Giro d'Italia / Tour de France

[machin05]

Some great sparring between G and Allaphillipe today. Superb final climb!

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

That's a great climb. God knows why they haven't been up there before.

Geraint is in a good spot for when we head to the Alps.

 

[machin05]

That's a great climb. God knows why they haven't been up there before.

Geraint is in a good spot for when we head to the Alps.

Thought G looked cooked yesterday which must have given Allaphillipe the impetus to try and attack him up the final climb. Either superb tactics by G and Ineos or G just found another level from somewhere. Even then it was a decent response from Allaphillipe to keep the damage to a minimum.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

G will destroy him on the monster climb to Val Thorens. Just a question of whether Pinot can stay there.

 

[Wombat del combate]

Alaphilippe made a tactical error in chasing Pinot yesterday, should have marked Thomas.

 

[Wombat del combate]

Noted that Thomas played the 'Back me or sack me' card yesterday...

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

He wants Bernal to work for him in the Alps I guess. They made Froome do it for Wiggins in 2012.

 

[Wombat del combate]

Rowe and Martin expelled after their handbags incident. Who's up for a conspiracy theory?

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Whaaat? Commisaires weakening the squad of the main opponents to a French winner the day before the Alps? Surely not...

 

[Sniffer]

Egan Bernal goes away from the yellow jersey group.

 

[Sniffer]

Bernal is in virtual 2nd place.

Thomas now starting to chase him. Pinot follows.

 

[Sniffer]

Alaphillipe cracking...?

 

[Sniffer]

Alaphillipe only about 20 seconds down at the top of the Galibier. Could get that back on the descent.

 

[Sniffer]

Alaphillipe only about 20 seconds down at the top of the Galibier. Could get that back on the descent.

Yep, gap closed now he's looking to attack on the descent.

 

[Johnny75]

Alaphillipe displaying Armstrong levels of ability this season.

 

[Wombat del combate]

Much as I'd like Alaphilippe to win, Ineos have this set up superbly now: Send Bernal or Thomas up the road and Alaphilippe has to chase down, expend energy and maybe crack, the other from Thomas/Bernal profits.

 

[machin05]

G's still their #1 - Bernal said he only attacked yesterday as G told him to. Alaphillipe has got a lot of fight in him though. Should be good today.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Bernal will go on the Iseran, as will Quintana. The aim will be to soften Alaphillipe up before G attacks on the way up to Tignes

 

[Wombat del combate]

He just needs to mark Thomas then, otherwise it makes Bernal the automatic number one for Ineos.

Quintana just too far away to be a real GC worry? Chapeau to be Bardet for yesterday too, he's been utterly lamentable up to that point and I reckon Paddy could beat him in an ITT, and his sweariness doesn't even have a bike.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Pinot in deep shit here, and Bardet not a lot better. Setting up for Thomas and Bernal to gang up on Alaphillipe. There are time bonuses at the top of the Iseran as well.