79pmooney
Posts:3189
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| 07/25/2019 08:58 PM |
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CK, having a French rider win would be huge. Odds of the all-the-marbles climb coming up French are not so good.
French parents have been discouraging their kids from racing since Festina 20 years ago. There have been no good French role models. But France is (or at least should be) the heart of bicycle racing. The Tour is theirs. It is a long, hallowed tradition. Now with Bardet, Laphilippe and Pinot, kids can look up to heroes that are clean and just good young men with a gift. It's been a long time since Fignon and Hineaut. It's time. And Laphilippe has class! If he could pull this off without being truly "qualified" to win a Tour of this character, cool! |
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Cosmic Kid
Posts:4209
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| 07/25/2019 10:11 PM |
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I’d lay some cash on Pinot to come up aces on a summit finish.....
Definitely want to see Alliphalippe or Pinot win... |
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| Just say "NO!" to WCP!!!!
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79pmooney
Posts:3189
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| 07/25/2019 10:42 PM |
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| I just looked at tomorrow's profile. Tough but a long descent to the final cat 1 but finite climb. I can see Alaphilippe (sorry Juju, I dropped your "A" last post). Now, climbing for hours to an HC climb to 9000'? Doesn't that have an inspired Quintana written all over it? Maybe with Pinot to help him on the descent? |
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Cosmic Kid
Posts:4209
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| 07/26/2019 09:05 AM |
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| Pinot isn’t helping anyone on descent...he is a horrible descender, probably one reason he didn’t bother going with Bernal yesterday. |
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| Just say "NO!" to WCP!!!!
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Orange Crush
Posts:4499
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| 07/26/2019 09:13 AM |
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| Pinot out. Shite. This tour just deflated. |
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Orange Crush
Posts:4499
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| 07/26/2019 10:05 AM |
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| Frustrating not to see a fascinating battle till end but good call. Blame climate change. Randomly bouncing between extreme heat and freak storms is a telltale sign. |
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zootracer
Posts:835
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| 07/26/2019 01:27 PM |
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| Pinot out, stage cancelled. This changes everything. Now the talk will be, what if? |
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Orange Crush
Posts:4499
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| 07/26/2019 02:41 PM |
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Posted By ed custer on 07/26/2019 01:27 PM
Pinot out, stage cancelled. This changes everything. Now the talk will be, what if?
There's a lot of what if's but I am 100% sure JA would have lost yellow regardless. He was only going to go further backwards on final climb and tomorrow. Riders who may complain are perhaps Thomas (who could have gone on final climb had Bernal been pegged back) or Kruijswijk (who had de Plus to keep Bernal on a leash). Tomorrow's stage has now been shortened to just 59kms. Do or die. I like it. |
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jookey
Posts:200
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| 07/26/2019 02:45 PM |
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| What was looking like an epic two days, just fizzled. So disappointed here. |
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longslowdistance
Posts:2886
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| 07/26/2019 04:03 PM |
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Update: The 2019 Tour de France will be decided by a Bingo game on the Champs Elysees on Sunday. No actual bicycle racing will take place.
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Cosmic Kid
Posts:4209
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| 07/26/2019 05:18 PM |
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Wow...this is the craziest schitt i have ever seen.
Gives Alliphalippe a fighting chance though, I guess....
Everyone better bring their trainers tomorrow AM...it is gonna be ON from the gun. And 33K of that 59K is uphill so it will be NUTS. Pola-dot jersey also up for grabs at the summit.
They need a quick-release trainer....line everyone up at the line. get 'em revved up and turn 'em loose when the flag drops....a real-life Zwift race start!!!  |
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| Just say "NO!" to WCP!!!!
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Orange Crush
Posts:4499
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| 07/26/2019 07:50 PM |
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| They tried that F1 start CK. Hilarious scene. |
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mondonico
Posts:158
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| 07/26/2019 07:58 PM |
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| In a way does this not give JA a punchers chance? |
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longslowdistance
Posts:2886
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| 07/26/2019 08:12 PM |
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Interesting climb, none of it is the relatively mild average of 5%, rather a series of steeper but not Quintana steep steps. Everyone is so tired now, that's the main thing.
Pics:
1. Pinot (oh snap, bad luck that)
Pics redux:
1. Simon Yates
2. Kruijswijk.
3. Bernal, keeps yellow
If JA had been lurking rather than holding on to yellow, he'd be a top threat, too. |
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Orange Crush
Posts:4499
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| 07/26/2019 08:49 PM |
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Posted By Bill H. on 07/26/2019 07:58 PM
In a way does this not give JA a punchers chance?
A 30km climb is not very puncheury. |
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