MinnMan

So cool that there are so many US riders making their marks in different places in the TdF - Jorgensen, Powless, Kuss of course....

Apparently Jorgensen is headed to J-V (or whatever it will be called) next year.

slcbob

Speaking of US, here's the startlist for the Maryland Cycling Classic on 9/3, the Sunday of Labor Day weekend. The highest level race in the US this year. 2nd running.

https://www.procyclingstats.com/race...list/startlist

There's barely anyone identified yet (Simmons is 1 of only 3) but the teams are there. 4 UCI World and 4 UCI Pro teams, plus some others.

Extremeengineer

Since there isn't much to watch on this rest day, I'm pretty bummed about Cav, my 6 year old daughter was really hoping he'd get his 35th, so was I. When she first started watching with me years ago she liked "Mark Cabbage" and he has been her favorite ever since. Really sucks to go out in the middle of the Peloton doing nothing. Although Jasper seems too strong, but for a second the other day I thought Cav had it.

Eric F 

I was expecting WVA to be a bigger factor in the green jersey game. Maybe it would be different if he had picked up a win in the first week, and Philipsen wasn't so dominant on the sprint stages, but it seems to me that he's committed to gutting himself for Jonas. It's been interesting to watch him set tempo on a climb with a placid poker face, and then nearly fall over when his pull is done. It's still a long way to Paris, and a lot can happen.

diphthong

jorgensen...so good. woodsie...wowzers. such a great/historic mtop finish. hopefully, organizers can roll it into the proceedings every 3-4 years. that was a blast to watch.

Chicago Al 

This is so sweet to read, I had to tell my wife about it. If you're on Twitter, you should tell your story to Team Astana, https://twitter.com/AstanaQazTeam. They're probably reachable by other social media too. 'Mark Cabbage' just has to be shared!

Cav really has shown himself to be more than a great bike rider by the way he's conducted himself this season; he's a true champion.

MinnMan

There's no shortage of drama this year, but I'm having trouble mustering a lot of enthusiasm for the event this time around. Don't know why.

Powless is the story that has kept me most engaged.

I previously rooted for Alpecin-xx and have loved watching MvDP become the best lead-out man in the business - move over Morkov!- but all of Philipsen's wins are tainted by relegation or tactics that just skirted relegation. That turns me off.

The best part of the GC battle so far was Jai Hindley's brief leading role.

diphthong

ditto.

USAZorro

Sprint stages are boring.

Philipsen is tiresome.

Girmay needs to go to a team that will help him to be properly positioned to participate in the rush to the line. Once again, he found himself on a wrong wheel and boxed in with 300 meters to go.

MinnMan

At least Philpsen's win today was clean. Just good position and overwhelming speed.

Extremeengineer

Philipsen is annoying me lol. Stop surfin and win on your own. I get the tactic, I just don’t like it. I had really hoped for someone else. Oh well, off to the alps for the real race.

MinnMan

I don't get it. Show me a successful World Tour sprinter who meets this criterion. They all either benefit from a dedicated lead out (e.g., all the sprinters who had so much success with Quickstep) or surf other people's leadouts (e.g., Sagan, in his day)

cthenn

Tadej sure burned a lot of his teammates today for a 500 meter attack to gain 8 seconds... There are still 2 more hard mountain stages to come, he better hope they recover well, because they rode hard today for such a small gain

gpsblake

A few more seconds chopped off but Tadej kind of got screwed by motorcycles being in the way. And the race for the podium spot, one second.

Will any of the tops make a move tomorrow or will it be a day where the polka dot jersey and breakaways take the stage on sunday?

MinnMan

Vingegaard has the polka dot jersey now, though he's tied in points with Powless. Considering the upcoming mountain fireworks expected between the GC guys, it's going to be hard for Powless to get it back.

USAZorro

Expecting Tadej will try to take a few seconds back near the top of Mt. Blanc. I expect they'll be 1-2 on the stage.

MinnMan

Stage 17 Spoiler alert!










Wondering if we'll soon hear that Pog is ill. He's never cracked like that.

Jughed

He also crashed early... may have had an effect.

hrdknox1

He had a great TT. He just couldn't match or best Vingegaard.

GrainBrain

Ah Tufts! Hang in there, pretty crazy he's doing so well coming straight into the tour after breaking his wrist! He could be ill but I just don't think he had the time to condition his body. Now compare with this spring between him and Vingegaard - Jonas has been doing his prep right. Not exciting for us, but now he's is truly in that rare category of GC riders.

Still look at how wild the GC times are!!

I think today we are looking at the difference between a natural and wildly talented, unprecedented phenom and a hard working guy who worked nights at the canning factory.

Been busy but I've been somewhat keeping up ... Lawson Craddock's 4th place on stage 15 was pretty awesome...

MinnMan

Or any of the other GC guys.

gpsblake

The world feed caught on that he was in trouble and perhaps overheating before Phil and Bob did. Did the earlier crash make a difference? Sad to hear him on the radio conceding the race but class to allow his teammate to push for the win today.

Speaking of NBC/Peacock, their motorcycle getting stuck was the one that blocked the road for Vingegaard during the chase on the mountain.

diphthong

appears that wva is out of the proceedings.

slcbob

I would have expected his contract prohibited sex in Oct. Sloppy legal work.

I read his announcement video release today was filmed Wed morning before the giant crack appeared.

slcbob

A nice blue collar victory today.