Irvin85

That and also the fact that ASO have tried for a number of years to get a French rider in the yellow jersey by the time they reach Paris. The French have had a number of pure climbers in the past view years but none of them particularly great against the clock and apart from Alaphilippe most have been on smaller French teams. I think they have given up on that, hard to see anyone beating the two top dogs over the next 5 years and there is no young french prospect looking to fill the void left by Letour, Pinot etc.

I doubt anyone that stood on the top step of the podium is actually clean. The current guys included, they are just masking it better. Micro doping being the name of the game at the moment. I have accepted it for what it is and it is not taking any joy away for me to watch these guys race their guts out.

Well he is planning on doing Olympics next and the World champs as well, if he do manage to win just one of the two it is still one of the best seasons by any rider in history. Anyone have any insight on the courses for the Olympics and world champs?

Just imagine this, Winning the Giro, Le Tour, Vualta, Olympic games, and world championship in one year. than throw in a Liege-Bastogne-Leige and Strade Bianche in the mix as well. That would be impossible....?

I get what you are saying. No harm done to include them. My point of view is it should be a prestige event, and there should be pride and honor in representing your country at such a event and that should be earned. Not handed out just because there is slots available. That is it for me.

The way things looked yesterday I think the chances are better for Jonas to lose his second place than it is for him to gain time on Pogi. That being said, stranger things has happened in the past.

Visma sending Van Aert and Laporte up ahead, I think we will see a attack on the du noyer from Jonas. My money is still on Pogi for the stage

I had a quick look at our current national downhill champ, he participated in 4 events this entire year, two of those were UCI events. He had a DNF and a 124th place in the UCI events.

Exactly, a generational talent, his talent got seen at a very young age and got rewarded for his talent, hard work and sacrifices, The SA champs this year had a total field of 29 riders. so we want to send 20% of the total SA field to the World champs. What a joke. If you are good enough chances are that someone will see your talent and you will get a opportunity to showcase it on the big stage.

World champs is not a numbers game, is for the cream of the crop. I would rather have no one there than have 10 guys that basically just make up the numbers and takes the last 10 spots on the rankings. There should really only be one from each country except if the second and third rider is also ranked in the top 20 of the world. Then only should they be considered. It is a exclusive club and representing your country should be reserved for only the best.

All I hear is the reasons why it is so difficult for them to qualify and get over to do the races, but then there is this unknown guy called Greg Minnaar, who with all the challenges mentioned that all the other SA guys faces some how managed to get into the major events and made his performances count for him to secure sponsors and help him to get to where he is now. If he managed to do all that he did what is the excuses of the other guys?

He is targeting 6 stage wins. Today then friday and Saturday as well. He is too competitive to sit and defend his lead.

Poggi wants it, I have a feeling is going to try and win all the remaining stages.

Take a Sport like Wrestling for example, you qualify to represent your country by winning the national trials, then you need to compete in a qualifying tournament where only the winner gets to go. If you are the second best wrestler in the world and the no1 is also from your country, Sorry Bru but you are going nowhere, no one will even know your name. For SA to take 6 riders is a joke. Seriously especially if the guys is not even ranked in the top 100. If they were top 15 in the world than it is a different story. then take all 6 by all means. Just because we can take 6 does not mean you have to. I would rather pay for 1 guy to go than have 6 guys that is self funded go just to say, "hey I was at world champs and placed 200 out of 210."

Why is he not riding the UCI downhill events? Do he stand a chance of medaling?

Take athletics for example 100m sprint only has 56slots available at the Olympics. to qualify you had to run 10.00. In the US trials, there was 12 men that ran the qualifying time in the semi finals. There will be only 3 that goes to the Olympics even though any of the 12 men could potentially medal.

The participation debate on World championships should really not even be a debate. if you are not ranked in the top 100 than I am sorry to say, you are not good enough to participate in the World championships. It is not the World Participation championships. The same with the Olympics, that is for the Elite of the Elites, hence the strict qualification criteria in most sports.

Happens on Smart TV. IT happens with all live events, Rugby, UFC and cycling. Nothing wrong with the TV or Fibre. Runs Netflix without any issues. It must be a App problem for DSTV.

I am glad to hear that it is not just me experiencing this issues. It is damn annoying though.

Have you not seen his ski jumping crash? he nearly died.

🤣 or this...

I wonder what the reason is for Roglic crashing all the time, is he taking too many risks or laps in concentration, poor positioning in the peloton or just plain bad luck. He looks so comfortable handling the bike but still falls more than any other guy...

Fabio Jacobsen abandons again. This might be the last time we see him at the tour, second year in a row that he abandons, I doubt there will be much confidence in him going forward.

Being ill the majority of the year it was only my second ride in about 2 months. So no you probably whipped me. I have not looked to much into the VO2 max estimation so cannot comment, I guess it could be accurate if your Heart rate sensor and power meter is calibrated and correct.

The time gaps is so close still, if Pogi implodes like last year they might even challenge him for the second spot on the podium. I highly doubt that it will happen. Yesterday could be his only bad day.