Tour de France 2025

[TheoG]

1 minute ago, Frosty said:

This is why it’s such a great watch, we just don’t know. 

Yip, impossible to separate the 2 at the moment, I'm holding thumbs for Jonas however 😊

[NotSoBigBen]

29 minutes ago, TheoG said:

Yip, impossible to separate the 2 at the moment, I'm holding thumbs for Jonas however 😊

Go Teddy! 😎

[Ozzie NL]

4 hours ago, Frosty said:

There’s lots of talk about riders wanting to leave Pat’s team. Mostly sprinters, which I thought might be because of a change to support Remco at the grand tours.

There're rumours of the majority owner and Patlev looking at selling the whole team.... Which Middle eastern oil rich nation has not got a team year... Kuwait victory / Oman for all cycling team???

[J Wakefield]

Zdenek Bakala owns the team since 2010 or 2011, Lafevre is CEO and is the go between between the team and the Board he is apart of. 

He can sell his small share holding but he cannot sell the team overall unless Bakala wants out. 

[OVERDRIVE]

11 hours ago, peepeekaitjie said:

Some rest day rumours:

Remcio is seeking to leave Soudal-Quickstep

https://twitter.com/radio_cycling/status/1680840218738323460

 

As a counter rumour Soudal-Quickstep is looking to sign Mikel Landa to support Remco

https://twitter.com/bvdecape/status/1680831819007025154?s=20

 

 

and lastly, according to Het Laastste Nieuws, Arnaud De Lie will extend his contract with Lotto-DSTNY until 2026

 

 

 

 

 

Patrick Lefevere denies that Soudal-QuickStep team sold for $16.5 million | Cyclingnews

5 hours ago, Ozzie NL said:

There're rumours of the majority owner and Patlev looking at selling the whole team.... Which Middle eastern oil rich nation has not got a team year... Kuwait victory / Oman for all cycling team???

2 hours ago, J Wakefield said:

Zdenek Bakala owns the team since 2010 or 2011, Lafevre is CEO and is the go between between the team and the Board he is apart of. 

He can sell his small share holding but he cannot sell the team overall unless Bakala wants out. 

This was my thought too, but visibly nothing selling 

[Vetplant]

ITT is up and running. Link for those who want some moving dots to look at on their 3rd screen at work... https://racecenter.letour.fr/en/

Best times keep on being improved all the time. Bar is now set at 37mins37s

My gut says Wout is going to empty himself on this one, he needs the Win before he departs the Tour for the birth of his 2nd child...

[Vetplant]

Just now, Vetplant said:

ITT is up and running. Link for those who want some moving dots to look at on their 3rd screen at work... https://racecenter.letour.fr/en/

Best times keep on being improved all the time. Bar is now set at 37mins37s

My gut says Wout is going to empty himself on this one, he needs the Win before he departs the Tour for the birth of his 2nd child...

Key riders' Departure times:

WvA: 16h 19' 30"

Pidcock: 16h 38' 00"

Final 5, starting with Hindley: 16h 52' 00"

[DieselnDust]

On 7/17/2023 at 9:01 AM, BuffsVintageBikes said:

That was an amazing weekend of bike racing. The Tour that keeps on giving 🤙

Vinny might come across as a reserved introvert but under that shirt beats the heart of a Lion. The race of truth will deliver the final bullet.

He was a fish packer so he’s handy with a knife…. Knows where to cut and when 😂

[TheoG]

Just probably a stupid question guys, I'm not a roadie at all so please educate me.

Would it not be worthwhile to have a sort of "hybrid" bike for todays stage?  Being a compromise between a TT and a climbing bike?  Does something like that exist or am I talking a lot of crap?  🤪

 

[splat]

10 minutes ago, TheoG said:

Just probably a stupid question guys, I'm not a roadie at all so please educate me.

Would it not be worthwhile to have a sort of "hybrid" bike for todays stage?  Being a compromise between a TT and a climbing bike?  Does something like that exist or am I talking a lot of crap?  🤪

 

I don't think that's a crap idea at all.
Most of the bike brands have an aero model, which are reasonably light compared to TT bikes these days. Slap some aero bars on and 'Bob's your Uncle!'

But I would imagine that the clever okes on the teams have already thought of that and settled on whatever they are riding there today.

The crashes on the 1st corner were a bit strange.
And now its starting to rain...

[JohanDiv]

Did Team DSM have a few too many glasses of wine last night? Of their first 4 riders two were late and two fell on the first corner.

[Frosty]

36 minutes ago, TheoG said:

Just probably a stupid question guys, I'm not a roadie at all so please educate me.

Would it not be worthwhile to have a sort of "hybrid" bike for todays stage?  Being a compromise between a TT and a climbing bike?  Does something like that exist or am I talking a lot of crap?  🤪

 

The time gains of being as aero as possible would be more than the time it would take to change a bike. Gearing would be different too, where they would run a bigger chainring and then use the middle of the cassette to keep a straight chain line.

The bike for the climb would then need easier gearing so they can spin their way up the hill.

Marginal gains.

[Shebeen]

46 minutes ago, TheoG said:

Just probably a stupid question guys, I'm not a roadie at all so please educate me.

Would it not be worthwhile to have a sort of "hybrid" bike for todays stage?  Being a compromise between a TT and a climbing bike?  Does something like that exist or am I talking a lot of crap?  🤪

 

not entirely out of the ballpark, your suggestions is indeed mentioned in this very indepth article that looks at the tradeoffs in play today

 

https://escapecollective.com/optimising-for-the-stage-16-time-trial/

[edgarblount]

[Frosty]

@TheoG have you seen the GCN video of a TT bike vs aero bike, then 2, 3 and 4 trying to beat the TT bike while working together?

Smaller riders with a better aero position can ride as fast, or faster, as a bigger rider pushing out more power. 

Then there’s conserving energy in an aero position, to be able to use it on the final climbing part of the course.

They can also climb at, say 6W/Kg, at a known weight to get an estimated time up the climb. 

It’s not as simple as that, but explains that each bike has it’s place, as does the decision to ride it with one or two bikes.

[Vetplant]

WvA now in P1 at checkpoint 3 by 2s!