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Tour de France 2019 stage 14: Tarbes - Tourmalet 117 km

Page 19 - Get up to date with the latest news, scores & standings from the Cycling News Community.

Will Alaphilippe lose the maillot jaune tomorrow?

  • Yes

    Votes: 19 22.9%
  • No

    Votes: 64 77.1%

  • Total voters
    83
  • Poll closed .
Re: Re:

hrotha said:
Forever The Best said:
hrotha said:
Disgraceful display today.
What else did you expect? The commentators love this, the audience loves this, the riders are too chickenshit to try anything, most of the riders who attack on climbs are either not here, or way off form. (Or testing his strength and defending maillot jaune in Ala's case)

What an awful stage. I hope Ala manages to win this.
I didn't expect much but usually on the Tourmalet someone attacks before the last kilometer.
Thing is, history has taught us that when you attack Sky from too far out, they inevitably run you down and roll past you. So even after Thomas got detached, it seemed a bad idea to attack Bernal.

Now, it’s open season, and teams are going to be a lot less afraid to have a go at Ineos. And if it works, it’ll be Mainly because Ineos are going to start looking to other teams to take on some of the load.
 
Brough said:
The moaning on this forum is pathetic. That was compelling viewing with a dramatic finale and yet if the GC guys aren’t trying to push each other off cliffs or attacking in the neutral zone loads of you start crying and complaining how boring it all is. Accusing the riders of cowardice is appalling. Stop moaning or follow another sport. I loved today and have loved every minute of this enthralling Tour.

This.... it was attritional but interesting today, despite the lack of fireworks. I wonder if Jumbo shouldn't have tried a bit more. But trouble is Crushweak is just not an explosive rider. de Plus looks the business for a future GT.
 
Re: Re:

Leinster said:
hrotha said:
Forever The Best said:
hrotha said:
Disgraceful display today.
What else did you expect? The commentators love this, the audience loves this, the riders are too chickenshit to try anything, most of the riders who attack on climbs are either not here, or way off form. (Or testing his strength and defending maillot jaune in Ala's case)

What an awful stage. I hope Ala manages to win this.
I didn't expect much but usually on the Tourmalet someone attacks before the last kilometer.
Thing is, history has taught us that when you attack Sky from too far out, they inevitably run you down and roll past you. So even after Thomas got detached, it seemed a bad idea to attack Bernal.

Now, it’s open season, and teams are going to be a lot less afraid to have a go at Ineos. And if it works, it’ll be Mainly because Ineos are going to start looking to other teams to take on some of the load.
Bernal is still unproven, Thomas isn't Froome and the fact that he was distanced in the end (and never looked that great) suggests they spared him when they could have put serious time on him. That opportunity might or might not come back in the next stages. But I agree with the implication of your post: they were too scared to try.
 
Always believed that if you make a mountain stage hard from the beginning then you weaken Ineos by the time you arrive at the last mountain - Have a feeling that one of the contenders will have a super day and take 1 to 1 1/2 minutes from the opposition.
 
Re:

Carols said:
Well I'm going to whine but only about the fact that I kept getting kicked out and couldn't join while the race was on!

The race was the slow burn of attrition and I'll admit I was jumping and yelling when Ineos fell apart and then Thomas was dropped :).

Great win for Pinot!!! Alaphillipe is just So Strong right now. He was struggling more than once but was still there and could have won I think. I hope he stays strong tomorrow so he'll get a rest day and hopefully a couple of easy stages before the big 3 next week. If he falters it appears to be anyone's race! Movi needs to do some major regrouping!

I'm for one am enjoying this race so far!

Hahaha, I was slapping my legs and shouting Go Pinot, go! when Thomas got dropped lol, I have red thighs now :D
 
Only reason Ineos looks weak is Kwiatkowski who’s obviously not on form and the fact that support riders Thomas and Bernal are there to ride GC in absence of Froome. If he was here it would have been businesses as usual, Thomas, Bernal and Poels would have crushed the field and killed any racing. The only surprise this year is the strength of Alaphilippe, and even though I would have liked to see peak Froome in one last hurrah, I’m loving this tour!
 
Thanks to Movistar for creating some entertainment for the neutral. Otherwise it was all a bit meh. I think with hindsight Pinot will regret not having attacked from further out. He could have overhauled Thomas in the standings.

Puzzling to see so many proven talents failing despite focussing on the Tour, like Yates, Porte, Quintana & Bardet. I cant remember seeing a key mountain stage immediately following an ITT before, is that rare? If so, if might help explain things.
 
Oude Geuze said:
Only reason Ineos looks weak is Kwiatkowski who’s obviously not on form and the fact that support riders Thomas and Bernal are there to ride GC in absence of Froome. If he was here it would have been businesses as usual, Thomas, Bernal and Poels would have crushed the field and killed any racing. The only surprise this year is the strength of Alaphilippe, and even though I would have liked to see peak Froome in one last hurrah, I’m loving this tour!

Except Poels went early too, something tells me Ineos is losing their edge.
 
This stage was what you would call a La Pierre Saint Martin-light-light. Think it was a decent stage considering all the big timelosses, but it was a bit tame up front unfortunately.

That and Ax-3-Domaines. Oh, the memories when Sky would just *** everyone over at the first MTF. Loved the carnage.
 
Re: Re:

hrotha said:
Forever The Best said:
hrotha said:
Disgraceful display today.
What else did you expect? The commentators love this, the audience loves this, the riders are too chickenshit to try anything, most of the riders who attack on climbs are either not here, or way off form. (Or testing his strength and defending maillot jaune in Ala's case)

What an awful stage. I hope Ala manages to win this.
I didn't expect much but usually on the Tourmalet someone attacks before the last kilometer.

Thankfully the absence of Seve was unnoticed in The Open today! :D
 
Bang! go all the theories. It's the least predictable Tour in many years. Six or seven riders can still win, but each of those can get a bad day. Could we see the first French Tour winner since Hinault? Could Patrick Lefevere finally win the Tour? L'Année ou jamais!

I wonder of the top six who could have gained time by attacking earlier. Pinot and Bernal most likely. Ineos can still win, but Bernal looks like their strongest card now. I really don't know what's going to happen to Alaf. He's the first candidate now, but there are still four stages where he can crack. At least we will have suspense for yellow in the final week for the first time in many years!
 
Re:

Danskebjerge said:
This wasn't a boring stage, as many claim. It was a standard Tour de France mountain stage, with time deficits happening within the final 2-3 kilometers as usual.

I disagree. It is rare in the TDF to have so many riders together in the last km and not a single attack from anyone in the top 10 on GC outside the last km. Not even a team with a big budget really forcing the pace (Steven K even asked Lotto to be less aggressive with the pace and someone like Buchmann got so bored he chanced his arm). I can't recall the last time I've seen that on a decisive stage.
 
Apparently Quintana never told anyone on the team he was having a bad day or not feeling well. Also feel a bit for Valverde who said he didn't want to ride for GC in the Tour this year (or anymore in general) and kept saying he wanted to go stage hunting. Now he's likely being asked to ride for GC and take up co leader role with Landa. I do think Landa did the best he could. He said he was he was on his limit and even went into the red in the last KM to stay as close as he could.
 
Re: Re:

Fergoose said:
Danskebjerge said:
This wasn't a boring stage, as many claim. It was a standard Tour de France mountain stage, with time deficits happening within the final 2-3 kilometers as usual.

I disagree. It is rare in the TDF to have so many riders together in the last km and not a single attack from anyone in the top 10 on GC outside the last km. Not even a team with a big budget really forcing the pace (Steven K even asked Lotto to be less aggressive with the pace and someone like Buchmann got so bored he chanced his arm). I can't recall the last time I've seen that on a decisive stage.

Bardet's win 2017:

https://youtu.be/1pr7lwjgSXA
 
Brough said:
The moaning on this forum is pathetic. That was compelling viewing with a dramatic finale and yet if the GC guys aren’t trying to push each other off cliffs or attacking in the neutral zone loads of you start crying and complaining how boring it all is. Accusing the riders of cowardice is appalling. Stop moaning or follow another sport. I loved today and have loved every minute of this enthralling Tour.
swap Alaphillipe with Froome and no one would call it compelling
 
Re: Re:

Danskebjerge said:
Fergoose said:
Danskebjerge said:
This wasn't a boring stage, as many claim. It was a standard Tour de France mountain stage, with time deficits happening within the final 2-3 kilometers as usual.

I disagree. It is rare in the TDF to have so many riders together in the last km and not a single attack from anyone in the top 10 on GC outside the last km. Not even a team with a big budget really forcing the pace (Steven K even asked Lotto to be less aggressive with the pace and someone like Buchmann got so bored he chanced his arm). I can't recall the last time I've seen that on a decisive stage.

Bardet's win 2017:

https://youtu.be/1pr7lwjgSXA
There are quite a few similarities to this stage I think. For once obviously that basically all favorites waited for the final 500 meters to move (although I felt like today's stage still had a lot more happening before those final 500 meters) but also the leader of team sky/ineos losing time and the big french hope winning the stage.
The thing is, in 2017 Froome was clearly on a bad day on this stage and while everyone celebrated Bardet's stage win or even just the fact that most contenders gained time on Froome this ended up being the stage where they basically gifted Froome the tour win as this was the one stage where they could have gained big chunks but at the end only gained seconds due to waiting too long. Pinot might be very happy right now, but if it turns out Thomas was just on a bad day he will regret not attacking earlier for a long time.
 
rick james said:
Brough said:
The moaning on this forum is pathetic. That was compelling viewing with a dramatic finale and yet if the GC guys aren’t trying to push each other off cliffs or attacking in the neutral zone loads of you start crying and complaining how boring it all is. Accusing the riders of cowardice is appalling. Stop moaning or follow another sport. I loved today and have loved every minute of this enthralling Tour.
swap Alaphillipe with Froome and no one would call it compelling

But you do see how this comparison doesn’t work? Just in case...

Froome- multiple Tour winner. Expected to be involved in all big mountain finales.

Ala- never been in this position before, everyone expecting him to crack at any moment.

See?
 
Re:

Koronin said:
Apparently Quintana never told anyone on the team he was having a bad day or not feeling well. Also feel a bit for Valverde who said he didn't want to ride for GC in the Tour this year (or anymore in general) and kept saying he wanted to go stage hunting. Now he's likely being asked to ride for GC and take up co leader role with Landa. I do think Landa did the best he could. He said he was he was on his limit and even went into the red in the last KM to stay as close as he could.

Why wouldn't AV want to ride for GC?
 
Re: Re:

Juan Pelota said:
Koronin said:
Apparently Quintana never told anyone on the team he was having a bad day or not feeling well. Also feel a bit for Valverde who said he didn't want to ride for GC in the Tour this year (or anymore in general) and kept saying he wanted to go stage hunting. Now he's likely being asked to ride for GC and take up co leader role with Landa. I do think Landa did the best he could. He said he was he was on his limit and even went into the red in the last KM to stay as close as he could.

Why wouldn't AV want to ride for GC?

Because he likes winning stages more than getting eighth on GC. He’s more likely to get a stage win or two if he’s twenty minutes down.

He’s right too. Tour stages add to his palmares significantly. A seventh top 10, eighteenth across the three GTs, adds nothing at all. Fighting for eighth is a big deal when you are trying to establish that you are a future GT contender or trying to establish that you deserve a GC leader’s wage. Valverde isn’t in that kind of situation.
 
70 Big Photos from Stage 14 (descriptions to come) — flockton/aso/bettini/corvos
http://www.steephill.tv/2019/tour-de-france/photos/stage-14/

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