Tour de France - Stage 9

After tomoro's stage there is a rest day so you will have at least 4 transfers to play with so to many climbers shouldn't be a problem for the flat stage that follows.

After today's stage, I couldn't care about the game anymore. Its going to be a Sky bore fest again.... Sat on the front, dictating the pace for ever climb

Im happy to give you my team

Froome
Mollema
Quintana
Rolland
Nieve
Noval
Mederel
Fischer
Gutierrez

Snap,

Christopher Froome
Richie Porte
Laurens Ten Dam
Danny Van Poppel
Bauke Mollema
Jerome Coppel
Murilo Antonio Fischer
Maxime Mederel
José Ivan Gutierrez Palacios

Put Ten Dam and Mollema in purely because of the way they climbed today and they seem to be amongst the best of the rest without the GC boys.

If the teams want to beat Sky, they have to throw the race book out the window and attack, attack, attack. It was easy for Sky to control one mountain stage, big deal. Let's see them do it with half the Peloton working against them. This is far from over.

The question is - Will enough GC contenders have the guts to challenge?

Too good to be "pure" yesterday!? The big question for today..pick the break-aways and save some transfers for the coming flats/TT. Will old man Voeckler have anything left, except his funny looks or will Rolland? Questions..questions that need answers!

Wonder if Kwiatowski love that white jersey som much he'll skip the resting day and just go straight on to stage 10...

1. Chris Froome
2. Nairo Quintana
3. Dan Moreno
4. Daniel Navarro
5. Mikel Nieve
6. Jose Ivan Gutierrez Palacios
7. Andy Shrek
8. Murilo Antonio Fischer
9. Fabio Sabatini

I am supporting my router....

Nairo Alexander Quintana Rojas (MOV)

Bauke Mollema (BEL)

Laurens Ten Dam (BEL)

Michal Kwiatkowski (OPQ)

Richie Porte (SKY)

Johnny Hoogerland (VCD)

Frederik Willems (LOT)

Murilo Antonio Fischer (FDJ)

Maxime Mederel (SAU)

...funny what influences ones picks.

My dilemma is Rolland or Voeckler.

Voeckler didn't look strong yesterday and Rolland was still chasing KoM points to keep the jersey but he's not too far down on GC and today screams Voeckler to me.

Hmmmm

Edit: made my changes and I can guarantee that absolutely no one has made the same

No changes today

Froome
Contador
Quintana
Schleck
Gadret
Serpa
Hoogerland
Gasparotto
Fischer

I was a Valverde instead of Rodriguez away from a 200 point day yesterday, had Valverde to do better over the tour but thought J-Rod would do well yesterday before fading in the Alps. Never mind, still into the top 100. Made 2 changes today...

Frooome
Mollema (for Rodriguez)
Nieve
Quintana
De Gendt (for Schleck - got to gamble a little)
Hoogerland, Muravyev, El Fares, Le Mevel

Originally planned to save a transfer but the potential break points were too tempting - lets hope De Gendt fancies a pop...

Schar and Dennis dns today

Dennis will be in a few purist teams(mine included!!).

Rolland
Talansky
Quintana
Porte
Ten dam
D V P
Mederel
Oroz
Willems

3 changes today

Out, Froome and Kwiatkowski.
In, Voeckler and De Gendt.

Unashamedly chasing the break today.

Voeckler
Rolland
De Gendt
Nieve
Anton
Kadri
Fischer
Palacios
Mederel

Johnny H trying to get away again!

This is why I do not like Froome. He has no brains, this stage has breakaway written all over it, Sky should be on the front controlling the race, Froome has blasted his team out the water, idiot. Control the race FFS.

my 5 main riders are in the yellow jersey group at least

Trofimov (Katusha), Hesjedal y Danielson (Garmin), Antón (Euskaltel-Euskadi) y Rolland (Europcar) up the road with short gap, less than half a minute.

Wondered which Euskaltel rider it would be. Anton a bit pricey for the risk though. Hope Rolland gets some decent mountain points today but doesn't look like there are going to be any break wins just yet. Maybe in the Alps. Porte appears to be behind the yellow jersey group. Don't know why as I've only just turned on the TV. Looks like it's going to be a long day today. Wine and food with the Tour followed by another beautiful evening ride.

No' it's not Anton. Even the Spanish site have got it wrong it's Jon Izagirre. (114) I'm assuming with that that Steephill have the numbers right.

This is going to be a good day! Some real racing! Valverde off the front with another Movistar, Quintana, Rui Costa? Not sure. Froome chases on.

Ruben Plaza is the other Movistar. (127) Riders all over the place.

Castroviejo up there with Valverde and Plaza, Froome comfortable sitting on.

Dennis did not start, Guittierrez just abandoned, thats 2 of my team gone. Now do I let it ride purist wise, or make changes over the rest day, and let that team ride to the end mmmmmm, neither regular and no longer purist