rogwilco

I am almost certain Contador would have managed to catch up with Schleck eventually if his chain hadn't dropped. The speed Contador was flying up the mountain with was just incredible.

Thulsadoom

I think some words were spoken on the climb, and I think AS did most of the speaking. I think that AC was just letting Andy know afterwards that he heard all that trash, and he thought it was kinda cute.

Howzit

Wow, this year's Tour has made me see the light.
I shall never look at racing the same from here on out...

This gifting system is great!

Gift a stage here, wait for that person there. The world is changing and this is now self evident. Those 'commies where right all along. Socialized Racing.com. Im going to make new rubber bands that racers wear on their wrists to advertise their support for this new gifting system, and slowly we shall win peletons the world over, and why stop at cycling? Formula 1 racing could take a page out of this book; waiting for a fellow racer who had a little speed wobble off the track.
Perhaps to bring it closer to home, NASCAR racers should wait when they bump and barge in the heat of the moment and knock a guy a few places down, or if a plug miss-fires and loses a car length.

I mean, if you think I speak absurdity, one should look and listen no further than the boos Contador received on the jersey presentation podium for not waiting for Scleck. And now, the cheers he gets once again for gifting a stage and righting a wrong.

I love this new racing system.

cooker

Deciding to keep up with them and not let them get away from you.

DXchulo

Don't forget there is only one real TT this year. If there had been 2 TTs like normal Contador might be up 2 minutes already. If the organizers want Schleck to win they should stick with one TT and bring back time bonuses. Also, depending on how the whole LUX team shapes up, bring back the TTT.

OrionKhan

They "put the dagger" in when necessary. Was it necessary today? Or are you unhappy for not being entertained in a manner that you would have liked. He may still win the TT. He did last year. Clearly, today he wasn't going to challenge Schleck for the stage win. For all of the talk about sportsmanship and honor, now people are on him for not winning a stage. You've got to let the angst go. At least come up with a quantifiable reason for not liking Contador. Its quite pathetic.

Bacciagalupe

Still working my way through a history of Le Tour. So all I know is, it didn't start out as a celebratory stage, and was still a serious stage (though not always decisive) in the 30s.

PurpleFender

Those two aren't the same thing. 1/10 for trolling.

BluesDawg

Right.
2003 was Chris Horner
2004 was Lance Armstrong
2005 was Tom Danielson
2006 was Floyd Landis
2007 was Janez Brajkovic
2008 was Kanstantin Siutsou

Howzit

Is trolling a new key word you just picked up?
'Nway, moving on to actual discussion...

time bonuses are not in the spirit of the new gifting system now intact. Imagine what would have happened today for example? Contador might have been forced to race for the line if 30 or 40 seconds where on the line in the form of a time bonus. It would have spiced up the end, but who wants that? Even though this is a race, how could we force people to race for the line? More so, he would not have been able to gift the stage after all. Imagine the attacks by Menchov in an attempt to win a stage in the final kilometers to gain ever-so-vital, precious seconds. What kind of race would that be? Not waiting for Schleck after his devastating momentary mechanical failure (nothing due to the equipment by the way -may it please the court, Scleck wasnt even shifting he says, just happened for no reason at all (roll eyes at bike forum)) only proved to remind us all that the Tour De France is no place for those who want to abandon the sacred gift system.
Even Contador, snubbed by armchair commentators on internet forums, and reprimanded by the public, today stopped the peleton to wait for the guy who crashed early on.
Solidarity has always been a staple, cultural, cornerstone of the TdF peleton, and adoption of the gift system only means that any cyclist who dares break this pact shall severely feel the sharp end of ridicule and banishment -Contador sure mended fences today by not only waiting for the crashed rider, but for gifting a stage to Schleck.

Me, personally, I would be offended/insulted by being "gifted" a stage, it only serves the gifter greater popularity points than the person being gifted. This of course was Armstrong's strength above even racing- utilization of popularity points, and as Paul said, thats where this whole gift system started.

Of course the first response im waiting for is a troll comment, but humor me with an actual response/rebuttal please.

wabbit

for me the moment of the day...sheep crossing! baaaa!
that and the guy exposing his rear end...LOL

dgasmd

Even better, did you noticed they had an "aqua" color mark on their top? Even the sheep were sponsored by Astana!!

OrionKhan

This is a well said commentary and a very strong argument for time bonuses at the finish. Unfortunately, Contador was doing PR damage control for things that the objective watchers of the tour did not think he needed to account for. He played his cards well. But this is the race as it is today.

wabbit

LOL. I think that mark is their 'brand'...so I guess they aren't wild sheep but someone's flock. Once on a ride, my friend and I had to stop for a big flock of ducks walking across the path.

nausjl

I have to say that I was super unimpressed by many of the Radio Shake guys, as I have been for much of the Tour. I don't know if Lance forgot to take his injections of EPO the last few weeks, but man he and Levi have sucked. They must spend about 500 times what other teams do, and they have nothing to show for it but super big egos. I for one am glad to see them lose and lose and lose and lose. Maybe Lance will finally be found out for the fraud he is (though you'd think he would have juiced just to win one stage)

JTownCitycycle

I thought it was cool when AS was looking around at AC to see what shape he was in. I always admire someone in that situation to do something outside the act of riding while in such pain. I noticed AC doing that some the other day,taking in the scenery possibly because he looked like he was looking past the crowd on one side on the mountain top,he seems to do it more then anyone else.

The Weak Link

RadioShack is doing OK in the team competition.

OrionKhan

I noticed that too. It was like he was on a sunday ride. Just bouncing on the pedals looking around like he wasn't making much of an effort. The reality is that both of them were probably riding at near their limits. But it seemed like a paced ride and the smoked everyone else. Pretty impressive.

daytonian

lol

Vande Veldes next crash will be in August at the Vuelta.

USAZorro

Generally, I prefer not to see stages gifted either (there are some rare exceptions), but were I in Contador's position, I would have done the same thing - try an attack or two from a couple K's out, and if that didn't shake Andy, give it to him on the line. The reason I would have, is simply because of the uproar from stage 15 (which I happen to think is incorrect, but who wants to build even an undeserved reputation as a villain?) I'm not sure I'm understanding the part of your posting I snipped. Are you saying that gifting stage wins on the Tour started with Armstrong? If so, I won't have any trouble finding evidence to the contrary.

gnome

That mark looked more like from a tupping marker, from when the ewes are put to ram.

USAZorro

Nobody here's going to argue the finer points sheep raising with a New Zealander.

HigherGround

And even then, since no one got hurt, it turned out to be much ado about mutton.

Unagidon

brilliant. bow. Although I really wanted Andy to win. But where the heck were his attacks? He had one....one measly attack.

wabbit

lol...i guess a NZer would know their sheep!!! whatever it was, they were cute. I had a screensaver that was a photos taken during the Vuelta....some ONCE guy stuck behind a huge flock of sheep!