Comments on: The Standoff Is Underway

By: Sebastian

Sebastian — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 10:27:24 +0000

Perhaps I went a little overboard last week in my complaints about the TTT; but, this side of the Pyrenees, I’m starting to feel like I was justified. Any Tour course in which all the Pyrenean stages combined make less of a difference to the GC than the TTT is an ill-planned one. Or perhaps it’s more accurate to say that having big TTT-produced gaps before a set of unusually easy Pyrenean stages effectively guaranteed defensive racing there. Either way, the Alps are going to have to deliver a lot in order to redeem this one.

By: Sheriff

Sheriff — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 04:56:51 +0000

That is such a true statement chris it is why i was very surprised that after andy attacked frank or even any other gc contender evans or menchov didnt go hard just to add some more pressure on nocentini but what was even more surprising to me was no hard dig from menchov on the toumalet he realised no one was going to attack he should have gone himself but looks like menchov is happy with his giro win and is not looking for too much out of the tour de france this year anyway lets hope the no radio stage today is an intresting one

By: chris RAINBOW johnson

chris RAINBOW johnson — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 00:46:12 +0000

I think that the challanging teams missed a classic opportunity that Saturday when Andy Schleck raised the pace, they could have placed Astana into the tour lead.They had gapped the ‘cheese on toast’ Nocentini, (yellow top on brown shorts) and could have easily kept him out of the picture with a small combined effort. Sure AG2r would have been annoyed at those teams by losing them yellow. But just imagine what a hot potato the Maillot jaune would be for Bruyneel & co.! Contoador holding with the yellow jersey, the team left to defend what they don’t want. It would raise the internal pressure like pushing a stick in a wasp nest, all to the advantage to the other teams. Astana could risk letting breaks go to relinquish the Jersey but that would be commented on as dishonouring the yellow. And it could be very risky to let a big break go off and allow a “Piero” to occour. Contador would be claiming the leader on the road! Armstrong would be spitting! I can’t believe the other team DS couldn’t have seen the opportunity for them and disadvantageous mental and strength sapping it would impose on Astana. I think it could have given the challenging teams more opportunity to elevate their cause’s whist Astana argued.
Plus it would be bloody funny to watch too!