TDF 2017:18th July - Stage 16 - Le Puy-en-Velay - Romans-sur-Isère165kms *Spoilers*

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Comments

  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,463
    Very honest by Dan, no excuses just saying he didn't have the legs to close the gap. I think he was right behind the split when it first went and the cameras switched back to Pantano's crash, I thought at that point he was going to make it.
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,725
    Matthews can definitely get to the intermediate sprint tomorrow and Kittel definitely can't.
    Probably the same the day after too.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • EnacheV
    EnacheV Posts: 235
    Was Kwiatkowski, Henao , Froome and Landa that caused the split, so Landa wasn't dropped. Was weird seeing Froome taking 2 pulls while those 3 were chilling at the back :D Probably warming up the legs for tomorrow.
  • above_the_cows
    above_the_cows Posts: 11,406
    Hey Blazers are you going to do tomorrow's thread? Or do you want someone else to do it? I'm happy to kick it off, also the Briançon stage too.
    Correlation is not causation.
  • yourpaceormine
    yourpaceormine Posts: 1,245
    Pross wrote:
    Is Swift out of the race? Seemed a perfect stage for him but suddenly realised I haven't seen much of him since he crashed with Cav.

    Still there 96th overall 2h10' 38" down. Today he rolled in 1'33" behind the leaders (so with Bertie group?)
  • hypster
    hypster Posts: 1,229
    Dan Martin by his own admission didn't have the legs today to even stay on Jack Bauer's wheel. Doesn't bode too well for the next two heavy mountain stages I would say which is probably where he would have hoped to pick up time.

    I can't see him moving up the classification from this point on especially not with the TT on Saturday as well. He'll be lucky to get a top ten finish.
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,463
    hypster wrote:
    Dan Martin by his own admission didn't have the legs today to even stay on Jack Bauer's wheel. Doesn't bode too well for the next two heavy mountain stages I would say which is probably where he would have hoped to pick up time.

    I can't see him moving up the classification from this point on especially not with the TT on Saturday as well. He'll be lucky to get a top ten finish.

    He'd have to have massive losses to drop out of the top 10.
  • dolan_driver
    dolan_driver Posts: 831
    mulletmaster wrote:
    This is a good example of how Martin is not a true GC contender. Brilliant single stage winner but a bit of a one trick pony in terms of winning on finishing ramps that aren't proper MTF. Not even close to a top division GC Tter either. Feel for him as he has had bad luck but I really think if he has serious GT GC ambitions he needs to target the Vuelta and move to a team to suit.

    Subtract the time loss (1:15) for the Richie Porte crash and where would DM be? Still in the hunt. Not bad for a non-GC rider. This is the first real mistake that Martin has made in this Tour, otherwise he has always been on the front foot, even with his back injury. He is capable of a Tour top-three finish and a Vuelta win. Only time will tell if he achieve these results. A dedicated GC team would certainly help.

    DD.
  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 28,143
    edited July 2017
    Pross wrote:
    hypster wrote:
    Dan Martin by his own admission didn't have the legs today to even stay on Jack Bauer's wheel. Doesn't bode too well for the next two heavy mountain stages I would say which is probably where he would have hoped to pick up time.

    I can't see him moving up the classification from this point on especially not with the TT on Saturday as well. He'll be lucky to get a top ten finish.

    He'd have to have massive losses to drop out of the top 10.

    If he doesn't excel on Izoard and Galibier, it's possible Quintana, Meintjes and Contador could put serious time into him.

    Can Caruso be the new Zubeldia?
  • onyourright
    onyourright Posts: 509
    hypster wrote:
    Dan Martin by his own admission didn't have the legs today to even stay on Jack Bauer's wheel. Doesn't bode too well for the next two heavy mountain stages
    He said he didn’t have the legs, but he’d find his legs much improved if he got his torso down. It’s painful to watch him try to close gaps with that aerodynamically disastrous position. Maybe it’s even worse now because of his bad back, but he’s never been one to get low. You really must on days like today.

    For this reason, I don’t think his performance today is a bad omen for the mountains, where aerodynamics matter far less.

    Maybe his power falls off a cliff in a racing crouch?
  • Crozza
    Crozza Posts: 991
    Pross wrote:
    Well I'm going to blow my own horn as I managed to predict the exact section of road where the echelons went. If Quickstep need a DS they can PM me.

    well played

    as an aside, is there any talk of Tommeke joining QS in any kind of capacity?
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,463
    KingstonGraham wrote:
    Pross wrote:
    hypster wrote:
    Dan Martin by his own admission didn't have the legs today to even stay on Jack Bauer's wheel. Doesn't bode too well for the next two heavy mountain stages I would say which is probably where he would have hoped to pick up time.

    I can't see him moving up the classification from this point on especially not with the TT on Saturday as well. He'll be lucky to get a top ten finish.

    He'd have to have massive losses to drop out of the top 10.

    If he doesn't excel on Izoard and Galibier, it's possible Quintana, Meintjes and Contador could put serious time into him.

    Can Caruso be the new Zubeldia?

    To drop out of the top 10 he would need at least Contador to gain over 5 minutes on him. Whilst Dan may have some bad stages I would suggest Bertie is unlikely to be finishing with the leaders on both the next two stages. Barguil is then the only other rider outside the top 10 who is within 10 minutes of Dan so he'd have to have a massive drop in form to move out of the top 10 overall. Even to lose one place he'll have to lose almost 4 minutes. All of this also relies on no-one else in the top 12 having a bad day or two.

    I suspect he'll move back up tomorrow if anything.
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,253
    I think the top seven will end up the top seven
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 28,143
    RichN95 wrote:
    I think the top seven will end up the top seven

    In the same order?
  • dolan_driver
    dolan_driver Posts: 831
    Dan Martin has said in a post-stage interview that he was sick on the rest-day, along with many in the team. That explains today's disastrous stage. Hopefully he will get over the sickness and be back to full power for the next two days.
  • tailwindhome
    tailwindhome Posts: 19,436
    RichN95 wrote:
    I think the top seven will end up the top seven


    What's the lowest place on GC the riders would consider worth more than a stage win in the Alps
    “New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!
  • daninexile
    daninexile Posts: 45
    Pretty enjoyable stage. Nice to see Matthews and Sunweb going for it. I thought Aru was done for at one point he did well to close the gap.
  • mulletmaster
    mulletmaster Posts: 502
    Personally I'd rather a stage win plus any GC placing rather than a winless anonymous 5th+
  • onyourright
    onyourright Posts: 509
    daninexile wrote:
    Pretty enjoyable stage. Nice to see Matthews and Sunweb going for it. I thought Aru was done for at one point he did well to close the gap.
    Did he close that gap himself? The video cut away to something else when it happened.
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,725
    Crozza wrote:
    Pross wrote:
    Well I'm going to blow my own horn as I managed to predict the exact section of road where the echelons went. If Quickstep need a DS they can PM me.

    well played

    as an aside, is there any talk of Tommeke joining QS in any kind of capacity?

    Ok, now I am going to have a bit of a flounce around and kick my teddy bear.

    Yesterday.
    Blazing Saddles wrote:
    The_Boy wrote:
    Crosswinds?

    Ah well, now you come to mention it.

    http://france.lachainemeteo.com/meteo-f ... 4447-1.php

    Judging from those gusts, there is plenty of puff, but mostly from an unfavourable direction.
    Big tailwind to finish, but the few kms beforehand, between Chateauneuf sur Isere and Alixan could prove tricky, with a direct crosswind, if the forecast is to be believed.
    Especially as the roads at that point are rather narrow, minor "D" roads.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 14,652
    Boys, boys... It's all well and good this prediction malarky, but it's not an echelon until ATC sounds the klaxon. I actually suspect that the klaxon is so powerful it causes the splits.
    Warning No formatter is installed for the format
  • onyourright
    onyourright Posts: 509
    I wish she’d sound it a bit more often. All I could think about today was a course at right-angles to the one they raced.
  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 14,652
    Any, I missed today's stage, due to being on an aeroplane. The thread as usual has some food info on what happened, by DK TV coverage was more focussed on Birdsong at hoe with his baby....

    So, your starters for ten:

    1) Who kicked off the echelons? From the brief glimpse I saw it looked like Sky. Hav they really become the new QS?
    2) There seemed to be a suggestion that Aru had to work hard to make the split - is this right, and if so, how hard?

    Thanks in advance. Winner gets a Blue Peter badge and a chance to meet one of The Doctor's companions.
    Warning No formatter is installed for the format
  • dav1d1
    dav1d1 Posts: 653
    Kittel fined 200CHF for swearing at a jury member
  • hypster
    hypster Posts: 1,229
    Dolan Driver wrote:
    Dan Martin has said in a post-stage interview that he was sick on the rest-day, along with many in the team. That explains today's disastrous stage. Hopefully he will get over the sickness and be back to full power for the next two days.

    And Gilbert dropped out with that sickness today. Maybe he'll get worse not better and if he's suffering on the Marmotte stage tomorrow then top ten will be a forlorn hope. Finishing at all might be a problem.
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,253
    KingstonGraham wrote:
    RichN95 wrote:
    I think the top seven will end up the top seven

    In the same order?
    Unlikely
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,725
    Dav1d1 wrote:
    Kittel fined 200CHF for swearing at a jury member

    For not relegating Matthews in the final sprint?
    Just a wild guess. :lol:
    Rumour has it that Stybar and Vermote are also sick.
    No wonder Marcel has the frets.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • slim_boy_fat
    slim_boy_fat Posts: 1,810
    No tA Doctor wrote:
    Any, I missed today's stage, due to being on an aeroplane. The thread as usual has some food info on what happened, by DK TV coverage was more focussed on Birdsong at hoe with his baby....

    So, your starters for ten:

    1) Who kicked off the echelons? From the brief glimpse I saw it looked like Sky. Hav they really become the new QS?
    2) There seemed to be a suggestion that Aru had to work hard to make the split - is this right, and if so, how hard?

    Thanks in advance. Winner gets a Blue Peter badge and a chance to meet one of The Doctor's companions.
    Sky got themselves at the front to navigate a couple of tricky turns in a small town and then just kept the pressure on which caused the split. Aru was maybe 2 to 3 bike lengths off the back, couple of more and he may have been toast.
  • The_Boy
    The_Boy Posts: 3,099
    Could some kind soul give me a performance review for my man bardet? When I finally got into my flat, I Ieard the comms talking about naesen earning his keep but a little concerned about the next two days.
    Team My Man 2018: David gaudu, Pierre Latour, Romain Bardet, Thibaut pinot, Alexandre Geniez, Florian Senechal, Warren Barguil, Benoit Cosnefroy
  • above_the_cows
    above_the_cows Posts: 11,406
    Slim Boy Fat wrote:
    No tA Doctor wrote:
    Any, I missed today's stage, due to being on an aeroplane. The thread as usual has some food info on what happened, by DK TV coverage was more focussed on Birdsong at hoe with his baby....

    So, your starters for ten:

    1) Who kicked off the echelons? From the brief glimpse I saw it looked like Sky. Hav they really become the new QS?
    2) There seemed to be a suggestion that Aru had to work hard to make the split - is this right, and if so, how hard?

    Thanks in advance. Winner gets a Blue Peter badge and a chance to meet one of The Doctor's companions.
    Sky got themselves at the front to navigate a couple of tricky turns in a small town and then just kept the pressure on which caused the split. Aru was maybe 2 to 3 bike lengths off the back, couple of more and he may have been toast.

    MY MAN Kwia was instrumental in getting Froome to the front and forcing the pace. He was getting a lot of love from José and Karsten.
    Correlation is not causation.

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