Stage 4 - ITT (spoiler)

[bluegoose]

Check out the quads on Schumacher:



Cadel Evans makes a statement today by putting a minute on Valverde. I'm excited to see the first mountain stage on Thursday.

Big Maggie Beckstedt said he hit 50 mph today on a "false flat descent". What exactly does that mean? I'm picturing a slight downgrade of less than 2-3%. Is it even possible to do that on anything less than a downhill of at least 6-8%? An online gear calculator I looked at says that with a 53/11 pedalling at 110 rpms top speed should be 41mph. Must have been a rip-roaring tailwind.

[creekster]

Originally Posted by bluegoose

Check out the quads on Schumacher:



Cadel Evans makes a statement today by putting a minute on Valverde. I'm excited to see the first mountain stage on Thursday.

Big Maggie Beckstedt said he hit 50 mph today on a "false flat descent". What exactly does that mean? I'm picturing a slight downgrade of less than 2-3%. Is it even possible to do that on anything less than a downhill of at least 6-8%? An online gear calculator I looked at says that with a 53/11 pedalling at 110 rpms top speed should be 41mph. Must have been a rip-roaring tailwind.

At one point I thought Phil/Paul said Millar was pushing a 56! I hear dit with disbelief becasue I was looking at him spinning like he was going downhill in granny gear.

I would guess a false flat descent is a stretch that looks flat but is really downhill? I use these for ego boosts all the time.

[bigpiney]

My parents are over in France right now on vacation. Tare only about 30 miles from Toulouse and would have the opportunity to see the end of the 8th stage and the beginnning of the 9thif they decide to get out there and do it. I really hope they do.

[bluegoose]

I noticed that creekster failed to respond to the fact that Valverde lost a minute (A MINUTE) to Evans today. Speaks volumes.

[creekster]

Originally Posted by bluegoose

I noticed that creekster failed to respond to the fact that Valverde lost a minute (A MINUTE) to Evans today. Speaks volumes.

Valverde was disappointing, I will admit. In the warm ups he looked like he thought he was the baddest dude around and then he goes out from the start house kike he is on a sunday stroll. He made up time ont he second half of of the course but given his lack of exertion yesterday what was he doing? Evans, OTOH, also picked up time on the second half after starting pretty well. Evans is sitting good right now, but don't discount Menchov, either, but for the acciednt that split the filed yesterday he might be in yellow now.

[bluegoose]

Originally Posted by creekster

...but don't discount Menchov, either, but for the acciednt that split the filed yesterday he might be in yellow now.

Yes, but I simply can't cheer for Menchov. He bores me to tears. For the past 3 or 4 years, I've never seen him do anything more than suck wheel. Don't get me wrong, he's very good. But could he attack just once for a change? Give me a dozen Vinos on my team before one Menchov. Vino is the antithesis of a team-rider (see Vino battling Ullrich a few years ago), but he sure is (was) fun to watch.