brodie

20 k to go. 15k to go 10k to go. you know rasmussen is 1 of the 2 best climbers in the race and, you wait until the biggest climb of the race. AFTER RASMUSSEN HAS RIDDEN AT HIS OWN PACE ALL DAY.

Thats just stupid. they were riding for second and,third.not to win.
im sitting here waiting for the attacks.they never came. they should have at least tried to put him in trouble.they never tried though.

dont get me wrong,i would love to be 3rd in the TDF, BUT WOULDNT YOU TRY TO CRACK RASMUSSEN EARLIER.

Socalcycling

Hello>>>>they Didn"t Have It>>>>>>

brodie

IM JUST VENTING. I SAW THEY COULDNT DO IT. BUT STILL IM THINKING, get him tired before the last mountain.

voltman

Is something wrong with your keyboard?

gcl8a

Ummm...

brodie

im just saying they keep playing right into his strength. stage after stage.
why dont they learn,this doesnt work.

CyLowe97

YEAH! WHEN THE HECK IS FdJ GOING TO FINALLY ATTACK FOR CRISSAKES????

IT'S LIKE THEY ARE JUST SITTING IN HOPING FOR 20TH PLACE OR WHATEVER.

Ganesha

Because Johan Bruyneel is an overrated tactition.

Socalcycling

oh i see that you just joined so you're still learning about the sport. I'm sure you have figured it out by now>>>>>>>>>>>>>

kuan

Yeah they should have attacked Rasmussen at 30k to go, that way Disco could have cracked way earlier and made for a much nicer solo finish.

erader

you make it sound easy when really rasmussen is the strong guy here. they don't attack because they can't.

ed rader

DMF 

And if you fail you lose big time. If they were going to crack him 10k should have been enough and that's where they went.

same time

Discovery may have been the smartest team in the race today.

They figured out by the last climb that Contador couldn't break Rasmussen, so they focused on Levi dropping Cadel Evans. Disco could get 2 guys on the podium in Paris now, and if Rasmussen is booted for drugs, they'll have first and second. (Provided Levi time trials well) They're also set to win the team competition, which they now lead with Astana out.

I would have liked to see Contador get a gap on Ras too, but Rasmussen was too strong.

OrionKhan

You've got to remember that these guys are racing up a HC mountain. They've dropped 150 other riders. The guy wearing yellow has won more than one polka dot jerseys. He's in his element on these tough ass climbs. Contador tried several times and ended up getting dropped in the end. Attacking sooner would have just meant that they would have lost more time. On big mountain finishes like that, you don't have to fall that far behind to lose a minute or two. For Disco was figuring that if they could get away in the last few kms they could get Contador within a minute of Rasmussen if you add in the time bonuses.

Its easy for us to say "just attack him". Hell, everyone one was probably glad that hellish stage was over.

DMF 

They led by a fair amount before Astana "retired", and stood to gain more today.

HWS

There's also the chance that MR could repeat his 05 ITT.....


Even Levi said he knew Ras was gonna dump them in the end.

pathdoc

I think Discovery has had a pretty good Tour. It does look like they'll have one if not 2 men on the podium when its all over.

robow

Let's see for Disco,
1. Overall Team wins
2. Won a stage
3. At least one individual on the podium with very small outside chance at two
4. White jersey
5. Nobody tested positive
Did I miss anything? Probably only one other team will be more content with the outcome

USAZorro

incorrect

STAGE TEAM STANDING

Result after stage 15
Total distance covered: 196 km


Standing Team Time Gaps
1. ASTANA 209h 52' 24"
2. DISCOVERY CHANNEL TEAM 209h 55' 17" + 02' 53"
3. TEAM CSC 210h 07' 25" + 15' 01"
4. CAISSE D’EPARGNE 210h 07' 46" + 15' 22"
5. RABOBANK 210h 10' 27" + 18' 03"
6. EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI 210h 19' 16" + 26' 52"
7. PREDICTOR - LOTTO 211h 08' 42" + 1h 16' 18"
8. AG2R PREVOYANCE 211h 21' 11" + 1h 28' 47"
9. SAUNIER DUVAL - PRODIR 211h 21' 25" + 1h 29' 01"
10. CREDIT AGRICOLE 211h 26' 04" + 1h 33' 40"
11. LIQUIGAS 211h 44' 22" + 1h 51' 58"
12. LAMPRE-FONDITAL 211h 45' 09" + 1h 52' 45"
13. T-MOBILE TEAM 212h 02' 14" + 2h 09' 50"
14. QUICK STEP - INNERGETIC 212h 05' 57" + 2h 13' 33"
15. BOUYGUES TELECOM 212h 18' 24" + 2h 26' 00"
16. GEROLSTEINER 212h 38' 37" + 2h 46' 13"
17. BARLOWORLD 212h 42' 44" + 2h 50' 20"
18. COFIDIS CREDIT PAR TELEPHONE 213h 22' 39" + 3h 30' 15"
19. AGRITUBEL 214h 26' 04" + 4h 33' 40"
20. TEAM MILRAM 214h 41' 49" + 4h 49' 25"
21. FRANCAISE DES JEUX 215h 13' 57" + 5h 21' 33"

USAZorro

Maybe two, if you count Barloworld.

ericcox

I'm normally not a huge fan of Discovery -- I seem to like the underdog -- but they are the only team that has really tried to bring the race to Rasmussen the last few days. Popo has been blowing up the group, and today they tried a 1-2 punch after the Chicken was left alone. Rasmussen has just been a bit too strong.

Look at the select group before the real fireworks started: disco got it down to Rasmussen, Levi, Contador, and Evans. In the end, tactics only get you so far, however.

superslomo

Couldn't it also be that boogerd and menchov got it down to that group as well?

ElJamoquio

Uh... who had favored Discovery winning the tour this year? Vino/Valverde were two big favorites coming in.

In other words, for the past two years, they WERE the underdogs.

ericcox

^^^ I have a standard three-year lag policy before updating underdogs. It's in my organizational bylaws.

superslomo

I think Versus might have