Tour de France 2021

[GhostSixFour]

2 hours ago, Vetplant said:

I watched it Live as it happened. He had his shirt open as they crested the 2nd to last climb, unable to stay in the wheel of the Maincheese due to the increased drag. He just fell backwards as they descended. Silly mistake from him.

 

https://sourcingjournal.com/denim/denim-innovations/ykk-new-magnetic-zipper-solution-adaptive-apparel-196462/

Now someone just needs to add this to cycling jerseys.

[DieselnDust]

3 minutes ago, GhostSixFour said:

https://sourcingjournal.com/denim/denim-innovations/ykk-new-magnetic-zipper-solution-adaptive-apparel-196462/

Now someone just needs to add this to cycling jerseys.

The stripper industry is going wild now firing up those sewing machines

[Jewbacca]

1 minute ago, GhostSixFour said:

https://sourcingjournal.com/denim/denim-innovations/ykk-new-magnetic-zipper-solution-adaptive-apparel-196462/

Now someone just needs to add this to cycling jerseys.

So you're suggesting, on a cycling forum, that teams willy nilly ADD weight to their kit?! What is this world coming to....

Jokes aside, I'd agree if it was something that happened often, but it isn't really worth changing things for the 'once in a thousand' occurrence.

 

[J Wakefield]

1 hour ago, TNT1 said:

Sosa, Evnepoel, Almeida, Pinot, Landa...

Not sure Evenpoels Giro proved he is near a top 10 yet.

[TNT1]

Just now, J Wakefield said:

Not sure Evenpoels Giro proved he is near a top 10 yet.

For sure. I was just spit-balling as they say.

[Jaco-fiets]

In my opinion Pog is on a whole nother level to his main rivals here. My money is on him taking 1 or 2 stages and increasing his lead before they stroll into France. The kid is in silly form

[DieselnDust]

24 minutes ago, Jaco-fiets said:

In my opinion Pog is on a whole nother level to his main rivals here. My money is on him taking 1 or 2 stages and increasing his lead before they stroll into France. The kid is in silly form

I'm not so sure. He couldn't get away from them yesterday. I think his recovery ability is the key differentiator. He's expended the matches in week 1 and is managing that gap incredibly well. He took his time closing down the attacks yesterday which indicates to me that he's not pushing much higher p2w than Vingegaard and or Uran but he is able to ride on the rivet longer. 

He'll more likely use this for the mountain top finishes where his rivals will be attacking each other and wearing each other down while he simply follows and can dish out a once off metered blow to extend the gap. He doesn't need to either since there's a TT to come and we all saw what happened at the last 2 TDF TT he rode

Edited July 12, 2021 by DieselnDust

[Jewbacca]

11 minutes ago, DieselnDust said:

I'm not so sure. He couldn't get away from them yesterday. I think his recovery ability is the key differentiator. He's expended the matches in week 1 and is managing that gap incredibly well. He took his time closing down the attacks yesterday which indicates to me that he's not pushing much higher p2w than Vingegaard and or Uran but he is able to ride on the rivet longer. 

He'll more likely use this for the mountain top finishes where his rivals will be attaching each other and wearing each other down while he simply follows and can dish out a once off metered blow to extend the gap. He doesn't need to either since theres a TT to come and we all saw what happened at the last 2 TDF TT he rode

I also seems silly to burn more matches than needed if he is going to Vuelta.

He was isolated early yesterday, while the next two mountain stages are less fiddly for the 1st half. 

The stage make up also points to Mick Matthews pulling back more points on Cav in the green jersey. All in all the races within races are starting to hot up nicely for what promises to be a banger of a third week

[dsw]

49 minutes ago, J Wakefield said:

Not sure Evenpoels Giro proved he is near a top 10 yet.

True, but then again he has won 5 stage races in succession ( if we exclude the Giro) and in the process beat many of the proven top riders in the world.  I wonder if any rider in history has ever won 5 week long stage races at WT or Pro level in succession.

 

[GhostSixFour]

1 hour ago, DieselnDust said:

The stripper industry is going wild now firing up those sewing machines

I think the stripper industry has the opposite problem. They don't really care how easy it is to close a zip..

[Jewbacca]

28 minutes ago, dsw said:

True, but then again he has won 5 stage races in succession ( if we exclude the Giro) and in the process beat many of the proven top riders in the world.  I wonder if any rider in history has ever won 5 week long stage races at WT or Pro level in succession.

 

I think Porte and Pinot and a host of others have proven that 1 week tour success doesn't always translate into 3 week GT success.

So while no one is saying that he doesn't have promise to be amazing, he isn't a genuine 3 week GT contender just yet. I think everyone is hoping he becomes one, but current indication says he has a way to go before he troubles Bernal, Pog and Roglic... 

[Frosty]

1 hour ago, 'Dale said:

He is on to his 2nd pair of sandals with the front strap removed to prevent further chafing. From CyclingTips below:

On day 11 of his journey, Morton had a rough night’s sleep after a nearby rave kept him awake. He rose to a delicious breakfast of a litre of full cream milk mixed with sweetened condensed milk and coffee powder. “Milk is an easy way to get protein in and I can digest it really easily,” he apparently said, and continued on his way toward the Pyrenees. 

That day the indignities kept coming. First, a day-long headwind.

Second, a flat Di2 battery, leaving Morton spinning in the small ring for 120 km. 

Interesting breakfast; not my cup o' tea coffee.

['Dale]

"Also, I'd like to thank the doctors and medical staff at IM2S clinic in Monaco for performing an excellent surgery on such short notice and for their great cooperation with the team's medical staff. I already feel a lot better and everything looks good so far."

- Sagan, after medically intervention with infection in the kniekop.

[Jaco-fiets]

So is Sagan taking Specialized with him to Total Direct Energy?

[J Wakefield]

20 minutes ago, Jaco-fiets said:

So is Sagan taking Specialized with him to Total Direct Energy?

Yes and his team of staff and riders.

[Vetplant]

52 minutes ago, Jaco-fiets said:

So is Sagan taking Specialized with him to Total Direct Energy?

Wait... What?! 

Sounds like a odd choice of team for him, but his options are probably a bit limited in the current economic climate.