That was an awesome stage today. Those descents are frigging terrifying yet they are still going hell for leather even after seeing their rivals wiped out. Brave, brave guys.
I'd be interested to see how well Sky copes, having lost Thomas.
In the last few years the Sky domestiques have tended to fade out for a day or two (including Thomas), but each were able to be strong at important moments. It will be interesting to see how they cope in the mountain stages, because I'd feel their balance has been undermined.
Though, that said, a lot of teams look less strong than before.
Just watching today's stage now. Much respect to Quintana, Porte and others for neutralising Aru's attack just as I was getting annoyed by it. You can't attack the yellow Jersey when they have a mechanical
Just watching today's stage now. Much respect to Quintana, Porte and others for neutralising Aru's attack just as I was getting annoyed by it. You can't attack the yellow Jersey when they have a mechanical
Didn't see Froome easing up when Uran was having problems with changing gears. or doesn't that count when our riders take advantage?
Just watching today's stage now. Much respect to Quintana, Porte and others for neutralising Aru's attack just as I was getting annoyed by it. You can't attack the yellow Jersey when they have a mechanical
Didn't see Froome easing up when Uran was having problems with changing gears. or doesn't that count when our riders take advantage?
Nah you just dont attack the leader in that situation.
Its like Football, if the Goalkeeper is down receiving treatment the game stops until he's ready to continue, unlike any othet position on the pitch where the player goes off and continues to receive treatment whilst the game restarts
But its ok for the leader to attack when his rivals have a mechanical problem?
Actually they did slow down when he was having his problem. the gap to bardet went back up to about 32 secs from just over 20 showing they did not attack.
But its ok for the leader to attack when his rivals have a mechanical problem?
Yes else the Tour would never get anywhere
The question about Aru though is that he was directly behind Froome and the moment he saw his hand go up he timed his attack from the moment it happened.
Uran on the other hand was behind Froome so the latter wouldnt have known about the issue and secondly I dont actually remember Froome attacking at that moment because Uran very quickly rejoined the back of that group
One thing that confused me yesterday surrounding Uran's was the colour of his Jersey.
Prior to the Tour, the organisers werent happy with Team SKY for wearing a white jersey because it was too similar to the actual White Jersey competition and so made it difficult to distinguish between a SKY rider and the leader of said competition.
Surely it should be the same case with Cannondale? - Countless times this Tour I've been confused thinking that the Green Jersey is in one position when in fact its just a Cannondale rider and I've been concentrating on the wrong bloke.
not sure if it's been mentioned on here yet but Stages, Lance Armstrong's podcast which is recorded after each stage is a good listen. regardless of what you think of him he knows the race inside out and gives some really good insight
Don't really have a problem with the fact that the race should continue when the yellow jersey has a mechanical. What I think most people take issue with is the way Aru sprinted off the second Froome's hand went up. That's a prick move - and it wasn't just Porte who called him on it, Quintana did as well
Don't really have a problem with the fact that the race should continue when the yellow jersey has a mechanical. What I think most people take issue with is the way Aru sprinted off the second Froome's hand went up. That's a prick move - and it wasn't just Porte who called him on it, Quintana did as well
Looking at the teams today, it's shocking that FDJ managed to lose 3 members of the team trying to pace Demare to the finish line in time to miss the cut.
I somehow wonder whether he will retain the no1 jersey for the team.
While FDJ did win a stage, now having only 5 riders left, with none of them within the top 40, they have to do something special to recover from what can only be considered a disastrous Tour.
Don't really have a problem with the fact that the race should continue when the yellow jersey has a mechanical. What I think most people take issue with is the way Aru sprinted off the second Froome's hand went up. That's a prick move - and it wasn't just Porte who called him on it, Quintana did as well
Agree, my thoughts too.
David Millar called this on ITV, Aru should have got the other Astana riders to up the pace, but not massively attack and make it bleedingly obvious that you're chancing it like that.
Looking at the teams today, it's shocking that FDJ managed to lose 3 members of the team trying to pace Demare to the finish line in time to miss the cut.
I somehow wonder whether he will retain the no1 jersey for the team.
While FDJ did win a stage, now having only 5 riders left, with none of them within the top 40, they have to do something special to recover from what can only be considered a disastrous Tour.
Thing with FDJ is they didn't really have any choice other than to put all their eggs in the Demare basket. He's the French national champ, was in decent form, had already won a stage and was a legitimate (probably the only) challenger to Kittel for the green jersey after Sagan's DQ. Pinot is an absolute busted flush of a rider with only the odd stage victory to chase (he doesn't need a support team for that) and the rest of their team are also rans and domestiques.
Looking at the teams today, it's shocking that FDJ managed to lose 3 members of the team trying to pace Demare to the finish line in time to miss the cut.
I somehow wonder whether he will retain the no1 jersey for the team.
While FDJ did win a stage, now having only 5 riders left, with none of them within the top 40, they have to do something special to recover from what can only be considered a disastrous Tour.
Thing with FDJ is they didn't really have any choice other than to put all their eggs in the Demare basket. He's the French national champ, was in decent form, had already won a stage and was a legitimate (probably the only) challenger to Kittel for the green jersey after Sagan's DQ. Pinot is an absolute busted flush of a rider with only the odd stage victory to chase (he doesn't need a support team for that) and the rest of their team are also rans and domestiques.
Looks like the Tour was too much for Pinot after the Giro.
Comments
In the last few years the Sky domestiques have tended to fade out for a day or two (including Thomas), but each were able to be strong at important moments. It will be interesting to see how they cope in the mountain stages, because I'd feel their balance has been undermined.
Though, that said, a lot of teams look less strong than before.
Its like Football, if the Goalkeeper is down receiving treatment the game stops until he's ready to continue, unlike any othet position on the pitch where the player goes off and continues to receive treatment whilst the game restarts
The question about Aru though is that he was directly behind Froome and the moment he saw his hand go up he timed his attack from the moment it happened.
Uran on the other hand was behind Froome so the latter wouldnt have known about the issue and secondly I dont actually remember Froome attacking at that moment because Uran very quickly rejoined the back of that group
I once had to ride home from work stuck in a small gear like that and it's f****g hard work.
Prior to the Tour, the organisers werent happy with Team SKY for wearing a white jersey because it was too similar to the actual White Jersey competition and so made it difficult to distinguish between a SKY rider and the leader of said competition.
Surely it should be the same case with Cannondale? - Countless times this Tour I've been confused thinking that the Green Jersey is in one position when in fact its just a Cannondale rider and I've been concentrating on the wrong bloke.
Isnt quite Phil Liggett but he's improving
It's a race, things happen in a race and other racers shouldn't be demonised for taking advantage of it.
Hopefully nothing too dangerous.
I somehow wonder whether he will retain the no1 jersey for the team.
While FDJ did win a stage, now having only 5 riders left, with none of them within the top 40, they have to do something special to recover from what can only be considered a disastrous Tour.
Good ride from Dan McLay to get 7th