2016 Tour de France, Stage 20: Megève → Morzine (147km)

[CheckMyPecs]

Re:

Should Froome show any weakness from the start, French would enjoy the first chance of winning the Tour since Hinault. The full country would go mad ...

Froome cracks on the first climb, Bardet stays in virtual yellow almost all day long, but the Quintana of 2013-2015 rises from the ashes on the slopes of Joux Plane and takes just enough time to win the Tour ahead of Bardet.

 

[observer]

If someone pulls a Landis or something half as crazy, will this Tour go from one of the decade's worsts to the very best for some?

Pretty good for me, i've been on holiday and only seen 2 stages. they were both boring, but a super exciting third stage would make this the 2nd best GT this year.

 

[tretiak]

Re:

Should Froome show any weakness from the start, French would enjoy the first chance of winning the Tour since Hinault. The full country would go mad ...

That crash won't affect Froome. He will go full *** even if Brailsford wish him to stay calm.

 

[Sasquatch]

Re:

Im hoping Bardet can go on attack mode again and Yates to position himself better in the main group.(Moncoutie anyone)Porte and Froome to shadow each other(if froome isn't hurt)

100% certainty that Bardet doesn't attack. He'll follow wheels to keep 2nd.

 

[doperhopper]

Re:

The Jensie on ITV saying he learnt 25 years ago never to cross a while line on the descent...cycling 101 he said and Froome did not need to drop his team on the descent ...he was giving it large

Also I noticed that Froome was looking a bit the worse for wear especially his knee

But as the Jensie said Froome does not need to do anything tomorrow as others wil cancel each other out

I am hoping stil for Astana /BMC shock & awe ...not sure Riche i s up to it though....means putting Froome to the sword

and that's the end of VroomDescender myth - look at Nibs who wisely crossed the white line much earlier, when still going straight while Froomey was already leaning and braking at the same time going across that white strip (you can tell it if you know what to watch - front wheel blocks on the wet slippery white line, then hitting tarmac again while blocked it causes the whole bike to shake and rotate around the front wheel contact point, you can clearly see the rear wheel going "up" on the screen)

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

will it rain? it seems doubtful but I hope so. I hope full on attack from bardet for tour win

 

[kwikki]

In a race riders take risks. In certain race situations, riders take more risks than they do in other parts of the race.

Bad risk decision.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Re:

The Jensie on ITV saying he learnt 25 years ago never to cross a while line on the descent...cycling 101 he said and Froome did not need to drop his team on the descent ...he was giving it large

Also I noticed that Froome was looking a bit the worse for wear especially his knee

But as the Jensie said Froome does not need to do anything tomorrow as others wil cancel each other out

I am hoping stil for Astana /BMC shock & awe ...not sure Riche i s up to it though....means putting Froome to the sword

The Jensie? Jens Voigt? The same Jens Voigt that had a horrible crash in the 2009 Tour because he crossed a white line on a desend? Lol!

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Re: Re:

Should Froome show any weakness from the start, French would enjoy the first chance of winning the Tour since Hinault. The full country would go mad ...

That crash won't affect Froome. He will go full *** even if Brailsford wish him to stay calm.

the crash defintely won't make him lose the tour unless he crashes again, but no way he could win today. he's not the best climber either

 

[kwikki]

Re:

will it rain? it seems doubtful but I hope so. I hope full on attack from bardet for tour win

A Bardet win would be the best thing to happen for cycling in years. Barring Froome crashing out it isn't going to happen, unfortunately.

It's going to be a great race today, but it won't be about first place.

 

[kwikki]

I think Kangert and Aru will get together and give the peloton a kicking.

 

[Carstenbf]

How's the weather looking down there today?

Looking at random forecasts it has gone from 100% chance of rain, when checking yesterday evening, to 0% this morning. Time for a little dance it seems.

 

[Escarabajo]

Re:

First of all, BIG thumbs up to "Praying Mantis" for the daily stage break down!!
I think it'll be crazy from the start, gc and stage hunters, so i'll postponed my saturday long bike ride to watch this from the beginning. even if that means sure dehydration..
Espn is broadcasting 3h stages for the first time. We have 2 idiots broadcasting and that is why this forum have been so helpful but tomorrow we'll have Mauro Ribeiro as a guess. Only brazilian to won a TdF stage ever..
Tomorrow i'll just watch and see if this will be worth the morning bike ride...

+1.
Another big thanks for Praying Mantis!

 

[spalco]

Re: Re:

and that's the end of VroomDescender myth - look at Nibs who wisely crossed the white line much earlier, when still going straight while Froomey was already leaning and braking at the same time going across that white strip (you can tell it if you know what to watch - front wheel blocks on the wet slippery white line, then hitting tarmac again while blocked it causes the whole bike to shake and rotate around the front wheel contact point, you can clearly see the rear wheel going "up" on the screen)

Huh? How does this make any sense considering Nibali crashed also, at nearly the same spot?

*** happens. Cycling just isn't the safest sport around, and yesterday was particularly dangerous.

 

[Escarabajo]

Is the Joux Plane climb where history is written?

Landis epic ride, Quintana only run away from the Sky train, Lance's crack, Delgado's crack.

 

[Gigs_98]

Re: Re:

and that's the end of VroomDescender myth - look at Nibs who wisely crossed the white line much earlier, when still going straight while Froomey was already leaning and braking at the same time going across that white strip (you can tell it if you know what to watch - front wheel blocks on the wet slippery white line, then hitting tarmac again while blocked it causes the whole bike to shake and rotate around the front wheel contact point, you can clearly see the rear wheel going "up" on the screen)

Huh? How does this make any sense considering Nibali crashed also, at nearly the same spot?

**** happens. Cycling just isn't the safest sport around, and yesterday was particularly dangerous.

I think Nibali crashed because froome crashed directly in front of him, but I'm not sure

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Re: Re:

and that's the end of VroomDescender myth - look at Nibs who wisely crossed the white line much earlier, when still going straight while Froomey was already leaning and braking at the same time going across that white strip (you can tell it if you know what to watch - front wheel blocks on the wet slippery white line, then hitting tarmac again while blocked it causes the whole bike to shake and rotate around the front wheel contact point, you can clearly see the rear wheel going "up" on the screen)

Huh? How does this make any sense considering Nibali crashed also, at nearly the same spot?

**** happens. Cycling just isn't the safest sport around, and yesterday was particularly dangerous.

I think Nibali crashed because froome crashed directly in front of him, but I'm not sure

correct, unwise of nibali to descend in froome's wheel.

 

[liamito]

Re: Re:

and that's the end of VroomDescender myth - look at Nibs who wisely crossed the white line much earlier, when still going straight while Froomey was already leaning and braking at the same time going across that white strip (you can tell it if you know what to watch - front wheel blocks on the wet slippery white line, then hitting tarmac again while blocked it causes the whole bike to shake and rotate around the front wheel contact point, you can clearly see the rear wheel going "up" on the screen)

Huh? How does this make any sense considering Nibali crashed also, at nearly the same spot?

**** happens. Cycling just isn't the safest sport around, and yesterday was particularly dangerous.

I think Nibali crashed because froome crashed directly in front of him, but I'm not sure

correct, unwise of nibali to descend in froome's wheel.

Froome attacked, Nibali followed.

 

[spalco]

Re: Re:

I think Nibali crashed because froome crashed directly in front of him, but I'm not sure

No, Nibali slipped, just like Froome did.

https://streamable.com/z39d

And yes, obviously it was a mistake of Froome (and I'm sure he's going to feel it today), but you can't always choose the preferred line when you're decending like this.

 

[Jagartrott]

Re: Re:

No, Nibali slipped, just like Froome did.

https://streamable.com/z39d

And yes, obviously it was a mistake of Froome (and I'm sure he's going to feel it today), but you can't always choose the preferred line when you're decending like this.

Have you ever ridden a bike?
Of course Nibali crashed because Froome slid right in front of him.
(it was a mistake to follow Froome so closely though)

 

[spalco]

How, telekinesis? Was the white line not visible to Nibali?

 

[MacBAir]

Re: Re:

Go all out from the start. Froome must feel his fall today tomorrow, they need to put him under pressure as quickly as they can. (But then again, if he loses 1-2 minutes in first two climbs, he has his team to bring him back on the flat). But one can only hope for some spectacle!

His team can't close a 1-2 minutes gap on the flat against Astana, Movistar and other teams like AG2R. And if he really would drop there he would loose way more time on the last two climbs anyway. Imagine Froome really cracks, Bardet attacks on the Joux Plane to confirm his tdf victory, then crashes on the wet Joux Plane descent and Quintana wins the tour . That would be absolutely horrible but an even bigger WTF than Nibali winning the giro this year

The Quintana detractors would be on suicide watch

Personally, I don't care about him anymore. After these last few years, even his Giro win, Quintana will always represent everything that is wrong with cycling, to me.

Pathetic rider.

 

[The Hegelian]

Who's on the podium after today?

I think it's settled. Bardet looks good, he'll be able to defend. Quintana will ride better than Yates and has enough on Porte to defend. Aru will go tongue out, but in vain.

I think maybe Porte and Yates swap, otherwise settled.

Would love a dogfight, but unless there's rain induced carnage, can't see it happening.

 

[Kwibus]

Don't expect spectaculair raids when the Sky train can control everything anyways. Unfortunately.

 

[Gigs_98]

Re:

How, telekinesis? Was the white line not visible to Nibali?

Nibali didn't slip on the white line though. The point is that he had to ride around froome if he didn't want to crash and since he had to react extremely fast on the wet street he probably crashed too.