DenisMenchov

Really wanted to see him in yellow. I don't see why Garmin or Astana helped AG2r cut into Hincapie's lead group, as it didn't benefit them to do any work.

reef58

Astana didn't help

Garmin who knows

Lotto who knows

Richard

Walter

Garmin doesn't like Columbia.

Lotto: I don't know either. Hincapie in Yellow is no more and maybe less of a threat than Nocentini.

Not a big Hincapie fan but I'd like to have seen him grab Yellow if only for a day.

chambers

According to the TDF website:

"at 53km, the advantage was 1’00”. Astana led the peloton from 55km onward. Hincapie was the best place on GC of those in the escape group and, at 78km, he became the virtual leader with the peloton at 5’30”.
The maximum gain of the escape was 8’50” at the 120km mark. At 145km, the AG2R team moved ahead of Astana at the head of the peloton and by 150km, the deficit of the peloton was 8’00”."

As you can see while Astana led the chase George increased his lead. When other teams took over the chase the lead came down.

DenisMenchov

Well I really didn't like the tactics of Astana. It showed poor form especially in regards to wheeling back in Hincapie, someone who broke his back for Bruynee's team for about a decade. Garmin and lotto - whatever. Big thing though, Astana should of never lead out to begin with, and I'm starting to want to see Astana destroyed for their overall cocky attitude and how they are manipulating this race. I mean I'm tired of seeing this no-name who is really underserving to be in yellow for the past 8 stages or so. It's absurd. I hope Andy can destroy all of them in the mountains at this point.

DenisMenchov

Ok, this makes more sense, and perhaps explains Lance's interview at the end. Oh the drama. Bah, I was just really disappointed that Hincapie didn't make yellow. If anyone deserves a bit of glory, it is him.

reef58

Alright I didn't want to do this, but it seems there is confusion on this board. Here is what happened. AG2R had a rider in the break. They let Astana know they (AG2R) will not be chasing today ha ha. Astana calls the bluff and lets George get the virtual yellow. AG2R changes their collective minds and comes to the front and closes the gap some. They are running out of gas. Astana comes back to the front and the lead starts creeping up again. AG2R comes back to the front and gets help from Garmin and Lotto.

Now the part that hurts the most. I am a big fan of George. I think he is a great rider, but he royally screwed the pooch today. Astana gave him the yellow jersey on a silver platter. With 20km to go I am thinking George will start a time trial here and drag the others along. Of course this will remove him from the stage win, but it is worth it. Then with 10km to go surely George will put his head down and ride now. With 5km to go George is sitting up at the back of the pack looking around and coasting??? That right there cost him 5 seconds or more. All he had to do is lead the group to the line with 20km to go and he would have had yellow.

Richard

JollyMon

Richard is dead on. George was in radio contact. He sat up -- may have been toast by then anyway. Columbia leading Cavendish out didn't help at the end. Too bad, I think this would have been the 2d time George was in yellow.

DocM

I don't know if attacking at 10k to go would have been a smart move for GH. He had already been putting in a much larger effort than any of the other riders in the break (25% in a 12 man break), so he might not have had enough left to TT away like that.

reef58

I didn't say attack. Just ride as hard as he could and he would have yellow. Did you see him sitting up and looking around several times? I did. I was thinking WTF are you doing George ride!!

Richard

Skewer

"Gifts" demean the sport and the winner a little bit imo.

grinderbob

I hope Big George will prevail tomorrow. He can certainly climb.

daxr

Exactly. Columbia could have had their guy in yellow if they'd just thought about it for a minute and reeled in the lead-out train. Cav beating across the line for 12th place wasn't exactly a tactical masterpiece.

On the other hand, maybe they just didn't want it. At the end it certainly looked like a "no thanks".

lukasz

Cavendish lost the "sprint" to Hushovd on a technicality. The Columbia lead-out was a joke. You could tell they were just trying to stay ahead of the pack not stringing everyone out as they usually do. The lead group was big but the ag2r rider being involved kind of ruined things. It seemed like no one wanted to work, especially after the Russian dusted them all.

teetopkram

Would LOVE to be a fly on the wall in the Columbia bus after the race...Cavendish gets DQ'ed and George gets screwed by Lotto, AG2r (liars), and Garmin...NOT Astana...they wanted him in yellow.

jacksprocket

Yes, it would have been nice for Hincapie to be in yellow for a day, but as a fan I want to see people race, not cry. On TV he was blaming Astana and Garmin for him not getting the yellow. If he had stepped up his game and crossed the line with the stage winner he would be in yellow. If he wasn't strong enough to do that then to bad. I don't want to see teams gust give it away because they feel it would be nice to let him have it. If that were the case just sit in a caffee and pick someone you like to wear yellow instead of racing for three weeks.

Joemess

AS much as I like George, I have to agree with this.

z415

Yea, they were looking around a lot whereas they usually put their heads down and hammer.

DMF 

But with the decision to go after the Green Jersey they couldn't just sit back. That place was worth 18 points and without it the Green Jersey was gone.


Columbia got doubly screwed as Cavendish was relegated and the Green Jersey is gone now anyway...

MondoDave

+1 - George H. ought to retract his statement made to Frankie following the stage about Astana imho.

erader

he probably will after lance sets him straight .

ed rader

ajwray

Sitting in the family room with my 4yo and 8yo pulling for George cursing GARMIN. Anybody could see Astana wasn't trying to pull him in and then Garmin blows it. Now I know why I use a Tom Tom.

dolfinack

Is it really naive of me to wonder what all the fuss is about seeing as the object is to look out for your own team? Ride fast and win? Don't complain when people on teams other than your own cost you time?

maybe it is - please enlighten me!

erader

the self proclaimed best team in cycling has been doing a lotta whining this tour about how the other teams won't help them win.

after some of the remarks by stapleton and cavendish are they really surprised that garmin stuck it to them today ?

shut up and ride, i say..........

ed rader

Laggard

+1 I used to be a JB fan too.