[Closed] Tour de France 2019 - The first rest day thread

Huge

For starting these threads lunge... they get my brain in gear before the working day.

I know it’s a pain getting the info together, but it’s really appreciated.

..

Ok, thoughts so far:

Enjoying the WolfPacks attitude, TJvG’s inevitability, Wanty for actually having Offredo go out and do something proper. Sagan’s being a bit subdued, still piling on the points but the enthusiasm and pranks seem missing, TdG’s never say die until you pedal squares is always entertaining if seemingly doomed, stupid last 800mtrs of gravel at the top of an already butt busting climb.

France looks stunning as always.

Kirby & Co’s musing missives.

I don't think Alaphilippe can keep yellow if he continues like this, he's going to burn himself out and struggle on a long climb and lose a lot of time I reckon.
Hard to see past Ineos for the win currently, though hoping for some Yatesy sheenanigans in the mountains. Plenty of GC guys quite far back so should be attack city in the hills hopefully.

I think the problem for the other teams now is that they have to really destroy INEOS and both of their guys each and every day. There's no point taking 5s here or 10s there, especially as there's still a TT coming which you'd expect Thomas to likely take a bit of time off the other GC contenders. So INEOS can let the odd person go with 1km left and not worry too much.

I think its a cracking tour so far. Shame Pinot lost time yesterday; but maybe more incentive to be aggressive in the mountains.

Alaphillippe has been one of my favourite riders for a while; but I agree he won't make it to Paris. With all the talk of cyclocross, don't forget Alaphillipe has a junior worlds silver medal and was pretty decent in U23 as well!

Don't think the gravel did anything apart frm make for some pretty pictures.

Pretty much what Ferrals said. Would have preferred a tighter GC at this point but credit to Ineos for seizing the opportunity.

Random Q - anyone else found ITV hub not having the daily highlights until the day after the race? 7pm is usually a bit early for me but the last couple of stages have not been up by 9pm-ish.

Thanks for doing these threads lunge, much appreciated.

I think it's been a good start to the Tour, favourite moment so far has to be shouting at the telly willing TdG over the line. Yesterday's stage was a cracker too, I find that type of stage really enjoyable as you never really know whether they'll succeed and split the pack. A shame Pinot lost time but hopefully it'll force some attacks when they get to the mountains instead of marking one another.

I really want to ride my bike in France too, it looks gorgeous as always.

been good, thanks as above. Missed the catch-up yesterday. and was too pooped by the time I got in to faff about!

Definitely need to do my homework on the battles behind the scenes - would make understanding what tactics are being deployed easier :P)

Random Q – anyone else found ITV hub not having the daily highlights until the day after the race? 7pm is usually a bit early for me but the last couple of stages have not been up by 9pm-ish.

Last night's episode was up before 9.30 PM,that's the first highlight's episode I've seen,been fortunate enough to see the other days live.
Lunge, thanks for the morning updates it's a good way to engage my brain in the morning.
I can't see past Ineos fpr the GC,it would be great to see Alaphilippe win it but I don't think he will.I'm expecting Yates to come more to the fore now we're getting into the mountains.
How long can Wellens hold onto the Polka dots? Can TDG do another breakaway,will Cummings do a breakaway on a stage,he's been anonymous so far?

Assuming tomorrow will be a proper sprint stage with no GC change; anyone know the likely differences between JA and GT in the time trial?

Yesterday was a great last 25km - although I was very disapointed to see poor George Bennet getting sent back for bottles at the worstest of the worst time. You have to hope that wasn't on purpose. Julian Dean does a good bit of chat about it on his page:

I have often wondered why there isn't a kiwi team, we have plenty of good riders, but I guess it would be hard to find a kiwi sponsor who does big business in the European market and doesn't sell wine.

Worth following @InsidePeloton96 for a detailed overview of each stage, highlighting climbs, crosswinds, narrow or poorly surfaced roads and suggesting the outcomes based on that. Really good

A great tour so far, i'm really enjoying it. The tour is the new Giro as someone commented on Twitter and was repeated during commentary yesterday.

Great to see Alfapolak in yellow, even better when he regained it, lead the sprint train etc. etc.

Pinot being Pinot again despite the expectations.

TDG a great win, what a breakaway.

My work colleague is Darryl Impey's cousin so he was well chuffed with Impey's win.

Ineos looking ominous but not unbeatable although GT was great on the gravel finish.

Nibali looks shot but surprisingly Quintana still looks good.

Echelon's in the cross wind. it's all classic stuff this year.

EDIT: forgot to mention I'm off to Moutieres with my bike on Monday to follow Le tour, ride some alpine climbs and cheer the peloton over the cols.

I think people who believe that somehow the result is a done deal and Ineos have it wrapped up are being a tad naive. It takes one incident, an illness, a crash, a badly-timed mechanical, an inspired ride by another GC contender, to throw the whole thing straight back into the mixer.

Cracking first week: so far, loving Julian Alaphilippe's take no prisoners style. Still mildly baffled by Movistar's three-pronged axis of chaos. Amused by Luke Rowe yesterday basically telling Valverde - who must be in his 80s now - to butt out if he and his team weren't going to pull. Looking forward to seeing what happens when Bernal meets the big mountains and hoping he gets a chance to really go for it at some point. Curious to see what Adam Yates can do and whether Quintana is a busted flush at GC level.

Too many podcasts.

"I think people who believe that somehow the result is a done deal and Ineos have it wrapped up are being a tad naive. It takes one incident, an illness, a crash, a badly-timed mechanical, an inspired ride by another GC contender, to throw the whole thing straight back into the mixer"

Totally - what would have happened if G hadn't got on the back of the peloton after crashing? or broken his collarbone instead of the bike he landed on.

In fact Ineos didn't instigate the carnage yesterday but capitalized on a couple of mistakes made by EF and Movistar. Could easily have gone the other way and G would still be down on Pinot.

and we still have the mountains to come - plenty of tours have been won and lost there.

Having Alaphillipe up there and seemingly ready to fight until his last breath to keep yellow hopefully means a few others will be minded to risk it for the biscuit too. I just want to see a good battle rather than everyone's bullets pinging off Ineos's armour as in previous years.

The thing that really got me about both stage 8 and stage 9 was how DeGhent and Impey respectively picked apart their breakaway for the win.

Totally – what would have happened if G hadn’t got on the back of the peloton after crashing? or broken his collarbone instead of the bike he landed on.

In fact Ineos didn’t instigate the carnage yesterday but capitalized on a couple of mistakes made by EF and Movistar. Could easily have gone the other way and G would still be down on Pinot.

Then Bernal would have been the leader instead.

But he wasn't and he isn't. Pinot is.... Sure many things COULD have happened but you can only base upon what has happened not what may have done so.

INEOS may not be completely unbeatable, but i'm 100% convinced it's going to take something exceptional rather than just a day to day ride of someone going off the front.

It's been a great first week. Alaphilippe channelling the spirit of Tommy Voeckler in particular. I fear his time in yellow will fade in a similar manner. He'll do well in the first hilly stage and probably the TT but he hasn't the legs for both the Pyrenees and the Alps.

I fancy Barguil to rescue some French pride in a battle with Wellans for the spotty top. Movistar, Trek and EF will continue to flatter to deceive. Kruijswijk and Adam Yates to ride well with Thomas winning. Bernal will lose time late on whilst Pinot will rally. I reckon Nibbles is saving himself for epic stage win in the last week.

I would love Offredo or a Wanty to win a stage, preferably with Xandro Meurisse who's still top 20.

Luke Rowe was an exceptional road captain yesterday. The fact Ineos have half a team of classics riders certainly helped them in working with DQS. Their strength is that Kwiato, Rowe, Van Barle and Moscon can also ride in the high mountains as well as split a peleton in the cross winds. No other team comes close in that area. Apart from Thomas's chute, neither him nor Bernal have put their noses in the wind yet so I struggle to see who can challenge unless both have a Un Jour Sans at some point. They are insured by the other teams defending their positions later in the race. So if Pinot or Porte go for a long one, you'll have Jumbo Visma and Movistar doing the chasing to preserve their leaders positions. It would be nice to see the eventual winner take a stage or two though.

Totally – what would have happened if G hadn’t got on the back of the peloton after crashing? or broken his collarbone instead of the bike he landed on.

In fact Ineos didn’t instigate the carnage yesterday but capitalized on a couple of mistakes made by EF and Movistar. Could easily have gone the other way and G would still be down on Pinot.

But that didn't happen, and a large part of that is down to the organisation and training. As mentioned above, Luke Rowe bossed that group, made sure they were in the right place (as they have been on every other split in the last 5 tours...) and pulled hard when needed. They've also got Nico Portal in the team car who has DSed on 5 winning tours, he too knows what to do when it goes off in the peleton.

Other teams, Movistar, EF, etc. have neither that one leader or that level of winning grand tour experience in the car.

The benefit of experience: I remember Sky got caught on the wrong side of a split in the Vuelta in 2016 and since then they've been on the right side of pretty much every split I can recall in a Grand Tour

Quick-Step using e-bikes in rest day shocker!

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/deceuninck-quickstep-ride-electric-road-bikes-on-tour-de-france-rest-day-gallery/

Does this finally give e-bikes credibility?

So were Bora.

Just packing up the camper van to drive to Guchen, the village at the bottom of the last climb on Thursday. Saturday involves a 50km ride to the top of the Tourmalet which is a stage finish this year. Will be happy if the rankings are similar to last year when they went up from the other side.

e-bikes

And their free PR stunt hasn’t worked! No, it definitely hasn’t worked.

stevious

Member
Having Alaphillipe up there and seemingly ready to fight until his last breath to keep yellow hopefully means a few others will be minded to risk it for the biscuit too. I just want to see a good battle rather than everyone’s bullets pinging off Ineos’s armour as in previous years.

Agreed - the Team Sky/Ineos team domination the last few years has made it an often boring spectacle. Their money can be seen to almost buy the TDF as a collective, because no other team could afford such quality guys as domestiques.
Whereas so far the more individual riding of Alaphilippe has been far more exciting to watch.

With the TTT causing such time gaps so early on; the individual TT likely to do the same; a team made up of at least 3 GC contenders. We pretty much know what team will have the TDF winner already.

Of course accidents or illnesses can happen ... but if we weigh it up between teams on actual ability. It does seem its very much Team Ineos`s to lose ... and with two weeks to go, if we are only expecting a freak accident or illness to stop them then its getting pretty boring.

I wishing Alaphilippe can do it.

“stupid last 800mtrs of gravel at the top of an already butt busting climb”

I did Planche des Belle Filles on Saturday. The first part of the last bit after the really lung busting bit past the ski station was fairly hard pack chalky gravel and not too bad (although it was dry which helped). However it was the kick up in the last 40 metres or so that went on to loose asphalt and seemed OTT. A rider on a motocross bike didn’t make it as the bike lost traction and flipped over.

And as I don’t think anyone else has mentioned it, I thought Phil’s piece on Paul Sherwen was very moving.

@Watty, agreed.

Does this finally give e-bikes credibility?

No it just gives the motor doping conspiracy theorists some more ammunition.