The theory of a combined french effort isn’t that wild but it would still be dependent on one rider being the agreed leader, so is that Pinot or Allaphilipe and what of all the others close to that level? The likes of Bardet riding for a competitor and not stage hunting? If I was Bardets DS (or sponsor!) I wouldn’t go for that

I still don’t think they’ll take Froome, I just can’t see it at all.
Bernal
Thomas
Geoghegan-Hart
Castroviejo
Sivikov
Kwiatkowski
Van Baarle
+1, likely Rowe or Amador

Bernal currently has a question mark over him due to injury, I’ve just seen an article suggesting Ineos could replace him with Carapaz.

I think Sivakov will be leader for the Vuelta, with Carapaz heading up the Giro team as reigning champ

The theory of a combined french effort isn’t that wild but it would still be dependent on one rider being the agreed leader, so is that Pinot or Allaphilipe and what of all the others close to that level? The likes of Bardet riding for a competitor and not stage hunting? If I was Bardets DS (or sponsor!) I wouldn’t go for that

The cooperation will only happen if/when stage or GC hopes are gone for others. As happened in the Dauphiné. Once they had nothing to lose, and Pinot had everything to gain, off they went.

Carapaz for Bernal due to injury makes sense. Thomas is clearly not on the kind of form that could win it, Froome I’ve mentioned above which leaves a very young Sivikov or Geoghegan-Hart

I agree with the concerns that Jumbo may have peaked a bit soon, also its not just the dauphine, WvA has been smashing 1 day results too so may not be quite so useful come the tour. However I guess hes used to recovering very quickly from past cx schedules.

I just can’t see Ineos being that far off the pace, they were talking about having just done a big training block, surely a big part of their dauphine performance can be put down to fatigue.

Team Ineos for TDF . No Thomas, he’s going to lead at the Giro, no Froome, he’s leading the Vuelta.

Andrey Amador
Egan Bernal
Richard Carapaz
Jonathan Castroviejo
Michal Kwiatkowski
Luke Rowe
Pavel Sivakov
Dylan van Baarle

Video on the INEOS Twitter feed

Well thats big news!
At least I wont feel conflicted supporting Team Fracking! So I can support…Bahrain…no…Isre…nope….UAE…nope….floors floors they are always ok go Alaphilipe…must learn how to spell that!!

Who are what are AG2R or Mondials? Can I support Bardet?

Not sure I can go with Astana and all the baggage they have.

Dropping Froome was not much of a surprise but didn’t expect G to miss out too

Ineos showing again they take a logical approach to selection. Thomas and Froome clearly off the pace. It suddenly looks a strong team, compared to what they could have gone in with.

As for who to support – how may of the Yates quads are riding? And if it’s only one, what name will they use?

Well well.. that’s both a shock and a disappointment.

Very much the changing of the (Grenadier) guard(s).

At least we have Caven…. oh…

Sam Bennet…

BBC article on it:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cycling/53830140

As said above, it suddenly looks like a stronger team without Thomas and Froome.
Bernal was close at The Dauphine, Castro looked strong as did Sivikov.
Only question is that you’ve got 2 of the main road captains in the same team (Van Baarle and Rowe), you wonder who’ll be in charge at the Giro/Vuelta.

As for who to support – how may of the Yates quads are riding?

Forgot about them!! What is a Mitchleton?

I’ve got a Mitchleton but I don’t use it very often.

I’ve got a Mitchleton but I don’t use it very often.

You need an Orica and a Green Edge to make the best use of it!

@anagallis_arvensis , if you are choosing based on the sponsor, then EF Education First is pretty credible. Plus it matches your profession.

I’ve got a Mitchleton but I don’t use it very often.

You probably bought the wrong size.

Plus it matches your profession.

I hate teachers, bunch on whiny, leftist moaners 😉

Who rides for them Uran?

AG2R La Mondiale is Insurance.

Michleton-Scott: Michleton is Wine.

For GC,long list would include Uran, Daniel Martínez (won the Dolphiny), Sergio Higuita.

Hugh Carthy may ride for them too if you want a Brit to follow.

EF Education First is pretty credible

Dani Martinez looking racy.

Michleton is Wine.

We have a winner!!
A large glass of Mitchleton please

EF Education First

Plus EF Education First have a great YouTube channel, shame Lachlan Morton doesn’t seem to race TDF?

I would have happily supported JV for Wout Van Aert, but now that he’s a proven winner rather than an heroic third placer it just seems too obvious a choice.

Team EF it is I think, better get a knock off team kit since I can’t afford the official Rapha stuff! 😁

can’t see froome leading odious into the Vuelta, it’ll be Bernal as head boy.

Interesting to see/hear the different reactions by Thomas and Froome.
Froome seems happy enough that his levels aren’t there and he’s not going.
Thomas seems gutted on a vid he’s just posted on Twitter.

What are Froome and G even going ride to get match fit for a grand tour ? it’s pretty thin on the ground in terms of stage racing…. Tirreno-Adriatico i guess some big one dayers before the vuelta Amstel & flanders

Not sure I can go with Astana and all the baggage they have.

It’s OK, they are Swiss now.

I know he’s with Trek but I’m going for Richie Porte 🙂
I like Carapaz though, came across quite well in the Movistar series that’s on Netflix.

I know he’s with Trek but I’m going for Richie Porte 🙂

well, if he can actually finish that’s the first step… Poor bloke doesn’t have much luck!

Yeah, Richie Porte would be a deserved winner except he seems cursed in terms of luck at the Tour.

I think good move by Ineos to drop the two previous winners as they’re not quite on form and to load up with a couple of more pure climbers.
This year’s route has loads of early mountains so I wouldn’t be surprised to see carapaz or simakov sent off early to force others to chase..
That said I don’t think either Bernal or Roglic will win

I don’t really care as long as we get a race, something like the giro with Big tom trying not to lose too much time to Niro so he can “snatch it” with the last days time trial. Can see the same with Roglic hanging on up Cote de loze and winning on the penultimate days ITT upto La Planche Belles Filles. Actually thinking about it that TT is very much like the 2017 Bergen world champs TT course where Tom Dumoulin mullered the opposition (nearly a minute on second placed Roglic) and very nearly chased down Froome on the course. (plus or minus 400 m 😀 )

Good old Tour for it’s Soap like drama.

Ritchie Porte does seem to be unlucky, that crash he had 2017 was pretty horrific.

can’t see froome leading odious into the Vuelta, it’ll be Bernal as head boy.

I can’t see any leaders doing two tours this year given the compressed calendar.

I don’t really care as long as we get a race,

Pretty much my default stance. I just enjoy watching a good race.

I don’t really care as long as we get a race,

+1

Also some cool stuff happening like a random domestique winning a big stage almost by mistake.