Tour de France Stage 18

[glen]

Stage 18

Can anyone explain the strategy, and what was effected by the "bridge up to the break" etc...?

 

[nitsuj3580]

bridge up the break I think means they caught up to the lead pack.

reading the ESPN article, it sounds like Armstrong just was tagging with Simeoni out of hatred for the guy refusing to let the guy have any chance of winning the stage.

I get the impression that the way Armstrong describes the incident, Simieoni did something against cycling etiquette but I can't figure out that part

 

[waggy]

yeah i read this 3 times. confusing heh.

 

[glen]

Originally posted by: waggy
yeah i read this 3 times. confusing heh.

I need someone who knows cycling, like Fausto, to explain the normal strategy and ettiquette.
Then, I think what went one will become clear.

 

[PlatinumGold]

armstrong won tho right?

 

[TheWart]

What happened is this, as far as I can tell.

Simoni(sp?) had said that a friend and former doctor of Armstrongs and Semoni, Ferrari, prescribed steroid like drugs to cyclists. Armstrong said that such flase claims are 'ruining' the sport, not to mention casting light on Armstrong's achievements. So, Armstrong decided to ride next to Simoni the whole way to make sure we did not win the stage. When Simoni (and armstrong) caught up to the lead bunch, they told Simoni to get away, cause Armstrong was tagging along, and he would win the stage. So Simoni dropped back (because of this, Armstrong did too), and the group up in front could race against each other, not Armstrong.

Kind of odd, imo, but Armstrong is still up by something like 4:09, so he could afford to do it I guess.

 

[glen]

Yeah, but if Lance could win the stage, why not win it?
Looks like he was not going to try to win until Simoni started the challenge.
Would he sacrifice something that he would then not have in the next stage if he had to burn it out to win stage 18?
Is it possible the other guy would have won?
How do the other riders feel?
What was the "zip lips" thing between Lance and the other riders?

 

[Cat13]

The problem with Lance riding with the escape group is that the Peleton could not afford to let him get away. They would eventually bring them in.

 

[glen]

Originally posted by: Cat13
The problem with Lance riding with the escape group is that the Peleton could not afford to let him get away. They would eventually bring them in.

Why do they let anyone in the escape group escape?

 

[boyRacer]

Originally posted by: glen

Originally posted by: Cat13
The problem with Lance riding with the escape group is that the Peleton could not afford to let him get away. They would eventually bring them in.

Why do they let anyone in the escape group escape?

The breakaway were no threat to the general classification... that's why they didn't bother chasing them down.

 

[glen]

Cool, wtf is "general classification?"

 

[boyRacer]

More stage wins doesnt necessarily mean you win the Tour de France automatically if you gain little to no time at all in those wins.

 

[boyRacer]

Originally posted by: glen
Cool, wtf is "general classification?"

The overall standings...

 

[TheWart]

Yea, the thing is, the people in the 'breakaway pack' were so far behind Lance in overall times, that he could afford to let them win this stage. Plus, it would not be nice to take away the victory of a stage from a younger rider just to boost his time if it is not neccessary.