Cosmic Kid
Posts:4209
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| 07/08/2019 12:41 PM |
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The reason Movistar should have been more active was for the time bonuses....if Valverde had gotten the bonus form the climb, plus the finish bonus, that would have been 18" he could have gained back (not to mention any time gained on the field).
Just the bonus seconds alone would have significantly altered their position in the race and what they need to accomplish moving forward.
And....Buffy is back!!! |
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| Just say "NO!" to WCP!!!!
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longslowdistance
Posts:2886
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| 07/08/2019 09:21 PM |
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| Just an observation from a fan exhausted by radio directed robots: I am so skeptical and so bored that I haven’t watched a stage of what has been a good start to le grande boucle. Glad to follow on line and read of some great racing. Love JA’s courage. Time to tune in or will predictable outcomes and boredom follow? |
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79pmooney
Posts:3189
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| 07/11/2019 10:47 AM |
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VeloNews had a good article re: saving resources to survive the Tour. It talked some of the need ot save up for today's stage. Watching the racing and seeing riders blow up. De Gendt did a little too much and what looked like a brilliant ride for a glorious stage win comes down to blowing apart in a kilometer. Too much time spent in previous days' breakaways and too many failed efforts to start breakaways?
https://www.velonews.com/2019/07/tour-de-france/whats-the-key-to-surviving-the-tour-avoiding-fatigue-in-the-early-stages_496579
Day 6 and the attrition is already happening. (The Tour - the hardest regularly scheduled athletic event there is. I've been saying that for years. Reading riders' descriptions of the experience, yup.) I remember seeing a documentary-like footage of the gruppetto years ago riding desperately to make the cut. The hardest racing nobody ever saw. Today, Greipel getting over a Cat 1 climb in the break, probably just so he could have a cushion to the field and survive the day.
Then again - from CyclingNews live with 4 km to go - "Valverde is back and smiling at Ineos who are not setting fastest possible pace at the moment." (Was LeMond on to something?)
Ben |
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Cosmic Kid
Posts:4209
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| 07/11/2019 12:08 PM |
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Very good stage today...was very surprised to see Thomas gap Bernal on the final steep pitch. I thought for sure the day would end with Bernal as the clear team leader for Ineos and with big time gaps to the other GC contenders.
Gaps were MUCH smaller than I expected...nobody's tour hopes really blew up today, with the possible exception of Bardet, but that is as much due to their crap TTT as today's result.Nibali lost gobs of time in the last 100m, but he is a cagey enough rider that I am not ruling him out just yet....but he was definitely deep in the pain cave coming up to the line.
Race is shaping up well so far and been one of the most interesting tours in awhile.... |
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| Just say "NO!" to WCP!!!!
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Dale
Posts:1767
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| 07/11/2019 01:50 PM |
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| Freaking brutal last couple of k's! When they had to have officials push the rides clear of the finish line, you know the riders were shelled. |
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Orange Crush
Posts:4499
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| 07/11/2019 02:58 PM |
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We saw Thomas claim leadership role. Between his classics experience he may have had and edge on Bernal with gravel finish and steepness matches his characteristics as former track rider. Not overly surprised.
Good to see no team domestiques were really factoring in final. That may keep this tour interesting. But Ineos are keeping Poels in their back pocket for week 3.
Nibali is done I think given that he already rode Giro I don't see him going forward again.
Movistar?!? All that's really clear is that Valverde is support and not going for GC. |
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Cosmic Kid
Posts:4209
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| 07/11/2019 05:32 PM |
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I thought Landa's move was a good one....he just went a bit early and ran out of steam. He is clearly out of fooks to give re: team tactics and is riding for himself. I am hoping he can continue to agitate things!!
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| Just say "NO!" to WCP!!!!
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Dale
Posts:1767
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| 07/11/2019 08:35 PM |
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One of the announcers, when Landa went, exclaimed that Quintana was attacking.
...as if... |
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Cosmic Kid
Posts:4209
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| 07/11/2019 08:59 PM |
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LOL, Dale....Quintana won’t stick his nose in the wind until he is completely out of it.
Don’t understand why Groupama / FDJ led the chase for so long on the final climb...yeah, they wanted to set Pinot up, but FFS let Ineos do the work. You still get a free ride and hopefully tire them out. |
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| Just say "NO!" to WCP!!!!
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mondonico
Posts:158
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| 07/11/2019 10:15 PM |
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| I don't understand why any team with GC thoughts would take the front this early. Let Eneos drag you up the final climb. Make them work this week and next then force the action. I don't think they have the same form as years past. And I loved Alalphilipes (ms) effort to retain the Yellow. And watching all these newbies winning stages and the Yellow is great. Time for a new generation. |
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Orange Crush
Posts:4499
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| 07/11/2019 11:30 PM |
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| If you looked at grades there's next to zero help you would have gotten from.sitting in. Not a bad move by FDJ at all. Didn't work but that's another matter. |
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79pmooney
Posts:3189
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| 07/12/2019 11:06 AM |
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Now today's stage would have been an excellent one for drafting, except they just didn't go that fast!  6 hours and 2 minutes. You'd think it was one of the monuments. Average speed 38.1 kph/23.7 mph. My first open race, 1976, 105 miles in pouring rain and ~5000' of climbing was faster.
Of course, there is that grade issue. -0.074% average with the two grueling Cat 4s and the back breaking Cat 3. The course ramps up to a draining -0.19% for the final 90km. (The negative grades are the really hard ones, aren't they?)
This photo, lifted off the CyclingNews text updates sums up the first 215 km quite well. The first three riders here and the two in the break were the only ones to any work almost that entire distance. |
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Cosmic Kid
Posts:4209
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| 07/13/2019 04:59 PM |
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Fantastic stage today...great racing, some GC drama and guys willing to take chances.
While I still think this is a forgone conclusions for Ineos, Thomas has surprised me and I am glad to see other riders attacking.
Alliphalippe....stud. |
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| Just say "NO!" to WCP!!!!
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79pmooney
Posts:3189
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| 07/13/2019 06:21 PM |
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France! Just in time for Bastille Day. 2,3 on the road, 1,3 on GC and yellow on the back of a Frenchman. All is well.
I remembered St Honores Boulangie this morning, the French bakery that opens early for the Tour and shows the Tour on a wide-screen. Tomorrow I'll get up early and go establish a seat there. Say "hi" and "happy Bastille Day" to the (very French) owner.
Seeing Alaphillippe and Pinot riding well - I like! The idea that young French kids get to see quality French riders in the great French race again. It was a long drought. (I'd love to see Pinot win! Seeing him and Alaphillippe embracing after the finish - yeah.)
Ben |
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Dale
Posts:1767
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| 07/13/2019 06:23 PM |
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+1, what a day of racing! That De Gendt stayed away for 200k is unreal and that Alaphilippe scooped up the 5 second bonus to draw to 1 sec from yellow on his attack and to make the attack stick. Dayum!
And the the guys yapping about Alaphilippe and Pinot drafting the moto... ok, fine the moto, what were those two supposed to do, hit the brakes? |
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