Posted on 07/04/2009 8:09:14 AM PDT by Mom MD
Today is day one! Armstrong riding. Astana is back! Predictions? Other comments? Does someone have the ping list from last year?
I know Wiggens did well in the Prologue, but how good is he in a medium-length ITT such as tomorrow’s?
And please don’t say we’ll find out tomorrow...
Peleton at under 3 min to Hushovd now - putting down the hammer.
Thor is stamping his name on the Green Jersey today.
I don’t think Cav should have hinted that the GJ was tainted.
Oh, never mind then. ;)
According to Phil and Paul he will be much stronger. Tomorrow is all flat where the prologue had a climb at the start. At the Giro he was 2nd in the last TT, but it was pretty short. He was 7th in the longer TT. Neither of those is an exact match for the TT tomorrow. It has a small hill and is 40K. He should be very dangerous. Depending on how everyone is feeling. A big day like today can have a big effect on tomorrow.
The God of Thunder waits for no one. Evidently Thor wanted to be part of the Welcome Cavendish celebration at the hotel in Grand-Bornand so he left bright & early all by his lonesome so as to be sure not to miss Cav's arrival.
LOL. Did you just see him (Thor) trying to open that coke can with his teeth?
Looks like Thor is going to slow up and ask Cav if he knows who won the sprints today now.
Cav is tainted because of that comment. Is he within the scoring gap that would have existed had he not been relegated?
Ouch!! lol
Gotta be really buck-toothed to pry that pull tab up with your teeth.
The Schleck bros & 2 Astana riders out front by 25”, interesting.
He should also ask Cav if there is still a "stain" on his green jersey now that he's used it to mop up the course of his rivals. Yæï -Håø!
versus:
Here is where the main GC battle will start, with two major climbs left on the day.
Hats off to Hushovd today. Some strong words in the press from rival Mark Cavendish really lit a fire under him, turning him into a climber! Chapeau!
Over the second last climb - looks bad for LA. A group with 4 riders in front: the Schleck brothers, Contador and Klöden. Lance is in the next group with Wiggins, van der Welde and Nibali, now 1’15” back.
On the last part of the previous climb Lance did a move and was picking up time to the leaders but he couldn’t shake Wiggins, and being a team player he had to back off. So now we will see if he will try once more to shake off the other three and try to reach the leaders once they start the last climb.
Cav must have been playing hooky from Sunday School the day they covered the eleventh commandment: Never make a Norwegian mad. Cav is finding out what it's like to be plundered by a Viking, 21st century-style. lol!
Lance’s job right now is probably to try to get Astana 1-2-3 now.
The last climb has started. The Scheck brothers are pulling the lead group, the Astana riders just follow. However, the lead is still 1’20” to Armstrong’s group.
van der Velde is leading the Armstrong group. As long as he is in the front they will not make up on the leaders. Will LA attack? Lead now 1’35”
van der Velde is finished - 3 riders left in the Armstrong group.
Schleck brothers don’t seem able to make any further attacks. Maybe they are satisfied with putting time between themselves and Lance. The two steepest k’s coming up now.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.