Best of the Rest - 16/07/2019 - Albi *News and Views*
blazing_saddles
Posts: 20,520
Nothing much happening, so I thought to start the rest day team tidbits and our musette of musings, it might be nice to see who has won and who has lost, in the comfortable hotel stakes.
Ineos: A rather functional 3 star for the rest day. Not a flop house, but not exactly the lap of luxury, either. In Castres too, which is a bit of a trek from Albi.
Movistar: Seem to have lucked out with this 4 star beaut, set amongst it's own vineyard.
DQS, Bahrain and Arkea have drawn the not so grand, 3 star Grand Hotel d'Orleans.
Both Sunweb and UAE? Oh dear Dan, it's going to be a bit cramped by the looks....
Katusha, Bora, CCC and Lotto land up in a pair of Ibis. Not quite doss houses, but not the sort of hotels for more than one night.
Cofidis, Mitchleton, Ag2r EF and Trek fair a little bit better, with the slightly more up market Mercure chain supply a brace of their abodes. Not that one would think it, from this front facade.
Astana kop a Kyriad, enough said.
Team Dimension Direct and Total Direct Energie seem to do quite nicely, but nothing too plush.
So, who are the winners of this not too lucky lottery?
It's Tibaut Pinot's boys, Groupama FDJ fare far better than the rest with the winning ticket offering up bit of 5 star luxury.
Ineos: A rather functional 3 star for the rest day. Not a flop house, but not exactly the lap of luxury, either. In Castres too, which is a bit of a trek from Albi.
Movistar: Seem to have lucked out with this 4 star beaut, set amongst it's own vineyard.
DQS, Bahrain and Arkea have drawn the not so grand, 3 star Grand Hotel d'Orleans.
Both Sunweb and UAE? Oh dear Dan, it's going to be a bit cramped by the looks....
Katusha, Bora, CCC and Lotto land up in a pair of Ibis. Not quite doss houses, but not the sort of hotels for more than one night.
Cofidis, Mitchleton, Ag2r EF and Trek fair a little bit better, with the slightly more up market Mercure chain supply a brace of their abodes. Not that one would think it, from this front facade.
Astana kop a Kyriad, enough said.
Team Dimension Direct and Total Direct Energie seem to do quite nicely, but nothing too plush.
So, who are the winners of this not too lucky lottery?
It's Tibaut Pinot's boys, Groupama FDJ fare far better than the rest with the winning ticket offering up bit of 5 star luxury.
"Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
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Well...
Nice enough place, really big old brick cathedral. That's my input.
Wow, what a coincidence!
Did anyone look at the same thing last year/year before? Could be interesting to compare.
Not sure FDJ will be in the right frame of mind to enjoy that luxury.
Movistar one looks good to me.
Apologies, I somehow missed them.
Put it this way, it's hardly going to improve George Bennett's mood over drinks this evening.
They've probably left him in a backpacking hostel a few streets back.
I was meaning to ask where exactly George will be serving the drinks this evening.
Yeah, this aged well (in the bestest possible way).
Belgian tv's Vive le Velo had to do their nightly interview of the day's stage winner at a table placed right on a busy junction, next to passing traffic.
Never seen that before.
Tonight on the menu, Monsieur Pinot we have a un grande 'umble pie'
It's the kind of establishment I imagine seeing a chain smoking politically incorrect detective emerging from after a particularly grisly murder.
He's out the back.
No idea if this is unique but I'd have thought it's a rare occurrence, usually an on form sprinter hoovers them up.
EDIT
Last happened in 2002
Book ended by Lance winning Prologue and Stage 11
1 Rubens Bertogliati
2 Óscar Freire
3 Robbie McEwen
4 ONCE-Eroski
5 Jaan Kirsipuu
6 Erik Zabel
7 Bradley McGee
8 Karsten Kroon
9 Santiago Botero
10 Patrice Halgand
EDIT 2
Prior to that it's the Zabel / Cippollini era back to 1994
1 Djamolidine Abdoujaparov
2 Jean-Paul van Poppel
3 GB-MG Maglifico
4 Francisco Cabello
5 Nicola Minali
6 Gianluca Bortolami
7 Ján Svorada
8 Bo Hamburger
9 Miguel Indurain
10 Jacky Durand
Last year AG2R stayed in a very nice 5 star place on the shores of Lake Annecy, certainly for 2 if not 3 nights.
DD & Movistar had the Grand Casino in Annecy.
I like to think it's mid-race
Coaches said there was never an excuse not to have a decent turn of speed.
Is working out for them.
I've enjoyed it
Prob not helped by having a div like Madiot in charge.