Tour de France 2023 spoilers Warning in OP

breezy1985 · 07-07-2023 8:28pm

I think much like Rob Hatch and his "near miss" crashes people have become a bit too obsessed with deviation. The principals of drafting and keeping a straight line are incompatible and everybody keeping perfectly straight while going nuts on the bike is impossible. A lot of riders who moan about being blocked forget it happened because they had their front wheel clamped in between the lead riders ars cheeks.

The spirit of the law is to stop crazy weaving and deliberate blocking not a bit of drifting.

Raoul Duke · 07-07-2023 8:31pm

Isn't the rule that you can't deviate once you launch your sprint? Philipsen, when going across the road, hadn't launched yet.

breezy1985 · 07-07-2023 8:41pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120820048#Comment_120820048

Ya and think about that rule. You might as well draw an athletics track and say first 8 men in contest the sprint in lanes because any rider behind the lead few has to give up because winning without deviation is then impossible.

Also at what point are you far enough ahead or behind that it is no longer blocking.

The rule is to stop cheating. Like the day Ala Rog (I think) coming up behind and took him out.

Mefistofelino · 07-07-2023 8:44pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120820048#Comment_120820048

The UCI rule on not deviating after launching has a condition at the end - " in doing so, endangering others". So the "fudge" is whether Girmay was endangered. While Girmay had to back off, I think it was probably a case of both him and Philipsen going for the space on Cav's wheel and Philipsen just having made there first.

Having said that, Philipsen and MVDP have been sailing very close to the wind in the 3 sprints so far, with MVDP being sanctioned and Philipsen being the subject of an inquiry. Some day soon, they are going to barge someone who's going to return the favour. Hard.

Weepsie · 07-07-2023 9:24pm

Just watched again. I think philipsen does deviate and he forces grimay wide as a result. Not as wild as I though earlier.

Grimay would've been right on cavs wheell

Brian? · 07-07-2023 10:10pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120819735#Comment_120819735

No he didn’t. He moved across to sprint. It was minor.

Brian? · 07-07-2023 10:11pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120819940#Comment_120819940

This twice now Philipsen is being accused of “huge deviations” for minor deviations. The race is exciting enough without inventing drama.

Weepsie · 07-07-2023 10:28pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120820426#Comment_120820426

I corrected myself to say it wasn't that bad but, but he definitely moved across. It wasnt much different to the one penalized already and more actionable than the one they looked at and thought was olsym somewhere in between. Grimay had to take evasive action.

Lord knows the hysterics on here if it was the other way around.

Brian? · 07-07-2023 10:35pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120820490#Comment_120820490

I think there’s way too much analysis done of sprints lately. But we’re in agreement here

breezy1985 · 08-07-2023 12:36am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120820490#Comment_120820490

In fairness to Cavendish deviation isn't something I can ever remember him doing much if at all.

eagle eye · 08-07-2023 2:44am

Stage 8

A lot of little hills towards the finish if this stage. There'll be attacks if the speed is not very high in the peloton.

It's an uphill finish as well. I've a feeling Jumbo will work for WVA in this one. It just seems a perfect stage for him. He'll likely have the best lead out man in a stage like this in Laporte.

Phillipsen, Girmay, Pederson and Coquard have to be seriously considered. As I keep saying the Alpecin-Deceuninck train is incredible.

I'll go for WVA though, I think he's the best sprinter in an uphill finish.

Brian? · 08-07-2023 8:53am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120820975#Comment_120820975

Difficult one to call for me. But my track record with predictions is awful anyway.

I think Wout or Girmay for me.

CramCycle · 08-07-2023 10:12am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120820864#Comment_120820864

Cavendish is a bit like Sagan in his attitude to deviation, if it gives him and excuse or cuts him off, it is the greatest evil ever, if he does it but wins then it is fine. I remember Cav in an interview once where he knocked someone and then said that's racing, grow up. When Sagan pinched him, and I still to this day didn't think it was that bad, he went crying to the Comms and the media.

Mefistofelino · 08-07-2023 10:49am

The back end of the stage looks a little Amstelly - Pidcock might be an outside shot.

breezy1985 · 08-07-2023 11:50am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120821311#Comment_120821311

The punishment for Sagan that day was way way over the top and purely down to the high profile of the riders.

lawrencesummers · 08-07-2023 11:54am

Long stage and a lot of tired legs.

If its a breakaway that wins it needs to be a big rider in it because 200km is a long day.

MVDP maybe. Magnus Curt, gallopin, lafay should have another kick in him possibly but I think WVA might be tired from some of his efforts.

mewso · 08-07-2023 12:11pm

Yeah I have my fingers crossed MVDP is feeling good today and lights this one up as it suits him.

lawrencesummers · 08-07-2023 12:14pm

Wva hasnt made any effort to get into a breakaway yet, hes sitting about 1/4 way back the peleton not looking like hes even going to try at this stage

lawrencesummers · 08-07-2023 12:24pm

Looks like the peleton are happy for 3 to be away, hard to see them being given enough time and having the strength to go all the way.

lawrencesummers · 08-07-2023 12:28pm

Pog will surely just stay in vgg wheel and not allow him anymore time, he must feel that he has the measure of vgg on the big hills

Its up to jumbo to try and put more time into the lead maybe with a strong pace at the front for the last 70/80km and also for bora to try something but nobodybhas put anyone up the road so every chance of a bunch finish and gc strolling over the line or minimal time gained / lost in the last 3k

dastardly00 · 08-07-2023 12:53pm

It's very unusual to see Tim DeClercq in a breakaway... normally he's the person leading the peloton trying to chase them down. I wonder will he do all the work at the front of the breakaway 🤣

arsebiscuits82 · 08-07-2023 2:45pm

Cav gone!

nc6000 · 08-07-2023 2:47pm

Carlton is very sad.

2smiggy · 08-07-2023 2:48pm

You would think someone is after running over their dogs !!

nc6000 · 08-07-2023 2:50pm

I'm expecting a minutes silence.

De Bhál · 08-07-2023 2:50pm

Ah that's shite for him. Crap way to finish, not even a sprint crash.

2smiggy · 08-07-2023 2:54pm

You would feel sorry for him. He seemed a much less unlikeable fellow in later years

De Bhál · 08-07-2023 2:55pm

When you look at the camera angle from the motorcycle at the head of the peleton looking back, Vingegaard looks like a 14yr old boy surrounded by adult men.

De Bhál · 08-07-2023 2:56pm

Carlton needs a stiff whiskey

Antipathetic · 08-07-2023 2:56pm

Thanks everyone for providing an interesting and entertaining thread helping me and others keep up-to-date with the goings-on Tour de France.

Is there an app or website. I could download/go to keep up-to-date with what is going on during the race and possibly hear the commentary? I was hoping to have my broadband installed and ready to go today, but after the third time Eir still haven't managed to put in a phone line, so I'm stuck using a crappy 5G connection which gives me a whole 3 Mb per second.

Tour de France 2023 ***spoilers*** Warning in OP

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Tour de France 2023 spoilers Warning in OP