Tour de France 2017 ***SPOILERS***

[smutchin]

Richie Porte is obviously up for the fight today. It'll be interesting how far his team manage up the steep bits before he's isolated.

To be fair, he's got a much stronger team with him here than he had at the Dauphiné. Damiano Caruso in particular looked in superb form at the Tour de Suisse. Schär and Küng will be useful support too.

 

[lyn1]

Well DD gambled on Cav for the tour, they're in a predicament now for World Tour points.

They will be very disappointed about the loss of Cav because of the profile he gives sponsors and the Qhubeka cause and the riders will potentially lose some prize money, but they do not really care about the points. It's a free year with no relegation, so they are pretty much resigned to being bottom. How they restructure for next year and whether they continue with such a high African contingent will however, be very interesting.

 

[smutchin]

It's a free year with no relegation

It is? I thought they were reducing the number of teams at the end of this season, but I admit I'm struggling to keep up with the UCI's constant goalpost-moving antics...

 

[lyn1]

It is? I thought they were reducing the number of teams at the end of this season, but I admit I'm struggling to keep up with the UCI's constant goalpost-moving antics...

Yes, difficult to keep up with what is going on.My understanding is that it will be the team standings (all riders total scores) based on the established WT races only (not inc. the new ones), as of the end of 2018,

 

[Crackle]

It is? I thought they were reducing the number of teams at the end of this season, but I admit I'm struggling to keep up with the UCI's constant goalpost-moving antics...

Yep, so did I, which is why I thought they'd gambled with Cav.

 

[rich p]

Yep, so did I, which is why I thought they'd gambled with Cav.

They gambled with Cav cos they didn't hold any other cards?

 

[Buddfox]

Sky train... eesh

 

[jarlrmai]

will Froome attack G

 

[Slaav]

Sky train... eesh

If it works.... and to be fair, GT is in yellow and they are performing very well. I genuinely don't feel at all uncomfortable with the tactics nor with any slurs or insinuations. It is (IMHO) quite a sight when it works.

Bizarrely it reminds me of the HTC trains a few years back when they had one hell of a slick finish to sprint stages pre Cav joining Sky.

 

[jarlrmai]

Aru jumps the train.

 

[Buddfox]

If it works.... and to be fair, GT is in yellow and they are performing very well. I genuinely don't feel at all uncomfortable with the tactics nor with any slurs or insinuations. It is (IMHO) quite a sight when it works.

Bizarrely it reminds me of the HTC trains a few years back when they had one hell of a slick finish to sprint stages pre Cav joining Sky.

Nothing but impressive IMHO

 

[smutchin]

Sky train... eesh

BMC were doing all the work in the early parts of the stage, setting a hard pace. A lot of riders will be pretty cooked even before the climb started. Sky have just been sitting in the peloton, so they ought to be fresh enough.

 

[jarlrmai]

Dan Martin could get this

 

[Buddfox]

The barriers all the way down this far are working well

 

[smutchin]

Dan Martin could get this

I do hope so!