Tour De France 2019

ewal

Bloke from Cardiff but resident in a tax haven alongside his Ineos boss. I'm routing for Julian Alaphilippe, although doubt he'll maintain his challenge

BigLicks67

ewal said:

Bloke from Cardiff but resident in a tax haven alongside his Ineos boss. I'm routing for Julian Alaphilippe, although doubt he'll maintain his challenge

Logical. Support a guy who never paid any tax in this country against a guy who did and still does. In between winning gold medals and representing his country. What a terrible bloke he must be. Anyway, good to see he opened a can of whoop ass on your boy.

ewal

I've never bothered about nationality when following road racing. Well apart from maybe Robert Millar.

BigLicks67

ewal said:

I've never bothered about nationality when following road racing. Well apart from maybe Robert Millar.

If his nationality doesn't bother you then why do you care where he lives?

ewal

A petty reaction to sports people who move to Monaco to avoid paying tax. Same attitude to others like Froome and Hamilton. It's not a huge issue for me - plenty of rich people from all over Europe do it. I'm just less inclined to feel any sort of local association with them.

fields5069

Well I'm from Newport, so a boy from the 'Diff means nothing to me. Born in the wrong town, he was. The posh bit.

ewal

Och Thomas seems personable enough - it's difficult to warm to the Ineos or Sky machine though. I  hope a few underdogs and opportunists keep getting involved - makes for so much more entertaining viewing.

fields5069

"Yeah, let's see."
"Yeah, so, yeah not bad, yeah. I cycles a bit, and, yeah, gets to the end, like."
"Yeah."

sev112

ewal said:

Och Thomas seems personable enough - it's difficult to warm to the Ineos or Sky machine though. I  hope a few underdogs and opportunists keep getting involved - makes for so much more entertaining viewing.

Which is the whole pre-ordained  choreography of it all.  The excitement comes from which little bits of allowable variation from the choreography succeed.  
Remembering that they’ve cycled 200+ km before they do it.

chapeau to the two blokes today who went from the start on the longest stage so far and were still away 10 km from the end.
of course, the big teams allowed it to happen to make  show of it, but you’ve still got to be hard to  cycle that far in that heat with just 2 of you

also I think van garderen finished after a very early bloody crash - hard man or what when you see it

ronnyb

Geraint Thomas is now the odds on bookies favourite to win. I think he was about 5th when i looked at the odds on the first day. 

crunchman

Got quite lively today in the end.  Thought it was going to be quite a quiet day, but the crosswinds have shaken things up a bit.  Might have to watch the highlights later.

Pinot's chances probably gone up in smoke.  Fuglsang and Porte were a bit further back before the stage, but any remote hopes they had have probably now been killed off.

bobblehat

crunchman said:

Got quite lively today in the end.  Thought it was going to be quite a quiet day, but the crosswinds have shaken things up a bit.  Might have to watch the highlights later.

Pinot's chances probably gone up in smoke.  Fuglsang and Porte were a bit further back before the stage, but any remote hopes they had have probably now been killed off.

A bad day for Pinot,Fuglsang and Porte but they could now liven things up in the mountains as they have very little to lose.The main contenders will have to be on their guard.

littlegreenman

Certainly has shaken things up a tad. Quickstep are a really great team but it remains to be seen if they've got the guys to support Alaphilippe through the Pyrenees this weekend and then on through the Alps. And with basically nothing to lose now, Pinot et al could cause some fireworks.

Friday's ITT will be one to watch for any of the GC contenders for sure, except I'll miss it (live anyway) as I'll be flying down to Pau to watch Stage 14 from the finish at the top of the Col du Tourmalet! Thank heavens for Eurosport Player

littlegreenman

Brilliant ride from Simon Yates to make it stage wins in all 3 Grand Tours. Looked like it was set up for Trentin earlier in the climb, but guessing Matt "Whitey" White called it for Yatesy to go all in and take it.

With Rohan Dennis out, it certainly opens things up for tomorrow's ITT. And opens a can of worms as to why Dennis quit Le Tour?

ewal

Who's going to break the Ineos stranglehold though?

MagicPigDetective

Geraint’s got this. He’s going to win again. 

crunchman

MagicPigDetective said:

Geraint’s got this. He’s going to win again. 

I hope so, but today is the only time trial and it's only 27km,  There are a lot of big mountains, and he isn't a pure climber.  If they let Bernal ride, then he could well win it. 

bobblehat

crunchman said:

MagicPigDetective said:

Geraint’s got this. He’s going to win again. 

I hope so, but today is the only time trial and it's only 27km,  There are a lot of big mountains, and he isn't a pure climber.  If they let Bernal ride, then he could well win it. 

I still wouldn't bet against Alaphillpe just yet. If he can limit his losses today in the TT then he's still in with a shout. 

joneve

bobblehat said:

crunchman said:

MagicPigDetective said:

Geraint’s got this. He’s going to win again. 

I hope so, but today is the only time trial and it's only 27km,  There are a lot of big mountains, and he isn't a pure climber.  If they let Bernal ride, then he could well win it. 

I still wouldn't bet against Alaphillpe just yet. If he can limit his losses today in the TT then he's still in with a shout. 

I'm not sure he has the legs (and support) to see him through 2 long weeks in the Pyrenees and Alps with Ineos breathing down his neck. He is somewhat likeable though, which is surprising, given he's French.

BeardyAndy

joneve said:

bobblehat said:

crunchman said:

MagicPigDetective said:

Geraint’s got this. He’s going to win again. 

I hope so, but today is the only time trial and it's only 27km,  There are a lot of big mountains, and he isn't a pure climber.  If they let Bernal ride, then he could well win it. 

I still wouldn't bet against Alaphillpe just yet. If he can limit his losses today in the TT then he's still in with a shout. 

I'm not sure he has the legs (and support) to see him through 2 long weeks in the Pyrenees and Alps with Ineos breathing down his neck. He is somewhat likeable though, which is surprising, given he's French.

I agree, i think it could be like when Yatesy was winning the Giro (i think) and doing it with Panache, only to blow up a few days from the end. Would be nice to chuck the French a win for a change but it would be better if G wins again!