Most exciting Tour for many years!
No mention of Kruijswik as a potential GC winner with Bennett as support - Jumbo Visma also seem to have a strong team that works well together (unlike Movistar).
Issue for me is whether Quick Step have the team to support Alaphilippe in the final week - will they be trying for the next two flatter stages with Elia Viviani (can't see Ala acting as Viviani's lead out man again) or putting the whole team behind Ala in the Alps.
Can't make a call on who will be in yellow in Paris but there is sure to be an exciting and nail-biting finale in the Alps.
Stage 18, a break of non GC contenders gets away, GC group crests the final climb together, Alaphilipe thinks to himself, there's no way they can stick with me down hill and buggers off at warp speed, G responds and has his traditional crash into something hard, loses his glasses, Alaphilipe gains 25 seconds and it all comes down to a shit or bust fight on Val Thorens for the greatest finish since LeMond & Fignon, Alaphilipe takes it, G in a froggie sandwich with Pinot. France parties until the end of the year
No mention of Kruijswik as a potential GC winner with Bennett as support
I was once once a big fan of Kruijswijk, that’s a long time ago now when he made an effort in the Giro.. Now? I just think he’s go no “umph” left.
Well he's in the right ball park surely? He's doing brilliantly at this stage
Don't care who wins as long as there are MORE ATTACKS and MORE EMOTIONS.
This year's race is brilliant.
Here in Bourg St Maurice this week and it’s pretty hot but forecast to get a lot hotter for the end of the week. The Tigne (playing in the bike park today 😀) and Val Thorens stages are going to be brutal in the heat and I reckon Pinot may fade. Bernal for me as the winner out of the last GC six
G has come into the Tour undercooked so I expect Skineos have tailored a strategy for him to peak in the last week – they have always liked a good negative split! Whether his form improves enough to overtake Pinot and beat Bernal is the interesting thing for me.
He doesn't need to overtake them.
I think Alaphilipe has dug too deep have been multiple stages where he has crossed the line and basically collapsed against the barrier, needed support to stay upright, you can't dig that deep day after day, expect him to explode like Yates in the Giro last year.
Expect Pinot to crumble in the heat, G to ride in to better form and Kruijswijk to be battling with Thomas in the mountains for Yellow come the end. Landa to go stage hunting beating him in being the only Movistar rider to win a stage.
