Le Tour 2018 stage 18:Trie-sur-Baïse - Pau 171km

[Red Rick]

Re:

That is very interesting, thanks del.

Interesting in the sense that Thomas' lead would be very slender if it weren't for the things you've excluded.

That said, he has in my view been the strongest, and I have no doubt he would have attacked Dumoulin a lot earlier yesterday if he were less than 30 seconds ahead of the Dutchman on GC going into the ITT.

Assuming he could have dropped him earlier. He gained like 5 seconds in the final 500m, which to me doesn't really state that he could've just gone away on a longer effort, especially considering Dumoulin and Roglic did a lot more work earlier on the climb.

 

[glassmoon]

Re:

Top ten on GC without Crashes Mech (including penalty) and without TTT

Thomas 0
Dumoulin 42
Quintana 86
Roglic 96
Froome 100
Martin 123
Kruijswujk 188
Bardet 207
Landa 218
Fulgsang 524

And without bonus seconds

Thomas 0
Dumoulin 27
Quintana 69
Roglic 69
Froome 77
Martin 113
Kruijswujk 161
Bardet 184
Landa 191
Fulgsang 497

Would be awesome going in the Saturday's ITT.

 

[sir fly]

It's final chance for the breakaway specialists and should be nice for watching.
Nothing wrong with this stage.

 

[rick james]

they could have tried and put more bumps in todays stage...nothing big

 

[Frosty]

Terpstra, Hayman, Durbridge,Berdat, van Keirsbulck up the road. People trying to get across but no-one made it yet.

 

[Broccolidwarf]

Bora trying to get in the break, probably means Sagan won't sprint today

Trek is trying to get into the break, which means they don't think Degenkolb can win.

UAE working to reel in breaks with FDJ, which mens UAE believes Kristoff can win.

As it looks now, it will not be a big break today, with 2 teams working to contain them - fewer will want to go.

The climb at 52 k may change that ofcourse

 

[Broccolidwarf]

Is that Kwito & Froome at the front, looking for an opportunity? :O

 

[Bardamu]

Dumoulin to sneak in a 30-40 man break and take 3 minutes on Thomas.

 

[Broccolidwarf]

4 big engines in that break - they are not going to be easy to reel in

 

[Broccolidwarf]

UAE and FDJ are having a hell of a time trying to control this, people keep peeling off the front.

 

[Broccolidwarf]

SKY is now helping control the breaks - it appears they want a nice quiet stage, where they can let the sprinter teams control the rest of the day..... probably happy to let the 5 in front be the break of the day.

 

[Broccolidwarf]

Craddock trying to get away

But no mercy, get caught instantly

 

[Broccolidwarf]

This is not a break they can give 4 minutes, then they will never see them again.

It's going to be a long, hard day

 

[sir fly]

The breakaway riders could take a leaf or two out of Jens Voigt's book of breakaways. Looks like that kind of the day.

 

[tomorrow]

ok, so when will demare be dropped, just to return to peloton in the second 4cat climb and win the whole stage?

 

[Eyeballs Out]

On a mountains stage Sky will happily let 50 riders go in a break including teammates of GC riders. But on every flat stage they will only let a small break go and they've got Kwiatkowski chasing down anything after. Sky tictacs

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Decent situation for FDJ. Small break, but of course it's a very strong one. Still, I think they're happy that this is the break of the day.

 

[wirral]

Really keeping this break on a tight rein.

 

[Laplaz]

Going to be a high speed stage at this rate.

 

[Lance Armstrong]

Anyone but Demare please.

 

[dgodave]

Re:

Anyone but Demare please.

Poor Demare.

When will he ever taste nirvana?

 

[Kwibus]

Re:

Anyone but Demare please.

Why?

 

[Kwibus]

https://m.hln.be/sport/wielrennen/tour-de-france/demare-rijdt-alweer-in-zijn-eentje-bergrit-uit-niet-helemaal-koosjer-onze-man-in-de-bezemwagen-zocht-het-uit~a1cd521b/

Belgian journalist followed Demare all day, besides some pushes he didn't get help.
Of course he doesn't know what happened on other days, but yesterday Demare paced himself without help.

 

[TourOfSardinia]

Nairo down

 

[Pricey_sky]

Quintana down in a crash, fair bit of blood on his arm.