Tour De France

[whodat]

Originally Posted by Rodey

Kittel is so good.

Sprinters are chasing down the final rider in the breakaway... less then 2K to go... going to be close for the lone final rider out front to hold of the peloton.

[Rodey]

I wonder if anyone's going to try to ambush Sky in an effort to crack them on a day like Friday.

I was reading that Contador might try to shake things up because he has nothing to lose.

[whodat]

Originally Posted by Rodey

Kittel is so good.

And Kittle wins again. 5th stage win of this tour, guy is owning the green jersey.

Originally Posted by Rodey

I wonder if anyone's going to try to ambush Sky in an effort to crack them on a day like Friday.

I was reading that Contador might try to shake things up because he has nothing to lose.

Yeah, read about Friday too and Contador being ready to play spoiler. Short stage, same type of setup in last year Vuelta where Contador attacked on a short mountain stage, Quintana followed, Sky was not ready for it, isolating Froome and dropping him. Froome was already quoted as saying that 'this won't happen again.' Sounds like Sky learned from that debacle and will be ready on Friday.

The wild card in the whole bunch is that Friday is Bastille Day, so expect all the French riders out in force to have a good showing. Should make for an explosive stage. But will it upend Froome or the overall, barring a crash or other issues, probably not.

[Rodey]

I really don't like Froome. Not really sure why, either.

Wish Contador hadn't crashed. He's probably my favorite rider along with Kittel and Sagan.

[snake911]

My guess is Contador doesnt have the gas to blow up the race with an attack, hes looked terrible this year.

I'm in the same boat in not being a Froome fan although I dont have much to base that on objectively (other than not liking how his riding style looks, and that I'm suspicious about their use of mechanical assistance in past tours), mostly I'm not a big fan of the hugely expensive, scientifically perfect, uber team. It was nice to see Direct Energie get a win, the whole team costs less than Froome's salary.

Kittle has been, although losing Sagan and Cav may have something to do with that.

Decent Tour so far, but losing so many big names in the first third brings the enthusiasm down a bit.

[whodat]

Originally Posted by Rodey

I really don't like Froome. Not really sure why, either.

Wish Contador hadn't crashed. He's probably my favorite rider along with Kittel and Sagan.

Originally Posted by snake911

My guess is Contador doesnt have the gas to blow up the race with an attack, hes looked terrible this year.

I'm in the same boat in not being a Froome fan although I dont have much to base that on objectively (other than not liking how his riding style looks, and that I'm suspicious about their use of mechanical assistance in past tours), mostly I'm not a big fan of the hugely expensive, scientifically perfect, uber team. It was nice to see Direct Energie get a win, the whole team costs less than Froome's salary.

Kittle has been, although losing Sagan and Cav may have something to do with that.

Decent Tour so far, but losing so many big names in the first third brings the enthusiasm down a bit.

Hating on Froome for some unknown reason, party of 3, your table is now ready. There is something about him, just can't quite put my finger on it.

Interesting day today in the Tour. The other GC contenders were able to isolate Froome and put some time to him. Not sure if it will make a difference, as now Astana has to defend and lead the peloton, so Sky can sit back a little, attack when needed and recover heading into the final week, not having to protect the yellow jersey.

Also, after watching Contador today, I don't think he has it in him to really do anything tomorrow. He was dropped in the final ascent, tried to claw back, but you can just tell he doesn't have it. Same goes for Quintana, riding the Giro in May took too much out of him to be a real threat in the Tour.

[snake911]

Originally Posted by whodat

Hating on Froome for some unknown reason, party of 3, your table is now ready. There is something about him, just can't quite put my finger on it.

Interesting day today in the Tour. The other GC contenders were able to isolate Froome and put some time to him. Not sure if it will make a difference, as now Astana has to defend and lead the peloton, so Sky can sit back a little, attack when needed and recover heading into the final week, not having to protect the yellow jersey.

Also, after watching Contador today, I don't think he has it in him to really do anything tomorrow. He was dropped in the final ascent, tried to claw back, but you can just tell he doesn't have it. Same goes for Quintana, riding the Giro in May took too much out of him to be a real threat in the Tour.

Very exciting day today, seeing Froome under pressure was nice to see. I dont think Sky will be all that concerned, he just needs to stay with the group now. With another time trial to come, and Aru being a fairly poor ITT guy, its still Fromme's race to lose.

Tomorrow should be alot of fun too, super short stage that will hopefully produce some blistering attacks.

[mr.MikeD]

Looks like it got a little interesting today. Hope Yates can hold onto the white and finish at least top 10

[snake911]

Another good stage of racing. Its nice to see the French riders having a good Tour, they've had a drought for so long.

[scrock25]

Snakes, Snakes??

I dunno no Snakes.

[whodat]

Agree, solid stage today. First win by a Frenchmen on Bastille Day in 12 years. Don't think Aru will remain in yellow very long. Astana is just not built to defend, especially with Folsang dropping out today. The podium will be Froome, Aru, Bardet, just not sure of the order. Uran could sneak in there too, he is looking really strong. And don't ignore Dan Martin and Mikel Landa, they are looking solid as well.

[mr.MikeD]

Wonder about the dynamic between Froome and Landa - trouble in Sky paradise?

[whodat]

The media sure is making a big deal out of any issues between Froome and Landa, comparing it to Froome and Wiggins back in 2012. Froome is the captain, so be curious to see how the team handles this if Landa is stronger.

[snake911]

Originally Posted by whodat

The media sure is making a big deal out of any issues between Froome and Landa, comparing it to Froome and Wiggins back in 2012. Froome is the captain, so be curious to see how the team handles this if Landa is stronger.

Whatever issues that may or may not be between them, I have no doubt that just like in 2012 Ky know how to run a tight ship. Froome is still the best guy they have for the ITT coming up, its still his captaincy. If he cracks in the mountains and loses time that will be another story, but for now the only reason Landa got back so much time today is because Contador, Quintana and Bargiul weren't big threats in the GC. Aru did just enough to make sure Landa didn't take yellow off him. Great stages coming up this weekend, the race is getting good.

[snake911]

AG2R might shake up the GC today, very good attack.

[whodat]

Originally Posted by snake911

AG2R might shake up the GC today, very good attack.

After watching the last few days, it appears that AG2R on the only team that can challenge Sky and maintain the race. While Aru may be a stronger rider then Bardet, without a stronger team it is tougher to defend the yellow, as was shown on Stage 14, it limits Aru's chances to maintain the yellow.

I think if Bardet was to get in yellow, it would really propel him and AG2R to push harder to finally get a French champion of the Tour since Bernard Hinault in 1985.

[Rodey]

Wow, Contador went up Col de la Croix de Fer in record time.

[whodat]

Fuck, the crowd near the top of the Galibier is nuts!

[mr.MikeD]

Froome's to lose by bad luck now. Not quite as boring a tour as I expected.
Must be an odd feeling for Matthews with the green jersey but without having to beat Kittel, Sagan, or Cavendish for it.

[mr.MikeD]

:yawn

Here's hoping for an entertaining Vuelta.

[whodat]

Originally Posted by mr.MikeD

Froome's to lose by bad luck now. Not quite as boring a tour as I expected.
Must be an odd feeling for Matthews with the green jersey but without having to beat Kittel, Sagan, or Cavendish for it.

Originally Posted by mr.MikeD

:yawn

Here's hoping for an entertaining Vuelta.

After nothing happened on Stage 19 to shake up the GC, the TT was more about who would finish 2-5 as none of those cyclists are better then Froome in the TT. Then watching Bardet shit the bed and almost lose the podium spot to Landa shows me that Bardet has a long way to go to winning a grand tour. Maybe he will be this generations Andy Schlek, always a brides-maid, never a bride. (And no, I do not count 2010 as a GC win for Schlek after Contador was stripped of the Tour title.)

As you said, on to the Vuelta, which always has fireworks and solid racing.

[snake911]

Decent tour overall, but very disappointing to see so many big names crash out (plus the bs with Sagan). Great tour for Giant-Sunweb! I'm hoping to get to ride with one of their riders this winter. Just like a young Contador, Bardet needs to learn how to TT if he's going to win a grand tour. The vuelta doesn't excite me much, bring on CX season!

[Rodey]

Think they mentioned it during one of the telecasts, but everyone within reach of the yellow these days is too afraid to attack and seem content with finishing on the podium.

[mr.MikeD]

Originally Posted by Rodey

Think they mentioned it during one of the telecasts, but everyone within reach of the yellow these days is too afraid to attack and seem content with finishing on the podium.

i heard a super cynical take on this - since they are not all EPO-d up anymore, it's not that riders are afraid to, it's that they can't. The relentless daily attacks that made it fun to watch are a thing of the due to stronger doping controls.

Not sure I totally believe that, but it's not out of the question...

[snake911]

It doesnt really hold up as an argument though, because it wasnt 2-3 riders on EPO tearing it up, it was everyone which makes it all sort of equal out.

Bardet did a great job throwing out some attacks this year, but he lost 2:40 to Froome on time trials. Without that, he wins the tour. Sky has bought up 3-4 of the top 10-15 guys, and the whole tour has become about which teams has the most watts. If you have them, you win. People race by their computers now, instead of using tactics and/or instinct. Bardet made some good moves, even Aru threw caution to the wind a couple times but it ended up costing him in the following stages as Sky put on the grind-em-out-with-a-high-pace plan. Sky knows they have the power to outlast the other teams over 3 weeks, and they have Froome who can ride a very good ITT, no need for them to attack. The other GC "contenders" teams are then mostly too conservative in letting Sky play their own gameplan. Quintana being wrecked from the Giro didnt help either.

[whodat]

Originally Posted by snake911

It doesnt really hold up as an argument though, because it wasnt 2-3 riders on EPO tearing it up, it was everyone which makes it all sort of equal out.

Bardet did a great job throwing out some attacks this year, but he lost 2:40 to Froome on time trials. Without that, he wins the tour. Sky has bought up 3-4 of the top 10-15 guys, and the whole tour has become about which teams has the most watts. If you have them, you win. People race by their computers now, instead of using tactics and/or instinct. Bardet made some good moves, even Aru threw caution to the wind a couple times but it ended up costing him in the following stages as Sky put on the grind-em-out-with-a-high-pace plan. Sky knows they have the power to outlast the other teams over 3 weeks, and they have Froome who can ride a very good ITT, no need for them to attack. The other GC "contenders" teams are then mostly too conservative in letting Sky play their own gameplan. Quintana being wrecked from the Giro didnt help either.

This has been Contador's big gripe/argument the last few years and why, he feels, that the Tour has become so stale. If you look at the Giro and Vuelta, while big teams are represented, they are not stacked like for the Tour. So you have to race a little more, use instincts to sniff out the move and apply the pressure. And it makes for way more exciting racing too when you are not sure what could happen at any given moment.

[snake911]

Originally Posted by whodat

This has been Contador's big gripe/argument the last few years and why, he feels, that the Tour has become so stale. If you look at the Giro and Vuelta, while big teams are represented, they are not stacked like for the Tour. So you have to race a little more, use instincts to sniff out the move and apply the pressure. And it makes for way more exciting racing too when you are not sure what could happen at any given moment.

IMO, the best thing UCI could do for cycling is ban the use of team radios. Want to get messages to/from the car? Send back a domestique. It would make teams have to pay attention more closely to who is going off the front, and would likely make riders more willing to attack as you might get overlooked and a rider could read the race and pick his time to go without getting permission from the director. I hate the team radios.

[Rodey]

Looks like Froome is going to take the Vuelta pretty easily.

I can't help but be skeptical of Froome and Sky.

[whodat]

Sky will always argue that they have a strong team that a rides with the sole goal of winning the race, giving their team leader the best change at winning. I think US Postal and Discovery used a similar argument during their dominate days and we all know how that ended up.

[Rodey]

Originally Posted by whodat

Sky will always argue that they have a strong team that a rides with the sole goal of winning the race, giving their team leader the best change at winning. I think US Postal and Discovery used a similar argument during their dominate days and we all know how that ended up.

There hasn't been anyone in the "post-doping era" that has posted times up certain climbs like Froome has. That alone should raise massive red flags.