2017 Tour de France

[Sharkie 2]

I was pissed off with Louis yesterday for missing that break. It just feels as if he's always sitting at the back, whether it's a flat stage or a select group in the mountains. It also comes down to not having a strong team.

 

But he's a talented rider. Yates have been riding better than expected on the long hard climbs. Let's hope Louis can break him on the Galibier today.

 

Side note: Found it quite funny in the latest podcast when Lance Armstrong compared David Brailsford to himself. Perhaps something he needs to think about...

LM needs to stop riding at the back the whole freakin time! It costs you more energy and the main GC guys always ensure they are front of the breaks

[dsw]

Agree with you. I think, firstly Louis must change team, and then target the Giro and Vuelta for 2 years in a row. He must also do some of the classics in Belgium and the Netherlands to learn how to handle crosswinds. Even if he does not finish high up, the experience is golden. At the moment he is riding mostly in Italy. I also believe that he focus too narrowly on Italian teams. He must spread his wings. 

 

Yip, I agree he should spread his wings..

 

Yates is at the moment a better or at least a more complete and confident rider than Louis and therefore i think the chances of Louis beating him for the white jersey is very small. The fact that Yates has quite a lot of track experience ( British riders often have) is a huge benefit to him in terms of being able to handle the high intensity that is sometimes required in cross wind situations etc. Louis is lacking that kind of experience imo.

[nochain]

Hoping to see Froome dominate a bit today.The climbs are longer and gradients more to his liking.If he is getting stronger..Aru and Co are in for some punishment.

Meintjes also prefer the longer slogs and today you effectively have 40 plus k of non stop climbing.

[Patchelicious]

Today is the Stage that I have been dreading.....

 

Last year, we rode up Col de la Croix as a hill climb TT between mates, and I was chuffed with my time (46mins).

 

Its going to be a sobering thing watching the real cyclists go up there in half the time

[Shebeen]

I think you guys are missing my point, and defending LM before trying to understand what I am saying.

 

These things listed above, is simply echoing what most here, and I already know and agree with. But he isn't the only one in that boat. There are others too that are being developed, some just out the White Jersey category. Bardet, Quinatana, Chaves, Yates etc are all still going to be a round for long time.

 

The question that keeps coming up is about his ability or desire to attack. It is an essential skill that is needed to win, and you don't just learn once you are 27. If little lion cubs didn't play fight, they would get clapped once they get to adult size.

 

If he is going as hard as he can and simply can't muster an attack, then we have a concern.

If he can attack and isn't, then why?

 

Again, I am not telling him how to ride, I am not a DS and know little about cycling, but I know enough to say that unless somebody attacks they don't win. Else we must just be content with repeat "Its so awesome having a saffa in the top 10" each year.

 

If you read this as anything negative on LM, and not just as observational, then read it again.

Nairo Quintana - grand tour winner on multiple occasions without ever attacking.

[Fat Boab]

Nairo Quintana - grand tour winner on multiple occasions without ever attacking.

 

 

He must have remembered that he left the gas on......

 

[DJuice]

Do you guys know who is Louis coach?

 

From twitter/instagram he makes use of Golden Cheetah tracking his training.

 

I want to take leave and watch a stage "live" on TV, can`t decide today or tomorrow?

[Edition 507]

Nairo Quintana - grand tour winner on multiple occasions without ever attacking for real, but pathetically  feigning one or two!

Fixed.

[Eugene Oppelt]

I think you guys are missing my point, and defending LM before trying to understand what I am saying.

 

SNIP

If you read this as anything negative on LM, and not just as observational, then read it again.

 

No negativity taken, Patch'.

Bottom line, I reckon, he's just so isolated and attacking is far more likely from a place of team support.

Following wheels all the time and not being set in a team strategy is very limiting.

 

Wonder where he'll go next or maybe his team will prioritise him as a protected rider.

[Bonus]

Do you guys know who is Louis coach?

 

From twitter/instagram he makes use of Golden Cheetah tracking his training.

 

I want to take leave and watch a stage "live" on TV, can`t decide today or tomorrow?

You only have one days leave??

 

#planningfail

[Eugene Oppelt]

LM needs to stop riding at the back the whole freakin time! It costs you more energy and the main GC guys always ensure they are front of the breaks

 

 

Definitely a conservative approach

Emphasis on 'conserve'

Playing the long game (top 10) with little or zero interest in shaking up the GC ladder or going for a stage win

[Eugene Oppelt]

Like a superhero emerging from a phone booth...

 

GO GREEN MACHINE

 

[Eugene Oppelt]

Borat's nephew

 

 

[Eugene Oppelt]

Echelon time!

Ow!

 

 

[Vetplant]

Do you guys know who is Louis coach?

 

From twitter/instagram he makes use of Golden Cheetah tracking his training.

 

I want to take leave and watch a stage "live" on TV, can`t decide today or tomorrow?

I think today is gonna be hectic in the middle of the stage. Tomorrow finishes on an uphill, so you can catch the fun when you return after work. So take today off.

 

Wed: Cat 2, HC, Cat1, HC, Downhill sprint to the finish

Thu: Cat3, Cat1, HC

[Vetplant]

Got to appreciate the intricacies that the different jerseys bring to the race:

 

Matthews is only 29 points behind Kittel in the race for Green, and it would be best for Matthews if Kittel doesn't even get to compete in the intermediate sprint, which offers 20 points to the 1st position. So you can be sure that Sunweb will be pushing the pace on the preceding Cat 2 climb to try to drop Kittel and give Matthews a better net result in sprinters points. The break will only be allowed to go after the intermediate sprint...