Stage 16 TDF : Mourenx - Pau : Spoiler

limerickman

I think you're correct : he moved from 12th to 7th on GC today : I have to say I am slightly surprised that the main bunch weren't chasing harder to counteract
Evans breakaway.

Good stage today, I have to say.

limerickman

Heras was very prominent today : that is good see.
I didn't see Beloki or Mayo though : how form changes from year to year !

Crankster

[SARCASM]

Not to take anything away from Pereiro's win, but....

there's this saying
I am trying to remember...

Something about people whose domicile walls are produced from brittle amorphous silicates and how it is not recommended for these people to eject crystallized mineral oxides commonly found on the ground onto other people, or something to that effect.

Anyone got exact quote?!

[/SARCASM]

Ted B

I absolutely agree. OP complained about GH's tactics, but today the shoe was on the other foot and suddenly said tactics are ok.

I'm glad that OP got what he wanted today, and hopefully he'll be satisfied with that. Like GH, OP did today what he had to in order to get the stage win. Evans got what he was after (a higher GC placing), so there should be no whining.

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

jhuskey

"Those that live in glass houses should not get stoned".

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Sobriety is over rated!

roadhog

OP has certainly had a great run in this Tour, is a brilliant rider, and has been excellent the last two stages especially. The only thing taking away from his victory today in my eyes is his disappointing sportsmanship following Sunday's stage. I would say Cadel Evans was the "stronger man" (OP's words after Sunday) today, but he did not have a chance at the win after doing the bulk of the work the last 20k and all of the work the last 5k or so (don't hold me to exact measurements, I wasn't staring at the markers). Obviously CE made a conscious decision that GC standing was more important to him today. But still, the irony of today's stage ending given Sunday's post-stage sniveling was not lost on me. I don't think CE will be whining to the press about who won the stage...

On another note, I am surprised at how few riders many teams send to the front of the peloton to chase when the GC standing of their own rider is at risk. I never saw more than one Rabobank guy up there, one Gerolsteiner guy up there, never noticed a single Phonak guy up there (and Landis did lose a spot to CE today), etc. T Mobile did have a few numbers up there pushing the pace at times, but where were the other teams? Doesn't make sense to me. Perhaps TMobile was doing enough work that they didn't need to? I dunno... Interesting decisions Phonak must have had also, with OP working in the break which ended up placing CE ahead of Landis. It did give them the stage though and OP also has a high standing so it was probably the right choice, just interesting. Perhaps that is even why I didn't see them working in the chase...

limerickman

CE in an interview on Eurosport said that he was trying to move on GC and that the stage win wasn't the prime motivation for today.
He also said that he was trying to prevent O'Grady and Hushovd gaining points on the Green Jersey against his (CE's) team mate McEwan

House

My only problem with this win is that he also helped Evans move past Landis in the GC. That doesn't seem to be very team spirited.

tcklyde

Well since Phonak has no chance at the GC, stage wins are much more important. Think like a sponsor.

__________________
Harry

roadhog

I agree. Interesting decisions Phonak had to face today. I guess they decided that the chance at the stage was worth risking Landis' GC spot. Also OP has a high standing as well. Also did not see them working in the chase at all. Given that the team (Phonak) also joined in with OP's sniveling the other day, I suspect the team management wanted a little "I told you so" moment if they could get OP the win. Overall, I'm not impressed with Phonak at the moment(attitude, not riding ability).

roadhog

good point.

Virenque

I wonder why Evans did so much work in last 2 km and then he couldn`t go for a stage win. I think stage win is a lot more in his case than difference between 7th and e.g. 9th place in GC.

limerickman

Fair point.

I can only relate what CE said in the post race interview : maybe he was just too tired to contest the final sprint ?

Virenque

Of course he was, because he worked to much in the last kms!