Tour de London

[Rob_the_Saint]

Agreed! Great stuff yesterday, the best bit was when that guy came clambering back up through the vegetation after falling down the ravine. Just got back on his bike and got on with it, superb.

[Greg_Dyke]

Big Hill stage today, starting in the Val D'isere region...

 

Hopefully Millar still has something left, so he can climb up the order...

 

There is a strong chance Rasmussen will extend his lead, if his team are organised enough to hold off the other teams

 

The finish will be a downhill ride to Briançon

[NotTheRealSteveWest]

How's the cycling going?

[cantos]

I would love to know aswell Dykey.

 

Will you tell him,or should i, Westie.

[Greg_Dyke]

oh, they are peddling quite fast, and getting tired and sweaty...

[Greg_Dyke]

hey !

[Greg_Dyke]

I seem to be a day ahead.....

[NotTheRealSteveWest]

Today at the tour......

 

THE STAGE:

 

Val-dIsère to Briançon - 159.5km

 

KEY MOMENTS:

 

15km - Col de l'Iseran - Hors Cat (15km @ avg 6%)

33.5km - Intermediate Sprint 1 - Le Villaron

60km - Intermediate Sprint 2 - Bramans

99km - Col du Télégraphe - Cat 1 (12km @ avg 6.7%)

122km - Col du Galibier - Cat 1 (17.5km @ avg 6.9%)

 

[NotTheRealSteveWest]

THE TIPPING POINT:

 

Expect some optimistic lunatics low down on GC to form an early breakaway but all the GC contenders will keep their powder dry until the Télégraphe. Michael Rasmussen knows he will lose so much time in time-trials that he is likely to attack early on that 12km climb. With a 37km descent to the finish off the top of the Galibier there will some regrouping so the Dane is likely to go early and go hard - whether anyone can keep up remains to be seen.

 

[NotTheRealSteveWest]

IN THE JERSEYS:

 

Yellow - Michael Rasmussen (Rabobank)

Polka Dot - Sylvain Chavanel (Cofidis)

Green - Tom Boonen (Quick Step)

White - Linus Gerdemann (T-Mobile)

 

[NotTheRealSteveWest]

PREDICTION:

 

Michael Rasmussen

Christophe Moreau

Thomas Dekker

 

[NotTheRealSteveWest]

FAVOURITE WATCH:

 

4th - Alejandro Valverde (Caisse d'Épargne) @ 2:51

5th - Andrey Kashechkin (Astana) @ 2:52

6th - Cadel Evans (Predictor-Lotto) @ 2:53

8th - Alberto Contador (Discovery) @ 3:10

9th - Frank Schleck (CSC) @ 3:14

10th - Denis Menchov (Rabobank) @ 3:19

11th - Carlos Sastre (CSC) @ 3:35

12th - Andreas Kloden (Astana) @ 3:46

13th - Levi Leipheimer (Discovery) @ 3:53

22nd - Alexandre Vinokourov (Astana) @ 5:23

[NotTheRealSteveWest]

THE BRITS:

 

88th - David Millar (Saunier Duval) @ 41:58

104th - Charly Wegelius (Liquigas) @ 50:43

151st - Bradley Wiggins (Cofidis) @ 1:06:14

160th - Geraint Thomas (Barloworld) @ 1:09:22

nc - Mark Cavendish (T-Mobile) Abandoned Stage 8

 

[Greg_Dyke]

I take it a Brit isnt gonna win this year's tour then....

[NotTheRealSteveWest]

The flag has gone down and we are off. For all the key information on today's stage visit the "Today at the Tour" story on the home page.

[NotTheRealSteveWest]

157km - An attack from Jose Luis ARRIETA (AG2R) early on the Hors category of Col de l'Iseran. It's a 15km climb with an average gradient of 6%.

[NotTheRealSteveWest]

154km - One minute is Arrieta's advantage and he is now joined by Yaroslav POPOVYCH (Discovery). An interesting move from the rider from the Ukraine.

 

[Greg_Dyke]

Yaroslav Popovych has a decent recent record....

 

Best Young Rider in 2005 (12th overall)

25th in 2006, winning stage 12, he also won stage 5 of this years Tour....

 

He was born in Drohobych, Ukraine

[NotTheRealSteveWest]

150km - The polka dot jersey Sylvain CHAVANEL attempts to join the escapees.

[NotTheRealSteveWest]

149km - Popovych has dropped Arrieta. He is 28th on GC at 7:32.