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

[Broccolidwarf]

Rolland burning up his team because he missed the break.

He wants the polka dots.

 

[Volderke]

Give up, Rolland. Carapaz will take the KOM jersey.

 

[Finn84]

Carapaz, Castroviejo, Kwiatkowski, Van Baarle Ineos
Sagan Bora
Peters AG2R
Jungels, Bennett DQS
Molard, Reichenbach FDJ
Bilbao Bahrain
Bettiol, Van Garderen EF
D.Quintana Arkea
Cataldo, Oliveira, Rojas, Verona Movistar
Geschke, Trentin CCC
Edet, Herrada Cofidis
Sanchez Astana
De Gendt, De Buyst Lotto
Neilands Israel
Gogl, Valgren NTT
Arndt, Hirschi, Kragh Andersen, Roche Sunweb

 

[Broccolidwarf]

Stage being raced this hard from the start, will cost later on.

We may see a lot in trouble with the time limit today.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

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.

he did sprint. In fact he tried to get the jump on Bennett. He gave up after Bennett accelerated. the giving up part was still weird though because he coughed up a couple of points to Trentin. He has done that repeatedly to Morkov. He sees that Bennett is gone, gives up and then loses a point or two to his leadout as well. If Sagan goes big tomorrow, it all goes perfectly... and then he loses Green by <10 points in Paris it will be because he kept carelessly losing points in ones and twos to people he’s faster than

 

[Broccolidwarf]

Asgreen and Devenyns keeping Alaphilippe close to the front, he may go on the first climb.

 

[spalco]

Asgreen and Devenyns keeping Alaphilippe close to the front, he may go on the first climb.

What the *** for? He's not bridging that gap certainly.

 

[Pricey_sky]

What the *** for? He's not bridging that gap certainly.

And if he does, after the evidence of the past few days he’d probably be dropped later in the stage when it kicks off anyway.

 

[Broccolidwarf]

What the *** for? He's not bridging that gap certainly.

It’s not a big gap, because Rolland is keeping it down.

 

[roundabout]

What the *** for? He's not bridging that gap certainly.

30 riders ahead may not go that fast on the climb initially until they sort out who will work

 

[gregrowlerson]

If only there were no race radios, with a break of this size, Mick Jagger would probably be able to ninja his way into it and win the Tour.

 

[RedheadDane]

Gogl, Valgren NTT

I can just imagine the tactic meeting:
"Michael, try to get in the break!"
"Who of us?"
"Yes!"

 

[ppanther92]

Rolland burning up his team because he missed the break.

He wants the polka dots.

He already missed it two days ago and had to made the time up by going fast on the first climb and then suffering. Will be the same today again. But in the end he messed up.

 

[Eyeballs Out]

he did sprint. In fact he tried to get the jump on Bennett. He gave up after Bennett accelerated. the giving up part was still weird though because he coughed up a couple of points to Trentin. He has done that repeatedly to Morkov. He sees that Bennett is gone, gives up and then loses a point or two to his leadout as well. If Sagan goes big tomorrow, it all goes perfectly... and then he loses Green by <10 points in Paris it will be because he kept carelessly losing points in ones and twos to people he’s faster than

I think from day 1 Sagan has not been going all out in the intermediate sprints. He knows better than anyone that the points race is an endurance race. Missing out on a few points doesn't matter. If he doesn't win green it will be purely because of the two blundered sprint finishes where he lost 20+ points and (effectively) 53 points respectively

 

[Faserr]

That will be a long day for the sprinters.

 

[roundabout]

TDE???

 

[Luthor]

Sanchez is the dark horse in the break.

 

[ppanther92]

he did sprint. In fact he tried to get the jump on Bennett. He gave up after Bennett accelerated. the giving up part was still weird though because he coughed up a couple of points to Trentin. He has done that repeatedly to Morkov. He sees that Bennett is gone, gives up and then loses a point or two to his leadout as well. If Sagan goes big tomorrow, it all goes perfectly... and then he loses Green by <10 points in Paris it will be because he kept carelessly losing points in ones and twos to people he’s faster than

Probably won't matter in the end, but in fact I tink he gave up on 20+ points by never beating Morkov, which he should, in all honesty, be able to do.

 

[Pirazziattacks]

Give up, Rolland. Carapaz will take the KOM jersey.

He's already said he's exhausted so yeah it does seem a bit futile.

 

[Eclipse]

What a fighter this Pierre

 

[Broccolidwarf]

Rolland and Alaphilippe off the front, as expected.

 

[perico]

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

He’s killing his team and then basically sitting up.

 

[Red Rick]

And if he does, after the evidence of the past few days he’d probably be dropped later in the stage when it kicks off anyway.

He must sabotage another breakaway for another red number.

 

[ppanther92]

What the *** for? He's not bridging that gap certainly.

He may but later on he will certainly explode.

 

[BlueRoads]

I finally understand Alaphilippe's tactics: "I don't have the legs to win big things this year anyway, so I'm just making as much fuss as possible as long as I can."