tour de france 2021-straight...no fantasy chaser
 

this is the 2021 tdf reality thread to blab away in. the fantasy nonsense is in the other thread.

cav?! really?! back to the future...

Cav"s little fantasy shot is coming to fruition.

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...7778c880a6.png

abc and by any means necessary. cycling mafia indeed...

^^ I'm starting to see why Thomas DeGendt blocks Leverfffeffee on Twitter ...

Too bad about Bennett though. He was on fire in the spring.

I feel like Pogacar's a little over rated for GC, Horner thinks his team lacks firepower for the crosswinds. He won't getaway with stealth this time - he gets dropped for whatever reason you'll have 4+ teams drilling it on the front.

i'd love to post multiple polls about these items but technically inept so i'll just lump them all together here in one giant trash heap

what are the odds that:


rider/riders crash into road furniture? how many stages does it occur?


more than five riders bounce due to "olympic commitments?"


moto/team car crashes into a rider/riders? how many stages?


bou-bou's over/under of stages before he gets booted/dq'd?


rider/riders get routed incorrectly and lose out on a potential stage win?


someone goes rohan dennis and pulls his own ripcord due to a disagreement with team/teammate(s)/race judges?


a dog (or horse) gets loose on the course a wipes out a rider(s) while the owner acts like it's the rider's fault? how many dogs this year?


a spectator gets punched? how many? this plus how many fist/slap fights between racing competitors?


cav pulls a cav and gets someone else dq'd/relegated?


a rider celebrates too early and loses out on a victory?


someone pulls the 2.0 version of jungels vs higuita? whoops!


a team has a bike(s) stolen during the proceedings?


a rider does the bjarne riis memorial bike throw?


a rider misses their tt start time?


a rider gets relegated/dq's for irregular riding/deviating from their line/riding dangerously? does it happen before the first tt?


the amount of riders finishing the race is > 145?


feel free to add your queries...

Deep thinking! It reminds me of my time in the horn of Africa, sitting around with a cold Tusker in my hand, pondering the big questions in life. Like why don't the traffic lights work when it rains? Why does the housewoman iron my skivvies? Some mysteries are best left unsolved. But we will have answers to many of yours soon.

The Olympic touch & go is one that gave me pause while picking my team that is best discussed in the other thread.

For now, I will need to go Google up Mr. Bojangles vs. Higuita since my arcane knowledge fails me. I'm sure it's magnificent. I will float these other topic areas:

- how many riders will miss the time cut?
- how many of those will be waived and allowed to continue? that aren't French?
- will any DSs be expelled for yelling at commissars? Did the commissars deserve it?

For some reason I'm not that hyped for this year's TdF. I'm not the only one, Jack Haig gets the nod for leadership and even he admits to not being that amped up for it.

He also implies that Padun's exclusion from the team selection could be because he was dogging it early at the Dauphine instead of helping Colbrelli. With Padun busting out later for individual glory, that's gotta be a bad look within their team.

I think it's going to be a great tour, particularly in the competition for the GC. I'm a little less amped about the sprint stages and the green jersey b/c the best sprinter in the world in 2021 is nursing his knee, or so he says. But if Ewan (or Sagan? so says Horner) puts on a show, then I'll be happy.

I'm thinking that the course, finish, and weather for stage one will favor a Belgian.

Absolutely - he shepherds Roglic to the line then a stage win and yellow? Seems like it would go a long way to ensure good team dynamics...

Outside pick for stage one - Gaudu

thinking it’s going to be phenomenal. the usual suspects…thinking one crashes out and another tgh has to step up to the plate and/or we get a semi-dark horse that takes the next step or gets really really lucky and holds on to a podium place.

by my count (one! haha! two! haha…) there are a lucky thirteen stages available for a certain few riders that do flat sprint finishes, uphill sprint finishes, and classics-styled stages well. sagan, démare, ewan, valverde, alaphilippe, hirschi, wout, mvdp all come to mind. all of these guys are capable of finishing in the top five of any of those thirteen stages. so for horner to say sagan will have a great tour, sagan has a bleepton of possibilities since his range encompasses more than the average sprinter bear.

rule #87 (ewan) is dead to me after that giro nonsense.

ballsy. my first horrible prediction of the 2021 tdf? mvdp.

oh the nonchalance of mr. bojangles who can apparently dance with mr. higuita are epic. please revisit asap.

Alaphillipe for Stage 1 (short, sharp climb in last 3km).

No let's not revisit this, effing SOB Jüngles. Been doing extra penance and working overtime on good vibes for Rigo's sake. Any way you cut it that was a dirty dancing move and no one's putting baby in the pavé this year :innocent: The race proceeds in one direction please keep your eyes forward Higuita!!

Multiple moments of idiocy had maximum effect in extinguishing the hopes of many on the very first day. I am appalled.

One of the most gruesome scenes I've seen! Heartbreak but hope still for others. A bloodied and triumphant JuJu! Rigo safely in with the favorites. Phew!

Feel seriously bad for Froome. Too cruel for words.

For sure. What a trooper to make his way to the line, but he was definitely banged up. I'm hoping to see him back tomorrow.

good call.

I'm going to quit while I'm ahead!!

horrible prediction tdf 2021 #2...going (again) with mvdp for the stage two win...

hirschi nearly finished dfl but at least he finished. hoping he can continue with that separated shoulder.
today's end of the placings was the roll call for those that took a spill at some point. some big names there.
it would be a shame if they can't start stage two mañana.

wise beyond your years...