Tour de France 2024 SPOILERS

[Adam4868]

Cummings not goings.
Zak Dempster is the DS on site for Ineos. I'm not sure if that's significant or not. He didn't come across as very inspirational in the Netflix prog.

You'll be telling me C.Rod and Pidders are sharing a room next 😲

 

[Adam4868]

What do we think of Pog's statement that he's just had Covid but it was no big deal?

We're soon gonna find out,fingers crossed there's not too much at the Tour this year.

 

[BrumJim]

What do we think of Pog's statement that he's just had Covid but it was no big deal?

My son had Covid and was entirely unaffected. If he took it really easy when he was ill, there is a good chance that hasn't had any affect at all.

 

[Tenkaykev]

My son had Covid and was entirely unaffected. If he took it really easy when he was ill, there is a good chance that hasn't had any affect at all.

Might be a youthful resilience thing. I came down with Covid on Tuesday/ Wednesday and it has not been good, but then i'm an old git 😄 They've put me on a course of antivirals 🤞

 

[mjr]

Tour de France 2024: full team-by-team guide | Tour de France 2024 | The Guardian – https://www.theguardian.com/sport/article/2024/jun/27/tour-de-france-2024-full-team-by-team-guide

 

[Dogtrousers]

We're soon gonna find out,fingers crossed there's not too much at the Tour this year.

Fingers crossed 🤞

I seem to remember that there was a rider/some riders pulled from the Giro with covid? Or maybe another stage race like Paris-Nice or the Dauphine?? I thought at the time "Ah, so it's still a thing that is happening in the peloton". But not major riders and not lots of riders. And it was probably overshadowed by some big crash or other.

Or am I dreaming things up again?

At least Pog's immune system should be on top form.

 

[Cathryn]

Florence looked INCREDIBLE at the presentation yesterday. I had the absolute joy of living there for 6 months when I was 21..I love that city so much.

 

[geocycle]

I agree Florence looked amazing and Italy will be serene watching. But why hold the prologue in Italy when the Giro has just been through? For the fans, Denmark last year was superb as was UK 10 years ago. Surely part of the function of the external prologue is to spread the grand tour gospel?

 

[BrumJim]

I agree Florence looked amazing and Italy will be serene watching. But why hold the prologue in Italy when the Giro has just been through? For the fans, Denmark last year was superb as was UK 10 years ago. Surely part of the function of the external prologue is to spread the grand tour gospel?

As with anything to do with the TdF, the answer is "Money".

I guess that Florence and the surrounding region need a bit more publicity outside Italy, and therefore put in a bid to TdF that was financially tempting, in a way that GdI was unable to take advantage of. And if I was running the TdF, the chance to have Florence in the route for the year would be unmissable, at the right price, in a way that Redcar or Ludwigshafen would struggle.

 

[geocycle]

Yes you are correct, money talks @BrumJim and Florence is really sensational. I suppose I was thinking of the longer term benefits to the sport that the Prologue can deliver through growing the fan base and legacy events. These can payback over a longer period.

The Pog meets David would be an interesting photoshoot!

 

[matticus]

But why hold the prologue in Italy when the Giro has just been through?

The Giro is always a few weeks before the Tour! :P

(and I much prefer starts that are physically closer to France - sorry Denmark, sorry Yorkshire, it's nothing personal!)

 

[BrumJim]

Yes you are correct, money talks @BrumJim and Florence is really sensational. I suppose I was thinking of the longer term benefits to the sport that the Prologue can deliver through growing the fan base and legacy events. These can payback over a longer period.

The Pog meets David would be an interesting photoshoot!

Yes, but I think (although I am not partial to the ASO conversations) that TdF finances are based on long term and short term financial gain. Sometimes (and on some stages) you grab a quick buck, and for some stages, it is about fan base, legacy, etc.

I can't imagine that Alpe D'Huez is the biggest money spinner for TdF, but I also can't imagine the race not going there for more than a couple of years, and parts of France (e.g. St Etienne) could never offer the sort of bid money that richer and more touristy areas could. But ASO realise that it isn't just this year's race that needs to make money.

 

[Ridgeway]

Florence looked INCREDIBLE at the presentation yesterday. I had the absolute joy of living there for 6 months when I was 21..I love that city so much.

The GD stage and orga around looked great. I have been there all week, just came back last night

 

[Cathryn]

The GD stage and orga around looked great. I have been there all week, just came back last night

Photos, please!

 

[Cathryn]

The Pog meets David would be an interesting photoshoot!

I actually would like to see MvdP with the David - I've always thought those chiselled cheekbones look very Michelangelo.