he took 1.20 out of froome on the alpe which is no mean feat

and that’s the only example I’m seeing used, and

The key here is that he didn’t crack altogether and NQ failed to put enough time into him to make up for the time he’d already lost. Which is basically what we’re all saying

this. Alpe d’huez = last climb on last day = too little too late.

It’d be very risky for him.

And Quintana and Movistar race conservatively. Contador would risk a do-or-die move, not Quintana.

To put NQ’s relative frailty into perspective, estimates for FTP for a Tour win is about 6.2 w/kg (source). Quintana, this equates to about 350W, which matches up with some of the figures shown during the Giro. That’s about as much power as a good club racer (though they’d be carrying about 20kg more!) He’s racing in a peloton of guys with a threshold power of well over 400W. I think Contador was meant to be around 420W (source). And some of the big rouleurs will be putting out a lot more. This is a huge deficit for Quintana unless he’s on the proper steep stuff. It’s why he can get done over on the flat wind swept stages, he’s riding that much harder than everyone else relative to their overall capacity. And why going long in the mountains is risky without a lot of support. It’s why tiny climbers generally don’t win the Tour.

Going back to that move by Sagan and Froome and saying Quintana should have gone with it and not just looked around. Fact is he probably just didn’t have the raw power to go with it and that’s why he was looking for support.

And Quintana and Movistar race conservatively. Contador would risk a do-or-die move, not Quintana.

Contador has the capacity to do that. Quintana doesn’t. His lack of versatility very much limits Movistar’s tactical options.

For all the beef ‘n’shit, I’ll really miss bertie when he quits

Quintana I won’t miss at all I don’t think; Froome quite a bit; Valverde – I’ll slightly celebrate his going (while grudgingly accepting that he had some skillz)

I am a huge fan of Contador for his racing prowess, despite his doping past.

I am a hater of Valverde for his doping past, despite his racing prowess.

I have no problem with this hypocrisy 😀 though in all seriousness it’s also based on their current performances. Bertie doped at the height of his powers, he’s several years older now and is not as strong he was. Valverde is even older, yet he seems to be if anything even stronger, and he’s strong across the full length of the season (apologies not trying to derail this into another doping thread).

https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/road/article/20170628-road-Yorkshire-host-towns-revealed-for-2019-UCI-Road-World-Championships-0

Grand Tours are won by time trialers who can climb. NQ is no tester and he isn’t going to win this year – just ask Tom. Sad, but the age of the pure climbing contender has long since passed.

25/1 for Bardet was a good call, He’ll be in my team. I’m a huge fan of his.

25/1 for Bardet was a good call, He’ll be in my team. I’m a huge fan of his.

Good bet for a stage and maybe a podium. Similarly Aru, he seems to be coming into some great form.

Sad, but the age of the pure climbing contender has long since passed.

I don’t think there ever has been, at least in modern times. You get a few exceptions like Bahamontes, Van Impe (though he was Belgian so may not count), Ocana, Delgado, Pantani and Sastre, each with one win. And that’s since 1959, in 57 editions of the Tour. It’s been all-rounders and more recently the GC specialists. And as good as Pantani was, he needed one legendary ride on a very bad day for Ulrich to win his. You’d be a mug to bet on a climber for the top spot on GC 🙂

The usual guide and “who will win” from inrng…

http://inrng.com/2017/06/tour-guide/
http://inrng.com/2017/06/who-will-win-the-green-jersey-2017-tour-de-france/
http://inrng.com/2017/06/who-will-win-2017-tour-de-france/

Interestingly places Valverde and Fuglsang ahead of Quintana.

Anyone putting a few quid on? Got a few EW bets on Pinot to podium at 111/1 and chaves 67/1, Izaguirre at 151/1 and Quintana to take KOM @ 33/1

Makes it a bit more fun over 3 weeks

Sorry I havent gone back through all the pages of this thread.

Is there a STW Velogames league for TdeF ?

@rosey: 912897520

You’re not allowed to join though – your team always beats me 🙁

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/2017/06/29/lance-armstrongs-drug-choice-epo-doesnt-work-scientists-claim/

Discussed to death on another thread

Nice shoes Cav

Nike still having their shoes made by DMT? Their custom program is nice for the handful of riders on it.

https://www.natlawreview.com/article/margin-call-vortex-suits-team-sky-s-latest-marginal-gain