[SPOILERS] Critérium du Dauphiné

[Keith Oates]

Wiggins and Sky are really showing well and with only one stage to go, look like they will get the win. The whole team is a force to reckon with and if they can keep this up then a Tour win is looking more likely!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[raindog]

Rolland up front - I'd love to see him take this stage

 

[Paul_L]

Grrrr. No live Eurosport coverage. Bloody tennis!

 

[raindog]

Tennis?!! - FFS

 

[montage]

http://www.sportlemon.tv/v-4/0/156/v-415669.html coverage here in french.

 

[montage]

Van Garderen punctured with less than 4km to go - unfortunate

Rolland doesn't seem to be helping to work on the front with a break of three (all French). Not going to win many friends riding like that

 

[Speicher]

http://www.sportlemon.tv/v-4/0/156/v-415669.html coverage here in french.

That is Italian.

 

[Flying_Monkey]

Well today there were at least three teams working to close down the break, so they had no chance. Nice to see Nibali descend at his best, and I always like those uphill sprints. I was rooting for Luis Leon Sanchez though...

Overall, hard to get anything from that race other than the fact that Wiggins and Sky looked totally in control the whole way.

 

[raindog]

Jalabert did his usual xenophobic rant this afternoon - he's going to be seriously pissed off if Brad wins the Tour.

 

[raindog]

Rolland doesn't seem to be helping to work on the front with a break of three (all French). Not going to win many friends riding like that

?!! eh?
the peloton were 100 metres behind and about to catch them - Coppel and Rolland had been away together for ages - did you watch the whole stage?

 

[montage]

?!! eh?
the peloton were 100 metres behind and about to catch them - Coppel and Rolland had been away together for ages - did you watch the whole stage?

Alas no just the final 15km .... I had assumed Rolland went on the previous climb and that the gap was slowly growing rather than slowly shrinking. I stand corrected. Though Coppel was still giving it a dig, showing a bit more gutsy

 

[raindog]

I stand corrected.

No, don't be daft, but the two of them had been together for a long time, and near the end Coppel was on his last legs and Rolland was more or less pulling him along. Just before the peloton caught them Geniez got across to them and Rolland took a couple of pulls at the front, as did Coppel, but it was obviously a waste of time.
I like these two guys - apparently they both finished yesterday's stage together in 17th and 18th positions. I saw Rolland win l'Etoile de Besseges here early in the season - he's a good rider.

 

[fozy tornip]

Overall, hard to get anything from that race other than the fact that Wiggins and Sky looked totally in control the whole way.

And it doesn't end there:

Bradley takes Pacquiao's WBO title

With form like this I'd like to see him have a tilt at Usain Bolt in the Olympics 100 meters.

 

[lukesdad]

Terrific result for sky. I think the TDF will be a little different though. The attacks will be more concerted and they may not be allowed to dictate so easily. This race was run at their pace with Evans and co. following. As has been said this was won on TT performance. I think we have to ask who was sandbagging ?

Looking at current form, i'd be keeping an eye on the Moviestar squad.

 

[smutchin]

Terrific result for sky. I think the TDF will be a little different though. The attacks will be more concerted and they may not be allowed to dictate so easily.

Hmmm, yes...

Interesting to compare yesterday's stage in the Dauphine to today's racing in the Tour de Suisse where no single team controlled the racing and as a result, the attacks came in wave after wave on the final climb. That's exactly the kind of thing Sky will be trying to prevent by riding the way they did yesterday. It was the same tactic they used in the Vuelta last year to pretty good effect - until they hit the Angliru...

Quintana is a pure climber but he found it pretty tough to get away.

This is why it would be good to see the Schlecks in form at the Tour - they're the kind of riders who on their day, working together, could have the ability to disrupt Sky and stop them having it all their own way.

Looking at current form, i'd be keeping an eye on the Moviestar squad.

Yup, Valverde could well be a threat too.