Tour de France 2018 - General Thread

Eamonnator

ILIKEFOOD wrote: »

no thread for stage 13.. says a lot - feel really deflated after yesterday. Fingers crossed for some massive upset to change it up..

I'd love the entire peloton to team up and tear sky to shreds.. even at that, would there be hope!?

Where do you think this Sky shredding should happen?
It seems to me, that Sky have the three strongest riders in the race.

mr spuckler

I seem to remember the day Dan Martin won his first TDF stage years ago that the previous day had seen a hugely dominant Sky / Froome performance. so from the off that day teams started attacking and the Sky domestiques blew up early doors, leaving Froome isolated for most of the stage.

see below, Porte went from 2nd to 33rd.

brief stage report

ILIKEFOOD

Eamonnator wrote: »

Where do you think this Sky shredding should happen?
It seems to me, that Sky have the three strongest riders in the race.

I've no idea, no one in the GC beyond 1 and 2 look convincing - Tom perhaps!? - a super team of all 8 !?? see how it goes! :D:D

mloc123

mr spuckler wrote: »

I seem to remember the day Dan Martin won his first TDF stage years ago that the previous day had seen a hugely dominant Sky / Froome performance. so from the off that day teams started attacking and the Sky domestiques blew up early doors, leaving Froome isolated for most of the stage.

see below, Porte went from 2nd to 33rd.

brief stage report

But there is no stage left to do this on. The only real climbing left is over a 60km stage, the race is over bar the time trial... and Froome is the strongest TTr left in GC

mr spuckler

mloc123 wrote: »

But there is no stage left to do this on. The only real climbing left is over a 60km stage, the race is over bar the time trial... and Froome is the strongest TTr left in GC

I suspect that Dumoulin would disagree with that last bit and on the first I hadn't looked at next week's stages in detail. going to the Pyrenees for just that sounds like a bit of a waste

sxt

mloc123 wrote: »

But there is no stage left to do this on. The only real climbing left is over a 60km stage, the race is over bar the time trial... and Froome is the strongest TTr left in GC

But gerant Thomas is a specialist time trialist, won the time trial last year in the tour de France last year, and won the british time trial championship last month..

mloc123

sxt wrote: »

But gerant Thomas is a specialist time trialist, won the time trial last year in the tour de France last year, and won the british time trial championship last month..

Depends on how he is told to ride it I guess. Who do Sky back?

equivariant

mloc123 wrote: »

But there is no stage left to do this on. The only real climbing left is over a 60km stage, the race is over bar the time trial... and Froome is the strongest TTr left in GC

The tourmalet not a real climb?

And I'd say that the reigning world time trial champion might lay claim to title of best TT'er left in the race

Indeed Froome might be the worst TT'er of the top three

brocbrocach

mloc123 wrote: »

Depends on how he is told to ride it I guess. Who do Sky back?

Who does he back himself, more to the point.

Who'd sacrifice a TdF and subsequent respect and massive contract for a hearty clap on the back from Dave Brailsford?

Froome did it as a youngish man for Wiggins but at the price of the rest of Wiggins career.

Not me at Thomas's age, I'd chew that radio wire every day between now and Paris. Even if Jee is loyal and stupid, Froome can't trust him to be so - he'll have to attack him to take that time back and keep his legacy going.
Fun times ahead I'd say.

neris

brocbrocach wrote: »

Who does he back himself, more to the point.

Who'd sacrifice a TdF and subsequent respect and massive contract for a hearty clap on the back from Dave Brailsford?

Froome did it as a youngish man for Wiggins but at the price of the rest of Wiggins career.

Not me at Thomas's age, I'd chew that radio wire every day between now and Paris. Even if Jee is loyal and stupid, Froome can't trust him to be so - he'll have to attack him to take that time back and keep his legacy going.
Fun times ahead I'd say.

££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££ is my guess. He's getting a hefty payment to support froome and not go rogue

brocbrocach

neris wrote: »

££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££ is my guess. He's getting a hefty payment to support froome and not go rogue

He can name his price if Bahrain or UAE come looking for their new TDF-winning challenger to Sky...

CramCycle

neris wrote: »

££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££ is my guess. He's getting a hefty payment to support froome and not go rogue

Anyone not think maybe Brailsford would be fine with him going Rogue, lets not kid ourselves, Froome and Brailsford do not like each other.

equivariant

I can't see why there is any doubt at all that Thomas is riding to win and that Sky will support him as long as he has yellow. They would be absolutely crazy not to imo. 1:39 is a substantial lead and it would be incredibly risky to ride for Froome given that Dumoulin is only 11s behind and is a stronger time trialist. If Thomas blows on a mountain stage then for sure Froome is a great second option to have but right now it has to be Thomas as leader no matter what they say in public.

neris

Wonder if Thomas wins will mrs froome be mouthing off at Mrs Thomas just like she did with Wiggins wife

selwyn froggitt

neris wrote: »

Wonder if Thomas wins will mrs froome be mouthing off at Mrs Thomas just like she did with Wiggins wife

Why would she? So much inane drivel on this thread

neris

selwyn froggitt wrote: »

So much inane drivel on this thread

well why not contribute something then yourself

selwyn froggitt

neris wrote: »

well why not contribute something then yourself

I just have

mloc123

equivariant wrote: »

The tourmalet not a real climb?

And I'd say that the reigning world time trial champion might lay claim to title of best TT'er left in the race

Indeed Froome might be the worst TT'er of the top three

There are no mountain top finishes left from what I can see? Maybe we will see fireworks, I just doubt it

Brian?

mloc123 wrote: »

There are no mountain top finishes left from what I can see? Maybe we will see fireworks, I just doubt it

Endless tempo riding ahead.

Eamonnator

mloc123 wrote: »

There are no mountain top finishes left from what I can see? Maybe we will see fireworks, I just doubt it

Does Stage 17 not count as a mountain top finish?

https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/tour-de-france/2018/stage-17/today/profiles

mloc123

mloc123 wrote: »

But there is no stage left to do this on. The only real climbing left is over a 60km stage, the race is over bar the time trial... and Froome is the strongest TTr left in GC

Eamonnator wrote: »

Does Stage 17 not count as a mountain top finish?

https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/tour-de-france/2018/stage-17/today/profiles

I did mention it earlier. I know the intention of it is to inject excitement, but I think it will backfire. I can't see 60km causing issues for anyone (shrug)

Brian?

mloc123 wrote: »

I did mention it earlier. I know the intention of it is to inject excitement, but I think it will backfire. I can't see 60km causing issues for anyone (shrug)

Froome will attack from the off. Take 3-4 minutes from Thomas. Procession to Paris for "the greatest ever".

jimbobaloobob

Reading the posts here I find it mad that some people think other teams aren't trying. Sky have a strong team and sure that must be commended it's up to other teams to focus themselves towards the tour.
Movistar have to many egos and leaders.
Most other teams had leaders who were never really up to task but the media talk them up.
No matter what's happening in the tour I can honestly say I'm never bored by it. Maybe my love of bikes just goes beyond what people want us to see and talk about.
We could say the green jersey competition is boring at this stage too.
Relax and enjoy the spectacle.

Lusk_Doyle

mloc123 wrote: »

and Froome is the strongest TTr left in GC

Ha ha ha, he is most certainly not! I refer you back to the World Champs and Giro for evidence of same...

Lusk_Doyle

Move over Nacer Bouhanni. You weren't needed at Le Tour anyway...

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/gianni-moscon-disqualified-from-tour-de-france/

There was a great comment on one of the cycling news pieces on Moscon along the lines of somebody needed to explain how the combative award is won to him

retalivity

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/brailsford-blames-tour-de-france-roadside-reactions-on-a-french-cultural-thing

Some great trolling by dave brailsford that nearly guarantees more trouble for sky on the roadside

CrowdedHouse

https://twitter.com/Ted_Niki/status/1021170153415892992

Sal Butamol

retalivity wrote: »

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/brailsford-blames-tour-de-france-roadside-reactions-on-a-french-cultural-thing

Some great trolling by dave brailsford that nearly guarantees more trouble for sky on the roadside

What an asshole he is.

mloc123

Anyone have a clip of the Wiggins interview on ITV? Have tried to find it with no luck.