Ok, so can a 2nd year pro have a better day in the tour than Gerdemann? First over the climb, Stage win, White Jersey, Yellow Jersey took the breakaway and won going away. Great ride.
Very impressive of Gerdemann indeed, that young guy have got a bright future. I’m impressed by the “new” T-mobile team, young riders performing without to much pressure being put on their shoulders. Congrats to the whole team!
Indeed, an impressive and gutsy ride from the young German today. He benefitted from the fact that ALL the key GC favourites where together and keeping an eye on each other and as long as they kept Gerdeman not too far up the road all was good with them. The only real animation happened when Rabobank went to the front to put the pressure on, cracking Chavenal a bit and letting Rasmusson get some Climbing points. My guess is that Rasmusson goes for it tommorow with assistance from a stronmg looking Rabobank team, and will try and take maximum Climbing points on the way to Tignes, and perhaps the stage win in the process. Gerdeman as great a ride as he had today, looked shelled at the finish, and may loose the yellow jersey by the end of tommorow’s stage.
Vino must be the master of pain - 30 stitches in both knees and back, a high fever yesterday and still performing and not loosing time to the other GC.
Gerdemann is at least in his 3rd year, he signed with t-mob at the end of 2005, but was with CSC that year (2005).
One of the talking heads made a comment, that they took his stitches out this morning. Probably used some super glue to keep from tearing a stitch I would suppose… He looked good though, ought to be able to fight it out tomorrow by the looks of today…
You think Rabobank will have people help Rasmussen tomorrow rather than stay (back) with Menchov? I thought that in the past when Rasmussen did those long breakaways to nab KOM points he did it without help from teammates.
I was a bit surprised some of the big GC teams did not try to put more pressure on Vino. Seemed like they played it rather conservatively. I know that’s usually the approach to the early mtn stages, but after Monday’s rest day they might regret not having taken a shot at him while he was struggling.
Tomorrow will the the chicken’s day. His team will pace him up the first cat 1 climb, he will take off( probably alone), and do his thing for the rest of the day. They then get to sit back and let other teams set pace, while there is complete and utter devistation in the field. The top GC guys won’t chase him too hard, because he can’t tt faster than a 5th grader…He will get the polka dots, possibly the yellow, and hang on for a top 5 GC… It is the year of the chicken!!!
Ok, so he’s technically in his 3rd year, because he went pro in mid to late '05. Still pretty good, and it’s his first TDF.
It looked like all the main players were just cruising today. Also they knew that the run in to the finish would allow most of the front pack to regroup. Tomorrow the hammer will get dropped and we’ll see who’s really on form and who may not have the recovery they once had.
Tomorrow looks pretty beastly. Should be a good day of racing.
Valverde was quoted as saying that they will try and go on the attack tommorow to try and get rid of Vino!! I think tommorow, with the rest day on Monday will be ridden with much more wild abandon. As Valverde has hinted, there should be some interesting attacks and battles between the GC favourites.
Tomorrow will the the chicken’s day. His team will pace him up the first cat 1 climb, he will take off( probably alone), and do his thing for the rest of the day. They then get to sit back and let other teams set pace, while there is complete and utter devistation in the field. The top GC guys won’t chase him too hard, because he can’t tt faster than a 5th grader…He will get the polka dots, possibly the yellow, and hang on for a top 5 GC… It is the year of the chicken!!!
Good call Monty!
I thought that in the past when Rasmussen did those long breakaways to nab KOM points he did it without help from teammates.
Bingo!
I still made the right call though with Rasmusson going for broke and taking maxiumum climbing points and at the end of the day the Poka-dot and yellow jerseys. Great ride.
Too bad about the other favourites. What the heck was going on with the Moreau group? Did they not realize the golden opportunity they had with Vino and Kloden and a few others on the ropes. Moreau was the real hero on the day dragging a most impessive group of heavy-hitters up the mountain. They really could have put some time on them had een one other riders helped Moreau out.
Arrrrrrghhhhhhhhhhhh!
Here I was, enjoying a stage 7 spoiler thread, with the stage 8 highlights downloading at home ready for enjoyment after my track workout, and all my friends dutifully reminded (i.e. warned) not to say a word,… and now this.
Steve, for the love of all that is good and holy in this world, and to save others from my unfortunate fate, PLEASE delete this and start a new thread!
How are ya, anyway?
Mike