Tour de France

Grind-It-Out · 07-20-10, 08:00 AM

Originally posted by BGboothA

I can't say that I blame Contador, watching the replay and looking at who else was attacking (remember it wasn't just Contador in that lead group). Either way I would have loved to have seen how today would have finished if Andy didn't have the technical issue he had. I would love to see Andy come back and kill it tomorrow and Thursday, but I don't see it happening, even if he comes out hard, and retakes yellow he is really going to have a hard time holding it on Friday in the Time Trail

Yeah, but if I recall correctly Contador was the one who attacked first, and then Sanchez and Menchov hopped on his wheel. Should have been classy like Lance back in the day and told everybody to wait.

RageWizard · 07-20-10, 11:27 AM

I don't think Contador really attacked. He was covering an attack by Schleck himself when he went riding around him, and the others were in tow. Then he didn't put the hammer down to put much time between him and Schleck. He could have put a hurting on Schleck by really attacking up to the finish. All in all, I feel like he didn't take advantage of the situation, and if Schleck was pissed, he should be pissed at himself, or his bike mechanic. I know it is good sportmanship in this sport to wait for a competitor when shits goes bad for them, but very rarely will anyone actually stop and wait, they just let up and give them a chance.

Anyway today was a wasted stage of mountain climbing with 25 miles of flat road after the last climb. This day was ear marked for a breakaway finish. Thursday will be a giant battle between Schleck and Contador. If everthing goes well for me, Schleck will take the climb up the last mountain and beat Contador to the line but by only 25 seconds or so. That way Schleck will beat Contador in the king of the mountains and bring me the money, and then on Saturday, Contador can bring back the yellow jersey for me. In the meantime, Cavendish can win on Friday or Sunday for some more cash in my pocket, and I can get out of this year's tour OK even though I have had a horrible day to day picking of the stages.

BGboothA · 07-20-10, 06:07 PM

yeah today should have been good, but horrible set up in my opinion. I am really looking forward to Thursday.

jon13009 · 07-20-10, 08:32 PM

Contador is a poor example of a champion. He made a cowardly move and dose not have the pride or honor of past winners. The guy is garbage.

Grind-It-Out · 07-21-10, 07:54 AM

Originally posted by jon13009

Contador is a poor example of a champion. He made a cowardly move and dose not have the pride or honor of past winners. The guy is garbage.

Couldn't agree more. I can't wait until this time tomorrow.

BGboothA · 07-21-10, 08:06 PM

Yeah I am really excited to watch tomorrow, the only problem is I just don't think it will matter, Contador is going to be so much better than Schleck in the TT on Saturday that he needs to win by more than a minute tomorrow to really have a shot.

Art Vandeleigh · 07-22-10, 01:21 PM

That was a great mano-a-mano final climb Schleck vs. Contador this tour should be declared a tie and each should get a yellow vest or scarf.

RageWizard · 07-22-10, 06:38 PM

Hang on there with the tie declarations, some of us, err I mean at least one of us has about 6 dimes built up on the outcome of the last couple of days. I would like to thank contador today for not attacking with a couple of meters to go to the finish today so that I could cash my Andy Schleck beating Contador in the King of the Mountains competition, and also my Schleck beating Contador to the line today. so tomorrow when Cavendish wins the stage that will be his 4th, and I'll collect there as well. Also Cadel Evans looks almost done a couple of days ago, but Ivan Basso is fading quickly. At this point Evans looks to bring me the money on that head to head battle as well. Then there is team Sky beating team BMC by around 20 minutes or so. I guess I can't win them all, but if Contador can find a way to roll into Paris sunday, I will start the year off OK.

BGboothA · 07-23-10, 11:43 PM

Yeah good work RageWizard...your Cavendish paid. I was on Cavendish today as well, and I had Shleck yesterday too. OF course I don't think my Schleck overall has much hope. Really a Contador fall tomorrow is about all I have left.

blackf1re · 07-24-10, 03:08 AM

Cavendish at close to evens yesterday really was a gift.

Any thoughts for today? I think Contador definitely wants to win a stage and this is his last chance. Looks just a bit overpriced to me. Cancellara literally died on the Tourmalet so I don't know how he has left to take this.

RageWizard · 07-24-10, 12:59 PM

Yeah, I bet against Cancellara winning today for (-122) with $100, as a play for Contador to win the stage outright because Pinny had contador matched up with another rider at like -180, I have his name in my other thread, but anyways, Contador hit the wind today and Cancellara bested him by 6 minutes. Hats off to Schleck today for getting me more nervous than a scitzo after the first time check. He has really inproved his time trialing. It also looked like Contador was having bike fitting problems to me. That's hard to believe, but he shouldn't be moving around in the saddle as much as he did. Contador is going to win by only 39 seconds for the entire tour. Kind of makes me wonder what would have happened if Schleck didn't have a malfuction on his bike. Well I'm just glad to collect after the amounts I was putting on Contador in the final week.

So all together now, we can put the money on Cavendish for the final stage victory, but I am also going to look for another sprinter matchup for tomorrow knowing that to bet on Cavendish to win will be priced at about (-300) I figure. Maybe a wager on Petacchi or even Thor. Well see when the lines come out of Pinny soon.

goblue12 · 07-25-10, 03:17 AM

Schleck is only 39 seconds back.

Will they play nice and let Contador drink some champagne, or will there be some fireworks at the Champs Elysees?

Grind-It-Out · 07-25-10, 06:32 AM

Originally posted by goblue12

Schleck is only 39 seconds back.

Will they play nice and let Contador drink some champagne, or will there be some fireworks at the Champs Elysees?

They will play nice. Even if he didn't want to play nice, it'd be impossible for him to make up 39 seconds on Contador on today's stage unless Alberto had a mechanical incident.

jgray · 07-25-10, 10:05 AM

Originally posted by goblue12

Schleck is only 39 seconds back. Will they play nice and let Contador drink some champagne, or will there be some fireworks at the Champs Elysees?

I think you have your answer with the blue squirt gun... Kinda of cool to see those two start out with the false-break to start the stage.

The only fireworks are going to come from the sprinters today.

jgray · 07-25-10, 10:08 AM

Originally posted by Grind-It-Out

They will play nice. Even if he didn't want to play nice, it'd be impossible for him to make up 39 seconds on Contador on today's stage unless Alberto had a mechanical incident.

Ironically, if he did, the field (including Schleck) would wait for him.

velina · 07-25-10, 12:46 PM

Contador is the best for 3rd time! Good job!

jbrent95 · 07-25-10, 02:44 PM

Schleck lost this tour at the Prologue. He was lucky when Contador broke a spoke on the cobblestone stage. Did I see Schleck's chain pop off again today when he and Contador broke away early for some camera time?

I don't think that Andy Schleck has the killer instict needed to beat Contador.

BGboothA · 07-25-10, 03:22 PM

All in all I ended up just down about half a unit on the tour. Bummer