Alps are earlier too. Last year he didn't get completely owned in the prep race. I don't think 2019 Bernal would even be enough, and I don't think he's even that good this year.The Pyrenees this year are a week earlier though
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Alps are earlier too. Last year he didn't get completely owned in the prep race. I don't think 2019 Bernal would even be enough, and I don't think he's even that good this year.The Pyrenees this year are a week earlier though
The Pyrenees this year are a week earlier though
Yeah, also not saying that he's as good as last year, but I think he'll get better.Alps are earlier too. Last year he didn't get completely owned in the prep race. I don't think 2019 Bernal would even be enough, and I don't think he's even that good this year.
There were bonus seconds on top of Lusette tooWell it was too far away from finish to attack at Lusette (13k then, but also less downhill ofc) so who knows...
If there was a bigger climb just before Marie Blanque the peloton might be smaller, but with the profile earlier on I fear most teams will come pretty fresh into Marie Blanque and then it can be hard to create big enoug gaps to make them count.
But the fact that there is bonus seconds on top of Marie Blanque could/shoul give incentives to attack.
I don't know man. I feel these sort of climbs tend to underwhelm a little bit. Also dont'really know what to compare it to. Lago Serru? Col de Portet? Neither were super crazy. Also think 2019 3rd week Bernal is overrated. I just don't think the Tour field was that strong.Yeah, also not saying that he's as good as last year, but I think he'll get better.
And I actually do think his shape from last year would be enough to win. The Col de la Loze is so f*cking hard, if you are better than your rivals there, even if it's not by that much, you can gain and lose so much time there.
He joined when Roglic was a podium finisher at the Giro and before the end of La Vuelta. He was the #1 rider for being a great champion of Romandie and Pais Vasco, not because he was the super favorite for the TdF.Well he joined a team which already had a world nr. 1 cyclist, winner of many races and also a GT winner. Not sure what he expected. They gave him a captain position despite being a lot worse from Roglič. That was enough.
Maybe, I missed something, but I would have thought the team car would have immediately told Dumoulin to stop working . Was his radio not working, or did he just ignore the orders?
He joined when Roglic was a podium finisher at the Giro and before the end of La Vuelta. He was the #1 rider for being a great champion of Romandie and Pais Vasco, not because he was the super favorite for the TdF.
I agree he probably should’ve signed somewhere else, but Jumbo is the only Dutch team and Tom is the most popular Dutch rider in the Peloton. Where else was he gonna go? Quick Step? They have the Wonderboy. Movistar? Doesn’t speak Spanish (that I’m aware of). EF Slipstream? Could’ve worked but Urán looks good and that team is always broke. A French team?
Sagan didn't get DQedLets stick to the racing guys.
Johan Cruyff agrees .You would think. The question now might be is their management worse than Movistar's? At least at Movistar we already know the riders more or less run things to begin with
Depends on if he's willing to learn Spanish. The team is will to teach it and gives crash courses of Spanish to new riders who aren't native Spanish speakers.
trueMaybe, but it was obvious that specific group of 3 wasn't going to cooperate with each other.
Agree, if Dumoulin is suffering then why isn't he following hiding out wheels instead of putting in a five minute max effort that leaves him totally cooked? Roglic didn't have the legs to use it as a spring for an attack and there's a good chance the entire group stays on a steady pace or slows and maybe Dumoulin hangs on or only loses a few seconds . That was cluster from JV today.
Don't know, iirc time differences on Lago Serru were pretty big. Col de Portet was that 70 km stage which I think changed the way it was raced a lot. Even then though, didn't Froome lose like almost a minute after dropping 2 km from the finish or so. Maybe it's not exactly easier to drop anyone on those sort of climbs but once you drop someone the time gaps open up much quicker.I don't know man. I feel these sort of climbs tend to underwhelm a little bit. Also dont'really know what to compare it to. Lago Serru? Col de Portet? Neither were super crazy. Also think 2019 3rd week Bernal is overrated. I just don't think the Tour field was that strong.
I think it's mostly about not blowing up, and we'll have decent idea of where everyone is before then.
I think what he said and did today he is quite a team playerMaybe Dumoulin doesn't feel conforable on riding next year(s) in the team with defending tdf champion which is not himself.
Col de Portet was an interesting example becasue Quintana did attack from the bottom.Don't know, iirc time differences on Lago Serru were pretty big. Col de Portet was that 70 km stage which I think changed the way it was raced a lot. Even then though, didn't Froome lose like almost a minute after dropping 2 km from the finish or so. Maybe it's not exactly easier to drop anyone on those sort of climbs but once you drop someone the time gaps open up much quicker.
I also think the Col de la Loze is actually even harder than the two climbs you mentioned
or competition last year was worse, hell SK was thirdBernal is clearly worse than in the Pyrenees last year
Exciting yes. Deserving? give me a break. If he wins 2 Tours in a row what are we going to say. He is just lucky and undeserving?bernal is not explosive. he always comes back at his speed. maybe he learned a bit from the froome yoyo.
not sure anyone was going to get rid of him here. they may attack away, get a gap, but he generally pulls back up.
i just hope he doesn't win like this. i already think last year was a bit of a fluke win. and there appear to be riders that are much more exciting and deserving.
Indeed, it wouldn't be the first GT Roglič loses because he won't take any risks to capitalize on early form. Which is a risk in itself, but hey, riders and DS's seem to have a blind spot for that kind of thing.Roglic should have gone for the Jugular. Yates, Bernal, Mas, Landa, Bardet were at the limit. Do it while you can. That was the good thing about Froome, always taking advantage of the first true mountain stage. He can regret it later. There is the risk that Bernal can get better later. If he couldn't then as I said before here comes flashes from the Giro last year. He will be in trouble. The big difference here is that he has a better team around him. We'll see what happens.
Maybe, I missed something, but I would have thought the team car would have immediately told Dumoulin to stop working . Was his radio not working, or did he just ignore the orders?
"Primoz, I've brought in a couple of old heroes to lift your spirits after todays tough stage"
In walks a depressed looking Michael Rasmussen and Laurens Ten Dam still covered in blood.
They should've just scrapped the whole team and started from scratch, it's got a Mr Burns' Baseball Team air about it.