# Tour thread -- spoilers allowed



## KoroninK (Aug 9, 2010)

I think Jumbo-Visma winning the TTT wasn't exactly unexpected (as it was always possible), however, what is unexpected was by how much they won by.

FDJ also had a very good TTT to keep Pinot in the GC hunt. It appears that EF adding Tejay was very helpful for their TTT.

On the other side we have Movistar, Trek, and AG2R with poor TTTs. Landa and Valverde both said they are where they expected to be and lost what they had expected to (this was before Jumbo went). Then something about they are a team for the mountains and they were never going to be that close in a TTT on a stage like this one.


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## proclaimer888 (Jul 24, 2010)

Awesome to see Jumbo team pull off the TTT upset...Still hoping Tejay might pull out a stage win....he seems relaxed this year.


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## KoroninK (Aug 9, 2010)

Tejay does. He also seems happier this year. I think he should have made this jump maybe 2-3 years ago.


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## BacDoc (Aug 1, 2011)

I usually don’t get excited by TTT stage but this was pretty cool! This yellow jersey is as stoked as anybody ever.

Interested to see how Valverde does, could be the perfect storm for him. Also Nibali! 

My personal favorite is that Russian guy, Zacharian, might be a long shot and I don’t know his team but that guy is like Dan Martin(another favorite of mine), the definition of HTFU!


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## proclaimer888 (Jul 24, 2010)

Agree bout the TTT stage....great race!! And tip of the hat to Bob Roll.....no way he can fill shoes of Paul and he respects that....doing a fine job Bob........regards.


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## KoroninK (Aug 9, 2010)

Glad you're enjoying Bob, I can't stand listening to him do broadcasts and it's likely the combination of him and Phil are part of why I'm very quickly losing interest in this Tour. Why can't we legally get Eurosport or Australia's coverage?


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## CoffeeBean2 (Aug 6, 2005)

KoroninK said:


> Glad you're enjoying Bob, I can't stand listening to him do broadcasts and it's likely the combination of him and Phil are part of why I'm very quickly losing interest in this Tour. Why can't we legally get Eurosport or Australia's coverage?


NBC Sports Gold has Robbie McEwen and Matthew Keenan. Of course, you have to pay for NBCSN's Cycling Pass.


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## KoroninK (Aug 9, 2010)

CoffeeBean2 said:


> NBC Sports Gold has Robbie McEwen and Matthew Keenan. Of course, you have to pay for NBCSN's Cycling Pass.


Wish we got them on TV. That's the problem you have to pay for that which we shouldn't have to do as we are already paying for NBCsports with our cable or satellite subscription.


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## GKSki (Nov 12, 2014)

Heh, NBC...enough with LA! Cycling does not need him.


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## BGEPizza (Sep 28, 2009)

GKSki said:


> Heh, NBC...enough with LA! Cycling does not need him.


Amen! This morning, Phil introduced him and the moron said, "Thanks Phil and Paul, I mean Bob."


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## KoroninK (Aug 9, 2010)

GKSki said:


> Heh, NBC...enough with LA! Cycling does not need him.


No kidding.


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## 4Crawler (Jul 13, 2011)

KoroninK said:


> Glad you're enjoying Bob, I can't stand listening to him do broadcasts and it's likely the combination of him and Phil are part of why I'm very quickly losing interest in this Tour. Why can't we legally get Eurosport or Australia's coverage?


Eurosport seems to be OK with VPN access via a UK server to access their services. A few years ago, when they started the LeMond on the Tour show, they were interviewing Greg in his Minnesota home. He had EuroSport playing on the big screen TV. When the interviewer asked him about EuroSport, Greg said he really liked their cycling coverage and how the whole family would watch the racing on the TV (pointing to the big screen in the background). While there was no mention of how he was able to access the stream, there also was no shock and horror at why Greg was "breaking the rules" by doing so. 

I think they put up the geoblocking to satisfy the content owner when they purchase the UK (and whatever other countries they support) broadcast rights. As long as it's accessed from a UK IP address, I don't think they care if it's an ex-pat watching from some foreign country or someone in a foreign country doing the same. If they did, they would do something like require a UK billing address for the account sign up or they would block VPN connections like I think Netflix tried to do for viewers outside the US. On the other hand, they can't go around and advertise that anyone with a VPN service can watch Eurosport, because that would probably not go down well with the content owners. I think the advertisers are OK with it as they get a bigger audience (heck I even purchased some Alpecin shampoo after seeing their commercials on EuroSport), Eurosport gets more subscribers, etc. 

If you get a VPN service for this, you need to make sure there are multiple server locations in a country. I use PureVPN (http://bit.ly/2ZTnWsm) and they have 4 cities in the UK with multiple servers in each. I find that sometimes you need to switch to a different city/server for Eurosport. Like for Stage 1, one UK city bumped me into the Romanian broadcast. Sometimes one city will result in the "not available in your country" message. But having a number of server/city options usually results in getting a good stream. I think want happens is that geoblocking is not exact, there are multiple servers and databases that deal with this and Eurosport doesn't publish exactly how they do this. So if the server/IP address you happen to use is marked as being in some other country, it may not work as desired. Having options is a good thing and having a VPN service where you can switch servers at will is also a good thing. Some VPN services limit the number of changes per month and charge if you go over the limit.


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## Finx (Oct 19, 2017)

4Crawler said:


> Eurosport seems to be OK with VPN access via a UK server to access their services. A few years ago, when they started the LeMond on the Tour show, they were interviewing Greg in his Minnesota home. He had EuroSport playing on the big screen TV. When the interviewer asked him about EuroSport, Greg said he really liked their cycling coverage and how the whole family would watch the racing on the TV (pointing to the big screen in the background). While there was no mention of how he was able to access the stream, there also was no shock and horror at why Greg was "breaking the rules" by doing so.
> 
> I think they put up the geoblocking to satisfy the content owner when they purchase the UK (and whatever other countries they support) broadcast rights. As long as it's accessed from a UK IP address, I don't think they care if it's an ex-pat watching from some foreign country or someone in a foreign country doing the same. If they did, they would do something like require a UK billing address for the account sign up or they would block VPN connections like I think Netflix tried to do for viewers outside the US. On the other hand, they can't go around and advertise that anyone with a VPN service can watch Eurosport, because that would probably not go down well with the content owners. I think the advertisers are OK with it as they get a bigger audience (heck I even purchased some Alpecin shampoo after seeing their commercials on EuroSport), Eurosport gets more subscribers, etc.
> 
> If you get a VPN service for this, you need to make sure there are multiple server locations in a country. I use PureVPN (http://bit.ly/2ZTnWsm) and they have 4 cities in the UK with multiple servers in each. I find that sometimes you need to switch to a different city/server for Eurosport. Like for Stage 1, one UK city bumped me into the Romanian broadcast. Sometimes one city will result in the "not available in your country" message. But having a number of server/city options usually results in getting a good stream. I think want happens is that geoblocking is not exact, there are multiple servers and databases that deal with this and Eurosport doesn't publish exactly how they do this. So if the server/IP address you happen to use is marked as being in some other country, it may not work as desired. Having options is a good thing and having a VPN service where you can switch servers at will is also a good thing. Some VPN services limit the number of changes per month and charge if you go over the limit.


How are you getting access to EuroSport? EuroSport Player? TV Plus? 

I haven't tried it myself, but a couple of friends who have said that Eurosport wouldn't accept their subscription without a physical EU address. I didn't press for details. 

I would want it to be available on something with a DVR so I can record the races and still display it on a big screen.


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## GKSki (Nov 12, 2014)

Looks like we're stuck with daily cut-ins with LA. You'd think the UCI or ASO would forbid this interaction in the same manner that I am sure they would not provide him with press credentials. Hope they catch wind of this travesty.


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## 4Crawler (Jul 13, 2011)

Finx said:


> How are you getting access to EuroSport? EuroSport Player? TV Plus?
> 
> I haven't tried it myself, but a couple of friends who have said that Eurosport wouldn't accept their subscription without a physical EU address. I didn't press for details.
> 
> I would want it to be available on something with a DVR so I can record the races and still display it on a big screen.


I set up a Eurosport Player account many years ago, prior to Discovery. At the time, all that was required was e-mail address and credit card number. My buddy signed up a year or too ago. I think he used his US address since his credit cards were all from US banks. He also had an apartment he owned in Sweden that he may have used for an address.

Mainly watch from their web browser interface but have also used Android and their Kodi players. It seems they now have more options:
https://help.eurosport.com/hc/en-gb/articles/360002697939-Watching-from-abroad
Some seem to require EU addresses but others do not. I guess us US folks fall into this group: 

"If you do not live in the EU, but are travelling in the EU, you will be accessing the Eurosport Player service that is available in the country that you are visiting (if we provide service in this country)."

But with a VPN connection, I can "travel" to the UK in the blink of an eye. I guess if you are an EU resident, then you have some special bits enabled in your account to eliminate the need for VPN. But since I always have several VPN connections running 24/7, including one to the UK, I just jump onto that when I want to watch Eurosport. I think VPN is like that old adage "if you have a hammer, everything looks like a nail". VPN is that hammer and a lot of "problems" end up being nails.

They do make it difficult to record programming. About the only way I can see it happening is to have a dedicated PC or laptop running, tuned into the channel that will carry the event you want to watch. Then have a screen recorder, maybe on a timer, start up and record the race and stop after it's done. Problem with their web interface is you can't go directly to a particular channel. You have to select it from the "On Now" screen, wait for it to load, then click in the window on the play button to get it to start, then click to enlarge to full screen. Likely some way to automate the mouse events, but you need to know ahead of time what channel a particular event will be on, E1, E2 or often there are additional streams. Like the TDF has separate streams for some of the various motos. But you need to look at the image tiles in the On Now screen to see what's on each stream/channel. 

Also, have not found any sort of XML program guide that can be accessed to feed into something like Kodi to automate recordings. If something like that existed, you could just set up a recording schedule for all episodes of TDF 2019. As is, it's like programming a VCR. Tune into the channel you want, start recording at X and stop recording at Y.

They do have various replays and summaries broadcast during the day. I usually catch the race first thing in the morning, it usually ends around 8AM. I have Kodi set up on my bedroom PC and can tune in while still in bed, often do that on the long mountain stages.


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## taxidermy man (Mar 19, 2016)

KoroninK said:


> Glad you're enjoying Bob, I can't stand listening to him do broadcasts and it's likely the combination of him and Phil are part of why I'm very quickly losing interest in this Tour. Why can't we legally get Eurosport or Australia's coverage?


I'm with you on the Bob deal, just the way he speaks is annoying,Christian would have been a better replacement for Paul.


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## Rashadabd (Sep 17, 2011)

It’s so funny how perspectives on things change with time and experience. Rewind to last offseason and Trek Segafredo was heartbroken because they thought they had signed the talent of the summer in Ivan Sosa only to have his agent pull out the deal at the last moment so that he could join then Team Sky. 

In an attempt to recover from the loss, Trek turned its attention to a young Italian and “settled on him" as a replacement. Sosa hasn’t done a whole lot to stand out this year, but today that scrawny Italian kid they settled for pulled on the yellow jersey and is the current leader of the sports biggest race. He has been lights out all year as well. Sometimes our losses are really blessings, we just don’t know it yet. 

Tour de France 2019: Stage 6 Results | Cyclingnews.com

https://pelotonmagazine.com/features/giro-sensation-giulio-ciccone/

Despite Trek announcing Sosa, talented Colombian still on the market | Cyclingnews.com


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## 4Crawler (Jul 13, 2011)

Finx said:


> How are you getting access to EuroSport? EuroSport Player? TV Plus?
> 
> I haven't tried it myself, but a couple of friends who have said that Eurosport wouldn't accept their subscription without a physical EU address. I didn't press for details.


Looks like this may be an option in this situation:
https://www.reddit.com/r/peloton/comments/a8vbmy/eurosport_payment_info_outside_uk/

When I signed up, all you needed was a UK IP address. But now it seems they are using the IP location for the country of the payment method. Seems this guy found you could change IP locations partway through the process. Or some seemed to make use of the Polish site to sign up. Also, they have a Paypal option instead of a credit/debit card, so that may also work.

Although this says they do check your Paypal billing address/country.
https://thevpn.guru/unblock-eurosport-player-usa-australia-canada

There's a mention of a WeSwap or TransferWise pre-paid card, the latter can get you a UK account number/sort code with their border-less account. This might be the best solution, since you would have a "UK" registered payment method.


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## Rashadabd (Sep 17, 2011)

It’s sad day for cycling, NBC, and the TdF when people that are actually interested in the sport are primarily talking about how much they don’t like Bob Roll and LA commentating on the race instead of the race itself. Pro cycling is in some serious trouble in the U.S. lol....

Well, I am off to watch the XCO MTB races I missed this weekend on Red Bull TV. Heck I might take in some skateboarding too.


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## KoroninK (Aug 9, 2010)

Nice to see Ciccone get the yellow. I'm fairly sure he was one of the two young Italians who were climbing well 2-3 years ago in Colorado's race.

Then we have yet again horrible and stupid tactics from Movistar. I just hope due to almost all their riders being out of contract at the end of the season they do close to a total rebuild of that team. What a waste of energy by the riders on their team for absolutely nothing.


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## KoroninK (Aug 9, 2010)

taxidermy man said:


> I'm with you on the Bob deal, just the way he speaks is annoying,Christian would have been a better replacement for Paul.


Completely annoying and I can't take it for very long. Then add in his like's to show off his bad Spanish pronunciations. Would have been much happier with Christian in the booth. Even Chris would have been better.


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## ngl (Jan 22, 2002)

KoroninK said:


> Nice to see Ciccone get the yellow. I'm fairly sure he was one of the two young Italians who were climbing well 2-3 years ago in Colorado's race.
> 
> Then we have yet again horrible and stupid tactics from Movistar. I just hope due to almost all their riders being out of contract at the end of the season they do close to a total rebuild of that team. What a waste of energy by the riders on their team for absolutely nothing.


Well, I have to agree with you. You can't expect to beat a guy like Thomas or .... using team tactics like Movistar does. If you are going after the GC all your teammates have to sacrifice themselves to the death for their GC contender! They cannot have their own individual agenda. Look at guys like Kweokoski as an example. Maybe it's a team leadership problem.


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## KoroninK (Aug 9, 2010)

ngl said:


> Well, I have to agree with you. You can't expect to beat a guy like Thomas or .... using team tactics like Movistar does. If you are going after the GC all your teammates have to sacrifice themselves to the death for their GC contender! They cannot have their own individual agenda. Look at guys like Kweokoski as an example. Maybe it's a team leadership problem.


All they did yesterday was help Thomas. The best way to have tried to beat Ineos would have been for one of them to attack (which Landa did try) but when he was caught for the next one to attack. Here's the problem, Ineos' riders are willing to do that because their leaders get results. I'm not sure the riders at Movistar fully believe in Quintana or Landa at this point. Plus you have Movistar also wanting the team title.


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## il sogno (Jul 15, 2002)

CoffeeBean2 said:


> NBC Sports Gold has Robbie McEwen and Matthew Keenan. Of course, you have to pay for NBCSN's Cycling Pass.


I am enjoying the McEwen/Keenan coverage. Much better than Phil and Bob. Plus there are no commercials.


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## il sogno (Jul 15, 2002)

I liked Christian as a rider but can't handle him as a commentator. He's mumbling and stumbling over his words. :-(


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## Opus51569 (Jul 21, 2009)

il sogno said:


> I liked Christian as a rider but can't handle him as a commentator. He's mumbling and stumbling over his words. :-(


Horner is a bit shrill and nasally, but I like that he isn’t afraid to call out riders and teams when they screw up.



Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## KoroninK (Aug 9, 2010)

il sogno said:


> I liked Christian as a rider but can't handle him as a commentator. He's mumbling and stumbling over his words. :-(


I can't take Bob or Phil at all. Phil wouldn't know 95% of the riders if tripped over them and Bob's pronunciation of Spanish words and names is terrible and yet he likes to "show off" his Spanish. Then he gets real high pitched and it's exceptionally annoying.

Christian is 1000 times better than either of those two.


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## ogre (Dec 16, 2005)

ngl said:


> Well, I have to agree with you. You can't expect to beat a guy like Thomas or .... using team tactics like Movistar does. If you are going after the GC all your teammates have to sacrifice themselves to the death for their GC contender! They cannot have their own individual agenda. Look at guys like Kweokoski as an example. Maybe it's a team leadership problem.


The runner-up in dysfunctionality seems to be the Sunweb team to me. Almost every stage, in the closing kilometers they're talking about how Michael Matthews is ideally positioned, and his team is pretty much at the front in good numbers. But has he gotten anything better than 9th place?


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## Oxtox (Aug 16, 2006)

Phil is just awful, has been for years.

Bob Roll is barely tolerable and only embarrasses himself when he tries to cover Phil's constant blunders tactfully.

Christian is getting better at announcing, he's notably improved over last year.

Horner's whiny voice makes my ears hurt.

love Jens...


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## taxidermy man (Mar 19, 2016)

KoroninK said:


> I can't take Bob or Phil at all. Phil wouldn't know 95% of the riders if tripped over them and Bob's pronunciation of Spanish words and names is terrible and yet he likes to "show off" his Spanish. Then he gets real high pitched and it's exceptionally annoying.
> 
> Christian is 1000 times better than either of those two.


totally agree.


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## Rashadabd (Sep 17, 2011)

And like clockwork Ineos positions Thomas and Bernal in 2nd and 3rd place overall as things start to head for the mountains. Not looking good for anyone not wearing an Ineos jersey right now. 

https://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/...then-chances-tour-de-france-crosswinds-431301


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## ogre (Dec 16, 2005)

Once again, five Sunweb riders in front of the lead group with 2k to go.....


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## JSR (Feb 27, 2006)

ogre said:


> Once again, five Sunweb riders in front of the lead group with 2k to go.....


Matthews looked like he threw a pushrod at the 200 meter mark.


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## ogre (Dec 16, 2005)

JSR said:


> Matthews looked like he threw a pushrod at the 200 meter mark.


And he looked like he was in position at 300m......

Next award for too much attention - George Bennett? His best TdF finish is 53rd, he hasn't done anything this year except share in the TTT win, and is now more than eleven minutes down? Granted, he was caught playing domestique when the feces hit the fan, but still, why all the coverage of him? He wasn't very well placed even before the start of today's stage.

Today was an awesome day. Crosswinds can be so cruel in the TdF. It was good to see that Quintana didn't suffer the same fate as the rest of his team.


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## KoroninK (Aug 9, 2010)

ogre said:


> And he looked like he was in position at 300m......
> 
> Next award for too much attention - George Bennett? His best TdF finish is 53rd, he hasn't done anything this year except share in the TTT win, and is now more than eleven minutes down? Granted, he was caught playing domestique when the feces hit the fan, but still, why all the coverage of him? He wasn't very well placed even before the start of today's stage.
> 
> Today was an awesome day. Crosswinds can be so cruel in the TdF. It was good to see that Quintana didn't suffer the same fate as the rest of his team.


Landa got very unlikely. Barguil crashed into him and he went down. Then they had to send 4 riders back to help him. Soler was in the break the day before so not exactly in a position to help. They only left Valverde with Quintana at the front. Due to this this may have just thrown Valverde's original plans for the race out the window. The team very well may come to him and request he stays as close in GC as he can.


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## ngl (Jan 22, 2002)

KoroninK said:


> They only left Valverde with Quintana at the front. Due to this this may have just thrown Valverde's original plans for the race out the window. The team very well may come to him and request he stays as close in GC as he can.


Luke Rowe says he was trying to slow the lead group down. Working for Landa? He certainly wasn't helping Quintana who may be able to get a 3rd place podium finish by putting time into 4 rivals.


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## KoroninK (Aug 9, 2010)

ngl said:


> Luke Rowe says he was trying to slow the lead group down. Working for Landa? He certainly wasn't helping Quintana who may be able to get a 3rd place podium finish by putting time into 4 rivals.


Likely doing what the team asked him to do. As for Quintana we have no idea if his climbing has gotten any better since the Dauphine and if it hasn't he has no chance at a top 5 let alone a podium.


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## coldash (May 7, 2012)

What Valverde was doing was quite reasonable from his team's point of view if they wanted to get Landa back on after he was run off the road by Warren Barguil (who was the guy who ran Thomas off the road in the 2015 TdF). Rowe asked Valverde to stop it and Valverde agreed to sit on with Quintana in the lead group.

It all appears to have been quite amicable and mature. They all know and understand the game.


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## ngl (Jan 22, 2002)

There is no question he was getting Team direction. But, Landa was in the 3rd group at 1:07 down and 40 seconds down from the 2nd group containing 5 additional GC contenders. To me this means Movistar has little-to-no confidence in Quintana's GC fight compared to Landa's.


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## GKSki (Nov 12, 2014)

Time to ban Phil, Bob and LA from Le Tour (shame on the organizers to let LA have anything to do with Le Tour). The daily rump swabbing from Phil and Bob has gotten ridiculous.


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## KoroninK (Aug 9, 2010)

GKSki said:


> Time to ban Phil, Bob and LA from Le Tour (shame on the organizers to let LA have anything to do with Le Tour). The daily rump swabbing from Phil and Bob has gotten ridiculous.


I'm good with this. I have major problems with Phil and Bob as commentators anyway and LA has no business being anywhere near the broadcast.


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## love4himies (Jun 12, 2012)

Rohan, where are you, Rohan? Quite the mystery. 

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">🇫🇷 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TDF2019?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TDF2019</a><br><br>Our priority is the welfare of all our riders so will launch an immediate investigation but will not be commenting further until we have established what has happened to <a href="https://twitter.com/RohanDennis?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RohanDennis</a>. <br><br>Meantime we continue to support our riders who are mid-race.</p>— Team Bahrain Merida (@Bahrain_Merida) <a href="https://twitter.com/Bahrain_Merida/status/1151844844911964160?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 18, 2019</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>


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## love4himies (Jun 12, 2012)

He's been found:

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">An angry-looking looking Rohan Dennis leaves the <a href="https://twitter.com/Bahrain_Merida?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Bahrain_Merida</a> bus without saying a word, marching towards the finish line with his manager Andrew McQuaid. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TDF2019?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TDF2019</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/tdf?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#tdf</a> <a href="https://t.co/cN2HBRaeUq">pic.twitter.com/cN2HBRaeUq</a></p>— Sam Edmund (@SammyHeraldSun) <a href="https://twitter.com/SammyHeraldSun/status/1151857208923025408?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 18, 2019</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>


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## Finx (Oct 19, 2017)

Wow, this situation with Rohan Dennis is just bizarro...

https://www.ridemedia.com.au/featur...ing-rohan-dennis-abandon-from-tour-de-france/


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## love4himies (Jun 12, 2012)

Finx said:


> Wow, this situation with Rohan Dennis is just bizarro...
> 
> https://www.ridemedia.com.au/featur...ing-rohan-dennis-abandon-from-tour-de-france/


Very bizarre indeed.


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## No Time Toulouse (Sep 7, 2016)

I'm sure that whatever issue he has will come out shortly. He didn't seem ill, so it has to be one of 2 things:
a) He's fed up with the team, either for not offering him enough money, or for management problems, or
b) There is some reason he might not pass a drug screen, so removing him was the best option.

If it's a), we'll know soon. If no info comes, it's likely b).


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## OldZaskar (Jul 1, 2009)

It really seems like he got hit with a huge case of the *#@^-its. That happens to all of us. You know - the pace lifts, someone attacks... any other day, you could easily hang. But, then the *#@^-its hit, and you just let them go. Kinda rare at this level though.


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## love4himies (Jun 12, 2012)

No Time Toulouse said:


> I'm sure that whatever issue he has will come out shortly. He didn't seem ill, so it has to be one of 2 things:
> a) He's fed up with the team, either for not offering him enough money, or for management problems, or
> b) There is some reason he might not pass a drug screen, so removing him was the best option.
> 
> If it's a), we'll know soon. If no info comes, it's likely b).


From what I read, he wouldn't tell the team why he abandoned. They found his bike leaning up on their team car at the feed zone.


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## Marc (Jan 23, 2005)

Crap. Wout van Art is done.


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## coldash (May 7, 2012)

So, Alaphilippe goes and ruins the “a different rider wining every stage” by smashing the others in the individual TT today with a simply unbelievable performance

Lots of GC people not doing so well e.g. Yates, Quintana, Bernal, Martin but Pinot did well.


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## love4himies (Jun 12, 2012)

coldash said:


> So, Alaphilippe goes and ruins the “a different rider wining every stage” by smashing the others in the individual TT today with a simply unbelievable performance
> 
> Lots of GC people not doing so well e.g. Yates, Quintana, Bernal, Martin but Pinot did well.


Uran did OK today.


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## coldash (May 7, 2012)

love4himies said:


> Uran did OK today.


True and Porte. I’m sure I’ve missed several others as well


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## jetdog9 (Jul 12, 2007)

The Wout crash was unbelievable, so unfortunate. Crazy TT day!

So far this year's race has been interesting.


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## KoroninK (Aug 9, 2010)

That was a scary crash by Van Aert. Sounds like he'll be alright though.

Crazy day. I'd like to know how Alaphilippe managed that after all the energy he expended during the entire first week plus of racing, while Thomas wasn't expending anywhere close to the energy Alaphilippe was. I suspect Alaphilippe will start shedding time this weekend.

Also a horrible TT for Quintana. He finished behind Landa. If the team hadn't have made Valverde work on stage 6 he'd be the best placed Movistar rider right now even if he is still claiming he's not racing for GC. His not racing for GC could still end up with him finishing in the top 10 on GC because he also apparently can't intentionally bring himself to lose time.


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## BCSaltchucker (Jul 20, 2011)

I don't think any of the big names over 3 minutes back have a chance now, really. Pinot, Bardet and so many others are out of it.

JA is the bonafide great french hope now . I'd love to see him win it. Can't I just believe this one time? lol

Kruiswyk still right up there, quiet and strong too. I guess odds still favour Thomas but JA has the minute and a quarter cushion he can use.


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## KoroninK (Aug 9, 2010)

JA has yet to prove he can climb anywhere near as good as the GC riders. He has always lost minutes in the high mountains. Sorry, but if that changes this year it raises major red flags, so you can dream, but I wouldn't believe it.


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## JSR (Feb 27, 2006)

KoroninK said:


> JA has yet to prove he can climb anywhere near as good as the GC riders. He has always lost minutes in the high mountains. Sorry, but if that changes this year it raises major red flags, so you can dream, but I wouldn't believe it.


I agree Alaphilippe faces long odds, but I think his win on Stage 10 last year qualifies as having demonstrated strong performance in the high mountains. Different circumstances, but still...

https://www.cyclingstage.com/tour-de-france-2018-route/stage-10-tdf-2018/


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## coldash (May 7, 2012)

Very pleased to see Pinot win today - if only he hadn’t lost that time by missing the split during the crosswinds a few days ago. Alaphilippe had another unbelievable performance today and finished second on the stage and put 30+ seconds into Thomas who crack right at the end.

Movistar??? Do they think it is really a good idea to go to the front and blow their own team apart. At least Landa did well and Valverde did his best to try, in vain, to bring Quintana back.


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## Marc (Jan 23, 2005)

coldash said:


> Very pleased to see Pinot win today - if only he hadn’t lost that time by missing the split during the crosswinds a few days ago. Alaphilippe had another unbelievable performance today and finished second on the stage and put 30+ seconds into Thomas who crack right at the end.
> 
> Movistar??? Do they think it is really a good idea to go to the front and blow their own team apart. At least Landa did well and Valverde did his best to try, in vain, to bring Quintana back.


Yuppers. I think I just saw all of Team AG2R cross the line with the sprinters. So much for Bardet.


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## gofast2wheeler (Oct 13, 2011)

Well, it looks like Bernal and Van Aert might be the face of the TDF going forward. Bernal might be the next Froome and will have to see if Van Aert can climb. Quintana that was disappointing. His own team destroys him. If Nairo was on Ineos or Sky he would have won Tour by now. I still think he’s the best climber in the Peleton but Movistar just doesn’t have the foundation to bring out his qualities. Hopefully he signs with another team.


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## Alaska Mike (Sep 28, 2008)

I'm a DQS guy, and I doubt they have the climbers to take it all, but I'd love to see Alaphilippe go all the way- just to redefine the GC formula. That, and France really needs to be thrown a bone in their home Tour.


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## upstateSC-rider (Aug 21, 2004)

JA killed it today, I'm not reading much into it yet since they went up the easier side and it was a shorter stage but if he repeats that tomorrow I'm also raising a red flag, but then again, he does look like he cut weight also.
Surprised about Quintana, his GC tour is over, but not too worried about Thomas yet, think he'll be ready to pounce when he needs to.
And Jumbo? Wow. More riders at the top than sky/ineos, pretty impressive.


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## KoroninK (Aug 9, 2010)

coldash said:


> Very pleased to see Pinot win today - if only he hadn’t lost that time by missing the split during the crosswinds a few days ago. Alaphilippe had another unbelievable performance today and finished second on the stage and put 30+ seconds into Thomas who crack right at the end.
> 
> Movistar??? Do they think it is really a good idea to go to the front and blow their own team apart. At least Landa did well and Valverde did his best to try, in vain, to bring Quintana back.



Soler was sent back to help Quintana. Valverde wasn't. Valverde did his best to hold onto and limit his own losses on the stage. Landa did what he could to salvage something for the team. Interesting comments by both Unzue and Valverde. They said Quintana never once told the team he was having a bad day. 

I'm with you on Alaphilippe and unbelievable.


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## KoroninK (Aug 9, 2010)

Totally do not believe Alaphilippe at all. All kinds of red flags are going on up on this one. 

Happy for Pinot and hate he lost time in the crosswinds.

Movistar.....team tactics were great. Unfortunately Quintana not only wasn't but never even told the team he was having problems. Landa did the best he could to salvage something for the team. Valverde did the best he could on that climb which has never been good for his abilities. Although his climbing today is a good sign for him going after la Vuelta. I do feel badly for Valverde at the Tour. He had wanted to lose time so he could go stage hunting and now he's likely being asked to ride for GC which he didn't want to do.


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## Alaska Mike (Sep 28, 2008)

I'm trying to believe in Alaphilippe, although I won't be crushed if he's outed. It's not like he's coming out of nowhere, although nobody expected him to be a GC contender. Then again, nobody expected Lance to... wait. Bad example. Seriously though, if he makes it well into the Alps in yellow, then I will really, really start to wonder. I fully expect him to Yates any day now. But right now, as long as he doesn't pop for something, this is good for French cycling and DQS.

Movistar...... team tactics were crap. Playing Postal/Sky and burning up the competition when your own top riders can't finish off the job is stupid. Quintana does not look like the talkative type on his best day- should have had at least one set of eyes on him. Landa and Valverde probably were caught on the back foot, and other riders took advantage of Movistar's hard work. So, their domestiques are cooked for the short term and their GC guys lost time. Valverde needs to ride his own race and go for stages, unless there's some great reward in finishing top-5 GC for the sponsors.


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## BCSaltchucker (Jul 20, 2011)

another beautiful day for JA. I won't use the word 'Landis' in this forum, saving it for the Doping forum, lol.

Actually I think what he's done is believable so far. Remember only 2 weeks in and a trio of mtn stages. He's won stage races before and ones with big climbs. Doesn't mean there might be funny business or he burning all his matches legit this week. But I am willing to be entertained by this turn of events no matter what happens. I hope he goes all the way and proves himself as a real GT winner. Like most fans I really hope someone attacks and slays the field, no matter who it is.


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## coldash (May 7, 2012)

Where I’m at on Alaphilippe is: 
He had a great first week where he outsprinted some of the best sprinters when he was leading out Viviana
He won a stage
He road off the front of the peloton e.g. with Pinot
He out TTd some of the best TTers in the world all all in thr TdF
He out climbed some of the best climbers & GTers in the world e.g. Martin, Fuglsang, Yates even Bernal

All of that could be down to him being a great all rounder in the best form of his life and that TT course suited him. 

For me, the “hmm” bit is that he put 8 seconds into Thomas on the last hill of the TT and after the finish wasn’t breathless, was jumping around and seemed full of energy. Every other rider who tried to win the TT was on his knees at the end. That may be down to the high of retaining the Yellow, and I hope it is, but .....

Edit. For balance, I should add that IMO this has been the best TdF for many years, so far, and personally I would like to see Pinot win because he is a good rider who has had some bad luck in recent times and has suffered from unfair and harsh treatment by the French Press


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## Alaska Mike (Sep 28, 2008)

I think what we're seeing and have seen from the "GC contenders" this season is more telling than anything Alaphilippe is doing.

I think a lot of teams based their whole strategy around what they expected Ineos to do. When all of Sky's GT superpowers vaporized with the name change, you get FDJ pushing the pace. FDJ? Really? Movistar's domestiques are burning out their GC guys. Yates is driving the autobus. Bardet is the only one acting like a French rider...

At this point, the guys that are showing the most life are the guys near the bottom of most people's GC list on a normal year. Pinot was counted out already before he bounced back. Kruijswijk has been steadily chipping away at Thomas. Buchmann too. All very talented riders, but real contenders?

I think most GC hopefuls are hacking away at Thomas/Bernal, fully expecting that Alaphilippe will crack. If somebody, anybody can break the Sky/Ineos stranglehold on the Tour, a lot of teams will breathe a sigh of relief. I'm sure ASO will as well. If that team/rider is French, they'll go through the roof.

Tomorrow is another day, one that will probably change fortunes yet again for many a rider. Maybe Ineos will show up for the race. The Alps are still ahead. It's a wide-open game still, and most of the riders in the top 10 have proven fragile during GTs.

To be honest, I like the Tour better this way.


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## coldash (May 7, 2012)

Here is a view from LeParisien

Tour de France 2019 : un maillot jaune et des questions - Le Parisien

You don’t need to speak French to get the gist.

but, for me, the real story is just how good and varied the TdF (described as “as boring AF”, by some) has been and that’s without the bonus entertainment provided by Movistar’s tactics

Edit. Just to add that heat is likely to be a major factor next week. The French weather sites are forecasting 100+ degrees (40 Celsius).


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## coldash (May 7, 2012)

Yet another “boring AF” stage (not really). Simon Yates gets the win, so the team is having a good TdF despite Adam Yates’s GC aspirations having gone. Pinot gets second, Landa, after a really gutsy attack holds on for third and Thomas puts some time, 27 seconds, into Alaphilippe who had the decency to look a bit cooked

Movistar were very active, in a good way, today. 

A good stage to watch. 

(Apparently, Quintana ran out of fuel yesterday rather than being on a bad day as such. Landa said he was empty before the end yesterday so that looks like maybe a team issue as well as a rider responsibility)


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## Alaska Mike (Sep 28, 2008)

Now that Alaphilippe has shown cracks, the wolves will smell blood and it will be all over for him in the Alps. He just doesn't have the support riders. He better take an extra-large bag of "Ketones" (is that the current code word?) on the rest day.

Pinot is riding well, so let's see how long before he cracks. Kruijswijk is still chopping away, or at least hanging right with Thomas- who everyone still likely considers the GC rider of reference. Buchmann, Bernal, and Landa gain a little. Pretty much everyone else, with maybe the exception of Valverde, has to pull a Floyd to sniff the podium at this point. To be honest, unless there are a rash of bad days in the top 6, the Movistar duo is pretty much out of the running as well.

Still wide open, thankfully. Unless Ineos asserts themselves in a meaningful manner, it will likely go that way up to the last couple real stages. Drama in the Tour, who'd a thunk it?


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## Rashadabd (Sep 17, 2011)

It’s definitely turning out better than what we have seen in recent years. I still expect Ineos to carry the day again. They just have too many horses. Really impressed with the fight Alaphilippe and Pinot are putting up though, kudos to them. Sagan and Bernal appear to have locked up the green and white jerseys. The real TdF starts now. We’ll see who has what it takes.


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## KoroninK (Aug 9, 2010)

I don't think Movistar had bad tactics on the Tourmalet. The problem was they didn't know Quintana couldn't finish it off. Today I thought they had perfect tactics and executed extremely well with Landa. Today their biggest issue was Simon Yates was just very strong.


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## Wetworks (Aug 10, 2012)

Quintana is quickly turning into a sullen never-was. Movistar should've thrown at least equal weight behind Landa going into the tour IMO. That they relegated him to what, 5th wheel, says to me that team management is overinvested in Quintana. 

Not sure why anyone is surprised at JA. He had one of the strongest teams for the first week of racing, has proven to be an exceptional Classics/week long racer, and the course has suited his skillset. Thomas and the rest were cracking on the Tourmalet while JA was reaping in the benefits of their draft. Today, Landa looked to be completely robo-Landa like until he got word that Pinot was on his ass, then he was gasping away. Same for JA. Guy was gassed once he got pushed to the front. Hell, he looked downright thankful when Kruijswijk came to the front.

Can't we just enjoy our nice things?? This has been a great TdF so far...


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## Rashadabd (Sep 17, 2011)

Wetworks said:


> Quintana is quickly turning into a sullen never-was. Movistar should've thrown at least equal weight behind Landa going into the tour IMO. That they relegated him to what, 5th wheel, says to me that team management is overinvested in Quintana.
> 
> Not sure why anyone is surprised at JA. He had one of the strongest teams for the first week of racing, has proven to be an exceptional Classics/week long racer, and the course has suited his skillset. Thomas and the rest were cracking on the Tourmalet while JA was reaping in the benefits of their draft. Today, Landa looked to be completely robo-Landa like until he got word that Pinot was on his ass, then he was gasping away. Same for JA. Guy was gassed once he got pushed to the front. Hell, he looked downright thankful when Kruijswijk came to the front.
> 
> Can't we just enjoy our nice things?? This has been a great TdF so far...


To be fair, I don’t see how a former grand tour winner can ever be considered a never-was. Is he a disappointment, absolutely, given his early accomplishments. Other than that, it’s definitely been pretty good as far as grand tours go, but this is where it gets real.


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## Wetworks (Aug 10, 2012)

Rashadabd said:


> To be fair, I don’t see how a former grand tour winner can ever be considered a never-was. Is he a disappointment, absolutely, given his early accomplishments. Other than that, it’s definitely been pretty good as far as grand tours go, but this is where it gets real.


You're right, I'm being a bit harsh I suppose. But I still feel he's a bit of a paper tiger, palmares be damned. 

I agree, I think things will really blow up now. JA has enjoyed what has basically been a very successful 1 week stage race, but now he will be pushed off the podium.


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## jetdog9 (Jul 12, 2007)

I'm wondering how much truth there was to what Chris Horner said about Alaphilippe's making mistakes at the end yesterday. According to him, he would not have lost time if he'd just worried about and stuck with Thomas the entire time. Instead, he chased Pinot and when the Ineos guys caught back up with him, he stayed on the front for a while instead of getting behind them.


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## Rashadabd (Sep 17, 2011)

jetdog9 said:


> I'm wondering how much truth there was to what Chris Horner said about Alaphilippe's making mistakes at the end yesterday. According to him, he would not have lost time if he'd just worried about and stuck with Thomas the entire time. Instead, he chased Pinot and when the Ineos guys caught back up with him, he stayed on the front for a while instead of getting behind them.


Possibly. I really can’t fault much of what Alaphilippe has done though. I feel like the real challenge for him is that he is ending up with no teammates when the race reaches the challenging parts of high mountain racing. I feel like Enric Mas has to do a better job of protecting him. He is the one guy on that team that should be able to ride with the best in those conditions. He has to be there like Poels is for Thomas.


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## KoroninK (Aug 9, 2010)

If he didn't follow Pinot, Pinot still gets time back and is still a threat going into the Alps, which means he know must follow Pinot. Following Landa would have been a mistake. Also he was going to be forced by that group to work because they weren't going to drag him with them. They would have made him do the work and then started attacking. Valverde is likely the only one that wasn't going to attack due to Landa being up the road. Thomas got the green light to attack once Pinot dropped Bernal.
Apparently Enric Mas was sick.
I would expect Landa and Movistar to try another long range attack. I also think Pinot may try to follow. Movistar (with or without Quintana's help) looks to have a strong enough team to pull off another long range attack as long as the Giro doesn't start affecting Landa too much.
Can we officially say Quintana is done as a GT GC rider? And now we do have a not good situation at Movistar. We had Landa, Valverde, and Quintana all doing separate press conferences. First time I can remember Valverde and Mr Unzue criticizing a rider on the team. We already know Quintana and Landa don't get along.


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## Marc (Jan 23, 2005)

Crap. Fuglsang is out. Crashed and pretty much took his helmet off right away.


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## KoroninK (Aug 9, 2010)

I was so hoping he would have had a good Tour this year. 

Quintana lost another minute today on a flat stage.


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## Rashadabd (Sep 17, 2011)

Marc said:


> Crap. Fuglsang is out. Crashed and pretty much took his helmet off right away.


Saw that, poor guy. It all kind of unraveled for him early on anyway. He recovered pretty well, but this was too much. We should all revote on who we think wins now that we are in the final week and reality has set in for a lot of guys. It would be interesting to see. My guess is that Thomas or Bernal still probably pull it off, but Pinot looks good and could easily be the guy too if he can sneak away. I hope Alaphilippe holds onto it, but I am not convinced he can if his team keeps allowing him to get isolated at crunch time.


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## rufus (Feb 3, 2004)

Wetworks said:


> You're right, I'm being a bit harsh I suppose. But I still feel he's a bit of a paper tiger, palmares be damned.
> 
> I agree, I think things will really blow up now. JA has enjoyed what has basically been a very successful 1 week stage race, but now he will be pushed off the podium.


Late to this, but I'll play. Quintana the wheelsucker can't even suck wheels anymore. I said it last year, but a pasty white English dude(hell, two pasty white English dudes, ok, one Welsh) are better climbers than Quintana? Seriously? Guy's got issues. Either his doping program is horrible, or success and money have made him lazy and content. 

I'm thinking Ineos got their doping regimen mis-timed a bit coming into this tour. Not the same robo-killer mountain team of old.

And yes, they're all doping. Some just do it better than others. That said, I'll be heartbroken if Sagan ever tests positive. 

Is Horner unable to say Kruiswijk's last name? It's always "Steven". Oh wait, he just said it, "Crewswick". Guess he can't. God, I can't stand to hear him talk. Any of them, really. And Phil needs to decide which it is, Thibault Pinot or Pinot Thibault. 

Anyone notice Alaphillipe wrapped up in the kinesiology tape? His shoulder, and strips up his back.

And why has NBC had that douche Armstrong anywhere near their tour coverage? Just waiting to move him into the booth when Phil calls it a day?


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## Opus51569 (Jul 21, 2009)

Anyone else watch that video of Thomas crashing today? He says the derailleur unexpectedly shifted, then locked up while he only had one hand on the bars and that it was a freak accident. Something odd about it.


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## upstateSC-rider (Aug 21, 2004)

Marc said:


> Crap. Fuglsang is out. Crashed and pretty much took his helmet off right away.


Yep. To me he's like Dan Martin, always the bridesmaid but just shy of being a true GC contender. Nothing wrong with that, one of my all-time fave's, Cunego, was like that, just sucks when it's a crash that brings the hammer.


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## KoroninK (Aug 9, 2010)

At this point some of Quintana's problems could be mental. He could have gotten lazy. No one really knows what his training is like as he trains back in Colombia. Here's an interesting thing about his doping program. Why is he so off while the rest of the team looks to be doing alright? Yes Valverde is a bit off this year, but his a bit off would be a season most riders would be more than happy to have. Plus he's even admitted that having the rainbow jersey has tempered his racing a bit and made him just a little less hungry. 

I'd add Pinot to Sagan for being sad if either ever test positive.

Well Phil calls Alejandro Alessandro on occasion, so I don't expect him to get rider's names correct to begin with. As for NBC's broadcast team I'd dump all except for Jens, Steve Schalnger, Steve Perino, and Christian. They need to STOP talking to Lance.


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## coldash (May 7, 2012)

Despite Adam Yates having a poor TdF, Mitchelton-Scott aren’t doing too badly, with Trentin taking a breakaway win away from the breakaway. The peloton weren’t interested having let the gap go up to around 20 minutes on the road. Not the most exciting stage but the scenery was good (but not as good as yesterday’s)

Odd incident between Tony Martin and Luke Rowe. It looks like Martin tried to run Rowe off the road but who knows. Hope it is a non-incident

Update: Both Martin and Rowe DQed. Must have been more to it than it seemed. I doubt French fans will be unhappy


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## Alaska Mike (Sep 28, 2008)

Mitchelton-Scott are doing quite well, from multiple riders. Most teams don't bounce back that well from their plan A failing. Good for them.

I don't know what transpired between Rowe and Martin besides what the clips show. It's never that simple. Probably a lot of stuff before that, but as much as I'm not a Ineos fan, if I were Rowe I would have put Martin in the ditch. That sort of riding at the front of the pack (or anywhere else) can lead to a lot of injuries for the guys behind. Blocking the road is one thing, but that was overdoing it to the extreme.

Then again, I don't know what led up to it.

Bouncing Martin was the right call (and I generally like him as a rider). Bouncing Rowe? I don't know. But, since I'm not an Ineos fan, anything that hinders them as a team I think is good for the race as a whole.


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## ngl (Jan 22, 2002)

Alaska Mike said:


> Bouncing Rowe? I don't know. But, since I'm not an Ineos fan, anything that hinders them as a team I think is good for the race as a whole.


Bingo


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## coldash (May 7, 2012)

There is some video around (which I can’t find now) showing Jumbo-Visma (Bennett?) pushing Thomas off the side of the road before this so it looks like there was a bit of a positioning thing going on beforehand - not that this is unusual. 

It will be a pity if the only way Pinot or JA get the win is thru the jury decision

... and Asgreen (DQS) did something similar on stage 11 and got let off with a fine - quelle surprise!

(I would like to see Pinot win because he has had a hard time from the French Press and his team doesn’t have the dominance that DQS have shown this year, some of it a bit eyebrow raising)


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## rufus (Feb 3, 2004)

KoroninK said:


> At this point some of Quintana's problems could be mental. He could have gotten lazy. No one really knows what his training is like as he trains back in Colombia. Here's an interesting thing about his doping program. Why is he so off while the rest of the team looks to be doing alright? Yes Valverde is a bit off this year, but his a bit off would be a season most riders would be more than happy to have. Plus he's even admitted that having the rainbow jersey has tempered his racing a bit and made him just a little less hungry.
> 
> I'd add Pinot to Sagan for being sad if either ever test positive.
> 
> Well Phil calls Alejandro Alessandro on occasion, so I don't expect him to get rider's names correct to begin with. As for NBC's broadcast team I'd dump all except for Jens, Steve Schalnger, Steve Perino, and Christian. They need to STOP talking to Lance.


Schlanger's the only one of that bunch I like. just stop having him do the best wine/beer bar segments. I liked the first couple stages when they had him in studio, but then that Burmeister guy's flight must have finally got in.


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## rufus (Feb 3, 2004)

Alaska Mike said:


> Mitchelton-Scott are doing quite well, from multiple riders. Most teams don't bounce back that well from their plan A failing. Good for them.
> 
> I don't know what transpired between Rowe and Martin besides what the clips show. It's never that simple. Probably a lot of stuff before that, but as much as I'm not a Ineos fan, if I were Rowe I would have put Martin in the ditch. That sort of riding at the front of the pack (or anywhere else) can lead to a lot of injuries for the guys behind. Blocking the road is one thing, but that was overdoing it to the extreme.
> 
> ...


I would guess with Rowe and Martin both being at the front for long miles for their respective teams over the course of the tour, this was something that had been building for a long time. Probably lots of little battles to get at the head of the group and lead the pace-making, or not sharing the load when called for, little stuff like that that finally exploded.


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## ogre (Dec 16, 2005)

Did you all see the clip of Sagan giving a fan an autograph while riding up the Col du Tourlmalet? Very Sagan-esque!


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## ngl (Jan 22, 2002)

I looked at the videos of the Martin & Rowe incident and I couldn't actually see Rowe's hand hitting Martin (there is little doubt he did it, but I couldn't actually see it). Maybe the UCI saw it from another camera. What's funny (I believe last year) a French rider did the same thing, but, he wasn't DQ'd because the UCI stated they didn't actually see the actual contact.


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## Rashadabd (Sep 17, 2011)

ngl said:


> I looked at the videos of the Martin & Rowe incident and I couldn't actually see Rowe's hand hitting Martin (there is little doubt he did it, but I couldn't actually see it). Maybe the UCI saw it from another camera. What's funny (I believe last year) a French rider did the same thing, but, he wasn't DQ'd because the UCI stated they didn't actually see the actual contact.


Are we in the high mountains yet????? Wake me up when we get there.


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## coldash (May 7, 2012)

I'm beginning to feel a bit sorry for Mitchelton-Scott. Simon Yates gets a great stage win (his second) but that is overshadowed by the GC battle and Pinot's great performance and then Trentin gets a great stage win and all the focus switches to the Tony Martin / Luke Rowe Wacky Races.

I'm sure Mitchelton-Scott will make up for it at the post-race party in Paris.


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## coldash (May 7, 2012)

Quintana restores Movistar’s reputation by winning the stage by 1 min 37 secs from Bardet (and confirms Movistar’s reputation because they are dumping their only TdF stage winner so far at the end of the season). It was a powerful and decisive attack by Quintana. Bernal takes 32 seconds out of the GC group where Alaphilippe got dropped but recovered on the descent. 

Bernal now second in GC, 1:30 behind Alaphilippe with Thomas at 1:35, all subject to confirmation


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## Rashadabd (Sep 17, 2011)

Look who’s back, right when he was written off as dead. Kudos Nairo. I guess some folks might have to embrace that he is still a solid stage hunter at least at this stage of his career. He’s also now sitting 7th in GC....

Tour de France 2019: Stage 18 Results | Cyclingnews.com


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## Rashadabd (Sep 17, 2011)

My favorite for the overall is now Bernal. I still hope Alaphilippe proves me wrong because I love the idea of him winning, but Bernal looks like he could walk away with this thing.


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## love4himies (Jun 12, 2012)

Quintana did a great job today. Chapeau to him.


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## KoroninK (Aug 9, 2010)

Quintana appears to need to realize he's a stage hunter now.


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## No Time Toulouse (Sep 7, 2016)

Time to start thinking about who will win the _Lanterne Rouge_​ prize. Any favorites?


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## Rashadabd (Sep 17, 2011)

KoroninK said:


> Quintana appears to need to realize he's a stage hunter now.


I think that’s a better fit these days if he stays on a big team, but on a team like the one he is rumored to be going to, a top 7 GC and a stage win in the TdF makes you a really solid GC leader and probably the best one they have. We’ll see though. Some people perform differently with a change in scenery.


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## No Time Toulouse (Sep 7, 2016)

duplicate


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## den bakker (Nov 13, 2004)

Rashadabd said:


> I think that’s a better fit these days if he stays on a big team, but on a team like the one he is rumored to be going to, a top 7 GC and a stage win in the TdF makes you a really solid GC leader and probably the best one they have. We’ll see though. Some people perform differently with a change in scenery.


also the best on the current team.


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## KoroninK (Aug 9, 2010)

Rashadabd, true. Maybe less pressure as well. He doesn't seem to react well to pressure. I've thought he's needed a chance of scenery for about 3 years now.


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## aclinjury (Sep 12, 2011)

Moviestar is a big joke.


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## Rashadabd (Sep 17, 2011)

aclinjury said:


> Moviestar is a big joke.


Not today they’re not....


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## Finx (Oct 19, 2017)

Well, I had no real rooting interest in this tour (but really enjoyed the last few stages).

After seeing this little clip, I think I'll be hoping for Alaphilippe to hold on and make this kid the happiest kid on Earth.

https://twitter.com/CyclingCentral/status/1154432909706575872?s=19

And Sagan signing a copy of his book for a fan mid stage. What a cool dude.

Sent from my Pixel 3a using Tapatalk


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## coldash (May 7, 2012)

As a follow-up to the Tony Martin / Like Rowe incident(s), the UCI appear to have a problem with the inconsistencies of the judges decisions e.g. Martin and Rowe DQed for what the other riders see as a racing incident but Lopez in the Giro given no penalty for assaulting a spectator.

... and yesterday, Alaphilippe gets an illegal push from a *DQS staff member* with no penalty given to him whereas Roglic got a time penalty for receiving a push from a spectator during the Giro. IMO, neither had any material impact on the stage but it doesn't do the UCI any favors when they choose to impose / not impose the rules or indeed decide which rules should apply with no consistency.


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## love4himies (Jun 12, 2012)

Finx said:


> Well, I had no real rooting interest in this tour (but really enjoyed the last few stages).
> 
> After seeing this little clip, I think I'll be hoping for Alaphilippe to hold on and make this kid the happiest kid on Earth.
> 
> ...


How sweet of him to give that little boy his jersey. Hopefully that kindness will be paid back to him by winning the TdF.


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## coldash (May 7, 2012)

love4himies said:


> How sweet of him to give that little boy his jersey. Hopefully that kindness will be paid back to him by winning the TdF.


Apart from his cycling prowess the thing I like about Alaphilippe is that he seems to have a well balanced personality and I really believe his “one day at a time” comments


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## coldash (May 7, 2012)

Really bad news. Pinot has something wrong with his left leg. He has been back to the medical car and his team car to get a new bandage, get it removed, get some spray stuff etc. He is losing a lot of time and his team have left him behind. Hope he gets back but I doubt it

UPDATE. Pinot abandons


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## No Time Toulouse (Sep 7, 2016)

Stage 19 cancelled! Times taken from the top of the col! Bernal gets the yellow!


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## mik_git (Jul 27, 2012)

Crazy times! Part of me would have like to see them ride through... but having people flying off the road everywhere probably wouyld have been carnage, or just embed in a snow drift...


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## coldash (May 7, 2012)

Having seen the road conditions, I don’t think they could have done anything else. I guess a few people won’t be happy but with the ice and the land slips on the course the stage had to be stopped


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## gebbyfish (Apr 26, 2002)

Devastating for Alaphilippe! I was pulling for the Frenchman!


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## den bakker (Nov 13, 2004)

mik_git said:


> Crazy times! Part of me would have like to see them ride through... .


ok.......


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## mik_git (Jul 27, 2012)

den bakker said:


> ok.......


They're tough they coudl doi it!
haha yeah well with the initial pictures with the snow plow and snow and ice, looked dangerous and of course if you're racing, not a good place, but rideable if you're carefull. but later pics with all the water everywhere and the digger trying to move it (and failing) and ^ that up there... nope.


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## Rashadabd (Sep 17, 2011)

No Time Toulouse said:


> Stage 19 cancelled! Times taken from the top of the col! Bernal gets the yellow!


Yep crazy! It felt like it was inevitable anyway though. If the weather isn’t a problem, tomorrow’s stage could be outstanding. 

http://www.cyclingnews.com/tour-de-france/stage-19/results

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/tinkov-egan-bernal-will-win-the-tour-de-france


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## Rashadabd (Sep 17, 2011)

coldash said:


> Really bad news. Pinot has something wrong with his left leg. He has been back to the medical car and his team car to get a new bandage, get it removed, get some spray stuff etc. He is losing a lot of time and his team have left him behind. Hope he gets back but I doubt it
> 
> UPDATE. Pinot abandons


It sounds like he tore a muscle. Ouch on multiple levels....


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## coldash (May 7, 2012)

Oddly, Alaphilippe may have retained his podium position as a result of these events. He would have probably made up some time on the descent but he would have probably lost more time on the climb to Tignes. We’ll never know.


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## BCSaltchucker (Jul 20, 2011)

yeah I think the stoppage hurt Thomas most of all. Now he only has 2 climbs left to leapfrog Alaphillippe and maybe chase down Bernal. I can't see any way JA will get time on Bernal now unless there is a crash. I give him 50 50 chance to stay on the podium

Sad to see Pinot is gone.


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## Finx (Oct 19, 2017)

mik_git said:


> Crazy times! Part of me would have like to see them ride through... but having people flying off the road everywhere probably wouyld have been carnage, or just embed in a snow drift...


The road was not passable. There was a mudslide completely across the road.

https://twitter.com/trondiversen/status/1154769912512094208

A rider hitting that at 40 or 50 mph would have been a disaster.


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## aclinjury (Sep 12, 2011)

coldash said:


> As a follow-up to the Tony Martin / Like Rowe incident(s), the UCI appear to have a problem with the inconsistencies of the judges decisions e.g. Martin and Rowe DQed for what the other riders see as a racing incident but Lopez in the Giro given no penalty for assaulting a spectator.
> 
> ... and yesterday, Alaphilippe gets an illegal push from a *DQS staff member* with no penalty given to him whereas Roglic got a time penalty for receiving a push from a spectator during the Giro. IMO, neither had any material impact on the stage but it doesn't do the UCI any favors when they choose to impose / not impose the rules or indeed decide which rules should apply with no consistency.


Both Tony and Luke (especially Luke) have happily admitted to their unsportsmanlike behaviors. As for Lopez assaulting a spectator, good for Lopez, some of these guys are jackasses.

As for the Roglic vs Alaphillipe thing, it's not comparable. In the case of Roglic, he was given a long and powerful push, so powerful that Roglic was almost free spinning. For Alaphillipe, he was given a hard pat on the butt that didn't have same sustained push like Roglic received. What Alaphillipe got was less help than a "sticky-bottle".


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## Rashadabd (Sep 17, 2011)

Thomas to fully support Bernal. Probably not a good sign for the competition. 
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/geraint-thomas-i-will-fully-support-bernal-now-at-tour-de-france


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## coldash (May 7, 2012)

Rashadabd said:


> Thomas to fully support Bernal. Probably not a good sign for the competition.
> http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/geraint-thomas-i-will-fully-support-bernal-now-at-tour-de-france


Yes probably but tomorrow is brutal and they both expended a lot of energy. I know everyone did but I still wouldn’t discount Steven Kruijswijk yet. He seemed reasonably comfortable up the Iseran


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## Rashadabd (Sep 17, 2011)

coldash said:


> Yes probably but tomorrow is brutal and they both expended a lot of energy. I know everyone did but I still wouldn’t discount Steven Kruijswijk yet. He seemed reasonably comfortable up the Iseran


He’s definitely still in the mix. Tomorrow should be good. I am excited that it is falling on a weekend, so I won’t be at work and most of my yard work is already done thanks to my awesome nephew. Looking forward to it. That’s somewhat unusual for me when it comes to grand tours.


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## troutmd (Sep 7, 2007)

Bernal by a landslide!


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## coldash (May 7, 2012)

Tomorrow’s stage (20) has been shorten to 59Km due to road closures caused by the rain

They will now race over the final section up to Val Thorens

Not ideal but I guess they have little choice with these last minute hiccups


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## Rashadabd (Sep 17, 2011)

coldash said:


> Tomorrow’s stage (20) has been shorten to 59Km due to road closures caused by the rain
> 
> They will now race over the final section up to Val Thorens
> 
> Not ideal but I guess they have little choice with these last minute hiccups


That will likely make it very hard to unseat Bernal. He has likely won the TdF barring a serious crash or mechanical.


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## Rashadabd (Sep 17, 2011)

Here’s the details:

https://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/...r-de-france-shorten-stage-20-just-59km-432930

This probably won’t be all that great to watch.


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## coldash (May 7, 2012)

Rashadabd said:


> Here’s the details:
> 
> https://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/...r-de-france-shorten-stage-20-just-59km-432930
> 
> This probably won’t be all that great to watch.


OTOH, it might give us an all out fight for the KoM. 

Alaphilippe has “only” one mountain to climb instead of three which is good news I guess but if the others want to take time on him they will have to attack early.

Could be really good to watch and certainly will be a bit different.


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## Marc (Jan 23, 2005)

troutmd said:


> Bernal by a landslide!


Yup...after much drama...Sky gets the yellow anyway...and due to the short day tomorrow will keep it.

Gives me my morning back to get other things done.


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## troutmd (Sep 7, 2007)

Marc said:


> Yup...after much drama...Sky gets the yellow anyway...and due to the short day tomorrow will keep it.
> 
> Gives me my morning back to get other things done.


TDF should make the shorten 20th stage a gigantic, dramatic, and historic Race of Truth 59 km time trial.


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## Marc (Jan 23, 2005)

troutmd said:


> TDF should make the shorten 20th stage a gigantic, dramatic, and historic Race of Truth 59 km time trial.


What will be funny...is Bernal and Sky are going to get boooed by the local partisans so bad for this....will almost make it worth watching the final awards ceremonies.


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## No Time Toulouse (Sep 7, 2016)

troutmd said:


> Bernal by a *landslide*!


ugh, that was BAD!!!!!!!


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## coldash (May 7, 2012)

Marc said:


> What will be funny...is Bernal and Sky are going to get boooed by the local partisans so bad for this....will almost make it worth watching the final awards ceremonies.


maybe but without today’s shorten stage and tomorrow’s uphill sprint, Alaphilippe would have faced 3 more climbs and would have probably dropped off the podium, so the local partisans should be grateful for events

The person I really feel sorry for is Pinot. He deserved better luck


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## den bakker (Nov 13, 2004)

mik_git said:


> They're tough they coudl doi it!
> haha yeah well with the initial pictures with the snow plow and snow and ice, looked dangerous and of course if you're racing, not a good place, but rideable if you're carefull. but later pics with all the water everywhere and the digger trying to move it (and failing) and ^ that up there... nope.


We'll follow your lead.


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## coldash (May 7, 2012)

The shortened Val Thorens stage went the full shortened distance (they were think of taking 11K out if the weather became extreme). Thankfully, the weather remained OK.

Great solo stage win by Nibali. 

GC is now Bernal, Thomas and Kruijswijk

Alaphilippe give it all he could but came in 3 min 19 secs down on Nibali

(Valverde took the opportunity to jump Landa to get second. Teamwork at its best)


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## Rashadabd (Sep 17, 2011)

Hats off to Alaphilippe and Bernal. Such great efforts and they were extremely enjoyable to watch. Well, it was definitely a more exciting tour, but wasn’t the outcome basically the same???? Sky/Ineos finishes with two podium places and multiple leader jerseys. Now they add Carapaz to that group and likely Benoot too.....


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## Finx (Oct 19, 2017)

This was a fun TdF. I really enjoyed the storylines with Alaphilippe, etc...


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## coldash (May 7, 2012)

Finx said:


> This was a fun TdF. I really enjoyed the storylines with Alaphilippe, etc...


Definitely one of the better TdFs. Much credit to Alaphilippe and Pinot for shaking things up. Bardet got the Polkadot jersey so a bit of a consolation for the home country after Pinot’s injury.


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## PJay (May 28, 2004)

Finx said:


> This was a fun TdF. I really enjoyed the storylines with Alaphilippe, etc...


I enjoyed it.

I think Valverde, at age 39, deserves a ton of rep for his performance this year. If a team had been organized to support him for GC, how much higher then 9th could he have placed? He has said he would retire in '20 or '21. He is not riding Giro. I hope he has a good year next year, and goes out on top.


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## Rashadabd (Sep 17, 2011)

A few things to chew on from today. 

https://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/...ng-points-stage-20-tour-de-france-2019-432990


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## Rashadabd (Sep 17, 2011)

So, what are your thoughts on this Rohan Dennis business? The guy seems to have a bunch of physical talent, but his head seems to get in his way. 

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/jim-ochowicz-id-have-no-problem-working-with-rohan-dennis-again/


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## Rashadabd (Sep 17, 2011)

Watching the TdF often reminds me of Tyler Farrar’s 4th of July win. It’s one of my favorite moments from any stage race. Today I decided to see what he is up to now and came across this. 

https://northwest.motion.social/2018/03/10/famous-people-at-the-lake-sammamish-half-marathon/


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## KoroninK (Aug 9, 2010)

PJay said:


> I enjoyed it.
> 
> I think Valverde, at age 39, deserves a ton of rep for his performance this year. If a team had been organized to support him for GC, how much higher then 9th could he have placed? He has said he would retire in '20 or '21. He is not riding Giro. I hope he has a good year next year, and goes out on top.


He's racing through 2021. They held a big press conference at the Spanish National Championships to announce he had signed a new 2 year contract to race with an additional 3 years to do who knows what. Yes, literally, the addition 3 years are to be determined what he'll be doing.


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## The Weasel (Jul 20, 2006)

PJay said:


> I think Valverde, at age 39, deserves a ton of rep for his performance this year. If a team had been organized to support him for GC, how much higher then 9th could he have placed?


Long term effects from something I can't say here.


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## aclinjury (Sep 12, 2011)

What I like about this Tour, in no order of importance

1. No Froome. The winner (even though an Ineos guy) is a non Brit. Too bad Brailsford's dream of having Thomas on the top podium didn't transpire. But huge credit to Thomas for supporting Bernal. If it was Froome in this Tour, then Bernal wouldn't have won as he'd be just another work horse. I hope Froome is done for good when he comes back.

2. Moviesstar acting like a clown team. Yup, the only stage win they got was from Quintina, the guy that they refused to support and even attacked. Valverde and Landa ain't gonna win anything, one is too old to win the Tour, and one can't time trial on his best days. They both are now just stage hunters.

3. Alaphilippe and Pinot. Alaphilippe overachieved big time. One has to wonder what he could have done if he was on a different team that's focused on grooming GC riders rather than classics. Pinot if he didn't get caught out by that crosswind and his leg injury, he'd have a good chance of winning the Tour too, top 3 easily.

4. Dennis Rohan can go home, such a primadonna, who the hell does he think he is, some kinda soccer superstar?


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## Rashadabd (Sep 17, 2011)

TdF winners and losers: 

https://www.bicycling.com/tour-de-france/a28543216/winners-losers-2019-tour-de-france/


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## KoroninK (Aug 9, 2010)

I agree Jumbo-Visma was a huge winner.
M-S did a great job in refocusing on stage hunting once they realized they weren't in play for GC.

You have to feel for Pinot.

So I guess Movistar's circus wasn't enough to get a mention in the article. Well if nothing else they were entertaining even if what they did made no sense at all.


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## Rashadabd (Sep 17, 2011)

It’s interesting that they say all of this now, but the guy was allowed to provide analysis for the official TdF broadcast. Weird. 

https://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/...icity-seeking-lance-armstrong-comments-400414

Edit******

Never mind, it’s an old article that was linked to a new one about Landa. Assumed it was this year since they were talking about the post TdF criteriums.


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