Watched on telly. Nice one ITV4 btw, I thought the coverage was good.
My tuppence worth: Froome looks confident, and strong. The confidence is the main thing, he now looks more comfortable (if a stick insect attached to a battery ever could look comfortable) and even got out of the saddle to take it to Bertie. This was good.
Bardet looked very cool, Alaphilippe was good and nice to see Dan Martin get going. EBH great, most of the riders aquitted themselves very well. Some good strong riders here and it's shaping up to be an awesome TdF. Bertie was easily cooked (ner ner Frenchie).
And what a ride from Steve Cummings on the final stage. Awesome rider, chapeau sir.
Oh yeah, forgot Porte. Generally speaking, following the GC rider isn't a bad tactic, but in the words of Bill ( or Ted): you totally blew it, dude. Still, never mind.
Oh regarding the coverage, ITV's highlights package at least is far and away superior to Eurosport. They actually show you the important bits of the race...
My opinion of Bardet has gone up in this race. I always felt that he was mostly another hyped Frenchman in the Rolland mode, while Pinot was the real deal but lacking belief. I'm now starting to think that Bardet will surpass Pinot.
As for Porte, if you try to go up the inside on a bend there's always a strong chance the door is going to shut on you.
Ritchie blew it whilst other key players like Dan Martin grabbed their opportunity. Dan wasn't tucked in looking for a ride so late in the stage, he was alert looking for his opportunity, lil' Ritchie should have been head up, dancing on the pedals looking to initiate an attack not stuck on Froome's censored hiding. Sad for him but ultimately his own fault. Plus of course... he had no team up there to help out... those 3 (!) Sky boys were there for Froome not him - Froome got out of the way when the attack came.
'Performance analysis and Froome not being clean was a media driven story. I haven’t heard one guy in the peloton say a negative thing about Froome, and I haven’t heard a single person in the peloton suggest Froome isn’t clean.' TSP
He won a stage last year. He could win one this year by stage hunting but than he's never going to progress doing that if he can take days off. Needs to go for it for the full three weeks and learn what it's like to be at the sharp end.
Bardet needs to go stage hunting in the tour, I'd say. he's not quite good enough to keep up with Froome, Quintana, or Contador over 3 weeks.
Great result for Dan Martin. first Irish podium at the Dauphine is no mean feat.
I very much doubt he would think that way - he's a GC rider and you ride for GC whatever the opposition. A lot of variables in a 3 week tour and he is showing consistency
Posts
i don't think it was delberate though. froome got boxed as well when the sky guys spread
No it wasn't deliberate. Porte went on the right Bardet went on the left and then Sky spread right.
Costs Porte a podium.
Whoops.
bonus seconds
Bonus seconds.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Nh2BB7NyPM
???
...also Etixx with Martin & Alaphilippe
There goes the candlelit suppers for 2 in Monaco when the wives are out
Absolutely phenomenal Dauphine by Bardet
Did Contador hit the top of the UCI WT ranking?
- @ddraver
Only Cav and Bernie left as the official Pro-Tour bromance.
Shame for Porte but hey ho.
Titchy's gotta learn
Stevoooo was class as per
My tuppence worth: Froome looks confident, and strong. The confidence is the main thing, he now looks more comfortable (if a stick insect attached to a battery ever could look comfortable) and even got out of the saddle to take it to Bertie. This was good.
Bardet looked very cool, Alaphilippe was good and nice to see Dan Martin get going. EBH great, most of the riders aquitted themselves very well. Some good strong riders here and it's shaping up to be an awesome TdF. Bertie was easily cooked (ner ner Frenchie).
And what a ride from Steve Cummings on the final stage. Awesome rider, chapeau sir.
Oh yeah, forgot Porte. Generally speaking, following the GC rider isn't a bad tactic, but in the words of Bill ( or Ted): you totally blew it, dude. Still, never mind.
As for Porte, if you try to go up the inside on a bend there's always a strong chance the door is going to shut on you.
Great result for Dan Martin. first Irish podium at the Dauphine is no mean feat.
He won a stage last year. He could win one this year by stage hunting but than he's never going to progress doing that if he can take days off. Needs to go for it for the full three weeks and learn what it's like to be at the sharp end.
I very much doubt he would think that way - he's a GC rider and you ride for GC whatever the opposition. A lot of variables in a 3 week tour and he is showing consistency