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Tour de France 2019

Page 24 - Get up to date with the latest news, scores & standings from the Cycling News Community.
Re: Re:

Broccolidwarf said:
klintE said:
Broccolidwarf said:
klintE said:
Broccolidwarf said:
Don't overlook EF ;)
They will fight for 5th place with Bahrein ;)

I think they will fight with Ineos for 1st in the TTT...... on paper they have the second best TT team.
I'm probably wrong but cant see this actually realizing.

Uran, TJ and Phinney are all TT specialists, and Bettiol has raised his TT game this year, coming 2nd in the Tirreno TT and 13th in the Dauphine one, while Craddock has also improved significantly this year (12th in the Swiss Tour TT).

That's already 5 of the 8 riders contributing positively.
Uran? Last descent ITT?
 
Re:

yaco said:
My reading is Mas lack of form has cost Gilbert his spot in the TDF - More confidence in Mas means that Gilbert rides the TDF instead of Lampaert.
Why?

It's not that Gilbert would be of great use to Mas in the mountains anyway.

To be honest, his skill set (being the individualist that he is) just does not fit into the collective game plan of DQS. I applaud the decision to leave him off the team from a rational point of view.
 
Re: Re:

Eyeballs Out said:
yaco said:
My reading is Mas lack of form has cost Gilbert his spot in the TDF - More confidence in Mas means that Gilbert rides the TDF instead of Lampaert.
My reading of it is that they have three objectives in the Tour (sprints, KOM, GC) and Gilbert doesn't fit with any of those. Moreover, it makes sense for Gilbert to focus on the Worlds and do the Vuelta instead

DQS have more faith in Viviani, hence Lampaert for extra support - I can understand their thinking.
 
Re: Re:

yaco said:
Eyeballs Out said:
yaco said:
My reading is Mas lack of form has cost Gilbert his spot in the TDF - More confidence in Mas means that Gilbert rides the TDF instead of Lampaert.
My reading of it is that they have three objectives in the Tour (sprints, KOM, GC) and Gilbert doesn't fit with any of those. Moreover, it makes sense for Gilbert to focus on the Worlds and do the Vuelta instead

DQS have more faith in Viviani, hence Lampaert for extra support - I can understand their thinking.
Not just that, but eventhough Gilbert is a decent TT'er, Lampaert is clearly better. So it's also a better deal for Mas, with the TTT in mind.
 
Re: Re:

movingtarget said:
Koronin said:
Not exactly accurate. Valverde will be in the race and is a GT winner. However, unlikely as it is that he'll win the Tour especially with all the high altitude in this year's Tour.

Forgot Valverde but I don't see him as a serious contender for the podium. Landa could be interesting depending on how the Giro affected him. Really he should have podiumed at the Giro.

There may even be a fifth GT winner participating.
 
Re: Re:

Logic-is-your-friend said:
yaco said:
Eyeballs Out said:
yaco said:
My reading is Mas lack of form has cost Gilbert his spot in the TDF - More confidence in Mas means that Gilbert rides the TDF instead of Lampaert.
My reading of it is that they have three objectives in the Tour (sprints, KOM, GC) and Gilbert doesn't fit with any of those. Moreover, it makes sense for Gilbert to focus on the Worlds and do the Vuelta instead

DQS have more faith in Viviani, hence Lampaert for extra support - I can understand their thinking.
Not just that, but eventhough Gilbert is a decent TT'er, Lampaert is clearly better. So it's also a better deal for Mas, with the TTT in mind.
I don't think the TTT result will make a difference to Mas.
The squad choice was about the individual contribution to the team total.
Gilbert can go for stages, but it's less helpful in the lead-out, mountains and time trials.
And apart from home start, I don't think he should be regretting that much. Tour is very tiring and stressful. Many classics' specialists in the past have prefered to pass it.
 
Re: Re:

sir fly said:
Logic-is-your-friend said:
yaco said:
Eyeballs Out said:
yaco said:
My reading is Mas lack of form has cost Gilbert his spot in the TDF - More confidence in Mas means that Gilbert rides the TDF instead of Lampaert.
My reading of it is that they have three objectives in the Tour (sprints, KOM, GC) and Gilbert doesn't fit with any of those. Moreover, it makes sense for Gilbert to focus on the Worlds and do the Vuelta instead

DQS have more faith in Viviani, hence Lampaert for extra support - I can understand their thinking.
Not just that, but eventhough Gilbert is a decent TT'er, Lampaert is clearly better. So it's also a better deal for Mas, with the TTT in mind.
I don't think the TTT result will make a difference to Mas.
The squad choice was about the individual contribution to the team total.
Gilbert can go for stages, but it's less helpful in the lead-out, mountains and time trials.
And apart from home start, I don't think he should be regretting that much. Tour is very tiring and stressful. Many classics' specialists in the past have prefered to pass it.
Why wouldn't the TTT matter to Mas. If they do poorly he will lose time on GC.
 
Re: Re:

sir fly said:
Logic-is-your-friend said:
yaco said:
Eyeballs Out said:
yaco said:
My reading is Mas lack of form has cost Gilbert his spot in the TDF - More confidence in Mas means that Gilbert rides the TDF instead of Lampaert.
My reading of it is that they have three objectives in the Tour (sprints, KOM, GC) and Gilbert doesn't fit with any of those. Moreover, it makes sense for Gilbert to focus on the Worlds and do the Vuelta instead

DQS have more faith in Viviani, hence Lampaert for extra support - I can understand their thinking.
Not just that, but eventhough Gilbert is a decent TT'er, Lampaert is clearly better. So it's also a better deal for Mas, with the TTT in mind.
I don't think the TTT result will make a difference to Mas.
The squad choice was about the individual contribution to the team total.
Gilbert can go for stages, but it's less helpful in the lead-out, mountains and time trials.
And apart from home start, I don't think he should be regretting that much. Tour is very tiring and stressful. Many classics' specialists in the past have prefered to pass it.

It can put Mas in yellow on stage 6, and the TTT is in the belgian capital, so I'm pretty sure stage 2 is a major target for DQ.
 
Re: Re:

sir fly said:
Broccolidwarf said:
It can put Mas in yellow on stage 6, and the TTT is in the belgian capital, so I'm pretty sure stage 2 is a major target for DQ.
Of course it's a big target for the team, but to Mas won't mean that much if he doesn't upgrade the Swiss edition.

If DQ manage to win the TTT, with Lampaert and Asgreen in the team, "all" he has to do on stage 6, is sit with the GC favorites (none of whom will attack for real yet), and the time he has won on the TTT will be enough for yellow.

Not saying he can keep it till the end, but he can get around a week in it, if all goes well.

I even think both Ineos and Astana would love for DQ to take the jersey early, so they don't have to work from stage 3 onwards.
 
William Bonet selected for Groupama-FDJ??? So they decide that 7 riders are enough? Bonnet is 37 and hasn't shown anything for almost 10 years. Plenty of young promising riders who could have done a far better job supporting Pinot.
 
Re: Re:

Broccolidwarf said:
sir fly said:
Broccolidwarf said:
It can put Mas in yellow on stage 6, and the TTT is in the belgian capital, so I'm pretty sure stage 2 is a major target for DQ.
Of course it's a big target for the team, but to Mas won't mean that much if he doesn't upgrade the Swiss edition.

If DQ manage to win the TTT, with Lampaert and Asgreen in the team, "all" he has to do on stage 6, is sit with the GC favorites (none of whom will attack for real yet), and the time he has won on the TTT will be enough for yellow.

Not saying he can keep it till the end, but he can get around a week in it, if all goes well.

I even think both Ineos and Astana would love for DQ to take the jersey early, so they don't have to work from stage 3 onwards.
Until they get to La Planche des Belles Filles Alaphilippe might have a word or two. Don't forget that as well.
 
Re:

vladimir said:
William Bonet selected for Groupama-FDJ??? So they decide that 7 riders are enough? Bonnet is 37 and hasn't shown anything for almost 10 years. Plenty of young promising riders who could have done a far better job supporting Pinot.
This seems a bit harsh. I do not follow Bonnet nor FDJ closely, but maybe he is of high value in the first hours in the race, knows how to guide Pinot through the peloton and is important for the mental aspect of his leaders during a three week race? A lot of valuable work is not broadcasted.
 
Re: Re:

Popchu said:
vladimir said:
William Bonet selected for Groupama-FDJ??? So they decide that 7 riders are enough? Bonnet is 37 and hasn't shown anything for almost 10 years. Plenty of young promising riders who could have done a far better job supporting Pinot.
This seems a bit harsh. I do not follow Bonnet nor FDJ closely, but maybe he is of high value in the first hours in the race, knows how to guide Pinot through the peloton and is important for the mental aspect of his leaders during a three week race? A lot of valuable work is not broadcasted.

This is probably the reason but him being selected does remind me of the selections of Jesús Hernández and Benjamín Noval for many of Contador's squads.

Looking at Bonnet's recent results doesn't provide one with anything informative regarding his level because he always plays the role of helper.

But it's three years since his last Tour, so it does seem a bit surprising that he was selected this year.
 
Re: Re:

Broccolidwarf said:
nevele neves said:
Maybe the excessive heat will have an effect similar to 2003

Extreme heat is the one thing that can bring Fuglsang down.
He has a tendency to "cook" easier than other riders.

On the flip side, he is one of the best when the weather turns bad.
Winners and losers for weather. I think it might make things more interesting.
 
Re: Re:

tobydawq said:
Popchu said:
vladimir said:
William Bonet selected for Groupama-FDJ??? So they decide that 7 riders are enough? Bonnet is 37 and hasn't shown anything for almost 10 years. Plenty of young promising riders who could have done a far better job supporting Pinot.
This seems a bit harsh. I do not follow Bonnet nor FDJ closely, but maybe he is of high value in the first hours in the race, knows how to guide Pinot through the peloton and is important for the mental aspect of his leaders during a three week race? A lot of valuable work is not broadcasted.

This is probably the reason but him being selected does remind me of the selections of Jesús Hernández and Benjamín Noval for many of Contador's squads.

Looking at Bonnet's recent results doesn't provide one with anything informative regarding his level because he always plays the role of helper.

But it's three years since his last Tour, so it does seem a bit surprising that he was selected this year.
Bonnet is the best helper of Pinot on flat terrain and has been part of his squad for quite some time.
 
Re: Re:

tobydawq said:
movingtarget said:
Koronin said:
Not exactly accurate. Valverde will be in the race and is a GT winner. However, unlikely as it is that he'll win the Tour especially with all the high altitude in this year's Tour.

Forgot Valverde but I don't see him as a serious contender for the podium. Landa could be interesting depending on how the Giro affected him. Really he should have podiumed at the Giro.

There may even be a fifth GT winner participating.[/quoteS

Simon Yates ?
 
Re: Re:

movingtarget said:
tobydawq said:
movingtarget said:
Koronin said:
Not exactly accurate. Valverde will be in the race and is a GT winner. However, unlikely as it is that he'll win the Tour especially with all the high altitude in this year's Tour.

Forgot Valverde but I don't see him as a serious contender for the podium. Landa could be interesting depending on how the Giro affected him. Really he should have podiumed at the Giro.

There may even be a fifth GT winner participating.[/quoteS

Simon Yates ?


Adam Yates is, but I haven't seen confirmation that Simon is racing it yet or not. Same with Aru, don't know if he is or isn't. So it's possible either one is the 5th and if both then 5th and 6th.
 
Re: Re:

Broccolidwarf said:
Cinemaniak said:
Who will dominate the final in the sprint stages? (not winning I mean)

DCQ: Asgreen, Lampaert, Richeze and Morkov (Viviani)
Jumbo Visma: Martin, Van Aert, Jansen and Teunissen (Groenewegen)
TTD: Vermote, King, EBH, Eisel and Jans v Reinsburg (Cav)
Lotto: De Gendt, Keukeleire, De Buyst and Kluge (Ewan)

I think the first two teams are exactly on the same level, with Groenewegen being faster, but less experienced. But his team is so much more improved since last year with Tony Martin, Van Aert and Teunissen there. It's the first time in years I can't tell if DCQ has the best lead-out. TTD and Lotto could benefit when somehow it's not working out for the first two teams, but not quite on the same level.

Man, I'd love to see Asgreen and Martin go head to head, from 2k to 1k :D
Viviani said to the Gazzetta that the first wagon to take the others in front with 1,5 kms to go and launch the train into the last km will be Alaphilippe because is great in positioning and can do a long pull.
 

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