Tour de France 2021

[Wayne pudding Mol]

9 hours ago, J Wakefield said:

 

did you watch the last 10km and watch where MVDP was and the effort he made to move up when everyone was doing 6.5wkg? 

I watched an interview with him before the start yesterday and he said he just didn’t have legs on day one. He said he wanted to go but couldn’t  - certainly found them for day 2

[eddy]

10 hours ago, J Wakefield said:

 

did you watch the last 10km and watch where MVDP was and the effort he made to move up when everyone was doing 6.5wkg? 

 

10 hours ago, King Pluto said:

Yess I saw.

I don't argue with my daughters on life as a UCT student in the 21st century - they simply know too much about it, and I know nothing first-hand.

Similarly, I am going to go with J Wakefield when he comments on the tour.... .

[Chris_]

Who's the money on today?

The sprinters have looked full of beans for the smaller points sections already so I'm hoping for 8 abreast across the line today/tomorrow

[Charles71]

If Colbrelli didn't struggle up the last hill yesterday, burning some matches in the process, I'd go with him. I'll instead put my money on some wild cards - either Cav or Sagan

[Patchelicious]

19 minutes ago, Chris_ said:

Who's the money on today?

The sprinters have looked full of beans for the smaller points sections already so I'm hoping for 8 abreast across the line today/tomorrow

Sags 

[Vetplant]

21 minutes ago, Chris_ said:

Who's the money on today?

The sprinters have looked full of beans for the smaller points sections already so I'm hoping for 8 abreast across the line today/tomorrow

Sentimental heart: Cav

Gut: Merlier

[Maniax]

Tour de France fan that caused chaotic crash facing jail term as police launch search (msn.com)

Seems at least they are taking the  spectator incident seriously.  Doubt they'll find her, but this will hopefully be a deterrent for future idiots being true to their nature.

[Chris_]

I like Colbrelli too. I laugh whenever I see his lumpant figure moving towards the front, but he's always putting himself in the right places. 

Although my cash would be on Caleb...

Edited June 28, 2021 by Chris_

[Maniax]

2 hours ago, Vetplant said:

Yep, main goal achieved. 

Now he can sit in the main bunch and do the Final lead-out for Merlier on these upcoming sprint stages and just roll to the line with the bunch. 

Will be interesting to see how long he hangs around after the TT. Maybe do some more leads outs. He could hang around till stage 13, but it gets rough thereafter. 

Stage win and a day in Yellow on your TDF debut. Anyone will take that. 

Have you ever seen MVDP sitting in the main bunch for a chill ride?  He took yellow at Flanders  the one day, and the next day the yellow jersey was in the break away......  He is a legend in the making.

Edited June 28, 2021 by Maniax

[Vetplant]

3 minutes ago, Maniax said:

Have you ever seen MVDP sitting in the main bunch for a chill ride?  He took yellow at Flanders  the one day, and the next day the yellow jersey was in the break away......  He is a legend in the making.

I saw him taking pulls for Merlier to take the sprint. I think he is a team player, thus me thinking he will not go for his own victory but the team will back Merlier if they think he can win the sprint.

If they get properly beaten by Cav or Ewan, sure, then I can see MvdP doing a flyer on teh next sprint stage.

[Maniax]

1 minute ago, Vetplant said:

I saw him taking pulls for Merlier to take the sprint. I think he is a team player, thus me thinking he will not go for his own victory but the team will back Merlier if they think he can win the sprint.

If they get properly beaten by Cav or Ewan, sure, then I can see MvdP doing a flyer on teh next sprint stage.

I think its the unpredictability of the these cyclocross champs that adds some spice to the peloton.  I like it.  But yes we'll see what he will do.  today is quite flat so I doubt he'll try anything.  Unless he has a green jersey in mind.

 

[lechatnoir]

14 hours ago, Frosty said:

Not necessarily, he has a lot of TT miles to claw back time. All depends on the stages ahead. If he climbed today without burning matches, he might have something spare for later.

At least he has stayed upriggt for 4% of the Tour, so far.

the same TT's that Pog and Rog will be riding. The same Pog and Rog that he's dropped a bit of time to already

[Vetplant]

15 minutes ago, Vetplant said:

I saw him taking pulls for Merlier to take the sprint. I think he is a team player, thus me thinking he will not go for his own victory but the team will back Merlier if they think he can win the sprint.

If they get properly beaten by Cav or Ewan, sure, then I can see MvdP doing a flyer on teh next sprint stage.

Just for clarification, this sprint I talk about where MvdP pulled for Merlier was during the Classics season.

[lechatnoir]

55 minutes ago, Vetplant said:

Sentimental heart: Cav

Gut: Merlier

Merlier's a bit dinged up from Saturday's festival of posters.

Lotto has a traditional sprint train going, and Ewan is the fastest, all things being equal. It's hard to look past the little fella for today

[Wayne pudding Mol]

13 minutes ago, lechatnoir said:

Merlier's a bit dinged up from Saturday's festival of posters.

Lotto has a traditional sprint train going, and Ewan is the fastest, all things being equal. It's hard to look past the little fella for today

One thing against Ewan is that he regularly seems to get his first sprint opportunity wrong - all things being equal he’s the fastest

my heart will be rooting for Cav

[lechatnoir]

23 minutes ago, Wayne pudding Mol said:

One thing against Ewan is that he regularly seems to get his first sprint opportunity wrong - all things being equal he’s the fastest

my heart will be rooting for Cav

I'd be happier to see someone other than Ewan winning and the DQS train with Cav in it could end up being a tram. I guess we'll know in 8hrs or so. Lotto have a very decent sprint train that includes de Gendt, who probably could be a good train all on his own

but how about Greipel as a dark horse? Guy knows what winning tastes like and would surely love to win again. Pretty sure he'd love to beat Ewan who replaced him at Lotto

Edited June 28, 2021 by lechatnoir