2017 Tour de France

[Gen]

The Movistar kit ain't too bad. But someone please tell AG2R to get new kit. Those brown bibs look like they have common old wimmin's stockings on.

Lol

 

The team would need a new sponsor and become something else then [emoji23] [emoji23]

 

Gosh must be one of the oldest teams .. been around s since what early 90's

 

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk

[T-Bob]

So after binging daily on the poms on The Cycling Podcast stage updates and extra kilometre 0 episodes and LA on his Stages Podcast I'm now going a bit cold turkey. Anyone got any podcasts worth listening to? Cycling based obviously...

Edited July 25, 2017 by hellocolour

[NelAndre]

Thanks that really is interesting and helpful feedback.

 

1) depends on the terrain, but since most Grand Tours include some serious climbing stages, you're most likely to gain major time on the climbs. Even if there's a flat stage with wind to cause breaks and time gaps, it can be quickly made up in the mountains. So, it seems that if you're a climbers that can TT, you're sorted for a GC contention place.

 

2) and 3) the unwritten rules of sportsmanship, and celebration. You don't attack the Yellow jersey due to mechanical as a mechanical is basically an unforseen circumstance. Crash? Your fault. Lose a wheel? Your fault. But mechanical will always be debated as who's fault? It's just not cricket to attack the malliot Jeune when the bikes makes him stop. Same unspoken rule for last stage. If you haven't beaten him by stage 20, you lost and you need to cede. The last stage is a always a nice slow celebratory ride through to Paris and the sprinters get let loose to fight it out. Seems the sprint jersey is almost contestable, but will need a very close points race to need that. GC guys just hang on and stay in position out of respect.

 

4) I think Vuelta often has a tougher route, but since the teams seem to always bring their biggest guns to Le Tour, I think it shows the best teams and riders. They're on show as it's the race with the biggest viewership, biggest non cyclists viewership, and most notoriety. Vuelta was always the race that you could dope to the gills as the Spanish weren't too bothered about that whole dope malarchy, so they would go all out. I think that's still on most people's minds with the Vuelta so the Tour has to definitely be the most important race in which to perform. So, in summary, Vuelta probably has the tougher route, but Tour is tougher overall.

[Shebeen]

looking at final GC and current age

 

froome - 32

uran - 30

bardet - 27

landa - 27

aru - 26

martin - 30

yates - 24

meintjes- 25

contador - 34

barguil - 25

 

 

 

and the guys who could have been up there, but had 'bad luck'

porte - 32

thomas - 31

NQ 27

fugl - 32

valverde - 36

 

from this very crude dataset, the peak age would be about 30. makes sense if we agree that froome was not invincible like in the past and appears to have peaked 2/3 years ago.

[Shebeen]

So after binging daily on the poms on The Cycling Podcast stage updates and extra kilometre 0 episodes and LA on his Stages Podcast I'm now going a bit cold turkey. Anyone got any podcasts worth listening to? Cycling based obviously...

you can go through the Gerald back catalogue

 

 

http://dogreatthings.co.za/old-mutual-live/

[Christie]

Sooooo, the best groupset in the race was:

https://www.bikerumor.com/?s=r9100

 

(Stir... stir )

[Bonus]

Sooooo, the best groupset in the race was:

https://www.bikerumor.com/?s=r9100

 

(Stir... stir )

 

Bielas Shimano Dura-Ace FC-R9100 HOLLOWTECH II 53/39 11v

 

€510.00 . . . .

[Shebeen]

I know all the fuss was about Jan not getting an invite to the start, but was Didi there at all?

 

http://www.bicycling.com/racing/tour-de-france-devil-hangs-trident?amp

[The Crazy German]

Test: when you clip in your pedals, how many clicks?

I ride leather straps and prefer lederhosen above bib shorts. 

[Bub Marley]

 

1) What makes a GC contender, as opposed to a points/jersey winner? Is the GC contenders the best overall cyclist and do they finish closest to 1st everyday?

2) Why do you not attack the leader when they have a mechanical? Is a mechanical not just part and parcel of cycling?

3) Why is the last stage not also used to try and win the race?

4) Is "Le Tour" the toughest of the Grand Tours?

1. GC you have to excel at climbing and timetrialling. If you can climb but not that great TT, you'll finish high up but you'll never win and vice versa. Froome is a fantastic timetriallist and he can stick with the best on the toughest climbs.

 

2. Its some unwritten rule in cycling. I think it's a load of bull and lots riders take advantage of it. I personally think it should be scrapped. In Le Tour, the rider wearing yellow can descend poorly, overshoot a turn and the peleton still waits for him. Ridiculous really.

 

3. Again, its the unwritten rule of Le Tour and again I think its stupid. If the tour is 21 stages, then why should you only race for 20? Absolutely stupid. I'd rather see a proper race than watch riders sip champagne for 50km. 

 

4. The Vuelta always produces the most mountain stages year in year out so for me its the toughest.

[Fat Boab]

I ride leather straps and prefer lederhosen above bib shorts. 

 

Good come back!

[NelAndre]

1. GC you have to excel at climbing and timetrialling. If you can climb but not that great TT, you'll finish high up but you'll never win and vice versa. Froome is a fantastic timetriallist and he can stick with the best on the toughest climbs.

 

2. Its some unwritten rule in cycling. I think it's a load of bull and lots riders take advantage of it. I personally think it should be scrapped. In Le Tour, the rider wearing yellow can descend poorly, overshoot a turn and the peleton still waits for him. Ridiculous really.

 

3. Again, its the unwritten rule of Le Tour and again I think its stupid. If the tour is 21 stages, then why should you only race for 20? Absolutely stupid. I'd rather see a proper race than watch riders sip champagne for 50km. 

 

4. The Vuelta always produces the most mountain stages year in year out so for me its the toughest.

Thanks for the feedback.