2008 Tour de France Stage 7 ; Brioude - Aurillac 159.0 km Friday 11th July

[Powerful Pete]

Now group of four. Another Saunier Duval guy has made it into the break.

 

[TheDarkLord]

Now group of four. Another Saunier Duval guy has made it into the break.

No PP, it is the same group of four. La Fuente had problems in the descent, but he rejoined the group in the end. Astarloza tried to bridge between the yellow jersey group and the breakaway in the middle of the climb, but was caught near the end of the main descent.

Gap to the front group 1 min.

 

[Powerful Pete]

No PP, it is the same group of four. La Fuente had problems in the descent, but he rejoined the group in the end. Astarloza tried to bridge between the yellow jersey group and the breakaway in the middle of the climb, but was caught near the end of the main descent.

Gap to the front group 1 min.

Oops. There ya go, I am excited and getting confused (it begins to happen at my age).

 

[TheDarkLord]

Voigt looked like he was getting dropped in the cat 3 climb Col de Saint-Jean de-Donne. Pereiro and Schumacher have attacked.

 

[Powerful Pete]

My internet connection is **** today. Who is the Saunier guy off the front of the peloton?

 

[TheDarkLord]

It's official folks! De La Fuente will be in polka dots jersey at the end of today. Looks like everybody save La Fuente has been reeled in now by the yellow jersey group.

 

[TheDarkLord]

My internet connection is **** today. Who is the Saunier guy off the front of the peloton?

That is La Fuente.

It is almost all downhill from here to the finish. L. Sanchez has attacked again, and now has a lead over the yellow jersey group. Just 4 km to the finish!

 

[TheDarkLord]

Nice victory for Sanchez.

Followed by Schumacher, Pozzato, Kirchen and Piti. No change in the top orders of the GC.

 

[Scotttri]

Nice victory for Sanchez.

Followed by Schumacher, Pozzato, Kirchen and Piti. No change in the top orders of the GC.

Wow Cunego had a bad day!!! Good to see Sanches win and also good to see his team mates ride straight up to him and congratulate him as well!!

 

[classic1]

Great stage. I always enjoy the 'middle mountain' stages. Always guys yo-yoing on and off, moves going off the front, splits etc.

Bloody good ride by sprinters Zabel, Hushovd and Baden Cooke to come it at 33 seconds on such a tough stage.

 

[Anticyclone]

Great stage. I always enjoy the 'middle mountain' stages. Always guys yo-yoing on and off, moves going off the front, splits etc.

Bloody good ride by sprinters Zabel, Hushovd and Baden Cooke to come it at 33 seconds on such a tough stage.

Yeah, shame for them that all the hard work on the climbs has effectively come to nothing though

 

[Powerful Pete]

Goes to show you that sprinters can downhill well... they must have thought that they could make it back to the front of the peloton for the sprint. Wonder how it will affect their legs tomorrow.

 

[azdroptop]

Kirchen. Very cool that he went for the green jersey points and was willing to start the sprint at the finish. Nice to see a yellow jersey guy go for it a little.

 

[TheDarkLord]

Kirchen. Very cool that he went for the green jersey points and was willing to start the sprint at the finish. Nice to see a yellow jersey guy go for it a little.

It does have some parallels to Chicken vs Soler in the fight for the KOM jersey. If he does hang on to the yellow through the mountains, then the likelihood of him retaining the green goes down (especially if a contender gets in a break in a flat stage).