Tour de France 2020 | Stage 18 (Méribel - La Roche-sur-Foron, 175 km)

[Eclipse]

After rewatching yesterday’s stage I’m feeling Bilbao more and more. He’s clearly got great legs and the stage profile is perfect.

Bilbao could be a great shout but it depends whether he's allowed to ride for himself or whether Landa rides for redemption I guess

#FreePello

 

[cellardoor]

Yea everyone wants in this break, but I suspect Jumbo will police it by sending their own guys into the same break rather than chasing everything down.

Van Aert, Gesink and Bennett seem the prime candidates for this. +200 cheek if they throw in one Tammy D.

I don't see the point in this. If someone attacks and bridges and Roglic follows then he can rely on the teammates of the person that attacked to set the pace. If Roglic prefers not to follow then he has a depleted team to chase and the teammates in the break just have to drop back anyway. I think on the contrary that Jumbo will be willing to let the odd rival teammate go up the road and will be confident in their ability to chase down any attack.

 

[spalco]

I don't see the point in this. If someone attacks and bridges and Roglic follows then he can rely on the teammates of the person that attacked to set the pace. If Roglic prefers not to follow then he has a depleted team to chase and the teammates in the break just have to drop back anyway. I think on the contrary that Jumbo will be willing to let the odd rival teammate go up the road and will be confident in their ability to chase down any attack.

The jumbots have been very restrictive in who they let into the break so far in the race, I don't see any reason why they'd change that now.

 

[Red Rick]

I don't see the point in this. If someone attacks and bridges and Roglic follows then he can rely on the teammates of the person that attacked to set the pace. If Roglic prefers not to follow then he has a depleted team to chase and the teammates in the break just have to drop back anyway. I think on the contrary that Jumbo will be willing to let the odd rival teammate go up the road and will be confident in their ability to chase down any attack.

That's why you send Bennett, Gesink or Van Aert. These guys won't be there when Lopez or Pogacar attacks anyway.

 

[cellardoor]

The jumbots have been very restrictive in who they let into the break so far in the race, I don't see any reason why they'd change that now.

True, but today will be manic and they might waste too much energy early on controlling the break. They may have to settle for a "not so dangerous" member of Astana, UAE etc getting up the road.

 

[Volderke]

Jumbots haven't been restrictive I feel. They just don't allow a break going with anyone closer than e.g. 5 minutes.
It's mainly Bora and DQS (for green), AG2R (for KOM jersey) and some other teams that often have brought back break aways becasue the composition wasn't right for them.

 

[Volderke]

Here we go. Less than 14 kms and we know if there is still a fight for green.

 

[perico]

I’m exhausted by Sagan’s hopeless flailing.

 

[spalco]

Beautiful helicopter-footage.

 

[Finn84]

Looks like 30+ rider breakaway.

 

[Mayomaniac]

Bora will probably try to use their climbers to make Sam Bennett finish OTL today, I expect them to ride hard on the first climb.

 

[spalco]

Bora will probably try to use their climbers to make Sam Bennett finish OTL today, I expect them to ride hard on the first climb.

Hail Mary attempt if that should be their plan, Bennett's finished 4/5 GTs he's taken part in so far.

 

[roundabout]

Bora should go all-in tomorrow. Much bigger chance of gains there than riding Bennett OTL today

 

[RedheadDane]

Huge break.
And it's bubble-head time!

 

[spalco]

Break's mostly set it seems? Two Boras are trying to come across, but the peloton seems ok with how things are.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Hail Mary attempt if that should be their plan, Bennett's finished 4/5 GTs he's taken part in so far.

including the one where he broke his hand in a big stage one crash

 

[roundabout]

I see Lutsenko in the break, but apart from him noone else from GC teams it seems

Edit: Bahrain is there too

 

[perico]

Sagan just needs to stop. It’s embarrassing.

 

[Mayomaniac]

I see Lutsenko in the break, but apart from him noone else from GC teams it seems

Edit: Bahrain is there too

Bilbao and 4 Movistar guys (for the team classification, of course).

 

[Finn84]

32 riders in a break with Carapaz being the best-placed in GC.

 

[BlueRoads]

Schachmann and Kämna are a lovely couple, but Bora's tactics are ?

 

[spalco]

Sagan just needs to stop. It’s embarrassing.

Disagree. He's honouring the race by still trying. He could have "stopped" ages ago after the DQ.

 

[happytramp]

Sagan just needs to stop. It’s embarrassing.

He's just trying to keep in touch so he can go all in tomorrow I'd say. It'll be difficult to control but he could make up a huge deficit if things go his way.

 

[roundabout]

Bilbao and 4 Movistar guys (for the team classification, of course).

Yeh, my brain hasn't actually registered yet that Mas is a legit top 5 threat now

 

[Keram]

Sagan should sprint at least and not giving up 25 metres before line. It is sad to see.

Also Bora duo was sleeping big time.