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The TdF is too predictable

Old 07-18-19, 03:55 PM
  #26  
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Originally Posted by Rollfast
I think that if that were true then Eddy Merckx would be a very happy old Belgian.

I"m assuming he is, he looked well and in good spirits in his appearances while opening (Grand Marshall ?) this years TDF.


As for the OPs thread, it's too bad the Tour can't go back, way back, to riders riding their one bike (unless they stole another along the way, LOL) with tires and tubes slung around their shoulders and no (obvious) support . Now that might bring the excitement back, yeah? Too bad though, it's changed so dramatically. And, I don't know when the transformation started because I started following in the 80s so I think I'm gonna have to find a good read and catch up.
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Old 07-18-19, 03:59 PM
  #27  
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Roman Bardet. Didn't see that coming.
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Old 07-18-19, 05:08 PM
  #28  
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Originally Posted by CyclingFever
With Sports Books now legal in PA, NJ, and DE is there anywhere actually giving odds and taking bets on le Tour?
Draft Kings on line in NJ is taking a dizzying array of TDF bets.
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Old 07-19-19, 08:31 AM
  #29  
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Excellent!

And I meant Rohan Dennis. Brain fart.
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Old 07-19-19, 10:39 AM
  #30  
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Lol "predictable"

Maybe if Froome was in it. Geraint had a heck of a candid interview after this ITT stage!
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Old 07-19-19, 09:57 PM
  #31  
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The ITT today wasn't very predictable, now was it?
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Old 07-20-19, 10:25 AM
  #32  
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I couldn’t predict GT tanking today.

Hoping it stays this predictable.

.
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Old 07-20-19, 10:47 AM
  #33  
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The TdF is too predictable
Really, after Stage 14 today?

-Bandera
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Old 07-21-19, 07:24 PM
  #34  
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Originally Posted by dstrong
Don't follow Formula 1. It's become a parade of cars, with 1 team taking most of the wins and only two other teams that can come close to competing with them.

I've enjoyed this year's version. A lot of great action, no gigantic pile-ups (which is always surprising in those sprint finishes) and some good hard racing.
You'd take all the fun out of NASCAR...
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Old 07-22-19, 03:32 AM
  #35  
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watch the vuelta then.
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Old 07-22-19, 09:22 AM
  #36  
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Originally Posted by Dreww10
If Ineos could simply be taken out of the race, it would be a barn-burner all the way to Paris.
In my view, this is what we have.
Whoever wins, we will all think, "What if Froome were not out?"
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Old 07-23-19, 11:02 AM
  #37  
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Originally Posted by PJay120
In my view, this is what we have.
Whoever wins, we will all think, "What if Froome were not out?"
Very true. And if Froome were there, but also Thomas and Bernal, the Ineos team dynamics would also be something to contemplate.
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Old 07-23-19, 11:34 AM
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Originally Posted by MinnMan
Very true. And if Froome were there, but also Thomas and Bernal, the Ineos team dynamics would also be something to contemplate.
Dumoulin (2nd in the 2018 Tour)isn't here but at least he turned up for the Giro. The team Ineos sent disrespected the Giro IMO.

Personally whoever wins this Tour I won't be thinking "what if Froome" was here.
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Old 07-23-19, 11:52 AM
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Originally Posted by Caretaker
Dumoulin (2nd in the 2018 Tour)isn't here but at least he turned up for the Giro. The team Ineos sent disrespected the Giro IMO.
Well, Bernal was slated to compete but he was recovering from a crash. This is a business and from the team director's point of view, a fans idea of "respect" may be of secondary concern.
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Old 07-23-19, 02:47 PM
  #40  
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Originally Posted by ooga-booga
watch the vuelta then.
I will this year with my NBCSN pass, what makes it so "greater?" Genuinely curious as I really haven't watched it.

I'm hoping to see Lawson Craddock make a showing maybe?
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Old 07-24-19, 09:15 AM
  #41  
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Stage 17, a group of 33 riders take a near 20-minute breakaway to the finish. Can someone explain why a GC contender, or a guy that's 6, 8, 10, 12 minutes off the lead doesn't sneak into that break and take yellow?

33 riders is 20% of the field, and yet not one rider with a shot to take over the yellow was able to get in that break? Is there some sort of unwritten rule/gentleman's agreement that the GC will only be contested on certain stages? Because it certainly seems that way.

Imagine the excitement if a rider got up the road and stunned the field on a stage like today. But that doesn't happen....ever.
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Old 07-24-19, 09:18 AM
  #42  
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Originally Posted by Dreww10
Stage 17, a group of 33 riders take a near 20-minute breakaway to the finish. Can someone explain why a GC contender, or a guy that's 6, 8, 10, 12 minutes off the lead doesn't sneak into that break and take yellow?

33 riders is 20% of the field, and yet not one rider with a shot to take over the yellow was able to get in that break? Is there some sort of unwritten rule/gentleman's agreement that the GC will only be contested on certain stages? Because it certainly seems that way.

Imagine the excitement if a rider got up the road and stunned the field on a stage like today. But that doesn't happen....ever.
The team directors know who is in the break. The break doesn't 'get away' it's 'let go'. If someone 6 min down was in the break it wouldn't be 'let go'
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Old 07-24-19, 09:54 AM
  #43  
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Originally Posted by gregf83
The team directors know who is in the break. The break doesn't 'get away' it's 'let go'. If someone 6 min down was in the break it wouldn't be 'let go'
Right and some big name riders who know they haven't the form for GC will purposely lose time on a stage so they will, in subsequent stages, be allowed get in the breakaway to target stage wins. Nibali did this early on.
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Old 07-24-19, 11:28 AM
  #44  
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allowed to go...

Originally Posted by Dreww10
Stage 17, a group of 33 riders take a near 20-minute breakaway to the finish. Can someone explain why a GC contender, or a guy that's 6, 8, 10, 12 minutes off the lead doesn't sneak into that break and take yellow?

33 riders is 20% of the field, and yet not one rider with a shot to take over the yellow was able to get in that break? Is there some sort of unwritten rule/gentleman's agreement that the GC will only be contested on certain stages? Because it certainly seems that way.

Imagine the excitement if a rider got up the road and stunned the field on a stage like today. But that doesn't happen....ever.
The group of GC contenders allowed this breakaway. This late in the tour, it is pretty clear who is no ways near threatening to break into the top three on the final podium.

So, if the GC contenders allow a group to break away and win the day's palmares, the GC contenders get a relatively safe and rejuvenating day on the road. Today's stage was relatively short.

Just about any GC contender could cycle "off the front," and try to get in the big break. Since nearly any could, any other could, as well. So, if one does, the others would "cover" this move. Either ride to the break as well, or enough riders ride to the breakaway rider to make it obvious that he will not gap the GC contending group, and either the off-the-front contender continues, and drags all the others with him, or he gives up and returns to the peloton. To save his energy for another day.

This is the case on the relatively flat stages. For Th, Fr, and Sa, we have epic mountains, before the calm roll into Paris. On the mountains, it is not true that one off-the-front rider can easily be "brought back," as I have noted it is on the more flat stages. As we all know, going uphill is geometrically more difficult. Speeds are slower, so the wind-breaker effect of the peloton is reduced. So, the peloton is not so drastically efficient relative to a solo rider or a small grupetto. Also, fast downhilling is not a group activity - they tend to get strung out in a long string, albeit all close to one another.

So, the mountains are where the Tour can be, and almost always, is won. The only questions now are: who has the legs, and which mountain stage - Th, Fr, or Sa?
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Old 07-24-19, 01:34 PM
  #45  
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In some cases yes sure it's predictable but this one is anything but. And the Tour is not all about GC and it's not even about the points jerseys. It's also composed of individual one day bike races. Today was a classic example with a break so large that you literally had two races going on. GC teams would never allow a break to develop that would threaten their standings but they still have to protect their captains and will look to take advantage of any situation they can to advance.
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Old 07-24-19, 11:04 PM
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This year has been a very refreshing change from the Team Sky Team Ineos train up the mountains. Did Team Ineos cut way back on the budget over what Team Sky did last year?

Most wide open race at this point in many years.
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Old 07-25-19, 02:01 AM
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Originally Posted by gpsblake
Did Team Ineos cut way back on the budget over what Team Sky did last year?
No.
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Old 07-25-19, 06:03 AM
  #48  
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As an admittedly unschooled fan, it seems as though Ineos isn't the dominant force Sky was, but that may not be a function of the change in sponsors. In any case, it's a lot more fun this year with the winner still undecided. In the last few years prior it seemed as though the experts knew who would win long before this stage and they were always correct. It's much more of a race this year.
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Old 07-25-19, 06:36 AM
  #49  
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Originally Posted by GrainBrain
I will this year with my NBCSN pass, what makes it so "greater?" Genuinely curious as I really haven't watched it.


I'm hoping to see Lawson Craddock make a showing maybe?

usually verry mountain stage laden with more mountaintop finishes. shorter stages but more intense. better weather so none of the giro (or occasional tdf) rerouting nonsense
because of snow. last gc of the year and just before the worlds. riders that haven't "proven" themselves enough riding for next year's contract. riders injured between the giro and the tdf
looking to salvage their season. riders that peaked early in the year for the classics/giro that have recuperated and looking to kill it. riders looking to eke their way onto the national
squads for the worlds. riders looking to twist the knife into teams that didn't resign them. riders looking to make that best first impression to teams that did sign them. riders that
got pushed aside on the team for a lesser but more experienced rider. fewer wtf crashes. teams letting their young talent fly free. did i previously mention the riders motivated on several levels?
yah. for me. the vuelta slays it. every race has its purpose but the vuelta checks off a lot of boxes. if i hafta pick one race to watch all year, it's the vuelta.
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Old 07-25-19, 07:38 AM
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No Froome to support - but -

Originally Posted by gpsblake
This year has been a very refreshing change from the Team Sky Team Ineos train up the mountains. Did Team Ineos cut way back on the budget over what Team Sky did last year?
Considering they lost their amazing GC guy, they are doing OK. Thomas has been in a great position, but is not targeted as the One to Beat, so they don't quite need the train to surround and protect Thomas. Until today - it does not seem like Thomas / INEOS has any plan to dominate today. They could have. Then, they would need to get the train on the front, as we have seen in recent years, for the next two stages, to protect. If they judge they cannot do all that, they may be hoping for Thomas to make a move on Fri or Sat.

They are doing Ok. they have had 2 in the top 10 getting into these final mountains. but no, they have not had the Train riding herd in the front like we are used to seeing in the last few years.
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