Tour de France Tour de France 2024, Stage 1: Florence (Firenze) - Rimini, 206.0k

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Oldermanish

Jan 31, 2016
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Danskebjerge said:
I see you point, but is it simple? I would say it was easier to make clear before the race that motorbikes right in front of the riders are not allowed within the last x kilometres.

The camera motorbikes don’t place themselves there by accident.
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The officials were moving them out in the last kms. Sour grapes to suggest anything was "given" to the DSM Trojans that made it to the line. That was some serious, hard discipline to not crack.
 
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Rackham

Rackham

Jul 16, 2015
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AnotherArmChair said:
Today was very hard....going to be a very hard Tour and if you are not 100% or over your best there may be surprises
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Yes.

Last year stage 1 was all about fireworks & UAE versus Jumbo immediately. Here it felt like a battle of attrition instead.

I'm still hoping for a tight GC fight but there's very little to take from today's grind. Except that Ayuso didn't look so good.
 
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Oldermanish

Jan 31, 2016
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titan31 said:
Could be interesting tomorrow if it's as hot. Harder day and more likely got GC attacks so could get some decent gaps
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The way some riders responded to the heat could also provide some weird, conservative strategy like today. UAE throttled back to save Ayuso and JV didn't look excited to drive hard either. Unless something definitive can be achieved it's not worth losing serious GC players and end up defending a jersey with reduced troops....in the heat. All pre-Tour predictions couldn't forsee the impact of hot, humid conditions this early.
 
T

titan31

Jul 13, 2012
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Oldermanish said:
The way some riders responded to the heat could also provide some weird, conservative strategy like today. UAE throttled back to save Ayuso and JV didn't look excited to drive hard either. Unless something definitive can be achieved it's not worth losing serious GC players and end up defending a jersey with reduced troops....in the heat. All pre-Tour predictions couldn't forsee the impact of hot, humid conditions this early.
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True, I do think today we had a few (even if they're very fringe GC guys now) like Gaudu, Martinez drop and Buitrago and Meintjes were struggling. Not sure if there's just their usual style or if they were struggling but Gall and Simon Yates were at the back a bit. Maybe someone like Ineos who didn't look too bad might try something to see if they can drop a few others who might be battling for top 5s.
 
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Rackham

Rackham

Jul 16, 2015
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Breezy1985 said:
I really hope that team just sit Gaudu down and tell him he will never be more than a domestique. Lenny at least has the chance to be the next Barguil or G.Martin
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Domestique for who though? This team (FDJ) has had an obsession with French GC leaders for as long as I remember. I do believe it's the main goal of the sponsor, aka a French rider doing well in GC in the Tour.

Gaudu is now about to experience the next level of pressure, i.e. if anyone thinks that just because his GC is dead, he can ride with a 'free spirit', think again, i.e. now is exactly the time people are going to expect a stage win from a breakaway.

Honestly I don't think he's anywhere near capable of delivering that either. So his stock is falling rapidly (& has been for two years now).
 
Logic-is-your-friend

Logic-is-your-friend

Jun 7, 2011
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Rackham said:
Domestique for who though? This team (FDJ) has had an obsession with French GC leaders for as long as I remember. I do believe it's the main goal of the sponsor, aka a French rider doing well in GC in the Tour.

Gaudu is now about to experience the next level of pressure, i.e. if anyone thinks that just because his GC is dead, he can ride with a 'free spirit', think again, i.e. now is exactly the time people are going to expect a stage win from a breakaway.

Honestly I don't think he's anywhere near capable of delivering that either. So his stock is falling rapidly (& has been for two years now).
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Démare got some pointers from Nibali on how to stitch together a competent voodoo doll and where to stick it.
 
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Breezy1985

Breezy1985

May 25, 2018
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Rackham said:
Domestique for who though? This team (FDJ) has had an obsession with French GC leaders for as long as I remember. I do believe it's the main goal of the sponsor, aka a French rider doing well in GC in the Tour.

Gaudu is now about to experience the next level of pressure, i.e. if anyone thinks that just because his GC is dead, he can ride with a 'free spirit', think again, i.e. now is exactly the time people are going to expect a stage win from a breakaway.

Honestly I don't think he's anywhere near capable of delivering that either. So his stock is falling rapidly (& has been for two years now).
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Could dom for Lenny in the Vuelta or something. If he tries to win breakaway TdF stages his life will be a long stretch of getting dropped on final climbs.
 
Libertine Seguros

Libertine Seguros

Feb 20, 2010
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Rackham said:
Domestique for who though?
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02_Cecilie_8761_1024x1024.jpg
 
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U

Unchained

Sep 5, 2016
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MartinGT said:
Saw a video of him throwing up on a descent
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They showed 2 times were he barfed and Jens Voight was on the motorcycle, he speaks like Arnold " this is very very serious, Cavendish is getting dropped off the wheel every few feet " that was with well over 100+k to go , he really toughed it out. I thought he was going to abandon. He refused a bottle a few times, just going to vomit it up.
 
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Unchained

Sep 5, 2016
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Logic-is-your-friend said:
Buitrago on the other hand was able to come back and stay in the bunch because the tempo dropped when Visma bluffed their way to the front and UAE got a bit scared when Ayuso was about to drop and they had no workers left. I wonder if Buitrago just had an offday, perhaps needing some time to find his rhythm after last weeks training blocks, or whether he will get dropped again in the next days when the race gets hard.
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I noticed that also, really impressive. Alberto Bettiol is having a really great year, top 10 today and in the mix all the time. Lots of people are down on Pogacar contesting the sprint, personally I am impressed.. And if there was an wonder about secretive Sierra Nevada sessions, Wout was right there all day and he got a podium out of his efforts. UAE raced like humans today.. EF, Ineos, and Visma all got a boost from seeing them ride like people. I am sure there is a good reason to bring Wellons
 
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