2019 Tour de France, stage 11: Albi > Toulouse 167km

[jaylew]

Re:

What was Sunweb doing? I mean, Matthews showed that he lacks speed this year. But the 8th place from Bol would have certainly been possible. And he was 2nd in the Points Classification and neither won points in the intermediate sprint nor the final sprint today. Seems like a waste of opportunity. Sagan can always get ill/crash out...

He said they decided to let the the chase for green go so he might be given the opportunity to go in breaks. I'm with you, something could always happen to Sagan.

 

[movingtarget]

Re:

The guy with the phone is a complete idiot. I hope his phone was smashed into 1000 pieces by the peloton.

The modern version of Eric the Photographer...........

 

[tobydawq]

Re:

Matthew seemed to imply the team did notwant him to go for green jersey and do a stage win instead ???

That is insane ....only half way through and Sagan could not make it over the mountains....quite frankly Sagan looks like he couldnt care less

Sunweb didnt want any of their riders to go for GC or Green


Problem with stages that unless you are the top sprinter or TTer none are locked down

What on earth are you talking about?

Sagan says that this is his most important Tour because he can get the record now. He is going for points on every stage and on stage 8 he was killing himself 20 times to get to the finish and not let Matthews take points on him.

Today, after the stage, Sagan even said that it was smart by Matthews to not go for points today because then he might let him go into the breaks - he was not going to let that happen if Matthews was still "close" in the fight for green. In fact, a nice interview by Sagan's usual standards.

 

[movingtarget]

Re: Re:

Didn't see the stage - is the GC unchanged?

Ciccone lost big time from a crash. The rest of GC the same.

Polka dot time. Wonder who's done Giro-Tour best climber, same year

Can't remember anyone doing that in recent times.

 

[HelloDolly]

I tell you how I see it with Sagan ...he looks bored

As for Matthews...there are mountains coming up with real climbers in breaakways ...not rolling terrain
Big of Sagan tot let him in the break but madness for Sunweb to give up on Green at this stage

 

[tobydawq]

Re:

I tell you how I see it with Sagan ...he looks bored

As for Matthews...there are mountains coming up with real climbers in breaakways ...not rolling terrain
Big of Sagan tot let him in the break but madness for Sunweb to give up on Green at this stage

Looking bored? He always does that off the bike.

That doesn't prevent him from being a killer and an absolute warrior on the bike. And there is no chance he won't finish the race, so it's very smart of Sunweb to let the green go.

 

[search]

Re: Re:

Nikias Arndt will be the last leadout man for Bol btw. That's what the team said at least (Kragh - Matthews - Arndt - Bol is the order they want to go for)

It will be interesting to see how Bol does. He has probably been the most successful “minor” or “up and coming” sprinter recently, so he deserves a shot against the big boys. It’s not as if Matthews has a chance in a real bunch sprint.

definitely. Bahrain may also go for Cortina instead of Colbrelli by the way (to whom applies the same, basically)

Colbrelli is sprinting really really well in that Tour. Doubt Cortina could have done the same.

yeah, I don't think Cortina would have a chance to compete for the top 3 or something, but he said that the team promised to ride for him as well in some (flat) sprints, that's why I brought it up.

 

[Wvv]

Glad for Ewan (and Lotto) to see him pull off a well deserved victory.

The top sprinters are sharing quite well. Eleven stages with all different winners so far.

I bet Viviani is gonna take another one, but he has to time his acceleration (and his position) better. Today the last corner and especially the boxed in situation when Groenewegen fired away made him lose, which is a shame considering he had the highest speed (only one +70km/h).

 

[carton]

Re:

Are Tour sprint stages this year and for the next several years of any value in term of stars quality of the protagonists? Regardless of the actual racing excitement, it feels so 'unimportant' as a show on its own, except for determining which GC contenders lose time in it.

For many cycling fans including die-hard GC junkies, very little. As this forum would attest to, even die-hard fans will often miss stages like today, or just try to catch the last km.

For the race itself they generate almost immeasurable value. The Tour is a three week event, and they need fans out on the road, and tuning to the broadcast, even if it's just on background. They get you one place to another without having a huge transfer. They make the Tour a truer "tour" of France. They offer up a winner and a podium for every town, and even more importantly, the cities which actually have a lot of cash to spend. A bunch sprint is by far the most exiting racing you can get within the boundaries of Toulouse or Nantes or Paris or almost wherever ... unless you're love yourself a time-trial, but even then they are hardly a guarantee of suspense. Having a few sprint showdowns and building them up creates stars and rivalries, and those narratives -even if they're not as big as the GC men and their dramas- help sell those other 10-15 stages which would otherwise be rendered even more devoid of meaning - and, more importantly for the race, marketability.

 

[staubsauger]

I only watched the last 70-50 kilometers today & on Monday and saw 2 exciting flat stages!

Eventually it's the cycling overkill of watching 4 hours of a flat stage that kills excitement and passion, like veterans constantly suggest.

 

[search]

Re: Re:

Didn't see the stage - is the GC unchanged?

Ciccone lost big time from a crash. The rest of GC the same.

Polka dot time. Wonder who's done Giro-Tour best climber, same year

1949 Fausto Coppi
1951 Raphaël Géminiani
1956 Charly Gaul
1983 Lucien van Impe
1992 Claudio Chiappucci

 

[RedheadDane]

Re:

Glad for Ewan (and Lotto) to see him pull off a well deserved victory.

The top sprinters are sharing quite well. Eleven stages with all different winners so far.

I bet Viviani is gonna take another one, but he has to time his acceleration (and his position) better. Today the last corner and especially the boxed in situation when Groenewegen fired away made him lose, which is a shame considering he had the highest speed (only one +70km/h).

Technically you could argue that three of the stage-winners sorta/kinda has two stage-wins. Or is it 1.something? (I'm not very good at math…)

 

[Broccolidwarf]

Re: Re:

Didn't see the stage - is the GC unchanged?

Ciccone lost big time from a crash. The rest of GC the same.

Polka dot time. Wonder who's done Giro-Tour best climber, same year

1949 Fausto Coppi
1951 Raphaël Géminiani
1956 Charly Gaul
1983 Lucien van Impe
1992 Claudio Chiappucci

Prestigious list :idea:

 

[Broccolidwarf]

Re: Re:

Glad for Ewan (and Lotto) to see him pull off a well deserved victory.

The top sprinters are sharing quite well. Eleven stages with all different winners so far.

I bet Viviani is gonna take another one, but he has to time his acceleration (and his position) better. Today the last corner and especially the boxed in situation when Groenewegen fired away made him lose, which is a shame considering he had the highest speed (only one +70km/h).

Technically you could argue that three of the stage-winners sorta/kinda has two stage-wins. Or is it 1.something? (I'm not very good at math…)

Only if they rode home in the winning time - which Groenewegen didn't

 

[tobydawq]

Re: Re:

Glad for Ewan (and Lotto) to see him pull off a well deserved victory.

The top sprinters are sharing quite well. Eleven stages with all different winners so far.

I bet Viviani is gonna take another one, but he has to time his acceleration (and his position) better. Today the last corner and especially the boxed in situation when Groenewegen fired away made him lose, which is a shame considering he had the highest speed (only one +70km/h).

Technically you could argue that three of the stage-winners sorta/kinda has two stage-wins. Or is it 1.something? (I'm not very good at math…)

Only if they rode home in the winning time - which Groenewegen didn't

What kind of a rule is that?

 

[Keram]

Re: Re:

Matthew seemed to imply the team did notwant him to go for green jersey and do a stage win instead ???

That is insane ....only half way through and Sagan could not make it over the mountains....quite frankly Sagan looks like he couldnt care less

Sunweb didnt want any of their riders to go for GC or Green


Problem with stages that unless you are the top sprinter or TTer none are locked down

What on earth are you talking about?

Sagan says that this is his most important Tour because he can get the record now. He is going for points on every stage and on stage 8 he was killing himself 20 times to get to the finish and not let Matthews take points on him.

Today, after the stage, Sagan even said that it was smart by Matthews to not go for points today because then he might let him go into the breaks - he was not going to let that happen if Matthews was still "close" in the fight for green. In fact, a nice interview by Sagan's usual standards.

Well I dont know what stage exactly Matthews want to win from the break. Stage 17 will want Sagan as well, than they have 16 and 21 as sprint stages and than it is time trial and mountain stages. I think it was stupid to give up now. However to chase Sagan with 60-70 point lead is near to impossible. But everything can happen and to be second in green jersey could be beneficial. Bling should know after 2017.

 

[Vasilis]

Re: Re:

Matthew seemed to imply the team did notwant him to go for green jersey and do a stage win instead ???

That is insane ....only half way through and Sagan could not make it over the mountains....quite frankly Sagan looks like he couldnt care less

Sunweb didnt want any of their riders to go for GC or Green


Problem with stages that unless you are the top sprinter or TTer none are locked down

What on earth are you talking about?

Sagan says that this is his most important Tour because he can get the record now. He is going for points on every stage and on stage 8 he was killing himself 20 times to get to the finish and not let Matthews take points on him.

Today, after the stage, Sagan even said that it was smart by Matthews to not go for points today because then he might let him go into the breaks - he was not going to let that happen if Matthews was still "close" in the fight for green. In fact, a nice interview by Sagan's usual standards.

Well I dont know what stage exactly Matthews want to win from the break. Stage 17 will want Sagan as well, than they have 16 and 21 as sprint stages and than it is time trial and mountain stages. I think it was stupid to give up now. However to chase Sagan with 60-70 point lead is near to impossible. But everything can happen and to be second in green jersey could be beneficial. Bling should know after 2017.

I can see Matthews trying tomorrow

 

[staubsauger]

Re: Re:

Didn't see the stage - is the GC unchanged?

Ciccone lost big time from a crash. The rest of GC the same.

Polka dot time. Wonder who's done Giro-Tour best climber, same year

1949 Fausto Coppi
1951 Raphaël Géminiani
1956 Charly Gaul
1983 Lucien van Impe
1992 Claudio Chiappucci

Prestigious list :idea:

My cycling pal gave me a ring today for a little chat and asked me exactly the same question when we talked about the favorites for the polka dot jersey . I had to look up that it was Chiapucci and was very disappointed with me, because I should've remembered myself!

 

[Broccolidwarf]

Re: Re:

Glad for Ewan (and Lotto) to see him pull off a well deserved victory.

The top sprinters are sharing quite well. Eleven stages with all different winners so far.

I bet Viviani is gonna take another one, but he has to time his acceleration (and his position) better. Today the last corner and especially the boxed in situation when Groenewegen fired away made him lose, which is a shame considering he had the highest speed (only one +70km/h).

Technically you could argue that three of the stage-winners sorta/kinda has two stage-wins. Or is it 1.something? (I'm not very good at math…)

Only if they rode home in the winning time - which Groenewegen didn't

What kind of a rule is that?

One to make you question if life is bearable

 

[Pricey_sky]

Mod hat on:

Just had to remove and delete a lot of posts, another reminder that no clinic talk is allowed in the PRR at all, that includes any innuendos or references to the past. Warnings and bans will have to be given to those who ignore the rules.

Thanks.

 

[boneshaker]

Re: Re:

Matthew seemed to imply the team did notwant him to go for green jersey and do a stage win instead ???

That is insane ....only half way through and Sagan could not make it over the mountains....quite frankly Sagan looks like he couldnt care less

Sunweb didnt want any of their riders to go for GC or Green


Problem with stages that unless you are the top sprinter or TTer none are locked down

What on earth are you talking about?

Sagan says that this is his most important Tour because he can get the record now. He is going for points on every stage and on stage 8 he was killing himself 20 times to get to the finish and not let Matthews take points on him.

Today, after the stage, Sagan even said that it was smart by Matthews to not go for points today because then he might let him go into the breaks - he was not going to let that happen if Matthews was still "close" in the fight for green. In fact, a nice interview by Sagan's usual standards.

Well I dont know what stage exactly Matthews want to win from the break. Stage 17 will want Sagan as well, than they have 16 and 21 as sprint stages and than it is time trial and mountain stages. I think it was stupid to give up now. However to chase Sagan with 60-70 point lead is near to impossible. But everything can happen and to be second in green jersey could be beneficial. Bling should know after 2017.

I can see Matthews trying tomorrow

According to cyclingnews, G. Thomas does not expect a GC action tomorrow. So it is plausible that Matthews will try something tomorrow. The question is whether Bora let him grab 40 points.

 

[Vasilis]

Re: Re:

Matthew seemed to imply the team did notwant him to go for green jersey and do a stage win instead ???

That is insane ....only half way through and Sagan could not make it over the mountains....quite frankly Sagan looks like he couldnt care less

Sunweb didnt want any of their riders to go for GC or Green


Problem with stages that unless you are the top sprinter or TTer none are locked down

What on earth are you talking about?

Sagan says that this is his most important Tour because he can get the record now. He is going for points on every stage and on stage 8 he was killing himself 20 times to get to the finish and not let Matthews take points on him.

Today, after the stage, Sagan even said that it was smart by Matthews to not go for points today because then he might let him go into the breaks - he was not going to let that happen if Matthews was still "close" in the fight for green. In fact, a nice interview by Sagan's usual standards.

Well I dont know what stage exactly Matthews want to win from the break. Stage 17 will want Sagan as well, than they have 16 and 21 as sprint stages and than it is time trial and mountain stages. I think it was stupid to give up now. However to chase Sagan with 60-70 point lead is near to impossible. But everything can happen and to be second in green jersey could be beneficial. Bling should know after 2017.

I can see Matthews trying tomorrow

According to cyclingnews, G. Thomas does not expect a GC action tomorrow. So it is plausible that Matthews will try something tomorrow. The question is whether Bora let him grab 40 points.

Maybe Sagan will try too