Pre Tour de France-thread

[Robert5091]

Weather wise, the hope for windy weather is pretty much dashed according to the weather forecast. Can be up to 30C - sweaty.

 

[Robert5091]

Re:

On another topic: how do people rate Uran's chances? He was 54 seconds off winning a tdf last year. Definitely flown under the radar this year - people talk more about Bernal......

Apart from the TTT problems he should be a top 5. The ITT in week 3 should help him.

 

[Põhja Konn]

Re:

Weather wise, the hope for windy weather is pretty much dashed according to the weather forecast. Can be up to 30C - sweaty.

Because of TTT and Roubaix stage, most of the climbers will be up against it after first week anyway, so the lack of crosswinds might actually be a blessing when the GC fight is concerned.

 

[wirral]

Re:

Very disappointed that Cofidis have avoided a potentially hilarious row. Movistar now stand alone as the standard bearers for those who want a good soap opera feud

G and Froome? Just kidding, but could you imagine.

 

[Anderis]

Re: Re:

On another topic: how do people rate Uran's chances? He was 54 seconds off winning a tdf last year. Definitely flown under the radar this year - people talk more about Bernal......

Unlikely due to Slipstream almost folding last year and loosing most of their riders then scrambling to field a full team for this year. He won't exactly have any support in the mountains and not sure he'll have a very good TTT either.

Not like he had much support in the mountains last year with Talansky and Rolland both getting ill during the race.

If Rolland and Martinez are in form, he could have better support in mounains in 2018 than in 2017.

TTT will be a problem, though. While this EF's roster is not awful TT-wise (Scully, Craddock and Martinez all have shown some TT form this year, Clarke was a part of some Orica's TTT wins in the past, Phinney's and Vanmarcke's presence should not slow them down either), some teams are bound to do much better than them, and with 35kms, gaps are going to be significant. And Uran's success in the past usually came with limiting losses rather than from chasing lost time.

 

[Robert5091]

Re: Re:

Weather wise, the hope for windy weather is pretty much dashed according to the weather forecast. Can be up to 30C - sweaty.

Because of TTT and Roubaix stage, most of the climbers will be up against it after first week anyway, so the lack of crosswinds might actually be a blessing when the GC fight is concerned.

Agree - it could be a nightmare scenario, GC wise. of QS & Sky racing off with crosswinds and the TdF being over before the first weekend.

 

[DNP-Old]

Froome, Bernal, Castroviejo, Kwiatkowski, Moscon, Poels, Rowe, Thomas is confirmed by Sky.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Never a fan of TTT in a GT, but as far as this one goes... isn't it relatively short? I'm hoping the timedifferences would be relatively small. These guys get close to 60km/h at times, meaning the overall time for a team timetrial should be around 40 minutes?

 

[Robert5091]

Re:

Never a fan of TTT in a GT, but as far as this one goes... isn't it relatively short? I'm hoping the timedifferences would be relatively small. These guys get close to 60km/h at times, meaning the overall time for a team timetrial should be around 40 minutes?

It's 35.5 km, up and down a bit and in a loop from start to finish...

and some nice straight sections where the better teams can really crank it up

 

[Broccolidwarf]

Re:

Froome, Bernal, Castroviejo, Kwiatkowski, Moscon, Poels, Rowe, Thomas is confirmed by Sky.

No doubt it is the strongest team in the Tour.

4 of them could comfortably ride top 10, if they were captains, and the other 4 are world class in flat/hilly terrain.

 

[Anderis]

Re:

Never a fan of TTT in a GT, but as far as this one goes... isn't it relatively short? I'm hoping the timedifferences would be relatively small. These guys get close to 60km/h at times, meaning the overall time for a team timetrial should be around 40 minutes?

35km is quite a bit more than what we are getting in most of the stage races nowadays. Usually TTTs are no longer than aroud 25km.

The 2009 TdF had a TTT of a similar length (38km). The gaps were rather significant. 3rd team lost 40 seconds. 10th team lost over 2 minutes.

 

[Broccolidwarf]

Re: Re:

Never a fan of TTT in a GT, but as far as this one goes... isn't it relatively short? I'm hoping the timedifferences would be relatively small. These guys get close to 60km/h at times, meaning the overall time for a team timetrial should be around 40 minutes?

35km is quite a bit more than what we are getting in most of the stage races nowadays. Usually TTTs are no longer than aroud 25km.

The 2009 TdF had a TTT of a similar length (38km). The gaps were rather significant. 3rd team lost 40 seconds. 10th team lost over 2 minutes.

It's longer because it's a 3 week race

 

[King Boonen]

Mod hat on:

Hi all. We're aware that this situation is a big deal but can we please point out that speculation about the case specifically belongs in the clinic, not in here. You are free to comment on what effect you think Froome's presence will have on the race, but it's not acceptable to speculate on why you think this decision was made. It's also off-topic.

Cheers,

KB.

 

[Salvarani]

Re:

Froome, Bernal, Castroviejo, Kwiatkowski, Moscon, Poels, Rowe, Thomas is confirmed by Sky.

I HATE THIS ******* TEAM SO MUCH

Sorry... but this is ridiculous

 

[Anderis]

Re: Re:

It's longer because it's a 3 week race

The last time we had a 30+km TTT in a GT was Giro 2012. We had 11 TTTs since then and all were below 30km.

 

[Escarabajo]

Re: Re:

On another topic: how do people rate Uran's chances? He was 54 seconds off winning a tdf last year. Definitely flown under the radar this year - people talk more about Bernal......

Unlikely due to Slipstream almost folding last year and loosing most of their riders then scrambling to field a full team for this year. He won't exactly have any support in the mountains and not sure he'll have a very good TTT either.

Not like he had much support in the mountains last year with Talansky and Rolland both getting ill during the race.

If Rolland and Martinez are in form, he could have better support in mounains in 2018 than in 2017.

TTT will be a problem, though. While this EF's roster is not awful TT-wise (Scully, Craddock and Martinez all have shown some TT form this year, Clarke was a part of some Orica's TTT wins in the past, Phinney's and Vanmarcke's presence should not slow them down either), some teams are bound to do much better than them, and with 35kms, gaps are going to be significant. And Uran's success in the past usually came with limiting losses rather than from chasing lost time.

This.
If anything he comes back with a stronger team and more focused. I don't think they were expecting too much last year. Not to mention the podium.

 

[Broccolidwarf]

Re: Re:

It's longer because it's a 3 week race

The last time we had a 30+km TTT in a GT was Giro 2012. We had 11 TTTs since then and all were below 30km.

I thought he compared to other stage races - since he didn't say "grand tour".....

 

[Singer01]

If, as some people on this forum are definitely hoping for (in fact even stating openly they would get involved in it) Froome was to be interfered with by a spectator, does anybody not think that the racing has to stop while he gets back on? Or is it still a case of 'its a race not a trip to the shops'.

 

[Escarabajo]

If that is the case might as well not race!

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Re:

If, as some people on this forum are definitely hoping for (in fact even stating openly they would get involved in it) Froome was to be interfered with by a spectator, does anybody not think that the racing has to stop while he gets back on? Or is it still a case of 'its a race not a trip to the shops'.

Have people really been wishing for that to happen? If so, that’s pathetic.

Of course other riders should wait if a rider is assaulted. It should go without saying whatever your views about things like mechanicals that a rider getting hit by some clown is not a racing incident.

 

[Koronin]

Re: Re:

If, as some people on this forum are definitely hoping for (in fact even stating openly they would get involved in it) Froome was to be interfered with by a spectator, does anybody not think that the racing has to stop while he gets back on? Or is it still a case of 'its a race not a trip to the shops'.

Have people really been wishing for that to happen? If so, that’s pathetic.

Of course other riders should wait if a rider is assaulted. It should go without saying whatever your views about things like mechanicals that a rider getting hit by some clown is not a racing incident.

I think it's more an possibility this could happen and if it does many wouldn't exactly be surprised.

 

[Singer01]

Re: Re:

If, as some people on this forum are definitely hoping for (in fact even stating openly they would get involved in it) Froome was to be interfered with by a spectator, does anybody not think that the racing has to stop while he gets back on? Or is it still a case of 'its a race not a trip to the shops'.

Have people really been wishing for that to happen? If so, that’s pathetic.

Of course other riders should wait if a rider is assaulted. It should go without saying whatever your views about things like mechanicals that a rider getting hit by some clown is not a racing incident.

I think it's more an possibility this could happen and if it does many wouldn't exactly be surprised.

There were people in the clinic threatening to do it.

 

[Koronin]

Re: Re:

If, as some people on this forum are definitely hoping for (in fact even stating openly they would get involved in it) Froome was to be interfered with by a spectator, does anybody not think that the racing has to stop while he gets back on? Or is it still a case of 'its a race not a trip to the shops'.

Have people really been wishing for that to happen? If so, that’s pathetic.

Of course other riders should wait if a rider is assaulted. It should go without saying whatever your views about things like mechanicals that a rider getting hit by some clown is not a racing incident.

I think it's more an possibility this could happen and if it does many wouldn't exactly be surprised.

There were people in the clinic threatening to do it.

Oh, missed that. That isn't good.

 

[42x16ss]

Re: Re:

If, as some people on this forum are definitely hoping for (in fact even stating openly they would get involved in it) Froome was to be interfered with by a spectator, does anybody not think that the racing has to stop while he gets back on? Or is it still a case of 'its a race not a trip to the shops'.

Have people really been wishing for that to happen? If so, that’s pathetic.

Of course other riders should wait if a rider is assaulted. It should go without saying whatever your views about things like mechanicals that a rider getting hit by some clown is not a racing incident.

I think it's more an possibility this could happen and if it does many wouldn't exactly be surprised.

There were people in the clinic threatening to do it.

If that’s the case, that’s not good at all, hope the mods clamp down on it.

As much as I believe Froome is disgracing the sport, I would hope that the other riders would sit up and assist if Froome does get the Merckx treatment.

 

[rick james]

Re: Re:

If, as some people on this forum are definitely hoping for (in fact even stating openly they would get involved in it) Froome was to be interfered with by a spectator, does anybody not think that the racing has to stop while he gets back on? Or is it still a case of 'its a race not a trip to the shops'.

Have people really been wishing for that to happen? If so, that’s pathetic.

Of course other riders should wait if a rider is assaulted. It should go without saying whatever your views about things like mechanicals that a rider getting hit by some clown is not a racing incident.

I think it's more an possibility this could happen and if it does many wouldn't exactly be surprised.

There were people in the clinic threatening to do it.

If that’s the case, that’s not good at all, hope the mods clamp down on it.

As much as I believe Froome is disgracing the sport, I would hope that the other riders would sit up and assist if Froome does get the Merckx treatment.

How is he disgracing the sport??