Giro d'Italia / Tour de France

[From Distant Shores]

Looking forward to Le Tour but getting increasingly worried that the field is going to get decimated through Covid19. The number of infections is accelerating in France. The teams are going to have to do a much better job of cocooning their riders than the French FA has done with their players. Two positives and they are out.

As for the race, Jumbo Visma are going to be hard to beat. Only Ineos would seem to being close to being able to match them. I don't think any of the other teams can come close even though their team leaders (e.g Pinot, Alaphillipe) could be up there if they had better support.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Absolute carnage in the rain today.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Classic sprinter stage today. Jerome Cousin is the poor sap left out front on his own waiting to be swallowed up in the last 5k.

 

[Johnny75]

For years I never understood this but it's all about the sponsors getting airtime and nothing else.

One of the quirks of cycling.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

He’s on an invitee team. They are almost expected to do this. Going to get a few KOM points but this is almost thankless.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Thibaut Pinot blown to bits on the Porte de Bales. He is going to lose so many minutes today.

 

[Pompey Wolf]

Ah Thibaut, can never quite hold it together, although not even close this year.

Been a great race so far and setup to get even better. Roglic looks so strong but Bernal is there and looking comfortable, Quintana looking back to his best, Martin strong, Pogacar maybe the strongest of the lot and how long can Yates hold this? Hopefully the GC fight goes right to the end.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

I think the key is the stage to Meribel and then the TT up the Planche. Great parcours this year. Just missing the Tourmalet the alpe and ventoux but it’s a brute already.

 

[1986]

Sam Bennett finally wins a stage in the Tour . Only the 6th Irishman to do so following Elliot , Kelly , Roche , Early and Martin .

Well deserved . He now has stage wins in all three grand Tours .

He was under huge pressure to win a stage following failed attempts last week .

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Massively impressive by Roglic and Pojacar today. Wow. What a climb the Puy Mary is!

 

[Pompey Wolf]

Yeah looked like a real grind right to the top, not clocked it before but apparently it’s often used in the middle of stages (!). Roglic and Pogacar definitely look the strongest, a real shame the Pogacar lost the time in the cross winds as they look inseparable.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

It’s used to the bottom mid stage. They have never been to the top before. Epic climb.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Belting start to today’s stage, which is going to be an absolute brute. Some evil climbs in the last 70k.

 

[Wombat del combate]

In the bag for Roglic now? IMO I think that there's still some more to play out.

As for yesterday's stage, just thinking about 24% ramps and the last few hundred metres at 18% made me feel queasy.

 

[Pompey Wolf]

The final climb was absolutely mental! Sure it will be a regular fixture now. Roglic just has to get through today really, team looks strong enough to shepherd him through if needs be.

 

[Johnny75]

There's no way Rolglic loses this, I've been hugely impressed with JV, they look like SKY in their pomp.

I'm surprised Mitchelton Scott have been so bad in trying to do something for Yates.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

I loved that climb yesterday. Absolutely brilliant find. Looked like more of a Giro climb which was bonkers in a good way.

 

[Wombat del combate]

Well, just as long as Jumbo-Visma don't stop for a toilet break in the last few km that's one danger eliminated. I just think (hope) that Pogacar will try and banzai it down off the final climb, gain a few seconds and create just enough doubt for the TT on Saturday (I reckon van Aert will bag that one, he's been phenomenal so far) and hang it all out for that.

 

[machin05]

So, I've missed about 5 stages but won't have time to catch up with all of them. Which are the must-see ones from the past few days, guys?

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Yesterday for sure. Plus the stage to Puy Mary was great too.