Tour de France 2019 **SPOILERS**

[ColinJ]

Why was there a point in today's stage when Movistar were driving the MJ group with Quintana up the road? More crazy Movistar tactics

I think Movistar have fallen out with Quintana and he was just doing his own thing today, with or without their backing. I'm sure that he feels rather pleased to have stuck it to them now!

 

[Crackle]

I think Movistar have fallen out with Quintana and he was just doing his own thing today, with or without their backing. I'm sure that he feels rather pleased to have stuck it to them now!

I reckon you're right. I bet the Movistar bus is a right barrel of laughs

 

[ColinJ]

I reckon you're right. I bet the Movistar bus is a right barrel of laughs

Just wait for the press release declaring it to be Movistar's amazing secret strategy!

 

[dragon72]

I feel sorry for Tim Wellens losing his dotty jumper to Bardet today. He's really thrown himself into that competition.
Alaphilippe was fantastic again today.

 

[mjr]

Why was there a point in today's stage when Movistar were driving the MJ group with Quintana up the road? More crazy Movistar tactics

Ooooh I've got a group named after me at last!

Not crazy, was it? They were clearly improving their position in the team classification in an attempt to take the lead back from Trek Sega Freddo. (No, I've no idea either. I think only those teams care about that competition.)

 

[Flying_Monkey]

Talking of team tactics, I wasn't quite sure what Thomas was doing attacking Alaphilippe when Bernal was up the road. Without that, Bernal would have got even more time. Maybe there were trying the old 1-2 strike to break JA but Thomas just hasn't got that kind of acceleration, or at least not this year. JA's descending was pure brilliance and bravado; it reminded me of 'Il Falco' himself, Paolo Savoldelli.

I think tomorrow's stage suits Pinot down to the ground. If he's going to make a challenge it will be there. Val Thorens is just going to be a grind, only the strongest will survive, last man standing kind of day. And I just don't know who that is. I think JA will lose time tomorrow but maybe not the jersey, but he will lose it the day after, the only question is: who to? Today, it looked like Bernal, but that could have been just a stalking horse attack for Thomas. But I think the grind will really suit Kruijswijk...

 

[mjr]

Talking of team tactics, I wasn't quite sure what Thomas was doing attacking Alaphilippe when Bernal was up the road. Without that, Bernal would have got even more time. Maybe there were trying the old 1-2 strike to break JA but Thomas just hasn't got that kind of acceleration, or at least not this year.

I agree with most of your post but you seem to ignore that Thomas's attack did indeed gap Alan Philips. Not break him but that was because there wasn't enough climb left, rather than insufficient acceleration.

 

[roadrash]

Thomas's did gap alaphilipe but he made it back on the descent

 

[Foghat]

Well the road-clearing teams will be double-shifting all night to get the roads cleared for tomorrow.

As soon as the stage finished the thunderstorms started. Descending from Valloire via the Col du Telegraphe in torrential rain was fun - I must have worn out at least two pairs of rims and a dozen sets of brake blocks coming down this time.

But that was just the start of it. Driving back from St Michel-de-Maurienne to the Isere valley and Bourg St Maurice, there was the most incredible lightning show - countless forked bolts striking mountain-tops, hill-tops and outcrops in every direction one looked. And that was a mere taster of what was to follow.

Heading up the Isere valley, the most apocalyptic storm I've ever encountered hit - this was the heaviest rain and hail I've ever seen. When I got to the 7-mile climb back up to the ski station apartment near Bourg, by now the torrents had led to multiple rockfalls and mini-landslides, which meant crawling up in second or first gear, lots of stopping and weaving around debris all over the place for miles on end. Eventually made it up, but almost had to abort and just park up and wait when the traffic got stuck at one washout.

These storms have been pretty widespread here, so I reckon ALL the remaining Alpine climbs and descents, and indeed the valley roads, will be having intensive and extensive clearing activities if the Tour is going to make it through on Friday and Saturday.

I think I'll put on my Grand Prix 4Season tyred wheels tomorrow!

 

[Flying_Monkey]

Sounds dangerous - the riders must be kept safe, but for the sake of the race, I really hope they don't cancel or shorten stages. That would basically guarantee the status quo...

 

[rich p]

Let's hope the weather doesn't cause a neutralised stage which would be so frustrating after such an intriguing race.
My money is still on Pinot but not with much confidence. As Crackle said earlier, somebody needs to attack JA earlier. It's not as if they're trying to get, say, back 15 seconds.
Hopefully they're waiting for an uphill finish ti try it and I hope it doesn;t end up as a defensive status quo although I wouldn't be unhappy to see JA win paradoxically.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

Sounds dangerous - the riders must be kept safe, but for the sake of the race, I really hope they don't cancel or shorten stages. That would basically guarantee the status quo...

I know. Despite the fabulous tour Alaphillipe has had, not letting him be beaten would look very, very wrong. Even if there were good reason.

 

[Thomson]

I hope Ja wins it. Seems so close but yet so far. My first year I have followed the tour. Really enjoyed it learned lots off things about bike racing. He’s born on the same day as me. And won my favourite race this year. Milan-San Remo.

 

[rich p]

I'm not sure if any team is strong enough, but they really need to attack JA earlier than the last climb today.
Pinot has Reichenbach and Gaudu.
Kruiswijk (sp)? has George Bennett but he crashed and limped home yesterday.
Ineos have underperformers like Moscon, Kwiat but no Luke Rowe. They could do a counterpunch with either Bernal or G attacking while the other one sits on.
I hope it kicks off earlier, though I guess everone is on the limit by now.
Oh, and there's Buchman loitering with or without intent!

I read somewhere that Kruiswijk and Bennett were tested before the stage start yesterday, which is highly irregular apparently.
Placeholder for wild speculation below...

 

[nickyboy]

Two narratives to play out today on what should be a fascinating day

The Iseran has to be raced super aggressively. Teams have to put minutes into JA. I'm expecting Movistar to do the donkey work and, if JA cracks, the others will benefit

Pinot to attack on the steeper lower slopes of Tignes. Assuming JA has been dropped, he only needs 20s and this is his chance. Drop Bernal and he wins the Tour, fail and he doesn't