

Crankster

I am surprised to hear constant talks about how Discovery is weakened and tired. Are we watching the same race? Big George and 3 other Discos are up there with Lance, over the climb while shelling out climbers like Heras and Mayo, riding solid tempo and bringing everything under control. They didn't even have much reason to chase down Botero and Vino, who are still 3-4 minutes down. They could have left it to CSC or IB boys. Whenever Disco has 5 teammates on top of the climb while other teams have at most 2 riders in the group is a GREAT day for Disco, and it's very difficult to spin it any other way.

I think Disco and Lance are now in defense mode. They have a solid lead and now they will seat back and let the race for second sort itself out.

Brazillian soccer team used to say: "you can score as many goals as you *can*, but we can always score as many goals as we *want*".

Right now Disco can paraphrase it as "try to get as much time out of as you physically *can*, but remember that we can get back as much time as we *want*". The work done in the front is absolutely incredible. Stage 8 was a fluke, a bluff, or something else, but it certainly wasn't a reflection of their fitness level.