2020 Tour de France

[TNT1]

No Fenix at Giro here:

https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/giro-d-italia/2020/startlist/roster

[Mntboy]

what knee jerk is that?

I suspect that Patches is referring to Ineos not bringing either of Thomas or Froome with them this year. Thomas has shone at the TA whereas the less we say of the African Brit the better really.

[DieselnDust]

I suspect that Patches is referring to Ineos not bringing either of Thomas or Froome with them this year. Thomas has shone at the TA whereas the less we say of the African Brit the better really.

 

 

I wouldn't say that Thomas has shone. He's certainly doing a lot better than he did at the Dauphine but Tirreno started a week after Le Tour and if he gone to Letour its highly likely he'd have been cooked in the first week already and probably be an hour behind by now. He preparation for LeTour would have been a week shorter.

So i don't see the knee jerk reaction. If the target is to be a certain level by Dauphine in order to allow the selectors to properly evaluate you then you better have some form by the Dauphine. Thomas didn't. 

Carapaz has underperformed but I don't think he went into the tour with a view on winning but rather to support as Thomas would have done. He had a horrible first week with what was it 3 crashes? 

[Gen]

I wouldn't say that Thomas has shone. He's certainly doing a lot better than he did at the Dauphine but Tirreno started a week after Le Tour and if he gone to Letour its highly likely he'd have been cooked in the first week already and probably be an hour behind by now. He preparation for LeTour would have been a week shorter.

So i don't see the knee jerk reaction. If the target is to be a certain level by Dauphine in order to allow the selectors to properly evaluate you then you better have some form by the Dauphine. Thomas didn't.

Carapaz has underperformed but I don't think he went into the tour with a view on winning but rather to support as Thomas would have done. He had a horrible first week with what was it 3 crashes?

Agreed G's form has looked better than at the Dauphine last few days but not GT level winning form yet and he also said he didn't want to go to the Tour not as leader.. based on Dauphine form the best team was selected..people are just struggling to come to terms that their best team is not as good as others.[emoji2368].. their dominance was never going to last forever. Edited September 14, 2020 by Gen

[Rowl]

Owing to Sagz Baby's poor form and not living up to expectations:

https://bikehub.co.za/classifieds/item/nutrition-and-body/427074/sagan-my-world

 

Thought someone on here might want it.

[Mntboy]

I wouldn't say that Thomas has shone. He's certainly doing a lot better than he did at the Dauphine but Tirreno started a week after Le Tour and if he gone to Letour its highly likely he'd have been cooked in the first week already and probably be an hour behind by now. He preparation for LeTour would have been a week shorter.

So i don't see the knee jerk reaction. If the target is to be a certain level by Dauphine in order to allow the selectors to properly evaluate you then you better have some form by the Dauphine. Thomas didn't.

Carapaz has underperformed but I don't think he went into the tour with a view on winning but rather to support as Thomas would have done. He had a horrible first week with what was it 3 crashes?

I was purely comparing Thomas's current form against Froome's current form so on that front I feel it's fair to say that Thomas has shone in that regard. That said I would've done the same as Brailsford and left both out.

[DieselnDust]

I was purely comparing Thomas's current form against Froome's current form so on that front I feel it's fair to say that Thomas has shone in that regard. That said I would've done the same as Brailsford and left both out.

 

 

for sure, next to Froome I reckon I'd have a chance at giro selection!!

His form is nowhere near 2018 let alone his best. After his last op I figured he was going to be touch and go for LeTour 2020 and it's worse than touch and go, he's just nowhere at the moment.

I reckon the Vuelta's late start this year is good for Froome. He should have some form by then but I can't see him being a contender for the Maillot Rojo

[lechatnoir]

for sure, next to Froome I reckon I'd have a chance at giro selection!!

His form is nowhere near 2018 let alone his best. After his last op I figured he was going to be touch and go for LeTour 2020 and it's worse than touch and go, he's just nowhere at the moment.

I reckon the Vuelta's late start this year is good for Froome. He should have some form by then but I can't see him being a contender for the Maillot Rojo

 

Froome's so good he won the Vuelta from a hospital bed!

 

Jokes aside, I'm ambivalent on Froome, but if he does do win it later this year, it'll be good to show that recovery after crashes can be overcome, even for riders considered past their prime, and it'll be good Israel Start Up. Those would be lekker stories IMO

[Mntboy]

for sure, next to Froome I reckon I'd have a chance at giro selection!!

His form is nowhere near 2018 let alone his best. After his last op I figured he was going to be touch and go for LeTour 2020 and it's worse than touch and go, he's just nowhere at the moment.

I reckon the Vuelta's late start this year is good for Froome. He should have some form by then but I can't see him being a contender for the Maillot Rojo

I have a very strong suspicion that Froome might not even make the Vuelta squad. I think in an ideal world he would have had a year or two to properly recover from last year's horror crash and then have a go at winning GT's again. Not only has he not had that, any GT he goes too now whether this year with Ineos or next year with ISN, he'll be going as the main protected rider with the responsibility of trying to win the race. I am unconvinced that he's recovered sufficiently to be a force to be reckoned with.

 

Also if I were to put myself in Brailsford's shoes I wouldn't be inclined to take him to Vuelta because of his sudden desire to leave Ineos. I wouldn't want to show loyalty to someone who I no longer see as loyal to me, my team and our sponsors. Not saying that's how Brailsford is seeing things but he has proven himself to be fairly ruthless in his decision making before like when he dropped Wiggins in favour of Froome.

[The Ghost]

Back at it today [emoji1319]

Interesting thought that if it wasn’t for the mechanical he had on that windy day, Pogacar would be leading the race.

[Plentipotential]

I was purely comparing Thomas's current form against Froome's current form so on that front I feel it's fair to say that Thomas has shone in that regard. That said I would've done the same as Brailsford and left both out.

 

You've hit the nail on the head. Brailsford was banking on GT coming good by the time the Giro got under way based on what he saw at the Dauphine, looks like he has. As to Froome, time will tell because we don't know what the plan was for him at TA. Froome has been a good employee for the team, I doubt that they would leave him out of the team because he is leaving at the end of season. Ineos want to win, it's that simple, if Brailsford believe's he won't they will drop him. Bernal was a serious misfire, would be interesting to know what the real problem was, the team never fired like they have in previous years but they have lost key staff. I like the explanation from Johan Brunyeel who thinks that he was unable to train properly during the Columbian lockdown and various other points.

[kosmonooit]

Chris Horners' take on the Ineos collapse at the Tour is possibly due to over training,

[Spurs]

Back at it today [emoji1319]

Interesting thought that if it wasn’t for the mechanical he had on that windy day, Pogacar would be leading the race.

 

I think that Stage 8 may have played out a little differently had Pogacar been closer to Roglic in time when he attacked.  He was 1'28" down at that point, so I suspect TJV didn't close him down as quickly as they were capable of, while rather keeping a closer eye on the other contenders in the top 10.

[The Ghost]

I think that Stage 8 may have played out a little differently had Pogacar been closer to Roglic in time when he attacked. He was 1'28" down at that point, so I suspect TJV didn't close him down as quickly as they were capable of, while rather keeping a closer eye on the other contenders in the top 10.

Possibly something they now regret.

[Spurs]

Possibly something they now regret.

 

Yep, and Jumbo Visma are proving to be an excellent surrogate team for Pogacar, as he seems all to comfortable sitting their wheels waiting for time bonus opportunities.  Week 3 is going to be a cracker!

[Frosty]

Was catching up on my podcasts yesterday and this morning. Thought this was a very sharp comment:

 

Team Ineos Gren-o-dear