boston310

Maybe someone already talked about it, but what were they saying to each other? Were there any stories about this? It looked odd and just wondered if they interviewed anyone specifically about this.

ed073

Lots of chit chat in the bunch......could have been anything.

Roostalee

I think Ullrich was trying to borrow Lance's homework because Landis ate his. Then Kloden went and got silly fast. Then, Lance laid the smack down. It was pretty cool.

That's my official report and I'm sticking to it.

Landis, Acevedo and Hincapie might never become household names in America, which is a shame. These USPS lieutenants are nothing short of cycling gods.

hollow

I think Jan was asking Lance and Floyd to step on the gas so Jan could sit on without appearing to attack Kloden, which would show bad form. Lance probably said something to the effect that "you go ahead if you want to gain some time". If Jan did, then Lance and Floyd could sit on, maybe taking a few turns. Lance had nothing to gain by working with Jan as Jan couldn't gain more than around 30 seconds on Lance. That's what I think, or maybe I'm wrong.

TimB

Jan said:
"eeef you gentlemen voood pleees kip riding your buyziccles, i am not going to fourzz ze paze, after you, beeter!

Landis: " Holy cow maaaan I'm foooked

LA: I'll give you $10000 to be unfoooked"

Kloden:" yis ees my moment of truez ya,

Jan: ha ha foiled you american's vunce more ya!"

LA: "buy the power of gray skull weel not be beaten to day" bam!

The rest is history

RonH

At one point LA told Landis something like, "speed up the pace like you've just robbed a bank cause you're about to win the stage".
Unfortunately Floyd ran out of gas before he crossed the line so LA had to take the win.

Scooby Snax

Lance told Floyd to ride it like you stole it, but after haulin Lance up and over hill and dale, Floyd could only manage a 4th... too bad, would have liked to see Floyd get a win for his own self. Than man is an animal.. great bike rider and a loyal team mate.
Did anyone figure out if Floyd did get the win on that last climb?


Scoob

zensuit

Hear, hear! The cool thing about the OLN TDF coverage is that I get to explain to interested people at the office just how amazing Hincapie, Landis, and Jose the Ace really are...

One other cool thing...I am just getting back into riding after about 11 years off...it's more inspiring in some ways to watch LA's team and the work they do for him than it is to watch LA...I suspect I feel a lot more like Floyd at the top of a long climb than I do LA, lol.

Smoothie104

Floyd was 2nd over the last climb.

Here is what happened, and this is a great stage to teach someone about team tactics.

While the commercial break was going on, Lance had told Floyd to attack on the downhill, as Floyd not being a threat to the overall may have been let go, with the favorites only marking each other. But this was not the case, Ullrich chased Floyd down, and as it all came back together, the live footage returned. At this point Basso and Kloden had been gapped a bit.

Lance was telling Ullrich if he wanted to move up on the GC, he better step on the gas. Ullrich would not, which tells us veteran obsevers that T-Mobile is going for the stage win, and It's probably Kloden who is the chosen one. If Ullrich had gone, and tried to get time on Basso, and Kloden, he would have towed Lance and Floyd to the finish and probably lost the stage. So he refused to pull through. While this is going on, it all comes back together again.

Floyd is told to attack again, and he does, and here is where T-Mobile has to show their hand a bit. ULLRICH is the one who chases, so know we KNOW that Kloden is the chosen weapon to win the stage, and this makes sense, as he is 1 minute out of 2nd place on the GC, and could close that down to 40 seconds with the stage win.

As it all came back together, I was waiting for the counter attack, I knew it was coming from either Kloden or Lance, and here is where experience comes in. How far to the finish, how many corners, which way is the wind blowing etc.... Kloden rips off a devestating counter, and opens a huge gap. Phil Ligget is saying that the race was just won.

Lance doesn't follow, and here is where the gamble is. Perhaps it surprised him that Koden went so soon, but he didn't chase, he trusted that his team mate would be able to close the gap enough for him. Floyd sees Kloden fly by and knows that the stage will not be his, but he also knows his job is to bury himself to get Lance up there, and immediatley started to chase. and Lance used him to get just a bit closer before he made his move.


Despite finishing 13 seconds back on the stage, it was Floyd was responsible for the stage win. It was the 2 Attacks by Floyd that made T-Mobile show their plans. And it was Floyd who brought Lance close enough to Kloden so Lance could get the win.

But as in most bike races, at the end there is a little bit of luck involved, if Koden had waited 2 or 3 seconds before launching his counter, he probably would have won. If Floyd turned the pedals just a bit slower due to fatique, Kloden probably would have won. And although Lances accleration was probably just as fast as Klodens initial one was, Lance had timed his better.

lotek 

Smoothie,

thanks for about the best explanation/analysis of the final moments of the stage
I've read. I think everyone should read this one.

Marty

TXCiclista

Amen to that.

Crack'n'fail

I don't know, TimB's explanation was pretty freakin sweet too.

Methos

I think the He-Man reference was clutch.

Although Smoothie, I would like to watch the tour with you.

roadbuzz

I could not believe how Lance timed his. He waited and waited, started from wayyyy behind Kloeden, and still only just pipped him at the line (but it was enough!).

progre-ss

Did you guys happen to catch OLN's interview with Landis after the fact? He was very humble and looked to be quite embarassed to be interviewed! My wife said he looked "cute" cuz his face was all red. What he did for Lance during that stage brings him up the rungs for the MVD (Most Valuable Domestique) Award in my eyes!

Roostalee

I thought the same thing! Armstrong's attack looked like precise, premeditated choreography. Had he attacked even half a second later, he probably would have lost the stage. That said, it was certainly no fluke he won.

Forget about EPO, I think he's got a NOS canister hidden somewhere on his person.

duracann

I don't think that lance was trying that hard to win until he noticed that kloden had slowed considerably and he still had a shot. Then he put the pedal down and won.

ExMachina

Very nice analysis Smoothie—jives with all the post-race interviews, makes sense, and explains exactly how complex a breakaway finish of a stage can be.

Salute!