Colocado: 06 Julho 2010 às 20:09 | IP Registado

Ricardo:

Eu não vi a etapa de hoje, mas diria mais desta forma: o Vinokorov puxou exactamente por ver q o Contador tava a ficar. Com amigos e colegas de equipa daqueles, um gajo nem precisa de adversários das outras equipas...

Colocado: 07 Julho 2010 às 04:03 | IP Registado

Bons dias foristas,

preciso de alguma ajuda. Alguém acompanha as etapas na net (transmissão video)? É que eu já andei à procura de um site para assistir e não consegui encontrar nada . Se alguém souber algum link agradeço.

Nuno

Colocado: 12 Julho 2010 às 09:21 | IP Registado

biker_lx escreveu: Pronto...lá se foi a esperança do Armstrong ... Quem acompanhou a carreira do americano sabe que ele e temperaturas muito elevadas são grandes inimigos. Ricardo Francisco

Pois,,, eu tenho pena é que naquele famoso dia em 2003 não fosse uma etapa de montanha em vez de um TT.... tv o JAn nesse dia em vez de ganhar uns longos segundos tivesse ganho uns valentes minutos... e o TT final à chuva fosse diferente!

Mas tb confesso que é inglório ver um campeão sair assim - pode ser que no Tourmalet ajude o futuro chefe de fila da sua equipa < AC  

HASTA
Migalhas

PS: O cadel n pode aguentar 3 semanas... n pode...

Colocado: 12 Julho 2010 às 09:45 | IP Registado

Armstrong "not great" in today's tough time test

By Tim Maloney, European Editor in Cap' Découverte

On a baking summer day heat in the hinterlands of south-central France, Jan Ullrich (Bianchi) powered to a dramatic time trial stage win, stunning the Tour de France peloton with his incredible race against the clock today. After his seventh career stage win, a delighted Jan Ullrich explained that "I am very, very happy with this win. I feel like I've found the old Ullrich today."

Seven years ago on a similarly broiling hot day in the Tour de France, the real Jan Ullrich had his first ever stage win in a Tour time trial in St. Emilion. Today the real Ullrich was back.

"I was very surprised with my performance today. I came here to see what I could do but I was really looking towards next year's Tour. I'm really happy to have beaten Armstrong today. From here on in, anything is possible in the Tour de France. With four tough days in the Pyrenees starting tomorrow, we'll have to see."

Maillot Jaune Lance Armstrong had his second bad day at this years Tour de France today. A visibly depleted Armstrong, who ran out of liquid in the final phases of today's time test, explained that "it was much more difficult for me today than I expected. It was not a good day for me. No, it was really a bad day... And Jan was superb today and he's now a serious contender. But I've always said that Jan could be a serious rival at the Tour. Both times I've done the Tour with Jan, he has always been stronger in the second half. With the next four mountain stages coming, I'm not worried. I've got a great team to support me."

Armstrong's split time was equal with Ullrich at the first time check after 13km, but he lost 40" to the German by the second time check at 33km in Salles. "I had some trouble between the second time check and the last hill, but I felt good after that," said Armstrong. "Perhaps I didn't drink enough before the stage or this morning; I ran out of water which is about as deep as I can explain it. I knew that it was hot since it was 35 degrees when we drove over."

US Postal Service-Berry Floor management was frank about Armstrong's tough day at the office. Directeur sportif Dirk De Mol told the media that "we had a super, super, super Ullrich today. But Lance was beaten by just Ullrich. It would have been a big disappointment if Lance was seventh. The gap today between Ullrich and Lance is surprising; now the battle for the Maillot Jaune is wide open. Today was a mental blow for Lance, but he's a fighter; he can handle this."

Johan Bruyneel echoed De Mol's amazement at Ullrich's performance. "That wasn't cycling, it was flying!" he exclaimed. "Lance wasn't super at all today. He couldn't handle the big gears. Sure we're disappointed, but Lance is a fighter. Now Ullrich is our new rival."

Following the stage, an obviously pleased Bianchi directeur sportif Rudy Pevenage told Cyclingnews, "I'm very happy for Team Bianchi and for Jan and for myself. The last few months were not so easy for us. It was a very big day for our team. We put a lot of work into getting this team organized and we needed a day like this. In the morning, I had a good feeling about the stage because Jan was more nervous than usual."

"But nothing much has changed at the Tour, because tomorrow morning, Lance Armstrong has the Maillot Jaune and Jan Ullrich is second," Pevenage added. "There are four or five guys who are there with a chance to win the Tour. So let's see how we recuperate tomorrow."

Tyler Hamilton continues to amaze. His solid fifth place, 2'43" behind Ullrich despite his fractured clavicle, shows that the Man from Marblehead is still the toughest man in pro cycling. "I couldn't go to my limit today," said Tyler.

Hamilton's CSC boss Bjarne Riis explained that although Hamilton's pain is under control, the American has been feeling some pain in his back, likely caused by his distorted position on the bike. "I tried not to put too much pressure on my shoulder today and to sit as much as possible," Hamilton explained. "I wish I wasn't so far behind Ullrich, but he deserves a lot of credit for his ride today."

Alex Vinokourov (Telekom) was third today, 2'06" behind his former teammate Ullrich. The powerhouse rider from Petropavlosk defended his GC position well, sliding to third behind the rampaging Ullrich but most tellingly, Vino lost only 30" to race leader Armstrong. "Oh, I'm very happy the way things went today, that I didn't lose more time to Armstrong," Vinokourov said. "Now I will continue to attack. That's for sure."

Twelfth on Stage 12, Euskaltel-Euskadi's Iban Mayo was disappointed by his poor performance today. "I can do better than I did today... I just didn't have it. It was a bad day for me," said the dejected winner of l'Alpe d'Huez.

Mayo's teammate Haimar Zubeldia was excellent today, with a fourth place finish. "Armstrong isn't like other years at the Tour," said the 26 year old climber. "It's not a show anymore; we're seeing the real Armstrong."

With Zubeldia and Mayo sitting in fifth and sixth just 4'29" out of the Maillot Jaune, and the next four stages in the Pyrenees lined with orange clad Ikkurina waving Basque tifosi, look for Mayo to go after stage wins while his teammate Zubeldia follows the wheels looking for a way to the podium in Paris.

Bruyneel explained post-stage that "now Ullrich is our main rival" and cautiously stated that "when Lance isn't super, we have to be careful."

Despite his surprising showing today, Armstrong will certainly fight to keep his Maillot Jaune going forward in this year's centenary Tour de France. He and the rest of the Tour peloton will be seeking a respite from the blazing heat that the French call "la canicule".

"I saw the forecast for Sunday for (thunderstorms) in the Pyrenees, so that was good news," Bruyneel added.

HASTA
MIgalhas