# Official Tour de France - Stage 17 - Embrun - L'Alpe-D'Huez (210.5 km)



## harlond (May 30, 2005)

Previous stage results - Stage 16

As Octave Lapize said, "Assassins!"


----------



## PJay (May 28, 2004)

*from how far back to the yellow jersey on 1 mountain?*

Time-wise, from how far down (in overall standings) do you think a rider could move to get into yellow tomorrow? from 5 minutes down? 10 minutes? 15 minutes?

tomorrow is gonna be the day.
a mountain is where you really see the big time differences.

many guys are in position to be in a breakaway and possibly jump into yellow, if that breakaway succeeds with a few minutes or more over the peleton, and the few riders at the very top of the overall standings get held down.

anyone near the top of the overall standings as of now / tuesday, will not be allowed to break away easily. but for anyone who has the legs, guts, and skill for one great day in the mountains, they could jump from the pack right into yellow tomorrow. with a big enough move, they would be well-placed for podium. i guess you also have to factor in the likely time loss on the final time trial.


----------



## uzziefly (Jul 15, 2006)

This stage has insanity, wtf and God help me written all over it.


----------



## ifallalot (Sep 21, 2005)

*Secret strategy for CSC FOUND!!!*

I solicited a french wh0re to make her way into the team bus (those Schleck boys are easily tempted) and got the recon on the stage...


----------



## shabbasuraj (May 14, 2005)

Kohl for the solo breakaway win..

Then tests positive in Paris.

Ya... man


----------



## theWdotY (Jun 10, 2003)

Menchov I think, but the way Andy Schleck is riding its hard not to name him. Maybe CSC sends him up ahead in a breakaway. But he's probably too important to keep Castre and Frank out of trouble to do that.


----------



## shabbasuraj (May 14, 2005)

ifallalot said:


> I solicited a french wh0re to make her way into the team bus (those Schleck boys are easily tempted) and got the recon on the stage...



nice.


----------



## Einstruzende (Jun 1, 2004)

Hopefully another breakaway doesn't make it to the end. It's more exciting with the stage win is also on the line.

That said, I would go with Cunego. He has to have a good day at some point, and he has said that he wanted to win Alp d' Huez before.

Stupid pick the more I think about it though.


----------



## oarsman (Nov 6, 2005)

*Sastre*

CSC will attack Evans over and over, and Sastre will prevail - revealing CSC's master plan, that Schleck all along was the rabbit and never the team's pick for the Yellow.... or not.

But I will probably be wrong. It will be someone who gets in a five man break on the Galibier that the favourites never quite catch.


----------



## pretender (Sep 18, 2007)

The Tour will be won tomorrow.


----------



## oarsman (Nov 6, 2005)

*Agreed*



pretender said:


> The Tour will be won tomorrow.


or lost... depending on how you look at it. Five riders in with a decent shot, three who are not great on the ITT, two who might not have the same explosiveness on the climbs: great stuff.


----------



## Gripped (Nov 27, 2002)

Andy Schleck


----------



## Guest (Jul 22, 2008)

Sastre looked like he was about to get shelled the last 1km up the Bonnette, so unless he was faking it - I don't think he'll be able to stay with Frank and Andy up Alpe-d'Huez. The only guy who looked strong enough to stay with these two till the end is Evans (an Sastre if he was acting). Evans can afford a two minute loss if he has too.

I don't think any break will have the strength to stay away all the way to the top of L'Alpe.

Einstruzende - there still time to change your pick!!


My pick is Frank Schleck.


----------



## roadie92 (Jan 21, 2008)

Frank Schleck


----------



## harlond (May 30, 2005)

Menchov


----------



## robdamanii (Feb 13, 2006)

Kohl.


----------



## moabbiker (Sep 11, 2002)

I'll go with Menchov. I'll bet he's seriously angry about being dropped on a downhill section yesterday and going to make Cadel pay for it.


----------



## DASS (Apr 3, 2002)

Efekin!


----------



## Iwannapodiumgirl (Jun 26, 2002)

going out on a limb... popovych and evans (may just be crazy enough to work)


----------



## dougydee (Feb 15, 2005)

Evans to win the stage and set himself up for the time trial


----------



## tete de la tour (Oct 26, 2006)

shabbasuraj said:


> Kohl for the solo breakaway win..
> 
> Then tests positive in Paris.
> 
> Ya... man


+1

Part of the infamous T-mobile 2005 Team - organized Doping!!!!!AAARRGGGHHH I HATE SAAB!!!!











I say sastre and andy schleck to the finish. The ultimate unselfishness and team work. FLY TO THE FINISH!!


----------



## crumjack (Sep 11, 2005)

*Just to be different*

SIUTSOU! Sure Brasstown in the spring is no where near Le Alpe in the summer but lets see how he does...


----------



## rollinrob (Dec 8, 2002)

Kohl. Becuase Phil and Paul said so during todays stage....


----------



## weltyed (Feb 6, 2004)

kohl? sastre? menchov? schleck? ricco? 
oh, wait...

the magic 8 ball says:
*menchov?*

i guess kohl gets the pois but not the queen stage? i have yet to see today's stage, so i dont know how kohl, sastre, menchov, or evans looked. with no time bonuses, i think csc will look to protect frankie as much as possible, but the descision to work for him or sastre will be made on the final climb, at which point menchov can pull away for the stage as he is more than a minute down. frank schleck is the safe pick, but its not like im in the running for the contest anyway.

unless VdV is let loose and storms on a breakaway. hopefully not a la landis...


----------



## mtbykr (Feb 16, 2004)

Christian Vandevelde..........he seemed pretty optimistic today, so we'll see what he's got in him. I think in reality it's a crap-shoot because I can't remember a stage like this.


----------



## phil. (Aug 3, 2004)

Carlos Sastre


----------



## footballcat (Jul 8, 2004)

ricco


----------



## onebaduce (May 23, 2008)

Frank Schleck


----------



## slowdave (Nov 29, 2005)

kohl but menchov will be very close


----------



## zphogan (Jan 27, 2007)

Menchov


----------



## rupenaik (Apr 30, 2007)

i'm gonna go with Vandevelde once again. I'm keeping the faith alive for the red white and blue


----------



## Run1stBike2nd (Oct 28, 2005)

Andy Schleck would give anything to get this stage, but I think he'll be asked to sacrifice his chances for the stage to help big brother. Kohl is a tempting choice, but I'll go with big brother *Frank Schleck.* He and Sastre are the only ones I trust not to get dropped. The other guys' teams are too unreliable.

As for the bigger picture, Evans will limit his losses and take yellow after the TT on Saturday.


----------



## Uprwstsdr (Jul 17, 2002)

I'm going with Andy Schleck. He and his big bro come up to the line together and Frank let's Andy get the win as thanks for his hard work (BTW, I have been smokin' crack all night).


----------



## uzziefly (Jul 15, 2006)

Well, unlike uprwstsdr, I don't have crack here :mad2: 

My pick: Frank Schleck 

Thanks.


----------



## ilium (Aug 15, 2006)

Menchov


----------



## il sogno (Jul 15, 2002)

Frank Schleck


----------



## Kris Flatlander (Sep 9, 2006)

Valverde again! Come on old buddy don't let me down!


----------



## JaeP (Mar 12, 2002)

Danny Pate! He's going to get himself in an early breakaway. I just know it


----------



## The Moontrane (Nov 28, 2005)

roadie92 said:


> Frank Schleck


Please, not a Schleck. They look too much like Patrick Bateman.


----------



## The Moontrane (Nov 28, 2005)

Kris Flatlander said:


> Valverde again! Come on old buddy don't let me down!


Valverde take the group sprint for his third stage win!


----------



## waitforme (Jan 20, 2007)

Robbie McEwen from Eric Zabel in a bunch sprint?

No??


----------



## uzziefly (Jul 15, 2006)

Kris Flatlander said:


> Valverde again! Come on old buddy don't let me down!


Kinda stopped picking him after he well, cracked.


----------



## jitters (Jul 8, 2007)

Frank Schleck.


----------



## jsedlak (Jun 17, 2008)

Frank Schleck

Hope I am not too late!


----------



## rkj__ (Mar 21, 2007)

footballcat said:


> ricco


nice pick...


----------



## Vandizzy (Jul 11, 2007)

armstrong


----------



## MellowDramatic (Jun 8, 2006)

oarsman said:


> CSC will attack Evans over and over, and Sastre will prevail - revealing CSC's master plan, that Schleck all along was the rabbit and never the team's pick for the Yellow.



Are you from the future


----------



## phil. (Aug 3, 2004)

A few changes in the RBR competition after today's stage


----------



## Gripped (Nov 27, 2002)

phil. said:


> A few changes in the RBR competition after today's stage


Nice pick. Andy was strongest though. Five people within 4 points at the top of the board right now. Close, close, close.


----------



## phil. (Aug 3, 2004)

I definitely got lucky. I had decided to go against F. Shleck just based on all the other top people guessing him as it wouldn't help me really move up into the top 3. Good pick w/ A. Shleck for you, I was thinking he was going to drive the pace like on the the last mtn top finish and wouldn't had placed well.


----------



## oarsman (Nov 6, 2005)

*not bad, eh?*



joehartley said:


> Are you from the future


Always thought Sastre was the CSC main guy... don't think he did enough though. I am afraid that Evans will pull it back on the ITT. But, wearing yellow does amazing things, maybe Sastre can still pull it off.


----------



## Guest (Jul 23, 2008)

Damn, Sastre had me fooled. I think Frank could have done better (and Andy definitely could have) - but they burnt their chances to play games trying to slow down the other GC guys.

Good job to those who picked Sastre.


----------



## tete de la tour (Oct 26, 2006)

Le Tour is not over yet. I still think there is hope for more time on Evans. I think if a stage is really windy then we could easily have a split i the peleton that could change things as well other unpredictable events. Crashes etc.. 

I have been going for Sastre this entire tour and always thought Menchov to have a suspect chin. Once again proven that Menchov will never finish higher that Sastre at the Tour. I think even with the time splits we have there is hope for Sastre to stay in yellow. Going Last and depending on the conditions things could go well. Depends on whether or not there is a tail wind or headwind, Also rain or a simple drop of chain could change everything. 

For those who thought Schleck actually had a chance I think you have to understand how weak Schleck is in the Time trial and there is no way they would let him go with yellow on. 

Andy looks to be the winner next year, even if Contrador there. I have never seen anyone ride so effortlessly in the tour. And can Time trial half way decent. certainly better than his brother.


----------

