Tour De France 2021 with spoilers

[rich p]

I can't help wondering if Alaphillipe is a bit pissed off, deep down by expending so much energy working for Cav when he could have conceivably collected a couple of more stages if he hadn't been knackered.
Also crushed physically by Cav, post race, as someone pointed out upthread!
I'm hoping he'll be in the breakaway mix today.

 

[Martinsnos]

I can't help wondering if Alaphillipe is a bit pissed off, deep down by expending so much energy working for Cav when he could have conceivably collected a couple of more stages if he hadn't been knackered.
Also crushed physically by Cav, post race, as someone pointed out upthread!
I'm hoping he'll be in the breakaway mix today.

We hear lots about teams not caring who wins as long as it is one of them etc but in the stats in 20 years time ‘I was in the team’ isn’t one of them.
A’s face/body language after one of the stages wasn’t of unrestrained joy - kind of ‘well done but calm down a bit’.

 

[yello]

Maybe there are a few riders in DQS that are perhaps playing more of a team role than they'd ideally like. It wouldn't surprise me, let's put it that way. I mean, whose idea of a tour is it to escort a sprinter over various cols to make sure he makes the cut?

Still, that said, they are to be lauded for doing what they are doing even if they are not personally 100% behind it. Called self-sacrifice I suppose?

Alaphilippe is a a bit different in that he really is more of a one-day rider, imho, and there are most definitely stages that will appeal to him more than others. It might well niggle him that he doesn't get more of a free role to decide his own agenda. I hope not and hope that both he and the team can strike that right balance.

 

[yello]

A’s face/body language after one of the stages wasn’t of unrestrained joy - kind of ‘well done but calm down a bit’.

I'd be careful not to rush to judgement. That could equally be explained by their different temperaments. Cavendish wears his heart on his sleeve, that's why so many have taken to him! Alaphilippe has a much cooler, laid back personality.

 

[StuAff]

Pog looking nailed on for second place behind Lachlan Morton

Third....Jack Thompson is intending to beat them into Paris as well, on course so far.

 

[Adam4868]

I can't help wondering if Alaphillipe is a bit pissed off, deep down by expending so much energy working for Cav when he could have conceivably collected a couple of more stages if he hadn't been knackered.
Also crushed physically by Cav, post race, as someone pointed out upthread!
I'm hoping he'll be in the breakaway mix today.

Cavs rise from the ashes or Allaphilipes stage win/s.....not that tough a choice as far as the sponsors go.

 

[hoopdriver]

Maybe there are a few riders in DQS that are perhaps playing more of a team role than they'd ideally like. It wouldn't surprise me, let's put it that way. I mean, whose idea of a tour is it to escort a sprinter over various cols to make sure he makes the cut?

Still, that said, they are to be lauded for doing what they are doing even if they are not personally 100% behind it. Called self-sacrifice I suppose?

Alaphilippe is a a bit different in that he really is more of a one-day rider, imho, and there are most definitely stages that will appeal to him more than others. It might well niggle him that he doesn't get more of a free role to decide his own agenda. I hope not and hope that both he and the team can strike that right balance.

How much different is that than being a domestique on any other team? They're there to do a job - in this case to assist a sprinter. It wouldn't be that much different in terms of personal glory, if they were assisting a moutain jersey aspirant or GC contender.

 

[Adam4868]

How much different is that than being a domestique on any other team? They're there to do a job - in this case to assist a sprinter. It wouldn't be that much different in terms of personal glory, if they were assisting a moutain jersey aspirant or GC contender.

Is that not why Cav never stayed with sky.

 

[ColinJ]

Is that not why Cav never stayed with sky.

It was a bit of an odd mix though, wasn't it! Why hire a top sprinter and then not want to support him properly?

 

[Adam4868]

It was a bit of an odd mix though, wasn't it! Why hire a top sprinter and then not want to support him properly?

Maybe he fancied the money

 

[yello]

How much different is that than being a domestique on any other team? They're there to do a job - in this case to assist a sprinter. It wouldn't be that much different in terms of personal glory, if they were assisting a moutain jersey aspirant or GC contender.

Not different at all. That was kinda my point. A domestique may well have aspirations unfulfilled by team needs. They self-sacrifice for the team... and, of course, a wage! And a ride (hopefully) next year.

It's something we've touched on before. Each of these riders, domestique or sprinter, is a supreme athlete and would wipe the floor with any of us. They were champions in their own right in their club/town/region/country... whatever. They (presumably) love what they do and have their own goals. That maybe goes on the back burner.

Kinda like a university grad getting assigned photocopier duty.... only much much harder!

 

[Adam4868]

Not different at all. That was kinda my point. A domestique may well have aspirations unfulfilled by team needs. They self-sacrifice for the team... and, of course, a wage! And a ride (hopefully) next year.

It's something we've touched on before. Each of these riders, domestique or sprinter, is a supreme athlete and would wipe the floor with any of us. They were champions in their own right in their club/town/region/country... whatever. They (presumably) love what they do and have their own goals. That maybe goes on the back burner.

Kinda like a university grad getting assigned photocopier duty.... only much much harder!

Agree....but most knew what they signed up for.I think I'm worth more than my job 😁

 

[matticus]

How much different is that than being a domestique on any other team? They're there to do a job - in this case to assist a sprinter. It wouldn't be that much different in terms of personal glory, if they were assisting a moutain jersey aspirant or GC contender.

Yes, they're all domestiques!
I can see how some might find helping a GC contender at/near the front more "glamorous" than crawling in on the time limit with some fat sprinter who didn't train for the mountains.

 

[roadrash]

some people find it hard to accept that riders DO regularly sacrifice their own goals in pursuit of a team goal, but that is what happens in every team , most of the riders at any grand tour know they are not there to win individually in fact many of them know they stand no chance, but yet they accept their role in the team and do it well.


crawling in on the time limit with some fat sprinter who didn't train for the mountains.

" a fat sprinter that hadnt trained right" would even make the team selection

 

[Dogtrousers]

" a fat sprinter that hadnt trained right" would even make the team selection

Unless of course if he happened to be the team's #2 sprinter, standing in at late notice for the main sprinter, and wasn't expecting to ride the tour so consequently "hasn't ridden an alpine pass for 3 years".