Does winning only due to time bonuses show that someone was an all conquering GC machine like people seem to think he is?
- Apr 30, 2011
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Then why the *** would it matter that he won by bonus seconds when he can also win by bonus seconds in a month?
This is clearly covered in my previous comment literally just above. Do you need it explaining in words of one syllable?
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Charly Mottet just stopped in to say hi, but can’t stay long.
Today Porte showed his Ax3 impression so tomorrow it's time to lose 10 minutes.
I'm honestly very sceptical about Ineos winning the Tour. Their only leader capable of pulling it off is Egan. Carapaz is very entertaining and reminds me Contador but he stands no chance against Pog (same as Contador vs Froome during TdF). Porte, Thomas are too old, Tao is not experienced and he lacks a killer instinct.
I'm honestly very sceptical about Ineos winning the Tour. Their only leader capable of pulling it off is Egan. Carapaz is very entertaining and reminds me Contador but he stands no chance against Pog (same as Contador vs Froome during TdF). Porte, Thomas are too old, Tao is not experienced and he lacks a killer instinct.
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- Jun 7, 2010
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I don't remember a lot of people claiming that the Dauphine winner is automatically the Tour favorite. So I am not sure what the har har comments in this thread are about about.
I guess Mayo would be the closest one out of the recent winners, but his ITT was genuinely impressive and it was once again at least in part the media seeking to find a challenger to Armstrong.
I guess Mayo would be the closest one out of the recent winners, but his ITT was genuinely impressive and it was once again at least in part the media seeking to find a challenger to Armstrong.
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Cookster15
Moderator
- May 14, 2011
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I don't think Ineos have a rider that can overcome Rog and Rog either. But I doubt Porte will crack after what we saw in 2016, 2020 and now. Looks like he's picked up where he left off in 2020. I noticed Richie left Lopez behind today at over 2,000 metres so that bodes well too for Porte's form which is self evident regardless of his age.
For Ineos's sake I hope Thomas can lift.
- Aug 18, 2010
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I make no predictions about tomorrow, but historically “one week racer” Richie does not find ways to lose in the way that ”three week racer” Richie always has. His one week palmares are stellar.
- May 8, 2014
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Lol, Padun with this performance jumps straight into the top10 of favourites for the Tour according to the bookies.
- Apr 16, 2009
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Since we are predicting potential might as well write Sosa>Bernal
Remco>Sosa and we know who's the winner.
- Nov 6, 2020
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- Apr 16, 2009
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LOL!!
Roglic and Nibali finished the Giro 19 looking at each other!. Word in town is that they got a room that night in Milan.
And just in case, Carapaz repeated the same feast, both of them going as hot favorites. Movistar probably had big gifts for Christmas last year. It reminded me of the Rocky Balboa movies in the last round.
But it is OK. I don't mind ignoring Carapaz because it would make for a great race. Even if there are 2 TT. Maybe Pogi and Roglic end up looking at each other all the way to Paris!!!!
- Apr 16, 2009
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After the recent first 2 weeks of the Giro, surely it is:
Bernal > Carapaz
Bernal > Carapaz
- Mar 26, 2015
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In my book, 3 leaders only works, if they ride an aggressive race.
If Pogacar and Roglic are in the same shape as last year, it does absolutely nothing to have strength in numbers, those two will just plant the entire Ineos team when they go, 2-4K from the summit.
However, if Ineos were to shoot their leaders off the front, one at a time, from the bottom of the last climb, or even on the 2nd last, they could wear down the Slovenian boys until an Ineos captain got clear.
Bonimenier
BANNED
- Apr 1, 2019
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Yeah, Carapaz was completely invisible in the Giro!
Yeah I agree, if you are not the strongest individually then you have to make them work and use your strength in numbers. I think today (well, yesterday) was a decent example of how they could do that, even though I would have wanted Thomas to be a bit more reactive, there was a lot of riders up the road ahead of him. They might be using this race and Suisse to figure out how they can race that way a bit, so I hope they will send Geoghegan Hart up the road early tomorrow, certainly if a group goes clear that contains riders high up on GC. He is not a direct threat at the moment but if he gets clear in a group he could win so other teams will have to chase. Then again, they could just have their domestiques control the pace all day, they will probably want numbers over the Colombière. They have been very strong though I must say, I have rarely seen them with their full team in the last ~40 riders (in other years), but even their "weakest" rider Amador has performed well up the final climbs after being on protecting duties throughout the day.
- Aug 5, 2009
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It seems everyone is making assumptions, I'm not just talking about the Dauphine. Ineos have been sharing the leadership of their stage races all season. Some may think Thomas is clearly the best option for the Tour, that is fine but he won't beat the Slovenians going head to head with conventional racing. Ineos will have to make use of their squad with some unconventional racing to have their best chance and they rarely do that apart from outliers like Froome's Giro win. Jumbo will have a strong squad and Pogacar's team is a little underrated. From next year it won't matter as Bernal will be the leader of the Tour into the future as long as his back issues don't flare up. The others like TGH , Yates, Carapaz and co will have to fight for leadership at the other grand tours and eventually this will mean that some of them leave as is the pattern with Ineos domestiques. Take away winning opportunities from talented riders and they will look elsewhere. This is why Porte, Landa and others left. Ineos will always have a revolving door with their mountain domestiques, some will stay but the best will eventually move on.
Yeah. Each time when riding for GC or stage he goes way early and burns himself out. Needs either to learn how to pace himself when attacking or keep powder dry to where he can attack later for the last few K. I get why he want early today because he wants to gain the time in GC but it's clearly not worked.
Yes, given that a healthy Bernal has won the 2 GTs in which he was a protected leader. But I think Carapaz has a few more GT wins in him, and I rate him as Ineos 's no. 2 threat. His Giro win at Movi was really impressive, as was his Vuelta last year after perhaps suboptimal buildup.
To keep this on track, I expect Porte to have to fight like hell on the Joux-Plane to keep yellow.
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