TdF 2017: Stage 18 Briançon - Izoard, 179.5kms *Spoilers*

bigmat

mfin wrote:

ben@31 wrote:

GC after stage 18

Froome 78h 08''19"
Bardet +23"
Uran +29"
Landa. +1''36"
Aru +1'55"
Martin +2'56"

Contador +8'34"
Quintana +13'52"

Close isn't it, nothing an annoying puncture or mechanical in a TT can't shake up

Saturday should be tense for at least for a few mins.

They can at least maintain the illusion that Froome doesn't have it in the bag. Might be a few more changes - Uran up a place, Bardet down a place or even two if Landa goes well (think he's too far back though), Martin potentially up to 5th, Bertie up to 9th (woohoo!).

EnacheV

the question right now is can Froome finally do the double?

DeadCalm

So, is Froome going to win the time trial or will he be joining the elite group of Firmin Lambot, Roger Walkowiak, Gastone Nencini, Lucien Aimar, Greg LeMond and Óscar Pereiro?

RichN95.

So since 2012 Froome v Uran in Time Trials is 8-4 to Froome. Quite a lot of those Uran wouldn't have been riding for GC though.
Only once has Uran beaten Froome by more than 10 seconds - the 2014 Vuelta where Froome had an absolute stinker (and Uran somehow beat Cancellara into second)

No_Ta_Doctor

DeadCalm wrote:

So, is Froome going to win the time trial or will he be joining the elite group of Firmin Lambot, Roger Walkowiak, Gastone Nencini, Lucien Aimar, Greg LeMond and Óscar Pereiro?

Roglic might have a say.

EnacheV

lol about Uran ITT vs Froome

look at Romandie ITT and stage 1 ITT here

if Uran finishes under 1 minute slower than Froome it will be a miracle.

No_Ta_Doctor

The big question is whether ATC has the Echelons Klaxon powered up for tomorrow....

DeadCalm

No tA Doctor wrote:

The big question is whether ATC has the Echelons Klaxon powered up for tomorrow....

Given the way Bardet and AG2R rode the last echelon stage, I hope for his sake that it's a DeadCalm day.

hypster

proto wrote:

Upright, arched back, arms at funny angles, is Chris Froome the worst looking bike rider ever?

Funny, you're the first person to ever mention that.

norvernrob

That finish was really disappointing. When Froome attacked and got a big gap I thought that was it, he'd Bridge to Landa and they'd both ride him onto the podium. Either Froome slightly miscalculated where the downhill section was where Uran caught him, or he just isn't at his very best.

Uran is the strange thing, he's never really looked in trouble but he hasn't attacked once has he?

Crozza

mfin wrote:

Richmond Racer 2 wrote:

Barguil. Rider of the Tour pour moi

Think I might agree with you.

Chasey is always quick to point out where he has got it right, so to balance the books I will try and find his post where he called him overrated

dolan_driver

Darwin Atapuma gets the most combative award. Some consolation for him and Colombia.

Uran looking good for 2nd on the podium and who knows, maybe higher.

DD.

blazing_saddles

No tA Doctor wrote:

The big question is whether ATC has the Echelons Klaxon powered up for tomorrow....

Stonking big headwind the whole stage.
Scheduled for a late finish in any case.
They might need headlights.

above_the_cows

mfin wrote:

proto wrote:

Is Chris Froome the worst looking bike rider ever? Upright, arched back, arms at funny angles.

Naa, there's this tubby fat git on an S-Works with deep section wnker wheels and an upturned stem that often cycles past my house.

But Cav rides a Cervelo these days mfin.

above_the_cows

Blazing Saddles wrote:

No tA Doctor wrote:

The big question is whether ATC has the Echelons Klaxon powered up for tomorrow....

Stonking big headwind the whole stage.
Scheduled for a late finish in any case.
They might need headlights.

Jammer.

blazing_saddles

Above The Cows wrote:

Blazing Saddles wrote:

No tA Doctor wrote:

The big question is whether ATC has the Echelons Klaxon powered up for tomorrow....

Stonking big headwind the whole stage.
Scheduled for a late finish in any case.
They might need headlights.

Jammer.

Shall I knock out the longest stage of the Tour thread?

Mountains09

NorvernRob wrote:

That finish was really disappointing. When Froome attacked and got a big gap I thought that was it, he'd Bridge to Landa and they'd both ride him onto the podium. Either Froome slightly miscalculated where the downhill section was where Uran caught him, or he just isn't at his very best.

Uran is the strange thing, he's never really looked in trouble but he hasn't attacked once has he?

I don't think he's at his bets, whether that's down to an injury affected build up (back problem hasn't been mentioned) or whether he's been timing it to have enough form to win tour and then carry form on an upward curve into the Vuelta which he's desperate to win...or maybe a combination of the two.

He definitely hasn't delivered any of those knockout blows this year but he may win another tour without doing so. Either way a bit early to say he's on the wane yet. I think he's good for at least another year of top form in the tour then maybe have a go at the Giro?

Uran is odd too I agree

iainf72

This from Wawa...

--
I was waiting to see how it went. I wanted to take some time on [Alberto] Contador to maybe win one spot. I attacked and we came to [Bauke] Mollema and I heard him say 'slower' to Mollema when he was pulling, and I passed him and I made my pace to the top. In the last kilometres, I saw Atapuma ahead. I was behind him in the Tour de Suisse and I closed the gap in the last climb, and today I made it. It’s just crazy.

--

Bert saying "slower" - Christ, he really is a nostalgia act, isn't he?

RonB

Yay. Barguil is the new Virenque according to @lequipe :roll:

I bet he's well chuffed with that.

above_the_cows

Blazing Saddles wrote:

Above The Cows wrote:

Blazing Saddles wrote:

No tA Doctor wrote:

The big question is whether ATC has the Echelons Klaxon powered up for tomorrow....

Stonking big headwind the whole stage.
Scheduled for a late finish in any case.
They might need headlights.

Jammer.

Shall I knock out the longest stage of the Tour thread?

'Tis done. But you can pop in and mention that it is the longest stage of the Tour, I got a bit distracted.

mamil314

BigMat wrote:

Can Dan Martin put a minute into Aru in the TT? Seems to be holding his form, whereas Aru looks worse every day.

Let me borrow and rephrase:
Can Landa put a minute into Bardet?

I think he can!

Sun Dodger

mamil314 wrote:

BigMat wrote:

Can Dan Martin put a minute into Aru in the TT? Seems to be holding his form, whereas Aru looks worse every day.

Let me borrow and rephrase:
Can Landa put a minute into Bardet?

I think he can!

Sure he can. Isn't his skinsuit worth 20 seconds per kilometer or something like that?

blazing_saddles

Bardet's ITTs. ( *denotes MTT)

2017: Tour - 14kms - 63rd @ 51"
Dauphine - 23.5kms - 53rd @ 1'-53"
Pais Vasco - 28kms - 50th @ 2'-33"

2016: Tour -37.5kms - 30th @ 3'-52"
*17kms - 5th @ 42"
Romandie 15kms - 99th @ 2'-01"

2015: Tour - 14kms - 145th @ 1'-34"
Romandie - 17kms - 6th @ 24"

2014: Tour - 54kms - 26th @ 4'-17"
Dauphine - 10.4kms - 57th @ 36"

RichN95.

Blazing Saddles wrote:

Bardet's ITTs. ( *denotes MTT)

Romandie - 17kms - 6th @ 24"

What the hell happened on this one? He even beat Uran 11th @32" and Froome 13th @34"

It can't have been weather as they were all in the top 10 on GC

Richmond Racer 2

iainf72 wrote:

This from Wawa...

--
I was waiting to see how it went. I wanted to take some time on [Alberto] Contador to maybe win one spot. I attacked and we came to [Bauke] Mollema and I heard him say 'slower' to Mollema when he was pulling, and I passed him and I made my pace to the top. In the last kilometres, I saw Atapuma ahead. I was behind him in the Tour de Suisse and I closed the gap in the last climb, and today I made it. It’s just crazy.

--

Bert saying "slower" - Christ, he really is a nostalgia act, isn't he?

Rage rage against the dying light

Th Cycling Podcast comment from Francois T that Bert thought yday that he could attack, take back +7mins and take the jersey, was...illuminating

Those days are gone. Not just for Bert, but for cycling

rick_chasey

Crozza wrote:

mfin wrote:

Richmond Racer 2 wrote:

Barguil. Rider of the Tour pour moi

Think I might agree with you.

Chasey is always quick to point out where he has got it right, so to balance the books I will try and find his post where he called him overrated

Knock yourself out.

He's just like Virenque. Way too talented to be gunning for novelty jerseys and stage wins (I mean he outclimbed every GC rider substantially today in a week 3 gloves off stage) but doesn't have it in his head.

rick_chasey

Even Merckx was reduced to getting rinsed in crits.

Don't be so hard on Alberto.

Lanterne_Rogue

Rick Chasey wrote:

Crozza wrote:

mfin wrote:

Richmond Racer 2 wrote:

Barguil. Rider of the Tour pour moi

Think I might agree with you.

Chasey is always quick to point out where he has got it right, so to balance the books I will try and find his post where he called him overrated

Knock yourself out.

He's just like Virenque. Way too talented to be gunning for novelty jerseys and stage wins (I mean he outclimbed every GC rider substantially today in a week 3 gloves off stage) but doesn't have it in his head.

At the risk of going a bit Kevin Keegan, I'd love it, love it, if Barguil turns himself into a GC rider.

Not sure he can though, if I'm honest, but I've enjoyed seeing someone really go for the polka dots this year.

ddraver

RonB wrote:

Yay. Barguil is the new Virenque according to @lequipe :roll:

I bet he's well chuffed with that.

Had to laugh at the stunning hypocrisy of that....

pblakeney

underlayunderlay wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

Crozza wrote:

mfin wrote:

Richmond Racer 2 wrote:

Barguil. Rider of the Tour pour moi

Think I might agree with you.

Chasey is always quick to point out where he has got it right, so to balance the books I will try and find his post where he called him overrated

Knock yourself out.

He's just like Virenque. Way too talented to be gunning for novelty jerseys and stage wins (I mean he outclimbed every GC rider substantially today in a week 3 gloves off stage) but doesn't have it in his head.

At the risk of going a bit Kevin Keegan, I'd love it, love it, if Barguil turns himself into a GC rider.

Not sure he can though, if I'm honest, but I've enjoyed seeing someone really go for the polka dots this year.

He only got the freedom do do his thing because he was no threat to GC.
Things would change sharpish if he became a threat.