2011 Tour de France

Don't get it on my tv cable package. Coverage on traditional sports stations is miniscule enough to be useless. Can't buy live feed from Versus (NBC), even if I wanted to pay, because this year they supply only US.
Will watch little clips from the official site and be happy with that.

Glad your Aussie is in contention. Do the Schlecks really have the mettel to come back? Does anyone want a tainted Contador to win? He certainly is not lying back to avoid controversy.
Apparently Canadian Ryder Hesjadel had a good day yesterday by setting up Hushovd.

 

The closest tour to call since before Armstrongs time IMO.

Cadel looks strong, but he hasn't had a bad day yet, normally you have one bad day & if he does have one on the two final mountain stages they are the type syou could lose masses of time.

The Schlecks look OK, but they aren't explosive enough to break away from people. I think the stage tomorrow should suit them sell though long, tough climbs. They need to keep pressure on though what Andy did last year and wait and slow with contador won't work on him. To beat (IMHO) contador you need to have a long climb which drains his explosiveness and then be able to kick harder.

Contador - he looked poor in the first two weeks & lost silly time in crashes, but his bad day (stage 14) where he couldn't keep up with the leader meant he only lost 14s. Schlecks should have kept there attacks going. They seemed to attack, then slow. This weeks he has looked a lot better, more explosivness on attacks & his stick more than the others.

Basso/Sanchez/Cunego I think are ok, but I can't see them sticking when it counts. Tomorrow is the key stage as I tihnk if someone makes a move stick and gets the lead, they may be able to defend fridays stage up the Alpe.

Voeckler has been fortunate to take the yellow through abreakaway, but has defended it with passion. I do feel the next two days will see him fall back. He could get a podium though IF he doesn't go kamikaze & chase every attack as he has been doing.
Either way I still think the timetrial could decide things. In this contador is pretty good, Cadel should be better, but after two enourmous stages beforehand may not have the legs.

My Prediction:

1.Contador
2.Evans
3. Frank/Andy

However with how close it is one superb performance could change it. The Margin will be less than a minute I think in Paris

 

UK has it on free to air TV live stage everyday & highlights in Evening......Lucky Me!

 

Good thing Eurosports is showing it live. It would be fun to join in behind the pack with a motorised bicycle, lol

 

Yes D-Day for the Schleck's tomorrow. I guess Evans would have the best time trial of the 5 and the Schlecks and Voeckler aren't masters of the descent either nor is Contador is should add. But apparently the weather in the Alps is cold and wet so if it should suit any of them my guess would be on the Schleck's for the stage. Hmph, now it's says it will be sunny tomorrow but still cold at 5 Celsius on the Col d' Agnel.
But what is the likelihood for any of them to attack before the last col ...

As always we are "lucky" to have an overkill of coverage including daily talkshows by "experts". Free coverage on national, Belgian and Eurosport tv live from start to finish ...

 

I'm hoping for an early Virenque style escape by Frank Schleck . Plenty of points for the polka dot jersey as well (80, more than the current leader has I believe) so attacks there will be from the start ...
Expecting Hoogerland, who took it easy today.

 

Did you see the pictures (apparently from today) at the top of the Galibier? 1 foot of snow they said

I would be surprised if someone went before the final climb, would be risky to go on your own (even in a breakaway) and the others are likely to work together to catch them. I expect fireworks only on the Galibier.

Having said that Contador said in an interview afterwards he would attack at every chance from now....

I don't think Sanchez will have the legs.

 

I go for Cadel Evans!!!

 

Hahaha I guess the same way I support Mark Webber and Stoner. Aussie aussie Aussie!!!

 

Very nice stage today . Substitute Frank Schleck with Montfort and we have about the scenario I had in mind. Just had to be at least one col before the final one to gain some substantial time difference. Else those clingy types like Voeckler and Evans might give them Lymes disease ...

 

I don't like to say it, but I told you so! (About Sanchez anyway)

Stunning stage today, I certainly wasn't expecting an attack as early as that, well planned however as he did it at the steepest part of the climb so the explosive riders could pull him back.

Now tomorrow it set up beautifully. Can Voeckler Stick to the main pack? Can Andy get anymore time to protect him from the Evans TT? How will Andy react tomorrow after the lone exertions of today? Has Evans used too much energy chasing Andy in the latter parts of the stage?

I think the winner of the day, apart from the obvious Andy was Frank, he didn't do any work in the pack, that was done by Evans. Maybe he can attack tomorrow and gain enough time for a Schleck 1,2 (in any order).

Personally I hope Andy has saved enough Energy for the Alpe. I expect he will lose 1m30s on the TT to Cadel, so he needs more time really. I think Cadel should defend tomorrow to save energy for the TT.

Looking like a great finale though. Think Contador has had it. I had a sneaky suspicion he was playing a defensive game before knowing that the last two mountain stages were massive & lots of time could be taken, I guess I was wrong there

New Prediction after today:

1.Andy
2.Cadel
3.Frank