TDF 2024 general chat *CONTAINS SPOILERS*

Seems that opinion is a bit divided about the inclusion of gravel sectors although how much of that is manufactured by breathlessly excited journalists is debatable…

‘Gravel In the Tour de France is Nonsense’: Pogačar, Lefevere, Evenepoel Divided Over Dirt Roads Ahead of Key Stage

Bit of a gimmick IMO – like cobbles

I love the cobbled/gravelled one-dayers but I think Lefevre is right on this <washes hands furiously and repeatedly>

I might play a drinking game while watching, see how many times the commentators use the phrases:
“well you can’t win the Tour today, but you can easily lose it”
“the Tour might not be won today but it could certainly be lost”

I reckon I’ll be quietly pissed by about 40km into the stage.

doubles for “used to be mountain-biker” ?

What time does it start? I’m in dire need of actually getting some work done today! Might have it on in the background for a bit.

What time does it start?

12.15 for ITV4 coverage, it’s on EuroSport already (the pre-stage stuff)

km 0 12:15, first gravel 13:35-13:41, the approach to that last cluster of gravel segments 16:00-16:15, finish around 17:00

I think this is an “all day” or “last hour” day.

I think this is an “all day” or “last hour” day.

All day for me – partly cos the weather here is shite but partly cos there’s anything that could happen! ITV4 just pointing out that the 5 previous winners of Strade Binache are in this peloton.

Just started and immediate attacks, predictably including polka dot jersey Abrahamsen.

I might play a drinking game while watching, see how many times the commentators use the phrases:

12.45. Already started !

My pick for the day is Toms Skuijns. He was on the podium a Strade this year and has been freed from team duties. Hope he’s not too knackered after his outstanding spring.

Interesting take from Inner Ring:

The Route: 199km and a rare loop, the start and finish in the same town. 33km are off road gravel sectors, often amid the vines. Gravel comes in many different forms but remember some of these roads were used in the inaugural Le Tour Femmes in 2022. Marlen Reusser won the stage and the only GC rider who lost time was Mavi Garcia, but not undone by the stones but felled by her team car. The gravel is not fierce but there’s the “fear of fear” effect where teams stressed about something going wrong fight for position which adds to the pressure and so on.

Full webpage:

Tour de France Stage 9 Preview

Pidcock on the move, trying to bridge across to the breakaway.

So if gravel riding is part of the tour does that mean we will have road bikes in stw going forward or does finally proove that gravel is not about riding off road?

Absolute chaos!

Riders off and running, the riders at the very back completely stopped in the logjam… A turn off the main road and onto a 15% gravel climb is somewhat unfair I think. It’s more turning it into a fake CX race. Visma are ripping it up at the front, making the most of the confusion.

Absolutely loving this, so exciting!

Nah, it’s great. They’ll be moaning like hell afterwards though.

Does make you wonder if some of them have ever ridden off road when you see them spinning out on that climb.

Tom Pidcock right at the front in a break away

Does make you wonder if some of them have ever ridden off road when you see them spinning out on that climb.

Yep is was a bit weird to see so many walking, but we didn’t get to see too much footage of what happened so prob very different if you’re there

I think they had to stop and then couldn’t get restarted on that slope.

Has certainly blown the race apart for now

Well when you see them stood up over the front of the bike and the back wheel spinning you can’t but wonder.

Obviously those coming off in front have a knock on effect on those behind leading to issues and them having to stop and run, but still some questionable technique.

Anyway I enjoy the added entertainment and mixing up of the race.

‘Chemin blanc’ sounds so much better than ‘gravel road’

Sudden drama within Visma, looks like Vingegaard had a problem and had to nick Jan Tratnik’s bike leaving JT stuck at the side of the road. UAE picked up on that and are continuing to pile the pressure on.

Vingegaard back up to the front, has found WvA to help him but he’s on Jan Tratnik’s bike.

Pogacar goes! Not quite a full on attack but they’re properly smashing it.

Remco not too happy about Jonas not riding, but what did he expect with 70k to go? Pogi and Remco clearly want to race so looks like the break are going to struggle.

This has been a thrilling day of racing. Little separate stories and races happening all over the road, Visma and UAE almost taking it in turns to attack each other and all still in the balance with 20km to go.

I agree, watched it live, I’ve never been so glued to an entire stage like that. There was always something happening!

That was great. So much drama for a stage that didn’t alter the gc at all.

I think the Tour of Britain needs a gravel stage.

We started watching the full stage at 7pm while eating, thanks to the psa about the cheap itv sub a few pages ago it’s hd coverage (broadcast channel is only sd) with all the ads cut out. If i didn’t have to get up for work tomorrow we’d have watched the entire stage rather than switching to the highlights programme when that was posted online. Bloody excellent watching, gutted for Gee and Pidders though

I think the Tour of Britain needs a gravel stage.

There might be plans for that… ;-)  Not this year but hopefully in 2025.

Today was just outstanding. Photogenic, constantly active, nailbiting. Bet the riders will be glad of the rest day!

I remember watching a road race with gravel sections rutland way.  Was good fun.

Todays stage was excellent.

@anyone,

Does the ITVX subscription give ad-free live TV or just ads in HD ?

Today was just outstanding

Vingagoagoago doesn’t agree.

Remco said he doesn’t have the balls to race! I love Remco, he’s so instinctive. Such a shame Vingagoagoago got across to him and Pog at about 75km to go, those two thing to finish would have been great.

psa about the cheap itv sub

I can’t find this – could you point me in the right direction?

Remco said he doesn’t have the balls to race! I love Remco, he’s so instinctive. Such a shame Vingagoagoago got across to him and Pog at about 75km to go, those two thing to finish would have been great.

There was no real incentive to do anything.
Pogacar couldn’t drop them therefore couldn’t extend his lead. Remco got chased down so no chance for him to close the gap on GC and Vingegaard had the common sense not to smash himself into the ground trying plus he certainly wasn’t going to abandon his teammates behind him.

Each side tried numerous times to land the killer blow but it all ended up a stalemate. No point smashing to the line to finish 1-2-3.

Vingagoagoago doesn’t agree.

Remco said he doesn’t have the balls to race! I love Remco, he’s so instinctive.

Looks more like a big mouth idiot than “instinctive”.

I certainly wouldn’t be ruling Vingegaard from winning yet. He seems to riding very much within himself still and has a tactical brain.

We started watching the full stage at 7pm while eating, thanks to the psa about the cheap itv sub a few pages ago it’s hd coverage (broadcast channel is only sd) with all the ads cut out. 

I missed that too, could someone repost it?

ITVx stuff was NBT on p2, adding to somebody else’s info.  Seems you need to go via the app on an i-device (my android didn’t see it)

I’m still not sure that it shows real-time telly with no adverts but there’s a free 7day trial, so you could find out

Looks more like a big mouth idiot than “instinctive”.

Yeah, cycling should just have the likes of Vingagoago, just follow moves, never attack never show panache never do anything exciting until you have had your team work over the contenders first.

There was no real incentive to do anything.

I now, hence the disappointment that Vin got across.

I was also hoping to see MVdP and Pog team up off the front one for GC one for stage, that would have been fun.

I certainly wouldn’t be ruling Vingegaard from winning yet

That’s very true although I don’t see his team being able to out ride UAE in the mountains and I don’t see him riding away from Pog so it’s going to be tough. Remco will crack in the mountains though.

I can’t find this – could you point me in the right direction?

someone else mentioned it, as above I tracked it to subscribing via the app on an apple device – gives you a 12 month ad-free sub for £19.99 rather than £59.99. Note: ad-free only applies to non-broadcast streaming, if you are watching something that is being broadcast at the same time then you get the broadcast with ads and cannot even fast forward  / rewind, not even if you use “watch from start”. If you watch after the broadcast finished then the ads disappear and rew/ff works fine