Tour de France 2019 General Thread

c.p.w.g.w

neris wrote: »

Be interesting to see how they handle froome Thomas & Bernal for next year. Can't have 3 leaders

Also they have signed carapaz(giro winner) his certainly going to want to be a leader at the giro or vuelta next season

lizzylad84

On the subject of the last stage of the tour. Leave it as is. Baring roubaix, the finish in Paris us the most iconic in cyvling

Tim76

c.p.w.g.w wrote: »

Also they have signed carapaz(giro winner) his certainly going to want to be a leader at the giro or vuelta next season

Not to mention Eddie Dunbar :P

c.p.w.g.w

Tim76 wrote: »

Not to mention Eddie Dunbar :P

His a few years down the road 😂

Shedite27

neris wrote: »

Be interesting to see how they handle froome Thomas & Bernal for next year. Can't have 3 leaders

3 leaders, 3 grand tours? 1 each?

harringtonp

c.p.w.g.w wrote: »

Also they have signed carapaz(giro winner) his certainly going to want to be a leader at the giro or vuelta next season

Makes you think off the times there was talk of breaking up big multinationals. You wonder can the UCI introduce measures to prevent overly dominant teams. It's clear that riders will go where the money is

c.p.w.g.w

harringtonp wrote: »

Makes you think off the times there was talk of breaking up big multinationals. You wonder can the UCI introduce measures to prevent overly dominant teams. It's clear that riders will go where the money is

There was talks of a salary cap for teams but can't see that happening, your'll just see a lot of unattached riders.

Weepsie

lizzylad84 wrote: »

On the subject of the last stage of the tour. Leave it as is. Baring roubaix, the finish in Paris us the most iconic in cyvling

Try telling that to Greg LeMond, though Fignon would likely prefer the procession

The final day all seems a bit pointless if everything is pretty much settled.

odyssey06

The riders seem to enjoy it, and I assume the sponsors would be annoyed if it was dropped as it seems to be a big deal in terms of coverage in Paris and France.

MediaMan

Decent highlights reel on the letour.fr home page now.


Direct link to vid: https://dai.ly/x7el7he

fryup

Does a leopard change its spots??

Are we to believe that Team Ineos are squeaky clean?? afterall Brailsford still calls the shots??

eeeee

fryup wrote: »

Does a leopard change its spots??

Are we to believe that Team Ineos are squeaky clean?? afterall Brailsford still calls the shots??

Mod note: No doping speculation allowed, further orders to that effect will just be deleted.

neris

So Dan & the boys are blaming their drinks for being crap

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/change-in-sports-drink-blamed-for-uaes-poor-tour-de-france-performance/

GetWithIt

neris wrote: »

So Dan & the boys are blaming their drinks for being crap

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/change-in-sports-drink-blamed-for-uaes-poor-tour-de-france-performance/

"UAE Cycling, defying all medical advice, has switched to Powersauce's arch rival - the Vita-Peach Health Log. Doctors say they may not have the meganutrients needed to stave off death."

c.p.w.g.w

neris wrote: »

So Dan & the boys are blaming their drinks for being crap

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/change-in-sports-drink-blamed-for-uaes-poor-tour-de-france-performance/

Would I be correct in saying that this isn't the first time that team had issues with their nutrition products?

letape

c.p.w.g.w wrote: »

Would I be correct in saying that this isn't the first time that team had issues with their nutrition products?

PDM in 1991 is the other one that comes to mind.

Dan had initially come out and said that he had good form and condition but that there was something specifically holding his performance back each day, which would be clarified.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/dan-martin-raises-questions-over-team-prep-after-disappointing-tour-de-france/

His performance was very disappointing and not a typical Dan Martin performance.

c.p.w.g.w

letape wrote: »

PDM in 1991 is the other one that comes to mind.

Dan had initially come out and said that he had good form and condition but that there was something specifically holding his performance back each day, which would be clarified.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/dan-martin-raises-questions-over-team-prep-after-disappointing-tour-de-france/

Oh sorry I was thinking UAE in specific, I had a feeling there was an issue at the tour of Oman

TheBlaaMan

I dont think this was posted? Someone did post a collage of the riders aged by Faceapp, but Cycling Tips took it a bit further

A look into the 2070 Tour.....

Valverde loooking better than ever, those dodgy energy drinks didnt do Dan much good and Sagan is still on the pull.....



https://cyclingtips.com/2019/07/a-glimpse-into-the-tour-de-france-2070-grand-masters-edition/

Weepsie

neris wrote: »

So Dan & the boys are blaming their drinks for being crap

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/change-in-sports-drink-blamed-for-uaes-poor-tour-de-france-performance/

They didn't have any food prepped after one of the stages apparently, and had to pick some up. Not sure where I read that.

A team that should be well up there but loads have gone backwards on it.

If Dan was still with DQS the way they were performing this year one only wonders.

eeeee

Anyone else think Bardet looks unnaturally thin? I'm sure he's naturally a tiny guy but he looks quite unwell. A few kilos might help his power and he'd probably still struggle to make 55kg.
He reminds me of Maya Abbott, hopefully it's nothing as worrying as that.
I know it's easy to judge from the couch.

neris

nee wrote: »

Anyone else think Bardet looks unnaturally thin? I'm sure he's naturally a tiny guy but he looks quite unwell. A few kilos might help his power and he'd probably still struggle to make 55kg.
He reminds me of Maya Abbott, hopefully it's nothing as worrying as that.
I know it's easy to judge from the couch.

Yep thought he looked like a skeleton on the podium on Sunday getting his jersey. Looked like he had no fat or muscle on his legs. Like a modern day Michael Rasmussen

c.p.w.g.w

I remember Bradley Wiggins talking about about being 5 kg underweight during the season. Froome also looks unhealthy in fairness.

Pinot looked ... from the TV at least a healthy man for a cyclist on a GT compared to them. Bardet got it so wrong, have question his prep and people advising him.

I've been at the start of 3 GT stages and am surprised by "how much bigger they look on tv " and Bardet looked wrong last night.

MPFGLB

There were alot of GC riders way off the pace at this Tour and a few teams bossing the whole 2 weeks ...the teams on ketones it seems

Adam Yates who was flying at the beginning of the year was very very poor ( Simon though was flying after being poor at the Giro)
Richie Porte was hanging on most days
Enric Mas was no wonder kid
Quintana & Bardet ..the favourites 2 years ago to beat Froome ... apart from the Galibier stage looked very average
Dan Martin, Rui Costa & Henao were poor
Uran only began to show anything towards the end of the race
Calmejane the Direct Energie was dropped by Vivani of a few mountain stages
Barguil although better than last year still looked sluggish on the climbs
G Martin was ok only for Wanty despite much hype a few years ago
Valverde although in the top 10 was pretty anonymous


Seemed to me alot of team got their GC prep very wrong or else a few teams like QS, Lotto Visma & Ineos have better marginal gains

tuxy

Was Ineos one of the teams using ketones this year and if so what year did they start?

From 2015
https://www.skysports.com/cycling/news/15264/9915199/tour-de-france-chris-froome-hits-back-at-french-critics

Sir David Brailsford, Sky sporting director, said the team had never used them

Froome added: "There had been a lot of talk about Team Sky and myself specifically using some kind of ketone drink or something, which is crazy.

"I had to Google it to find out what it was. One hundred per cent the team does not use ketones."

:pac:

eeeee

Ketones have questionable efficacy though, particularly amongst elite athletes.
I suspect it's a psychological boost more than a physical one.

harringtonp

nee wrote: »

Anyone else think Bardet looks unnaturally thin? I'm sure he's naturally a tiny guy but he looks quite unwell. A few kilos might help his power and he'd probably still struggle to make 55kg.
He reminds me of Maya Abbott, hopefully it's nothing as worrying as that.
I know it's easy to judge from the couch.

Hadn't paid too much attention myself but my wife commented straight away on it. And when Bernal stepped on the podium she reckoned that although small too he looked healthy and normal.

Melodeon

c.p.w.g.w wrote: »

I remember Bradley Wiggins talking about about being 5 kg underweight during the season. Froome also looks unhealthy in fairness.

Didn't Wiggins say something along the lines of how most of the pro peleton would be getting treated for eating disorders if they were doing what they're doing as ordinary members of the general public?

jimbobaloobob

The acetone smell should be evident to the podium girls of the ketone users. Let's ask them.

Most athletes at that level are underweight but optimal weight for the performance ethical or not I suppose you could ask.

Tim76

Deleted User wrote: »

I've been at the start of 3 GT stages and am surprised by "how much bigger they look on tv " and Bardet looked wrong last night.

I'm reminded of that jockey episode from the Simpsons. Maybe all the riders are just evil elves as well?