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

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Comments

  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,648
    He would have beaten anyone up the climb today.

    Easy.
    _
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,648
    Least amount of panache shown by a Tour winner since...well 2012 really.
    _
  • RonB
    RonB Posts: 3,984
    edited July 2017
    Route partly to blame though - If there were the usual 2, 3, 5 min gaps would folks be happy?

    Froome not really had the need or opportunity to show his form, except for the catch following the wheel change earlier in the week.
  • effillo
    effillo Posts: 257
    Barguil has said on cycling podcast he doesn't enjoy GC as it's boring. Prefers to go for stages/jerseys/one day races as he can attack at will. Seems like the average poster on here's dream if the moaning about lack of gc action every single tour is anything to go by.
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,241
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    Least amount of panache shown by a Tour winner since...well 2012 really.
    They've not really provided a panache friendly course though. Your statement stands if any of the top three ends up winning.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,648
    RichN95 wrote:
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    Least amount of panache shown by a Tour winner since...well 2012 really.
    They've not really provided a panache friendly course though. Your statement stands if any of the top three ends up winning.

    Same could be said for 2012.


    Doesn't mean it ain't so.
    _
  • RonB
    RonB Posts: 3,984
    Exactly. Uran has had his nose in front of the GC battle for just those 2 secs yesterday.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,648
    RonB wrote:
    Exactly. Uran has had his nose in front of the GC battle for just those 2 secs yesterday.

    He won a mountain stage with the final 15 mins on the flat in 54x11 after choosing that one gear.

    That's enough panache for a whole Tour and some.
    _
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,241
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    RichN95 wrote:
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    Least amount of panache shown by a Tour winner since...well 2012 really.
    They've not really provided a panache friendly course though. Your statement stands if any of the top three ends up winning.

    Same could be said for 2012.

    Doesn't mean it ain't so.
    I'm not saying it ain't so. It is so. I'm just pointing blame away from the riders. People complained about the course back in October.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,241
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    RonB wrote:
    Exactly. Uran has had his nose in front of the GC battle for just those 2 secs yesterday.

    He won a mountain stage with the final 15 mins on the flat in 54x11 after choosing that one gear.

    That's enough panache for a whole Tour and some.
    Having hung on to the Mavic car for about a kilometre.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,648
    54x11.

    54x11


    54x11


    Better than sticking your hand up and moaning about people attacking you.
    _
  • hypster
    hypster Posts: 1,229
    The only difference I can see is that Froome is not up to his usual level of fitness. If he was then he would be at least two minutes to the good by now and Bardet and Uran wouldn't get a look in. And wouldn't everyone be moaning about that?

    It's a pity Richie Porte went out because I'm sure he would have animated the race a bit more and put Froome under real pressure. Something that the rest have hardly done barring mechanicals.

    I was a bit disappointed in Froome today as although he attacked once, he left it to the death really and just played things safe. He might be ruing that decision if he gets any problems over the next couple of days.

    p.s.

    Dear God,

    Don't let Uran win, anybody but that wheelsucker.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,648
    A mechanical in the TT for Froome would have a certain symmetry.
    _
  • Lanterne_Rogue
    Lanterne_Rogue Posts: 4,325
    I think LRP has been missed - I suspect he'd have beaten Froome so far, albeit not by much. That said, I think there was also a risk the two would have marked each other and allowed Bardet to do more damage.

    I'm in a minority, I think, but I'm really enjoying this tour. The lack of a definitive stage or conclusion, even at this late juncture, really appeals. I'm not sure I'd be like this every year, but it's nice to have a change of pace and tactics. As thrilling as it is to see people crack on a mountain stage, it becomes dull when you see it day after day in the same way.
    Twitter: @canocola @thedreadships
  • Lookyhere
    Lookyhere Posts: 987
    Until there is a way to stop very strong teams dominating, instead of the riders, the TDF will be somewhat boring and predictable.

    Barguil looks very good and he is, but its because he isnt a GC contender! if he were, he d be shut down by Sky and would look ordinary, just as they make Bardot, Martin, Aru and anyone else, they d have done the same to Porte too, with Gee there it would have been even more of a borefest,

    Froome deserves his victory and i would nt want an incident to rob him of his win but i ll be looking forward to the Vuelta, which is great racing because Sky dont target the race, todays stage was possibly the most boring ever, they may as well have just re run the La Course race, now that was a cracker!
  • above_the_cows
    above_the_cows Posts: 11,406
    underlayunderlay wrote:
    I think LRP has been missed...

    Really? Who misses LRP?
    Correlation is not causation.
  • Lanterne_Rogue
    Lanterne_Rogue Posts: 4,325
    Above The Cows wrote:
    underlayunderlay wrote:
    I think LRP has been missed...

    Really? Who misses LRP?

    How fickle women are...

    (edit - there goes my right-on credentials, and all for a cheap gag :roll: )
    Twitter: @canocola @thedreadships
  • mfin
    mfin Posts: 6,729
    edited July 2017
    Lookyhere wrote:
    Until there is a way to stop very strong teams dominating, instead of the riders, the TDF will be somewhat boring and predictable.

    But it's quite entertaining and exciting at times for something that's boring and predictable isn't it?

    It's not all about the GC.

    I don't agree with the panache thing, as it's a crap term. I'd agree there's been a lack of a standout performance by Froome, but if there had been a very clear one then it would be accompanied by a stack of people would be moaning that "the race is all over now", they wouldn't be going on about how many panaches he's just scored.
  • dolan_driver
    dolan_driver Posts: 831
    hypster wrote:
    Dear God,

    Don't let Uran win, anybody but that wheelsucker.

    Bit harsh. He saved Bardet's bacon today. If he was a committed wheelsucker, he wouldn't have chased Froome down. It seems Uran is automatically a wheelsucker simply because Bardet says so. Maybe Uran was on the limit these last few days.

    DD.
  • above_the_cows
    above_the_cows Posts: 11,406
    underlayunderlay wrote:
    Above The Cows wrote:
    underlayunderlay wrote:
    I think LRP has been missed...

    Really? Who misses LRP?

    How fickle women are...

    (edit - there goes my right-on credentials, and all for a cheap gag :roll: )

    It's all right carpet man, I was being facetious. I miss LRP (and my other man Cav) something rotten. Luckily I still have Kwia doing the business otherwise my Tour would be a tragedy worthy of a parody in the Lanterne Rouge thread.
    Correlation is not causation.
  • RonB
    RonB Posts: 3,984
    tobler_800_1.jpg

    :wink:
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,704
    Lookyhere wrote:
    Until there is a way to stop very strong teams dominating, instead of the riders, the TDF will be somewhat boring and predictable.

    Barguil looks very good and he is, but its because he isnt a GC contender! if he were, he d be shut down by Sky and would look ordinary, just as they make Bardot, Martin, Aru and anyone else, they d have done the same to Porte too, with Gee there it would have been even more of a borefest,

    Froome deserves his victory and i would nt want an incident to rob him of his win but i ll be looking forward to the Vuelta, which is great racing because Sky dont target the race, todays stage was possibly the most boring ever, they may as well have just re run the La Course race, now that was a cracker!

    La Vie Claire ring a bell?
    1986: 4 riders in the GC top 7.
    So, there's more to it than just having a strong team.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • Lanterne_Rogue
    Lanterne_Rogue Posts: 4,325
    Above The Cows wrote:
    underlayunderlay wrote:
    Above The Cows wrote:
    underlayunderlay wrote:
    I think LRP has been missed...

    Really? Who misses LRP?

    How fickle women are...

    (edit - there goes my right-on credentials, and all for a cheap gag :roll: )

    It's all right carpet man, I was being facetious.

    I know, I was- Never mind.

    If it cheers you up, my youngest came downstairs about half an hour after she should have been asleep so I rewound the highlights to show her Kwia coming to a halt. She was very impressed.
    Twitter: @canocola @thedreadships
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,241
    Lookyhere wrote:
    but i ll be looking forward to the Vuelta, which is great racing because Sky dont target the race,
    I think they are this year. I'm not sure who else is going to be a GC contender there. Contador is second favourite with the bookies (followed by Nibali and Dumoulin - who says he's only riding as prep for the Worlds). Orica may have both Yatesi and Chaves.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • hypster
    hypster Posts: 1,229
    Dolan Driver wrote:
    hypster wrote:
    Dear God,

    Don't let Uran win, anybody but that wheelsucker.

    Bit harsh. He saved Bardet's bacon today. If he was a committed wheelsucker, he wouldn't have chased Froome down. It seems Uran is automatically a wheelsucker simply because Bardet says so. Maybe Uran was on the limit these last few days.

    DD.

    Well don't forget that Uran has Bardet to thank because both of them should by rights have a 30 second penalty as well for the bottle incident. If Bardet wasn't French then the deficit to Froome would be closer to a minute.
  • above_the_cows
    above_the_cows Posts: 11,406
    underlayunderlay wrote:
    Above The Cows wrote:
    underlayunderlay wrote:
    Above The Cows wrote:
    underlayunderlay wrote:
    I think LRP has been missed...

    Really? Who misses LRP?

    How fickle women are...

    (edit - there goes my right-on credentials, and all for a cheap gag :roll: )

    It's all right carpet man, I was being facetious.

    I know, I was- Never mind.

    If it cheers you up, my youngest came downstairs about half an hour after she should have been asleep so I rewound the highlights to show her Kwia coming to a halt. She was very impressed.

    Next time I stop on a climb I'm going to pretend I'm just doing a Kwiatkowski.
    Correlation is not causation.
  • above_the_cows
    above_the_cows Posts: 11,406
    RonB wrote:
    tobler_800_1.jpg

    :wink:

    Is that one of those lightweight, skinny climbers Toblerones?
    Correlation is not causation.
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,241
    edited July 2017
    Something I've just been reminded of. Uran got a 20s penalty for an illegal drink, then got let off when they didn't penalise Bardet. That would be a controversy if it is the deciding factor.

    Edit: I notice someone already mentioned this only a few posts back
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,648
    RichN95 wrote:
    Something I've just been reminded of. Uran got a 20s penalty for an illegal drink, then got let off when they didn't penalise Bardet. That would be a controversy if it is the deciding factor.

    Wasn't the mavic mechanical adjustment also against UCI rulez?
    _
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,241
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    RichN95 wrote:
    Something I've just been reminded of. Uran got a 20s penalty for an illegal drink, then got let off when they didn't penalise Bardet. That would be a controversy if it is the deciding factor.

    Wasn't the mavic mechanical adjustment also against UCI rulez?
    For whom? Uran? Not that I've heard, maybe you've heard different.
    Twitter: @RichN95

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