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Le Tour 2012

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If there is a climb that Cadel Evans knows it is the Col de Tourmalet. Thinking back to his loan-chase of Schleck in 2011 still send chills up my spine. Moses said last week that said that Cadel had reminded him of Steve Waugh in the latter years. Anyone who watched that SCG 100 before stumps and watched that ‘winning’ climb last year has seen two great Australian sportsmen, possible passed their prime, but showing what greatness truly is.

After they climb 4 Killer Col’s tonight expect to See Wiggins, Froome, Niboli and Evans flying along those flats toward the stage finish. THIS IS ONE NIGHT TO STAY UP FOR!!!!

The post Is tonight the night for the Reigning champ? appeared first on Green and Gold Cycling.

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Jethro Tah

Bob Loudon (25)
Of those in the break away I'm tipping Vinokurov or Voeckler to win today. Both have had relatively quiet Tours so far and are due a big day.

Good to see at least two BMC riders in the lead group, Big George & Cummings.
 

Ash

Michael Lynagh (62)
Evans cooked, dropped on the d'Aspin.

Cadel just didn't have it this year. At 35, that's probably it for him with the Tour. Glad he got his win last year.

Hope Cadel goes for the Giro next year, which he could still win.
 

Gagger

Nick Farr-Jones (63)
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He just hasn't had it all tour. Those attacks be made in the Alps that went no-where were the proof
 

Ash

Michael Lynagh (62)
Yup. I suspect it's a combination of age, loss of a bit of motivation after winning last year, and the adoption of a kid (actually I suspect this is the biggest one).

His wife used to motor pace him for training on a scooter and I am guessing that no longer happens.
 

Ash

Michael Lynagh (62)
That's what happens after you watch cycling for a while. Drugs are ever present sadly. Some of the performances in the EPO era were unbelievable, which sadly makes yu think doping when you see unbelievable performances again.
 

Gagger

Nick Farr-Jones (63)
Staff member
Thing is that Evans doesn't even look as toey as his own team, so it does really look like a blowout for him.

The dominance of the Sky team though is incredible. To be THAT far ahead of the rest of the field in the hills AND to put minutes into people in the TT is just - wow.
 
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  • Cadel Evans had a tough day, losing time on the final climb and slipping to 7th overall.
  • Bradley Wiggins stays in yellow – boring as batshit.
“He rides with his gut, he rides with courage, he rides on instinct.” – Paul Sherwen.​
He rides on crazy. In yet another heroic, grimace filled ride, Thomas Voeckler eschewed a radio and a computer to claim a solo victory on stage 16 and reclaim the polka-dot jersey.
Voeckler and fellow Frenchman Brice Feillu had a lead of 9:40 over the yellow jersey group at the top of the iconic Col du Tourmalet, with the remnants of a 38-man breakaway group strewn down the road in between.
Cadel Evans’ BMC teammate and all round good dude George Hincapie crashed at the top of the Tourmalet. Although he injured his shoulder, there are unconfirmed reports that he dusted himself off, grabbed a beer from one of the speedo-clad, sandal wearing Aussie fans and took off down the mountain laughing. A true legend.
Needing to break the Team Sky stranglehold on the race, Vincenco “Nibbles” Nibali’s Liquigas team upped the tempo at the front of the yellow jersey group on the Col d’Aspin. Their effort put Evans into deep trouble. The defending champ lost 30 seconds and just managed to tag onto the back of the Wiggins group by the bottom of the final category one climb up the Col de Peyresourde.
Voeckler and Feillu started the climb with a lead of around a minute over a chase group of Chris-Anker Sorenson, Gorka Izaguirre and the ageing warriors Jens Voigt and Alexandre Vinokourov. As Sorenson struck out alone to reach Voeckler – who had ridden away from Feillu with a couple of kilometres still to climb – Evans was dropping off the back of the yellow jersey group. His chances at tour victory long gone and the podium slipping away, Evans was riding merely to salvage a top five finish.
When Nibali attacked the main group a couple of kilometres from the top, only Chris Froome and Wiggins could go with him. While the Nibali offensive shed all other contenders, it wasn’t enough to put the two Brits into difficulty and the top three riders in the tour would finish the stage together.
Unlike his first stage win a week ago when he could barely muster the energy to celebrate, Voeckler lapped up the cheers in the final kilometre and coasted, arms spread wide, to a famous victory. Sorensen finished 1:40 back, with Izaguirre and Vinokourov 3:22 behind.
Evans simply didn’t have the legs this year. He finished over 11 minutes down on Voeckler, almost five behind Wiggins and slips to 7th overall at 8:06.
The polka-dot jersey is the only leader’s classification to change. Voeckler – who won maximum points on every climb – has a four point lead over Fredrik Kessiakoff.
The post Valiant Voeckler Rides To Another Legendary Win appeared first on Green and Gold Cycling.

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Ash

Michael Lynagh (62)
My favourite description of Voeckler's riding style:

"It looks like he's fucking his bike."
 

The_Brown_Hornet

John Eales (66)
I love Voeckler more and more as the tours pass. He's as crazy as a shit house rat, but he's awesome. It's great to see characters like him in the sport.
 

tigerland12

John Thornett (49)
Tommy Voeckler is a animal on the bike, he won me over last year and he is doing it even more this year.

I think at the end of the tour it is time for Evans to pass the batton to TJ Van Garderen, that kid looks to have the goods. At 23, when the field is being devoured by Froome, Wiggins and Nibali, he managed to stay with van den Broeck and still finish at a respectable time, not bad when you consider him not to be the best rider in his team. I cannot wait to see Tj battle it out with Sagan and Pinaut in 5years time.

Credit to Nibali, I was doubting his guts to try anything, but he did put in the effort, and a strong one at that, and all but secured a podium finish. He will now look to push Froome out of second position.
 

Bruwheresmycar

Nicholas Shehadie (39)
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/tour-hopes-end-for-evans-in-the-pyrenees

Although it was not apparent on the early climbs, Evans was already struggling even before the stage began, suffering from a stomach upset. "When you have only two hours before the race there's not a lot you can do," he said afterwards.

On the Col d'Aspin, however, it soon became clear that Evans would no longer pose any sort of a threat to Wiggins and Froome's duopoly at the head of the overall standings. As Ivan Basso set a steady but hardly devastating pace for his Liquigas-Cannondale stablemate Vincenzo Nibali, Evans' force deserted him.
 
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