2017 Tour de France

[Fat Boab]

My post-Tour thoughts

 

 I do get irritated with the Brit thing, he is not a product of British Cycling, I have probably spent more time in the UK than him though I would love a British Passport as well. Sir Chris .. pfffft. Vive la République!

 

 

Fortunately one's nationality is decided on more reasoned arguments than merely duration of residency, or whether one is a product of 'British Cycling'.

 

But putting that to one side, I would think some of his improvement/success is in part due to the systems and methods developed by British Cycling, the national governing body for cycling in GB, which Sky have utilised.  

[Ofaniy]

Compare this with the total prize money for the British Open, this past weekend:

$10,250,000   

 

Jordan Spieth just pocketed a cool - $1.8M

And Golf is not even a sport. The mind boggles

[Ofaniy]

My post-Tour thoughts

 

Missed Valverde and Gee ...was not surprised at Niro's non-performance

 

Kudu's to Chris - his resilience and fortitude, and the biggest budget by far helped as well, but that's cycling. Class dudes on the team: Kwaito, I've been a supporter of him all along. But Chris showed strain, cracks started to appear, can he make it 5? I do get irritated with the Brit thing, he is not a product of British Cycling, I have probably spent more time in the UK than him though I would love a British Passport as well. Sir Chris .. pfffft. Vive la République!

 

Compare to the Giro with Tom - who stuck with the climbers and won by means of TT - maybe this will be the challenge to Chris, remember he beat him at the Olympics last year. Will we see them both at the Vuelta? Or must we wait a frigging year?

 

I loved the passage through beautiful France, and the fans and people on the side of the road fantastique!  Still need to get there in July to take it all in in-person.

 

Would be cool to see more of a Women's  Race, a few more stages perhaps. A real race. Perhaps a start has been made, but was this years 2 , too 'cosmétique'?  Anne won .. good.

 

No I didn't listen to LA's podcast, plenty of other more creditable sources to tune in to. He does not deserve to be heard imo I get offended at the mere mention of him.

 

Thanks all for the chats .. life goes on I guess.

Dumoulin is not riding Vuelta. Other things to Focus on. Neither is G Thomas. So if Froome rides his only competition will be Nibali probably. Maybe El Pistolero can do something. He did seem to finish the Tour strong. 

 

Also totally over UK Postal and their boring ways....

[Plentipotential]

My post-Tour thoughts

 

Kudu's to Chris - his resilience and fortitude, and the biggest budget by far helped as well, but that's cycling. Class dudes on the team: Kwaito, I've been a supporter of him all along. But Chris showed strain, cracks started to appear, can he make it 5? I do get irritated with the Brit thing, he is not a product of British Cycling, I have probably spent more time in the UK than him though I would love a British Passport as well. Sir Chris .. pfffft. Vive la République!

 

 

If he is not a product of British cycling then who is he a product of? Certainly not the Republic.

[Cav']

Guys for me who really put up their hand this Tour making their presence known:

Barguil, Roglic, Benoot, Calmejane, Kittel, Uran, Kwiatkowski.

 

As for the Saffa's: 

Meintjes tried the best he could giving the legs and team support he has, Impey always impresses, Reinardt was the Saffa who stood out the most; always up there in the final km's pulling huge turns - Much stronger lead out man than Eisel or Renshaw imo. Venter was nowhere unfortunately. 

 

Uran was the ultimate darkhorse, Vaugters needs to reassess his team dynamics: to think they came to the tour with Rolland as their leader. I hope he stays at Cannondale though as they really suit his personality.

 

Froome, Uran, Contador, Nibali, Zakarin, Bardet and Aru all confirmed for the Vuelta and there is not much flat terrain to be ridden which will make it much more exciting than the Tour:

Stage 11:

http://www.procyclingstats.com/races/profilesmaps/201701/original/vuelta-a-espana-2017-stage-11-observatorio-astronomico-1484252543.jpg

Stage 14:

http://www.procyclingstats.com/races/profilesmaps/201701/original/vuelta-a-espana-2017-stage-14-sierra-de-la-pandera-1484252560.jpg

Stage15:

http://www.procyclingstats.com/races/profilesmaps/201701/original/vuelta-a-espana-2017-stage-15-sierra-nevada-alto-hoya-1484252566.jpg

Stage 20:

http://www.procyclingstats.com/races/profilesmaps/201701/original/vuelta-a-espana-2017-stage-20-alto-de-l-angliru-1484252595.jpg

[Pure Savage]

Guys for me who really put up their hand this Tour making their presence known:

Barguil, Roglic, Benoot, Calmejane, Kittel, Uran, Kwiatkowski.

 

As for the Saffa's: 

Meintjes tried the best he could giving the legs and team support he has, Impey always impresses, Reinardt was the Saffa who stood out the most; always up there in the final km's pulling huge turns - Much stronger lead out man than Eisel or Renshaw imo. Venter was nowhere unfortunately. 

 

Uran was the ultimate darkhorse, Vaugters needs to reassess his team dynamics: to think they came to the tour with Rolland as their leader. I hope he stays at Cannondale though as they really suit his personality.

 

Froome, Uran, Contador, Nibali, Zakarin, Bardet and Aru all confirmed for the Vuelta and there is not much flat terrain to be ridden which will make it much more exciting than the Tour:

Stage 11:

http://www.procyclingstats.com/races/profilesmaps/201701/original/vuelta-a-espana-2017-stage-11-observatorio-astronomico-1484252543.jpg

Stage 14:

http://www.procyclingstats.com/races/profilesmaps/201701/original/vuelta-a-espana-2017-stage-14-sierra-de-la-pandera-1484252560.jpg

Stage15:

http://www.procyclingstats.com/races/profilesmaps/201701/original/vuelta-a-espana-2017-stage-15-sierra-nevada-alto-hoya-1484252566.jpg

Stage 20:

http://www.procyclingstats.com/races/profilesmaps/201701/original/vuelta-a-espana-2017-stage-20-alto-de-l-angliru-1484252595.jpg

Yes, but there is also 42km of pan flat time trial! The next best GC rider, Uran, will need 2 and half minutes over Froome, Bardet would need 6 minutes.

['Dale]

Channelling my inner Uran Uran with my sokkies and my bidon.

What a ride! 

 

inspiring stuff.

 

 

 

 

 

[kosmonooit]

Fortunately one's nationality is decided on more reasoned arguments than merely duration of residency, or whether one is a product of 'British Cycling'.

 

But putting that to one side, I would think some of his improvement/success is in part due to the systems and methods developed by British Cycling, the national governing body for cycling in GB, which Sky have utilised.  

 

Chris was and has being cited as recently as yesterday as British Cycling success story ... okay there is Dave "you can shove that up ur a$$" Brailsford at the helm of Team $ky. And Dave did spot him at the Common Wealth games in Oz about 10 years ago?

 

Chris's father is British born (I think) hence his entitlement to the passport - that's what Brailsford picked up on when he spotted him(Source: some doccie on Chris, interview with Dave) , But so are all my grandparents,,, and my grandfathers fought gallantly (and suffered immensely) for "king and country" but I need  a friggin expensive visa to just visit 'ole Blighty  now.

 

Culturally... is Chris a Brit?  More a child of Africa I say, but it is was it is and he has made the best of it. And done real well, up into the legends of cycling.

[Pure Savage]

Dumoulin is not riding Vuelta. Other things to Focus on. Neither is G Thomas. So if Froome rides his only competition will be Nibali probably. Maybe El Pistolero can do something. He did seem to finish the Tour strong. 

 

Also totally over UK Postal and their boring ways....

You cannot blame Sky for their tactics, everyone knows their tactics. The other teams are too lazy and do not have enough heart too attack and beat Sky. 

[Pure Savage]

Channelling my inner Uran Uran with my sokkies and my bidon.

What a ride! 

 

inspiring stuff.

 

 

IMG_0341.JPG

Was this on Instagram? Very cool pic!

['Dale]

Was this on Instagram? Very cool pic!

 

Thanx, B.

Must've placed it there too, I think. 

[Pure Savage]

Compare this with the total prize money for the British Open, this past weekend:

$10,250,000   

 

Jordan Spieth just pocketed a cool - $1.8M

 

But I doubt he partied as hard as Kwiato last night!! 

 

Golf would be fun if they had to carry their own bags.

[Cav']

Yes, but there is also 42km of pan flat time trial! The next best GC rider, Uran, will need 2 and half minutes over Froome, Bardet would need 6 minutes.

I'll bet you a box of smarties this course will not suit Froome. Yes there is a ITT that suits him but your Favourite team struggle to take control over the Vuelta climbs like they do the Tour.

 

And the 3 you mentioned wont be the GC favourites necessarily. Nibali and Zakarin will be fresh as daisies.

[Gen]

You cannot blame Sky for their tactics, everyone knows their tactics. The other teams are too lazy and do not have enough heart too attack and beat Sky.

Don't think they really can. SKY just have too much fire power.

 

 

 

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk

[kosmonooit]

If he is not a product of British cycling then who is he a product of? Certainly not the Republic.

 

He did not come through their programs in the UK like Cav and Gee etc which Brailsford was at the helm of during his British Cycling days before he went off to form Team Sky, though Dave was responsible for spotting him and bringing him into Team,Sky, he was with (RSA) Team Barlow before it folded, he found his first successes in the Pro peloton here in SA, he went to High School down the road from me.

 

Sure Chris has a lot to thank Team Sky for - his health problems are well documented as was the situation where Dave was about to drop him before that Vuelta success in 2011 (which he could have won, was he not in a support role for The Wig)

 

 

http://ichef.bbci.co.uk/onesport/cps/800/mcs/media/images/55298000/jpg/_55298792_froome.jpg

 

 

'Froome, however, remains unsure where his long-term future lies.

"The team has looked after me and we're going to have to see going forward," he added. "I haven't signed a contract yet, but that's still to be decided in the next week or so, I think."

Kenyan-born Froome had become Cobo's main challenger in the last few days of the three-week race after his Sky team-mate Wiggins had dropped steadily out of contention.'

 

http://www.bbc.com/sport/cycling/14871144

['Dale]

I'll bet you a box of smarties this course will not suit Froome. Yes there is a ITT that suits him but your Favourite team struggle to take control over the Vuelta climbs like they do the Tour.

 

And the 3 you mentioned wont be the GC favourites necessarily. Nibali and Zakarin will be fresh as daisies.

 

Love that icon, Cav'