Tour day schmalz 2012 Stage 16 review

It's OK to think this is a dull Tour this year, occasionally, the Tour is a dull affair. Each Tour is a novel written by the participants and this year's edition just happens to not include many dramatic moments in the battle for the general classification. Stage 16, with its four monster climbs was one of the last opportunities for anyone with aspirations for yellow to take a shot at the Sky armada, but it seems that they are too formidable, and the only rider who seems capable of putting Bradley Wiggins into difficulty is dutifully pulling Wiggo up the mountains. Sky is putting on a demonstration of classic corporate racing tactics that is very effective and will probably win them the Tour, but no one writing the story of this Tour will use "panache", "daring" or "Cav wins three stages" to describe Sky's Tour campaign. But a win is a win, and the race isn't over yet, and there's more opportunities for panache to happen.

And speaking of panache, the captain of the panache barge himself Tommy Voeckler managed to get away once again to take a daring and audacious stage win, reaffirming Europcar's dominance of mountainous stages in the Tour (that's actually a fact, between himself and Rolland, they have Frenched the crap out of Tour mountain stage dating back to last year, and if I weren't lazy, I'd look up the actual stats about the mountain stages, but I won't). Tommy V is an astute tactician, and while he isn't in the hunt for the GC, he's targeted certain stages and gone after them, here's his explanation of his tactics: (from cyclingnews)

"For me I had four races in my head today, each climb was a separate race. I know every metre of the climbs from training here in this region. There were 197 kilometers of racing here, and I knew all 197 kilometres by heart."

The net result of this diligence is that Voeckler rolled in alone after ridding himself of his breakaway companions (and staying ahead of Chris Anker Sorensen, who in tandem with Voeckler put on a clinic in the "facial expressions of discomfort" jersey battle). After carefully checking his gap numerous times during the final Ks, Voeckler found he had a large enough gap to give the French public the opportunity to see the full range of his facial expressions. He did everything from to "agony" to "overwhelmed with emotion" to "a bit randy" (that one was for the ladies). It was an impressive display from an impresario at the top of his game.

Yesterday's stage also saw Cadel Evans demoted from team leader to (in Tejay Van WhywasIpullingyouallthistime terms) "sort of co-leader". On the "Ass Pan" (as pronounced by Sean Kelly), Ivan Basso went to the front and ended Cadel's Tour ass-pirations. It was hard to watch as Cadel was gapped, and BMC no longer requested Tejay fall back to help. It's been a wild ride Cadel, and I'd say we'll see you next year, but Tejay Van Imoveradecadeyounger might not want a co-leader along.

The rest of the stage saw Nibz, Froome and Wiggo roll in together like a trio of bros out on a margarita run. Nibali wasn't able to get away on the descent and Froome had his Sky shock collar on, so the three were very cordial on the run in. It looks as if Nibali has come to terms with his third-ness in the Tour this year. Which is a fine result and something to be proud of, but it makes for a lousy end to a novel.

Comments

cav

By: Maxime Grips

Mon, 07/23/2012 - 4:11pm

cav was there to train for the Olympics - he was going to the team car for bottles for goodness sake - in the rainbow jersy - taking 3 stages is a bonus - plus - i am sure he appreciates the gesture of wiggo's lead out on the champs - I know I do-

0 Up

I read into that some sort of

By: ...

Mon, 07/23/2012 - 12:01am

I read into that some sort of contrition that probably wouldn't exist in an actual negotiation. "Sure Mark whatever you want to do is fine...but we love you and want you." Realistically Cavendish will be winning stages long after we're done talking about Froome or Wiggins. I can't imagine they'd honestly part ways with him after waiting so long to get him. I just think it's hard to win a tour and when you suddenly realize you've got the pieces you've got to go after it.

But Brailsford is easing him

By: Andy Shen

Sun, 07/22/2012 - 11:33pm

But Brailsford is easing him out already?

http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/12475/Brailsford-indicates-that-Cavend...

Cavendish and Wiggins are

Sun, 07/22/2012 - 11:32pm

Cavendish and Wiggins are friends. Yeah Cav is bitter he didn't medal in the madison and blames Wiggins for it. But surely he knew the plan was to win the tour, and British cycling has supported him his entire career. Three tour wins, including records for most all time wins, and final stage wins...add an olympic gold and I'd find it hard to believe he wouldn't look at it as a great move.

For our sakes I hope the two

Sun, 07/22/2012 - 9:33pm

For our sakes I hope the two of them will be on different teams next year. There's also talk that Cavendish is disgruntled.

Andy while it's true Wiggins

Sun, 07/22/2012 - 9:08pm

Andy while it's true Wiggins was under contract with Garmin Sky really needed him to do the Brit thing they wanted to do. They paid very handsomely for his contract and there's no way they wouldn't hold someone over a barrel the way Vaughters (rightfully) did to them. Froome has some health issues that seem to resurface with that parasite thing, so the question is if someone is willing to (perhaps) gamble on him and over pay for him. I'm thinking probably not, but I've been wrong about stuff before.

Holy crap that was good

By: Igor

Sun, 07/22/2012 - 5:35pm

wiggo's stare

By: downtube

Sun, 07/22/2012 - 5:04pm

if the brit gives you the look, how do you know which direction he is looking?

http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/ry3yw8DCpko/FILE+Profile+Bradley+Wiggins/...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Marty_Feldman.png

Finally

By: Gaetan Crank

Sun, 07/22/2012 - 1:17pm

The lack luster Tour is over. There was more excitement in a cat 4/5 race at Prospect.

you really are a shithead williams

By: monorchid conconi

Sun, 07/22/2012 - 10:58am

voeckler is not lemmon, he's jean paul belmondo
http://favim.com/image/174186/

..."occasionally, the Tour is

By: Ethan Dropout

Sun, 07/22/2012 - 2:01am

..."occasionally, the Tour is a dull affair. Each Tour is a novel written by the participants and this year's edition just happens to"...be written by the British. The same people who once proffered Prince Charles, i.e., the tampon, the sexiest man alive.

Prospect Park results 7-21-12

By: davidsommerville

Sat, 07/21/2012 - 10:32pm

Hello,

Todays results are posted on USAC.
www.usacycling.org/results/index.php?year=2012&id=1883&info_id=51812

Best,
David Sommerville
Sommerville Sports

Hinault was right

By: Logan Rubber Hood

Sat, 07/21/2012 - 7:32pm

Sky should have let Froome go a La Toussuire and Peyragudes. He wouldn't have put 3.22 into Wiggins and we would have no doubt as to who was the best.

Imagine if Hinault had been told to wait for LeMond in 86.

Tour 2012 Memories

By: Giovanni Neck

Sat, 07/21/2012 - 5:58pm

well wiggo only put 1:16 into Fromme.... not as decisive as 2:30-3min would have been. very hard to say fromme could have won but wiggo certainly didn't quiet the critics - hopefully wiggo will do the classy thing and commit to fromme in 2013

Wiggins was under contract

Sat, 07/21/2012 - 3:52pm

Wiggins was under contract with Garmin too.

Froome

By: Tony Soprano

Sat, 07/21/2012 - 2:55pm

@Ethan Crank
There is no chance Froome will be riding for a different team next year. This isn't basketball where you trade half your players every year. Froome is under contract to Sky until the end of 2014. It's Cavendish who is the free agent and won't be returning to Sky.

Next year should be a more mountainous Tour for the 100th edition. Hopefully that will make for a more exciting race between Sky, Contador, and maybe Tejay.

tour 2012 memories

By: Piero Dropout

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 4:44pm

we have to see after the TT - if you think Fromme could have won you've got to consider he did benefit from richie porte, mick rogers and the team - and he'd have to have gained a lot of time in the mts to make up for the tt's - though he has tt'd well - tomorrow will show - I think if he's w/in 3 min of wiggins for the stage he may have been able to win -

Voekler is really...

By: Max Roadrash

Fri, 07/20/2012 - 12:10am

Jack Lemon http://media.jinni.com/person/jack-lemmon/jack-lemmon.jpeg

Next Year

By: Ethan Crank

Thu, 07/19/2012 - 5:27pm

The good ol USA should be happy that Tejay V is showing signs of a true Tour winner... Maybe next year Cadel will be pacing him. What could have been if he did not wast himself for Cadel earlier in the race.

As for Sky, as long as a Sky racer wins noone at the front office cares which rider is on the top step of the podium. I suspect Fromme will shoot for the Giro and Vuelta next year or be on a different team to battle the Astana / Schleck duo and Riss / Contador duo.