Tour de France 2021

[Duane_Bosch]

35 minutes ago, DrRichard said:

 

Dlamini , Meintjies, De Bod.  

 

Nic let me touch his BMC at Vida last year. Hoping he goes well.

For the GC I'd like Rog to pull it off.

[lechatnoir]

1 hour ago, DrRichard said:

Total number of SAfers = 3?

Dlamini , Meintjies, De Bod.  

Is this the highest we have had split across three teams? 

no Impey, no Smit? 

Willie's on  Spanish team. They are perennial @Vuelta, so likely he'll target that, but Impey is a surprise @ISN - would have been a good road captain for them.

[lechatnoir]

9 hours ago, Underachiever said:

I see Aru is out of the Assos Team.  Physical problems.

I'm having a heart attack not being surprised.  

Time to retire into obscurity...

the true original Gurning-Man... we'll miss him

[Gen]

2 minutes ago, lechatnoir said:

Willie's on  Spanish team. They are perennial @Vuelta, so likely he'll target that, but Impey is a surprise @ISN - would have been a good road captain for them.

Impey is injured/not fully recovered after his crash a few weeks ago.. Same reason he withdrew from the Olympic team. 

[kosmonooit]

Also he wouldn't want to spoil Chris' party as the ISN Road Captain

 

 

Edited June 22, 2021 by kosmonooit
added utoob link

[J Wakefield]

41 minutes ago, lechatnoir said:

Willie's on  Spanish team. They are perennial @Vuelta, so likely he'll target that, but Impey is a surprise @ISN - would have been a good road captain for them.

Impey is very injured after his crash, hence no call up. 

[Patchelicious]

2 hours ago, 'Dale said:

Fabio Aru has been replaced on Qhubeka Assos' team for the 2021 Tour de Franceafter suffering from unspecified physical problems in the Italian national championships over the weekend. Carlos Barbero has been given the call-up to replace the 2015 Vuelta a España winner.

Sauce: CyclingNews

 

That sounds more like "spent too much time with ex Astana mates".

[Shebeen]

Latest betting odds on GC.

The 2 slovenians and Ineos are almost guaranteed to be the ones with yellow in paris. How could anything else happen beyond that?

Porte will surely need a huge problem with his two leaders, and both the SLO riders to even get a look in, even more for TGH. JAP will do stage hunting in week 1 and surely not be looking at GC given the climbing back end. Rigo would really need to perform to be in the mix. Superman Lopez is probably the only real outsider with a snowballs hope. Movistar team is strong enough for it and Mas and Valverde. 

I would be my house on there (again) not being a french winner. I think this is the first time in like forever that both Pinot and Bardet aren't there. Of the 6 french teams there, just Gaudu on FDJ could feature top10. 1985 was a long time ago and the drought doesn't look like breaking anytime soon.

but that first week could change everything

[TNT1]

2 minutes ago, Morph said:

How are these Sagan stats.????

Not much depth of talent in Slovakia?

[Shebeen]

17 hours ago, Wayne pudding Mol said:

 

Slighty hoping it’s Roglic because of the dignity with which he lost last year 

 

 

 

 

100%. that was really classy how he handled that, what a gentleman.

Edited June 22, 2021 by Shebeen

[Sid the Sloth]

20 minutes ago, Shebeen said:

Latest betting odds on GC.

The 2 slovenians and Ineos are almost guaranteed to be the ones with yellow in paris. How could anything else happen beyond that?

Porte will surely need a huge problem with his two leaders, and both the SLO riders to even get a look in, even more for TGH. JAP will do stage hunting in week 1 and surely not be looking at GC given the climbing back end. Rigo would really need to perform to be in the mix. Superman Lopez is probably the only real outsider with a snowballs hope. Movistar team is strong enough for it and Mas and Valverde. 

I would be my house on there (again) not being a french winner. I think this is the first time in like forever that both Pinot and Bardet aren't there. Of the 6 french teams there, just Gaudu on FDJ could feature top10. 1985 was a long time ago and the drought doesn't look like breaking anytime soon.

but that first week could change everything

I hate it, but my heart says Julian, Alan & Phillip. I don't think I can justify it at all, but it would make me so happy (that mountain TT he came second with the roadbike on was impressive...)! My head is backing Primoz, he showed some real strength at the beginning of the year. I would love to see Tadej rip it up but I have nightmares of him getting isolated in the wind, and Ineos' 3 GC leaders along with Jumbo and some others in the front echelon absolutely punishing him... I am also on holiday for the whole tour, so I will be riding a couple of hours every morning and watching half awake every afternoon... This dream is getting me through studying at the moment.

[TNT1]

2 minutes ago, Shebeen said:

 

100%. that was really classy how he handled that, what a gentleman.

I sure hope they get the correct size helmet for him this year. Win or lose, you need to remember style is always first.

[Frosty]

Self isolation has started earlier than planned. Half my staff have tested positive, so I’m forced to work from home for the next two weeks. Pity, I hope there will be something worth watching on TV/GCN+ soon.

Edited June 22, 2021 by Frosty
Staff, not stuff

[Long Wheel Base]

Just now, Frosty said:

Self isolation has started earlier than planned. Half my stuff have tested positive, so I’m forced to work from home for the next two weeks. Pity, I hope there will be something worth watching on TV/GCN+ soon.

Stay safe, G. 

[Frosty]

4 hours ago, DrRichard said:

Total number of SAfers = 3?

Dlamini , Meintjies, De Bod.  

Is this the highest we have had split across three teams? 

no Impey, no Smit? 

As some have already explained about Impey, I’ll expand on Smit, who is on a Pro Continental Team that hasn’t been invited.

[Shebeen]

4 hours ago, DrRichard said:

Total number of SAfers = 3?

Dlamini , Meintjies, De Bod.  

Is this the highest we have had split across three teams? 

no Impey, no Smit? 

https://www.procyclingstats.com/nationrace/za/tour-de-france/competing-riders

Looking at PCS quickly, here is the amount of SA riders since RH started in 2001

4 riders in 2015 in 2 teams, in 2017 in 3 teams.