Tour de France 2019

[Shebeen]

Look at the profiles of Thu-Fri-Sat, I can't see JA hanging on.

Thu: 208KM   CAT3->CAT1->HC->HC

Fri: 126KM     CAT3->CAT2->CAT3->HC->CAT1 

Sat: 130km     CAT1->CAT2->HC  4450m of climbing today alone.

 

 

Think the podium will be Pinot-Kruiswijk-Thomas, order might shuffle.

 

sure the sprinters are just licking their lips for this triple course!

 

 

 

I think we can safely say that JA will not see this one through, so we can put timesplits back to Thomas in 2nd.

Then any of Landa in 7th @ ~3:20, down to  barguil in 12th @ ~5:50 with valverde/fuglsang/uran/porte/ in between could all throw the dice in these final 3 stages. They have nothing to lose and it would be impossible for Ineos to control. 

[Gen]

sure the sprinters are just licking their lips for this triple course!

 

 

 

I think we can safely say that JA will not see this one through, so we can put timesplits back to Thomas in 2nd.

Then any of Landa in 7th @ ~3:20, down to barguil in 12th @ ~5:50 with valverde/fuglsang/uran/porte/ in between could all throw the dice in these final 3 stages. They have nothing to lose and it would be impossible for Ineos to control.

Ja shame JA will probably lose yellow on Thursday.

[Vetplant]

Just going to put this here. Read it. Don't read it. But it provides for an interesting insight into the head of this skinny, prickly Aussie.

 

http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/what-next-for-troubled-rohan-dennis/

I get that he is finicky and difficult, but so are many other riders and they don't blow up and create a media storm for their team to try and diffuse.

 

I have lived through this with difficult people in my life, and everyone just goes: "Yah but you should understand it is not easy for person X", or "That is just the way Person Y is, give him some space" . I too am difficult and have issues but you freakin deal with it and you show good manners and turn the other cheek and do everything that is right. 

 

How come they should get a free pass on life but the rest of us needs to play by the rules?

 

Nope sorry.

 

I feel for the oke, all of us have difficulties, but you learn to deal with it in a dignified manner. As soon as you talk to anyone and actually listen to them you come to realize that people are going through BIG challenges in their lives and they don't make a massive scene about it.

 

#EndOfRant

[verandapanda]

I get that he is finicky and difficult, but so are many other riders and they don't blow up and create a media storm for their team to try and diffuse.

 

I have lived through this with difficult people in my life, and everyone just goes: "Yah but you should understand it is not easy for person X", or "That is just the way Person Y is, give him some space" . I too am difficult and have issues but you freakin deal with it and you show good manners and turn the other cheek and do everything that is right. 

 

How come they should get a free pass on life but the rest of us needs to play by the rules?

 

Nope sorry.

 

I feel for the oke, all of us have difficulties, but you learn to deal with it in a dignified manner. As soon as you talk to anyone and actually listen to them you come to realize that people are going through BIG challenges in their lives and they don't make a massive scene about it.

 

#EndOfRant

 

I agree with absolutely everything you have said..

 

I wonder if Bahrain-Merida will find a way to lose his contract and block him on WhatsApp. 

[lechatnoir]

I'm not sure if it's Ineos that have dropped a level (for whatever reason - missing Froome, conditioning etc), or if it's the other teams that have raised their levels, but there doesn't appear to be a team with intent on winning the tour, ala SKY in previous years.

 

Predicting a winner of this year's TDF is proving tricky, but cycling has certainly been a big winner so far. I hope it continues...

[Pure Savage]

I'm not sure if it's Ineos that have dropped a level (for whatever reason - missing Froome, conditioning etc), or if it's the other teams that have raised their levels, but there doesn't appear to be a team with intent on winning the tour, ala SKY in previous years.

 

Predicting a winner of this year's TDF is proving tricky, but cycling has certainly been a big winner so far. I hope it continues...

Lets wait for 3rd week. 

 

Thomas and Bernal had a buffer for 2nd week. If Ineos wants to smash the race in the mountains, let the train rest for week 2 while everyone tries to gain time. Then week three hit them with a steam train. If they have done this I will be super amazed. 

[s14phoenix]

 

 

 

 

 

 

Seems Valverde is the only only one not suffering this year...

 

 

That's brilliant - any more?

[s14phoenix]

 

 

  :lol:  They should start a "Le Tour De Ballie" would be interesting to see. 

 

Ineos giving pace - not according to power meters but according to the readout from their BT pacemaker display...

[Gen]

Lets wait for 3rd week.

 

Thomas and Bernal had a buffer for 2nd week. If Ineos wants to smash the race in the mountains, let the train rest for week 2 while everyone tries to gain time. Then week three hit them with a steam train. If they have done this I will be super amazed.

The have to first get rid of JA and at the same time worry about the other GC guys capatalising on their efforts. A situation they haven't been in at the TDF.

 

And Brailford's comments kind of came accross like they are scratching their heads a bit.

 

I have my popcorn ready

Edited July 22, 2019 by Gen

[Vetplant]

The have to first get rid of JA and at the same time worry about the other GC guys capatalising on their efforts. A situation they haven't been in at the TDF.

 

And Brailford's comments kind of came accross like they are scratching their heads a bit.

 

I have my popcorn ready

Same here. No matter what, those last 3 mountain stages are going to be fun to watch. Looking forward to it. 

 

Would be fun if DQS is to use the skillset they do have and put down the hammer on the Flat stage around Nimes, try to kill 2 birds with one stone:

1. Drop some Sprinters before the finish.

2. Catch some GC contenders off-guard to give JA a couple more seconds for yellow

[IceCreamMan]

Kudus to Elia Viviani who worked unselfishly for Alaphilipe up till the second last climb today and also to Roman Kreuzinger who fought his way into position 14 while receiving just about zero support from his TDD teammates.

Have to agree. Been watching TDD in the results and Roman has been brilliant.

 

TDD themselves in the lower third of teams but well clear of the bottom teams. So far they have exceeded my expectations.

['Dale]

Atop the high mountains in the rains, them crazy fans in the Pyrenees

 

[lechatnoir]

Same here. No matter what, those last 3 mountain stages are going to be fun to watch. Looking forward to it. 

 

Would be fun if DQS is to use the skillset they do have and put down the hammer on the Flat stage around Nimes, try to kill 2 birds with one stone:

1. Drop some Sprinters before the finish.

2. Catch some GC contenders off-guard to give JA a couple more seconds for yellow

 

 

I think JA will be a tough nut to crack, but crack he will... He'll hang on like grim death and won't go out with a whimper... and i predict it'll be the thing of legends! but I could be wrong

 

in order of crackability, i see Thomas more likely to crack the Kruiswijk, Bernal or Pinot, then again, he has to stay on two wheels to crack... but I could be wrong...

 

FDJ got caught out in the cross winds and barring poor luck, I can't see that happening again - there's so much on the line. but I could be wrong...

 

hell, better pundits than I never predicted the second rest day would like like this, with this action having already gone. fascinating stuff.

[Pure Savage]

Have to agree. Been watching TDD in the results and Roman has been brilliant.

 

TDD themselves in the lower third of teams but well clear of the bottom teams. So far they have exceeded my expectations.

They are second last now in terms of prize money. They sort of fizzled out. 

[Christie]

Some observations on Ineos:

 

They are less dominant than before. Perhaps due to other teams also using ketone fuel, perhaps due to less TUEs (bit of both?)

 

Could it be that they have shaped the training of the whole TdF team to peak in the last week, as they have with Froome at the Giro?

 

They have two cards to play, yet have not used them effectively so far: a scenario would be to send a domestique with a break, let Bernal break away on an earlier climb to link up, and have Thomas sit on while the other teams chase, with Poels to assist.

 

Great race so far, great route design !

[Pure Savage]

Some observations on Ineos:

 

They are less dominant than before. Perhaps due to other teams also using ketone fuel, perhaps due to less TUEs (bit of both?)

 

Could it be that they have shaped the training of the whole TdF team to peak in the last week, as they have with Froome at the Giro?

 

They have two cards to play, yet have not used them effectively so far: a scenario would be to send a domestique with a break, let Bernal break away on an earlier climb to link up, and have Thomas sit on while the other teams chase, with Poels to assist.

 

Great race so far, great route design !

If they know that Ala is going to pop and not an issue, why waste domestiques in the first 2 weeks hammering every climb when your real GC contenders are minutes down. Let them smash themselves closing the gap. Come third week and the likes of Poels, Castro, Kwaito and Moscon start pitching up on the front there could be big trouble. All you need is one big day for them to put it to the others and its 2/3min for Thomas Bernal.