Cadel Evans and Contador inflict damage to the brothers Schleck

I've only just started following the Tour de France so was just wondering if someone could explain what role team members can play in helping their team mates? What i dont understand is this. If a team member that has no chance of winning the overall race shoots ahead of the pack why is it necessary for riders of opposing teams to try and stick with him?

Big chance here now for Cadel in stage 17 -- Comment left via The Roar's iPhone app. Download The Roar's iPhone App in the App Store here.

Benny I didn't write Clenbutador off in the TT. I said that Cadel would normally expect to be about 30" faster than him in the TT, but for Cadel to feel safe, he'd like to have a 30-60" break before it. Alberto might have for breakfast some of what Floyd Landis did in that famous individual stage a few years back...

I was writing off Andy Schleck. Frank's supposed to be a worse time trialler than Andy though. Seriously though, if Cadel beats them in the mountains, they won't do the job on him in the TT.

Actually there's no unwritten rule about not attacking on the Champs Elysees. It's just that it's usually such an obvious sprint stage that GC contenders rarely bother. There are some exceptions - the most recent of which was in 2005 when Alexandre Vinokourov attacked the field. In so doing he managed to improve his final GC placing from 5th to 4th so you could say it was a pretty good move on his part. Of course back then the riders got time bonuses for high finishes - they don't anymore. Basically, if there's more than about 3 seconds gap between first and second place, there won't be an attack in Paris. Also, don't write Clenbutador off in the TT. He might have been rubbish a few years ago but he's put out some genuinely incredible results since. Evans really isn't that much better than him now and on his day, the Spaniard could actually beat him. It's a really fascinating race this year!

Cadel looks like he is on fire this year. Lost no time in the perrines to contidor, and then begins the alps by gaining time on all people in the top 6 and moving into 2nd. If he is able to stay with contidor throughout the next 4 stages, they can eliminate the 2 shlecks and vocklor from contention before the TT living those two to fight it out over the time trial

Thanks James, all very exciting. So Contador (all the climbers) has 2 days to take some time on Cadel (Thursday & Friday), if possible. So Contador needs to take a min 2 & 1/2 minutes to take the race to the TT against Cadel. Good to see the L'Equipe rating Cadel favourite. He looks good. Go Cadel. You are doing yourself & your country proud.

I think some people are going early in dismissing Frank Shleck, he's 4 secs behind Cadel and I wuoldn't be surprised if Andy spends Thursday & Friday working his guts out to give his brother a chance of taking a lead into the TT. Cadel though gotta be the favourite

Decs - theoretically Cadel is a stronger time trialler than Contador. I think if Contador has 20-30" on Cadel going into the TT, it would be a huge race. Cadel would only consider himself totally safe with say 30-60" on Contador. The yellow jersey goes last of course, so they know what splits they have to chase. So Cadel wants to have the yellow going into it, ideally. Don't expect Voeckler to crack in the TT if he's say 40" ahead.

punter - I doubt Contador can make up much or any time on Cadel tonight (Wed). On Friday Contador will definitely have a crack. I doubt he'll want to leave it till the end, so I think he'll also attack Cadel on Thursday, on an uphill finish. Tonight's downhill bit after the summit suits Cadel because as an ex-mountain biker, he's a good downhill rider. As for Voeckler - assuming all goes reasonably well for Cadel, I don't really think he'll worry about Voeckler until the last climb on friday, the Alpe d'Huez. If Voeckler is still 1:30+ in front, and everything else is the same, Cadel will have a crack at Voeckler on that last climb, an uphill finish, to eat back come time before the last time trial. I don't expect the status quo to change much tonight (then again I didn't last night either), but Thursday will be a big stage - it always is with an uphill finish on an HC climb. In the TT (Time Trial) punter - Cadel and Contador are the strongest (esp Cadel). You'd expect Contador to be maybe 30" behind Cadel on it, and the Schlecks and Voeckler would lose maybe 2 mins to Cadel. So if Cadel keeps the same or better relative to Contador and the Schlecks and passes or gets close to Voeckler before the TT, Cadel would be a raging favourite. As for the last stage into Paris - it' an unwritten rule that there are no attacks, so the competitive part of the Tour (except the last sprint finish for the green jersey) is over after the TT. By the way guys - I read L'Equipe a little while ago (French sporting rag - an institution over there) and they certainly have Cadel as the solid favourite now.

Another great write up Art. Kicking myself as I stayed up until the break went and then thought I would get some sleep with some great stages coming up. What a mistake. Have lost a bit of respect for Schleck since they are now complaining about the descents and how it is not 'real' racing. Cadel's threat has always been Contador and if he can manage to hold anywhere over 1min30sec going into the TT he should hopefully be ok. Tonight's stage is the big brother of last night. Hopefully with the same result. The Schlecks are already worried about the descent. I think we will see a similar finish, but maybe an Italian will make the charge with the finish in the home country.

Gee it was great to see the Schleck brothers dropped last night , personally that was Cadel's best stage of a tour, strong and in control . Now can Voeckler hang on, i dont think so . With the way Cadel's riding nobody is going to take time off him from behind in overall G.Classification positions ,when will Voeckler crack .

Thanks for the all the comments. I really appreciate them. It was tough coming back from the rest day. All I know is that I'm going to be pretty knackered by the end it. Cadel, please make it all worthwhile and win the thing :)

Thanks Art, look forward to your summary every day. Love watching the Tour de France, having a Aussie there is a bonus. Bit of a novice in the tactics used & how it all pans out, but it makes for riverting TV. I would say the 3 favourites are Cadel, Contador & Voeckler, though Frank Schleck also there. So to those experienced race followers, allowing for no bad luck which stage are you predicting that Contador has the best opportunity to make his move? Or even for Cadel to take time off Voeckler?

Thanks again Art for your thoughtful updates. A compelling stage of high drama made so, I believe, by the rain on the descent. While Sammy, Cadel and Alberto were able to attack on the slippery roads, the Schlecks and Basso looked timid. On a dry day, their numbers may have been decisive but the braver three were able to gain time in the conditions. For what it's worth, Cadel's solo attack at the end, riding against the tandem Spaniards bodes very well for the time trial. Certainly his strongest third week of a Grand Tour ever. Whether ge is able to hold Alberto's wheel on Thursday and Friday will probably tell the story of this amazing race.

This turned out to be an amazing stage, though the time gained/lost was small, psychologically it was a big blow, and the Alps haven't even begun. I can't wait for the next 4 stages. I would still however hesitate to call Cadel the favourite, all it takes is 1 stroke of bad luck (chain falling off, flat tyre or a crash) or just 1 bad day (lose a couple of minutes to a rival) and you can no longer win the Tour. Everyone keeps talking down Voeckler in that he has no chance, but jeez he was right up there in the Pyrenees, and every time they say that someone can't time trial compared to Cadel (Contador, Sastre), they always ride above their skin in the time trial and do their best ever time while holding the yellow jersey.

Come on Cadel Evans you can do it!! Tell you what though, the man is weird, listening to his interviews. No matter, there's no kiwis in the top ten I'm smitten. -- Comment left via The Roar's iPhone app. Download The Roar's iPhone App in the App Store here.

I wasn't expecting that at all. The Schlecks cracked late on the climb and - apparently - don't like tricky descents. Maybe Contador knew this, and tried to get a break late in the climb and extend it on the downhill. Andy looks gone, frankly. Maybe they gave it their best shot in the Pyrenees, and Cadel and Contador let them try and fail, waiting for the real deal in the Alps. Tommy Voeckler finished well, but I'd be surprised if he still has that lead (or any lead) going into the Alpe d'Huez stage. Got to give the guy credit and I can see him finishing 3rd. Contador was a different rider to what we saw in the Pyrenees, when he seemd to be just holding on. The biggest winner of the stage of course was Evans. The only other good time trialler in the top 6 is Contador, who is still 2 minutes behind Cadel. Cadel will cream the Schlecks on the TT, so if they can't break him and get a couple of minutes, they're no chance. Contador is a good time trialler but he can't beat Cadel from 2 mins behind. I'll be happy if the status quo remains in the next stage, and Contador and Cadel crack the rest on Thursday. Contador will be seeing Cadel as his main threat - and probably vice versa now. What Cadel will do is sit on Contador's wheel, and if they get a break, help Contador make that gap as big as possible. It's a bit of a shame Contador had countryman Sammy Sanchez there to help him at the end. Probably cost Cadel about 5-10 seconds on Contador - no more than that. I wonder if tonight will be an easier ride before the massive Thurs and Fri stages. Only a few more days Art.

Go Cadel! Love watching this with an Australian to cheer on and the tactics from the teams and individuals. Just worried about that Contador fella, who currently has an unresolved drug matter pending, and races for a team with a proven history of drugging.

thanks Bertie, nice attack/lead-out for Cadel ;) (Though he did his share of work, esp on the descent.) another great night all round ... more Hushovd goodness!