2008 Tour de France : Stage 9 : Toulouse - Bagnères-de-Bigorre 224.0 km Sunday July13

Powerful Pete

Well, Evans had a rough day, crashing in the feed zone... ouch (again, from grahamwatson.com).

He does not look like he will be having a good night's rest.

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earth_dweller

The team started the chase but sat up later when no other teams helped out. So we'll never know but it doesn't take anything away from your Ricco. He shot out of the group just like well a cobra.

confusedfan

Numerous reports about Evans's status, seems as if no break in the collarbone, just lots of scrapes and bruises - will probably be quite sore tomorrow, hopefully he can still ride well enough.

this report summarizes as good as any, including what seemed to have happened...

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TheDarkLord

The timing of this is a bit unfortunate as he will be expected to do some serious work tomorrow.

Jeff Vader

Cadel will have a hard day tommorrow.

Cunego seemed to have very good legs today.

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Cake or Death?

stilesiii

One thing is certain, Ricco has the potential to win a whole bunch of Tours. His accelerations in the mountains are as impressive as Cavendish's on the flats.

We're going to be hearing alot of these guys names in the future, wow.

If Ricco's form holds, he's your winner. No one in the peleton can match him, and with only one ITT remaining, it won't be enough for anyone to make up time he's put into them in the mountains.

Kirchen did appear frustrated at times, I didn't see much of the team around him and protecting. Big George seemed more concerned with Lokvist.

heinkel12

He needs to improve his time trialling. And he's still two and a half minutes behind Kirchen. I wouldn't say he can't win but he will have to be spectacular from here.

Malkmus

I think they let him go today. Cunego was dancing on his pedals when Ricco went. He looked around to see if there was going to be a reaction. When there was none, Cunego let him go.

I don't see them letting him go again. I think today was an aberration because Valverde is recovering and Evans hit the deck. Next time Ricco goes there will be a big chase.

When you look at it. He only put a minute into them today. He needs a lot more.

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Malkmus

Hmmm? Big George doesn't seem to have the same ability to climb with the leaders half his size since he left Disco. I wonder what the difference is?

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Crankyfeet

Yeah but like Chicken... he probably has the best climbing legs in the peloton... so he is always a threat. They can't always follow his attacks if they don't have the legs.

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missile

"Big" George was never a great climber, nor known to be such. He has never won (except for that ONE breakaway, which was a joke - 15+ minute lead!), nor been with the leaders at the end of a mountain stage that I can recall.

pantani_lives

I would like to see Ricco win, because he's an attacking climber. Evans and Menchov are too boring. However I think it will be hard for Ricco to win this Tour because he will lose at least three minutes in the last time trial - if not five.

Andy Schleck also looked good today, but Valverde looked doubtful.

Bro Deal

I must have imagined all those times Hincapie led an ever dwindling peloton over the cols, climbing specialists dropping like flies and the rest of the blue team grinning as they remembered what it was like to be rouleurs who had a hard time getting over a speed bump.

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"You are like the wind and I like the lion. You form the tempest. The sand stings my eyes and the ground is parched. I roar in defiance but you do not hear. But between us there is a difference. I, like the lion, must remain in my place. While you like the wind will never know yours." -- Mulay Hamid El Raisuli, Lord of the Riff, Sultan to the Berbers, Last of the Barbary Pirates

missile

Must have.