So who now for the Yellow Jersey ?

shipley

So now that Mr Froome has fallen off his bike again, this time breaking a femur, who’s gonna take the Tour ?

Can Ineos rearrange the plan or is it now nice and open ?

joey54321

They ride for G. simple. Until G falls off.

joe_totale-2

Even without Froome the Ineos team will still be the strongest out there, Thomas or Bernal for me with Thomas as favourite as you'd imagine he'd be team leader.

inseine

With Bernal end Thomas I can’t see there’s much to rearrange, just another dom to find.

blazing_saddles

Geraint: no question.
Checked PCS they have 8 already penciled in without Froome and could still add Moscon to the list.

MissedTheBreak

Quintana?

I bet Thomas is regretting all those media engagements now assuming he’d probably play second fiddle to Froome. Not that I think he’ll arrive massively undercooked but it will have definitely made it harder than it could’ve been.

You would assume it will all be on the line for Thomas but it’ll be interesting at the TdS to see what kind of shape Bernal is in and how that plays out.

RichN95.

Dumoulin looks like he'll be in form come July

Alejandrosdog

come on Alejandro NOW is the winter of their dispair

amrushton

I'll say thomas barring illness or injury but Tom is going to want it as well but Geraint has had a taste of the big life and it seems to suit him. Wiggins will be on the phone whispering good things

blazing_saddles

RichN95 wrote:

Dumoulin looks like he'll be in form come July

Came up in conversation over the weekend with an associate.
Not sure. I think the jury is still out.

shipley

Come come chaps, none of the youth ? Not Wout Van Aert, Yates, Alaphilippe or Fuglsang (yes I know he’s 34 ) ?

specialgueststar

Quite amazing Thomas touted as a natural to win - when he looked overweight earlier in the year and has done 4 stage races this year with GC: 44, dnf , 40 and 3rd and less than 3k of racing this season.

What you basing it on?

FocusZing

Damn, blast, blast and damn! 'goes to another thread for said information...'

shipley

SpecialGuestStar wrote:

Quite amazing Thomas touted as a natural to win - when he looked overweight earlier in the year and has done 4 stage races this year with GC: 44, dnf , 40 and 3rd and less than 3k of racing this season.

What you basing it on?

I agree, I really like the guy but in my opinion last year was his ‘Roche / Wiggins’ year and it won’t be repeated.

I’m hoping for a refreshingly open tour (for once)

blazing_saddles

Shipley wrote:

SpecialGuestStar wrote:

Quite amazing Thomas touted as a natural to win - when he looked overweight earlier in the year and has done 4 stage races this year with GC: 44, dnf , 40 and 3rd and less than 3k of racing this season.

What you basing it on?

I agree, I really like the guy but in my opinion last year was his ‘Roche / Wiggins’ year and it won’t be repeated.

I’m hoping for a refreshingly open tour (for once)

Yer, like others were wishing for a refreshingly open Giro this year, without him and Bernal around and look how that stinker turned out.
As for GT: you can both check his weight out on the weekend.

inseine

SpecialGuestStar wrote:

Quite amazing Thomas touted as a natural to win - when he looked overweight earlier in the year and has done 4 stage races this year with GC: 44, dnf , 40 and 3rd and less than 3k of racing this season.

What you basing it on?

This year 3rd in Romandie, last year 32nd. I think he and the team know what they’re doing and we’ll all know better after Swiss.

Alejandrosdog

Are there any French contenders?

No_Ta_Doctor

Alejandrosdog wrote:

Are there any French contenders?

blazing_saddles

Alejandrosdog wrote:

Are there any French contenders?

Well, since today's ITT is very similar to the Pau ITT, it's worth taking a look at how potential contenders fared.

Rnk.
7 Alaphilippe Julian 0:59
12 Pinot Thibaut 1:21
27 Bardet Romain 1:52
30 Molard Rudy 2:04
71 Martin Guillaume 3:16
95 Barguil Warren 3:52

Still, what they lack in TT ability, they make up for in panache. :P

Lanterne_Rogue

joey54321 wrote:

They ride for G. simple. Until G falls off.

Is this some sort of screwball bodyswap comedy gone wrong?

(in all seriousness, hopefully Froome recovers from this as quickly as possible)

Alejandrosdog

Blazing Saddles wrote:

Alejandrosdog wrote:

Are there any French contenders?

Well, since today's ITT is very similar to the Pau ITT, it's worth taking a look at how potential contenders fared.

Rnk.
7 Alaphilippe Julian 0:59
12 Pinot Thibaut 1:21
27 Bardet Romain 1:52
30 Molard Rudy 2:04
71 Martin Guillaume 3:16
95 Barguil Warren 3:52

Still, what they lack in TT ability, they make up for in panache. :P

hmmmm not exactly Gaelic contenders there

redvision

I think it is a real shame about Froome as the tour line up was looking like being one of the best and most exciting for years imo.

Wish him a speedy recovery and really hope we get to see him in the tour again.

As for the yellow jersey now, I have always been a big fan of G but I am slightly concerned by DB changing tune yesterday, from the strongest of the two of them would lead the team, to saying Froome was the chosen one. This to me suggests that Froome was in very good condition and perhaps G hasn't rediscovered his fitness or form, at least not compared to CF.

I think Tom Dumoulin or Bernal (despite his age) will be the main two now, although I hope G is up with them.

inseine

When will the French learn that TTS are important? Bardet isn’t helped by having different bike supplier every year.

specialgueststar

inseine wrote:

SpecialGuestStar wrote:

Quite amazing Thomas touted as a natural to win - when he looked overweight earlier in the year and has done 4 stage races this year with GC: 44, dnf , 40 and 3rd and less than 3k of racing this season.

What you basing it on?

I think he and the team know what they’re doing.

Yes no doubt!! I'm sure he'll arrive perfectly prepared. Just wondering what you are actually basing it on given the evidence??

ShutupJens

inseine wrote:

Bardet isn’t helped by having different bike supplier every year.

Having a different bike every year sort of suggests that the bike isn't the problem

cougie

inseine wrote:

When will the French learn that TTS are important? Bardet isn’t helped by having different bike supplier every year.

I think someone said it's not about the bike...

Wayne Plunger

SpecialGuestStar wrote:

inseine wrote:

SpecialGuestStar wrote:

Quite amazing Thomas touted as a natural to win - when he looked overweight earlier in the year and has done 4 stage races this year with GC: 44, dnf , 40 and 3rd and less than 3k of racing this season.

What you basing it on?

I think he and the team know what they’re doing.

Yes no doubt!! I'm sure he'll arrive perfectly prepared. Just wondering what you are actually basing it on given the evidence??

Cardiff lad, always prepared.

inseine

ShutupJens wrote:

inseine wrote:

Bardet isn’t helped by having different bike supplier every year.

Having a different bike every year sort of suggests that the bike isn't the problem

Or goes towards the fact that he’s consistently poor it TTs. He hadnt even got his new TT bike by mid spring, he probably will hardly have ridden it let alone been to the wind tunnel.

rick_chasey

RichN95 wrote:

Dumoulin looks like he'll be in form come July

That TT of his wasn’t great..

Pross

SpecialGuestStar wrote:

Quite amazing Thomas touted as a natural to win - when he looked overweight earlier in the year and has done 4 stage races this year with GC: 44, dnf , 40 and 3rd and less than 3k of racing this season.

What you basing it on?

Well having seen him close up last Saturday he's not carrying an ounce of spare baggage now and is apparently down at 68kg as someone else on here can verify having spoken to him.

As for form I guess we'll know in a week but it's hardly a surprise that people are tipping him as the new favourite when he's defending champion is it, especially with Dumoulin recovering from injury and many of the other likely contenders initially dodging the Tour and opting to ride the Giro? Whether he can do it with the pressure of being official team leader is the biggest question.

Pinot has been looking good though as has Yates. Should make for a good race.

amrushton

redvision wrote:

I think it is a real shame about Froome as the tour line up was looking like being one of the best and most exciting for years imo.

Wish him a speedy recovery and really hope we get to see him in the tour again.

As for the yellow jersey now, I have always been a big fan of G but I am slightly concerned by DB changing tune yesterday, from the strongest of the two of them would lead the team, to saying Froome was the chosen one. This to me suggests that Froome was in very good condition and perhaps G hasn't rediscovered his fitness or form, at least not compared to CF.

I think Tom Dumoulin or Bernal (despite his age) will be the main two now, although I hope G is up with them.

if you listen to Bespoke (BBC podcast), Rob Hayles will occasionally say that Brailsford uses this rivalry to the teams advantage. He fuels a competitive nature in the leaders.