TDF 2018, Stage 17: Bagnères-de-Luchon > Saint-Lary-Soulan Col du Portet 25/07/2018 - 65 km *Spo

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Comments

  • TheBigBean
    TheBigBean Posts: 22,029
    Pross wrote:
    You’d think a pro rider would know how to change a front wheel.

    I'm always amazed at how bad they are at this. Although to be fair, I usually flip the bike upside down which would probably not be a racing move.
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,599
    So Landa has one domestique off the front and another three off the back and people think Sky have leadership issues!
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,660
    12 pancakes for six euro available at the hut they jsut passed, according to Rolf Sørensen

    They are not the greatest - albeit very welcome after that climb.
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,599
    TheBigBean wrote:
    Pross wrote:
    You’d think a pro rider would know how to change a front wheel.

    I'm always amazed at how bad they are at this. Although to be fair, I usually flip the bike upside down which would probably not be a racing move.

    I guess you de-skill when someone else does it all for you. Seriously though you would think it is something they’d practice as it could cost them a race in some situations.
  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 14,692
    12 pancakes for six euro available at the hut they jsut passed, according to Rolf Sørensen

    I just poured a glass of Orangina into my shoe, this might trump the marmot on a bicycle for today's excitement.

    It's more usual to use champagne, I believe, though I've never seen the point.
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  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 14,692
    Pross wrote:
    TheBigBean wrote:
    Pross wrote:
    You’d think a pro rider would know how to change a front wheel.

    I'm always amazed at how bad they are at this. Although to be fair, I usually flip the bike upside down which would probably not be a racing move.

    I guess you de-skill when someone else does it all for you. Seriously though you would think it is something they’d practice as it could cost them a race in some situations.

    Might have been a bit easier if a man with legs about 18 inches long wan't stood over the crossbar.
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  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,599
    Don’t know if they showed Phil Gil’s Tweet on UK TV? Hadn’t realised he finished yesterday with a broken kneecap. That’s just nuts!
  • m.r.m.
    m.r.m. Posts: 3,486
    It remains crazy how little people are willing to risk against Sky
    PTP Champion 2019, 2022 & 2023
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,730
    Pross wrote:
    Don’t know if they showed Phil Gil’s Tweet on UK TV? Hadn’t realised he finished yesterday with a broken kneecap. That’s just nuts!

    Nope, but they showed it on Sporza, too.
    Impressive swelling.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • ShutupJens
    ShutupJens Posts: 1,373
    Pross wrote:
    Don’t know if they showed Phil Gil’s Tweet on UK TV? Hadn’t realised he finished yesterday with a broken kneecap. That’s just nuts!

    A look on his Instagram will show you how swollen it is now. Ridiculous, rode 60km with that
  • TheBigBean
    TheBigBean Posts: 22,029
    Pross wrote:
    TheBigBean wrote:
    Pross wrote:
    You’d think a pro rider would know how to change a front wheel.

    I'm always amazed at how bad they are at this. Although to be fair, I usually flip the bike upside down which would probably not be a racing move.

    I guess you de-skill when someone else does it all for you. Seriously though you would think it is something they’d practice as it could cost them a race in some situations.

    Didn't Cavendish act as mechanic in the commonwealth games for an Isle of Man team mate? I'm fairly sure they have the skills, but need race practice as you say.
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,912
    M.R.M. wrote:
    It remains crazy how little people are willing to risk against Sky

    just physically very difficult...its done their heads in. TD needs froome to attack G.
    "If I was a 38 year old man, I definitely wouldn't be riding a bright yellow bike with Hello Kitty disc wheels, put it that way. What we're witnessing here is the world's most high profile mid-life crisis" Afx237vi Mon Jul 20, 2009 2:43 pm
  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 28,228
    It... it... it's not very interesting yet, is it?
  • ShutupJens
    ShutupJens Posts: 1,373
    It... it... it's not very interesting yet, is it?

    Not nearly as much as we'd hoped. Looks to me like the last 50km of a very long and boring stage
  • dish_dash
    dish_dash Posts: 5,647
    ShutupJens wrote:
    It... it... it's not very interesting yet, is it?

    Not nearly as much as we'd hoped. Looks to me like the last 50km of a very long and boring stage

    Yep, though plenty will be saying too early to say etc. etc.
  • adr82
    adr82 Posts: 4,002
    Maybe if they'd picked a less difficult final climb it might have encouraged some more risk taking? Seems to be a lot of worrying about it.
  • TheBigBean
    TheBigBean Posts: 22,029
    dish_dash wrote:
    ShutupJens wrote:
    It... it... it's not very interesting yet, is it?

    Not nearly as much as we'd hoped. Looks to me like the last 50km of a very long and boring stage

    Yep, though plenty will be saying too early to say etc. etc.

    You forget about the miserable lot like me who didn't hope for much to begin with!
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,912
    bit of a show of force by sky ... hammered the race into submission... the descent of the second climb hopefully splits it up
    "If I was a 38 year old man, I definitely wouldn't be riding a bright yellow bike with Hello Kitty disc wheels, put it that way. What we're witnessing here is the world's most high profile mid-life crisis" Afx237vi Mon Jul 20, 2009 2:43 pm
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,719
    One possible upside to this stage is that Dumplings and Roglic reach the final climb with a mountain train as well...
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • N0bodyOfTheGoat
    N0bodyOfTheGoat Posts: 6,067
    It... it... it's not very interesting yet, is it?

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVMbnF9-l5w :lol:
    ================
    2020 Voodoo Marasa
    2017 Cube Attain GTC Pro Disc 2016
    2016 Voodoo Wazoo
  • ridgerider
    ridgerider Posts: 2,852
    adr82 wrote:
    Maybe if they'd picked a less difficult final climb it might have encouraged some more risk taking? Seems to be a lot of worrying about it.
    That's what Sky want everyone to think...
    Half man, Half bike
  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 14,692
    AG2R come to the front at the base of the 2nd climb
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  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,599
    I think this just shows you can’t fabricate an exciting stage. Short stages have led to exciting racing but that has been due to teams using them tactically. Setting a stage up with a great big flag saying ‘this is the one to do your Hail Mary on’ perhaps nullifies that.
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,599
    Sky looking in a bit of difficulty now.
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,912
    here we go come on bardet... put it in a big ring
    "If I was a 38 year old man, I definitely wouldn't be riding a bright yellow bike with Hello Kitty disc wheels, put it that way. What we're witnessing here is the world's most high profile mid-life crisis" Afx237vi Mon Jul 20, 2009 2:43 pm
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,599
    And then it eases up.
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,730
    Ag2r blowing things up until they run out of troops.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • slowbike
    slowbike Posts: 8,498
    reading this lot - glad I'm not wasting the bandwidth with live streaming!! I was going to get the (sky) box to record it so we could watch later - but glad I haven't done that either - would be a waste of a delete button! ;) I'll just wait for the highlights and delete those instead ;)
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,599
    AG2R haven’t got the numbers. One down and two left. That said they’ve thinned Sky out for the others.
  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 14,692
    Latour attacks with Bardet
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