Ok, we move in to TdF preparation mode …
Critérium du Dauphiné starts Sunday.
Contador prefers an out of the saddle approach when he hits the big climbs. That’s fine for paved road, but I can tell you from first hand experience you can’t get the power down on gravel, you just spin the rear wheel up. You have to sit and churn it out, and that’s what blew Contador up. You will note on the final climb of the day he was fine.
I think it was kind of sad that Astana prevented Landa going for the win, it wasn’t going to make any difference one way or another.
Keisse beat Durbo in the final stage, the two were in a breakaway.
What were Astana thinking when Contador faded on the penultimate climb - Why would you call back Landa when he was over 1 and 1/2 minutes clear at the summit - Landa should have been riding for his life,instead of waiting for Aru. Strange indeed.
Landa was third and 5:15 behind Contador - he wasn’t going to get that much time.
Aru was second and 4:37 behind Contador - he was team leader and had a better chance of winning, although slight. Landa was called back to support his leader in bid to win Giro. Landa might have been able to get second, but only because Aru wouldn’t chase him - but team status took precedence here (as it usually does).
Neither of the Astana guys was getting support in their groups - Zakarin wouldn’t ride with Landa, and there was disagreement between Aru and Uran in their group. So Astana put their two riders together - Landa to ride for Aru. It was probably the right strategy, but it would have been better if they did it earlier.
I think Contador’s problem was he couldn’t handle the gravel as well as the others, as he took time back after the 2nd last summit - so it wasn’t hunger flat or a complete blowup. I think his preferred climbing style - standing with low gearing / high-cadence - was less suited to the gravel slope. He was probably getting irregular traction on rear wheel and so had to sit down and ride differently which is slower for him. He didn’t bother starting his chase until he was back on asphalt as he always had enough time to hold first place.
What were Astana thinking when Contador faded on the penultimate climb - Why would you call back Landa when he was over 1 and 1/2 minutes clear at the summit - Landa should have been riding for his life,instead of waiting for Aru. Strange indeed.
Yep, the gray / dotted line part.
Unpaved for half that climb, apparently, too.
Aru I think.
Uran wins the stage from Hejsdal and Uran.
Contador 1m 18s back after marking Landa.
OGE version of events
A reply to: @Riolio regarding QuoteLink
5200m up over 138km.
Why?
It’s the Vuelta. They do crazy stuff.
5200m up over 138km.
Why?
Guess it depends on how fit the group is - My immediate thought is Meyer for GC.
And I get the TDU on TV - Yippee !
Watched an interesting documentary on You Tube - History of the Tour De France - Seems to be narrated by Michael Tomalaris.
OGE team for the TDU:
Sam Bewley, Simon Clarke, Luke Durbridge, Mathew Hayman, Michael Hepburn, Daryl Impey, Cameron Meyer.
Not sure what to make of it. No sprint threat and GC would be a toss up between Meyer and Impey (I guess).
Video of the finish finally up.
Ewan said post-race he didn’t know Haussler was behind him. Watch the overhead angle, Ewan looks over his left shoulder and he’s sitting on the right side of his wheel… Sneaky.
I’ll be interested to see replay of last few kms.
Haussler got dropped on last climb, looked shattered, sitting up, just rolling his legs over when he came passed me at top. Amazed he got back on, let alone won. But it is 7 kms from the hill to the finish mostly downhill. Perhaps there is something to be said for saving a bit on last climb, rather than attacking there. Same thing happened in women’s race yesterday. Most of the riders dropped on last climb got back on and formed up a group of 20, although they didn’t catch the 2 leaders.
Ewan rode very well, but he did attack the small bunch, which he said he wanted to keep together. Perhaps I should ask him he is only 20m away from me in a pub in Ballarat drinking with Simon Clarke. Porte and Sky folks are here too.
Anyway no-one can criticise OGE for not having a go. They were chasing or making breaks the whole race.
Ewan not smart in the finish so I hear?Might have gone too early. Tough call, he was marking every move on the last lap, while Haussler minded his is own time. Ewan actually was very impressive, Haussler just used his years of experience to beat him.
Ewan not smart in the finish so I hear?