TDF 2017: 15th July - Blagnac - Rodez - 181.5kms *Spoilers*

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Comments

  • salsiccia1
    salsiccia1 Posts: 3,725
    Would love to see Uran Uran on the podium in Paris and Aru off it.

    Woof. I'd pay good money to see that.
    It's only a bit of sport, Mun. Relax and enjoy the racing.
  • tailwindhome
    tailwindhome Posts: 19,310
    1 Christopher Froome (GBr) Team Sky 59:52:09
    2 Fabio Aru (Ita) Astana Pro Team 0:00:19
    3 Romain Bardet (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 0:00:23
    4 Rigoberto Uran (Col) Cannondale-Drapac 0:00:29
    5 Mikel Landa (Spa) Team Sky 0:01:17
    6 Daniel Martin (Irl) Quick-Step Floors 0:01:26
    7 Simon Yates (GBr) Orica-Scott 0:02:02
    8 Nairo Quintana (Col) Movistar Team 0:02:22
    9 Louis Meintjes (RSA) UAE Team Emirates 0:05:09
    10 Alberto Contador (Spa) Trek-Segafredo 0:05:37

    8 Riders with a shout at a podium spot.
    “New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,158
    Great awareness by Froome, always racing. Excellent win by Mathews as well. Would love to see Uran Uran on the podium in Paris and Aru off it.

    If Uran doesn't have a bad day in the Alps he will hopefully get second.
  • slim_boy_fat
    slim_boy_fat Posts: 1,810
    Dan Martin riding smartly again. Would love to see him make the podium.
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,704
    I am wondering whether the relative weakness of Aru's team is the reason he was so badly positioned?
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • Lanterne_Rogue
    Lanterne_Rogue Posts: 4,325
    Pross wrote:
    I was worried for a minute that Luke may have compromised his lanterne rouge lead but was relieved when he said he got dropped with 10k to go so hopefully he rolled in with the bus.

    Timing screens suggest there are people still out there - autobus is in the final climb right now and ITV4 are off air, so might be some changes.
  • imatfaal
    imatfaal Posts: 2,716
    Dan Martin riding smartly again. Would love to see him make the podium.

    Agree so much - and he is riding through an injury; if he can heal up then I can see him on podium which would be magic.

    Froome Martin Uran - or is that too much to hope for?
  • salsiccia1
    salsiccia1 Posts: 3,725
    Dan Martin riding smartly again. Would love to see him make the podium.

    Yes to this too.
    It's only a bit of sport, Mun. Relax and enjoy the racing.
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,158
    Dan Martin riding smartly again. Would love to see him make the podium.

    Me too but he'll either need a very good day in the Alps or hope at least a couple of those above him blow up. Such a shame he lost that time in the Porte crash or he'd be within seconds.
  • inseine
    inseine Posts: 5,788
    that was poor from Astana
    And good by SKY? I know it sticks on the throat ;)
  • Usual clinical efficiency from Sky, balls up by Aru/Astana.
  • slim_boy_fat
    slim_boy_fat Posts: 1,810
    inseine wrote:
    that was poor from Astana
    And good by SKY? I know it sticks on the throat ;)
    To be fair it was pretty poor by Astana. Surely on the bus this morning they must have talked about the finish being the most important part of the race and the need to have a good position going into it. Astana royally screwed that up. Handed over the jersey with a whimper.
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,158
    inseine wrote:
    that was poor from Astana
    And good by SKY? I know it sticks on the throat ;)

    It was just obvious by Sky, most of the other GC contenders lost little or no time. I know Aru's team is weakened but you would have expected them to protect him better than that and even if not I'd have thought Aru would have glued himself to one of his rivals with a strong team (QS would have been a good choice on a like this).
  • dabber
    dabber Posts: 1,973
    Great awareness by Froome, always racing. Excellent win by Mathews as well. Would love to see Uran Uran on the podium in Paris and Aru off it.

    Yup, and Dan Martin on it as well.
    “You may think that; I couldn’t possibly comment!”

    Wilier Cento Uno SR/Wilier Mortirolo/Specialized Roubaix Comp/Kona Hei Hei/Calibre Bossnut
  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    Very poor by Aru.

    Especially as Froome always had a go at this kind of finish.
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    Interesting

    https://twitter.com/letourdata/status/8 ... 9433143300

    Which feels right as Aru looked slightly crap, rather than it just being poor positioning
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • Lanterne_Rogue
    Lanterne_Rogue Posts: 4,325
    inseine wrote:
    that was poor from Astana
    And good by SKY? I know it sticks on the throat ;)

    David Millar right at the start of the day was pointing out that Sky were massed on the front when the break went to control what went on. Said something along the lines of Sky not needing to do it, but good teams get into good habits and don't just let them drop because it's somebody else's duty to do the chasing.

    Would be interested to know if Astana had identified the risk and it was Aru's own brain fade that was the issue? Leading the race yesterday must have been mentally taxing with Sky playing games and no teammates to work for him, then having to do all the media afterwards (he looked as if he was about to fall asleep in the press conference). Wouldn't be surprised if that was part of the reason.
  • adr82
    adr82 Posts: 4,002
    iainf72 wrote:
    Interesting

    https://twitter.com/letourdata/status/8 ... 9433143300

    Which feels right as Aru looked slightly crap, rather than it just being poor positioning
    Apparently his teammate Valgren said in an interview he was trying to help Aru move up but he wouldn't/couldn't, and didn't sound very impressed with him. Haven't found the interview to watch for myself yet though.
  • onyourright
    onyourright Posts: 509
    “He just didn’t stay on my wheel so it’s hard to keep him at the front,” Aru’s Astana teammate Michael Valgren said.

    “It was kind of a lottery to be at the front, I don’t know what happened to Fabio to be honest.”


    http://www.velonews.com/stages/2017-tou ... e-stage-14
  • dabber
    dabber Posts: 1,973
    inseine wrote:
    that was poor from Astana
    And good by SKY? I know it sticks on the throat ;)

    It doesn't stick in the throat at all. far better than that pillar of the community... Astana... being successful.
    “You may think that; I couldn’t possibly comment!”

    Wilier Cento Uno SR/Wilier Mortirolo/Specialized Roubaix Comp/Kona Hei Hei/Calibre Bossnut
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,241
    I'm reminded of Dan Lloyd's tweet yesterday "Imagine how many Tours Sky could have won if they followed our tactical advice"
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • inseine wrote:
    that was poor from Astana
    And good by SKY? I know it sticks on the throat ;)


    Bunch of arses
  • inseine
    inseine Posts: 5,788
    The cyclingnews live report thought maybe he had a mechanical but now it just looks like a cock up. Usually Astana are right on it tactically, it just appears to be an Aru mistake.
  • inseine
    inseine Posts: 5,788
    Did I mishear Luke Rowe or did he suggest Aru might want to loose the jersey.
  • milton50
    milton50 Posts: 3,856
    I haven't seen a single stage of this year's Tour yet. Am I missing some good racing?
  • EnacheV
    EnacheV Posts: 235
    and now, if Landa does even 1 small thing stupid like ignoring team orders and helping other GC contenders like Qintana just send him home.
  • slim_boy_fat
    slim_boy_fat Posts: 1,810
    Milton50 wrote:
    I haven't seen a single stage of this year's Tour yet. Am I missing some good racing?
    Been some good stuff and been some turd stuff. The usual really but top 4 separated by only 29's mean it's a decent battle.
  • tim000
    tim000 Posts: 718
    Pross wrote:
    Does the 3 second rule apply? I'm not convinced there were any gaps that big.

    Great timing by Matthews and good team work by Sunweb.
    3 second is only on sprint stages . 1 second on climbs
  • bobmcstuff
    bobmcstuff Posts: 11,398
    Milton50 wrote:
    I haven't seen a single stage of this year's Tour yet. Am I missing some good racing?
    Mixed. I've really enjoyed a few stages but there's been a good amount of guff.

    You can judge which ones are worth watching by the thread length.
  • wombly_knees
    wombly_knees Posts: 657
    Milton50 wrote:
    I haven't seen a single stage of this year's Tour yet. Am I missing some good racing?
    Apart from a couple of stages, it's been quite rubbish.

    Good to see Matthews win.