2016 Tour de France, Stage 21: Chantilly → Paris (113km)

[armchairclimber]

I'd like to add my thanks and appreciation for your excellent stage preview posts. You have raised the bar.
As for today's stage, I hope all the GC contenders arrive at the finish safely.
I'd like to see a Sagan/Greipel 1/2 in either order. It would be nice if Alaphilippe got some sort of reward too.

 

[46&twoWheels]

Praise to those who spent these 3 weeks doing something productive.

I heard it was worse than last year :lol:
I only watched the opening ceremony centered on the theme of the Normandy landing, it was cool...

PS: happy for the stages won by Cav

 

[Fight.The.Power]

Prudhomme tells L'Equipe that Sky "overpowered the race in the mountain passes" and "More than ever, we need 1 less rider per team"

Totally agree.

 

[Gaul 58]

Re:

Prudhomme tells L'Equipe that Sky "overpowered the race in the mountain passes" and "More than ever, we need 1 less rider per team"

Totally agree.

3 less riders per team would be better still.

 

[Keram]

Bodnar for the win. Tinkoff duo surprises peloton in Vino style and then Sagan let his loyal dom to get biggest win in his career.

 

[spalco]

Re:

Prudhomme tells L'Equipe that Sky "overpowered the race in the mountain passes" and "More than ever, we need 1 less rider per team"

Totally agree.

Can't ASO do whatever they want in this regard, or do they really need the UCI's permission?

If not a breakaway, I'm hoping for Greipel. Kittel just rubs me the wrong way somehow.

 

[Robert5091]

Thanks for your hard work on the previews PM.

 

[laurensde+]

Praying Mantis ftw...

Big ups!

 

[May0maniac]

Re: Re:

Prudhomme tells L'Equipe that Sky "overpowered the race in the mountain passes" and "More than ever, we need 1 less rider per team"

Totally agree.

Can't ASO do whatever they want in this regard, or do they really need the UCI's permission?

If not a breakaway, I'm hoping for Greipel. Kittel just rubs me the wrong way somehow.

They should be able to do what they want, 2 riders less would be even better.

 

[Museeuw]

Re: Re:

...
They should be able to do what they want, 2 riders less would be even better.

Would it?

I think we have seen too many break away wins already. Because SKY or any other team didn't want to
chase. 2-3 riders less and it's not if they want to chase or not but they just can't anymore. Is that what we want to see, break wins continuously?

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

I don't care by what number they reduce team size, so long as they say "fewer", not "less.

 

[Carols]

Praying Mantis your opening made me cry......remembering those who left us on the road is very sorrowful.

Thank you for all your hard work and awesome openings every day for the last 3 weeks!

 

[sir fly]

Pulling a Vino today would require some courage with all the trains wanting to line.
Maybe Stuyven takes a shot. Tony Martin will be busy assisting Kittel, I suppose. Sagan, Van Avermaet... I don't think so. Vanmarcke?

 

[yetanothergreenworld]

Prediction: Zubeldia steals the whole thing at the last second.

 

[Cannibal72]

Re:

Pulling a Vino today would require some courage with all the trains wanting to line.
Maybe Stuyven takes a shot. Tony Martin will be busy assisting Kittel, I suppose. Sagan, Van Avermaet... I don't think so. Vanmarcke?

Won't Vanmarcke be working for Groenwegen?

 

[sir fly]

Re: Re:

Pulling a Vino today would require some courage with all the trains wanting to line.
Maybe Stuyven takes a shot. Tony Martin will be busy assisting Kittel, I suppose. Sagan, Van Avermaet... I don't think so. Vanmarcke?

Won't Vanmarcke be working for Groenwegen?

He can help him if gets reeled in.

 

[luckyboy]

Re: Re:

Prudhomme tells L'Equipe that Sky "overpowered the race in the mountain passes" and "More than ever, we need 1 less rider per team"

Totally agree.

Can't ASO do whatever they want in this regard, or do they really need the UCI's permission?

2.2.003 in UCI Regulations..

 

[Cannibal72]

Re: Re:

Prudhomme tells L'Equipe that Sky "overpowered the race in the mountain passes" and "More than ever, we need 1 less rider per team"

Totally agree.

Can't ASO do whatever they want in this regard, or do they really need the UCI's permission?

2.2.003 in UCI Regulations..

Has to be lower for HC events - as they (...won't) be next year.

 

[loge1884]

Re:

Prudhomme tells L'Equipe that Sky "overpowered the race in the mountain passes" and "More than ever, we need 1 less rider per team"

Totally agree.

honestly, what would that have changed this year? The (only) team fully dedicated and well prepared with respect to the GC having the best GC-contender (although Chris looked less invincible than he did in 2013 and last year) won - period .... 8 men teams wouldn't have changed zilch to this ...
unfortunately (for the suspense) no one was on par with Chris and no team was giving everything just for the one goal ....
besides, there is always a risk with the way Sky is set up: if the leader has to abandon (like in 2014), the team will be left with nothing (I doubt Poels would have filled the gap better than Porte in 2014) unless you are Tinkoff and have the likes of Peter Sagan or Rafal Majka in your team (and going for a KOM competition with just Thomas De Gendt willing to battle for it) ....

 

[The Barb]

Ooooo, Yates has got himself into a strong looking breakaway (with Froome and Sagan). Movistar better chase to protect Quintana's podium spot.

 

[spalco]

Re: Re:

honestly, what would that have changed this year? The (only) team fully dedicated and well prepared with respect to the GC having the best GC-contender (although Chris looked less invincible than he did in 2013 and last year) won - period .... 8 men teams wouldn't have changed zilch to this ...
unfortunately (for the suspense) no one was on par with Chris and no team was giving everything just for the one goal ....
besides, there is always a risk with the way Sky is set up: if the leader has to abandon (like in 2014), the team will be left with nothing (I doubt Poels would have filled the gap better than Porte in 2014) unless you are Tinkoff and have the likes of Peter Sagan or Rafal Majka in your team (and going for a KOM competition with just Thomas De Gendt willing to battle for it) ....

I think Froome was absolutely invincible this year, but otherwise I agree. Except maybe for yesterday's stage (which I only saw half of), when was he even remotely in any trouble?

But I also think people overestimate the effect a 7 man team would have both on the outcome of the race and the safety of the race.
On the second point: I doubt ASO would just cut 40 riders from the Tour, they would probably invite more teams to make up for the numbers. And even if there are fewer riders, smaller teams could make the race even more hectic because there's less room for errors and possibly more leaders if there are more teams taking part.

 

[Cannibal72]

Ooooo, Yates has got himself into a strong looking breakaway (with Froome and Sagan). Movistar better chase to protect Quintana's podium spot.

Wow...really?

 

[The Barb]

Ooooo, Yates has got himself into a strong looking breakaway (with Froome and Sagan). Movistar better chase to protect Quintana's podium spot.

Wow...really?

Sorry, no, that was just my weak little joke because the three of them were riding on the front ceremonially.

 

[loge1884]

Re: Re:

I think Froome was absolutely invincible this year, but otherwise I agree. Except maybe for yesterday's stage (which I only saw half of), when was he even remotely in any trouble?

in 2013 and last year he just dumped everyone in the first two weeks - something that didn't happen this year - however I am not sure wether it was because he couldn't, or because he didn't have to - frankly speaking if the only threat in a three weeks race are two (minor) crashes and one attack of Romain Bardet, in all due respect, at this point in time certainly not tier1 GC-contender, then you perhaps can just lean back and watch what's happening ....

 

[Savant12]

Quick, the Sky Train has derailed.....