Tour de France 2018

[HeadDown]

He said riders, not teams.

 

I suspect that if Froome wins his 5th, he won’t do the Tour again.

I don't see riders telling their team which races they're prepared to do or not, it is a pro sport. (CF would be an exception to that, if he does win this Tour there can be little question to him being GOAT GC rider)

[splat]

Very nicely written article:  Tales from the Tour: The rest day pose

 

https://cyclingtips.com/2018/07/tales-from-the-tour-the-rest-day-pose/

 

My favourite part:

'So that means Sky’s post-Moscon, post-salbutamol, post-jiffy bag, post-calling-David Lappartient-a-small-town-French-mayor public relations campaign is off to a smashing start. The hearts and minds of the French people are all but won.'

[Vetplant]

At least the results of Le Tour is not a given, although it would be great if G can hold on. Quite a few questions will be answered over the next week days. And then there is the TT!

 

I'd better stop pondering and get my daily tasks done, so I can be back in time for the action.

 

Results from the TT champs last year in Bergen which included a proper climb:

1 Tom Dumoulin (NED) 44' 41.00"

2 Primož Roglič (SLO) + 57.79"

3 Chris Froome (GBR) + 1' 21.25"

 

Gerraint Thomas didn't take part, but in Stage 1 in 2017 Gerraint Thomas took the Time Trial 12s ahead of Froome in 14km.

 

So Tom could take it on Saturday if he can stay in touch with the Whales...

 

Gonna be a good one to watch.

 

But first, some climbing needs to be done before the weekend.

[HappyMartin]

My day is organized. Pitch to a new client at 10:00, shoot for existing client from 12:00 until 14:30. Home by 15:00.

 

Some days being self employed is the best.

[Eldron]

I'm quite curious about this 65km staggered start stage tomorrow.

 

The top 20 head off first straight up a Cat 1 climb. It's gonna be interesting to see who waits for their team and who legs it up the mountain. My money is on Roglic to leg it and Sky to wait.

 

Sky currently have 2 in the top 20 and Movistar have 3.

 

Awesome idea that will work out well given the current standings. Bernal will try crack the top 20 today I reckon. He'll be on the limited duty roaster today (if they have that depth now that Moscon is out).

 

So many ifs. I dig it.

[Jase619]

I'm quite curious about this 65km staggered start stage tomorrow.

 

The top 20 head off first straight up a Cat 1 climb. It's gonna be interesting to see who waits for their team and who legs it up the mountain. My money is on Roglic to leg it and Sky to wait.

 

Sky currently have 2 in the top 20 and Movistar have 3.

 

Awesome idea that will work out well given the current standings. Bernal will try crack the top 20 today I reckon. He'll be on the limited duty roaster today (if they have that depth now that Moscon is out).

 

So many ifs. I dig it.

 

One of said riders will more than likely attack, get caught, then go straight out the back like he just opened a parachute. And the other one will probably only work for himself. So they have 3 riders, but probably not a strong team effort expected per se. . .

[CASSIE1975]

 

Results from the TT champs last year in Bergen which included a proper climb:

1 Tom Dumoulin (NED) 44' 41.00"

2 Primož Roglič (SLO) + 57.79"

3 Chris Froome (GBR) + 1' 21.25"

 

Gerraint Thomas didn't take part, but in Stage 1 in 2017 Gerraint Thomas took the Time Trial 12s ahead of Froome in 14km.

 

So Tom could take it on Saturday if he can stay in touch with the Whales...

 

Gonna be a good one to watch.

 

But first, some climbing needs to be done before the weekend.

 

 

This is very interesting...TD could just try and stick with CF and hope GT falls apart this week and TD then takes the win on Saturday's TT 

 

To be honest I would not mind if TD cracks this week...hi's not in my Fantasy team 

But I can not see that happening...he looks very strong...good luck to the GC guys this week, it is going to make a very, very interesting week of racing for us...the TDF 2018 winner could only be decided on Saturday me thinks 

[dsw]

Very nicely written article:  Tales from the Tour: The rest day pose

 

https://cyclingtips.com/2018/07/tales-from-the-tour-the-rest-day-pose/

 

My favourite part:

'So that means Sky’s post-Moscon, post-salbutamol, post-jiffy bag, post-calling-David Lappartient-a-small-town-French-mayor public relations campaign is off to a smashing start. The hearts and minds of the French people are all but won.'

 

It is beautifully written.

 

My favourite part:

'Van Avermaet rolls away. Gets ten feet down the road. Red light. He stops. Waits. An amateur blows the light. Van Avermaet keeps waiting, standing there in that quintessential red-light pose, right foot unclipped and stuck out to make a tire/tire/foot tripod. It’s the same pose he strikes at the start line of the Tour of Flanders. But this is just a red light in Carcassonne under a bleaching rest day sun'

[SwissVan]

Looking at the body language of TD, CF and GT.... I’d say TD is looking the best followed closely by GT.

Vroomie looks tired to me...

 

Hoping to be proven wrong...

[nochain]

 

Results from the TT champs last year in Bergen which included a proper climb:

1 Tom Dumoulin (NED) 44' 41.00"

2 Primož Roglič (SLO) + 57.79"

3 Chris Froome (GBR) + 1' 21.25"

 

Gerraint Thomas didn't take part, but in Stage 1 in 2017 Gerraint Thomas took the Time Trial 12s ahead of Froome in 14km.

 

So Tom could take it on Saturday if he can stay in touch with the Whales...

 

Gonna be a good one to watch.

 

But first, some climbing needs to be done before the weekend.

Yeah 3rd week TT..much different.Dont think Thomas has ever been faster than Froome in a long TT.The short stuff will suit him.

What did Thomas do in last TT the year he finished top 15 on Gc?

[Patchelicious]

I don't see riders telling their team which races they're prepared to do or not, it is a pro sport. (CF would be an exception to that, if he does win this Tour there can be little question to him being GOAT GC rider)

Not all, make no mistake that most young pros in SKY would give their left nut to go ride the Tour. But the bigger names that have more pull, like Froome, they could.

[Bub Marley]

I'm quite curious about this 65km staggered start stage tomorrow.

 

The top 20 head off first straight up a Cat 1 climb. It's gonna be interesting to see who waits for their team and who legs it up the mountain. My money is on Roglic to leg it and Sky to wait.

 

Sky currently have 2 in the top 20 and Movistar have 3.

 

Awesome idea that will work out well given the current standings. Bernal will try crack the top 20 today I reckon. He'll be on the limited duty roaster today (if they have that depth now that Moscon is out).

 

So many ifs. I dig it.

Somebody high up in the classifications needs to attack from the off. If this happens, sky will have to react which means Thomas will have to pace for Froome. This will probably be the day where Froome will move ahead of Thomas unless Thomas can shut down all attacks and drop Froome at the same time. I guess we'll see.

 

I would be very disappointed if some of the GC guys sit up and wait for support. You do that and you basically just waiting for Sky to line up in formation.

 

The other thing is Bernal is not too far off top 20. Sky might try and protect him today and get him in the top 20 so he starts with Froome & Thomas.

[Eldron]

Somebody high up in the classifications needs to attack from the off. If this happens, sky will have to react which means Thomas will have to pace for Froome. This will probably be the day where Froome will move ahead of Thomas unless Thomas can shut down all attacks and drop Froome at the same time. I guess we'll see.

 

I would be very disappointed if some of the GC guys sit up and wait for support. You do that and you basically just waiting for Sky to line up in formation.

 

The other thing is Bernal is not too far off top 20. Sky might try and protect him today and get him in the top 20 so he starts with Froome & Thomas.

Old man Eldron would like to see some old school mano e mano racing!

[shaper]

Chris Froome insists he is prepared to sacrifice a fifth Tour de France title to help Geraint Thomas to victory

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/cycling/2018/07/23/chris-froome-insists-prepared-sacrifice-fifth-tour-de-france/

[thisismyotherbike]

Yeah 3rd week TT..much different.Dont think Thomas has ever been faster than Froome in a long TT.The short stuff will suit him.

What did Thomas do in last TT the year he finished top 15 on Gc?

 

That's the big one, Thomas took it on stage 1 previously and Bergen was also on fresh legs.

 

If the Giro is anything to go by, nobody recovers as well for the 3rd week like Froome does.  I'm willing to bet the same thing happens this week.

[ScottCM]

REally hope that with tomorrows stage in the back of every GC riders mind, that they just follow wheels today till the last 500m. that would be terrible.