Tour de France Tour de France 2020

[Koronin]

What do you expect from stage 2. I feel that it could be as early as stage 2, for potential issues with internal hierarchy to show up, teams with multiple leaders.

May depend on the team. I'm not sure there will much of an issue at JV at least not until later in the Tour. Movistar, actually should be fine this year with their 2 leaders. Ineos will be interesting to watch on that one.

 

[Valv.Piti]

I cant understand that at all. I mean, arent the riders allowed going into a store??
How about the flights, the airports etc.? Are they quarantined, tested and not allowed to do anything for a few days after being close to other people?

God damn, Sunweb and its organizanistion is such a *** joke. Look hysteria up and you get Sunweb, I have no words...

 

[CyclistAbi]

I guess the main problem is more races are involved, not just one, and it will be hard to keep things strict in this regard. The teams are in hard position, as they more or less know, if one of their riders tests positive, that is likely the end of the race for that rider. You have to be strict in this regard.

 

[Valv.Piti]

But not going to a store??? You cant live that way. Riders go to stores everyday and Id assume and buy food and stuff.

 

[CyclistAbi]

Likely the team takes care of that. Riders therefore don't have to go to the store. Not much news about it but i feel that most of the teams are likely doing the same. Pursuing the bubble approach.

P.S. Race organizers, especially when it comes to the news coverage, here i feel that more could be done in this regard. And race organizers should keep in mind there will be other races, hence riders need to stay healthy. Not only to care about their own race.

 

[Sciatic]

I know Covid is serious and you have to be careful but there is really no defending a team that isnt willing to take risks to "fight for its hair"

Ha! I never knew how we were supposed to “fight for our hair”. I guess it’s sneaking off to the pharmacy for your shampoo!

 

[Pantani_lives]

It's Quatorze Juillet aujourd'hui. I wonder if a Frenchman is going to win.

Spoiler

Totally out of touch with reality after four months of quarantine.

 

[BlueRoads]

What do you expect from stage 2. I feel that it could be as early as stage 2, for potential issues with internal hierarchy to show up, teams with multiple leaders.

I think the guys who seriously want to go for GC will not make any important moves on stage 2. The Tour is really hard this year, there will be lots of possibilities to attack, and nobody will be entirely sure the Corona-time has not done any harm.
Thomas and Dumoulin could do very well on this stage if in form, but will they really try to go for it on a stage where it might be very difficult to get rid of people like Bernal or Roglic? They would have to go deep. It would only make sense if they really, really wanted to make a statement. Can't imagine that, too much to lose, not enough to gain. Instead I would expect very small attacks towards the tops, just to show their teams "hey look, see, I'm really on form". It's also a possibility to see for themselves how they feel.

Also personally I think Dumoulin will really work for Roglic in this Tour, I don't know why but I don't really believe in their 3-leaders thing. I feel internally they might have decided it's Roglic unless Roglic has serious problems, but they use Dumoulin and Kruiswijk to put Ineos and other teams under pressure.

I don't see Roglic attacking here either because TJV have been so very careful with everything and have been trying to duplicate Ineos, so I don't think they are going to make any bold moves in the beginning. If we see Bernal and Roglic as the main contenders Roglic is not the one who has to gain time on Bernal before the PdBF.
Kruiswijk will wait for his strength to come to the surface in the last week anyway.

The one guy I could imagine trying something here would be Bernal. He's the one who definitely has to gain time before the last stage and there won't be any real high altitude climbs on this route, so why not try something right here.
But honestly I don't see him starting a serious attack here either. He will probably wait at least for stage 8.

Froome - I really do not have any idea what he'll be like. I don't have any idea what his physical condition will be like.

I wonder if stage-hunters will be let loose, after last year and so many possibilities how the Tour could play out this year. People like Yates, Alaphilippe and Bardet (still see him going for stages) will have to lose time significantly here if they want to be let lose after this day.

All in all it looks like a good stage on which lots could happen - but really I don't expect much. Or better, I expect riders and teams to be a little frightened of what will come and watch carefully what the others do.

Maybe Pogacar will win this stage.

 

[CyclistAbi]

Not sure if they would let Pogačar go all in this early, as they for sure perceive him as a real threat, regarding GC. Roglič and Bernal likely will lack the ambition too. A bit of dilemma i have is what if such teams, multiple leaders, will need to stretch their legs a bit. First cracks, if the hierarchy isn't settled, could start to show? And somehow stage 2 just feels too ideal, for not to start some amount of tactical games on it.

 

[Earns1985]

What do you expect from stage 2. I feel that it could be as early as stage 2, for potential issues with internal hierarchy to show up, teams with multiple leaders.

I think we will not see a lot of action from the main favourites in this stage. About the stage win it will depend a lot if the field will let the breakaway get this. There will not be a lot of riders who lost already time so a win from the breakaway is not that likely. For me it looks like the typical Alaphilippe stage where he attacks on the last mountain and will get the stage win and the yellow yersey (similar to stage 3 last year)

 

[CyclistAbi]

Just took a look at the profiles a bit. If nothing unexpected will happen, feels like the fireworks could start at stage 16, last through stage 17 and last desperate attempts, for riders not happy with the outcome, reserved for stage 18. At stage 18, whoever will lead GC, will need a strong team support, to fight off attempts, attempts that will come.

P.S. Just looking at the profiles, my legs started to hurt a bit.

 

[tobydawq]

I don't expect much from stage 2 either, but I have to say that there a few intriguing things about the route, including stage 2. Obvious breakaway terrain but who dares let anyone go away to get time so early in the race when nobody really knows the shape of anyone? It's very hard to predict what will happen there, but attacks from the primary GC contenders seem very unlikely.

Another thing is the very unusual time trial which is the only time trial in the race. I think it will ensure that nobody will dare to be content with a limited gap to the second on GC which could provoke scenarios we haven't really been used to in the Tour. Initially, I was pissed that they placed the TT at stage 20 but given its nature and its unpredictability, I think it's very intriguing. Who knows who will be the best rider there?

 

[Jungle Cycle]

stage 2 with the yellow for grabs and with this start list will go for the BotD witch i think will be full of Formolo, Kwia, Wellens kind of riders..

 

[CyclistAbi]

Normally indeed you don't want yellow this early, but i guess it only takes one GC rider, to make a move ... And things could get very interesting. As for TT stage, this really isn't a typical TT. I doubt TT specialists will have that much of an advantage, compared to a classical TT stage. GC contenders will therefore indeed likely try to gain advantage elsewhere.

 

[CyclistAbi]

TT with 20% climb section in it.

P.S. Maybe they mistaken it with some cliff climbing competition!

 

[Koronin]

I suspect stage 2 may at the very least tell us who got their training correct for the Tour.

 

[Rui Machado]

Just took a look at the profiles a bit. If nothing unexpected will happen, feels like the fireworks could start at stage 16, last through stage 17 and last desperate attempts, for riders not happy with the outcome, reserved for stage 18. At stage 18, whoever will lead GC, will need a strong team support, to fight off attempts, attempts that will come.

P.S. Just looking at the profiles, my legs started to hurt a bit.

Grand colombier, col de la loze and the itt, should be the only stages where s there will be some great gaps.

 

[Bonimenier]

Grand colombier, col de la loze and the itt, should be the only stages where s there will be some great gaps.

Froome gave you inside info that he's going bombs on those stages?

 

[42x16ss]

stage 2 with the yellow for grabs and with this start list will go for the BotD witch i think will be full of Formolo, Kwia, Wellens kind of riders..

Yeah, some top 10-20 riders and guys who think they can hold yellow for a week or so will be allowed in the break but nobody more threatening will be allowed to so much as sneeze.

The real contenders will let the winner get 2-3 mins at the finish followed by a full blown hit out to establish the real GC order. Think Arcalis 2009

 

[Koronin]

Yeah, some top 10-20 riders and guys who think they can hold yellow for a week or so will be allowed in the break but nobody more threatening will be allowed to so much as sneeze.

The real contenders will let the winner get 2-3 mins at the finish followed by a full blown hit out to establish the real GC order. Think Arcalis 2009

Is this a day the break specialists try to get into the break or is it a day to lose time to get into the break later? Thinking guys like DeGendt or Wellens?

 

[Rui Machado]

Froome gave you inside info that he's going bombs on those stages?

Of course not, froome is a boring rider remember? He doesn t attack, just follows ski/ineos train.

 

[RedheadDane]

Yeah, some top 10-20 riders and guys who think they can hold yellow for a week or so will be allowed in the break but nobody more threatening will be allowed to so much as sneeze.

But if anyone else sneezes it will be all; "GO IN AN ATTACK, DAMMIT! GET THE HELL AWAY FROM US!!"

 

[42x16ss]

Is this a day the break specialists try to get into the break or is it a day to lose time to get into the break later? Thinking guys like DeGendt or Wellens?

Wellens and De Ghendt are the type of guys I had in mind with my earlier post. Can have a good 7-10 days in yellow, maybe longer but not going to win the whole Tour (unless de Ghendt totally changes his training to become a GC guy again)

 

[Escarabajo]

Stage 2, Grand Colombier, Meribel and ITT are probably the most important stages on paper.

There are many stages with many hills and it looks like a nice route to me. Putting a trio of medium mountain stages in week 1 was really great.

Traditionally in the Tour and sometimes in the Giro they put many flat or power like stages in week 1 and 2. Leaving the climbers at disadvantage. On top of that there used to be a long flat TT in week 1. Practically eliminating the climbers before they arrived to the mountains. In this forum, members keep talking about the nice balance between the flat stages, ITT and mountains when the routes come out. But the position in which you put the stages is huge for climbers. In that respect, the Vuelta has benefited the climbers over time. But for once, in my lifetime so far, we can see if the climbers take advantage of this route if the diesel engines arrive at the race unprepared. You need to be in top shape from day 1. If climbers don't take advantage of this opportunity they can get burned in the last TT. Week 3 looks very hard, but what's new. Recovery has always been an issue at the Tour.

 

[BlueRoads]

Reading that Roglic-article on the front page, where it says TJV is the second strongest team again, I have to express that it looks at least on par, if not the strongest team to me. Sure, Ineos have 3 Tour-winners, TJV none, but... Jumbo look like a hell of a team to me. What do you think?