Forum menu
Porte also needs to go watch the Giro and see how Dumoulin conducted himself.
he'll get to see it first hand when Tom takes yellow on stage 1 😉
Not sure whether Tom is riding the tour. He's gone from the Giro to the Hammer to the Tour de Suisse. Seems a lot on the race programme rather than trying just to peak. That said, it's not beyond the realms of possibility that the ASO are paying Sunweb a heap of cash to get him there, he gets yellow, hangs onto it for a few days then goes back to Holland for a few beers and a well deserved rest.
That said, it's not beyond the realms of possibility that the ASO are paying Sunweb a heap of cash to get him there, he gets yellow, hangs onto it for a few days then goes back to Holland for a few beers and a well deserved rest.
I guess it's a trade off. It's a chance for a few days in yellow, always good for a team. But then it's one man less in a team that's likely to be overstretched supporting both Degenklob or Mathews in the sprints and Barguil for GC (not that I'm guessing the latter is likely to get much support based on his likely chances.)
Be interesting to see how Froome does when he's clean, he's unlikely to risk as many TUEs this year now he's been rumbled. Not that I care about drug use in sport, I just find Sky's holier-than-thou attitude to be particularly irritating.
So Porte FTW, and Bertie to blow things up and make it fun.
Dont mention drugs the locals get all upity
Dont mention drugs the locals get all upity
🙄
Do we need to start a TDF doping thread? 😉
I guess it's a trade off. It's a chance for a few days in yellow, always good for a team. But then it's one man less in a team that's likely to be overstretched supporting both Degenklob or Mathews in the sprints and Barguil for GC
<Beware, noob thinking below this point>:
Yeah, weird - I thought they'd said he would ride it. Assuming he isn't going for the win (he's certainly got an odd way of preparing for it if he is), then I suppose he can just smash the TT and then domestique his way around, maybe leading out the train from 5-10km out on the sprint stages and still easily being sunweb's best mountain domestique while recovering a bit in comparison to what he's done recently
Trouble is, seems to me that if he's in yellow after the TT* they may feel obliged to defend it (and there's not much opportunity to lose it unless a sprinter does a good TT and then gets a couple of finish bonuses)
*(14km - power race really, will he be favourite anyway ?)
Deggy is riding for Trek now not Sunwebgiantskillshimano
Deggy is riding for Trek now not Sunwebgiantskillshimano
It was late! I'd originally written Kittel 😳
14km - power race really, will he be favourite anyway ?
Goes best on longer rolling TT. Would suit a bigger more powerful rider.
So more mind games or honesty to lift some pressure off himself?
When asked by Cyclingnews if he now had the psychological edge over Porte, after halting his momentum ahead of July, Froome played a straight bat at first before – and for the first time this year – stating his opinion that the BMC rider was the favourite for the Tour de France."I don't think so," he said when asked about holding the edge over Porte mentally. "I'd still say that Richie was far and above the strongest man in the race. He did get caught out tactically, his team did get caught out tactically today, but I still say that he's the favourite for July and the strongest rider in the peloton at the moment."
Were BMC Racing caught out tactically or did they lack the depth to defend Porte's lead?
"Good question, you'd have to ask them. I don't know what their tactics were."
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/chris-froome-richie-porte-is-the-tour-de-france-favourite/
14km - power race really, will he be favourite anyway ?
Speaking of Sunweb riders, I'd not be surprised to see someone like Mathews take this. He goes well in a prologue time trial, but this one is a bit longer so who knows. He was [url= http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/michael-matthews-gets-slick-in-the-wind-tunnel-gallery/ ]aero testing[/url] back in feb and I'd not be surprised if it was with the TdF in mind.
Edit.... having said that, the top 10 from [url= https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2015_Tour_de_France,_Stage_1_to_Stage_11#Stage_1 ]Stage 1 in 2015[/url] would suggest it'll be one for the specialists.
So more mind games or honesty to lift some pressure off himself?
Probably a bit of both. Everyone's going to be pointing the "favourite" finger at someone else right now.
He was aero testing back in feb and I'd not be surprised if it was with the TdF in mind.
Most likely he was at a new team, new bike and clothing part of that. He's had a pretty quiet season with one stage of the Tour of the Basque country and a day or two ago at the Tour de Suisse. I'd imagine Sunweb, as much as the Giro win has made their season, want a bit more from Matthews than that.
want a bit more from Matthews than that.
He looks in pretty good form for stage wins too over at the Tour de Suisse.
Good write up of the Dauphine...
http://inrng.com/2017/06/the-moment-2017-criterium-du-dauphine-was-won/
So this is where the Dauphine thread is hiding.
What a finale yesterday, such a great year for road racing already and now this makes it seem that the TdF may not be the snoozefest it was shaping up as.
Slightly gutted for Porte, after that effort to drop Froome he gets beaten by the bonus. He took it well though.
What a finale yesterday
He took it well though.
I agree it was a great finale. But a) it was Sunday - have you been asleep since then? I'm guessing yes since b) he's taken it quite badly. 😆 😆
My mistake, didn't get chance to watch until yesterday and I stay off social media to avoid spoilers.
He's not really said anything since his post-race interviews, in which he seemed mildly narked - but the press seem to have blown that up a bit.
Maybe not BFFs with Froome any more though.
I stay off social media to avoid spoilers.
Yep. Another on the blackout until the highlights show here!
He looks in pretty good form for stage wins too over at the Tour de Suisse.
I was just saying that he needs to win more than an odd stage here and there in a 2nd or 3rd tier race; I'd imagine they expected either classics wins or GT stages when they handed over what I imagine was a pretty big pay packet for Sunweb.
Porte needs to remember one thing;
I'd imagine they expected either classics wins or GT stages when they handed over what I imagine was a pretty big pay packet for Sunweb.
Had a pretty good TdF stage win last year, but that was from a break and Sagan did most of the work if I recall correctly. Won't beat the likes of Kittel and Greipel in drag strip sprints and will need to try in the lumpier stages. His problem is likely to be Sagan who can do everything that bit better than he can. Be good to see him try and challenge Sagan for green though.
Cyclingnews form guide....
http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/tour-de-france-favourites-form-ranking-2/
Tom Dumpoulin drops out of the Tour death Suisse.
Route du Sud starts today.
Whilst Froome will be doing absolutely everything for the win. I secretly think he would not be so upset if Porte were to beat him this year if he were carrying better form. They're best friends off the bike, and if you aren't the strongest then you'd want your mate to win, no?
Fugsland and Porte in my team, I think this year.
They're best friends off the bike, and if you aren't the strongest then you'd want your mate to win, no?
If he was out the picture for GC and could help Porte out then suspect he would want him to win and maybe assist (bit like the Dutch alliance on that stage of the Giro.)
Fugsland and Porte in my team, I think this year.
Anyone setting this up when the teams are announced? Have a feeling about Roglic for the opening stage win and yellow, seems on good form.
There'll be a Velogames fantasy league. I've done the last few, I'll do one for this if no-one else gets in first. Remember those who entered the [url= https://www.velogames.com/giro-ditalia/2017/leaguescores.php?league=930211494116 ]STW Fantasy Giro[/url] will already have ranking points in the Grand Tour Series too...
definitely no tom on the roster
What is it about Spilak and the Tour de Swisse?
It'd be nice to see AC get something from the race, as it's possibly his last TDF. The stars will need to align though, but hopefully Froome won't have found much more form come July. Otherwise, I think it's game over for AC and everyone else.
Tweet from Taylor Phinney racing at the Tour du Suisse raises an eyebrow...
Feeling like I am racing against cyborgs, very proud of my Earthlings @JoeDombro @rusty_woods #Huge @ryanmullen9 @PaddyBevin @sepvanmarcke
Well those are his team mates, you could never accuse Cannondale-Drapac of overperforming could you?
CaDra have been OK recently - they've often got someone top 5 and have had a few stage wins as well. I think the Moneyball style recruitment policy is starting to come good.
Wildcard prediction - Landa, after Froome blows up/crashes out.
I can't help but ponder whether Quintana might be the beneficiary of all the fireworks at the Dauphine. Last year's Tour he appeared lacklustre and boring, only to destroy all comers at the Vuelta. One could call his Giro lacklustre and boring... perhaps he learned last year he needs a 3-week block 5/6 weeks out to hit his peak?
only to destroy all comers at the Vuelta
He didn't though. He got lucky and just about made the break that Contador forced on that freaky stage. If it wasn't for the time lost on that one stage Froome would have won that Vuelta.
CaDra have been OK recently
A queen stage win for Rolland at the Route du Sud too.
Many thanks Paton, for those that are unsure about the link it's a folder containing race roadbooks, including the TdF 2017.
Stage 3... I can either ride to the finish or go for a proper ride then sit in a friterie with a beer and some fried stuff and watch the caravan and race go past.
option 2
Option deux 🙂
We have a winner then! Plus it beats a 30km back home in the heat in rush-hour re-opened roads.
Dropper posts in the world tour.
To avoid the Ventoux Froome on a kids bike debacle Mavic neutral service bikes (which I don't think they expected anyone would ever actually use) will be fitted with KS dropper posts so they can be quickly adjusted to suit.
They'll also be using common sense and having specific bikes set up to suit the GC leaders, and also not fitted with the Mavic pedals that no one uses.
(Info courtesy of velonews podcast).
Millar on Porte and that day at the Dauphine...
http://www.cyclingnews.com/blogs/author/robert-millar-blog-the-making-of-richie-porte/
Problem with that analysis that is it fails to explain why on that final day in the Dauphine Porte couldn't hold on going up the penultimate climb and then failed to stay with Kwiatkowski on the descent.
Yes the BMC team will be stronger at the TDF, but so will pretty much all the others.
Fantasy league is up and running - http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/stw-fantasy-tdf-2017