# Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré Stage 5: Mont Ventoux. Spoilers etc.



## uzziefly (Jul 15, 2006)

Rbr - Discuss!


Will Cadel Evans be able to do a Denis Menchov and stick with Contador and piss the hell out of him?

How about Don Alejandro? Will he go firing and pull time back?

Is Ivan Terrible gonna be able to go away? I doubt so IMO since he IS tired for God's sake!! He HAS to be!! 

But he will do well IMO too.

Alberto Contador is my pick. That bastard better win ONCE when I pick him! 

Is Levi Leipheimer gonna be springing out and offering the riders Road ID's?

How about Lance? Will Max Armstrong piss on the other guys?


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## uzziefly (Jul 15, 2006)

And, my EuroSport coverage starts now.

Base of the Mount Ventoux now.


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## uzziefly (Jul 15, 2006)

19.9km left for the break group of 4. Liquigas is in the break.


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## weltyed (Feb 6, 2004)

i read the breakaway is blowing up and the gap is down to 2:00. 
i also read conti is saying he doesnt care to win this stage. he is reconning for le tour and wants to save the matches. might be lip service, though, as evans has said he, too, i smore concerned about le tour. plus there are a few more days of hills in this race. i think evans need to win at least one stage race this calendar year.

feeling better, uzzie?


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## weltyed (Feb 6, 2004)

uh-oh. leakygas on the front. nibali setup?


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## uzziefly (Jul 15, 2006)

Now the attacks start.

Basso is leading or rather, in the lead group trying to bridge to Schmidt.


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## uzziefly (Jul 15, 2006)

weltyed said:


> uh-oh. leakygas on the front. nibali setup?


Ivan "Grimacin/Smiley" Terrible Basso is way in front now...


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## uzziefly (Jul 15, 2006)

weltyed said:


> i read the breakaway is blowing up and the gap is down to 2:00.
> i also read conti is saying he doesnt care to win this stage. he is reconning for le tour and wants to save the matches. might be lip service, though, as evans has said he, too, i smore concerned about le tour. plus there are a few more days of hills in this race. i think evans need to win at least one stage race this calendar year.
> 
> feeling better, uzzie?


I believe Contador will still test his legs a little bit. I mean, he IS sticking to Evans now.

Evans, well, I'm sure he'd want to KEEP the jersey instead of let it go right?

Just atmo.


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## weltyed (Feb 6, 2004)

gesink seems to be attracting a lot of attention...

evans and conti ride together. might as well have put them on a tandem.


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## weltyed (Feb 6, 2004)

valverde goes? man, i wish i could be watching this. what started off as a slow ride up the mountain is now starting heat up. conti will need to show some discipline and NOT go after these guys...


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## uzziefly (Jul 15, 2006)

Valverde has GONNNEEEEEE waaaayyy ahead now. 

Good racing indeed.


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## uzziefly (Jul 15, 2006)

weltyed said:


> gesink seems to be attracting a lot of attention...
> 
> evans and conti ride together. might as well have put them on a tandem.


But Evans has to be on the back though.


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## uzziefly (Jul 15, 2006)

Robert Gesink has gone now too.

Valverde is ahead of the Basso group and has gone as well too.

Zubeldia is dropping back from the Basso group.

Jesus Hernandez was chasing Gesink and Contador followed suit.


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## squadra (May 20, 2009)

Looking like the Old Valverde.


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## weltyed (Feb 6, 2004)

big names trying to break big legs.

looks like valverde wants the stage. and why not? he wont be at the tour...


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## squadra (May 20, 2009)

Man, Basso and Valverde are both riding better today than in the past few years.


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## uzziefly (Jul 15, 2006)

Gesink is doing a LOT of work. Contador is isolated and Evans is of course without any teammates.

Basso is working with Alejandro now.


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## uzziefly (Jul 15, 2006)

Gesink is trying to get someone to do the work but NOBODY wants to.

Hahaha kinda funny how the commentators put it.


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## uzziefly (Jul 15, 2006)

My bad, it's Schmidt and Valverde and NOT Basso and him. Sorry. I repeat, Basso is NOT with Valverde.


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## uzziefly (Jul 15, 2006)

Basso has been caught by Gesink's group now.


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## squadra (May 20, 2009)

Evans has some good acceleration in his legs, looking solid.


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## uzziefly (Jul 15, 2006)

Ok now that the fireworks are happening, I am just gonna watch this now!!


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## uzziefly (Jul 15, 2006)

Whoops. It's Szymd.. Spelling error. My bad.


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## uzziefly (Jul 15, 2006)

Hahaha the yellow jersey group is riding alongside each other now. They are practically just looking around and admiring the scenery.


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## weltyed (Feb 6, 2004)

whaaaa? evans takes the lead for conti? conti must be saying, "its your race to lose. im agonna sit back for a while."


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## uzziefly (Jul 15, 2006)

Evans doesn't look too happy since Contador is learning from him today!


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## squadra (May 20, 2009)

Go Cadel!!!!!!!


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## uzziefly (Jul 15, 2006)

Evans goes!!!! Omg!!!

Contador follows.


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## uzziefly (Jul 15, 2006)

Now who ever said Evans can't accelerate?

He can't spring it very well but he still can accelerate alright.


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## weltyed (Feb 6, 2004)

3k to go. valverde will get the stage today, unless he suffers a mechanical. the next question is will conti attack just to see how evan responds? would be good info for july....


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## squadra (May 20, 2009)

You guys watching the chat comments on justintv ? Man, some serious Evans haters out there.


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## weltyed (Feb 6, 2004)

wow. CN hasnt said anything about cadel attacking and conti covering...


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## weltyed (Feb 6, 2004)

is evans worried valverde may get too much tie today? there are still a few mountain stages...


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## weltyed (Feb 6, 2004)

this thing better be done in 8 minutes. i have a meeting....


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## weltyed (Feb 6, 2004)

duuuuude. evans might lose it again. the gap is widening with 1k to go


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## weltyed (Feb 6, 2004)

uh-oh. i was completely wrong. valverde is making a deal to gift the stage for the yellow...


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## Dan Gerous (Mar 28, 2005)

Evans and Contador were right, they are not there to win the race...


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## squadra (May 20, 2009)

LOL Valverde pulls a Zabel


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## weltyed (Feb 6, 2004)

daaaayyyyum.... valverde goes, then waits to make good on his deal.
that is quite a statement to all. "i could have grabbed more time, but i honored my deal. watch out for the rest of teh stages."

the clock is ticking on evans now.


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## weltyed (Feb 6, 2004)

and i have to go to a meeting, so i dont get to see conti burn evans at the line...


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## uzziefly (Jul 15, 2006)

Evans burned Contador by 3 seconds actually. Hmmmm...


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## uzziefly (Jul 15, 2006)

weltyed said:


> daaaayyyyum.... valverde goes, then waits to make good on his deal.
> that is quite a statement to all. "i could have grabbed more time, but i honored my deal. watch out for the rest of teh stages."
> 
> the clock is ticking on evans now.


But it looks like Valverde tried to chase Szymd though. Hmmm :idea:


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## Einstruzende (Jun 1, 2004)

I said in some thread yesterday that Valv was out of it unless he attacked on Ventoux and no one reacted. And that's exactly what happened.

Go Valv! It's probably the last race you'll do for two years!


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## kbiker3111 (Nov 7, 2006)

> 16:59 CEST
> Evans picked up three seconds on Contador with his closing sprint.


Evans has a sprint!!?!?!?!


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## uzziefly (Jul 15, 2006)

So, Alejandro is holding the yellow now. Evans is second. Contador is 3rd.

I wonder what will happen now. Valverde will undoubtedly go all out.

I don't see why Contador shouldn't test himself and go and try for the lead since Valverde is the closest he can get to having a Frank/Andy Schleck there who would attack and try stuff.

I mean, Valverde would respond if Alberto goes so that should give him some info on his own form.


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## weltyed (Feb 6, 2004)

nah. i think conti is doing what he said: ramping up for the tour and saving matches. i was a bit surprised to see him not pip evans at the line, but i think he learned a lot earlier this year. (you know, just like lance tweeted he needed to do.) you can say getting evans at the line today wouldnt have wasted any true energry, but it would give him a look into contis form. by not chasing that "sprint" at the end, conti has shown he has his eyes dead set on the tour.

of course now that i said that, he will attack and take yellow saturday.


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## iliveonnitro (Feb 19, 2006)

weltyed said:


> nah. i think conti is doing what he said: ramping up for the tour and saving matches. i was a bit surprised to see him not pip evans at the line, but i think he learned a lot earlier this year. (you know, just like lance tweeted he needed to do.) you can say getting evans at the line today wouldnt have wasted any true energry, but it would give him a look into contis form. by not chasing that "sprint" at the end, conti has shown he has his eyes dead set on the tour.
> 
> of course now that i said that, he will attack and take yellow saturday.


If you're wrong, at least it's the best kind of wrong you can be.


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## muscleendurance (Jan 11, 2009)

I stand corrected..


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## Travis (Oct 14, 2005)

nice quote from Evans

“It was a bizarre race. It seemed not many riders want to win the Dauphine,” said Evans, who’s been Dauphiné runner-up two years in a row. “It's hard to have the responsibility of wearing the yellow jersey as well as coping with the wind on the final stretch, that's tough on the Ventoux. I was expecting Contador to do more.” 

Let me translate for those that haven't followed Cadel's career

“It was a bizarre race. It seemed not many riders want to pull me through the Dauphine,” “It's hard to have the responsibility of wearing the yellow jersey as well as coping with the need to finish a stage on my own, that's tough on the Ventoux. I was expecting Contador to pull me past Valverde and save my y jersey.” 

Just having some fun at his expense, he's not a terribly exciting rider but that sometimes works for winning GC if you are an ITT machine. Interesting to see how this one turns out with Valverde in the lead


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## bigmig19 (Jun 27, 2008)

Times, times!!, whats the GC?


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## Travis (Oct 14, 2005)

http://www.velonews.com/results/93171

16 sec on GC


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## Jesse D Smith (Jun 11, 2005)

Travis said:


> nice quote from Evans
> 
> “It was a bizarre race. It seemed not many riders want to win the Dauphine,” said Evans, who’s been Dauphiné runner-up two years in a row. “It's hard to have the responsibility of wearing the yellow jersey as well as coping with the wind on the final stretch, that's tough on the Ventoux. I was expecting Contador to do more.”
> 
> ...


Evans must also find it bizzare he didn't find many friends eager to help, especially after he says things like this about Contador-"When you say that you are not here for the win, it's an excuse when you fail." 
I'm guessing Evans knows his team is weak and he put this out as an equally weak attempt to try to prod Astana into taking responsibility for leading, when by all measures it belongs to him. 
It's also interesting to see the Australian-based cyclingnews.com writers throw in language that shows their homer bias-"The Aussie is at the race to win - not just to prepare for the Tour de France." 
Evans should be pleased now that he's in a position he's most comfortable-with no responsibility.


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## albert owen (Jul 7, 2008)

Pinarello Power + one of the very best riders can never be counted out.


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## robdamanii (Feb 13, 2006)

And newsflash. Evans still sucks, and he still has the charisma of a brick being thrown through a plate glass window.


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## Jesse D Smith (Jun 11, 2005)

*In other news....*

Evans' nearest teammate, Jurgen Van Den Broeck finished in 62nd place. 
Nobody has said a word about how Contador and Evans were both beaten to the line by another Astana rider, Haimar Zubeldia. As "bizzare as Evans found Contador's tactics, I'd find it equally bizzare for him to help Evans chase down a fellow Astana rider. 
And David Millar finished 11th, less than 20 seconds behind Evans and Contador. He's come a long way from that incident where he stopped short of the finish on a steep grand tour climb as a form of protest. 
And berets off to France for having four riders finish in the top 20. Maybe they're taking Hinaut's criticism to heart.


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## squadra (May 20, 2009)

robdamanii said:


> And newsflash. Evans still sucks, and he still has the charisma of a brick being thrown through a plate glass window.


So Evans sucks, 'cause why? Does he suck as bad as Valverde, who shouldn't even have been allowed to race cause he's a D-O-P-E-R? He sucks because he isn't following the tactics as prescribed by all the armchair DS's here? LOL! 
Gotta keep this cycling thing in perspective yo, its just grown men riding bikes in lycra 
"That ain't working, thats the way you do it.........Money for nothing and chicks for free"


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## muscleendurance (Jan 11, 2009)

Do you guys realise the Dauphine is *just* (not said lightly :wink5 a tune up race for the tour? Heck does evans realise it? - you want to win, you chase, you want to suck wheel you suckwheel, but dont moan about others not doing the work for you! (your in yellow, so its up to you to defend it, and the rest leverage you!)


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## Travis (Oct 14, 2005)

So Evans sucks, 'cause why? Does he suck as bad as Valverde, who shouldn't even have been allowed to race cause he's a D-O-P-E-R?
Your going to have a tough battle to root for people based on whether you think they are a doper or not. You kick out Valve and the rest of the field is clean? :thumbsup: 
He sucks because he isn't following the tactics as prescribed by all the armchair DS's here? LOL! 
He sucks because he tactically misses his chance to save his jersey then tries to play it off on others not working (Conti). It was Cadel's turn to work and he missed the duo heading up the road to take his jersey. If he wanted to win he could have even reacted late and covered the time but he insisted on hoping others would be willing to work.
Gotta keep this cycling thing in perspective yo, its just grown men riding bikes in lycra 
Realizing you are kidding but if you have ever raced you realize how hard this bike racing thing is right? 99% of America sits on their ass watching lame shows like I'm a Celebrity, Get me Outa here. Lycra or not if you race your bike you know how to make your body suffer
"That ain't working, thats the way you do it.........Money for nothing and chicks for free"

huh?...


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## uzziefly (Jul 15, 2006)

And this is why I absolutely find that Evans is a wanker: He whines, whines, and just plain whines.

He's a great cyclist and can hold his own etc. But he has got to shut the f**k up just once.

Dissing your team 2 years in a row, complaining that others are not working when YOU have the effing yellow and basically insinuating that Contador has to chase his own teammate down, and well, just talking a lot, puts you wayyyy up there on the list of wankers who should ride a Wanker-ello version 1 instead.

I can't believe how the EuroSport commentators keep saying/praising Cadel and "How nice a chap he is" etc when all these mouth running crap is going on. Sure, he might be a nice guy. But he's not a nice person when things don't go his way and that's not a nice person IMO. Too bad there isn't the email write in for EuroSport at this Dauphiné like the Giro and Vuelta or I'd point it out and tell them this:

"Seriously? Is Cadel your God or does he pay you to kiss his butt with all these pro-Cadel comments?"

That is all.


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## uzziefly (Jul 15, 2006)

Jesse D Smith said:


> Evans must also find it bizzare he didn't find many friends eager to help, especially after he says things like this about Contador-"When you say that you are not here for the win, it's an excuse when you fail."
> I'm guessing Evans knows his team is weak and he put this out as an equally weak attempt to try to prod Astana into taking responsibility for leading, when by all measures it belongs to him.
> It's also interesting to see the Australian-based cyclingnews.com writers throw in language that shows their homer bias-"The Aussie is at the race to win - not just to prepare for the Tour de France."
> Evans should be pleased now that he's in a position he's most comfortable-with no responsibility.


He should just STFU and race.


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## uzziefly (Jul 15, 2006)

weltyed said:


> nah. i think conti is doing what he said: ramping up for the tour and saving matches. i was a bit surprised to see him not pip evans at the line, but i think he learned a lot earlier this year. (you know, just like lance tweeted he needed to do.) you can say getting evans at the line today wouldnt have wasted any true energry, but it would give him a look into contis form. by not chasing that "sprint" at the end, conti has shown he has his eyes dead set on the tour.
> 
> of course now that i said that, he will attack and take yellow saturday.


Definitely agree here. 

He even reacted a little later to Evans' bursts along the way. He would probably go for the win if the situation presented himself. But if he has to attack etc, I think he'll just "do an Evans" or rather, "do a Menchov" perhaps.


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## uzziefly (Jul 15, 2006)

Travis said:


> So Evans sucks, 'cause why? Does he suck as bad as Valverde, who shouldn't even have been allowed to race cause he's a D-O-P-E-R?
> Your going to have a tough battle to root for people based on whether you think they are a doper or not. You kick out Valve and the rest of the field is clean? :thumbsup:
> He sucks because he isn't following the tactics as prescribed by all the armchair DS's here? LOL!
> He sucks because he tactically misses his chance to save his jersey then tries to play it off on others not working (Conti). It was Cadel's turn to work and he missed the duo heading up the road to take his jersey. If he wanted to win he could have even reacted late and covered the time but he insisted on hoping others would be willing to work.
> ...



Or more simply said: Cadel sucks because everybody should do this, or that, or work, or his team should have, could have, didn't etc etc etc but nothing is wrong on HIS part. 

Basically, he sucks because he just complains too much IMO.


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## albert owen (Jul 7, 2008)

Wow! Cadel doesn't have many fans in the Peanut Gallery.
All sport is full of people who have less than perfect media friendly personalities. Many have been dreadful people - willing to do anything to win (including deliberately injure their opponents - Roy Keane in football for example). Think of John McEnroe's and Jimmy Connors' gamesmanship in tennis. The Prima Donna formerly known as Lance Armstrong is hardly charm personified either, is he?
So What? Evans is a terrific rider who is one of only a handful who has the ability to win the TdF. The fact is he has done really well these last years without a particularly strong team around him.


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## uzziefly (Jul 15, 2006)

albert owen said:


> Wow! Cadel doesn't have many fans in the Peanut Gallery.
> All sport is full of people who have less than perfect media friendly personalities. Many have been dreadful people - willing to do anything to win (including deliberately injure their opponents - Roy Keane in football for example). Think of John McEnroe's and Jimmy Connors' gamesmanship in tennis. The Prima Donna formerly known as Lance Armstrong is hardly charm personified either, is he?
> So What? Evans is a terrific rider who is one of only a handful who has the ability to win the TdF. The fact is he has done really well these last years without a particularly strong team around him.


Yeah so what? But after yesterday, I think he's an even bigger m'effin wanker with his complaining and blaming everyone etc etc.

I'll be the first to say he's a GREAT cyclist and in fact, has a good shot at the Tour and is one of the best riders out there. Last year's Tour performance showed what a class rider (solely based on the bike) he was with his defending etc.

Then, at the end of the Tour, he did it again - he criticized his team and yeah well, regained the a$$ status I have given him personally.

He is a nice person from what interviews etc have said. But his picking on teammates is the worst thing a person can do IMO. Publicly at that too. 

All these whining in this current race etc - fine, sure, many do that too. But he's done that time and time again. Well, many do that too.

The thing that gets me is dissing his teammates in public. That's a big no-no IMO. Couple that with the complaining and expecting others to work when he has the lead etc etc, well, that just serves as the icing and maybe some fudge on the cake.

Look at Menchov - he had pink. Di Luca attacked. He covered. He worked. Simple. You wanna win? You go for it. Or if you can't. Then, still try. But don't expect the race to be handed to you on a silver platter served with wallaby steak. 

YMMV.

Fwiw, I think Contador was a punk/etc for claiming Levi should have, shouldn't etc etc in the Vuelta. He won it. Levi didn't. So shut up. He worked for you remember?


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## bigmig19 (Jun 27, 2008)

He does have the most to complain about team-wise. Chris Horner is the mightiest teammate he ever had. He practically rides "unattached" compared to the saxo and astana/discovery/postal boys. For what it is worth?


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## uzziefly (Jul 15, 2006)

bigmig19 said:


> He does have the most to complain about team-wise. Chris Horner is the mightiest teammate he ever had. He practically rides "unattached" compared to the saxo and astana/discovery/postal boys. For what it is worth?


Yes. But it's one thing to think your manager made the wrong call to go on 4th down and let him know privately but completely another to basically say your manager is an ass to the press. And such.

Just my opinion. 

//I still have no idea why Silence doesn't try and get better domestiques for him. Maybe they like hearing him whine and they WANT him to so more people would hate him. :idea:


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