Can't say enough about Van Avermaet performance . He went for it , timed the attack perfectly and Sky could not catch him .
.43 sec lead over Thomas into Tuesday . Froome over a minute and a half out !
but a Massive loss for BMC with Porte out . Obviously Twam BMC to protect Van Avermaet in the mountains as best they can . Team Sky's strategy certainly to change from a ye ago - Sure they will try to set a punishing pace BUt , froome needs to attack eventually
.43 sec lead over Thomas into Tuesday . Froome over a minute and a half out !
but a Massive loss for BMC with Porte out . Obviously Twam BMC to protect Van Avermaet in the mountains as best they can . Team Sky's strategy certainly to change from a ye ago - Sure they will try to set a punishing pace BUt , froome needs to attack eventually
It’s been obvious that Team Sky haven’t considered Greg Van Avermaet a Real contender to win this year’s Tour. 3 days in the mountains coming up and there’s no way I see Greg in Yellow ! You ? No doubt Richie Porte’s withdrawing from this year’s Tour has been the biggest casualty in today’s stage but there are plenty more setbacks when all the dust has cleared. Certainly Team Sky are sitting a lot taller now with both Geraint Thomas and Chris Froome amongst the GC leaders heading into the mountains. It should be interesting to see How Team Sky handles the Thomas/Froome situation. It’s hard to try to hold back Thomas who right now appears to be the leader in the GC standings with almost a full minute lead over Froome ! Lots of racing ahead after the rest day tomorrow ! I think it’s going to be brutal to have 3 days in the mountains after today’s treacherous cobblestones stage that has caused a ton of falls and aching bodies !
quotes after stage 9:
[h=2]Greg Van Avermaet (BMC) race leader[/h]I wanted to do as good as possible, and winning in yellow would be something really special. That was in my head, the closer we came to the finish I started believing it.
It's a big disappointment to me not to win it, but that's how it is sometimes. Maybe I should have started my sprint a little earlier, but that's after the race.
Overall, I kept the jersey, made a great race out of it - I'm really happy with my first week.
We lost Richie already after 10k. It was a big disappointment for the whole team because we were here to bring him to Paris. It was not a great start, but we tried to make the best out of it, tried to put Tejay in front. But the GC guys their struggle always seems to be on cobbles. Then I just did my own race, tried to make the team happy, and that's what I did I think.
I rather would have won a stage, but that's how it is. I'm really happy with the first week - all week in the yellow is something special for me also. With BMC with the stage win already - now we can do the second and third week a little more relaxed and try to do as good as possible.
[h=2]Tom Dumoulin (Sunweb)[/h]It was crazy, especially the first 50k before the cobblestones. It was the most terrifying moments in my life on the bike.Afterwards, it was kind of alright. I have good legs but it was really difficult to make a difference with the other GC riders.
It was really unfortunate for Richie. I would have really liked to see him battle it out in the mountains. He was in really good shape but that’s racing I guess. It’s very unfortunate. We knew that not 100 per cent of the GC riders would get through the first nine days together.
[h=2]Dan Martin (UAE Team Emirates)[/h]Was it a Sunday in Hell or half a Sunday in Hell? I said before the start that I was going to try and enjoy the stage. I don't know if enjoy was the right word but I think all the adrenaline… I had a crash yesterday and my back is a different story. It looks like a bit of a pizza back there. They boys did a great job on the first two or three sections. I’m still in the fight for the podium.
I was fighting for the front at the start but I figured that I couldn't do that all day so I eased back. You might have seen me near the back eating and drinking but I was trying to keep my legs fresh for the final. When we did the recon, we got to Roubaix and I was completely cooked. I knew it would be a really long, hard day. It was just about staying composed and knowing that the race would come back to you if it did split.
The boys stayed with me whatever happened and in the end I had the legs to be up there in the final
[h=2]Greg Van Avermaet (BMC) race leader[/h]I wanted to do as good as possible, and winning in yellow would be something really special. That was in my head, the closer we came to the finish I started believing it.
It's a big disappointment to me not to win it, but that's how it is sometimes. Maybe I should have started my sprint a little earlier, but that's after the race.
Overall, I kept the jersey, made a great race out of it - I'm really happy with my first week.
We lost Richie already after 10k. It was a big disappointment for the whole team because we were here to bring him to Paris. It was not a great start, but we tried to make the best out of it, tried to put Tejay in front. But the GC guys their struggle always seems to be on cobbles. Then I just did my own race, tried to make the team happy, and that's what I did I think.
I rather would have won a stage, but that's how it is. I'm really happy with the first week - all week in the yellow is something special for me also. With BMC with the stage win already - now we can do the second and third week a little more relaxed and try to do as good as possible.
[h=2]Tom Dumoulin (Sunweb)[/h]It was crazy, especially the first 50k before the cobblestones. It was the most terrifying moments in my life on the bike.Afterwards, it was kind of alright. I have good legs but it was really difficult to make a difference with the other GC riders.
It was really unfortunate for Richie. I would have really liked to see him battle it out in the mountains. He was in really good shape but that’s racing I guess. It’s very unfortunate. We knew that not 100 per cent of the GC riders would get through the first nine days together.
[h=2]Dan Martin (UAE Team Emirates)[/h]Was it a Sunday in Hell or half a Sunday in Hell? I said before the start that I was going to try and enjoy the stage. I don't know if enjoy was the right word but I think all the adrenaline… I had a crash yesterday and my back is a different story. It looks like a bit of a pizza back there. They boys did a great job on the first two or three sections. I’m still in the fight for the podium.
I was fighting for the front at the start but I figured that I couldn't do that all day so I eased back. You might have seen me near the back eating and drinking but I was trying to keep my legs fresh for the final. When we did the recon, we got to Roubaix and I was completely cooked. I knew it would be a really long, hard day. It was just about staying composed and knowing that the race would come back to you if it did split.
The boys stayed with me whatever happened and in the end I had the legs to be up there in the final
kermit, I think after Thursday if Nibali or one of the big 3 from Movistar is not leading its likely over and triumph for Team Sky yet again. Just my opinion ( I have Dumoulin to win for shits and giggles. )
as I said earlier if Froome struggles in the mountains does Team Sky hold back Thomas (as they did Landa a yr ago)? i say no. Team Sky has made it PERFECTLY clear they have ONE LEADER, and that's the 6 time Grand Tour winner, but ....'Thomas is plan B'........a bit ambiguous, lol. . Froome, i think , eventually will have to make a move.
this was indeed a good day for Sky
I think its over for Porte as the leader for BMC. Two crashes in successive years. Last year was a lack of concentration on a turn during a descent..he wasnt even close to the apex. This year less than 10 km in and no cobbles at all..wtf?......it takes tremendous physical and mental strength to go thru a Grand Tour as a GC leader . I dont think Porte is material for it...just my opinion
as I said earlier if Froome struggles in the mountains does Team Sky hold back Thomas (as they did Landa a yr ago)? i say no. Team Sky has made it PERFECTLY clear they have ONE LEADER, and that's the 6 time Grand Tour winner, but ....'Thomas is plan B'........a bit ambiguous, lol. . Froome, i think , eventually will have to make a move.
this was indeed a good day for Sky
I think its over for Porte as the leader for BMC. Two crashes in successive years. Last year was a lack of concentration on a turn during a descent..he wasnt even close to the apex. This year less than 10 km in and no cobbles at all..wtf?......it takes tremendous physical and mental strength to go thru a Grand Tour as a GC leader . I dont think Porte is material for it...just my opinion
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/team-sky-we-have-one-leader-at-the-tour-de-france/
Team Sky directeur sportif Servais Knaven has cleared up the Tour de France leadership situation at Team Sky, insisting that Chris Froome is the undoubted team leader, and that Geraint Thomas remains a back-up option.
"Two leaders? We have one leader and one back-up leader," he told Cyclingnews in Amiens on Saturday.
"He is a little bit behind because of the crash, but for sure nothing has changed since the start of the Tour. We'll see, and if anything has to change, we can change things later."
"No. We are a team. We are Team Sky. Together you achieve more," he hit back. "G is following Froomey, or Froomey is following G, and they'll be behind someone who will keep them in position, so it's pretty straightforward. Two is easier than three.
"If Froomey has a problem, riders will wait for him, and we have people on the road and everything. So it's not so different to a normal stage. If Froomey has an issue then everyone has to wait, except G. That's pretty normal I think."
Team Sky directeur sportif Servais Knaven has cleared up the Tour de France leadership situation at Team Sky, insisting that Chris Froome is the undoubted team leader, and that Geraint Thomas remains a back-up option.
"Two leaders? We have one leader and one back-up leader," he told Cyclingnews in Amiens on Saturday.
"He is a little bit behind because of the crash, but for sure nothing has changed since the start of the Tour. We'll see, and if anything has to change, we can change things later."
"No. We are a team. We are Team Sky. Together you achieve more," he hit back. "G is following Froomey, or Froomey is following G, and they'll be behind someone who will keep them in position, so it's pretty straightforward. Two is easier than three.
"If Froomey has a problem, riders will wait for him, and we have people on the road and everything. So it's not so different to a normal stage. If Froomey has an issue then everyone has to wait, except G. That's pretty normal I think."
Except G, that’s what it should be ! Right now Geraint Thomas is leading the Tour De France in my mind ! If Froome has the legs he needs to win this Tour, he should be able to catch Thomas WITHOUT Thomas having to come back and be helping Chris ! Am I missing something here ?
except that's not the Team Sky way of doing things. They build an army of our planet's elite riders with one goal-- to support their GC leader . We've seen this in the past. The year Wiggins won? Froome was the stronger rider. He was held back. He shared that pubically. Last year? Froome badly stuggled at a stage in the mountains and Landa who was basically a man amongst boys got the call to not go ahead, rather pull for Froome. Don't you remember Greg Lemond basically saying Landa is doing the wrong thing, he's the stronger rider and should go rogue
in 2018, we seem to have a different dynamic. There's a 'plan B' in the works, lol. I think Team Sky has its doubts on Froome, and it appears from the quote that Thomas is free to go
in addition, Thomas appears ready to go;
Thomas suggested on Friday that, amid the predicted chaos, it will be a case of every man for himself, saying, "Your teammates can help you a bit, but a lot of the time you kind of just have to find yourself on your own and do it yourself a bit."
what i do believewill happen is;
if Thomas struggles, Sky will NOT deploy help his way. The army is there for Froome. BUT, they realize how strong Thomas has been and wont hold him back...juuuuuuuust in case Froome slips..
in 2018, we seem to have a different dynamic. There's a 'plan B' in the works, lol. I think Team Sky has its doubts on Froome, and it appears from the quote that Thomas is free to go
in addition, Thomas appears ready to go;
Thomas suggested on Friday that, amid the predicted chaos, it will be a case of every man for himself, saying, "Your teammates can help you a bit, but a lot of the time you kind of just have to find yourself on your own and do it yourself a bit."
what i do believewill happen is;
if Thomas struggles, Sky will NOT deploy help his way. The army is there for Froome. BUT, they realize how strong Thomas has been and wont hold him back...juuuuuuuust in case Froome slips..
I bet on Froome but I’m certainly worried as trying to win the Giro/Tour De France double is no wife’s tale ! It’s a very tough task and perhaps Thomas gives Sky the best chance for victory. I expect Team Sky to try to keep both Geraint and Chris on the front of the Peleton as they head up some of these upcoming steep climbs. Of course they will try to keep their top climbers in the lead to save both their 2 top guns. No doubt a 1, 2 finish wouldn’t hurt their feelings. I agree with you that if Chris Froome is to win this year’s Tour, he will have to show that he has the best legs and not because Thomas will just let him go by ! I,expect the biggest fireworks will be on final climb on stage 12. By then all the GC pretenders will be back in the standings.
Here comes the Alps ! Tomorrow’s stage 10 has 5 categorized climbs plus one short but brutal Hors Categories with a average gradient over 11 percent.
The stage finishes with a downhill grade which I’m pretty sure will produce some big gaps. This is the start of separating the real GC CONTENDERS from the Pretenders! Should be a good one !
The stage finishes with a downhill grade which I’m pretty sure will produce some big gaps. This is the start of separating the real GC CONTENDERS from the Pretenders! Should be a good one !
indeed, time for the cream to rise...into the Alps we go
stage 10
walk in the park......lol. First half has two tough climbs; a grinding 11 km 7 degree , shortly followed by a brutal 6km , 11 degree gradient as kermitt pointed out. Most mortals would be walking the bike up that hill.........the stage finishes with quick back to back ascents that could be attack zones.
who makes a move? Bardet? Dumoulin?...............Nipali is a dangerous veteran, he may wait for stages 11 and 12. Surely the Big 3 at Movistar are licking their chops. With the addition of Landa comes great expectations in the mountains. And he seems to be okay following the crash on Sunday, here's Landa:
After yesterday's knock, I was able to relax quite well," Landa said. "I didn't have much problem sleeping. This morning, it's all as normal. I suffered a blow yesterday, but I was able to train normally. I think that there won't be any problems for tomorrow."
Froome can attack from anywhere , including a descent, incredible to watch...will he try that tomorrow?
stage 10
walk in the park......lol. First half has two tough climbs; a grinding 11 km 7 degree , shortly followed by a brutal 6km , 11 degree gradient as kermitt pointed out. Most mortals would be walking the bike up that hill.........the stage finishes with quick back to back ascents that could be attack zones.
who makes a move? Bardet? Dumoulin?...............Nipali is a dangerous veteran, he may wait for stages 11 and 12. Surely the Big 3 at Movistar are licking their chops. With the addition of Landa comes great expectations in the mountains. And he seems to be okay following the crash on Sunday, here's Landa:
After yesterday's knock, I was able to relax quite well," Landa said. "I didn't have much problem sleeping. This morning, it's all as normal. I suffered a blow yesterday, but I was able to train normally. I think that there won't be any problems for tomorrow."
Froome can attack from anywhere , including a descent, incredible to watch...will he try that tomorrow?
