Tour de France 2024

[Shebeen]

7 minutes ago, Meezo said:

not Jonas just being better (prepared physically and mentally) and having a stronger team collectively ?

i think it was mentioned earlier, JV made the call in Dec last year they'll stay on the TT bike. This shows you that for Jonas and the team it was all about winning the TDF.

Pogacar has had an amazing season before his crash, winning some of the classics and then still to be 2nd at TDF.

I(MO) just think Jonas is better and such in yellow

here is Pogi's placings for the year   22
2
16
2
3
12
20
27
13
10
25
1
8
24
58
3
3
1
1
DNF
1
1
1
3
4
1
2
1
1
1
1
21
1
5
55
27
4
1
1
14
1
21
1
1
1

[bleedToWin]

12 hours ago, DJuice said:

Colnago please give Teddy an all white bike and Pissei some matching white shorts.

If you cant win, have some style😂

White shorts?
Style?

Many have tried and failed, most recently Remco. Some cycling fashion rules have good reasons behind them. Never wear white shorts!

[Shebeen]

15 hours ago, DieselnDust said:

Breaking his arm in a spring classic is probably the elephant in the  room

 

maybe. I'm not sure what the original plan was before he had the crash but clearly he was in peak form in March/April so would have had some enforced rest and camps on the schedule to pivot to Tour condition. 

The break probably came at the right time, for him to take a break. He would have spent a lot of time on the turbo trainer too so wouldn't have been starting from scratch.

The key takeaway here will be he goes to defend all these races next spring, or does the Jonas (well, Lance) route of focusing solely on the tour for 2024? 

TP won this early battle, JV won the war

 

[Shebeen]

prophetic

 

 

[DJuice]

3 minutes ago, bleedToWin said:

White shorts?
Style?

Many have tried and failed, most recently Remco. Some cycling fashion rules have good reasons behind them. Never wear white shorts!

Yes all white. Complete whiteness, from bike to Teddy.

Did you see how awesome Ciccone looked yesterday, all dressed in Polkadots. 

Remember that great due look from Sylvian Chavanel, class!

PS. Where is comic sans

 

 

[devvydoesdonuts]

I think this decision was a lot easier after what happened yesterday.

[TheoG]

19 minutes ago, devvydoesdonuts said:

I think this decision was a lot easier after what happened yesterday.

Sad to see him out, was looking forward to at least one stage win, BUT, family comes first ...

[Bub Marley]

1 hour ago, Meezo said:

not Jonas just being better (prepared physically and mentally) and having a stronger team collectively ?

i think it was mentioned earlier, JV made the call in Dec last year they'll stay on the TT bike. This shows you that for Jonas and the team it was all about winning the TDF.

Pogacar has had an amazing season before his crash, winning some of the classics and then still to be 2nd at TDF.

I(MO) just think Jonas is better and such in yellow

Not taking anything away from Jonas. He has clearly showed us he is the best and imo would have won regardless of Pog’s preparation and if he is healthy. He’s clearly the best.

 

Im just referring to the drop off from Pogi. Maybe Im reading too much into it which is most likely.

1 hour ago, Shebeen said:

 

maybe. I'm not sure what the original plan was before he had the crash but clearly he was in peak form in March/April so would have had some enforced rest and camps on the schedule to pivot to Tour condition. 

The break probably came at the right time, for him to take a break. He would have spent a lot of time on the turbo trainer too so wouldn't have been starting from scratch.

The key takeaway here will be he goes to defend all these races next spring, or does the Jonas (well, Lance) route of focusing solely on the tour for 2024? 

TP won this early battle, JV won the war

 

When asked earlier, Pog said he wanted to win Flanders before Tour de France. Flanders was his main goal this year which he achieved. Would he have been better if he focused solely on the tour? Probably buy i still feel Jonas would have been stronger regardless.

[Headshot]

My question afew days ago about who had the legs of the two top race snakes appears to have been answered. BTW, I hear Denmark is offering fish packing training camps for wannabe TDF racers. Part of the course  is how to leave a lingering smell of old fish in the nostrils of your competitors as the draft you.

[Stephan]

 Interesting discussion. Listen from 24:35

[DieselnDust]

2 hours ago, Shebeen said:

 

maybe. I'm not sure what the original plan was before he had the crash but clearly he was in peak form in March/April so would have had some enforced rest and camps on the schedule to pivot to Tour condition. 

The break probably came at the right time, for him to take a break. He would have spent a lot of time on the turbo trainer too so wouldn't have been starting from scratch.

The key takeaway here will be he goes to defend all these races next spring, or does the Jonas (well, Lance) route of focusing solely on the tour for 2024? 

TP won this early battle, JV won the war

 

I hear this a lot about the fracture and associated time off being fortuitous timing, but what is forgotten is how much energy the body uses to heal itself. I’m sure the team medical staff and his own doctor ls did what they could to minimise it’s impact but breaking your bones is generally not considered a good way to take a holiday 

[Shebeen]

6 minutes ago, DieselnDust said:

I hear this a lot about the fracture and associated time off being fortuitous timing, but what is forgotten is how much energy the body uses to heal itself. I’m sure the team medical staff and his own doctor ls did what they could to minimise it’s impact but breaking your bones is generally not considered a good way to take a holiday 

Agreed. we'll never really know.

 

exhibit B:

 

['Dale]

Pogačar did not seem himself, quite timid after the rest day. He was jumping in the team hotel pool, doing backward flips on the rest day. I reckon it’ll be revealed later whether he was carrying illness, extreme disappointment or sheer exhaustion (I would imagine mental burdens too) at not contesting well in Week 3. In the final analysis, he was in such form in the Spring Classics and ending on the podium at the Tour de France would make for a superb season thus far. He is human, a young man and still in the maillot blanc (what a remarkable palmarès).

3 x 2nd places for Jayco’ - can their sprinter bring home the win for them?

The amount of fans on the slopes, amazing. Lots of drunken souls too. There are some questions around rider safety and spectators affecting the race conditions. One of the top 10 in GC punched someone yesterday. Jonas was pushed by a fan yesterday and he was clearly startled. ASO will hopefully review.

The doping conspiracy vultures are circling around the maillot jaune’s performance over the last few days. For now, rival teams will be scratching their heads as to how to challenge the ‘Killer Bees’.

5 weeks to the Vuelta, sê ma net.

Edited July 20, 2023 by 'Dale

[Jbr]

3 hours ago, Meezo said:

I(MO) just think Jonas is better and such in yellow

Yeah... I must say I tend to be more behind Pogi than Jonas as I find Pogi more likeable in general but also more generous and entertaining to watch. But after this TdF, Jonas is growing on me, he showed the world he can win because he's the best, and not because him and his team played their opponent and got lucky. The best rider won, he was stronger, rode like such, and also showed great skill in the TT. Kudos to Jumbo and Jonas. 

Hopefully next year the close battle lasts 3 weeks.

[Prince]

Was i seeing things or did it look like Pogi had a nose bleed on two separate days?

[Irvin85]

The race is far from over, yes it will take a super human effort to unseat Jonas, but he might have a bad day on Saturday, there is still 5 catogorised climbs on saturday and Pog might come out better. I do not doubt that he will attack like crazy on Saturday. He does not look like someone that will give up.