Stage 15 - Monday, July 23: Foix - Loudenvielle - Le Louron, 196km

I hope Soler can get some mountain points over Ras today, but with the big break it might be hard.

I was also expecting Popo to make the inevitable break. He is riding high in the mountain competition also.

 

A good day for Astana, Discovery etc. as teams to try and attack Rasmussen early. He cannot be allowed to stay with the break.
We will see who ahs the legs and can endure the pain that is coming in todays stage.

 

This is a very very difficult stage for the riders in my opinion.

Two weeks riding already in their legs - yesterdays stage was rough, I reckon today could be very tough for the GC contenders.
I think today will ultimately decide if Cadel Evans will podium : if he goes well today, i think he's in with a serious chance of making the podium in Paris.

Ras will now know that Contador is having a very good tour : did Ras expend too much energy yesterday? Did Contador?
Will Kloden and Kash come back?

At this point, it's all about who can recover best.

 

velonews reports that the CSC, Astana, Rabobank, and DC busses were stopped and searched this morning by French authorities....presumably looking for drugs.

 

Unless the Peleton quickens its relative pace soon, the attack could put Zubeldia and Kirchen close to the leaders. But that will be hard as the lead group contains a piss load of very good climbers.

This may be the crazy mistake of the tour. Is there an iron man that can run down Arroyo, Zubeldia, Menchov, Kirchen, Vino and a few others in the lead group with almost 8 1/2 minutes? There are two mountains and 3 discents to go.

I am a nervous chicken lover.

 

What is doing Vino ???

 

What Astana is doing here makes no sense at all.....


Vino has no chance of still winning this thing and he is up there with a bunch of helpers while Klödi is riding alone. There doesn't appear to be any team strategy with these guys whatsoever. It's every man for himself.

I really like Vino, but this is just getting ridiculous now. I mean, he may be trying for a stage win, but what's the point of leaving the leader of the team all alone when he still has a good chance of ending up on the podium in Paris.

 

I don't know. Kloden looks like he is completely on his own. The rest of the team is looking for personal or national glory.

 

i totally agree. astana tactics blow. three men with vino, two now blown up. klodi alone? btw, he is not looking good to me.

 

I agree seems to be to much drama on that team. Vino seems to be looking out for himself when at this point he needs to be helping Klodi. I would hate to be on that team bus between stages.

 

Soler may be paying for his effort yesterday. He's riding at the back.

 

Vino confuses me. He is a lot better today. Did he just have a jour sans yesterday? Was he paying for his TT performance? Or was it just typical Vino-like inconsistancy in the mountains?

 

I'm visiting friends and they don't have VS. But it sounds like Boogerd is stuck doing most of the dirty work for the yellow jersey group. Chapeau Boogerd. But what happens when he drops off. Will any of the other leaders be willing to go out front. This is setting up nicely for Kirchen.

 

Top ride by Boogerd.

He has dragged the top 10 riders on GC up a pretty decent hill without any help whatsoever. Good on him.

 

Vino to win today? His group is coming back on the descent.

 

I sometimes think that there should be an award for best domestique. It's ass busting work, and a lot of these guys have real talent. They should get more credit.

 

Vino is definitely feeling better. He's going to win this easy.

 

vino, what an ego... forget trying to get astana on the podium...

 

Heh. That's just what I was thinking. He is only thinking about proving that he would have won the Tour if he had not crashed. Helping the team win with Klodi is not important to him.