le tour -stage 8

no market for yellow jersey, do they have no clue whom to list?

Its a proper alpine stage today with 2 massive climbs to finish. I can't decide if this is made for Contador or if not will someone who can't win GC but is after the Mountains jersey will be allowed on a break.

definitely will be allowed to break, question is if any of the escapees will survive when the battle for the GC starts

outsiders for this stage: Robert Gesink and John Gadret

is Gesink really recovered after his fall?

lets pray for a good one today and not a repeat of Verbier last year....

It's going to be horribly hot out there, and i expect the Ramaz to be the place where this all blows apart, Ast to put one in the break before the Ramaz, suspect this might well be Vino -in which case Levi will be there as well, Cont will just sit and follow the GC boys,  If it all comes back together then Vino / Cont will be fine for Avoriaz with a Cont stage win - otherwise one of the goats in the intial break will win the stage.

Basso to defo have a pop as he needs to make time up on the GC boys, watch Kreutz - he could also be in th earleir break to help Basso later on in the day.

Thanks for sharing your insight sean

Crash already

lets keep it all in one thread

http://www.letour.fr/PHOTOS/TDF/2010/800/PROFILKMSVIGNETTE.gif

Game on!



the jigger Joined: 09 Mar 09
Replies: 178 10 Jul 10 19:02   
I am going for a Basso win in this stage tomorrow.Really looking forward to this stage.

ekbalko Joined: 08 Sep 07
Replies: 12 10 Jul 10 19:15   
Rode up the final climb last year not as hard as is made out.Surprised its a cat1 tbh.

cedarmaster Joined: 22 May 02
Replies: 783 10 Jul 10 20:33   
garate

freebetterisbettertobe Joined: 01 Jul 09
Replies: 276 10 Jul 10 23:06   
Top 3 for whole tour, Cadel Evans. 2.9 is a joke price, hes passed it on the big climbs now. Others will outdo him easily. Watch tomorrow, and then more of the same to come later in tour. Lay him now.

bifmartin Joined: 15 Jul 03
Replies: 2 11 Jul 10 08:40   
If the favorites open up, it will be Contador to win the stage imo. He doesnt have that strong a team this year, and should go on the attack, so he can try and isolate the other favorites as well.

11-ELEVEN-11 Joined: 10 Jan 02
Replies: 6 11 Jul 10 09:30   
outsiders for this stage: Robert Gesink and John Gadret

atallbloke Joined: 27 Aug 05
Replies: 377 11 Jul 10 09:43   
For any of the big GC contenders to get busted today they'd need to have seriously bad day as it isn't the toughest of climbs.

dead pop stars Joined: 15 Feb 06
Replies: 734 11 Jul 10 11:44   
PCM stage 8

Run through this stage 3 tines , the result was the same each time

1 contador
2 schleck
3 Evans

Gone for Martinez and fedrigo,

yes, this is not the hardest climb, the real challenge will come later
there are many stages with hc climbs before the finish but only one hc mountain finish, that is stage 17 with the tourmalet. 2 days later is a time trial, so probably those 3 days will decide it

Evans looked like he sustained a bit of damage in that crash earlier.

lots of riders near or behind medical car, waiting to be treated

they checked his arm, didn't look too bad imo

Any chance of the break staying away to the finish ?

nope - all back by the Ram.

so who fancy who for stage win today

I'm backing Contador, odds look a bit short at the moment though. 2.36

I've laid Contador

Armstrong being dropped!!

Armstrong was finished in Rotterdam. His prologue was average. His cadence is no where near his peak. and yesterday looked awful,sweating buckets and grimicing.

I'm not at all convinced by Contador here today either. Not exactly smooth imho. Schleck a MAJOR danger to him. looks very smooth

Wow, fireworks already. Brilliant :-)

From here, Contador or Schleck for me, opportunity knocks.

Have to agree DJQ, Contadors face doesnt look quite as good as it has in previous tours. All good fun! Come on Wiggins!

Vino off on his own - planned or not?

planned 100%.

watch BAsso / Kreut go, then watch Ast chase, and Vino up front to help.

Contador will win this now I reckon.

Lance has given up
Wheres the Never give up, failure is permanent 5hite, he's been spouting for years

Never liked big bully Armstrong, so quite enjoying this. Blown on the first real climb, let alone stage.

could vino win this

Schleck looks like he's out on a leisurely country ride

great finish. Quality Tour so far :-)

hOOd Joined: 09 Feb 02
Replies: 419 11 Jul 10 16:11 
Schleck looks like he's out on a leisurely country ride

did you get on

Fantastic, Contadors shown some weakness, hopefully this will encourage others to attack :-)

Sort of...I'd already laid contador at 2.1 so left it that

Beginning to wonder if AC should be odds on for the GC

Schleck may have missed his chance for the Tour today, hopefully that's not his only bad day.

I dont think Contador had "a bad day". I think we saw his true current form today. If he did have a virus previously as the tour goes on its affects may show more as they are all putting thier bodies through hell.

I agree with the ramper. Schleck looked good the whole way. I really think he could hve put up to a couple of minutes into Contador, he was looking round and wondering when to go for a good couple 0f km before he went for it. I think he could eventually regret that indecision, he def needs more time before the time trial...............Best first week of a Tour in my memory