Tour de France 2020 general thread (SPOILERS GALORE)

Alf Veedersane

Raoul Duke wrote: »

Every year someone chimes in with "f*ck tradition, just go for it". 98% chance to get back a minute?
100% chance of failure and 100% chance of you, your team mates, the DS and all the rest of the staff becoming pariahs in the cycling world. While still coming 2nd.

I was allowing 2% for an Independence Day scenario with some extraterrestrial interference

CrowdedHouse

#sake

https://twitter.com/Procyclingeu/status/1307627680465063939?s=20

Inquitus

IAMAMORON wrote: »

I have not read the thread ruels / charter, so apols in advance. But is no one actually raising their eyebrows at yesterdays' time trial. The " winner " was 1 minute and 21 secs faster than the rest of the entire field? I mean they sold it on television as if Roglic had a bad day. He is only 36 secs behind Dumoulin?

If I am being out of line please let me know?

https://racecenter.letour.fr/en/20

Doping speculation no matter how it's dressed up is banned, so I'd delete if I were you.

CramCycle

IAMAMORON wrote: »

Tbh I wanted to ask?

But if it offends everyone I am more than happy to delete the post.

Sincerely.

MOD VOICE: Read the forum charter before posting again, the next warning will be a ban.

Randy Archer

CramCycle wrote: »

If it were me and I thought it were possible, I would attack and try for it. A competition is a competition. While this year the deficit is probably too much to try, if there were only a few seconds in it, alot of the peloton fatigued and essentially finished, I think it would be unsportsmanlike not to go for it. I would want my enemies to earn it. This parade around sipping champagne makes most of the day unwatchable until the last few km.

You’d have every member of the peloton making your life hell for the rest of the year ! You’d be humiliated by the peloton leader by being chased down a Stern word given , in front of cameras showing the race to millions

This is a short flat race. No GC man is going to make up time . Time for fighting for GC was in the mountains and TT

On a normal pan flat short day with no major challenges on the road there’d be very little time to gain

eeeee

Mod note: Posts related to warning deleted

Speakerboxx

It's set up nicely for the Bennett to win this.

CramCycle

Randy Archer wrote: »

You’d have every member of the peloton making your life hell for the rest of the year ! You’d be humiliated by the peloton leader by being chased down a Stern word given , in front of cameras showing the race to millions

This is a short flat race. No GC man is going to make up time . Time for fighting for GC was in the mountains and TT

On a normal pan flat short day with no major challenges on the road there’d be very little time to gain

I'm not talking about making up a minute but a handful of seconds.

Speakerboxx

Well done Sam Bennett

Randy Archer

CramCycle wrote: »

I'm not talking about making up a minute but a handful of seconds.

Have a look at most flat races or one days . Very often they are bunch sprints with the peloton slowly very near behind . The the stages would also be slower if the GC peloton has something at stake on flat days

Sorry , but most GC men wouldn’t and are not capable of smashing in 10-20 seconds gaps against each other on short pan flat . Moreover , their heads and legs are now officially in another zone after TT day , even if they could or want to chase for points . The one day specialists in the tour would smash most mountain goat / GC lads on the flat as it’s not a time trial (usual drafting etc apply) that lad would be left exposed without a draft and a big kick me sign for the chasing peloton who will be very excited on reminding that rider what a plonker he is

Paris stage is a glorified ceremonial race and for sprinters only . The last thing they want is someone who normally has zero business in the sprinters end of a race being stuck in the bunch . That’s won accidents happen

Go watch more one day races . You will see what I mean

It’s quiet rare for GC to be down mere seconds by the last stage anyway ! The mountains and TT make sure of that

odyssey06

There are bonification seconds for final stage trio ... eg 10 seconds for winner.
Still long shot for a GC rider.

Randy Archer

odyssey06 wrote: »

There are bonification seconds for final stage trio ... eg 10 seconds for winner.
Still long shot for a GC rider.

No - you simply are not getting it ! Even if they tried, they fail . The classics n one day sprinters would humiliate them just like they embarrass the one day classic and sprinters in the hills

More importantly , if those GC lads had the legs for a big ride on the last day, that seriously calls into question why the dick they didn’t put that energy in the TT .

Have you every got on an bike and smash yourself for a few hours ? How do you feel the next day ?

Time for those were the last two and a half weeks . Most GC lads are well down the back , unless they were helping their sprinters . They will be looking for the Vuelta down

They’d look like proper fools trying it on and inevitably causing a crash , with so many races left to ride in the next two months

If anyone of them fancy themselves as boy racers, there’s always the world champs next week

Weepsie

You're assuming a lot there. There's not been a case where there's only been a few seconds between 1st and 2nd in a few years.

Personally I find the last day of the tour an incredibly dull and pointless one for the most part, but it there was ever a case of a few seconds here I think people would say feck the gentlemans agreement and go for it. It probably won't work but the reward is worth it if it does.

The cyclists will do what their ds tells them (except Valverde)

MangleBadger

Weepsie wrote: »

You're assuming a lot there. There's not been a case where there's only been a few seconds between 1st and 2nd in a few years.

Personally I find the last day of the tour an incredibly dull and pointless one for the most part, but it there was ever a case of a few seconds here I think people would say feck the gentlemans agreement and go for it. It probably won't work but the reward is worth it if it does.

The cyclists will do what their ds tells them (except Valverde)

I think if I was Pog or Rog and the gap was <5 seconds and we were both friends from the same country I’d be up for a fight on the last stage. Let the best man win.

griffin100

Big kudos to Nico Roche who finished his 21st GT today, and I’m sure had a big role in Sunwebs success.

The Buster

A really long shot would be on the long day the gap is 3 or 4 seconds so the bonus seconds for finish could come into play!

Speaking of the bonus seconds do they change the dynamic of the race. I went through all the finishers on overall clasification and they didnt move anyones position. I dont think I would like to see a situation where someone spent less time racing but lost out as opponent had gathered more bonus seconds.

Shedite27

The Buster wrote: »

A really long shot would be on the long day the gap is 3 or 4 seconds so the bonus seconds for finish could come into play!

Speaking of the bonus seconds do they change the dynamic of the race. I went through all the finishers on overall clasification and they didnt move anyones position. I dont think I would like to see a situation where someone spent less time racing but lost out as opponent had gathered more bonus seconds.

Think it really just creates some seperation over the first week when there's bunch finishes. And HC climbs when it's the GC contenders going to the line. Not much impact to final standings.

Speakerboxx

Raoul Duke wrote: »

Every year someone chimes in with "f*ck tradition, just go for it". 98% chance to get back a minute?
100% chance of failure and 100% chance of you, your team mates, the DS and all the rest of the staff becoming pariahs in the cycling world. While still coming 2nd.

You are playing it too safe man.

Speakerboxx

Randy Archer wrote: »

You’d have every member of the peloton making your life hell for the rest of the year ! You’d be humiliated by the peloton leader by being chased down a Stern word given , in front of cameras showing the race to millions

This is a short flat race. No GC man is going to make up time . Time for fighting for GC was in the mountains and TT

On a normal pan flat short day with no major challenges on the road there’d be very little time to gain

You care too much about other riders

MPFGLB

griffin100 wrote: »

Big kudos to Nico Roche who finished his 21st GT today, and I’m sure had a big role in Sunwebs success.

No mean feat to finish 21 Gran Tours ,10 of which are the Tour de France
To ride Tour GC (top 12..maybe better if he had had a TT bike) then ,ride super Dom for Contador & Froome , and now ride as captain for a young team where he is involved in no small way in the tactics and the leadership given the inexperience at the Tour not only of the riders but also the DSs

And no only that at 36 he was up there everyday trying,working and still going for it.,trying to win a stage or help his team mates win a stage

Not many can still do that at that age.Apart from Valverde (ahemmm) , he has been the most consistent rider in the peloton.

And come the Vuelta he will be up there trying again

Says he has booked his flight to the nationals in Limerick in October

Inquitus

MPFGLB wrote: »

No mean feat to finish 21 Gran Tours ,10 of which are the Tour de France
To ride Tour GC (top 12..maybe better if he had had a TT bike) then ,ride super Dom for Contador & Froome , and now ride as captain for a young team where he is involved in no small way in the tactics and the leadership given the inexperience at the Tour not only of the riders but also the DSs

And no only that at 36 he was up there everyday trying,working and still going for it.,trying to win a stage or help his team mates win a stage

Not many can still do that at that age.Apart from Valverde (ahemmm) , he has been the most consistent rider in the peloton.

And come the Vuelta he will be up there trying again

Says he has booked his flight to the nationals in Limerick in October

Both him and Dan are sound, done Sportifs with both and they took the time to ride with everyone have a chat etc.

neris

MPFGLB wrote: »

No mean feat to finish 21 Gran Tours ,10 of which are the Tour de France
To ride Tour GC (top 12..maybe better if he had had a TT bike) then ,ride super Dom for Contador & Froome , and now ride as captain for a young team where he is involved in no small way in the tactics and the leadership given the inexperience at the Tour not only of the riders but also the DSs

And no only that at 36 he was up there everyday trying,working and still going for it.,trying to win a stage or help his team mates win a stage

Not many can still do that at that age.Apart from Valverde (ahemmm) , he has been the most consistent rider in the peloton.

And come the Vuelta he will be up there trying again

Says he has booked his flight to the nationals in Limerick in October

And don't forget he got into a fight with a bear half way through the race and despite getting clawed still managed to finish :rolleyes:

Itziger

Jaysis, that was some Tour all the same. Between the Green Jersey drama and the Yellow Jersey in the ITT, and then the Bernal meltdown. A Tour to remember. Well done to all in organisation and a massive congratulation to all the riders and suuport staff.

What am I going to do today at 3? Work?!?!?!

breezy1985

MPFGLB wrote: »

No mean feat to finish 21 Gran Tours ,10 of which are the Tour de France
To ride Tour GC (top 12..maybe better if he had had a TT bike) then ,ride super Dom for Contador & Froome , and now ride as captain for a young team where he is involved in no small way in the tactics and the leadership given the inexperience at the Tour not only of the riders but also the DSs

And no only that at 36 he was up there everyday trying,working and still going for it.,trying to win a stage or help his team mates win a stage

Not many can still do that at that age.Apart from Valverde (ahemmm) , he has been the most consistent rider in the peloton.

And come the Vuelta he will be up there trying again

Says he has booked his flight to the nationals in Limerick in October

Hold up there. Are the nationals in Limerick

Boscoirl

Newcastle West

breezy1985

Boscoirl wrote: »

Newcastle West

Is there a route map? Also how do the covid rules work for fans on an event like this

Inquitus

Sam on OTB AM in in the next few mins

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ER0Z51mwahU&ab_channel=OffTheBall

Keeks

MPFGLB wrote: »

No mean feat to finish 21 Gran Tours ,10 of which are the Tour de France
To ride Tour GC (top 12..maybe better if he had had a TT bike) then ,ride super Dom for Contador & Froome , and now ride as captain for a young team where he is involved in no small way in the tactics and the leadership given the inexperience at the Tour not only of the riders but also the DSs

And no only that at 36 he was up there everyday trying,working and still going for it.,trying to win a stage or help his team mates win a stage

Not many can still do that at that age.Apart from Valverde (ahemmm) , he has been the most consistent rider in the peloton.

And come the Vuelta he will be up there trying again

Says he has booked his flight to the nationals in Limerick in October

I wonder how much of SunWebs success this tour could also be attributed to Nicos Experience

ionadnapokot

Itziger wrote: »

Jaysis, that was some Tour all the same. Between the Green Jersey drama and the Yellow Jersey in the ITT, and then the Bernal meltdown. A Tour to remember. Well done to all in organisation and a massive congratulation to all the riders and suuport staff.

What am I going to do today at 3? Work?!?!?!

To cheer you up at 3!


https://twitter.com/LeTour/status/1307779062228639744?s=20

https://twitter.com/LeTour/status/1307756886519943170?s=20

https://twitter.com/LeTour/status/1307737411468828672?s=20

https://twitter.com/LeTour/status/1307733626319142912?s=20

https://twitter.com/deceuninck_qst/status/1307743989756555267?s=20

mr spuckler

Nairo Quintana's hotel room searched by French police on Tour de France