Beebo
Firm and Fruity
- Location
- Hexleybeef
Gilbert has withdrawn from the race according to BBC.
Such a shame.
Such a shame.
Tour de France 2018 **SPOILERS**
- Thread starter rich p
- Start date
-
- Tags
- tour de france
Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.
roadrash
cycle chatterer
- Location
- sitting on the edge of wigan pier
Unfortunately, @PhilippeGilbert won't start tomorrow. Thanks for ride, congratulations for your courage, Philippe!
Malheureusement, Philippe Gilbert ne prendra pas le départ demain. Merci pour tout et bon rétablissement, Philippe !
#TDF2018
Adam4868
Guru
Agreed,Giro this year was a great race.Full on start to finish with no room to hide.The tour is more nervy/edgy but most of it is controlled.I guess its still the ultimate prize though....
He's a fabulous rider, I can't help thinking he could be aiming higher.
I'm not sure he's a GT potential winner so stage wins, classics and maybe short stage races is his forté?
A bit like Geraint Thom...oh, hang on!
deptfordmarmoset
Full time tea drinker
- Location
- Armonmy Way
He can't count on the same quality of support that Sky riders have. Plus, there's enormous pressure on French riders to win stages (even if he won in Spain...).
Adam4868
Guru
He's won two classy stages so far and the polka dot.He looks to enjoy himself which is nice !
View: https://twitter.com/richardmoore73/status/1017405476424724487?s=19
View: https://twitter.com/richardmoore73/status/1017405476424724487?s=19
Shadow
member
- Location
- edge of the south downs
Today's stage went into Spain but back out again for the finish; Bagneres-du-Luchon is deffo in France.
(At least it was last time I looked!!)
deptfordmarmoset
Full time tea drinker
- Location
- Armonmy Way
I stand, well sit, corrected!
I'm suspicious that all talented French riders are hiding behind the 'Panache' excuse. I find it hard to believe that a nation who gave us Hinault and Fignon are not capable of producing a rider who can win the Tour and think the difference is only the mindset.
This tour route *could* have made great racing even without tomorrow's gimmick. I think the problem is that Sky are the cycling equivalent of tiki-taka. Like peak Spain, once they've scored and established control they just shut the game down.
The Giro was interesting because Sky weren't in control for much of the race; it took some monumental/well-planned/deeply-suspicious cycling to turn it around. Movistar have been disappointing, Sunweb don't have the depth to support Dumoulin, Porte and Nibali are out and Quickstep have entertained without challenging the GC. Midfield triangles for Team Evil.
You never know, it could all go to rat droppings for Sky tomorrow. I was chatting with my ride crony yesterday and we were speculating what would happen if, thanks to either tomorrow and/or the TT, there was maybe only a second or two between Dumoulin and either Froome or Thomas. Would they race the last day? Not one for the traditionalists, but it'd be epic.
Maybe, but Bardet and Pinot have had a go and come up short. I'm not sure if Alaphilippe or Barguil are any more likely, even if they were mentally up to it. But you may be right. JA is only 25 so he has 8 years to become the French Geraint Thomas.
It was just speculation and typical ride-talk, but a couple of seconds could easily be lost due to a split in the peloton over the line in Paris. I have a feeling in my water.......(goes and checks unpleasant burning sensation)
