longslowdistance
Posts:2886
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| 07/22/2019 07:52 PM |
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Old fart observations:
Smokey, back in the day the lap around the Onondaga finger lake race in upstate NY was as big as we got, as big as the Nats or Somerville. The winners' list was a who's who.
Jookey: Philosophical stuff to follow, read only if you dare. A younger me understood differential geometry and its child general relativity. Now I understand something different and less complicated, that helps people every day, but alas that older stuff I no longer truly understand. Sherlock Holmes proposed that we have limited room in the attic of our brains, so we have to pick and choose what we retain. I prefer the present. |
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Cosmic Kid
Posts:4209
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| 07/23/2019 01:27 PM |
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Posted By steve brunet on 07/22/2019 12:42 PM
timely question... i was cleaning out the basement and found a box of old VCR tapes, all cycling... tours going back to 89, coors classics, tour de Trump (remember those?)....
Im happy to send them around share with everyone, starting with CK!!! ;-)
LOL...and on that note, here is the WCP coverage of the 1989 TdF!!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U05Xf3ZhAdQ |
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| Just say "NO!" to WCP!!!!
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Orange Crush
Posts:4499
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| 07/23/2019 05:46 PM |
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| De Cauwer reminisced today about how Fignon in declining health in 2010 approached him to say he was at peace about that 1989 Tour. He also talked about how they got approval to use the aero bars through a 7:30 am visit to a race commissionaire ahead of the first TT earlier that tour. Something like, "yeah sure, now go away". The rest is history. |
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Cosmic Kid
Posts:4209
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| 07/24/2019 02:27 PM |
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So am I nuts for thinking that tomorrow's stage, while brutal in profile, will actually be relatively quiet for the GC? two very short and hard stages to follow, both of which are summit finishes....very possible that the main GC guys let a group go up the road with guys like Bardet, etc. and just watch each other, only pouncing if they see someone crack.
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| Just say "NO!" to WCP!!!!
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Orange Crush
Posts:4499
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| 07/24/2019 02:32 PM |
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I think you are right CK. Particular Galibier isn't steep enough to go on a rampage. Domestiques will close things down.
Only caveat, Landa going early. Movistar need to do something big to get back in podium contention.
IMO it'll come down to Saturday's finishing climb. That one is a beast. |
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mondonico
Posts:158
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| 07/24/2019 09:54 PM |
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"Wow! We've had (all?) 12 posters on this thread! The most active thread since Keith Richards moved on? (Any one hear from him? If you are in contact, give him my best. My last contact info left me several computers ago.)"
Kinda sad after all the posters that once were on Velo years ago. Don't know if Super Frenchie is still here. Would like to hear how he is enjoying this Tour.
I used to live in Prince Georges County in the early 70's. So many great bike trails around that area back then. Along the canal from Georgetown, along the river to Virginia. Was roommates with a young lady who's family owned one of the oldest homes in the area. Had some southern name Celubria or something like that. A real old plantation. Fire place in every room. Every room on a different level. They had built a few new homes on the property but were losing more and more land just to pay the taxes. Had tons of stuff from the civil war. Uniforms, books, they were hoping to turn the home into a museum so they could keep it in the family. One of her uncles was a pilot in WW2,they used his story for the movie 12 o'clock high. Also they were the first family in Maryland to hang a slave, if I remember correctly, for poisoning a family member. Don't hold me to that story, best I can remember, it was almost 50 years ago. We would go over there every now and then and just look at all the things. My buddy was around 5'6' and could fit in one of the uniforms. They only let us try on a jacket once. Books weapons all kinds of stuff. Like going back in time.
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Orange Crush
Posts:4499
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| 07/25/2019 11:49 AM |
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From today it looks like advantage Ineos with two irons in fire. Bernal looked good but so did Thomas. Between them they will cook Julian for sure.
Pinot looked like he may have had his best days in Pyrenees.
Maybe Movistar can throw in another monkey wrench but they're still a ways off. They let Quintana claw back a lot of time though. But the way he rode through finish sitting up early suggests GC was not on his mind. |
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Cosmic Kid
Posts:4209
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| 07/25/2019 01:23 PM |
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I am hoping Pinot was just biding his time today...he knows he is not a good descender, so why bother attacking when it is a descent to the finish? The next two stages will hopefully see him return to his Pyrennean climbing form. But he also doesn't like the heat, so.....
Bummed to see Ineos in control, but not unexpected at all.
More fireworks than I expected today, that is for sure. |
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Cosmic Kid
Posts:4209
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| 07/25/2019 03:14 PM |
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"If you look at the difference between second and fifth, there are 20 seconds," Madiot said. "Alaphilippe is still ahead. So, there are two things. One: will Alaphillippe crack or not? And two: if he does, then there’s only 20 seconds between the rest of them. So it’s the last two days that will really decide this."
Yup. |
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79pmooney
Posts:3189
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| 07/25/2019 06:13 PM |
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I had a crazy thought this morning. Suppose Alaphilippe loses less than 2 minutes tomorrow and Saturday. So he is less than 30 seconds out of the lead. Now what does he have for team support that the others don't? Really good rolleurs - and - they haven't been that stressed in the mountains because most got dropped early. And who do they have for potential comrades? All of the French teams with their breakaway specialist. If the gods smile and bring crosswinds Sunday, this could be fun!
An all-out drag for all the marbles on Sunday would, in my opinion, make this a Tour to remember; even one of the greats. Yes, not very likely, but I can dream ... |
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eurochien
Posts:163
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| 07/25/2019 06:49 PM |
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Alaphilppe at a 2011 cyclo-cross race when he was racing for the now-defunct French Army team as an enlisted soldier-athlete.
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Cosmic Kid
Posts:4209
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| 07/25/2019 06:55 PM |
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| That’s pretty cool!!! |
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Cosmic Kid
Posts:4209
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| 07/25/2019 06:58 PM |
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Ben, i’d settle for 5 guys within a minute of each other going onto Sat, with another 3 guys within reach of the podium....let ‘em all hit the bottom of the final climb together.
An all-out throwdown on the final climb for all the marbles....would be EPIC!!! |
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Orange Crush
Posts:4499
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| 07/25/2019 08:42 PM |
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Haha. That outfit.
My friend was in German army team and became national team pursuit champ on track that way.
He could have become pro but fell off the wagon while in college and is now a prof (and former Canadian masters crit champ etc). |
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Orange Crush
Posts:4499
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| 07/25/2019 08:46 PM |
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Julian will last till Saturday. It will be such a let down for France but kudos on him hanging in there.
No Resurrection on Champs I don't think Ben unless we're talking seconds. Are there time bonuses on the Champs? |
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