Tour of Britain 5-12 September 2021

[Netserk]

Alaphilippe

He goes so deep he's half-dead at the finish and you complain about him not sprinting straightly... like he actually was endangering anybody there...

He looks back over his shoulder three times in no time to make sure he only starts moving to his right just as Van Aert launches his sprint.

I think it's fair to use your position in a sprint to hinder those behind you, but at least be elegant about it.

 

[Danskebjerge]

I think that this is the toughest climb in the area not in the middle of nowhere (that is with a decently sized town right next to it).

Still a bit borderline in terms of logistics for the finish as the parking lot up top is not exactly large.

Yeah, it did look rather tight in the finish area. But there seemed to be grass fields next to the road, and they have more potential in terms of space than buildings would have.

 

[Ilmaestro99]

While it's always pleasing to see Alaphilippe lose, I can't wait for the day he retires or at least is no longer elite.

Alaphilippe is great for cycling. Better than these charismaless robots.

 

[BlueRoads]

I definitely was anticipating him making a wild swerve to his right as Van Aert came up alongside him!

Okay, he did that one time that I remember, in Liège. The other times it's just his usual not very steady movement. No reason to pretend he usually swerves with purpose to keep competitors from winning.

 

[Red Rick]

Alaphilippe

He goes so deep he's half-dead at the finish and you complain about him not sprinting straightly... like he actually was endangering anybody there...

I expect professional bike riders to be able to ride their bike semi-adequately when slightly out of breath.

It's like all the excuses I see for horror tackles in football when "they didn't mean it". Suddenly when it's convenient fans act like the player is spastic or something.

 

[Sciatic]

Yeah, it did look rather tight in the finish area. But there seemed to be grass fields next to the road, and they have more potential in terms of space than buildings would have.

Isn’t it part of the national park so maybe they can’t trammel the fields?

 

[Sciatic]

Nice job from Martin—has a Caja Rural rider ever finished top ten in a pro race in Britain before?

 

[BlueRoads]

I expect professional bike riders to be able to ride their bike semi-adequately when slightly out of breath.

It's like all the excuses I see for horror tackles in football when "they didn't mean it". Suddenly when it's convenient fans act like the player is spastic or something.

Slightly out of breath... yeah... come on.
And it's nothing like a horror tackle if you go up an extreme climb like that with three guys and plenty of space in a not completely straight line.

 

[Netserk]

I would love if someone like Van Aert did to Ala what Boonen did to Boom on Taaienberg in Omloop 2012.

 

[fbjim]

that kind of thing has happened forever, especially when the finish is slightly curved.

 

[Rackham]

I expect professional bike riders to be able to ride their bike semi-adequately when slightly out of breath.

It's like all the excuses I see for horror tackles in football when "they didn't mean it". Suddenly when it's convenient fans act like the player is spastic or something.

He totally means it.

Even a couple of km back he was shoulder barging someone at the front whilst fighting for position. Alaph gets red mist for certain but barely anyone mentions it because he's a 'fun' entertainer.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Nice job from Martin—has a Caja Rural rider ever finished top ten in a pro race in Britain before?

Trawling through the PCS archives, it looks like Diego Rubio got 10th on a stage of the 2016 edition of this race and Carlos Barbero took 5th on another, so not quite.

 

[Sciatic]

Trawling through the PCS archives, it looks like Diego Rubio got 10th on a stage of the 2016 edition of this race and Carlos Barbero took 5th on another, so not quite.

Wow, thanks! Still pretty unusual to see that team up there!

 

[TMP402]

Not sure- there are a lot of climbs in North and West Wales which have not been used (south wales also has some decent climbs) and could be used to make a tough Ardennes type day. Guess there is not a huge population base but today’s finish was really entertaining - certainly they gave it all in the finale and produced a thrilling finish

The Tour of Britain suffers (especially when it comes to long transfer after stages) from trying to cover all bases every time. I don't know if it could realistically be supported financially etc, but there's certainly racing potential to have at least three separate tours within Britain - a tour of Scotland, a tour of Wales and South West England, and a tour of the North of England (especially since the Tour de Yorkshire may not return).

 

[Ilmaestro99]

JA is weird, on the bike he seems this macho angry powerful character who is aggressive and daredevil. Then he gets interviewed and he's this tiny frail looking soft spoken Frenchman.

 

[dicanio_michael]

While it's always pleasing to see Alaphilippe lose, I can't wait for the day he retires or at least is no longer elite.

You must be going through hell when Alaphillippe won the world title.

 

[Red Rick]

You must be going through hell when Alaphillippe won the world title.

It was miserable, it sucked, it was terrible. Besides that it was fine.

 

[broppo]

Alaphilippe is great for cycling. Better than these charismaless robots.

yes he doesnt mind stealing a friends' girlfriend either, gotta love the coldhearted brutality

 

[Libertine Seguros]

He totally means it.

Even a couple of km back he was shoulder barging someone at the front whilst fighting for position. Alaph gets red mist for certain but barely anyone mentions it because he's a 'fun' entertainer.

And for an added ironic twist the person who did bring it up is a huge Sagan fan, about whom very similar sentiments could be expressed. But how willing somebody is to overlook the former will often depend to at least some extent on the much more subjective latter. If you don't find the "fun" side of Alaphilippe all that entertaining, then you can't overlook, mitigate or downplay the other side so easily.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

yes he doesnt mind stealing a friends' girlfriend either, gotta love the coldhearted brutality

You can't steal a woman, unless you're BlueRoads perhaps.

 

[Netserk]

And for an added ironic twist the person who did bring it up is a huge Sagan fan, about whom very similar sentiments could be expressed. But how willing somebody is to overlook the former will often depend to at least some extent on the much more subjective latter. If you don't find the "fun" side of Alaphilippe all that entertaining, then you can't overlook, mitigate or downplay the other side so easily.

Poor form not to name the poster you are criticising.

I also don't agree that Sagan is a clown on a bike in the same style as Alaphilippe. In fact, I think they race quite differently (aesthetically too).

 

[RedheadDane]

Person A: We better put a 'J' in front of Alaphilippe, so people will know who we're talking about!
Person B: I think people have a general idea about who he is...
Person A: We must!

 

[Carrick-On-Seine]

yes he doesnt mind stealing a friends' girlfriend either, gotta love the coldhearted brutality

Weird comment. Has she noticed she was stolen yet?

 

[BlueRoads]

yes he doesnt mind stealing a friends' girlfriend either, gotta love the coldhearted brutality

I must have underestimated the amount of wives and girlfriends he stole, there seems to be whole bunch of left behind husbands and boyfriends on this forum.

I mean honestly, we know nothing about that story, do we?

JA is weird, on the bike he seems this macho angry powerful character who is aggressive and daredevil. Then he gets interviewed and he's this tiny frail looking soft spoken Frenchman.

Absolutely. I remember how I used to think myself that he was an aggressive, unpleasant person until I heard and read his interviews and saw how he didn't become arrogant or anything at all after his successful Tour (which I had in fact expected him to do), but obviously continued to work hard and be quite nice.

 

[BlueRoads]

Person A: We better put a 'J' in front of Alaphilippe, so people will know who we're talking about!
Person B: I think people have a general idea about who he is...
Person A: We must!

But Martin is clear, there is only one!