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TDF Stage 8 Castres --> Ax 3 Domaines
Hello mountains! 
Getting in early with this as I'm out on a ride tomorrow AM. I've enjoyed the Tour up to now, but this stage is the first one I've put a big circle round in the calendar.
So does anybody dare reveal their plans? Who has saved their transfers? Who are we tipping for the win?
I won't say who I've picked, but I will say that I've gone for a spread of a few mid-20 guys rather than a big GC feller. I reckon Contador will go for the win, but fancy Rolland to crest the first HC climb in the lead. I'm basing these predictions on absolutely nothing, by the way.
If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.
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Bono (LAM)
has abandoned
He's just quit!!
Got Riblon in my purists. Looks like a couple of people have gone for Nieve as their climbing Basque; maybe I'm out on a limb with Jon Izaguirre.
Stage hunting starts here.
Froome
Valverde
Contador
Nieve
Hoogerland
El Fares
Mederel
Gutierrez
Bono
I think its pretty much 50-50 with those two - Nieve was just cheaper...
We can still leave bono in our teams can't we?
As far as I know you can?
Should have gone Hoogerland, gutted
Result of the Cat 4 climb
Molard (COF) 3 fantasy pts
Full results of intermediate sprint
1. Hoogerland (VCD) 15 fantasy pts
2. Mariano (SOJ) 14pts
3. Molard (COF) 13pts
4. Riblon (ALM) 12pts
5. Greipel (LTB) 11pts
6. Sagan (CAN) 10pts
7. Cavendish (OPQ) 9pts
8. Van Poppel (VCD) 8pts
9. Flecha (VCD) 7pts
10. Chavanel (OPQ) 6pts
11. De Gendt (VCD) 5pts
12. Westra (VCD) 4pts
13. Sabatini (CAN) 3pts
14. Boeckmans (VCD) 2pts
15. Bodnar (CAN) 1pt
You definitely can, although as I understand it people wouldn't be able to bring him in from tomorrow.
Gone for:
Christopher Froome
Richie Porte
Nairo Alexander Quintana Rojas
Danny Van Poppel
Michal Kwiatkowski
Jerome Coppel
Murilo Antonio Fischer
Maxime Mederel
José Ivan Gutierrez Palacios
Froome
Valverde
Rolland
Nieve
and two other wild cards.
Starting at -30 so I hope I don't need to make a transfer tomorrow.
Looks like all the mountain points on the HC will be up for grabs and I hope Rolland gets some. Had the feeling there wouldn't be a big break today; that will happen tomorrow when there are lots of big gaps.
Quintana has gone. Maybe a plan to work with Valverde later on. Froome and Porte are going to have to do this themselves.
Rolland trying to get some mountain points!!
Anton is the Euskatel rider according to the commentators. Can't see his number. Another Euskatel rider in the group, don't know who it is. Hope it's Nieve.
Anton not making much headway.
Purito not that close to the front. Maybe still suffering from his crash, which is why I went for Valverde today, (even though he is an unrepentant cheat!)
Rui Costa 3
Ten Dam 2
Schleck 1
Regretting my choice of Mollema over Rolland
Quintana 15 points (good for my purists).
Rolland 12 points
Anton 10 points
Kennaugh 8
Porte 6
Froome 5
Valverde 4
I think from watching TV.
21 points so far for standard; 26 for purist.
OK, so my team is:
Porte
Kwiatkowski
Talansky
Rolland
Quintana
Palacios
Noval
El Fares
Fischer
Fairly happy so far (especially Kwia, who I wasn't sure would keep up today and seems to be hanging in with the peloton). Also glad I went Talansky over Hesjedal.
Great dig from Quintana over the top.
I don't think Rolland will do much more now, but 17 is ok. I've got Mollema in my Roaduk team. Reckon the finish will be between Froome and Valverde, but I hope Rui Costa can stick in there as he's in 2 of my other teams. Froome and Valverde are in all 3 standard teams. Quintana, Froome and Porte in my Purist, (which is going better than normal).
Hesjedal has a broken rib so it's a good choice, but Talansky is more of a TT artist. Watch out for Nava; he'll be sure to be in some breaks now. TERatcliffe26 will certainly have him I'm sure. So might I, come to think of it.
Don't think Quintana will make it but what a ride. All in service of Valverde, who's hitching a free ride.
Rolland picked up, can he stick in there for the GC as well as polka dots? Go on Rolland, get me a few more points!
Porte ripping it up!
Rogers and Peraud off the back Purito looks in pain
Froome going away. Now Contador is wheelsucking!
Valverde moving up. Rolland not too far back.
Go on Porte make em hurt!
Schleck actually looking ok considering the pace
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