# Tour De France 2020 with SPOILERS



## roadrash (29 Aug 2020)

Seeing as the other tour thread didnt have spoilers in the title and not wishing to spoil it for anyone else seeing any results.......

The tellys on, the couch is comfy.......And they're off.......about time too.


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## roadrash (29 Aug 2020)

bloody hell is the first crack at a breakaway going to stick.


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## Supersuperleeds (29 Aug 2020)

David Millar


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## roadrash (29 Aug 2020)

ive got carlton.....for now


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## Slick (29 Aug 2020)

Glad they got the sound sorted on Eurosport, couldn't listen to that much longer.


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## mjr (29 Aug 2020)

Slick said:


> Glad they got the sound sorted on Eurosport, couldn't listen to that much longer.


Where sorted=muted CK?


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## roadrash (29 Aug 2020)

sam bennet on the deck along with others


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## mjr (29 Aug 2020)

Peloton now flat front, full width of the road, 2 deco Nick riders up there. Hopefully giving out some favours to slow it down and allow the crash victims to catch up.


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## roadrash (29 Aug 2020)

sivacov with FRONT and REAR punctures


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## Supersuperleeds (29 Aug 2020)

roadrash said:


> sivacov with FRONT and REAR punctures



Should be using Marathon Plus and he'd have been fine


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## Supersuperleeds (29 Aug 2020)

Crashes all over the place, I think some need stabilisers.


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## Supersuperleeds (29 Aug 2020)

Who is number 7 for Ineos?

I should look at the graphics, it's Sivakov.

Alaphillipe needs a new bike / or wheel


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## roadrash (29 Aug 2020)

ooh whats gone on there with alaphilipe, front wheel totally locked up


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## Supersuperleeds (29 Aug 2020)

Bike change, mechanic couldn't get the front wheel off. I don't feel so useless at fettling now


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## Supersuperleeds (29 Aug 2020)

roadrash said:


> ooh whats gone on there with alaphilipe, front wheel totally locked up



Boardman reckons the disc brake was locked on solid. Don't know how he could tell, the mechanic couldn't turn the through axle.


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## Foghat (29 Aug 2020)

Some strange riding positions amongst the three riders in the current break - just saw a profile shot of all three going past the camera, and it looked like something out of a 4th-cat fish&chipper.

Grellier way too far forward, far too much weight on his bars, decidedly non-optimal for descending (and he's descending on the bleedin' hoods too.....in the rain. Looks like a complete novice!). Gautier has his saddle too low with his knees up around his ears, looks like another beginner. 

At least Schar has a vaguely sensible position and manages to look like a professional.


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## roadrash (29 Aug 2020)

Another crash ewan down


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## roadrash (29 Aug 2020)

sivakov looks like he wants to climb off and throw the bike in the nearest hedge


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## DCLane (29 Aug 2020)

Nizzolo looking very unwell - stomach issues?

Downhill rider-neutralised.


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## Supersuperleeds (29 Aug 2020)

See they've still not managed to get the sticky stuff of the bottles


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## Supersuperleeds (29 Aug 2020)

Ouch


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## roadrash (29 Aug 2020)

i felt that


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## DCLane (29 Aug 2020)

They're all going downhill very, very gingerly. Need some practice riding in Yorkshire weather


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## Supersuperleeds (29 Aug 2020)

I know it is risky, but these are professional cyclists, they should be racing.


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## roadrash (29 Aug 2020)

another fekin crash


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## roadrash (29 Aug 2020)

pinot down


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## StuAff (29 Aug 2020)

Hell of a finish…


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## roadrash (29 Aug 2020)

Kristoff takes the first stage and yellow jersey


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## mjr (29 Aug 2020)

Dogtrousers said:


> Somewhere on the internet the great disk vs rim brakes debate re-ignites. "Look at that, blooming disk brakes. Would never happen with proper rim brakes you know."


Boardman said as much on itv.


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## mjr (29 Aug 2020)

roadrash said:


> pinot down


Just inside the 3km. And even if it hadn't been, I think it would have been!


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## Mike_P (29 Aug 2020)

At least everyone finished today with three lantern rouges - Pavel Sivakov (Indeos G.), Staff Cras (Lotto Soudal) and Kevin Ledanois (Team Arkea Samsic)


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## rich p (29 Aug 2020)

Richie Porte is still in the race! 
and Pinot only lost a handful of seconds....


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## StuAff (29 Aug 2020)

View: https://twitter.com/PavelSivakov/status/1299774272412487680


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## Martinsnos (29 Aug 2020)

Be a miracle if this lasts 3 weeks.
Funnel the riders within 1m of hundreds of fans without masks ‘shouting spittle’ over them!!!


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## Mike_P (29 Aug 2020)

Seems to have been a corrected result list - John Degenkolb (Lotto Soudal) finished outside time limit while Rafael Valls (Bahrain - McLaren) is listed as 175th


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## Supersuperleeds (30 Aug 2020)

Gilbert abandoned, I'm down to 8 riders on the fantasy TDF already


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## roadrash (30 Aug 2020)

gilbert , broken kneecap, i wonder if it is the same one he did when he disappeared over the wall in 2018
.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4j991TH1qk


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## Mo1959 (30 Aug 2020)

.....at least the weather looks kinder today.


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## roadrash (30 Aug 2020)

for now....


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## roadrash (30 Aug 2020)

cant see David Gaudu lasting much longer, he looks in agony with his lower back


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## Martinsnos (30 Aug 2020)

Nice looks an amazing place.


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## MasterDabber (30 Aug 2020)

Martinsnos said:


> Nice looks an amazing place.


I used to go there regularly for work.... up in the mountains at La Gaude (near Vence). The company restaurant had a massive sun terrace where could eat out with great views. Always a pleasure to go there.


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## Martinsnos (30 Aug 2020)

MasterDabber said:


> I used to go there regularly for work.... up in the mountains at La Gaude (near Vence). The company restaurant had a massive sun terrace where could eat out with great views. Always a pleasure to go there.


Sounds excellent. Thanks for sharing. Maybe 1 day we can travel again (carbon footprint accounted for!).


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## Shadow (30 Aug 2020)

Can anyone explain to me why UAE let the break containing Sagan, Trentin, Asgreen et al go when if they contained that break Kristoff could contest the intermediate sprint points? Especially as they are now riding on the front. Or did they just miss it?


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## Adam4868 (30 Aug 2020)

Shadow said:


> Can anyone explain to me why UAE let the break containing Sagan, Trentin, Asgreen et al go when if they contained that break Kristoff could contest the intermediate sprint points? Especially as they are now riding on the front. Or did they just miss it?


Riding for Pogacar ? Hopefully someone is going to test the GC out sometime today !


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## Supersuperleeds (30 Aug 2020)

Sivakov struggling again


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## Supersuperleeds (30 Aug 2020)

Massive spoiler from ITV. The descent only flattens out at the bottom.


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## roadrash (30 Aug 2020)

second stage and yellow jersey goes to alaphilipe


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## gavroche (30 Aug 2020)

Cocorico !!"


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## Aussie Rider in London (30 Aug 2020)

Love me some Alaphilippe. What a great stage.


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## roadrash (30 Aug 2020)

there goes adam yates in his interview....err...YEAH....yeah ...ERRR...yeah


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## Dave Davenport (30 Aug 2020)

That's me hooked for this year (fingers crossed 'till Paris where I'd quite like the perky French chap to still be in the yellow jumper).


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## roadrash (30 Aug 2020)

jumbo visma was surprisingly absent in the last few km , after putting in a lot of work after taking over from U.A.E


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## Dayvo (30 Aug 2020)

Martinsnos said:


> Nice looks an amazing place.


I dossed on the beach there for a couple of nights in 1980. Had some good bars and restaurants, IIRC.


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## rich p (30 Aug 2020)

roadrash said:


> there goes adam yates in his interview....err...YEAH....yeah ...ERRR...yeah


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## rich p (30 Aug 2020)

Like I said last year, Alaphilippe is a great and entertaining rider but no chance of hanging onto the jersey!


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## LeetleGreyCells (30 Aug 2020)

roadrash said:


> jumbo visma was surprisingly absent in the last few km , after putting in a lot of work after taking over from U.A.E


That surprised me too. They lead the peloton more or less the entire distance, but didn't even seem to attempt to bridge the gap to the leaders - and we saw it was possible because Yates did it.


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## beastie (31 Aug 2020)

That was an entertaining finale. Tom D pulling a rookie fall, and Allaphillipe gets his just rewards for a fine attack.


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## rich p (31 Aug 2020)

Nizzolo for the win. It's a spoiler


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## rich p (31 Aug 2020)

In the interests of gender equality, I'd like to give a mention to the late addition to the Ineos team, Audrey Amador, who pluckily finished 28 minutes down.
Could be just saving herself for bigger helping duties later on but looked a bit knackered to me when she got dropped.


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## Adam4868 (31 Aug 2020)

rich p said:


> Nizzolo for the win. It's a spoiler


I've got him for the green jersey ! I'll go with Bol for today 😁


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## Adam4868 (31 Aug 2020)

rich p said:


> Like I said last year, Alaphilippe is a great and entertaining rider but no chance of hanging onto the jersey!


What about Yates ? Only stage wins bit of a blag ?


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## rich p (31 Aug 2020)

Adam4868 said:


> What about Yates ? Only stage wins bit of a blag ?


Can't help wondering if he could get into yellow going for tomorrow's stage then he might become a GC contender after all


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## rich p (31 Aug 2020)

Bleedin' sheeting down today. Glad I'm not on holiday in the south of France ...

...for a variety of reasons!


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## roadrash (31 Aug 2020)

Adam yates off to ineos next year , i know i have'nt been on the ball this year (or any year really) but i hadnt heard this


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## Adam4868 (31 Aug 2020)

roadrash said:


> Adam yates off to ineos next year , i know i have'nt been on the ball this year (or any year really) but i hadnt heard this


It's Ineos Grenadier....do keep up !


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## roadrash (31 Aug 2020)

Adam4868 said:


> It's Ineos Grenadier....do keep up !




next year...grenadier...sound the same if you say it quickly


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## rich p (31 Aug 2020)

roadrash said:


> next year...grenadier...sound the same if you say it quickly


That's clear, my dear, I fear... Oh, do shut up


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## roadrash (31 Aug 2020)

ooohh , i thought sam bennet had that, some speed on ewan to take the win


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## Adam4868 (31 Aug 2020)

roadrash said:


> ooohh , i thought sam bennet had that, some speed on ewan to take the win


Bad timing for Bennet a few times now,Ewan came through like a bullet though !


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## Dayvo (31 Aug 2020)

Roger Longbottom said:


> Likewise about 82, then hitched further round the coast to some seaside town / campsites type place and got a summer job selling ice cream on the beach, oh to be young again!


After leaving Nice, me and a mate spent two great weeks on a campsite in the Ramatuelle/St. Tropez area before heading to Marmande in the Lot et Garrone region working and partying. 

Indeed, oh to be 20 again and carefree! 🤪


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## Shadow (31 Aug 2020)

roadrash said:


> ooohh , i thought sam bennet had that, some speed on ewan to take the win


That was astonishing. Reminded me of Cav at his best without a train.


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## roadrash (31 Aug 2020)

Adam4868 said:


> Bad timing for Bennet a few times now,Ewan came through like a bullet though !





Shadow said:


> That was astonishing. Reminded me of Cav at his best without a train.




Ewan does remind me of Cav a lot , he sprints with all his weight over the front end , his nose nearly on the front wheel, it must be Bennets turn soon , so near yet so far.........


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## Adam4868 (31 Aug 2020)

Shadow said:


> That was astonishing. Reminded me of Cav at his best without a train.


Yea he does remind me,lot more aero than a lot of the bigger guys aswell.


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## roadrash (31 Aug 2020)

Oh , and its going to hard to fill the 7pm slot with... "HIGHLIGHTS"... from todays stage


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## ColinJ (1 Sep 2020)

Roger Longbottom said:


> Likewise about 82, then hitched further round the coast to some seaside town / campsites type place and got a summer job selling ice cream on the beach, oh to be young again!





Dayvo said:


> After leaving Nice, me and a mate spent two great weeks on a campsite in the Ramatuelle/St. Tropez area before heading to Marmande in the Lot et Garrone region working and partying.
> 
> Indeed, oh to be 20 again and carefree! 🤪


I've met weird happy types like you two in the past...  I started worrying when I was 4 years old and have stayed worried for the 60 years since! 

As for the stage 3 sprint... fantastic! (I still generally find sprint stages a bit boring though.)


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## mjr (1 Sep 2020)

Roger Longbottom said:


> Reading somewhere today Julian won yesterday's stage running clinchers and tubes, pretty much unheard of in modern racing.


Is that to overcome the punctures he's been suffering with Spesh's tubulars, or what?


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## Adam4868 (1 Sep 2020)

First mountain top finish today stage.Can we see further than a Jumbo/Ineos face off.
I fancy Yates to try for this stage,he looked good the other day and what is he 4 seconds down ?


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## roadrash (1 Sep 2020)

got to be honest , i would like to see quintana show his hand but im not holding my breath


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## rich p (1 Sep 2020)

Ir would be nice to see Yates win and take yellow. I suspect it will be a cagey affair wirh Roglic or maybe Van Aert outsprinting Alaphillipe.
Or something else entirely!


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## Adam4868 (1 Sep 2020)

rich p said:


> Ir would be nice to see Yates win and take yellow. I suspect it will be a cagey affair wirh Roglic or maybe Van Aert outsprinting Alaphillipe.
> Or something else entirely!


Pogacar !


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## rich p (1 Sep 2020)

Adam4868 said:


> Pogacar !


Anyone would think you've got money on the poor lad. What a burden for the young bloke to carry!


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## Adam4868 (1 Sep 2020)

rich p said:


> Anyone would think you've got money on the poor lad. What a burden for the young bloke to carry!


If he doesn't finish on the podium I'm done for...4 quid down the drain !


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## Adam4868 (1 Sep 2020)

roadrash said:


> got to be honest , i would like to see quintana show his hand but im not holding my breath


He'll come into his own about stage 19/20

View: https://twitter.com/NairoInGreen/status/1300469349107589123?s=19


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## Adam4868 (1 Sep 2020)

Dogtrousers said:


> You're preaching to the converted. I have him in my fantasy team.


Fantasy...I've got my kids dinner money at stake 🙄


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## rich p (1 Sep 2020)

Dogtrousers said:


> You're preaching to the converted. I have him in my fantasy team.


Having seen him in the Movistar documentary, I have warmed to him even more


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## Adam4868 (1 Sep 2020)

rich p said:


> Having seen him in the Movistar documentary, I have warmed to him even more


Who Pogacar or Valverde 😂


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## Shadow (1 Sep 2020)

Adam4868 said:


> If he doesn't finish on the podium I'm done for...4 quid down the drain !


Is that for today's stage or final GC?!


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## Shadow (1 Sep 2020)

And while I'm here, how come we have *2*, yes _*2*_, threads of *TdF 2020 with *SPOILERS**?
(I blame our friend up north, @roadrash, for this actually!)
It's hurting my poor little brain. Can the @Moderators merge them?


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## Adam4868 (1 Sep 2020)

Shadow said:


> Is that for today's stage or final GC?!


Final gc...although I had a small flutter on him and Yates for the stage today.


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## Adam4868 (1 Sep 2020)

Shadow said:


> And while I'm here, how come we have *2*, yes _*2*_, threads of *TdF 2020 with *SPOILERS**?
> (I blame our friend up north, @roadrash, for this actually!)
> It's hurting my poor little brain. Can the @Moderators merge them?


Changed mine you happy now ?


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## roadrash (1 Sep 2020)

Shadow said:


> And while I'm here, how come we have *2*, yes _*2*_, threads of *TdF 2020 with *SPOILERS**?
> (I blame our friend up north, @roadrash, for this actually!)
> It's hurting my poor little brain. Can the @Moderators merge them?




I look at it this way...if you are blaming me then you are leaving someone else alone


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## Shadow (1 Sep 2020)

Adam4868 said:


> Changed mine you happy now ?


Oh yes, ecstatic.
Ta.


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## Adam4868 (1 Sep 2020)

Dogtrousers said:


> To be fair to @roadrash the other thread didn't have "spoilers" in the title originally.
> 
> But I agree we should merge them. If we really want a NO SPOILERS one I guess we could create one.


Your wish is my command.


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## roadrash (1 Sep 2020)

Roadrash prediction of the day.....

simon yates to take yellow jersey


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## rich p (1 Sep 2020)

roadrash said:


> Roadrash prediction of the day.....
> 
> simon yates to take yellow jersey


That'll be some feat. Will he have to do all 4 stages in one day?
Adam might be pissed off too


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## roadrash (1 Sep 2020)

rich p said:


> That'll be some feat. Will he have to do all 4 stages in one day?
> Adam might be pissed off too



ooops... thats how they are going to do it , they are both there pretending to be adam on alternate days


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## Eziemnaik (1 Sep 2020)

It may just be Slovenian year
Roglic looks impressive
Podgacar as well

Also, that Cervelo broke funny


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## rich p (1 Sep 2020)

First statement of intent for Primoz. The man to beat but we'll have to wait for tougher challenges to be sure.
Sprint finishes at the end of a relatively benign climb aren't the same as the long attritional mountain top finishes but I wouldn't bet against him.


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## Eziemnaik (1 Sep 2020)

The way Jumbo rides, I wouldn't put it behind them to wheel him Sky 2011 style
Van Aert, Kuss, Dumolin that's some sick support team


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## Adam4868 (1 Sep 2020)

Jumbo are definately the team to beat...the way Kuss went past Kwiato and gave him a look as if to say "is that it ?" Suprised at Carapaz I thought he'd be at least up there at the end.Bernal ? Definately doesn't look at comfortable as last year but who knows.Can he ride himself fitter...17 days to go so still a lot to play for.
Good second place for Pogacar,no good for me though  pot noodles for tea !


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## roadrash (1 Sep 2020)

you gonna be in the gutter at this rate @Adam4868


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## Adam4868 (1 Sep 2020)

roadrash said:


> you gonna be in the gutter at this rate @Adam4868


I'm allright,it's the kids that I feel for....worst case I'm in your shed 😁


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## SWSteve (1 Sep 2020)

Benoot snapped his bike. That must’ve been a freak accident in how the impact took place as I doubt Cervelo would be keen on people thinking it could be normal...


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## Adam4868 (1 Sep 2020)

ItsSteveLovell said:


> Benoot snapped his bike. That must’ve been a freak accident in how the impact took place as I doubt Cervelo would be keen on people thinking it could be normal...



View: https://twitter.com/itvcycling/status/1300810496950644740?s=19

He was lucky enough to avoid a injury,on a more positive note it's a good way to remove a stuck seat post.


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## mjr (2 Sep 2020)

Adam4868 said:


> ,on a more positive note it's a good way to remove a stuck seat post.


You saw your bike in two if you want!


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## Adam4868 (2 Sep 2020)

mjr said:


> You saw your bike in two if you want!


Looked superficial to me,ask in the repair and maintenance section and I'm sure someone will say it's just a paint defect


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## Martinsnos (2 Sep 2020)

Looks like stage 3 is the one to forget. It even looked boring fast-forwarding through the highlights show!!!


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## DCLane (2 Sep 2020)

ItsSteveLovell said:


> Benoot snapped his bike. That must’ve been a freak accident in how the impact took place as I doubt Cervelo would be keen on people thinking it could be normal...



I hope so; my 16yo son's got one of those ... soon to be mine 

Looked a nasty crash and at least there were no serious injuries.


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## matticus (2 Sep 2020)

Martinsnos said:


> Looks like stage 3 is the one to forget. It even looked boring fast-forwarding through the highlights show!!!


Yeah - the early sprint stages are never great. 

(but the ITV team are doing good stuff in the highlights shows - loads of nice history+interviews )


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## Adam4868 (2 Sep 2020)

DCLane said:


> I hope so; my 16yo son's got one of those ... soon to be mine
> 
> Looked a nasty crash and at least there were no serious injuries.


60kph and pulling your brake on a descent...he did well to let the bike take the impact rather than himself.


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## matticus (2 Sep 2020)

Yeah, I couldn't work out how he got his leg out of the way.
Unclipped and lifted it up+over the Armco?? Seems unlikely. But there wasn't a mark on him later, so he managed some trick move!


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## Adam4868 (2 Sep 2020)

I'm going for Cees Bol again today.Ive no money on him so there's a good chance he'll take the stage.


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## roadrash (2 Sep 2020)

I will go for Caleb Ewan to get his second today......there we are then , that's jinxed him..


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## Eziemnaik (2 Sep 2020)

I say Bennett to dethrone Sagan this year and win today's stage


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## roadrash (2 Sep 2020)

Eziemnaik said:


> I say Bennett to dethrone Sagan this year and win today's stage


well... Bennet just beat ewan in the first intermediate sprint,....hmmm


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## Eziemnaik (2 Sep 2020)

QS>Bora
Sagan seems either uninterested or somewhat out of form
QS will at some point realize yellow jersey is not possible so they will go for stage wins


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## roadrash (2 Sep 2020)

wierd stage with no breakaway


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## Adam4868 (2 Sep 2020)

Eziemnaik said:


> I say Bennett to dethrone Sagan this year and win today's stage


Which will please my IRISH ! partner...looks like a boring stage.Thank feck I've got work ,☹️


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## Eziemnaik (2 Sep 2020)

roadrash said:


> wierd stage with no breakaway








Perfect for beer and siesta


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## Guitars and Bikes (2 Sep 2020)

Stage 5 has been a stinker so far, dozed off 30 mins into it and I'm gonna scratch my cats arse as that would be more interesting. The vuelta can't come soon enough


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## rich p (2 Sep 2020)

https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/to...but-optimism-grows-after-first-summit-finish/

Pinot is up to his usual stuff.
Another broken finger nail tomorrow could rule him out of the GC?


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## Adam4868 (2 Sep 2020)

Of all days rain off work....shall I watch the Tour or doze off.Lets at least hope for some horrible crosswinds or something.


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## Adam4868 (2 Sep 2020)

rich p said:


> https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/to...but-optimism-grows-after-first-summit-finish/
> 
> Pinot is up to his usual stuff.
> Another broken finger nail tomorrow could rule him out of the GC?


New French drama ? The fragility of Pinot.😁


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## Martinsnos (2 Sep 2020)

matticus said:


> Yeah - the early sprint stages are never great.
> 
> (but the ITV team are doing good stuff in the highlights shows - loads of nice history+interviews )
> [/QUOTE
> ...


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## ChangFai (2 Sep 2020)

Seriously ... WTF?


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## Martinsnos (2 Sep 2020)

Guitars and Bikes said:


> Stage 5 has been a stinker so far, dozed off 30 mins into it and I'm gonna scratch my cats arse as that would be more interesting. The vuelta can't come soon enough


Scenery better than stage 3!


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## Adam4868 (2 Sep 2020)

Lol..

View: https://twitter.com/irishpeloton/status/1301149506487103489?s=19


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## roadrash (2 Sep 2020)

i got excited then for about 20 seconds when ineos GRENADIER hit the front expecting headwind


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## Eziemnaik (2 Sep 2020)

Is there anything van Aert can't do?


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## Adam4868 (2 Sep 2020)

Wout Van Aert ! I can win anything....


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## roadrash (2 Sep 2020)

W.V.A pipped bennet for the win but bennet gets the green jersey,....is sam bennet the new MR. Second place, instead of sagan


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## Adam4868 (2 Sep 2020)

Glad Bennet's took the green jersey,but Sagans wheel is the wrong one to pick at the moment.


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## roadrash (2 Sep 2020)

W. ins

V. irtually

A. ll of em


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## Eziemnaik (2 Sep 2020)

To top all of that he won it using this dangerous and obsolete technology - rim brakes!


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## rich p (2 Sep 2020)

Adam Yates in yellow after JA gets a time penalty. Zut alors!


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## Shadow (2 Sep 2020)

Mon dieu! Incroyable!
Who says the commissaires always favour _les françaises_?


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## coldash (2 Sep 2020)

JA reported to have taken a bottle inside last 20Km. Same penalty as handed to Froome a while back.


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## roadrash (2 Sep 2020)

rich p said:


> Adam Yates in yellow after JA gets a time penalty. Zut alors!


 late bidon from the roadside apparently in the last 20km


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## Adam4868 (2 Sep 2020)

From 1st to 16 th as if by magic...


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## rich p (2 Sep 2020)

A bit of an unnecessary cock up on a nothing stage. 
I'm predicting an interview with Adam where he says he's happy to be in yellow but it's not how I'd wanted to take it. Honestly, no really, I really really mean that


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## Adam4868 (2 Sep 2020)

rich p said:


> A bit of an unnecessary cock up on a nothing stage.
> I'm predicting an interview with Adam where he says he's happy to be in yellow but it's not how I'd wanted to take it. Honestly, no really, I really really mean that



View: https://twitter.com/itvcycling/status/1301196105426907136?s=19

You nearly had it word for word except missed a few eh,s out ! 
To be fair to both it's a sh1t way to lose it and to gain it.


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## rich p (2 Sep 2020)

Adam4868 said:


> View: https://twitter.com/itvcycling/status/1301196105426907136?s=19
> 
> You nearly had it word for word except missed a few eh,s out !
> To be fair to both it's a sh1t way to lose it and to gain it.



As Freddie Trueman would have said...

..."have a look in't scorebook"


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## Adam4868 (2 Sep 2020)

View: https://twitter.com/laflammerouge16/status/1301201368632393728?s=19

Couple of Movistar riders got a 20second penalty aswell.Dont know what Kuss got one for ? They'll be some bollockings for the soigneurs/bottle givers tonight !


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## ChangFai (2 Sep 2020)

View: https://twitter.com/Alec_Pedaler/status/1301185146146770946


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## Supersuperleeds (2 Sep 2020)

Stop the race now


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## Beebo (2 Sep 2020)

coldash said:


> JA reported to have taken a bottle inside last 20Km. Same penalty as handed to Froome a while back.


Yeah but JA is French so he shouldn’t be fined. 🙂
The marshals will be looking for new jobs tomorrow.


----------



## beastie (2 Sep 2020)

To be fair to Yates, he had a stage robbed from him with “inflate gate” a few years ago, so he should take the jersey and not feel too guilty


----------



## gavroche (2 Sep 2020)

I don't understand this stupid rule. Why can't riders eat / drink when they feel like it ?


----------



## Adam4868 (2 Sep 2020)

gavroche said:


> I don't understand this stupid rule. Why can't riders eat / drink when they feel like it ?


Rules are rules.Im suprised more that his team didn't realise.....or did they ? Plenty of others got caught out today.The real pisser would be if he missed the jersey by 15 seconds in Paris 


View: https://twitter.com/laflammerouge16/status/1301222575465521153?s=19


----------



## Eziemnaik (2 Sep 2020)

Why can't they wear the socks they like?
UCI is a peculiar organisation
If you haven't I recommend a fantastic book "The Hour" about one man's struggle with UCI


----------



## Adam4868 (2 Sep 2020)

Eziemnaik said:


> Why can't they wear the socks they like?
> UCI is a peculiar organisation
> If you haven't I recommend a fantastic book "The Hour" about one man's struggle with UCI


Nah the sock length one I agree with...imagine a peleton with all different length of socks ? It would look ridiculous


----------



## gavroche (2 Sep 2020)

Is there a reason why they can't eat / drink when they want then? Is there a rule about "calls of nature" too?


----------



## Adam4868 (2 Sep 2020)

gavroche said:


> Is there a reason why they can't eat / drink when they want then? Is there a rule about "calls of nature" too?


I'm pretty sure in a stage where it's usually a fast finish it's dangerous to pass food/bottles as you can imagine.


----------



## Adam4868 (2 Sep 2020)

The plot thickens it's was Allaphilipes cousin and coach who passed him the bottle


----------



## Eziemnaik (2 Sep 2020)

Adam4868 said:


> The plot thickens it's was Allaphilipes cousin and coach who passed him the bottle


Hope the bottle was not jiffy at all


----------



## roadrash (2 Sep 2020)

gavroche said:


> I don't understand this stupid rule. Why can't riders eat / drink when they feel like it ?


is it only a stupid rule because it was applied to a french man in the lead of a french race


----------



## gavroche (2 Sep 2020)

roadrash said:


> is it only a stupid rule because it was applied to a french man in the lead of a french race


Not at all. I was referimg to all riders. Alaphilippe won't be worried about a few seconds, he can get them back later, Yates is no threat to the GC. 
Also, the TdF used to be a French dominated race in the past but it is truly international now.


----------



## roadrash (2 Sep 2020)

gavroche said:


> Alaphilippe won't be worried about a few seconds, he can get them back later




yeah , i can see every other rider making it really easy for him to regain 20 seconds.


----------



## beastie (2 Sep 2020)

It’s a sensible rule and one that has been applied to the maillot jeune before. It happened to Froome when he bonked on the Alp.


----------



## Rusty Nails (2 Sep 2020)

gavroche said:


> Is there a reason why they can't eat / drink when they want then? Is there a rule about "calls of nature" too?



Is it that you can't eat/drink or that you can't take on anything to eat/drink In the last 20km?


----------



## Guitars and Bikes (2 Sep 2020)

gavroche said:


> Is there a reason why they can't eat / drink when they want then? Is there a rule about "calls of nature" too?


Imagine a marshall approaching Tom Dumoulin mid-dump ( phaaaaaaarp ) and handing out a fine notice


----------



## Sillyoldman (2 Sep 2020)

At least he would have had something to wipe with


Guitars and Bikes said:


> Imagine a marshall approaching Tom Dumoulin mid-dump ( phaaaaaaarp ) and handing out a fine notice


----------



## Adam4868 (2 Sep 2020)

Rusty Nails said:


> Is it that you can't eat/drink or that you can't take on anything to eat/drink In the last 20km?


So riders are concentrating on the road and not trying to catch bottles at high speed.Even a falling bottle in that scenario can bring a lot of riders down.
They knew the rules so it's fair game to me.


----------



## Adam4868 (3 Sep 2020)

Looking promising that Movistar can actually win something here at the Tour ? Joint top at the mo....

View: https://twitter.com/ProCyclingStats/status/1301282006345617417?s=19


----------



## beastie (3 Sep 2020)

Rusty Nails said:


> Is it that you can't eat/drink or that you can't take on anything to eat/drink In the last 20km?


It’s that you can’t take on food or drink at these times. If you have bidons and pockets full then fair play


----------



## matticus (3 Sep 2020)

Adam4868 said:


> Looking promising that Movistar can actually win something here at the Tour ? Joint top at the mo....
> 
> View: https://twitter.com/ProCyclingStats/status/1301282006345617417?s=19



That's a contest where it pays to have 3 consistent scorers, rather than 1 guy going for overall win


----------



## Eziemnaik (3 Sep 2020)

Hehehe
Meanwhile Bennett wins another intermediate sprint (technically he did not but extending lead over Sagan should count as if he did)
Should have put some money where my mouth is on his Green jersey in Paris


----------



## GetFatty (3 Sep 2020)

I like the recipe spot but I've got a feeling I'll be in a meeting today at that point.

Quintana's brother just hit a discarded bottle and hit the deck.


----------



## Eziemnaik (3 Sep 2020)

Escape is not gonna make it...
I say either Pogacar or Alaphlippe?

Edit: hehehe escape listened and put some hammer time in


----------



## roadrash (3 Sep 2020)

a well deserved win for lutsenko


----------



## ChangFai (3 Sep 2020)

Another stage that promised so much, but ..


----------



## lilolee (3 Sep 2020)

Well that was underwhelming . Loved the route. Wouldn't mind having a go at that climb myself.


----------



## rich p (3 Sep 2020)

I can't see the Pyrenees changing much either given the type of mountain stages. Hmmm.


----------



## MasterDabber (3 Sep 2020)

Oh well, at least I went out and mowed the lawn to relieve the boredom.


----------



## roadrash (3 Sep 2020)

MasterDabber said:


> Oh well, at least I went out and mowed the lawn to relieve the boredom.




now theres an idea , if tomorrows stage is boring , could you cut my lawn  (well,.. grass , cant really call it a lawn)


----------



## MasterDabber (3 Sep 2020)

roadrash said:


> now theres an idea , if tomorrows stage is boring , could you cut my lawn  (well,.. grass , cant really call it a lawn)


Sorry, I've got the back to do tomorrow.


----------



## rich p (3 Sep 2020)

MasterDabber said:


> Sorry, I've got the back to do tomorrow.


You mow your back? 
Werewolf?


----------



## Adam4868 (3 Sep 2020)

Odd stage today,It was a near certain stage win for Lutsenko and Ineos rode that defensively to protect Bernal,I'm suprised Jumbo didn't try and attack ? 
It does look like Bernal is slightly off form,but I'd hope he or Sivakov can ride themselves fit for week three.With no real big TT it's going to be hard to break the leaders ?


----------



## beastie (3 Sep 2020)

Adam4868 said:


> Odd stage today,It was a near certain stage win for Lutsenko and Ineos rode that defensively to protect Bernal,I'm suprised Jumbo didn't try and attack ?
> It does look like Bernal is slightly off form,but I'd hope he or Sivakov can ride themselves fit for week three.With no real big TT it's going to be hard to break the leaders ?


The profile for the final climbs just wasn’t hard enough to make it worth the candle. Also it’s still early in the race and the fatigue has yet to accumulate.
I don’t think there will be much damage done until the Grand Colombier and then the Col de la Loze. The day after that (stage 18) is a real hard up and down, and with tired legs from la Loze I expect action again.
That being said Saturday could see some action over the top of the Peyresourde. Not like this 


View: https://dai.ly/x2r9ju4


----------



## mjr (4 Sep 2020)

beastie said:


> It’s that you can’t take on food or drink at these times. If you have bidons and pockets full then fair play


Yet UCI President Lapdog tried to start a fight over Evenepoel carrying a so-called "finish pack" in his pockets at Lombardia.


----------



## Adam4868 (4 Sep 2020)

What do we reckon...can Yates possibly win this Tour ? I never really bought the only going for stage wins blag but he looks pretty good.
Hopefully we'll get a battle of some sorts coming up.Not heard much of Landa,Lopez,Porte so far ? 
(Actually being sarcastic about Porte 😁)


----------



## Beebo (4 Sep 2020)

His plan for stage wins is well and truly shot whilst he remains in Yellow, or anywhere close to the GC.


----------



## rich p (4 Sep 2020)

Adam4868 said:


> What do we reckon...can Yates possibly win this Tour ? I never really bought the only going for stage wins blag but he looks pretty good.
> Hopefully we'll get a battle of some sorts coming up.Not heard much of Landa,Lopez,Porte so far ?
> (Actually being sarcastic about Porte 😁)


I think Yates is hanging in by his fingernails and will be blown away as soon as it gets steep. Although I hope I'm wrong.
I guess the other GC hopefuls are too scared of Roglic to make a move this early.
We need someone to do a Contador ior Nibali or old style Valverde. Landa, Quintana are notoriously conservative.
Has Pogacar got the balls?


----------



## Adam4868 (4 Sep 2020)

rich p said:


> I think Yates is hanging in by his fingernails and will be blown away as soon as it gets steep. Although I hope I'm wrong.
> I guess the other GC hopefuls are too scared of Roglic to make a move this early.
> We need someone to do a Contador ior Nibali or old style Valverde. Landa, Quintana are notoriously conservative.
> Has Pogacar got the balls?


Pogacar better have I'll never mention his name again if he doesn't finish with a podium place ! I still think stages like yesterday someone should have gone for it.Lutsenko was climbing/finishing the last climb faster than the peloton...Ineos were just damage limitation at the front.Bernal telling Kwiato to "take it easy" lol.I still think Bernal and hopefully Sivakov will come into their own later/week three.Bring on the mountains.


----------



## matticus (4 Sep 2020)

Bernal *might* still be nursing back issues, and hoping they'll be better in weeks 2/3. /speculation

(and also hoping that Roglic peaked at the Dolphinée !!! )


----------



## rich p (4 Sep 2020)

I'd be more than happy if Roglic, Pogacar or Dumoulin won it. I've lost the affinity for Skineos I used to have when Wiggo, Cav and Thomas were in their pomp


----------



## Adam4868 (4 Sep 2020)

To be fair I'm not really bothered who wins it.Theres nobody in the current race that I dislike.I was allways biased for Sky/Ineos when Froome raced though !


----------



## rich p (4 Sep 2020)

Do you remember when Edvald Boassen-Hagen was a decent rider? 
WTF was he hoping to do yesterday on a summit finish? He should be the sort of rider who could challenge Sagan for the points jersey but he's totally lost his way in the last few years.


----------



## Adam4868 (4 Sep 2020)

rich p said:


> Do you remember when Edvald Boassen-Hagen was a decent rider?
> WTF was he hoping to do yesterday on a summit finish? He should be the sort of rider who could challenge Sagan for the points jersey but he's totally lost his way in the last few years.


Saving himself for the tour of Norway ? Must of fancied himself yesterday though or he really isn't up to the sprints.


----------



## matticus (4 Sep 2020)

rich p said:


> Do you remember when Edvald Boassen-Hagen was a decent rider?
> WTF was he hoping to do yesterday on a summit finish? He should be the sort of rider who could challenge Sagan for the points jersey but he's totally lost his way in the last few years.


Errrrghh - hard to comment; he's always been 2nd division (but with promise) for me.
2x Tour of Britain wins
5th in Paris Roubaix (bugger all else in the monuments)
4x Grand Tour stage wins?

Might have won more if he hadn't joined the Sky machine, but never a GT jersey contender. IMO. Perhaps.


----------



## rich p (4 Sep 2020)

Adam4868 said:


> Saving himself for the tour of Norway ?


This!


----------



## rich p (4 Sep 2020)

Bora Bora!


----------



## Adam4868 (4 Sep 2020)

Sprints are the new mountain stages...let's hope for vicious winds !


----------



## rich p (4 Sep 2020)

Unexpected (by me) interesting brutal start to the stage with Bora splitting the whole sprint teams to pieces.


----------



## roadrash (4 Sep 2020)

bennet under pressure, kristoff, ewan, nizzolo and viviani ...all been spat out the back , and maybe crosswinds to come, and i thought today they would trundle along untill the final sprint


----------



## Eziemnaik (4 Sep 2020)

Adam4868 said:


> Pogacar better have I'll never mention his name again if he doesn't finish with a podium place ! I still think stages like yesterday someone should have gone for it.Lutsenko was climbing/finishing the last climb faster than the peloton...Ineos were just damage limitation at the front.Bernal telling Kwiato to "take it easy" lol.I still think Bernal and hopefully Sivakov will come into their own later/week three.Bring on the mountains.


He seems to be rather unlucky so far with punctures etc


----------



## Eziemnaik (4 Sep 2020)

roadrash said:


> bennet under pressure, kristoff, ewan, nizzolo and viviani ...all been spat out the back , and maybe crosswinds to come, and i thought today they would trundle along untill the final sprint


Bora is trying hard to regain that jersey


----------



## roadrash (4 Sep 2020)

not like thomas de gendt to go off on his own..........


----------



## rich p (4 Sep 2020)

Dylan van Barle looks like a 1st World War RFC pilot


----------



## roadrash (4 Sep 2020)

Splits are comin yates nearly got caught out there...


----------



## roadrash (4 Sep 2020)

pogacar caught out, didnt make the front group


----------



## rich p (4 Sep 2020)

And Richie Porte missed out!


----------



## rich p (4 Sep 2020)

And Landa. This is a critical moment


----------



## roadrash (4 Sep 2020)

has quintana made the front ....he usually gets caught out in crosswinds


----------



## rich p (4 Sep 2020)

roadrash said:


> has quintana made the front ....he usually gets caught out in crosswinds


He has


----------



## roadrash (4 Sep 2020)

just seen , thanks


----------



## SWSteve (4 Sep 2020)

Carapaz dropped out the front group. Why not drop behind rather than kill yourself trying to get back on


----------



## rich p (4 Sep 2020)

ItsSteveLovell said:


> Carapaz dropped out the front group. Why not drop behind rather than kill yourself trying to get back on


I guess they think he's still plan B?
Amador is nowhere to be seen yet again. Should have taken TGH!


----------



## Eziemnaik (4 Sep 2020)

Best stage so far
Astana and Bora doing some great work
Sagan to take the stage?


----------



## rich p (4 Sep 2020)

Any other sprinters still there? 
Hofstetter and Coquard apparently


----------



## rich p (4 Sep 2020)

WVA for the stage


----------



## roadrash (4 Sep 2020)

surely alaphilipe is going to go for the sprint to try take some seconds back


----------



## roadrash (4 Sep 2020)

sagan chain comes off in the sprint


----------



## StuAff (4 Sep 2020)

Wout a finish.


----------



## rich p (4 Sep 2020)

WVA nails it. What a guy


----------



## roadrash (4 Sep 2020)

Once again...


Wins

Virtually

All of em


----------



## roadrash (4 Sep 2020)

why did alaphilipe stop and raise his arm


----------



## Eziemnaik (4 Sep 2020)

Alaphlippe the petulant


----------



## Adam4868 (4 Sep 2020)

Eddy Boss second now what were we saying earlier 🙄
Wout though ! Unbeatable at the moment


----------



## Adam4868 (4 Sep 2020)

roadrash said:


> sagan chain comes off in the sprint


Thought he unclipped ?


----------



## beastie (4 Sep 2020)

mjr said:


> Yet UCI President Lapdog tried to start a fight over Evenepoel carrying a so-called "finish pack" in his pockets at Lombardia.


That’s because it looked suspiciously like an electronic device, and not a bottle. At least that’s what the UCI said......
The no feeding rule is well known and regularly enforced. It’s just a little mistake by Alaphilippe’ soigneur, which is penalised by the rules


----------



## Eziemnaik (4 Sep 2020)

It will be interesting to see if time and points lost and won today will prove decisive in Paris in two weeks


----------



## Adam4868 (4 Sep 2020)

Eziemnaik said:


> It will be interesting to see if time and points lost and won today will prove decisive in Paris in two weeks


Massive loss 1,21 for the likes of Pogacar,Carapaz,Landa,Porte....on a plus note there's going to be some big attacks to try and recoup some of that !


----------



## roadrash (4 Sep 2020)

Adam4868 said:


> on a plus note there's going to be some big attacks to try and recoup some of that !


 I certainly hope so.


----------



## Adam4868 (4 Sep 2020)

You were right @roadrash definately dropped his chain...and a f-bomb 😂

View: https://twitter.com/LeTour/status/1301928493333336064?s=19


----------



## Eziemnaik (4 Sep 2020)

Can WVA challange in the future for Grand Tours?


----------



## Adam4868 (4 Sep 2020)

Eziemnaik said:


> Can WVA challange in the future for Grand Tours?


I think more the question is what can't he do !
Cyclo cross champ,bunch sprints, pulling his team up climbs.Look what he's won allready.
Theres no reason why he can't win anything by the looks of it.
Almost forgot he's only a domestque at this tour 🙄


----------



## Aussie Rider in London (4 Sep 2020)

Is WVA the most impressive domestique in memory?

(Genuine question, as I have only followed the sport for the last few years).


----------



## Eziemnaik (4 Sep 2020)

That would be Froome circa 2012
What must have been going through his mind as he was waiting for Wiggins


----------



## ColinJ (5 Sep 2020)

Eziemnaik said:


> That would be Froome circa 2012
> *What must have been going through his mind as he was waiting for Wiggins*


"_I'm bloody well going to win it next year!_" ?


----------



## Adam4868 (5 Sep 2020)

Aussie Rider in London said:


> Is WVA the most impressive domestique in memory?
> 
> (Genuine question, as I have only followed the sport for the last few years).


Lol...it's a stretch to call him a domestque.Yesterdays stage,It takes a pretty special sort of rider to work for your team in those conditions.Then when most domestques would be pulling off he thinks I'll go for the sprint !


----------



## matticus (5 Sep 2020)

Eziemnaik said:


> That would be Froome circa 2012
> What must have been going through his mind as he was waiting for Wiggins


"Oh Christ, is that me in 2020?"


----------



## roadrash (5 Sep 2020)

nizzolo abandoned, dont know why yet


----------



## Martinsnos (5 Sep 2020)

Do pro riders drink enough? I only ever see them taking small sips - over the hour, I can’t see how it adds up to the required amount?!
However, they do still seem to perform at quite a good level !!! I don’t get it?!


----------



## roadrash (5 Sep 2020)

if your watching on telly , you have no idea how much they drink over an hour , camera doesn't stay on one rider for an hour, the guys in the team car constantly remind them to eat and drink enough, i would say pro riders are "top level" not just ...quite a good level


----------



## kingrollo (5 Sep 2020)

I know he loves his cycling but Matt Rendell (itv4) is a terrible co commentator...!


----------



## roadrash (5 Sep 2020)

kingrollo said:


> I know he loves his cycling but Matt Rendell (itv4) is a terrible co commentator...!


he is just so monotonous , i dont think he could get excited if his life depended on it


----------



## StuAff (5 Sep 2020)

Pinot looking like he's up a mountainous creek without much propulsion.


----------



## roadrash (5 Sep 2020)

pinot looks fecked


----------



## StuAff (5 Sep 2020)

Ah, Sivakov, this year's Black Knight of the peloton. Twas but a scratch, it seems…


----------



## Eziemnaik (5 Sep 2020)

So much for


roadrash said:


> pinot looks fecked


Out of GC, looks like about to abandon


----------



## Eziemnaik (5 Sep 2020)

Powless, Skujins and de Gent so far most active riders


----------



## roadrash (5 Sep 2020)

Alaphilipe gives a 5 second attack then drops out the back


----------



## StuAff (5 Sep 2020)

roadrash said:


> Alaphilipe gives a 5 second attack then drops out the back


Quite. WTAF?!!!


----------



## Eziemnaik (5 Sep 2020)

Pagacqr Nairo and Roglic just broke away!


----------



## roadrash (5 Sep 2020)

yates suffering


----------



## roadrash (5 Sep 2020)

quintana looks like a coiled spring


----------



## Beebo (5 Sep 2020)

Eurosport said Yates was a gonna. 
But he has made it back.


----------



## Eziemnaik (5 Sep 2020)

Great last few km
Pogacar opened 20s gap


----------



## roadrash (5 Sep 2020)

pogacar has 1 minute


----------



## Eziemnaik (5 Sep 2020)

Roglic looks regal responding to all attacks


----------



## Supersuperleeds (5 Sep 2020)

kingrollo said:


> I know he loves his cycling but Matt Rendell (itv4) is a terrible co commentator...!



Not as bad as the daffodil called David Millar. Have I mentioned this year how much I detest him?


----------



## Beebo (5 Sep 2020)

Well done Yates.
Good effort


----------



## roadrash (5 Sep 2020)

finally some action... yates just hangs on to yellow, whats tomorrow gonna bring....


----------



## Adam4868 (5 Sep 2020)

First cracks showing in Jumbo on that stage I think.Great ride by Pogacar I'm still hopeful he can make the podium.


----------



## kingrollo (5 Sep 2020)

roadrash said:


> he is just so monotonous , i dont think he could get excited if his life depended on it



David Millar got really peed off with him ....."What do you mean"


----------



## Eziemnaik (5 Sep 2020)

Adam4868 said:


> First cracks showing in Jumbo on that stage I think.Great ride by Pogacar I'm still hopeful he can make the podium.


I still think they are a team to beat
Roglic did not skip a beat
Everyone else lost domestiqes on the final climb
WVA might have to be saved for the final push though
We will find out more tomorrow
On tye other side I can see now Bernal grownig, slowly but steadily


----------



## gavroche (5 Sep 2020)

Sadly for Pinot, he can only hope for a stage win now, he seems to be having back problems.


----------



## Adam4868 (5 Sep 2020)

gavroche said:


> Sadly for Pinot, he can only hope for a stage win now, he seems to be having back problems.


Feel for him but I can't honestly say I've ever thought of him as a Tour winner.


----------



## Adam4868 (5 Sep 2020)

Eziemnaik said:


> I still think they are a team to beat
> Roglic did not skip a beat
> Everyone else lost domestiqes on the final climb
> WVA might have to be saved for the final push though
> ...


I'm surprised he didn't try and go with Pogacar..but dare I say I'm not sure he could of...He set a new record on Col de Peyresourde today,not been beaten since 2003.Hes some rider.
If your interested what sort of ride that was.
http://www.climbing-records.com/2020/09/tadej-pogacar-crushes-peyresourde-record.html?m=1


----------



## Eziemnaik (5 Sep 2020)

Same thing happened a couple of times in the last year's Vuelta...
Both Slovenians were in a tip top form...
Pogacar went for stage wins, Roglic won the Vuelta
In any case, there his best is yet to come and all the better for the show


----------



## Adam4868 (5 Sep 2020)

Some pretty big crowds out there today on the climbs ? Hope they don't spoil it for us armchair fans.


----------



## Martinsnos (5 Sep 2020)

Marginal gains - earlier in the stage, why do GC riders have their own bottles? Get the domestiques to carry them for them? At least 750g saved?

Appreciated Pinot was out of it but I wondered why above isn’t done on seeing that he had 2 bottles still in cages on climb (appreciate don’t know how much was in them).


----------



## Once a Wheeler (6 Sep 2020)

Martinsnos said:


> Marginal gains - earlier in the stage, why do GC riders have their own bottles? Get the domestiques to carry them for them? At least 750g saved?


Presumably to prevent what happened to Alaphilippe who, for the sake of a bottle, lost 20 seconds and the yellow jersey. Froom also suffered a time penalty for taking food from a team-mate in the last 5km of a stage a couple of years ago. GC contenders need a minimum of self-sufficiency; but it is a tough call. I seem to remember seeing a rider take on a bottle and immediately pour half of it away — presumably a weight-saving calculation. The Tour was never just in the legs.


----------



## Grant Fondo (6 Sep 2020)

Grrrr, 5 hours of recorded Eurosport and last 2 or 3 kms of stage missed again! Highlights to the rescue.
Would have been last day of Vuelta today, they will appreciate the more benign weather for sure, now finishes Nov 8th.


----------



## beastie (6 Sep 2020)

Eziemnaik said:


> On tye other side I can see now Bernal grownig, slowly but steadily


JV May have missed opportunities to put time in to rivals, some of whom(Bernal and esp Quintana) may get stronger as the race gets deeper. I don’t understand TD setting such a hard pace if Roglic wasn’t going to attack, TD could have ridden at a lower rate and maybe not drop other JV riders if Roglic was only going to defend....


----------



## Adam4868 (6 Sep 2020)

beastie said:


> JV May have missed opportunities to put time in to rivals, some of whom(Bernal and esp Quintana) may get stronger as the race gets deeper. I don’t understand TD setting such a hard pace if Roglic wasn’t going to attack, TD could have ridden at a lower rate and maybe not drop other JV riders if Roglic was only going to defend....


Bennet and Kuss were done for yesterday after the day before.Dumoulin maybe thought he's nowhere near winning the tour so he'll sacrifice himself.
Still think he should of at least tried to go with Pogacar and put some time in his rivals.But makes it more exiting anyway.Prefer it to go "down to the wire" 😁


----------



## beastie (6 Sep 2020)

Adam4868 said:


> Bennet and Kuss were done for yesterday after the day before.Dumoulin maybe thought he's nowhere near winning the tour so he'll sacrifice himself.
> Still think he should of at least tried to go with Pogacar and put some time in his rivals.But makes it more exiting anyway.Prefer it to go "down to the wire" 😁


Yeah I can understand Dumoulin pulling a turn and he did a lot of damage to everyone, but is Roglic doesn’t attack then it’s a waste. This is shaping up to be a brilliant race. Roglic, Pogacar, Bernal, Martin, Uran, Yates, Quintana, Lopez are all possible winners. Jumbo look like a super team until the last climb. 
I fancy Quintana can do it on the MTFs of week 3, and the ITT will not be as damaging with the climb to la Panche de belle Filles


----------



## Eziemnaik (6 Sep 2020)

I would like for Quintana to win just to rub it in Movistar face


----------



## Adam4868 (6 Sep 2020)

Martinsnos said:


> Marginal gains - earlier in the stage, why do GC riders have their own bottles? Get the domestiques to carry them for them? At least 750g saved?
> 
> Appreciated Pinot was out of it but I wondered why above isn’t done on seeing that he had 2 bottles still in cages on climb (appreciate don’t know how much was in them).


Bottles....I refer you to stage 19 of the 2018 giro.Possibly the best stage of a GT in the past at least 10 years...
I'm not really biased 😁

View: https://youtu.be/9USGFIF2UWc


----------



## beastie (6 Sep 2020)

Yup great stage. This is up there...

View: https://youtu.be/BpNyma_yf_w


----------



## beastie (6 Sep 2020)

And my favourite 

View: https://youtu.be/tkjSLKuqmmg


----------



## Adam4868 (6 Sep 2020)

beastie said:


> JV May have missed opportunities to put time in to rivals, some of whom(Bernal and esp Quintana) may get stronger as the race gets deeper. I don’t understand TD setting such a hard pace if Roglic wasn’t going to attack, TD could have ridden at a lower rate and maybe not drop other JV riders if Roglic was only going to defend....


Looks like Roglic couldn't go with Pogacar and no wonder,he was untouchable out there yesterday.

View: https://twitter.com/itvcycling/status/1302556091847499777?s=19


----------



## Adam4868 (6 Sep 2020)

Looks like Fabio is done for ☹️


----------



## roadrash (6 Sep 2020)

3 mins 50 sec behind , doesnt look well


----------



## roadrash (6 Sep 2020)

broom wagon i think!!!


----------



## Supersuperleeds (6 Sep 2020)

I'm presuming that Aru doesn't have a team car back with him, so what happens if he has a mechanical, is he just screwed?


----------



## Adam4868 (6 Sep 2020)

Supersuperleeds said:


> I'm presuming that Aru doesn't have a team car back with him, so what happens if he has a mechanical, is he just screwed?


He's done for if he has a mechanical,can't see him lasting much longer.


----------



## rich p (6 Sep 2020)

Adam4868 said:


> He's done for


----------



## rich p (6 Sep 2020)

Pinot is...(insert your own words)!!!!!


----------



## rich p (6 Sep 2020)

...a French enigma?
...a French tosser?


----------



## Adam4868 (6 Sep 2020)

rich p said:


> Pinot is...(insert your own words)!!!!!


Just another day of drama for Thibaut 😁


----------



## cyberknight (6 Sep 2020)

Grant Fondo said:


> Grrrr, 5 hours of recorded Eurosport and last 2 or 3 kms of stage missed again! Highlights to the rescue.
> Would have been last day of Vuelta today, they will appreciate the more benign weather for sure, now finishes Nov 8th.


which is why i only record the itv 4 highlights, it might not be the bestc overage but at least you get the right program


----------



## rich p (6 Sep 2020)

The trouble with uninterrupted Eurosport Player coverage is that you get no relief with adverts from Carlton's inane wittering and mis-calling


----------



## Adam4868 (6 Sep 2020)

There's going to be some cracking on this first climb by the looks of it.


----------



## Adam4868 (6 Sep 2020)

rich p said:


> The trouble with uninterrupted Eurosport Player coverage is that you get no relief with adverts from Carlton's inane wittering and mis-calling


I allways record so I can rewind to get the punchline of king Carlton's jokes 😁


----------



## Adam4868 (6 Sep 2020)

Right I've been ordered to be sociable and we're going out ! Highlights for me tonight.


----------



## Adam4868 (6 Sep 2020)

Can he last out.....🤞lol


----------



## roadrash (6 Sep 2020)

Aru abandoned


----------



## Martinsnos (6 Sep 2020)

Once a Wheeler said:


> Presumably to prevent what happened to Alaphilippe who, for the sake of a bottle, lost 20 seconds and the yellow jersey. Froom also suffered a time penalty for taking food from a team-mate in the last 5km of a stage a couple of years ago. GC contenders need a minimum of self-sufficiency; but it is a tough call. I seem to remember seeing a rider take on a bottle and immediately pour half of it away — presumably a weight-saving calculation. The Tour was never just in the legs.


Thanks.
I didn’t realise there are restrictions on taking from riders, I thought it was ‘staff’ only. I certainly think that at the early part of a stage where there are a few hills, someone else taking the weight of your water wouldn’t be a bad idea.


----------



## Martinsnos (6 Sep 2020)

Adam4868 said:


> Bottles....I refer you to stage 19 of the 2018 giro.Possibly the best stage of a GT in the past at least 10 years...
> I'm not really biased 😁
> 
> View: https://youtu.be/9USGFIF2UWc



I’m sure they would plan things differently if it became a tactic. Was just a thought. Even if it was done at the early part of pedestrian stages with some hill it is a lot of weight saved.


----------



## rich p (6 Sep 2020)

roadrash said:


> Aru abandoned


Yates is abandoned by his team-mates a bit too easily


----------



## Martinsnos (6 Sep 2020)

Grant Fondo said:


> Grrrr, 5 hours of recorded Eurosport and last 2 or 3 kms of stage missed again! Highlights to the rescue.
> Would have been last day of Vuelta today, they will appreciate the more benign weather for sure, now finishes Nov 8th.



I’d be embarrassed to work for Eurosport - the number of times they muck things up! 
Also I thought - The Breakaway - was very good but no attempt at one this year.


----------



## rich p (6 Sep 2020)

Martinsnos said:


> I’d be embarrassed to work for Eurosport - the number of times they muck things up!
> Also I thought - The Breakaway - was very good but no attempt at one this year.


It's a live event and nobody knows how long each stage will take. Just record an hour extra


----------



## roadrash (6 Sep 2020)

Martinsnos said:


> I’d be embarrassed to work for Eurosport - the number of times they muck things up!
> Also I thought - The Breakaway - was very good but no attempt at one this year.


 

Its not what you would call i normal year though, im just grateful for whatever cycling we do get to see


----------



## beastie (6 Sep 2020)

Supersuperleeds said:


> I'm presuming that Aru doesn't have a team car back with him, so what happens if he has a mechanical, is he just screwed?


Aru abandoned


----------



## StuAff (6 Sep 2020)

Somewhat ironically, Reichenbach is a lousy descender. Nominative antideterminism?


----------



## beastie (6 Sep 2020)

Dogtrousers said:


> Giuseppe Saronni , UAE bigwig, unimpressed
> 
> View: https://twitter.com/laflammerouge16/status/1302590746361581568?s=19



Pretty savage assassination of an employee. New team for Aru next year. Not that he is wrong mind....


----------



## beastie (6 Sep 2020)

Kirkby back on Eurosport, time to change to ITV


----------



## StuAff (6 Sep 2020)

Dogtrousers said:


> Giuseppe Saronni , UAE bigwig, unimpressed
> 
> View: https://twitter.com/laflammerouge16/status/1302590746361581568?s=19



Ouch. He obviously has a point in the circumstances, but at the same time, who selected him in the first place....?


----------



## beastie (6 Sep 2020)

Doesn’t look like much is gonna happen
....


----------



## StuAff (6 Sep 2020)

Famous last words, @beastie…
Pogačar attacks.


----------



## Eziemnaik (6 Sep 2020)

Go go Pogacar


----------



## beastie (6 Sep 2020)

Pogacar tried!!


----------



## beastie (6 Sep 2020)

I’ll happily be wrong if there more action.. TD keeping him in range. Yates goes pop....


----------



## StuAff (6 Sep 2020)

Bernal giving it a go now…


----------



## beastie (6 Sep 2020)

No Quintana?? Bernal now


----------



## beastie (6 Sep 2020)

Pogacar has to go again surely


----------



## roadrash (6 Sep 2020)

oooh thought roglic was going to take bernal out then


----------



## Eziemnaik (6 Sep 2020)

Pogacar nearly lost the race


----------



## Supersuperleeds (6 Sep 2020)

Blimey nearly took him out


----------



## beastie (6 Sep 2020)

Nearly chute catastrophe!!


----------



## roadrash (6 Sep 2020)

Hirschi giving everything hes got on the descent


----------



## roadrash (6 Sep 2020)

pogacar takes the win, really wanted Hirschi to win that, Roglic takes the yellow jumper


----------



## rich p (6 Sep 2020)

Poor Hirschi!


----------



## beastie (6 Sep 2020)

Poor Hirschi nearly! Just sprinted 25 metres too early.


----------



## StuAff (6 Sep 2020)

Rotten for Hirschi, but fair play to Pogačar…


----------



## Eziemnaik (6 Sep 2020)

Pogacar wins, advantage Roglic

My GF just said the guy in the yellow is the best, everyday on the podium


----------



## SWSteve (6 Sep 2020)

Eziemnaik said:


> Pogacar wins, advantage Roglic
> 
> My GF just said the guy in the yellow is the best, everyday on the podium


She’s not wrong


----------



## SWSteve (6 Sep 2020)

beastie said:


> Poor Hirschi nearly! Just sprinted 25 metres too early.



was yelling at the tv as soon as he opened it out. what a finish


----------



## beastie (6 Sep 2020)

ItsSteveLovell said:


> was yelling at the tv as soon as he opened it out. what a finish


Yes, me too. Great last 25kms


----------



## Martinsnos (6 Sep 2020)

rich p said:


> It's a live event and nobody knows how long each stage will take. Just record an hour extra


How about when it is scheduled to start at x time and I end up watching tennis or snooker instead?!


----------



## rich p (6 Sep 2020)

Martinsnos said:


> How about when it is scheduled to start at x time and I end up watching tennis or snooker instead?!


They're live events too and snooker or tennis fans would be as pissed off as you if they cut halfway through the last frame or set to go to hear Brian Smith and Carlton Kirby talking about pork and apricot recipes.


----------



## Starchivore (6 Sep 2020)

That was a great stage, so good to watch. It had most of the key elements, and Hirschi was the heroic loser that we all love. I really wanted him to do it, he did so well to re-assess and hang on to the others when they were catching, and then probably just went for it a bit too early but it's so easy for me to say that from a comfy sofa. The stage is still an achievement for him. I think the race is looking good


----------



## Bonus (6 Sep 2020)

Really thought he was going to take it..... he worked so hard over the last 50kms.

The race has been just up the road from us for the last 2 days (well within driving distance anyway) and I'm too tied up with work to have been able to go :-(

The Vuelta is due to pass through Ainsa though - so that's going to be good :-)


----------



## Adam4868 (6 Sep 2020)

Absolutely gutted for Hirsch after that stage ( and myself as I'd backed him ! ) Turning into a great tour though.Still all to play for.
As if losing the stage wasn't bad enough ☹
View: 
View: https://twitter.com/EuroHoody/status/1302647929820319746?s=19


----------



## Adam4868 (6 Sep 2020)

Was that p1ssed that Hirsch didn't win that stage I almost forgot Pogacar won it ! Youngest rider to win a stage of the tour since Armstrong in 93.If we're counting that as a win 🙄


----------



## Grant Fondo (6 Sep 2020)

Great stuff! Gutted for Hirschi. Best Tour and F1 days I have seen in a long time


----------



## SWSteve (7 Sep 2020)

Adam4868 said:


> Absolutely gutted for Hirsch after that stage ( and myself as I'd backed him ! ) Turning into a great tour though.Still all to play for.
> As if losing the stage wasn't bad enough ☹
> View:
> View: https://twitter.com/EuroHoody/status/1302647929820319746?s=19




he’s a technology fraud?


----------



## Adam4868 (7 Sep 2020)

ItsSteveLovell said:


> he’s a technology fraud?


Still can't believe he had that sprint in him after 90k solo !


----------



## rich p (7 Sep 2020)

Adam4868 said:


> Still can't believe he had that sprint in him after 90k solo !


I feel your loss Adam. Back to bread and water and nowt for the kids again
Was it a sticky bottle offence?


----------



## Adam4868 (7 Sep 2020)

rich p said:


> I feel your loss Adam. Back to bread and water and nowt for the kids again
> Was it a sticky bottle offence?


Yea sticky bottle I think...give the lad a break !


----------



## matticus (7 Sep 2020)

Adam4868 said:


> Absolutely gutted for Hirsch after that stage ( and myself as I'd backed him ! ) Turning into a great tour though.Still all to play for.
> As if losing the stage wasn't bad enough ☹
> View:
> View: https://twitter.com/EuroHoody/status/1302647929820319746?s=19



If I'm reading that right (love the whistle pictograms!) the offence was feeding in the last 20km, penalty 20seconds and some Swiss Francs.

If he HAD won the stage, would the victory have stood??


----------



## Adam4868 (7 Sep 2020)

Fines are sometimes tactical,time penaltys are a different ball game.


----------



## matticus (7 Sep 2020)

It's hilarious that he kept the bonus seconds for 3rd place - how very French!


----------



## Flick of the Elbow (7 Sep 2020)

Adam4868 said:


> Absolutely gutted for Hirsch after that stage ( and myself as I'd backed him ! ) Turning into a great tour though.Still all to play for.
> As if losing the stage wasn't bad enough ☹
> View:
> View: https://twitter.com/EuroHoody/status/1302647929820319746?s=19



Looks like he also got 200CHF fine for throwing rubbish away outside a zone. Pleased to see this but most of them appear to be doing this most of the time, not just the three listed here.


----------



## roadrash (8 Sep 2020)

On the coast today, could make for some interesting crosswinds........hopefuly.


----------



## beastie (8 Sep 2020)

roadrash said:


> On the coast today, could make for some interesting crosswinds........hopefuly.


The weather forecast is for not much wind sadly...


----------



## Eziemnaik (8 Sep 2020)

Who will have an advantage in the TT?
It is a hilly course....


----------



## Shadow (8 Sep 2020)

Forecast is for tailwind until la Rochelle, where they turn left. If wind increases a little then, we might have enough crosswinds for some fun.

I cannot recall such a flat stage; highest point being bridge to Ile de Ré! _Average _expected speed for the stage 45 kph!!

Any small wagers today @Adam4868 that is not Ewan or Bennett?


----------



## roadrash (8 Sep 2020)

beastie said:


> The weather forecast is for not much wind sadly...


----------



## Adam4868 (8 Sep 2020)

Shadow said:


> Forecast is for tailwind until la Rochelle, where they turn left. If wind increases a little then, we might have enough crosswinds for some fun.
> 
> I cannot recall such a flat stage; highest point being bridge to Ile de Ré! _Average _expected speed for the stage 45 kph!!
> 
> Any small wagers today @Adam4868 that is not Ewan or Bennett?


I've gone with Bol...sooner or later he's gotta take a stage ! Pretty please.


----------



## roadrash (8 Sep 2020)

well the break of 2 was rather quickly formed, ..straight from the off.


----------



## beastie (8 Sep 2020)

Nasty crash


----------



## beastie (8 Sep 2020)

roadrash said:


> On the coast today, could make for some interesting crosswinds........hopefuly.


I stand corrected, just enough


----------



## roadrash (8 Sep 2020)

sam bewley of mitchelton scott abandoned after the crash


----------



## roadrash (8 Sep 2020)

tom skujins has left a fair amount of lycra and skin on the road


----------



## SWSteve (8 Sep 2020)

roadrash said:


> tom skujins has left a fair amount of lycra and skn on the road



maybe they were playing shirts vs Skujins...

I’ll get my coat


----------



## roadrash (8 Sep 2020)

nasty crash, formolo took a nasty hit


----------



## Eziemnaik (8 Sep 2020)

Some narrow streets...
Skujins looks like SM wear advert


----------



## DCLane (8 Sep 2020)

Interesting 'sticky bottle' from Arkea Samsic at the back


----------



## Adam4868 (8 Sep 2020)

Some are going to get caught out here.


----------



## roadrash (8 Sep 2020)

crash


----------



## roadrash (8 Sep 2020)

alaphilipe with a mechanical, not a good time


----------



## roadrash (8 Sep 2020)

Dogtrousers said:


> Do you think Pinot will make it to Paris?
> 
> View attachment 546072



NO


----------



## roadrash (8 Sep 2020)

mistake from jumbo visma , nearly went the wrong way , they went from front of group to the back


----------



## Eziemnaik (8 Sep 2020)

Some wasted watts...
Luckily for them made it back


----------



## roadrash (8 Sep 2020)

Bennet finally wins the sprint


----------



## SWSteve (8 Sep 2020)

Imagine if Pedersen wasn’t about 20th wheel coming in to the sprint!


----------



## Adam4868 (8 Sep 2020)

So relieved Bennet's won a stage,one in all three tours now.There was a queue to get on his wheel aswell !


----------



## Adam4868 (8 Sep 2020)

Get well soon ! 

View: https://twitter.com/TeamUAEAbuDhabi/status/1303364537605910534?s=19


----------



## roadrash (8 Sep 2020)

Adam4868 said:


> Get well soon !
> 
> View: https://twitter.com/TeamUAEAbuDhabi/status/1303364537605910534?s=19


----------



## roadrash (8 Sep 2020)

I think MR Sam Bennet was a touch emotional in his post race interview really pleased for him


----------



## Adam4868 (8 Sep 2020)

roadrash said:


> I think MR Sam Bennet was a touch emotional in his post race interview really pleased for him


Anything Irish in our house...my partner crying at him crying


----------



## Cathryn (8 Sep 2020)

I don't mean to be unkind, but Gary Imlach isn't looking himself this year. Is he okay?


----------



## Adam4868 (8 Sep 2020)

Cathryn said:


> I don't mean to be unkind, but Gary Imlach isn't looking himself this year. Is he okay?


I know what you mean Cathryn...that jacket.What was he thinking,far to autumnal !





Edited to say I'm sure he's fine,thought he'd been on good form.😁


----------



## matticus (9 Sep 2020)

Adam4868 said:


> I know what you mean Cathryn...that jacket.What was he thinking,far to autumnal !


What an odd outfit - it's almost like he's not enjoying July in the sunny south of France.


----------



## matticus (9 Sep 2020)

Dogtrousers said:


> Do you think Pinot will make it to Paris?
> 
> View attachment 546072
> 
> ...


What feed is THAT from??


----------



## rich p (9 Sep 2020)

Dogtrousers said:


> Do you think Pinot will make it to Paris?
> 
> View attachment 546072
> 
> ...


I thought he'd gone home to milk his goats already


----------



## rich p (9 Sep 2020)

Cathryn said:


> I don't mean to be unkind, but Gary Imlach isn't looking himself this year. Is he okay?


My mum would have said that he needs a decent meal.
I'm of the opinion that putting a bit of lard on, with age, is a positive thing


----------



## Adam4868 (9 Sep 2020)

Bennet sort of day again ? Last time a stage finished here King Kelly won...
Our house tonight 😁

View: https://twitter.com/Sammmy_Be/status/1303610429705420805?s=19


----------



## mjr (9 Sep 2020)

Cathryn said:


> I don't mean to be unkind, but Gary Imlach isn't looking himself this year. Is he okay?


This lot think he's fine:

View: https://mobile.twitter.com/ImlachHair/status/1303298179321004035


----------



## gavroche (9 Sep 2020)

What happened to having two girls on the stand for the presentation? We now have one woman and one man, just not the same.


----------



## matticus (9 Sep 2020)

Perhaps one woman can do the work of two girls?
(and the man is just there to look pretty)


----------



## Adam4868 (9 Sep 2020)

gavroche said:


> What happened to having two girls on the stand for the presentation? We now have one woman and one man, just not the same.


Gender equality...get with the times ! 😘


----------



## gavroche (9 Sep 2020)

Adam4868 said:


> Gender equality...get with the times ! 😘


I am quite happy with my old fashioned ideas thank you.


----------



## GetFatty (9 Sep 2020)

What happened to not leaving your racing line? That sprint seemed all over the place


----------



## rich p (9 Sep 2020)

GetFatty said:


> What happened to not leaving your racing line? That sprint seemed all over the place


It's always a bit rough and tumble but Sagan went over the line. Can't believe he's still behaving like that after causing Cav to crash a while back and what happened to Fabio Jacobsen. 
He's dropping down my Christmas card list


----------



## GetFatty (9 Sep 2020)

rich p said:


> It's always a bit rough and tumble but Sagan went over the line. Can't believe he's still behaving like that after causing Cav to crash a while back and what happened to Fabio Jacobsen.
> He's dropping down my Christmas card list


I agree it's always been a place I'd not like to be but today there seemed to be 3 or 4 that noticeably left their line


----------



## Adam4868 (9 Sep 2020)

Just watched and have to agree,for some reason as Sagan is so liked maybe ? he seems to be able to take the piss a little or a lot !


----------



## roadrash (9 Sep 2020)

what the feck was sagan thinking?????


----------



## Eziemnaik (9 Sep 2020)

It is a sprint so nothing new in there
Sagan rightly penalised
When Evans won the first sprint this year he was all over the place, squeezing through some ridiculous space, but he did not rough anyone, luckily for him
Bennett is a massive fav for the green (and I did not bet)


----------



## Adam4868 (9 Sep 2020)

Eziemnaik said:


> It is a sprint so nothing new in there
> Sagan rightly penalised
> When Evans won the first sprint this year he was all over the place, squeezing through some ridiculous space, but he did not rough anyone, luckily for him
> Bennett is a massive fav for the green (and I did not bet)


Maybe Sagan feels like his grip on the jersey is fading ? He's had a monopoly on it for years now.
As for SammyB I did back him 






I also backed Nizzolo and wheres he gone...


----------



## Adam4868 (9 Sep 2020)

Dogtrousers said:


> It's fine lines isn't it? Pascal Ackerman won a sprint in Tirreno Adriatico just recentlly by squeezing through an impossibly small gap, we all cheered. There was just room, he slipped through.
> 
> I'm not defending Sagan, as far as I can judge (which, tbh is not far) he was bang to rights.
> 
> In fact I have no idea what point I'm trying to make. Other than that sprinting is bonkers dangerous. It's great when it works, but not when it doesn't.


Squeezing through gaps,whilst Gaviria held his line.Admirably aswell,he could of easily blocked him out.I get the rough and tumble of sprints.But when you get caught out such as today you can't really cry about it.Similar as rich said about the Cav incident.Ive seen online a pic and some saying he was leaning away from a spectator holding a selfie stick....? It looked pretty deliberate to me though.


----------



## Chromatic (9 Sep 2020)

rich p said:


> It's always a bit rough and tumble but Sagan went over the line. Can't believe he's still behaving like that after causing Cav to crash a while back and what happened to Fabio Jacobsen.
> *He's dropping down my Christmas card list*



He's always been a tw@ IMHO.


----------



## ColinJ (10 Sep 2020)

roadrash said:


> what the feck was sagan thinking?????


Translated into English, I reckon it was something like... _*GET OUT OF MY F*****G WAY, I WANT THAT GREEN JERSEY BACK!!!!*_!


----------



## DRM (10 Sep 2020)

Dogtrousers said:


> It's fine lines isn't it? Pascal Ackerman won a sprint in Tirreno Adriatico just recentlly by squeezing through an impossibly small gap, we all cheered. There was just room, he slipped through.
> 
> I'm not defending Sagan, as far as I can judge (which, tbh is not far) he was bang to rights.
> 
> In fact I have no idea what point I'm trying to make. Other than that sprinting is bonkers dangerous. It's great when it works, but not when it doesn't.


It’s my understanding that the squeezing through was bad, but sticking the nut in was the the straw that broke the commissars back.


----------



## Adam4868 (10 Sep 2020)

Some call it good bike handling skills others fecking dangerous...I'm in the second camp.Could of quite easily ended Van Aerts season early.


----------



## Eziemnaik (10 Sep 2020)

Adam4868 said:


> Some call it good bike handling skills others fecking dangerous...I'm in the second camp.Could of quite easily ended Van Aerts season early.


So he should avoid sprints if he would like to avoid this danger
Because it will not be eliminated
Nature of the game


----------



## Adam4868 (10 Sep 2020)

Eziemnaik said:


> So he should avoid sprints if he would like to avoid this danger
> Because it will not be eliminated
> Nature of the game


Except I didn't see anyone else playing bumper cars in that sprint ? Because some get away with it does that make it ok ? Maybe he was trying to make himself some space to avoid a crash,but that's his mistake for putting himself there.Right decision for me.


----------



## matticus (10 Sep 2020)

Definitely the right decision. He was in the wrong, but no harm intended.

Meanwhile, I've finally caught up with coverage of Sam's first win. Oh wow. The most genuine, emotional interview I've seen in sport for a loooong time. I was bit neutral about the guy before, but he's really won me over. So pleased for him.


----------



## Adam4868 (10 Sep 2020)

More injuries for CCC 

View: https://twitter.com/CCCProTeam/status/1303965320818888705?s=19


----------



## Eziemnaik (10 Sep 2020)

Adam4868 said:


> Except I didn't see anyone else playing bumper cars in that sprint ? Because some get away with it does that make it ok ? Maybe he was trying to make himself some space to avoid a crash,but that's his mistake for putting himself there.Right decision for me.


Same here
But
There will always be someone
It may be WVA next time
If you sprint you accept this risk


----------



## matticus (10 Sep 2020)

In WVA's interview (on ITV?) he said he stuck to the right-hand side, and he didn't think anyone COULD come round on his right. This suggests a couple of things:
- he's deliberately riding with a bit more of a safety-first mentality than many sprinters. And
- if he had stuck like glue to the right for another 10metres, Sagan wouldn't have been tempted to start the Shaganigans*, and maybe WVA would have gained a place?

Anyway, an interesting bit of aggro to entertain us, no-one hurt, and the Green Jersey battle has got a LOT more spicey. _Allons-Y_!


*thanks @Dogtrousers


----------



## Adam4868 (10 Sep 2020)

On with the race...weight saving,marginal gains ? Bring on the mountains !
I do hope his hair grows fast for when he's pulling the yellow on in Paris


----------



## rich p (10 Sep 2020)

Adam4868 said:


> On with the race...weight saving,marginal gains ? Bring on the mountains !
> I do hope his hair grows fast for when he's pulling the yellow on in Paris
> View attachment 546350


Holy Christ!
Is he actually bald and a bit of roadkill landed on his nut?


----------



## roadrash (10 Sep 2020)

rich p said:


> Holy Christ!
> Is he actually bald and a bit of roadkill landed on his nut?


I just hope whoever he had the bet with , actually paid up, i mean it must have been for a bet, ... tell me it was


----------



## matticus (10 Sep 2020)

roadrash said:


> I just hope whoever he had the bet with , actually paid up, i mean it must have been for a bet, ... tell me it was


I think he lost.


----------



## Adam4868 (10 Sep 2020)

rich p said:


> Holy Christ!
> Is he actually bald and a bit of roadkill landed on his nut?


I believe they call it a "Columbian peaky blinder" 😁


----------



## roadrash (10 Sep 2020)

Adam4868 said:


> I believe they call it a "Columbian peaky blinder" 😁


I call it ...a total feck up


----------



## Adam4868 (10 Sep 2020)

rich p said:


> Holy Christ!
> Is he actually bald and a bit of roadkill landed on his nut?


Quite like it,can I say it's grown on me 😂


----------



## roadrash (10 Sep 2020)

Adam4868 said:


> Quite like it,can I say it's grown on me 😂


 what ...and then transplanted to egan


----------



## Dave Davenport (10 Sep 2020)

Really hope Hirschi can pull this one off.


----------



## roadrash (10 Sep 2020)

Dave Davenport said:


> Really hope Hirschi can pull this one off.


 so do i


----------



## Dave Davenport (10 Sep 2020)

Yes!


----------



## roadrash (10 Sep 2020)

HIRSCHI


----------



## Once a Wheeler (10 Sep 2020)

Great win. Reminds me of another great Swiss: Ferdi Kübler. Can't wait for the time-trial stage.


----------



## MasterDabber (10 Sep 2020)

Hirschi.... Yes, great win. This win was the one I've enjoyed most in the tour so far this year.


----------



## Adam4868 (10 Sep 2020)

Class act Hirschi,backed him again after his ride the other day.That one really was heartbreak.Rider of the tour so far for me.





🍾


----------



## Shadow (10 Sep 2020)




----------



## Adam4868 (10 Sep 2020)

Big stage tommorow 192k with plenty of climbing.I think Roglic is going to have to try and put some time into Bernal at least.Im not sure he wants to try and sit on 20 seconds going into the Alps ?


----------



## DRM (10 Sep 2020)

Eziemnaik said:


> Same here
> But
> There will always be someone
> It may be WVA next time
> If you sprint you accept this risk


As I put further up, it was the Head butt that sealed his fate, iirc it’s definitely against UCI rules


----------



## matticus (11 Sep 2020)

MasterDabber said:


> Hirschi.... Yes, great win. This win was the one I've enjoyed most in the tour so far this year.


Good call - but _ for me_ the one he lost made the best sporting drama. The fact that he's now got his win allows me - with hindsight - to celebrate them both!


----------



## Adam4868 (11 Sep 2020)

Fancy a EF win today Carthy or Martinez if the break gets given a chance 😁


----------



## Aravis (11 Sep 2020)

Today's hilltop finish is one I've ridden up myself, which I'm sure is a first. That moment of glory was achieved on 36/30, in the days when I still had the energy to stand on the pedals now and then. From what I remember I'll be surprised if all the contenders get the same time today.


----------



## Ridgeway (11 Sep 2020)

Roglic can't afford not to try today, the Alps are coming next week..... even Sunday has Bernal written all over it


----------



## rich p (11 Sep 2020)

Adam4868 said:


> Fancy a EF win today Carthy or Martinez if the break gets given a chance 😁


They're chasing down the break but J-V aren't far away


----------



## rich p (11 Sep 2020)

Just heard the ever-interesting Jonathan Harris-Bass say that the top 10 are the closest they've been at stage 13 since 1947.


----------



## Adam4868 (11 Sep 2020)

rich p said:


> They're chasing down the break but J-V aren't far away


Got them both but it's a long way ! Looks like it's going to be a tough day out there.


----------



## Adam4868 (11 Sep 2020)

rich p said:


> Just heard the ever-interesting Jonathan Harris-Bass say that the top 10 are the closest they've been at stage 13 since 1947.


I was reading yesterday that Roglic and Bernal are exactly the same on riding time.His only advantages have been from time bonus if that makes sense.If Bernal doesn't lose any or much today I still fancy him for yellow.Zivakov looks slightly better so far today


----------



## rich p (11 Sep 2020)

Adam4868 said:


> I was reading yesterday that Roglic and Bernal are exactly the same on riding time.His only advantages have been from time bonus if that makes sense.If Bernal doesn't lose any or much today I still fancy him for yellow.Zivakov looks slightly better so far today


Talking of mental fragility (which we were somewhere!), Pinot is in the same camp as little Richie P!


----------



## Adam4868 (11 Sep 2020)

I can see Pinot as the high wire act next year😁


----------



## rich p (11 Sep 2020)

Adam4868 said:


> I can see Pinot as the high wire act next year😁


Richie would fall off the wire on stage 9 of the highwire...


----------



## rich p (11 Sep 2020)

Adam4868 said:


> I can see Pinot as the high wire act next year😁


And Pinot would retire with a broken finger nail...


----------



## rich p (11 Sep 2020)

Tony Martin used to be the top TTer and capable of winning a short stage race and has morphed into a super-dom.
I wonder if he minds or just sees it as a clever late career extending transition?


----------



## Adam4868 (11 Sep 2020)

rich p said:


> And Pinot would retire with a broken finger nail...


Surely he's got to focus on one day races next year ? Almost forgot I went when he won Lombardia.


----------



## rich p (11 Sep 2020)

Adam4868 said:


> Surely he's got to focus on one day races next year ? Almost forgot I went when he won Lombardia.


Or a career in musical remakes?


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UmmOJx_Hxto&list=RDUmmOJx_Hxto&start_radio=1&t=0


----------



## Adam4868 (11 Sep 2020)

Carthy is a class rider to watch,too far out now I think but definately worth a try,50/1 aswell ! Come on Hugh


----------



## Adam4868 (11 Sep 2020)

rich p said:


> Or a career in musical remakes?
> 
> 
> View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UmmOJx_Hxto&list=RDUmmOJx_Hxto&start_radio=1&t=0



Is that Barguil with him ?


----------



## Milkfloat (11 Sep 2020)

Watching Sam Bennett suffering today brings back some memories for me on Sunday mornings with my climbing loving friends.


----------



## rich p (11 Sep 2020)

Loving the Auvergne scenery


----------



## Martinsnos (11 Sep 2020)

I know little of cycling but I feel I get more genuine insight from the ITV4 coverage than Eurosport. Is this true or am I falling for spin?
(See what I did there?! Didn’t even plan it!!!).


----------



## Eziemnaik (11 Sep 2020)

rich p said:


> Loving the Auvergne scenery


Definitely on the "to cycle before I need artificial hip transplant" list


----------



## Adam4868 (11 Sep 2020)

Martinsnos said:


> I know little of cycling but I feel I get more genuine insight from the ITV4 coverage than Eurosport. Is this true or am I falling for spin?
> (See what I did there?! Didn’t even plan it!!!).


Watch what you enjoy,I only ever use ITV for highlights.Eurosport for me...Don't know why but too much David Millar and he starts to do my head in.


----------



## Adam4868 (11 Sep 2020)

Milkfloat said:


> Watching Sam Bennett suffering today brings back some memories for me on Sunday mornings with my climbing loving friends.


Fingers crossed he makes the time cut off !


----------



## Eziemnaik (11 Sep 2020)

After a great start the last couple of stages became borefests....
And right on cue a crash!


----------



## Adam4868 (11 Sep 2020)

Eziemnaik said:


> After a great start the last couple of stages became borefests....
> And right on cue a crash!


Do you think really,think it's been a great tour so far.


----------



## rich p (11 Sep 2020)

Bardet and Quintana out the back. Hope they get back on


----------



## roadrash (11 Sep 2020)

Eziemnaik said:


> After a great start the last couple of stages became borefests....
> And right on cue a crash!


borefest.... are we watching the same tour


----------



## rich p (11 Sep 2020)

Eziemnaik said:


> After a great start the last couple of stages became borefests....
> And right on cue a crash!


Really? I think we're watching a different race!


----------



## Adam4868 (11 Sep 2020)

rich p said:


> Bardet and Quintana out the back. Hope they get back on


Back up quick enough just hope there ok ! Sure they'll let them draft back


----------



## Adam4868 (11 Sep 2020)

Mollema abandoned ! Feck


----------



## rich p (11 Sep 2020)

Mollema maybe out of it.


----------



## Martinsnos (11 Sep 2020)

Adam4868 said:


> Watch what you enjoy,I only ever use ITV for highlights.Eurosport for me...Don't know why but too much David Millar and he starts to do my head in.


I can be like that for Carlton, so like you say, I should stick to what I like I guess - all the best.


----------



## Eziemnaik (11 Sep 2020)

Sprints are great
Hirsh was awesome
But we are back to a train control of GC
Just replaced Sky/Ineos with Jumbo


----------



## Adam4868 (11 Sep 2020)

Eziemnaik said:


> Sprints are great
> Hirsh was awesome
> But we are back to a train control of GC
> Just replaced Sky/Ineos with Jumbo


You not noticed the break up front ?


----------



## rich p (11 Sep 2020)

Richie is sole leader now and free to attack!


----------



## Adam4868 (11 Sep 2020)

Martinsnos said:


> I can be like that for Carlton, so like you say, I should stick to what I like I guess - all the best.


I was trying to be nice...then you go and slag off King Carlton 
Turn the sound down and enjoy it lol


----------



## rich p (11 Sep 2020)

I've got to go and visit a fecking garden in the Sussex countryside now. 
Record and watch later. Have fun guys!


----------



## Adam4868 (11 Sep 2020)

rich p said:


> I've got to go and visit a fecking garden in the Sussex countryside now.
> Record and watch later. Have fun guys!


Me to going to have to record it


----------



## roadrash (11 Sep 2020)

Martinsnos said:


> I know little of cycling but I feel I get more genuine insight from the ITV4 coverage than Eurosport. Is this true or am I falling for spin?
> (See what I did there?! Didn’t even plan it!!!).




i switch between them on different days depending on my mood.


----------



## roadrash (11 Sep 2020)

yeah and i have to go .......nowhere, apart from to the kitchen and back


----------



## Eziemnaik (11 Sep 2020)

Adam4868 said:


> You not noticed the break up front ?


I will when they put Bernal or Pogacar in there


----------



## roadrash (11 Sep 2020)

Eziemnaik said:


> I will when they put Bernal or Pogacar in there


i think you may have a bit of a wait.......


----------



## Eziemnaik (11 Sep 2020)

roadrash said:


> i think you may have a bit of a wait.......


Most likely
Main contenders seem to be conservative so far
Maybe some movement from Pogacar would liven it up


----------



## Martinsnos (11 Sep 2020)

Seen the ‘JUJU ADRI’ man more than once now. Is it about cycling or a wife that’s run off with another man?


----------



## roadrash (11 Sep 2020)

Another 36 second loss for bernal, that haircut has unbalanced him


----------



## rich p (11 Sep 2020)

Phew, that was breathless stuff on that last climb


----------



## Adam4868 (11 Sep 2020)

Great stage and win for Martinez and me
Roglic😊
GC...what's a minute between friends.


----------



## Eziemnaik (11 Sep 2020)

Unless Ineos conjure some magic on Sunday, it will be Slovenian 1-2 on podium
And I am not 100% sure if it will be Roglic on top

I was complaining about tour being neutered but that was some great stuff today

My predictions for the rest
Bennett to carry the jersey to Paris
Ineos out of podium
Pogacar to win at least one more stage
Roglic Pogacar 1-2

Can anything happen to derail Jumbo train?
They could have lost WVA to (in the greater scheme of things) silly sprint accident, but apart from that it was Sky team deja vu


----------



## Adam4868 (11 Sep 2020)

Dogtrousers said:


> Bardet out. Not surprising as he looked really wobbly when he set off after the crash, and prompted a discussion about concussion by the commentators.
> 
> View: https://twitter.com/inrng/status/1304515415595507717



He didn't look good when it happened,couldn't believe he finished the stage.Gutted for him ! Got to think they have to look at those sort of concussions a bit closer ? 

View: https://twitter.com/laflammerouge16/status/1304533721643704321?s=19


----------



## Adam4868 (11 Sep 2020)

Eziemnaik said:


> Unless Ineos conjure some magic on Sunday, it will be Slovenian 1-2 on podium
> And I am not 100% sure if it will be Roglic on top
> 
> I was complaining about tour being neutered but that was some great stuff today
> ...


I can't see Bernal going quietly ! But Roglic and Pogacar do look strong/too good ! Roglic has a hell of a team,where Pogacar seems to be the GC rider of the tour,can he sustain that after all the attacks he puts in ?
I do hope he finishes on the podium at least ! (for financial reasons 😁) he deserves it.
I'm still going with Bernal just to be awkward.


----------



## cyberknight (11 Sep 2020)

Milkfloat said:


> Watching Sam Bennett suffering today brings back some memories for me on Sunday mornings with my climbing loving friends.


Euro sport was saying that we think sprinters can't climb,they can they were saying compared to the average club rider they would leave us for dead it's just they are not mountain goats


----------



## ColinJ (11 Sep 2020)

cyberknight said:


> Euro sport was saying that we think sprinters can't climb,they can they were saying compared to the average club rider they would leave us for dead it's just they are not mountain goats


I just looked up the results from 2017. The Etape du Tour that year tackled a mountain stage with over 3,500 metres of climbing. The fastest rider of the Etape took about 4 minutes longer for the route than the slowest sprinters in the pro grupetto did a few days later!


----------



## roadrash (12 Sep 2020)

Sagan is going for whatever points he can , he obviously hasnt given up on the green jerey comp.


----------



## Adam4868 (12 Sep 2020)

roadrash said:


> Sagan is going for whatever points he can , he obviously hasnt given up on the green jerey comp.


I'm off out so I'll catch the rest tonight.Doubt Sagan will give up without a fight.Im thinking this stage suits him more than Bennet ?


----------



## Eziemnaik (12 Sep 2020)

Bennett mashes that gear at 70rpm uphill....


----------



## roadrash (12 Sep 2020)

pierre latour abandones


----------



## roadrash (12 Sep 2020)

what a finish that was , fantastic last 10 km,.... kragh anderson takes the win


----------



## Mo1959 (12 Sep 2020)

Gosh, Sunweb are impressive!


----------



## rich p (12 Sep 2020)

Not sure why Bora pulled so hard after Sam Bennett was never coming back. It just meant Sagan was isolated bar Kamna in the finale and Sunweb mugged him with superior numbers.


----------



## Adam4868 (12 Sep 2020)

Bennet will be happy with that.Will Sagan ever win a stage again 😁
Chapeau to Soran Kragh Anderson and Sunweb,like their attacking tactics this Tour.Its definately working all we need now is Roche to take a stage.EF aswell are a team I'm impressed with.
Get well soon to Bardet who looks like being out for several weeks after yesterday's crash.End of the season for him ? On a plus he's off to Sunweb next year !


----------



## roadrash (12 Sep 2020)

not good if the doc missed concussion , reports of brain hemmorage now. hope he recovers ok .


----------



## Adam4868 (12 Sep 2020)

roadrash said:


> not good if the doc missed concussion , reports of brain hemmorage now. hope he recovers ok .


I don't want to say I said so yesterday.But when he got up and fell back down that should of alerted the relevant medical/race official to pull him over.Touch wood he makes a speedy recovery.


----------



## nickyboy (12 Sep 2020)

Adam4868 said:


> I don't want to say I said so yesterday.But when he got up and fell back down that should of alerted the relevant medical/race official to pull him over.Touch wood he makes a speedy recovery.


It does beg the question re concussion protocols in cycling. Problem is that it takes several minutes to assess which seems impossible in a sport where seconds matter. Having said that, letting Bardet get back on the bike was a terrible decision. I'm not sure how to resolve this. Given the nature of cycling, head impacts are inevitable


----------



## Adam4868 (12 Sep 2020)

nickyboy said:


> It does beg the question re concussion protocols in cycling. Problem is that it takes several minutes to assess which seems impossible in a sport where seconds matter. Having said that, letting Bardet get back on the bike was a terrible decision. I'm not sure how to resolve this. Given the nature of cycling, head impacts are inevitable


 My view on yesterday should of been to pull him from the race straight away.If it takes 10/20 mins to diagnose so be it Then if the riders ok to ride on let him draft or be given time ..I know it's a difficult one but it's to dangerous to risk head injurys especially.
Good article on it by Fotheringham here .
http://lacourseentete.com/2020/09/head-injury-assessments-in-cycling-time-for-more-action/


----------



## rich p (13 Sep 2020)

Could be decisive today and I've got a flipping bbq at 4 o'clock. Bollix.
Record and avoid the result which is easier than when a Brit is in the lead.
Roglic to show his superiority after an attack on the last climb from plucky second placed Pogacar...
Other winners are available...


----------



## Adam4868 (13 Sep 2020)

rich p said:


> Could be decisive today and I've got a flipping bbq at 4 o'clock. Bollix.
> Record and avoid the result which is easier than when a Brit is in the lead.
> Roglic to show his superiority after an attack on the last climb from plucky second placed Pogacar...
> Other winners are available...


Out myself today again.I think if the GC men get to the final climb it'll be another Roglic Pogi day.The only way I see different is if Ineos can/could push on from a long way out,can't see it to be honest but they'll have to try.Im going for another breakaway day,fancy Hirschi again or is that just greedy ?


----------



## Martinsnos (13 Sep 2020)

rich p said:


> Not sure why Bora pulled so hard after Sam Bennett was never coming back. It just meant Sagan was isolated bar Kamna in the finale and Sunweb mugged him with superior numbers.


The ITV commentators were saying that they were ‘all in’ because if they let up they were inviting attacks.


----------



## Martinsnos (13 Sep 2020)

Does any team/rider (?!) have 28mm tyres this year?

Sagan’s ‘struggle’ for green has to be the best publicity they have ever had!


----------



## Adam4868 (13 Sep 2020)

Martinsnos said:


> The ITV commentators were saying that they were ‘all in’ because if they let up they were inviting attacks.


They were all in for Sagan and ran out of riders for him,he finished fourth.I suppose Sagans hoping to chip away at the points and who knows about Bennet in week three.Some tough mountains before Paris.Sagans advantage is there's more to the green jersey than sprints.I think it's going to be close.


----------



## roadrash (13 Sep 2020)

considering this tour nearly didnt happen , its fast becoming one of the best for years in my opinion . it will look wierd with no crowd on the last climbs today, but glad they have done it , riders certainly dont need potential covid riddled nob eds screaming at them 10cm from their face.


----------



## rich p (13 Sep 2020)

I just watched the last 10km from yesterday again.
Fabulous tactics from Sunweb and a cock up from Bora in the end.
Why did Kamna make a futile solo attack leaving Sagan to try to put out all the fires on his own. Kamna was strong enough to have chased Kragh Anderson at least.
Showing the tactical nous of the Sunweb DS.


----------



## Adam4868 (13 Sep 2020)

rich p said:


> I just watched the last 10km from yesterday again.
> Fabulous tactics from Sunweb and a cock up from Bora in the end.
> Why did Kamna make a futile solo attack leaving Sagan to try to put out all the fires on his own. Kamna was strong enough to have chased Kragh Anderson at least.
> Showing the tactical nous of the Sunweb DS.


Class team,now we know why they didn't bring Matthews,Oomen,Kelderman ! There a really young side aswell I do hope they can keep hold of their riders although I'm sure some are allready being eyed up.


----------



## Martinsnos (13 Sep 2020)

roadrash said:


> considering this tour nearly didnt happen , its fast becoming one of the best for years in my opinion . it will look wierd with no crowd on the last climbs today, but glad they have done it , riders certainly dont need potential covid riddled nob eds screaming at them 10cm from their face.



Easy for me to say but honestly for years I have watched and thought ‘why don’t they try a long range effort as a team?’ and many other combinations of tactics and now new ways of approaching things are being tried and it is really refreshing and exciting.


----------



## rich p (13 Sep 2020)

The bloke from ISUN just said that the Tour has 3.5 bn views. 
It explains why cycling still manages to attract sponsors for the moment


----------



## Adam4868 (13 Sep 2020)

Martinsnos said:


> Easy for me to say but honestly for years I have watched and thought ‘why don’t they try a long range effort as a team?’ and many other combinations of tactics and now new ways of approaching things are being tried and it is really refreshing and exciting.


It hasn't been for lack of trying but in past years the likes of Sky/Ineos have controlled races.Meaning they only let you go if your not a threat.Not much different than Jumbo this year,except Van Aerts in a league of his own ! I used to like AG2R as a attacking team but seems like there going in different direction.


----------



## Eziemnaik (13 Sep 2020)

I think it is hard, even should you manage to put all your riders into escape. How many of these managed to get to the finish line this year?


----------



## Grant Fondo (13 Sep 2020)

Watching 'Pantani' at the mo. (Granted I should be out doing a few K's) but been ill last three days so not up to it. Cracking stuff


----------



## Adam4868 (13 Sep 2020)

Higuata down,Jungles clipped his wheel and apparently down a second time near the roundabout ? Race director has pulled him out the race now.Fecking gutted for him.Guess they've got to be more than careful after Bardet.


----------



## roadrash (13 Sep 2020)

Adam4868 said:


> Guess they've got to be more than careful after Bardet.


exactly , gutted for him all the same


----------



## roadrash (13 Sep 2020)

bennet beats sagan in the intermediate sprint


----------



## Eziemnaik (13 Sep 2020)

Green Jersey singing _Bella Ciao _for Sagan


----------



## rich p (13 Sep 2020)

Bernal looking to be struggling


----------



## Eziemnaik (13 Sep 2020)

Not as much as poor Pinot


----------



## rich p (13 Sep 2020)

Eziemnaik said:


> Not as much as poor Pinot


Is he still finishing yesterday's stage?


----------



## Eziemnaik (13 Sep 2020)

We are mean
It is not his fault
Media made him to a second coming of Christ
Now it is him paying the price
Same situation as with English football team every 4 years


----------



## Eziemnaik (13 Sep 2020)

There is a conversation on Spanish Tv regarding safety...
One commentator says there should be much more regulation...
No ass on the frame aero tucks...
Neutered sprints...
Wider roads are next?
Is this really what cycling needs?


----------



## rich p (13 Sep 2020)

14.4 km to go and I'm off out


----------



## StuAff (13 Sep 2020)

Bernal and Quintana getting dropped…


----------



## Eziemnaik (13 Sep 2020)

Bernal out!!!
Sick tempo from Jumbo
Get ready for nasty comments on The Guardian and Dutch dopers


----------



## SWSteve (13 Sep 2020)

Bernal dropped.
Have ineos been sensible enough to keep Carapaz (if still there) in the front group


----------



## roadrash (13 Sep 2020)

bernal said before the start , my numbers in training are better than where i wanted to be, someone telling porkies i think


----------



## Eziemnaik (13 Sep 2020)

Go Yates go go


----------



## Mike_P (13 Sep 2020)

Eziemnaik said:


> Go Yates go go


That could have been a clear spoiler, was watching on the tablet, wind drove me indoors and E1 on the BT box was 0.3km further on.


----------



## roadrash (13 Sep 2020)

reeled back in


----------



## roadrash (13 Sep 2020)

ritchie porte having a good day..........for a change


----------



## roadrash (13 Sep 2020)

hell of a turn from dumpmoulin


----------



## Eziemnaik (13 Sep 2020)

What a finish


----------



## Eziemnaik (13 Sep 2020)

Pogacar will curse the day of crosswinds in Paris


----------



## roadrash (13 Sep 2020)

pogacar just about beats roglic at the line,


----------



## roadrash (13 Sep 2020)

I think bernal has fell of the side of the mountain


----------



## Mo1959 (13 Sep 2020)

So steep.........bikes nearly came to an instant halt when they stopped pedalling at the finish!


----------



## SWSteve (13 Sep 2020)

Got to feel for Martin, did a great job to get back on up the climb, must’ve known he would get dropped when it kicked off, but couldn’t not fight for it


----------



## beastie (13 Sep 2020)

Two horse race now it looks like. Roglic will be worried about Pogacar now. The rest don’t look as strong.


----------



## Eziemnaik (13 Sep 2020)

Still think Roglic is overwhelming fav for yellow
He has Dumoulin, Kuss and WVA doing work form him
Arguably better TT than Pogacar as well
The only guy that could separate them is... Dumoulin?


All in all, after a few less interesting stages this year's edition is again proving to be the most interesting in recent memory.


----------



## beastie (13 Sep 2020)

A pretty mundane stage today really, apart from Bernal exploding. JV are too strong and Roglic has a great 60 sec effort. Imagine if Dumoulin had another few weeks of preparation or a couple more races. He looks better and better as the race goes on. I hope he monsters the TT


----------



## roadrash (13 Sep 2020)

beastie said:


> A pretty mundane stage today really, apart from Bernal exploding.



mundane.... really, we had the fight for green jersey points early on , bernal hemmoraging time, same from quintana , ritchie porte finally having a good day , tom dumoulin having a stormer and the fight for the win and bonus seconds between pogacar and roglic.

i didnt find it mundane...


----------



## beastie (13 Sep 2020)

roadrash said:


> mundane.... really, we had the fight for green jersey points early on , bernal hemmoraging time, same from quintana , ritchie porte finally having a good day , tom dumoulin having a stormer and the fight for the win and bonus seconds between pogacar and roglic.
> 
> i didnt find it mundane...


It’s certainly an impressive show from JV and I didn’t catch the first half of the stage, but the only attack by a GC contender (Yates) was a one minute test of the JV train which TD dealt with easily. It was heading for a 350m sprint from the bottom of the climb. Bernal is obviously sick or his back is playing up. 
Porte has looked as good as he ever has this late into a GT.
Pogacar has to try from further out surely on the Col de la Loze.?


----------



## MasterDabber (13 Sep 2020)

roadrash said:


> mundane.... really, we had the fight for green jersey points early on , bernal hemmoraging time, same from quintana , ritchie porte finally having a good day , tom dumoulin having a stormer and the fight for the win and bonus seconds between pogacar and roglic.
> 
> i didnt find it mundane...


Another vote for "mundane". An impressive and interesting display from JV but almost totally lacking in any attacks and there was no excitement or spectacle. The scenery of that climb was the best bit. Very impressive.


----------



## Adam4868 (13 Sep 2020)

Managed to catch the last 15k whilst out...wow Bernal really wasn't bluffing,felt for him at the end.Hes young and he'll be back.Stage wins for Kwiato from now on.Jumbo raced that stage to perfection almost sky stylee 😁 Still nice for Pogacar to take the stage,he's the strongest out there,just hasn't the team behind him.For his sake and mine (I've money e/w on him at 16/1 to be on the podium) I hope he's doesn't blow up attacking.so to speak.Youngest rider to win two stages in 86 years !


----------



## Adam4868 (13 Sep 2020)

Eziemnaik said:


> Arguably better TT than Pogacar as well
> The only guy that could separate them is... Dumoulin


He's spent a lot of energy but Pogacar is the Slovenian TT champion,he's beat Roglic before.


----------



## Adam4868 (13 Sep 2020)

Quick get Froomey and G on,tell them I'm sorry....


----------



## Eziemnaik (13 Sep 2020)

Adam4868 said:


> He's spent a lot of energy but Pogacar is the Slovenian TT champion,he's beat Roglic before.


Thats why arguably xd
Roglic smashed the field in Vuelta TT when he had to win it
Should it come to that I will expect the same result
Pogacar doesn't have the team behind him as you said and should anything happen on any climbs in the Alps he will be on his own


----------



## SWSteve (13 Sep 2020)

beastie said:


> It’s certainly an impressive show from JV and I didn’t catch the first half of the stage, but the only attack by a GC contender (Yates) was a one minute test of the JV train which TD dealt with easily. It was heading for a 350m sprint from the bottom of the climb. Bernal is obviously sick or his back is playing up.
> Porte has looked as good as he ever has this late into a GT.
> Pogacar has to try from further out surely on the Col de la Loze.?



guessing the lack of expectation on Porte is helping. He is riding great, and seems at ease in any interview


----------



## Adam4868 (13 Sep 2020)

ItsSteveLovell said:


> guessing the lack of expectation on Porte is helping. He is riding great, and seems at ease in any interview


Porte at 35 means there's hope for Froomey ? There again Valverde in his 60s means there's hope for anyone....


----------



## roadrash (13 Sep 2020)

Adam4868 said:


> There again Valverde in his 60s means there's hope for anyone...


----------



## Mike_P (13 Sep 2020)

Wiggle with a bit of own goal sending out promotion email of
"SiS: fuelling the INEOS Grenadier cycling team"


----------



## Foghat (13 Sep 2020)

For some reason am enjoying seeing Karl Sagan and Egon Ronay (or, more to the point, Ineosky bullschitter-in-chief Dennis Brailsworth) getting hammered in this Tour.

More satisfying, though, is witnessing van Aert's outstanding ability and performance. Outsprints many of the top sprinters, outclimbs many of the top climbers, can out-time-trial many of the top time-triallists if he puts his mind to it. Sprints straight too. All after having ripped a great big hole in his leg last year. And with humility. What a rider.


----------



## mjr (13 Sep 2020)

Ridgeway said:


> Roglic can't afford not to try today, the Alps are coming next week..... even Sunday has Bernal written all over it


Yes but I don't think that happened quite as you meant it!



Eziemnaik said:


> There is a conversation on Spanish Tv regarding safety...
> One commentator says there should be much more regulation...
> No ass on the frame aero tucks...
> Neutered sprints...
> ...


Are you sure that was a commentator and not the Vuelta race director? More checks, wide roads, snoozefest stages... He'd probably like a TTT first stage just to give Jumbo the yellow from the outset!


----------



## Ridgeway (14 Sep 2020)

mjr said:


> Yes but I don't think that happened quite as you meant it!



Yup, really didn't expect that. Had honestly expected something of a reverse of what happened but i guess that's bicycle racing.

A climb that Bernal will want to forget...

If it's any consolation to him though he did it in around 50mins and it took me 1hr 25mins when i did it 3wks back i'm sure that'll make him feel better


----------



## Ridgeway (14 Sep 2020)

I think the mundane was what all the non Sky/Ineos fans have been saying for the last few years, "oh not the Sky/Ineos train dictating the race again" some how the shoe was one the other foot yesterday and we didn't all like it, me included.

Me thinks there's already been a phone call to Matt Winston. Ineos is not only missing power but also tactics since the sad departure of Nico P. and this guy seems to have the tactics book at present.


----------



## matticus (14 Sep 2020)

I can't see how tactics would have helped Ineos in this race.

(Sunweb _have _raced smart - but they're not in the GC race! They can have 5 days off and still look good.)


----------



## Ridgeway (14 Sep 2020)

Agree they wouldn't have but then again trying to do what you've always done when you don't have the capability needs rethinking.


----------



## Adam4868 (14 Sep 2020)

I feel for Bernal,totally bonked yesterday.Watching his interview he's brutally honest about just not being up to it.Nothing.to do with tactics if you haven't the team/pace to go with Jumbo.There on another level at the moment.Although for all the sky/Ineos haters I'm not sure what the difference is,as in do you like controlled racing or not ? Bernal hasn't.looked happy/comfortable since coming back,I really hope he bounces back stronger.Maybe in the Vuelta later ? Anyway back to the race it's Roglics to lose but it's far from over.


----------



## matticus (14 Sep 2020)

I thought Pog was unlucky not to be given a 2-second gap on the line over Rog! It was pretty plain to see.


----------



## rich p (14 Sep 2020)

It's been a strange year for racing, conditioning and training for obvious reasons, so we should expect some riders to have dealt with it better than others.
Bernal is using this race as a build up to next June's Tour


----------



## mjr (14 Sep 2020)

matticus said:


> I can't see how tactics would have helped Ineos in this race.


Maybe select either G or Froome to advise the younger leaders and help keep Jumbo guessing? I think Jumbo were expecting that and to have to try using Dumoulin and Kruiswijk to mark the likely decoys. Not sure who would have been the second marker after Kruiswijk was out, but it turned out not to be necessary with Ineos's tactics looking as fragile as land after their sponsor's fracking.


----------



## Adam4868 (14 Sep 2020)

mjr said:


> Maybe select either G or Froome to advise the younger leaders and help keep Jumbo guessing? I think Jumbo were expecting that and to have to try using Dumoulin and Kruiswijk to mark the likely decoys. Not sure who would have been the second marker after Kruiswijk was out, but it turned out not to be necessary with Ineos's tactics looking as fragile as land after their sponsor's fracking.


Hindsights a wonderful thing,Froome really wasn't race fit.Looking at Thomas in the Tirreno Adriatico he would of been a worthy plan B.Feck he deserved it...Instead they banked things on Carapaz.Wouldnt be suprised if they pull him out to focus on a later race.Sivakov has obviously been struggling,don't know if it's his early crash ? But hey ho it didn't work.Id of liked a battle in the third week but it's not to be.Jumbo so far have been unbreakable,totally dominating the peloton.Great riders in that team who are more than willing to sacrifice their race for Roglic...remind you of anyone


----------



## SWSteve (14 Sep 2020)

It’s testing day 2... will We see any changes to GC/Jerseys if teams are affected...


----------



## rich p (14 Sep 2020)

In a quirk of statistics, Movistar, as usual, are leading the team comp.


----------



## SWSteve (14 Sep 2020)

rich p said:


> In a quirk of statistics, Movistar, as usual, are leading the team comp.



it would be interesting if this wasn’t the only way they get to the podium


----------



## beastie (14 Sep 2020)

Froome has still not recovered from his horror crash last year. Not taking him to the tour is fair enough, he has struggled in TA as well. I am amazed how fast he has improved if you think that he was off the bike for 6 months and nearly dead.
Thomas though was obviously good enough to do a job as domestique, but at the time it didn’t look like he was good enough for plan B. He has improved since the Dauphiné. A lot. 
He should have a good chance at the Giro with a balanced parcours. 
None of Ineos have really been up to speed since the lockdown, which is surprising, marginal gains and all. They haven’t got the preparation right at all.


----------



## rich p (14 Sep 2020)

I'm not sure what else Ineos could have done.
Carapaz and (Amador?) were both thrown in at the deep end, after expecting to peak a month later for the Giro.
I can't see that Thomas would have been able to challenge J-V and Rog given that he's only getting there now at Tirreno-Ad.
Froome would have been no help to a weak Bernal.
Sosa may have been a better bet but he's a work in progress.
Where's Moscon gone these days? Has he punched somebody or got arrested for armed robbery?


----------



## mjr (14 Sep 2020)

beastie said:


> Thomas though was obviously good enough to do a job as domestique, but at the time it didn’t look like he was good enough for plan B. He has improved since the Dauphiné. A lot.


Wasn't the problem that Thomas did look like he might be good enough to be a plan B? Ineos don't seem to like starting with a Plan B. Thomas and Bernal weren't selected as likely winners when they won without the 1 on their back.

And my suggestion wasn't as much about being a likely winner after 3 weeks as giving young Bernal a wise voice in his ear and someone to boss the team between Rowe popping and the final selection. An undercooked G might have been able to do that. A halfcooked Froome maybe but riskier.


----------



## matticus (14 Sep 2020)

Unless G was allowed to push Bernal up the mountain, I still don't see how he could have prevented that 7 minute deficit.


----------



## beastie (14 Sep 2020)

Dogtrousers said:


> This is the oddest part. They seem to be unprepared. Bernal going pop may have been an unvaoidable thing - it may have happened anyway - but they seem generally absent. Is van Baarle even there?
> 
> Sean Kelly suggested it was because they are highly reliant on altitude training camps. But his voice sent me to sleep before he finished his point.


I think Thomas will be even better by the middle of the Giro, he’s a better racer than a trainer. Some athletes have benefited from slacker lock down in the spring and vice versa. Training in Wales is no substitute for high mountains. Bernal is either sick or injured surely. Sivakov and Carapaz have crashed. Only Kwiatkowski has been up to his usual impressive form.


----------



## Adam4868 (14 Sep 2020)

Hindsight is a wonderful thing...I don't think Van Baarle has been that bad,Kwiato had done what he can,same for Rowe.Carapaz has crashed how many times ? Sivakov I don't think really found his feet after the first crash,Amadore I nearly forgot about,same for Castroviejo.To be fair to Thomas I couldn't see him not beating the likes of Valverde yesterday,he could of been a plan B but it's all hearsay now.
Nobody could of see the blow up of Bernal that's for sure,you can't really say he's been that bad before yesterday.He looked broken in his interview" I lost three years of my life today,Bernal admitted in the immediate aftermath to Stage 15 ! "
He'll be back,ill stick my neck out and say he'll win it again.
Another way of looking at it is...you take three ex Movistar riders to the tour,what do you expect


----------



## roadrash (14 Sep 2020)

its all if and buts regarding the tour and what might have been, i do fancy Thomas for the giro though.


----------



## Eziemnaik (14 Sep 2020)

Is Dumoulin riding Vuelta or Giro?
With Jumbo train working for him I see lots of obstacles for other teams...


----------



## mjr (14 Sep 2020)

Eziemnaik said:


> Is Dumoulin riding Vuelta or Giro?
> With Jumbo train working for him I see lots of obstacles for other teams...


Not as known yet. Kruiswijk leads the Vuelta team and Gesink and Tolhoek the Giro, according to ProCyclingStats, but everything could yet change!


----------



## beastie (14 Sep 2020)

Adam4868 said:


> Nobody could of see the blow up of Bernal that's for sure,you can't really say he's been that bad before yesterday.He looked broken in his interview" I lost three years of my life today,Bernal admitted in the immediate aftermath to Stage 15 ! "
> He'll be back,ill stick my neck out and say he'll win it again.
> Another way of looking at it is...you take three ex Movistar riders to the tour,what do you expect


Bernal still has two more Tours as a young rider......He could easily win two or three. Conversely he could easily never win another GT. Quintana was gonna dominate for years after his Giro but not yet...


----------



## Adam4868 (14 Sep 2020)

beastie said:


> Bernal still has two more Tours as a young rider......He could easily win two or three. Conversely he could easily never win another GT. Quintana was gonna dominate for years after his Giro but not yet...


I think he will win again.A hell of a lot of pressure on him this year.In fact I think he will find his legs still in this tour and we might get a stage win yet 😁


----------



## beastie (14 Sep 2020)

Adam4868 said:


> In fact I think he will find his legs still in this tour and we might get a stage win yet 😁


I don’t see how a _Jour sans _can be *so *bad and not be an underlying issue. Him winning a stage would be as big a shock as the implosion yesterday.... I’ll give you 2-1?😀


----------



## Adam4868 (14 Sep 2020)

beastie said:


> I don’t see how a _Jour sans _can be *so *bad and not be an underlying issue. Him winning a stage would be as big a shock as the implosion yesterday.... I’ll give you 2-1?😀


2-1 ? If I was a betting man you'd probally get 60 to 70/1 for him tommorow.So thanks for the offer,but I'll decline


----------



## mjr (14 Sep 2020)

AFP suggest reasons why Ineos "is no e"-xcellent: https://www.velonews.com/events/tou...-ineos-grenadiers-collapse-at-tour-de-france/


----------



## beastie (14 Sep 2020)

Adam4868 said:


> 2-1 ? If I was a betting man you'd probally get 60 to 70/1 for him tommorow.So thanks for the offer,but I'll decline


Very wise😉


----------



## Adam4868 (14 Sep 2020)

beastie said:


> Very wise😉


I've gone with the safe bet Kwiato for the stage


----------



## beastie (14 Sep 2020)

Adam4868 said:


> I've gone with the safe bet Kwiato for the stage


I pick Hirschi if it’s a breakaway, or a Slovenian if not....


----------



## roadrash (15 Sep 2020)

looks like a hirschi day today


----------



## Martinsnos (15 Sep 2020)

The Tour is different this year but it feels very different this year. I think it is that I find it harder to concentrate on it/be immersed in it, which is more about my ‘twitchyness’ about the pandemic.

Does anyone else find they are not as immersed in it as previous years?


----------



## Eziemnaik (15 Sep 2020)

Snoozefest today...


----------



## roadrash (15 Sep 2020)

pierre rolland looks in good form today


----------



## Shadow (15 Sep 2020)

Bernal dropped on penultimate climb. With Green Jersey group 14.31 minutes from front of the race.


----------



## Shadow (15 Sep 2020)

Green Jersey group 1.15 from peloton. And growing all the time.


----------



## roadrash (15 Sep 2020)

bernal looks ill to me.


----------



## gavroche (15 Sep 2020)

Ned and Millar really annoy me when then don't pronounce the name of Guillaume Martin correctly. It sounds like Pierre Martin. His first name is Gui-LLaume, ( guee- yaume) two syllables, not difficult is it?


----------



## SWSteve (15 Sep 2020)

Shadow said:


> Green Jersey group 1.15 from peloton. And growing all the time.



bernal seems to be climbing like a sprinter.


----------



## Aussie Rider in London (15 Sep 2020)

Rigoberto Uran is a sex symbol. Freaking love that gorgeous, wrinkly man.

Nice to hear Wiggo talk about him with such revere earlier on.


----------



## Aussie Rider in London (15 Sep 2020)

Great ride from Kamna, real good follow up after his stage win at Dauphine (I write as he looks like he's going to win with 4km to go).


----------



## roadrash (15 Sep 2020)

only thing to stop him now is a fall , not that im tempting fate or anything


----------



## roadrash (15 Sep 2020)

Kamna takes a well deserved win


----------



## Shadow (15 Sep 2020)

Another classy youngster.
The future looks good.


----------



## SWSteve (15 Sep 2020)

Aussie Rider in London said:


> Nice to hear Wiggo talk about him [Rigo] with such revere earlier on.



Wiggo seems to love him! Sings his praises whenever possible on the pod as well


----------



## Adam4868 (15 Sep 2020)

Went to see Millar in Manchester at his book signing (the racer) few years ago.it was a Q and A with him and Richard Moore.Anyway caught the train to Manchester suitably armed with too much beer,my friend insisted ! Drank more when arriving and can't say I remember much of the talk....you could buy his book and he'd sign it.So went up on stage to get it and you could also sign his broken arm ! Fell of a skateboard he said.I tried and he replied to me or I think it was my friend." Fecking hell,what have you been drinking,you can't even hold the pen ! "
I left the book on the train on the way home 
Sorry thought I'd share my claim to fame...


----------



## Adam4868 (15 Sep 2020)

Big stage tommorow,hope to see some GC action...I think Pogacar can come at least close to winning this Tour.Hes fearless at attacking !


----------



## roadrash (15 Sep 2020)

should see some action in the fight for the third step too, uran , yates, porte etc


----------



## Adam4868 (15 Sep 2020)

roadrash said:


> should see some action in the fight for the third step too, uran , yates, porte etc


Forgot Porte was going back to Ineos till I watched the highlights tonight.


----------



## Shadow (15 Sep 2020)

Indeed. Everything is building up quite nicely for the last few days.
GC race. Podium race. Top 10 race. 
Polka dots will change tomorrow.
And Trentin gained a few more points at the finish today. Could he take green? It’s quite possible.
Those who are finding it tedious should go and watch cricket!


----------



## Adam4868 (15 Sep 2020)

Cant see Bernal lasting until Paris.Whats the betting they pull him out and rest him.


----------



## SWSteve (15 Sep 2020)

Adam4868 said:


> Cant see Bernal lasting until Paris.Whats the betting they pull him out and rest him.


Amazed two members of staff didn’t accidentally get COVID


----------



## Eziemnaik (15 Sep 2020)

Miracles happen... especially in cycling


----------



## ColinJ (15 Sep 2020)

Martinsnos said:


> The Tour is different this year but it feels very different this year. I think it is that I find it harder to concentrate on it/be immersed in it, which is more about my ‘twitchyness’ about the pandemic.
> 
> Does anyone else find they are not as immersed in it as previous years?


I _have _actually been feeling that. Mind you, I feel odd about the whole year, having spent more than 95% of it so far home alone!


----------



## rich p (15 Sep 2020)

ColinJ said:


> I _have _actually been feeling that. Mind you, I feel odd about the whole year, having spent more than 95% of it so far home alone!


Is that less or more than usual Col?


----------



## ColinJ (15 Sep 2020)

rich p said:


> Is that less or more than usual Col?


I know that I am a bit of a recluse at the best of times, but even for me it has been a _very _quiet year... 

I'm still enjoying the TdF, but there is an air of unreality about it. The riders having to wear masks at all times... except for the 4-7 hours a day that they spend mask-free and breathing heavily in a peloton of 150+ riders!


----------



## beastie (15 Sep 2020)

Gods what a monster of a climb......
https://inrng.com/2020/09/roads-to-ride-col-de-la-loze/
If Pog wants to attack the last 4 Kms is perfect


----------



## MasterDabber (16 Sep 2020)

Adam4868 said:


> Cant see Bernal lasting until Paris.Whats the betting they pull him out and rest him.


Bernal has now abandoned.


----------



## Adam4868 (16 Sep 2020)

MasterDabber said:


> Bernal has now abandoned.


Get well soon ! Plenty more Tours to come for him....wonder if there's odds for him at the Vuelta yet 😁


----------



## rich p (16 Sep 2020)

The others need to take time cos Roglic will match or beat them in the TT. If they've got the legs or the balls.
Conservatively they can race for the podium and let Pog and Rog fight it out


----------



## Martinsnos (16 Sep 2020)

ColinJ said:


> I _have _actually been feeling that. Mind you, I feel odd about the whole year, having spent more than 95% of it so far home alone!


Blimey - that is tough. I hope you have some form of indoor trainer.


----------



## matticus (16 Sep 2020)

Adam4868 said:


> Forgot *Porte was going back to Ineos* till I watched the highlights tonight.


If - god forbid (really) - rog+pog knock each-other down a minor ravine today, I would LOOOOVE Porte to win this thing and race next year for Ineos with '1' on his back, supported by all the Ineos' wannabe GC contenders 

Even without that, he could be their most "on-form" rider when they sit down to plan for next year. he-he!


----------



## Adam4868 (16 Sep 2020)

rich p said:


> The others need to take time cos Roglic will match or beat them in the TT. If they've got the legs or the balls.
> Conservatively they can race for the podium and let Pog and Rog fight it out


Can't really see anyone other than Pogacar challenging Roglic today.Just looked at the final ramp and it's brutal.Be diffucult to take to much time.


----------



## Mr Celine (16 Sep 2020)

gavroche said:


> Ned and Millar really annoy me when then don't pronounce the name of Guillaume Martin correctly. It sounds like Pierre Martin. His first name is Gui-LLaume, ( guee- yaume) two syllables, not difficult is it?


Ned and Millar really annoy me when they pronounce every second word 'exploded'.


----------



## roadrash (16 Sep 2020)

I dont mind Ned and Dave,..... Matt Rendell on the other hand really fekin does my head in , i dont mean what he talks about, his voice just gets on my t!ts.


----------



## Starchivore (16 Sep 2020)

Has anyone else been listening to the ITV cycling podcast they do each evening? It's pretty casual but good fun, and some nice insights


----------



## matticus (16 Sep 2020)

Starchivore said:


> Has anyone else been listening to the ITV cycling podcast they do each evening? It's pretty casual but good fun, and some nice insights


I tried early on ... a mixed bag.
(Good things:
- Peter Ken-Yuck being a lot more relaxed. He came across much better than on telly.
- Some nice comments on the mind-f**k of leaving a broadcasting trailer at the end of stage commentary and suddenly NOT being in the hot south of France. (but Kent instead). It was really quite poignant.

Bad: too much unfunny back-slapping banter, padding out endless minutes. (2 guys rabbiting on because they haven't planned the broadcast isn't funny). Just because a podcast can be unlimited length, doesn't mean it should be, guys  )

I'm entirely happy to recommend the (ex-Telegraph) Cycling Podcast in preference. Although all the people involved seem to be mates across both programmes  At least one a day, so no need to stoop to inferior product!


----------



## Starchivore (16 Sep 2020)

matticus said:


> I tried early on ... a mixed bag.



I think that's a fair assessment. I'm able at the moment to watch quite a lot of each stage, and I like the ITV guys so I'm happy to listen to the joking around, but definitely for someone wanting 30 minutes of proper analysis it would be a disappointment. It's more of a casual, something-after kind of thing

And I genuinely, for some reason, thought that they were in France! I must have missed the one when they talked about that, haha

And thanks, I'll have a look at that other one


----------



## mjr (16 Sep 2020)

matticus said:


> I'm entirely happy to recommend the (ex-Telegraph) Cycling Podcast in preference. Although all the people involved seem to be mates across both programmes  At least one a day, so no need to stoop to inferior product!


It has more race content but is longer with more intrusive ads, especially the "nice" wines which now don't even have the comedy of Daniel getting wound up by the bland comments (because he's away working for itv).

I'm the only one here listening to that. The itv one is more popular.


----------



## matticus (16 Sep 2020)

A huge plus for podcasts: not having to see presenters, let alone their sock choice.


----------



## roadrash (16 Sep 2020)

Thomas De Gendt off the front,...well....who would expect that


----------



## roadrash (16 Sep 2020)

oooh, Dan Martin trying to get in the break


----------



## roadrash (16 Sep 2020)

I get a twitchy bum just watching alaphilipe descend


----------



## ColinJ (16 Sep 2020)

Martinsnos said:


> Blimey - that is tough. I hope you have some form of indoor trainer.


I do, but the other 5% of my time was largely spent out (solo!) on my bike so there hasn't been much need to use it. I'm doing the 'social bubble' thing now so solitude is not so much of a problem.

Must get out of this thread now before I accidentally see what is happening in the race! I'm looking forward to catching up on the highlights show tonight.

FWIW... my guess is that in the GC battle today, Pog will gain about 30 seconds on Rog, and he will be a minute or so ahead of any remaining conceivable GC contenders. Whether someone else has managed to sneak away before that for the stage win, who knows!


----------



## roadrash (16 Sep 2020)

final climb, has anybody got anything left to try an atack.......


----------



## roadrash (16 Sep 2020)

just over two minutes for the breakaway at the foot of the final climb, nowhere near enough i fear


----------



## Eziemnaik (16 Sep 2020)

VAMOS Julien


----------



## roadrash (16 Sep 2020)

apparently a couple of places including the final hairpin is 24% , feck... i would fall over backwards.....and that would be just standing on it


----------



## Eziemnaik (16 Sep 2020)

Alaphlippe still in big ring


----------



## roadrash (16 Sep 2020)

Landa looks like he isnt even breathing


----------



## roadrash (16 Sep 2020)

Alaphilipe dropped


----------



## Eziemnaik (16 Sep 2020)

Carapaz still pushing!


----------



## Chromatic (16 Sep 2020)

Roger Longbottom said:


> Could be worse, you could be listening to Hatch and his faux foreign accents!



Is Hatch the bloke that is sometimes on Eurosport instead of Carlton? If it is his faux foreign accents get on my tits too.


----------



## roadrash (16 Sep 2020)

feck , hell of a ride from carapaz , landa dropped after all the work by his team


----------



## roadrash (16 Sep 2020)

roglic looks strong


----------



## roadrash (16 Sep 2020)

carapaz caught with 3km to go


----------



## roadrash (16 Sep 2020)

miguel angel lopez with a good atack, pogacar on the back foot


----------



## roadrash (16 Sep 2020)

lopez takes the win, roglic 2nd pogacar 3rd.... what a stage that was


----------



## roadrash (16 Sep 2020)

brilliant ride from ritchie porte too


----------



## Milkfloat (16 Sep 2020)

I think Roglic has just won the whole tour.


----------



## beastie (16 Sep 2020)

I enjoyed watching that. All the GC guys put what they had on the road there. Sep Kuss is a future GC rider. Kudos to Bahrain Merida for at least trying to disrupt the JV train. I think that climb will be back in the very near future. Epic!! Roglic played it very well, but it’s still not over. Tomorrow will be a real hard day after that finish.....


----------



## oldgreyandslow (16 Sep 2020)

I'm not sure why but Roglic really pisses me off, can't explain it really and I hear he speaks very highly of me too


----------



## Adam4868 (17 Sep 2020)

oldgreyandslow said:


> I'm not sure why but Roglic really pisses me off, can't explain it really and I hear he speaks very highly of me too


Because he's so good ?


----------



## Adam4868 (17 Sep 2020)

Struggling to watch at moment due to work! Good stage yesterday if not for GC at least the scenery.Cant believe that's Lopez first stage win in the Tour.Thought it was a brave ride by Bahrain for Landa at least they gave it a go.Too steep for anyone to make any real time on Roglic and Jumbo though.Its increasingly looking like it's his and it's hard to say it's not deserved.
Looking at today's stage a last chance ? There's a climb earlier in the stage which gives a bit of opportunity...?


----------



## rich p (17 Sep 2020)

I've always liked Roglic. He seens level headed and no hint of arrogance.
He used to be a show-jumper, you know...


----------



## Adam4868 (17 Sep 2020)

For one horrible moment I thought id ust posted in the no spoilers thread...I was expecting someone to exclamation mark me


----------



## Adam4868 (17 Sep 2020)

rich p said:


> I've always liked Roglic. He seens level headed and no hint of arrogance.
> He used to be a show-jumper, you know...


Was it his twin the ski jumper


----------



## rich p (17 Sep 2020)

Adam4868 said:


> Cant believe that's Lopez first stage win in the Tour.Thought


No, me neither. On his day he's amazing but not consistent. 
I feel for you having to work Adam 😁 At this rate we'll be back in lockdown by the Giro...


----------



## Martinsnos (17 Sep 2020)

oldgreyandslow said:


> I'm not sure why but Roglic really pisses me off, can't explain it really and I hear he speaks very highly of me too



I’m the same but in his defence I think he struggles to fully express himself in English (and that isn’t a criticism as anyone speaking a foreign language is more able than I am!).


----------



## Adam4868 (17 Sep 2020)

rich p said:


> No, me neither. On his day he's amazing but not consistent.
> I feel for you having to work Adam 😁 At this rate we'll be back in lockdown by the Giro...


No disrespect to Lopez but he's sh1t at TT and descending....let's hope he goes for it anyway .


----------



## Adam4868 (17 Sep 2020)

Roglic, reasons to not like.....


Waiting !


----------



## cisamcgu (17 Sep 2020)

Adam4868 said:


> Roglic, reasons to not like.....
> 
> 
> Waiting !


He is the same height as me, and I was checking my BMI, and if I weighed the same as him (~65kg), I would be right in the middle of the "correct weight" segment - no reason to dislike him, just thought I would mention it - I, obviously, weigh a LOT more than that


----------



## Adam4868 (17 Sep 2020)

cisamcgu said:


> He is the same height as me, and I was checking my BMI, and if I weighed the same as him (~65kg), I would be right in the middle of the "correct weight" segment - no reason to dislike him, just thought I would mention it - I, obviously, weigh a LOT more than that


Lol...not sure what the relevance is though?
I'm the same height and weight as Froome...that's where the similarities end though


----------



## SWSteve (17 Sep 2020)

On podcasts, TCP as others mentioned is a daily listen during any of the big tours. Their other shows include a good, weekly snapshot of what’s going on. Not too bothered about the wine ads, but a Wattbike is entering my wish list.

listen to the ITV podcast at times, Like Pete Kennaugh on it, but he seems to get booted into a shoebox on it From time to time (never mind).
Anyway, where is Adam Blythe! Need to get an insight into some new shirts


----------



## mjr (17 Sep 2020)

Martinsnos said:


> I’m the same but in his defence I think he struggles to fully express himself in English (and that isn’t a criticism as anyone speaking a foreign language is more able than I am!).


If he thinks in Slovene, it must be annoying to simplify its 3 numbers (single, plural and dual), 3 genders (male, female and neuter) and 6 cases (English has 3) into English, and that's just the nouns!


----------



## matticus (17 Sep 2020)

Martinsnos said:


> I’m the same but in his defence I think he struggles to fully express himself in English (and that isn’t a criticism as anyone speaking a foreign language is more able than I am!).


Rog + Pog are both a little dull in interviews, but so are many current pros, and of course there's the language barrier.

Of the two I MUST vote Pog, as he's the only rider I've noticed riding with hilarious tufts of helmet vent hair.


----------



## cisamcgu (17 Sep 2020)

mjr said:


> If he thinks in Slovene, it must be annoying to simplify its 3 numbers (single, plural and dual), 3 genders (male, female and neuter) and 6 cases (English has 3) into English, and that's just the nouns!



Suit*case*
Book*case*
and ..... ?


----------



## mjr (17 Sep 2020)

cisamcgu said:


> Suit*case*
> Book*case*
> and ..... ?


Basket case, obvs! :P


----------



## rich p (17 Sep 2020)

Dogtrousers said:


> Headcase


Nutcase? 
I'm seeing a trend...


----------



## SWSteve (17 Sep 2020)

cisamcgu said:


> Suit*case*
> Book*case*
> and ..... ?


Sunglasses?


----------



## rich p (17 Sep 2020)

Fab scenery again


----------



## roadrash (17 Sep 2020)

Hirschi just took a closer look at the tarmac  ouch


----------



## rich p (17 Sep 2020)

Carapaz and Kwiatoin the break, @Adam4868 , and Hirschi chasing back on.
Three of your picks!


----------



## roadrash (17 Sep 2020)

interesting what david millar just said , i hadnt heard of crash resistant material for jerseys, more info here..
https://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/...s-crash-protection-now-extends-jerseys-245779


----------



## Milkfloat (17 Sep 2020)

roadrash said:


> interesting what david millar just said , i hadnt heard of crash resistant material for jerseys, more info here..
> https://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/...s-crash-protection-now-extends-jerseys-245779


It was weird that Millar was saying that this is really new and groundbreaking and that he was looking into it. It has been around for 5 years.


----------



## Eziemnaik (17 Sep 2020)

I miss Movistar...with Quintana, Valaverde, Landa you could always count on them for a comic relief...


----------



## SWSteve (17 Sep 2020)

Eziemnaik said:


> I miss Movistar...with Quintana, Valaverde, Landa you could always count on them for a comic relief...



it’s a crying shame. Valverde still in the top-10 though 😹


----------



## SWSteve (17 Sep 2020)

Seeing Landa pass Jungels was a surprise as for the first time in *checks notes* 400 years Jungels isn’t in the Luxembourger jersey


----------



## rich p (17 Sep 2020)

Landa's having a go at least


----------



## rich p (17 Sep 2020)

ItsSteveLovell said:


> Seeing Landa pass Jungels was a surprise as for the first time in *checks notes* 400 years Jungels isn’t in the Luxembourger jersey



Or since the Schlecks weren't/were on the juice, Steve.
Please delete as necessary...


----------



## rich p (17 Sep 2020)

Pogacar having a dig on the strada bianca


----------



## Dave Davenport (17 Sep 2020)

How come they didn't swap to 'Gravel' bikes when they went onto the gravel, do they not know you can't ride an ordinary bike on anything but smooth tarmac?


----------



## rich p (17 Sep 2020)

Poor Richie. He must have been a right bastard in a previous life


----------



## rich p (17 Sep 2020)

Looks like Carapaz is gifting it to Kwiat


----------



## rich p (17 Sep 2020)

And Carapaz takes the polka dot


----------



## SWSteve (17 Sep 2020)

rich p said:


> Looks like Carapaz is gifting it to Kwiat


Nice touch


----------



## Starchivore (17 Sep 2020)

It would have been pretty mean if Carapaz had tried to get that win for himself, I think. It was impressive, and left you wondering (pointlessly) whether Hirschy would have pipped them to it if he'd not had his accident. Glad he's okay.

Really felt for Porte when he punctured on the gravel! That must be terrible, just watching the gap open up, struggling along, waiting for some help


----------



## MasterDabber (17 Sep 2020)

Really pleased to see Kwia got his first ever TdeF stage win. A great rider who thoroughly deserves this.
Btw, did I tell you, I'm actually ahead of Kwia on a Strava climb segment near to me.


----------



## roadrash (17 Sep 2020)

porte eh... he must have killed a priest or summat , he has some bad luck that fellow does.


----------



## Adam4868 (17 Sep 2020)

Kwiato ! Favourite stage win of the tour 
Such a deserved win,can't believe he's never won a stage of a grand tour.
Not forgetting Carapaz,been a class act the past three days.


----------



## Adam4868 (17 Sep 2020)

Not sure what that's about ? 

View: https://twitter.com/SportsOrla/status/1306655532439220228?s=19


----------



## Aravis (17 Sep 2020)

Away from the spotlight, a finely-judged ride today from Pierre Rolland saw him take the lead in the sable jersey classification, but he looks vulnerable to a late challenge from Nairo Quintana in the final time-trial.

Rolland is in 18th place at 1h 00m 13s, Quintana 17th at 0h 57m 49s. With no other serious challengers, advantage Quintana I'd say.


----------



## Martinsnos (17 Sep 2020)

Not that they are rare but a couple of annoying fans on the final uncategorised climb. The 1 tapping the Ineos rider on the back and another right in amongst the bikes!!! It’s just respect (lack of in their case of course).


----------



## mjr (17 Sep 2020)

Adam4868 said:


> Not sure what that's about ?
> 
> View: https://twitter.com/SportsOrla/status/1306655532439220228?s=19



Swearing at the bike scrutineers... Naughty Jumbo!


----------



## Adam4868 (17 Sep 2020)

On a downside that's the end of the mountains for the Tour....
Giro in just over two weeks though ! Happy days


----------



## Adam4868 (17 Sep 2020)

mjr said:


> Swearing at the bike scrutineers... Naughty Jumbo!


What a dissapointment...I thought it was something big like sock length.


----------



## rich p (17 Sep 2020)

Adam4868 said:


> What a dissapointment...I thought it was something big like sock length.


I reckon Roglic will lose the jersey now the UCI have taken out his motor...


----------



## Adam4868 (17 Sep 2020)

rich p said:


> I reckon Roglic will lose the jersey now the UCI have taken out his motor...


Lol...did I mention Kwiato won ? and I backed him


----------



## ColinJ (17 Sep 2020)

That had to be the most careless '_thanks - you take it, mate_' finish in history. Carapaz must have been within a cm or two of accidentally winning! 

PS No - it looked worse on TV... actually, nearly half a wheel between them!


----------



## SWSteve (17 Sep 2020)

Adam4868 said:


> Not sure what that's about ?
> 
> View: https://twitter.com/SportsOrla/status/1306655532439220228?s=19




ANOTHER TECHNOLOGY FRAUD?????


----------



## SWSteve (17 Sep 2020)

ItsSteveLovell said:


> ANOTHER TECHNOLOGY FRAUD?????



provably worth pointing out someone else got fined £6 or something and the line was ‘pour le technologique fraudulent’ or words to that effect


----------



## rich p (17 Sep 2020)

ColinJ said:


> That had to be the most careless '_thanks - you take it, mate_' finish in history. Carapaz must have been within a cm or two of accidentally winning!
> 
> PS No - it looked worse on TV... actually, nearly half a wheel between them!
> 
> View attachment 547711


I thought the same watching it live and that Carapaz might accidentally win!
Plus they nearly fell off after the line


----------



## ColinJ (17 Sep 2020)

rich p said:


> I thought the same watching it live and that Carapaz might accidentally win!
> Plus they nearly fell off after the line


Looking at that photo again... I just noticed that Carapaz is braking to make sure, or at least covering the lever for emergency use if needed!


----------



## roadrash (18 Sep 2020)

Adam4868 said:


> Lol...did I mention Kwiato won ? and I backed him
> View attachment 547710



nice to see that quintana can dance even if he cant win a stage


----------



## Milkfloat (18 Sep 2020)

Adam4868 said:


> Not sure what that's about ?
> 
> View: https://twitter.com/SportsOrla/status/1306655532439220228?s=19



To be fair, if they damaged the bike of my future TdF winner I would swear a bit too.


----------



## Adam4868 (18 Sep 2020)

Milkfloat said:


> To be fair, if they damaged the bike of my future TdF winner I would swear a bit too.


There's plenty more where that came from...


----------



## Starchivore (18 Sep 2020)

I would love it if Quintana wins the time trial tomorrow. Can you imagine? I appreciate it's somewhat unlikely.... but I would love love love that.


----------



## Adam4868 (18 Sep 2020)

Starchivore said:


> I would love it if Quintana wins the time trial tomorrow. Can you imagine? I appreciate it's somewhat unlikely.... but I would love love love that.
> 
> View attachment 547783


Im going to have to dissapoint you...he's got more chance of winning the green jersey


----------



## Adam4868 (18 Sep 2020)

Soren K Anderson takes stage 19 for Sunweb.They have been the team of the Tour for me.Some classy wins !


----------



## Adam4868 (18 Sep 2020)

Not a happy bunny...

View: https://twitter.com/laflammerouge16/status/1306991270125023234?s=19


----------



## Starchivore (18 Sep 2020)

Adam4868 said:


> Not a happy bunny...
> 
> View: https://twitter.com/laflammerouge16/status/1306991270125023234?s=19



What did that say? It looks like the tweet has been deleted


I loved Soren yelling for a time check near the end, not knowing that he had a nice big cushion. It was a great move from him, and quite poor from the rest of the group


----------



## Adam4868 (18 Sep 2020)

Starchivore said:


> What did that say? It looks like the tweet has been deleted
> 
> 
> I loved Soren yelling for a time check near the end, not knowing that he had a nice big cushion. It was a great move from him, and quite poor from the rest of the group


Strange...but it wasn't disimilar to what @Dogtrousers kindly retweeted.
Also...

View: https://twitter.com/laflammerouge16/status/1306979167293124611?s=19

As much as I like Trentin and I do,can't say I was over impressed with CCC tactics today either


----------



## MasterDabber (18 Sep 2020)

Bike swaps for the TT tomorrow???? TT bike then climbing bike, some will I'd guess. I think Carapaz is likely to, or ride the whole thing on his climbing bike.


----------



## SWSteve (18 Sep 2020)

Have they confirmed that the KOM points will be solely based on the climb? Someone from ITV (possibly Matt Rendell) shared the rules which have the impression it’s actually the stage as a whole?

Hopefully they’ll make it “climb only” for the sake of the KOM race.


Can Porte claim the 1:30 from SuperMan?
Can Rigo show the moves like Jagger to slide up the top-10?
Can Nairoman get the top-10? 
can Pog beat Rog?
Will anyone watch it, or will we all be out and about?


----------



## Adam4868 (19 Sep 2020)

ItsSteveLovell said:


> Can Porte claim the 1:30 from SuperMan?
> Can Rigo show the moves like Jagger to slide up the top-10?
> Can Nairoman get the top-10?
> can Pog beat Rog?
> Will anyone watch it, or will we all be out and about?


Tired legs for Roglic ? Can't see it, can anyone.Mechanical maybe...Pog is less than a minute behind.36 k tt with 6 k of climbing it's still possible.One things a given, he'll give it his best go ! 
Highlights for me.
Roglic,Dumoulin,VanAert. 1 2 3 more likely !


----------



## SWSteve (19 Sep 2020)

Adam4868 said:


> Tired legs for Roglic ? Can't see it, can anyone.Mechanical maybe...Pog is less than a minute behind.36 k tt with 6 k of climbing it's still possible.One things a given, he'll give it his best go !
> Highlights for me.
> Roglic,Dumoulin,VanAert. 1 2 3 more likely !



Can also see Dumoulin doing well. He could have probably stayed on the podium if he didn’t have a moment if He didn’t try and tear it up for Rog in the first week


----------



## Adam4868 (19 Sep 2020)

Lol...made me laugh this morning 😂

View: https://twitter.com/laflammerouge16/status/1307063939428241409?s=19


----------



## SWSteve (19 Sep 2020)

Dogtrousers said:


> @ItsSteveLovell yes KoM on climb only.
> 
> View: https://twitter.com/inrng/status/1306881589784326145?s=19



Thanks, has seemed a bit of a mess with different places reporting different things


----------



## Adam4868 (19 Sep 2020)

ItsSteveLovell said:


> Can also see Dumoulin doing well. He could have probably stayed on the podium if he didn’t have a moment if He didn’t try and tear it up for Rog in the first week


I think you can say that about the majority of Jumbo riders.Cant see the TT troubling Van Aert,mind you can't see anything troubling him ! How many times have the three favourites ( at bookies) been the three from same team.Im going with Pogi !


----------



## rich p (19 Sep 2020)

I've just read that Teejay van Garderen is in the race!
He used to be a contender and now he's the invisible man


----------



## Adam4868 (19 Sep 2020)

rich p said:


> I've just read that Teejay van Garderen is in the race!
> He used to be a contender and now he's the invisible man


Thought something similar when I heard Viviani the other day..


----------



## SWSteve (19 Sep 2020)

rich p said:


> I've just read that Teejay van Garderen is in the race!
> He used to be a contender and now he's the invisible man


----------



## Starchivore (19 Sep 2020)

rich p said:


> I've just read that Teejay van Garderen is in the race!
> He used to be a contender and now he's the invisible man



The commentators used to always mention him, back in the day. We got regular updates on Teejay, it became a bit of a running joke for me and my Dad, the disproportionate coverage he got. But this year I've heard his name once


----------



## roadrash (19 Sep 2020)

who is Teejay van Garderen


----------



## Archie (19 Sep 2020)

Time trial has started. These are the start times so you can check on your favourite's progress. Remember times are local, knock an hour off for UK. 

https://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/...tart-times-for-the-stage-20-time-trial-469135

*General classification top-10 start times*

16:56:00 VALVERDE Alejandro MOV ESP
16:58:00 DUMOULIN Tom TJV NED
17:00:00 URAN Rigoberto EF1 COL
17:02:00 YATES Adam MTS GBR
17:04:00 MAS Enric MOV ESP
17:06:00 LANDA Mikel TBM ESP
17:08:00 PORTE Richie TFS AUS
17:10:00 LOPEZ Miguel Angel AST COL
17:12:00 POGACAR Tadej UAD SLO
17:14:00 ROGLIC Primož TJV SLO


----------



## roadrash (19 Sep 2020)

Adam4868 said:


> Roglic,Dumoulin,VanAert. 1 2 3 more likely



I am going to say .

1..Roglic
2..W.V.A
3..Porte


----------



## Adam4868 (19 Sep 2020)

roadrash said:


> I am going to say .
> 
> 1..Roglic
> 2..W.V.A
> 3..Porte


What about poor old Tom ? Porte....late night was it ? Told you not to have that last pint.


----------



## Dave Davenport (19 Sep 2020)

Bit of a dilemma for Pogacar, if he saves himself for the climb and mountain points he risks his GC position, if he goes full gas from the start Bernel will probably take the points for the climb and secure the polka dot jumper as he'll be able to save his effort for it.


----------



## Adam4868 (19 Sep 2020)

roadrash said:


> who is Teejay van Garderen


American version of Pinot.Full of hope...


----------



## Adam4868 (19 Sep 2020)

Dave Davenport said:


> Bit of a dilemma for Pogacar, if he saves himself for the climb and mountain points he risks his GC position, if he goes full gas from the start Bernel will probably take the points for the climb and secure the polka dot jumper as he'll be able to save his effort for it.


Bernel ?


----------



## Dave Davenport (19 Sep 2020)

Adam4868 said:


> Bernel ?


Oops! Obviously meant the other south American Ineos rider that's actually still in the race.


----------



## Adam4868 (19 Sep 2020)

Dave Davenport said:


> Oops! Obviously meant the other south American Ineos rider that's actually still in the race.


Im betting that Carapaz will take it easy and full gas up that climb.


----------



## SWSteve (19 Sep 2020)

View: https://twitter.com/deceuninck_qst/status/1307300674561101824?s=21


Was everyone else riding through treacle?


----------



## SWSteve (19 Sep 2020)

Adam4868 said:


> Im betting that Carapaz will take it easy and full gas up that climb.



what will it be, 350w for 25 minutes? Weighing about 65 kilos he will fly


----------



## Martinsnos (19 Sep 2020)

Wow - is this the day of the much talked about TT. Is that really 3 weeks?!

(Good real-life Covid experiment. Infection from airborne outside very unlikely!)


----------



## Adam4868 (19 Sep 2020)

ItsSteveLovell said:


> View: https://twitter.com/deceuninck_qst/status/1307300674561101824?s=21
> 
> 
> Was everyone else riding through treacle?



Looks like yesterday's stage was just a training ride.


----------



## roadrash (19 Sep 2020)

Adam4868 said:


> What about poor old Tom


I think hes fecked after the mountains


----------



## Eziemnaik (19 Sep 2020)

A street dog is gonna rip his wheel off


----------



## Eziemnaik (19 Sep 2020)

Roglic down 13" to Pogacar at first checkpoint


----------



## Adam4868 (19 Sep 2020)

Eziemnaik said:


> Roglic down 13" to Pogacar at first checkpoint


No second best for that boy !


----------



## roadrash (19 Sep 2020)

W.V.A is an absolute beast


----------



## Grant Fondo (19 Sep 2020)

The supersonic Serbs are away!


----------



## Adam4868 (19 Sep 2020)

Pogacar past Lopez,Porte on podium ?


----------



## Adam4868 (19 Sep 2020)

roadrash said:


> I think hes fecked after the mountains


Not by that ride he isn't 😁


----------



## Adam4868 (19 Sep 2020)

Sweating just watching this...you'd think Roglic was holding back a bit ?


----------



## Grant Fondo (19 Sep 2020)

Grant Fondo said:


> The supersonic Serbs are away!


* make that Slovaks


----------



## Eziemnaik (19 Sep 2020)

Slovenians*


----------



## Adam4868 (19 Sep 2020)

Yellow for pog !


----------



## roadrash (19 Sep 2020)

could be closer than Le Mond and fignon


----------



## Eziemnaik (19 Sep 2020)

Unbelievable


----------



## Adam4868 (19 Sep 2020)

Feck when did TTs become the new mountains


----------



## roadrash (19 Sep 2020)

who was it said this tour was boring........


----------



## roadrash (19 Sep 2020)

brilliant ride from porte to take a podium spot


----------



## StuAff (19 Sep 2020)

Have not long got up after a post FNRttC nap, got ITV4 on pronto. Cycling, bloody hell. This isn't like 1989- LeMond had clear technical advantages over Fignon (bars etc), and saddle sores. This is down to the men on those bikes, and Roglič looks like he's cracked. Astonishing after the past three weeks…


----------



## Eziemnaik (19 Sep 2020)

Jumbo and Roglic got owned


----------



## roadrash (19 Sep 2020)

I think we have just watched one of the greatest rides ever in the tour history


----------



## Adam4868 (19 Sep 2020)

fark ! Yellow,polka and white and he's not even 22


----------



## Mo1959 (19 Sep 2020)

Wow! I’ll remember that one for a while.


----------



## rich p (19 Sep 2020)

OMFG
Congrats Pog and Adam!


----------



## StuAff (19 Sep 2020)

Adam4868 said:


> fark ! Yellow,polka and white and he's not even 22


And we thought Bernal was astonishing last year- and he was…

Got to feel for Roglič though. Crushing.


----------



## roadrash (19 Sep 2020)

unbelievable , pogacar won the stage by 1 min 21 secs, the same amount of time he lost on the stage in the crosswinds


----------



## StuAff (19 Sep 2020)

Touching, and gracious from Roglič there. Pog said he knew the course from start to finish, that prep really paid off.


----------



## Cathryn (19 Sep 2020)

Oh my word!


----------



## Archie (19 Sep 2020)

That was amazing. 

I'm amazed.


----------



## Eziemnaik (19 Sep 2020)

Jumbo and Roglic did almost everything right and yet it was not enough


----------



## Cathryn (19 Sep 2020)

Test him.


----------



## StuAff (19 Sep 2020)

Cathryn said:


> Test him.


Standard protocol to test stage winners.

Not sure about testing for Calpol though…


----------



## roadrash (19 Sep 2020)

Cathryn said:


> Test him.


stage winner is automatically tested,


----------



## themosquitoking (19 Sep 2020)

That was astonishing, I wasn't looking forward to the TT but.....wow.


----------



## Adam4868 (19 Sep 2020)

Never doubted him,backed him for yellow and the stage today


----------



## roadrash (19 Sep 2020)

And to think , this tour nearly didnt happen


----------



## Aravis (19 Sep 2020)

That was exciting, though I was hoping for a 1 second gap.

As white jersey, did Pogacar have to wear a crappy skinsuit like Roglic did? Before the action started the ITV team talked at some length about the disadvantage to the leader of wearing a non-team suit, but after the finish it didn't seem worthy of mention.

Of course, if Pogacar was similarly afflicted there wasn't an issue, today anyway. I hope that's the case.

I didn't see Roglic "collapse". I think Pogacar won that. Hindsight's easy, but someone of his age, presumably still improving rapidly, riding a time-trial infinitely more significant than anything he'd attempted before - no-one was surprised, were they?


----------



## Adam4868 (19 Sep 2020)

StuAff said:


> Got to feel for Roglic though. Crushing.


A wins a win 

View: https://twitter.com/laflammerouge16/status/1307362686636875776?s=19


----------



## Adam4868 (19 Sep 2020)

WTF...


----------



## Grant Fondo (19 Sep 2020)

Wow, didn't see that coming today! As Brad Wiggins said, the legs, that's it!


----------



## Adam4868 (19 Sep 2020)

With all the euphoria almost forgot Richie Porte on the podium ! Can't say there's not a more deserving rider.


----------



## Grant Fondo (19 Sep 2020)

Adam4868 said:


> With all the euphoria almost forgot Richie Porte on the podium ! Can't say there's not a more deserving rider.


Agree, cracking TT rider


----------



## roadrash (19 Sep 2020)

Adam4868 said:


> With all the euphoria almost forgot Richie Porte on the podium ! Can't say there's not a more deserving rider.




Ahem ...see post 787


----------



## BalkanExpress (19 Sep 2020)

Dogtrousers said:


> Are Eurosport stalking you? Brian Smith just said this word for word


What...Brian Smith was out with the Fridays, top fella


----------



## cyberknight (19 Sep 2020)

Well done Tadej
I didnt see that coming although its very odd that roglic cracked so badly ?


----------



## StuAff (19 Sep 2020)

Important to remember that Pogačar had at least 1:21 over the entire field, including seasoned TT riders, climbers, or both. Truly an astonishing performance. If it could go right, it did. Roglič was indeed losing time from the start, that bike change was bodged, the climb was poor by his standards, but it was more won by his compatriot than lost by him.


----------



## Toshiba Boy (19 Sep 2020)

Superb, what a fantastic stage. Been watching for coming up forty years, and today's stage one of the greatest ever, and the race as a whole, for me, the best since the eighties.

Chapeau to all the riders, and special mention, as others have mentioned, for Richie Porte.


----------



## Dave Davenport (19 Sep 2020)

Great to see Richie on the podium, just hope he doesn't fall off and break something,


----------



## BalkanExpress (19 Sep 2020)

Dave Davenport said:


> Great to see Richie on the podium, just hope he doesn't fall off and break something,



Can you imagine how nervous Trek will be about him completing the stage tomorrow: stray dogs, plastic bags, one of Pog’s champage flutes stick in the front wheel anything could happen...


----------



## themosquitoking (19 Sep 2020)

Just watching the Eurosport "highlights", didn't realise earlier when live how much of Pogacars arse is on show.


----------



## Grant Fondo (19 Sep 2020)

Toshiba Boy said:


> Superb, what a fantastic stage. Been watching for coming up forty years, and today's stage one of the greatest ever, and the race as a whole, for me, the best since the eighties.
> 
> Chapeau to all the riders, and special mention, as others have mentioned, for Richie Porte.


Yeah terrific Tour this year! Only 2 weeks until Giro, yay


----------



## Domus (19 Sep 2020)

Just imagine if Pog had a team like Jumbo to help him.


----------



## stoatsngroats (19 Sep 2020)

Jumbo Visma, must be sick, a great 3 weeks of coverage, and strength, for not much at all! 
What with all the COVID stuff going on, overall it was a good win for Le Tour, and for Tadej, what a great prospect for he future.


----------



## themosquitoking (19 Sep 2020)

Domus said:


> Just imagine if Pog had a team like Jumbo to help him.


I'm not sure it would have been very different. Maybe Jumbo Visma wouldn't have had to ride at the front as much and UAE would have helped some but that doesn't help much in a last stage TT when your best placed rider has a bad day.


----------



## Adam4868 (19 Sep 2020)

Domus said:


> Just imagine if Pog had a team like Jumbo to help him.


Not forgetting Aru was the leader for UAE.


----------



## themosquitoking (19 Sep 2020)

Adam4868 said:


> Not forgetting Aru was the leader for UAE.


Was Pog meant to be a domestique or a do what you can type entry?


----------



## Adam4868 (19 Sep 2020)

themosquitoking said:


> Was Pog meant to be a domestique or a do what you can type entry?


Emotional assistance for Fabby 😘
Don't really mean that,I feel for Aru.


----------



## mjr (19 Sep 2020)

Aravis said:


> As white jersey, did Pogacar have to wear a crappy skinsuit like Roglic did? Before the action started the ITV team talked at some length about the disadvantage to the leader of wearing a non-team suit, but after the finish it didn't seem worthy of mention.
> 
> Of course, if Pogacar was similarly afflicted there wasn't an issue, today anyway. I hope that's the case.


Yes, both in carp suits.



> I didn't see Roglic "collapse". I think Pogacar won that. Hindsight's easy, but someone of his age, presumably still improving rapidly, riding a time-trial infinitely more significant than anything he'd attempted before - no-one was surprised, were they?


Yep, very. Fairytale win. He did win it but Rog did collapse too: hat askew, white-faced and rocking and rolling in a very unRogliĉ way.


----------



## Martinsnos (19 Sep 2020)

mjr said:


> Yes, both in carp suits.
> 
> 
> Yep, very. Fairytale win. He did win it but Rog did collapse too: hat askew, white-faced and rocking and rolling in a very unRogliĉ way.



Was about to put the same thing. Looked like he was completely out of sugars - awfully white looking.


----------



## Adam4868 (19 Sep 2020)

I'm not having the Roglic lost the Tour...it was Pogacar that won it.Never gave up,no real tactics other than "go for it" Roglic and Jumbo rode the race to perfection.Team took stages etc.Dumoulin,Van Aert,Kuss were something else ! Pure determination won it for Pogacar.After three weeks of racing who could of seen that ride today
I'm not biased really 😁


----------



## themosquitoking (19 Sep 2020)

Adam4868 said:


> Emotional assistance for Fabby 😘
> Don't really mean that,I feel for Aru.


"Haha look what I can do that you can't", isn't usually classified as emotional assistance.


----------



## beastie (19 Sep 2020)

Adam4868 said:


> I'm not having the Roglic lost the Tour...it was Pogacar that won it.Never gave up,no real tactics other than "go for it" Roglic and Jumbo rode the race to perfection.Team took stages etc.Dumoulin,Van Aert,Kuss were something else ! Pure determination won it for Pogacar.After three weeks of racing who could of seen that ride today
> I'm not biased really 😁


Roglic and Jumbo didn’t really race to perfection though, because Pogacar was still in range for the TT. With the strength of team and Roglic apparently so strong a more aggressive approach in the first few weeks might have built a bigger cushion. 
Jumbo raced like Sky 2012 except that Roglic is not a TT’er of the Calibre of Wiggins. Jumbo should have raced like the Sky of Froome, using the strengths of the team to put everyone into the red and then have Roglic go full gas for 20mins....
Or maybe Roglic wasn’t really any stronger than Pog on the climbs and didn’t have it in his legs to attack, but he should have tried once or twice.
Hindsight is great isn’t it!!!

That was probably the best ITT I’ve watched, and I saw LeMond vs Fignon.....

Pogacar has done 2 GT’s. He has 6 stage wins, 2 young rider,1 mountains, a podium and 1 GC. Plus he’s Slovenian TT champion and he’s only 21 FFS....awesome!!


----------



## themosquitoking (19 Sep 2020)

That's two years in a row now that a very young rider has won. How likely is a TdF win for an over 30 now for the foreseeable future?


----------



## mjr (19 Sep 2020)

themosquitoking said:


> That's two years in a row now that a very young rider has won. How likely is a TdF win for an over 30 now for the foreseeable future?


I hear Chris Horner is looking for a contract as some team's TdF leader...


----------



## beastie (20 Sep 2020)

I’m already looking forward to next year, and it’s only 9 months away. Froome maybe back to full fitness. Bernal or Carapaz or Thomas or Yates, Pog and Rog, Tom D and WVA.


----------



## SWSteve (20 Sep 2020)

Martinsnos said:


> Was about to put the same thing. Looked like he was completely out of sugars - awfully white looking.



they don’t use sugars. They have some fancy fat burning fuel instead


----------



## SWSteve (20 Sep 2020)

my memory might be completely shot, but this reminded me of when TommyD won the Giro in the Itt.
Facts suggest Nairo started the stage in Pink, but Tom put in a huge performance and stole the giro from him.
My memory is somehow reversed, where Tom was the last rider, caught Nairo after 5 minutes of starting and sat on Nairos wheel to take 2 minutes off him and guarantee the Giro win.
not sure which is true, but I like the idea of whoever wins the race spending 40 minutes burning it into the retinas of their biggest challenger


----------



## Martinsnos (20 Sep 2020)

ItsSteveLovell said:


> they don’t use sugars. They have some fancy fat burning fuel instead



I was meaning glycogen depletion.


----------



## Adam4868 (20 Sep 2020)

beastie said:


> Roglic and Jumbo didn’t really race to perfection though, because Pogacar was still in range for the TT. With the strength of team and Roglic apparently so strong a more aggressive approach in the first few weeks might have built a bigger cushion.
> Jumbo raced like Sky 2012 except that Roglic is not a TT’er of the Calibre of Wiggins. Jumbo should have raced like the Sky of Froome, using the strengths of the team to put everyone into the red and then have Roglic go full gas for 20mins....


Take your point but a minute should have been enough.Pogacar was on a different level yesterday and let's not forget he's been riding full gas for the last three weeks.
Not taking anything away from Roglic as he would have been a worthy winner,but he's had a team behind him that looked unbreakable.Was Bernal not.early on saying something like "it's not me,I'm hitting all my targets.There just better ! "
Back to yesterday's ride..the three favourites Roglic,Van Aert and Dumoulin all got smashed by Pogacar.There was only Dumoulin who was faster on the flat,but when they got to the climb it was Pogacar that smashed it.I think I read he now has the fastest time yesterday up it ?
So yes Roglic had a bit of a stinker yesterday,but Pogacar was definately the strongest rider at the Tour and a deserved winner.


----------



## Adam4868 (20 Sep 2020)

No suprises and a deserved winner in Marc Hirshi (Sunweb) who wins the Tour's "supercombativity" prize ! 
Also Movistar those tactical geniuses take the team classification award.
(How they win that,feck knows)


----------



## nickyboy (20 Sep 2020)

JV always thought the TT was a trump card and their man could be relied upon to at least not lose any time to the contenders and probably put time into them

So they rode defensively after Pog and Porte lost time in the crosswinds. There were opportunities to attack and certainly they must regret not following Pog attack on S8

Then Pog has TT of his life and their guy has a relatively bad day and the rest is history


----------



## Adam4868 (20 Sep 2020)

Couldn't have put it better myself...

View: https://twitter.com/rusty_woods/status/1307575484713140224?s=19


----------



## beastie (20 Sep 2020)

Adam4868 said:


> Take your point but a minute should have been enough.Pogacar was on a different level yesterday and let's not forget he's been riding full gas for the last three weeks.
> Not taking anything away from Roglic as he would have been a worthy winner,but he's had a team behind him that looked unbreakable.Was Bernal not.early on saying something like "it's not me,I'm hitting all my targets.There just better ! "
> Back to yesterday's ride..the three favourites Roglic,Van Aert and Dumoulin all got smashed by Pogacar.There was only Dumoulin who was faster on the flat,but when they got to the climb it was Pogacar that smashed it.I think I read he now has the fastest time yesterday up it ?
> So yes Roglic had a bit of a stinker yesterday,but Pogacar was definately the strongest rider at the Tour and a deserved winner.


I don’t know if Roglic had a bad ride apart from the climb, and yes Pog was absolutely flying. One minute is never a secure lead in a grand tour. It’s only one mechanical, one badly timed puncture, one crash, one bad day away from disaster.


----------



## SWSteve (20 Sep 2020)

beastie said:


> I don’t know if Roglic had a bad ride apart from the climb, and yes Pog was absolutely flying. One minute is never a secure lead in a grand tour. It’s only one mechanical, one badly timed puncture, one crash, one bad day away from disaster.


One disjointed bike-swap?


----------



## Mo1959 (20 Sep 2020)

ItsSteveLovell said:


> One disjointed bike-swap?


Was so bad it was almost comical. Poor from professional teams that surely practice these things?


----------



## Adam4868 (20 Sep 2020)

beastie said:


> I don’t know if Roglic had a bad ride apart from the climb, and yes Pog was absolutely flying. One minute is never a secure lead in a grand tour. It’s only one mechanical, one badly timed puncture, one crash, one bad day away from disaster.


What ifs are what makes bike racing..punctures,mechanicals,off days,feck I even heard the wrong choice of helmet....Then along comes Pogacar ! Best rider won end of 😁


----------



## Grant Fondo (20 Sep 2020)

mjr said:


> I hear Chris Horner is looking for a contract as some team's TdF leader...


I don't think thats what we want, what we really really really want?


----------



## StuAff (20 Sep 2020)

Grant Fondo said:


> I don't think thats what we want, what we really really really want?


Geri might do better…


----------



## BalkanExpress (20 Sep 2020)

themosquitoking said:


> "Haha look what I can do that you can't", isn't usually classified as emotional assistance.



It was in my PE classes ... but times have changed


----------



## BalkanExpress (20 Sep 2020)

Adam4868 said:


> Also Movistar those tactical geniuses take the team classification award.
> (How they win that,feck knows)



Easy,their top three finishers everyday had a lower aggregate time than any other team’s.

Joking aside, I take your point, they did not exactly light up the race for three weeks , but they are incredibly consistent, Mas has finished high up the GC and they have a very strong set of mountain dmestiques who seem to rotate the duty of riding through to the finish rather than dropping off. 

It obviously works as that is 5 team wins in the last 6 years. Mind you EF would have done for them this year if Higuita had not crashed out.


----------



## gavroche (20 Sep 2020)

I think this is the end of an era for British cycling in the TdF. All these youngsters from other nationalities are taking over and will take some beating. Froome and Thomas will never win another TdF now, they are just too old in the modern game.


----------



## Dave Davenport (20 Sep 2020)

gavroche said:


> I think this is the end of an era for British cycling in the TdF. All these youngsters from other nationalities are taking over and will take some beating. Froome and Thomas will never win another TdF now, they are just too old in the modern game.


Tom Pidcock?


----------



## Starchivore (20 Sep 2020)




----------



## Booyaa (20 Sep 2020)

Having missed my first stage of this years tour yesterday (I didn't think much would go on so took the family for a long walk), were the 2 bike changes made at the same place? (Roglic and Pogacars). I have seen the Pogacar change but not Roglic's, big mistake there by the sounds of it.


----------



## mjr (20 Sep 2020)

Nice of them to test out the Cycleway :-)


----------



## StuAff (20 Sep 2020)

Booyaa said:


> Having missed my first stage of this years tour yesterday (I didn't think much would go on so took the family for a long walk), were the 2 bike changes made at the same place? (Roglic and Pogacars). I have seen the Pogacar change but not Roglic's, big mistake there by the sounds of it.


Roglič and team (according to a reader comment on the Sunday Times report page) made the change further up the climb than Pogačar had- certainly from the pictures, it looked like the push for Roglič took a lot more effort.


----------



## mjr (20 Sep 2020)

StuAff said:


> it looked like the push for Roglič took a lot more effort.


and more than the permitted 5 seconds but I guess the commissaires aren't completely heartless. Or they didn't want to be sworn at again.


----------



## StuAff (20 Sep 2020)

mjr said:


> and more than the permitted 5 seconds but I guess the commissaires aren't completely heartless. Or they didn't want to be sworn at again.


Certainly was longer. Probably a case of not adding insult to injury…


----------



## Adam4868 (20 Sep 2020)

mjr said:


> and more than the permitted 5 seconds but I guess the commissaires aren't completely heartless. Or they didn't want to be sworn at again.


Oh I don't know...maybe they didn't want to look like they had it in for Jumbo 🙄

View: https://twitter.com/laflammerouge16/status/1307387906726735881?s=19


----------



## Adam4868 (20 Sep 2020)

Be nice for Van Aert to take this final sprint.


----------



## StuAff (20 Sep 2020)

Adam4868 said:


> Oh I don't know...maybe they didn't want to look like they had it in for Jumbo 🙄
> 
> View: https://twitter.com/laflammerouge16/status/1307387906726735881?s=19



Oh FFS…


----------



## StuAff (20 Sep 2020)

Irish eyes are smiling! Nice one Sam.


----------



## rich p (20 Sep 2020)

Great tour!
Roll on the next one...


----------



## Adam4868 (20 Sep 2020)

rich p said:


> Great tour!
> Roll on the next one...


Giro in less than two weeks,then all the classics and I think the Vuelta starts before the Giro ends ? Nearly forgot the world's aswell.


----------



## roadrash (20 Sep 2020)

brilliant tour... its up there with the best in my opinion


----------



## Venod (20 Sep 2020)

Who buys Pete Kennaughs clothes, everything looks too big, is he planning growing into them or has he shrunk out of them.


----------



## StuAff (20 Sep 2020)

Rather a lot of cynicism (to put it politely, which I wouldn't…) about Pogačar's performance on YACF [and elsewhere, natch], led by the usual forum specialist in doping conspiracy theory. The youngster beat Roglič by nine seconds in the national TT, not two minutes, and after a week of mountains in France he was 57 seconds down so couldn't possibly outclimb him. Dumoulin was putting out similar power to his world title TT win, yet lost 1:21 (and Tom D himself has said he'd have to improve 5% to keep up). Ergo, sayeth the man with no access to power data or drug testing results for anyone involved, it stinks. As there exists no way of proving a negative and, unless I'm mistaken, the burden of proof remains with prosecution not defence, I'll have a little more faith in human nature and current testing procedures than the scepticism of online witchfinders…


----------



## gavroche (20 Sep 2020)

A bit disappointed that Pogacar did all his speech in English. I think he should have said a few words in French for the French public. I believe his mother is a French teacher so no excuses. 
Apart from that, congratulations to him and looking forward to the next one.


----------



## Cathryn (20 Sep 2020)

Such a great end to the tour! Thrilled to bits for Sam Bennett! 

One of my favourite bits of this tour has been the podium gentlemen! I’ve loved seeing how sheepish they’ve looked, especially the gentleman in the polka dot outfit!! Fantastic stuff.


----------



## rich p (20 Sep 2020)

gavroche said:


> A bit disappointed that Pogacar did all his speech in English. I think he should have said a few words in French for the French public. I believe his mother is a French teacher so no excuses.
> Apart from that, congratulations to him and looking forward to the next one.


I'm bitterly disappointed he didn't do it all in Slovenian


----------



## rich p (20 Sep 2020)

gavroche said:


> A bit disappointed that Pogacar did all his speech in English. I think he should have said a few words in French for the French public. I believe his mother is a French teacher so no excuses.
> Apart from that, congratulations to him and looking forward to the next one.


I've often wondered if the next French winner of the Tour will do his victory speech in French or English but, sadly, I fear I will never find out at my age...


----------



## gavroche (20 Sep 2020)

rich p said:


> I've often wondered if the next French winner of the Tour will do his victory speech in French or English but, sadly, I fear I will never find out at my age...


When it does happen, and be patient, he will most certainly do it in French , why should he do it in English ?


----------



## StuAff (20 Sep 2020)

Because said Frenchman might want to address those non-Francophones in the international audience? The bother President Macron gets any time he uses his excellent English is unlikely to be directed at them. Froome addressed the crowd in both languages, Bernal three if I recall correctly, so French and English would be perfectly reasonable…


----------



## BalkanExpress (20 Sep 2020)

gavroche said:


> When it does happen, and be patient, he will most certainly do it in French , why should he do it in English ?



As the next French winner is likely to be Sivakov, he’ll probably do it in Russian


----------



## rich p (21 Sep 2020)

Happy Birthday Pog 🎂


----------



## Adam4868 (21 Sep 2020)

rich p said:


> Happy Birthday Pog 🎂


Jelly and ice cream party ?


----------



## Adam4868 (21 Sep 2020)

Still buzzing over that win !


----------



## gavroche (21 Sep 2020)

StuAff said:


> Because said Frenchman might want to address those non-Francophones in the international audience? The bother President Macron gets any time he uses his excellent English is unlikely to be directed at them. Froome addressed the crowd in both languages, Bernal three if I recall correctly, so *French and English would be perfectly reasonable…
> *


----------



## Venod (21 Sep 2020)

Dave Davenport said:


> Tom Pidcock?



Rumours are he has signed for Ineos.

https://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/...h-ineos-grenadiers-according-to-report-469349


----------



## Starchivore (21 Sep 2020)

rich p said:


> Happy Birthday Pog 🎂



I loved that they asked him about his birthday, and just said he's not bothered, doesn't really like it. He seems pretty chilled-out. As is Roglic. And Bernal, now that I think about it! 

And I appreciate that a lot, it's always nice to see top sportspeople breaking that lazy stereotype of "you've got to be mean and loud and pushy to do well"


----------



## roadrash (21 Sep 2020)

Adam4868 said:


> Jelly and ice cream party ?


I wont be coming unless you promise cake.......................lots of it


----------



## ColinJ (21 Sep 2020)

Starchivore said:


> I loved that they asked him about his birthday, and just said he's not bothered, doesn't really like it. He seems pretty chilled-out.


That resonated with me - I'm exactly the same***. 
















*** Except for the youth and cycling ability!


----------



## CanucksTraveller (21 Sep 2020)

I noticed that Carlton Kirby went "full Partridge" as the tour drew to a close yesterday: 

"Wout van Aert, very much the Swiss army knife of cycling. He's not Swiss of course. He's Belgian."


----------



## Martinsnos (21 Sep 2020)

CanucksTraveller said:


> I noticed that Carlton Kirby went "full Partridge" as the tour drew to a close yesterday:
> 
> "Wout van Aert, very much the Swiss army knife of cycling. He's not Swiss of course. He's Belgian."


Brilliant


----------



## Adam4868 (21 Sep 2020)

Dogtrousers said:


> Ooooh. Interesting
> 
> View: https://twitter.com/inrng/status/1308088639482744832



Whatever it was I'd be asking for my money back...


----------



## Adam4868 (21 Sep 2020)

It was good whilst it lasted....

View: https://twitter.com/mrendell/status/1308121624651198464?s=19


----------



## SWSteve (21 Sep 2020)

Adam4868 said:


> It was good whilst it lasted....
> 
> View: https://twitter.com/mrendell/status/1308121624651198464?s=19




so a doctor had some needles, is that it?


----------



## Adam4868 (21 Sep 2020)

ItsSteveLovell said:


> so a doctor had some needles, is that it?


I think so...There was also talk that Nairo had a full english before stage 17,yet to be confirmed.


----------



## SWSteve (21 Sep 2020)

Adam4868 said:


> I think so...There was also talk that Nairo had a full english before stage 17,yet to be confirmed.



thatll be why he climbed like a truck driver for the last couple of days


----------



## DRM (21 Sep 2020)

Adam4868 said:


> I think so...There was also talk that Nairo had a full english before stage 17,yet to be confirmed.


So he is guilty of blood doping, was it Adam Yates that recommended that black pudding goes well with a fry up


----------



## matticus (22 Sep 2020)

gavroche said:


> _rich p said:_
> _I've often wondered if the next French winner of the Tour will do his victory speech in French or English but, sadly, I fear I will never find out at my age.._
> 
> When it does happen, and be patient, he will most certainly do it in French , why should he do it in English ?


So that his team can understand him?


----------



## matticus (22 Sep 2020)

Aravis said:


> Away from the spotlight, a finely-judged ride today from Pierre Rolland saw him take the lead in the sable jersey classification, but he looks vulnerable to a late challenge from Nairo Quintana in the final time-trial.
> 
> Rolland is in 18th place at 1h 00m 13s, Quintana 17th at 0h 57m 49s. With no other serious challengers, advantage Quintana I'd say.


sable??

Citation please!


----------



## gavroche (22 Sep 2020)

matticus said:


> So that his team can understand him?


What has his team got to do with the winner's speech?


----------



## matticus (22 Sep 2020)

StuAff said:


> *Rather a lot of cynicism (to put it politely, which I wouldn't…) about Pogačar's performance on YACF [and elsewhere, natch], led by the usual forum specialist in doping conspiracy theory.*
> <snip> ... As there exists no way of proving a negative and, unless I'm mistaken, the burden of proof remains with prosecution not defence, I'll have a little more faith in human nature and current testing procedures than the scepticism of online witchfinders…


What a surprise! 

[at the risk of getting sucked into this ...
does anyone have rider weight/BMI data for the top contenders this year? 2020 must the be the most climber-friendly final TT, so bigger riders like TomD would expect to lose more time than in a flatter ride to the lighter guys.

Pog _looks _the most bird-like, but these things are often deceptive!]


----------



## matticus (22 Sep 2020)

gavroche said:


> What has his team got to do with the winner's speech?


They get to hear it too! It's the most public chance to thank them, and they probably want to hear what their guy has to say, on their biggest day of the year.

(and I'm really just having a friendly dig at the chances of a French _team _winning the thing, so please don't get too excited  )


----------



## gavroche (22 Sep 2020)

matticus said:


> They get to hear it too! It's the most public chance to thank them, and they probably want to hear what their guy has to say, on their biggest day of the year.
> 
> (and I'm really just having a friendly dig at the chances of a French _team _winning the thing, so please don't get too excited  )


1- The chances of a French team or rider winning the Tour is years away yet.
2- The winner's speech , being in France, should, at least, be in French and English, as a mark of respect to the French nation and the origins of the Tour. 
Why does everybody assume the whole world speaks English?


----------



## Once a Wheeler (22 Sep 2020)

Aravis said:


> Away from the spotlight, a finely-judged ride today from Pierre Rolland saw him take the lead in the sable jersey classification, but he looks vulnerable to a late challenge from Nairo Quintana in the final time-trial.


There's a bit of a lost-in-translation problem with the _maillot sable_. A sable jersey would be a black jersey, as the word sable in English, when used as an adjective, refers to the colour of the sable animal, renowned for its black fur:



The _maillot sable_ refers to the French word _sable_ meaning sand. As the hypothetical jersey for the first man to come in one hour behind the winner it refers to the sand in the hour-glass, usually a drab yellow, making a suitable contrast to the daffodil-yellow jersey of the winner:




So it is either the _maillot sable_ or the sand-coloured jersey, otherwise we risk inventing a black jersey — which would perhaps be a suitable rotten-bad-luck prize for anyone forced to abandon on the final stage.


----------



## matticus (22 Sep 2020)

Oh for goodness sake: turns out Sam Bennett isn't even Irish. Like Wiggins, he's from Belgium!

*



Bennett was born in 1990 in Menen, Flanders, Belgium, where his father Michael came in 1989 to play professional football for local club Eendracht Wervik.

Click to expand...

*


> He moved with his parents to their native Ireland at the age of four, where he spent most of his early years growing up in Carrick-on-Suir, the hometown of fellow cyclist Sean Kelly.




(I wonder how good his French is ... )


----------



## Adam4868 (22 Sep 2020)

matticus said:


> Oh for goodness sake: turns out Sam Bennett isn't even Irish. Like Wiggins, he's from Belgium


Of what relevance is that ? He's Irish...ask him.


----------



## matticus (22 Sep 2020)

Gosh, people in this thread are touchy about national identities! Lighten up folks (does every non-serious post need a smiley? Oh no, that didn't help with the french upset ... )


----------



## Adam4868 (22 Sep 2020)

matticus said:


> Gosh, people in this thread are touchy about national identities! Lighten up folks (does every non-serious post need a smiley? Oh no, that didn't help with the french upset ... )


I'm guessing it might mean something to certain people ? 
*Sam Bennett responds to Bradley Wiggins’ attempt to claim him as British as he says ‘I’m fully Irish don’t worry’*


----------



## BalkanExpress (22 Sep 2020)

matticus said:


> Oh for goodness sake: turns out Sam Bennett isn't even Irish. Like Wiggins, he's from Belgium!
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I'm guessing it is shi...ite,what with having been born in Dutch* speaking Flanders.


*there's a great, but very niche, linguistic argument to be had on this point


----------



## matticus (22 Sep 2020)

Adam4868 said:


> I'm guessing it might mean something to certain people ?
> *Sam Bennett responds to Bradley Wiggins’ attempt to claim him as British as he says ‘I’m fully Irish don’t worry’*


No need to shout.

Anyway, I still don't know if he speaks French. Maybe just Flemish?
(EDIT: cross-post with mr @BalkanExpress !)


----------



## Dave Davenport (22 Sep 2020)

Haven't you lot seen the latest ruling from the UCI; 'Ĉiuj rajdantoj kaj teama personaro devas flui kaj komuniki nur esperante'.


----------



## matticus (22 Sep 2020)

Google translates that as:
It looks like there aren't any great matches for your search 
??


----------



## Dave Davenport (22 Sep 2020)

'all riders and team personnel must be fluent in and converse solely in Esperanto' (possibly).


----------



## Eziemnaik (22 Sep 2020)

I pity those who do not believe in miracles.
We got rid of doping cancer in TDF and now we can all enjoy our clean races with the same avarege speed as of that disgusting era.
Seriously, if you think Pogacar, Bernal or Froome ride faster than Armstrong, Urlich or Pantani because they are doping you are greatly mistaken


----------



## Adam4868 (22 Sep 2020)

Eziemnaik said:


> I pity those who do not believe in miracles.
> We got rid of doping cancer in TDF and now we can all enjoy our clean races with the same avarege speed as of that disgusting era.
> Seriously, if you think Pogacar, Bernal or Froome ride faster than Armstrong, Urlich or Pantani because they are doping you are greatly mistaken


If I genuinely believed every "he must be doping because he won" Froome,Pogacar etc I'd probally give up watching it.Id prefer to go with innocent until proven guilty.


----------



## Eziemnaik (22 Sep 2020)

My point really
Who really cares as long as we get to see a race as great as this one?


----------



## Martinsnos (23 Sep 2020)

English is a lot easier to understand than French.


----------



## Adam4868 (23 Sep 2020)

Article on Pogacar if anyone's interested.It was meticulous planning even down to the gearing for his TT.He knew exactly what he had to do.
https://pezcyclingnews.com/intervie...iper-talks-tadej-pogacar-2020-tour-de-france/


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## matticus (23 Sep 2020)

This post from Pog's [pro cyclist] girlfriend brought actual tears to my eyes; from just before they both went to race in France.

View: https://www.instagram.com/p/CEcMyphlCYH/embed/captioned/?cr=1&v=12


[hope that's the right link, as it's actually blocked from this PC!]


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## Adam4868 (23 Sep 2020)

Dogtrousers said:


> Yeah. I treat all professional athletes - whatever the sport - with a healthy dose of scepticism, (some more than others ). But I feel it would be daft to meet trouble halfway by getting disappointed in them without direct evidence.
> 
> I'll wait until we get a scandal and then I'll say "ah ... he never fooled me, you know, I always had my suspicions". But until then I'll enjoy the spectacle.


I go with the totally nieve "well I'd never have believed it" until proven guilty.Helps me enjoy sport more 😁


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## matticus (23 Sep 2020)

Some folks - especially on the internet - get more pleasure out of their cynicism than out of the sport itself. I've noticed they tend not to follow any other sports, such as the ones where drugs has been much less of a problem.
It's almost like they enjoy trying to show how clever they are; but I can't imagine that's why people join social media, oh no ...


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## mjr (23 Sep 2020)

matticus said:


> other sports, such as the ones where drugs has been much less of a problem.


I think you mean "sports where they don't tackle doping as strongly".



> It's almost like they enjoy trying to show how clever they are; but I can't imagine that's why people join social media, oh no ...


Physician, heal thyself!


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## mjr (23 Sep 2020)

Once a Wheeler said:


> the daffodil-yellow jersey of the winner:


Now that's a jersey design I don't want to see! 

(too much knowledge of this site's swear filter is needed for that joke)


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## Phaeton (23 Sep 2020)

gavroche said:


> Why does everybody assume the whole world speaks English?


Because it is the universal language of commerce, just like the US dollar, which means they just did a better job than everybody else to get the rules changed in their favour.


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## matticus (23 Sep 2020)

Phaeton said:


> _gavroche said:
> Why does everybody assume the whole world speaks English?_
> 
> 
> Because it is the universal language of commerce, just like the US dollar, which means they just did a better job than everybody else to get the rules changed in their favour.


Now, about these "Swiss Francs" things ... :P


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## gavroche (23 Sep 2020)

Phaeton said:


> Because it is the universal language of commerce, just like the US dollar, which means they just did a better job than everybody else to get the rules changed in their favour.


It is probably because it is an easy language to learn, dominated by the USA nowadays, sad to say.


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## Venod (24 Sep 2020)

Some more doubters.

https://www.velonews.com/events/tou...campaign=b7fd033a-ea27-4559-b91e-bbaa686c1c8b


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