Tour de France 2011 Photos; Stage 9: Issoire ? Saint-Flour, 208 km
Later in the stage, a French TV car swerved into the five man break up front sending Vacansoleil’s Johnny Hoogerland somersaulting off the road and into a barbed wire fence
That’s quite a flogging. Someday a clothing manufacturer will invent something more protective than Lycra for bike shorts. Hoogerland finished the stage, claimed his KOM Jersey on the podium and even did some interviews before getting 33 stitches to repair the damage.
Who said these guys were soft ?!!!
Ray Wilson
I’m very excited about Cadel Evans’ chances after last night’s stage. Contador challenged and not only did Cadel respond, but he actually rode away from Contador. Not many cyclists have ridden away from Contador before. Supreme effort by Cadel.
I remember as a young bloke following the fortunes of Phil Anderson in the 80s as he battled to become the first Aussie to win the Tour. He nearly succeeded coming fourth. I’m feeling the same rush of excitement now following Cadel. If he wins, it would have to be one of Australia’s greatest sporting moments. Perhaps THE greatest?.
Contador is a little different this year Dips. Under the microscope – so to speak.
The Hoogerland shot brings back some very bad memories from playing in the paddocks around our house in the early sixties in West Launceston.
In the morning of the first day of the May holidays I ripped three pairs of pants on barbed wire, nails and blackberries. I still have scars. My mother threatened to send me out in one of my sister’s dresses if I did it again.
I got the message.
Don’t go too early, Dips !!!
What I liked about Cadel last night was his attack on the final descent,
hurtling down the decline in terrible conditions while the Schleck
brothers looked very very hesitant.
Special shout out to Thor Hushovd…what a cyclist.
Love watching the Tour .The cyclists are tough that’s for sure . Their tolerance for pain while pushing themselves to the limit – amazing . And to do it day after day -incredible .
In the days of the Lions 4 GFs in a row, a group of players used to join Robbie McEwen and a few other pros for a ride from Sydney to Brisbane for pre-pre-season training. It was mentioned that Akermanis, J., wasn’t far off being at the pro level. I used to see him occasionaly after a ride to the cafe at Mt. Glorious which was a pretty decent effort. Probably beyond my Malvern Star efforts.
My tour starts tonight. I have been timing my run this year. I have hopelessly overcommitted my energy early in years past, I have slogged away at the back of the peleton, risking everything in my daytime world and understanding almost nothing in my nightime one. Implausible things happen, the race is over, I’m exhausted, and I have no idea how the outcome occurred but I have loved it.
Neither Americans nor channel 9 (or Murdoch) have got hold of the event. I still dont know why sprinters get points, just how many prizes there are, how you qualify, why the teams care a bit but not a lot about having a uniform, if a team has to have people competing in all the categories, how many they can have, and so on.
And I dont care. I have been a cyclist since I was 6 and still am – but I have never been a ‘Cyclist’ and I dont know much about that world. What I do know is that the tour looks completely, totally, all consumingly like physical hell. It is compelling and completely absorbing as soon as you start watching. It demands everything, and it reveals everything about the character of the competitors. The photo and vignette above sum it all up – you dont need to know ‘the rules’.
Regardless of that, this year I have a strategy. I have managed to learn that the race is always won in the alps or, if not then, at the time trial on the penultimate stage. So my tour starts tonight, and, while I know nothing about ‘cycling’, Evans looks like a coiled spring to me.
Go Cadel. If he wins, is he Australia’s greatest ever sportsman?
I don’t think we’ll ever love Cadel but boy will we be proud. Go for it Cadel, half of Australia will be out of their seats trying to push you up the Galibier tonight!
The tour is really heating up now, I think it is going to be very hard for Cadel but it is not going to be impossible.
Watching Contador today you get the feeling that he is going to turn the screws tonight on what looks to be a stage of pure pain. Throw the Schlecks into the fray and we have a very competitive group.
They say that Cadel is not good at elevation (hitting 2744m tonight) and this may effect him at the end of the Col Agnel, I am not sure this is correct but I cannot wait to see how tonight pans out. Surely it must be the deciding stage of Le Tour this year.
I saw the last bit and I think Cadel may have them covered.
Contador had a crack at the end and it all came to nothing as Evan’s group caught him at the line.
The Schlecks are a bit dodgey down hill.
Evans has the strength, the current position and the motivation to win. He is riding a very good technical race with the support of a good team. The others are trying to get a break but he stays with them. He hasn’t really made a move yet. He only needs to gain about half a minute.
If he is within a minute of Voeckler for the final time trial he will win. Contador won’t pick up a couple of minutes on him and he can match it with the Schlecks on a good day. He just has to stay on his bike.
Cannot disagree with what you have said Phantom but I really don’t think Voeckler will be there after today. He has been amazing up till now but this has to be the biggest mountain stage of Le Tour and I doubt he can hang on.
If he does it will make for an amazing time trial though!!