Tour de France 2019

[Lequack]

Ineos have a new recon car now that they don't have to care for the environment anymore.

 

[Alexandre B.]

Re:

I count 7 teams with no other agenda than the GC:

Ineos
Astana
Mitchelton
Movistar
EF
AG2R
Groupama

Looking at the start list, with Ineos being a little weaker and the other 6 teams all bringing their a-listers, I think we are in for quite the battle.

AG2R will aim stage wins this year, it will not be all for Bardet and seven riders in line behind him.

 

[Pantani_lives]

Hopefully we will for once get a Tour with suspense for yellow in the final week. That has hardly been the case this decade, especially since 2012. It's always a huge anticlimax when the third week is only about stage wins and places of honour.

 

[tobydawq]

Re:

Hopefully we will for once get a Tour with suspense for yellow in the final week. That has hardly been the case this decade, especially since 2012. It's always a huge anticlimax when the third week is only about stage wins and places of honour.

Well, since I began watching (which was before I can remember back when I was three years old), there has been this kind of late suspense only in 2003, 2006, 2007 (sort of), 2008, 2010 and 2011.

So between the Armstrong and Sky eras, this was commonplace. Now, not so much.

 

[Salvarani]

Head says Bernal or Thomas wins.

Heart is fine with any other rider on another team winning.

 

[ice&fire]

The Giro experience tells me that all our predictions will be wrong. The fact that this thread doesn't have a poll at the top will just make it less obvious.

 

[Leinster]

Re: Re:

Hopefully we will for once get a Tour with suspense for yellow in the final week. That has hardly been the case this decade, especially since 2012. It's always a huge anticlimax when the third week is only about stage wins and places of honour.

Well, since I began watching (which was before I can remember back when I was three years old), there has been this kind of late suspense only in 2003, 2006, 2007 (sort of), 2008, 2010 and 2011.

So between the Armstrong and Sky eras, this was commonplace. Now, not so much.

In the Indurain era Tours tended to be wrapped up after the first mountain range. If not the TT before the mountains. Lemond was good for late drama, though.

 

[Anderis]

Re:

I count 7 teams with no other agenda than the GC:

Ineos
Astana
Mitchelton
Movistar
EF
AG2R
Groupama

Looking at the start list, with Ineos being a little weaker and the other 6 teams all bringing their a-listers, I think we are in for quite the battle.

Well, EF made it quite clear that riders like Woods and Bettiol will have some freedom chasing stage wins. And Van Garderen used a phrase "we're not a team that puts all eggs in one basket" a couple of times.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re: Re:

I count 7 teams with no other agenda than the GC:

Ineos
Astana
Mitchelton
Movistar
EF
AG2R
Groupama

Looking at the start list, with Ineos being a little weaker and the other 6 teams all bringing their a-listers, I think we are in for quite the battle.

Well, EF made it quite clear that riders like Woods and Bettiol will have some freedom chasing stage wins. And Van Garderen used a phrase "we're not a team that puts all eggs in one basket" a couple of times.

Agree. Mitchelton should also be interested in stages, they have Trentin and some nice climbers, but its Mitchelton and they are now a full on GC squad. GG.
I'd reckon Astana would be very wise to have the same approach as in the Giro. Support Lopez with the whole squad, but give the riders some opportunities to go win a stage. They have a ton of stage hunters and the Tour is tailormade for that. Would be a mistake to surround Fuglsang with 7 riders every day. Saved a very mediocre Giro.

IMO, its very unwise to put all eggs in the GC basket unless you are Movistar or Ineos.

 

[Leinster]

Re: Re:

I count 7 teams with no other agenda than the GC:

Ineos
Astana
Mitchelton
Movistar
EF
AG2R
Groupama

Looking at the start list, with Ineos being a little weaker and the other 6 teams all bringing their a-listers, I think we are in for quite the battle.

Well, EF made it quite clear that riders like Woods and Bettiol will have some freedom chasing stage wins. And Van Garderen used a phrase "we're not a team that puts all eggs in one basket" a couple of times.

Agree. Mitchelton should also be interested in stages, they have Trentin and some nice climbers, but its Mitchelton and they are now a full on GC squad. GG.
I'd reckon Astana would be very wise to have the same approach as in the Giro. Support Lopez with the whole squad, but give the riders some opportunities to go win a stage. They have a ton of stage hunters and the Tour is tailormade for that. Would be a mistake to surround Fuglsang with 7 riders every day. Saved a very mediocre Giro.

IMO, its very unwise to put all eggs in the GC basket unless you are Movistar or Ineos.

It’s been pretty unwise of Movistar to do that the past few years.

 

[Lequack]

I wonder who the sprinter is

 

[JosephK]

Re:

I wonder who the sprinter is

The Gorilla looks like he could squat press the rest of the team. :lol:

 

[Leinster]

Re: Re:

I wonder who the sprinter is

The Gorilla looks like he could squat press the rest of the team. :lol:

“Hast du nicht einmal Legday, bruder?”

 

[Lequack]

EF bikes

 

[Max Rockatansky]

Re: Re:

I wonder who the sprinter is

The Gorilla looks like he could squat press the rest of the team. :lol:

Robert Förstemann: Hold my beer.

 

[Lequack]

Re: Re:

I wonder who the sprinter is

The Gorilla looks like he could squat press the rest of the team. :lol:

Robert Förstemann: Hold my beer.

Robert doesn't need to climb hills though, whereas Andre has to do all the climbs, albeit a bit slower than the leaders.

 

[Tonton]

No stage thread yet...are we all expecting Robert to do all the work as we enjoy a 3-week vacation? Just sayin'. Once upon a time, more were involved.

I take stage 6.

 

[Robert5091]

If the forum did not become "unconnectable" I'd do a thread or two but at the moment I'm still getting problems.

 

[movingtarget]

Re:

If the forum did not become "unconnectable" I'd do a thread or two but at the moment I'm still getting problems.

Yes the same with me.

 

[Nirvana]

Re: Re:

I count 7 teams with no other agenda than the GC:

Ineos
Astana
Mitchelton
Movistar
EF
AG2R
Groupama

Looking at the start list, with Ineos being a little weaker and the other 6 teams all bringing their a-listers, I think we are in for quite the battle.

AG2R will aim stage wins this year, it will not be all for Bardet and seven riders in line behind him.

Naesen said exactly the opposite during the presentation when they asked him.

 

[Alexandre B.]

Re: Re:

I count 7 teams with no other agenda than the GC:

Ineos
Astana
Mitchelton
Movistar
EF
AG2R
Groupama

Looking at the start list, with Ineos being a little weaker and the other 6 teams all bringing their a-listers, I think we are in for quite the battle.

AG2R will aim stage wins this year, it will not be all for Bardet and seven riders in line behind him.

Naesen said exactly the opposite during the presentation when they asked him.

I read exactly the opposite of your claim by Oliver himself.

 

[Flamin]

Naesen confirmed yesterday in Vive le vélo what Alexandre B. says. Bardet is the leader who will go for gc obviously, but the others will get more freedom compared to previous years to do their own thing.

 

[RedheadDane]

OMG... being a year-round fan can be… a little annoying when watching the Tour:
They're basically explaining things I think most of us already know!

 

[tobydawq]

Re:

OMG... being a year-round fan can be… a little annoying when watching the Tour:
They're basically explaining things I think most of us already know!

Yeah, I was just about to write that...

"So, if you're wondering about this strange orange jersey that Van Avermaet is wearing..."

Good god.

 

[Pricey_sky]

Re:

OMG... being a year-round fan can be… a little annoying when watching the Tour:
They're basically explaining things I think most of us already know!

It is frustrating, but it’s the same for a lot of sports. With Wimbledon or Royal Ascot over here, the coverage is always ‘dumbed down’ for the once a year fans.

The Tour is obviously just so much bigger than every other race so we sadly have to put up with it.