Best of the Rest - 16/07/2019 - Albi *News and Views*

blazing_saddles
blazing_saddles Posts: 22,730
edited July 2019 in Pro race
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.

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Movistar: Seem to have lucked out with this 4 star beaut, set amongst it's own vineyard.

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DQS, Bahrain and Arkea have drawn the not so grand, 3 star Grand Hotel d'Orleans.

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Both Sunweb and UAE? Oh dear Dan, it's going to be a bit cramped by the looks....

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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.

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Astana kop a Kyriad, enough said.

Team Dimension Direct and Total Direct Energie seem to do quite nicely, but nothing too plush.

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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.

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"Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
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Comments

  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,597
    Phew that's a stroke of luck the French favourite drawing the 5 star hotel. Who'd have thought?!
  • above_the_cows
    above_the_cows Posts: 11,406
    Blazing Saddles wrote:
    Nothing much happening...


    Well...
    Correlation is not causation.
  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 28,228
    Just realised seeing the pictures today I went to Albi on a trip when I was on a French exchange with school. Man, how is that over 30 years ago?

    Nice enough place, really big old brick cathedral. That's my input.
  • bobmcstuff
    bobmcstuff Posts: 11,444
    Pross wrote:
    Phew that's a stroke of luck the French favourite drawing the 5 star hotel. Who'd have thought?!

    Wow, what a coincidence!

    Did anyone look at the same thing last year/year before? Could be interesting to compare.
  • ridgerider
    ridgerider Posts: 2,852
    No mention of Jumbo? Don't think they will care what their hotel is like!

    Not sure FDJ will be in the right frame of mind to enjoy that luxury.
    Half man, Half bike
  • bm5
    bm5 Posts: 601
    Poor Dan. That seems totally different to the others.
    Movistar one looks good to me.
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,730
    Ridgerider wrote:
    No mention of Jumbo? Don't think they will care what their hotel is like!

    Not sure FDJ will be in the right frame of mind to enjoy that luxury.


    Apologies, I somehow missed them.
    Put it this way, it's hardly going to improve George Bennett's mood over drinks this evening.

    inter-hotel-le-cantepau-albi-023.jpg
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • ridgerider
    ridgerider Posts: 2,852
    Perfect...keeps it real for them!
    Half man, Half bike
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,597
    Blazing Saddles wrote:
    Ridgerider wrote:
    No mention of Jumbo? Don't think they will care what their hotel is like!

    Not sure FDJ will be in the right frame of mind to enjoy that luxury.


    Apologies, I somehow missed them.
    Put it this way, it's hardly going to improve George Bennett's mood over drinks this evening.

    inter-hotel-le-cantepau-albi-023.jpg

    They've probably left him in a backpacking hostel a few streets back.
  • above_the_cows
    above_the_cows Posts: 11,406
    Blazing Saddles wrote:
    inter-hotel-le-cantepau-albi-023.jpg

    I was meaning to ask where exactly George will be serving the drinks this evening.
    Correlation is not causation.
  • above_the_cows
    above_the_cows Posts: 11,406
    To be honest I can almost smell the mustiness from the photo...
    Correlation is not causation.
  • Lanterne_Rogue
    Lanterne_Rogue Posts: 4,340
    Above The Cows wrote:
    Blazing Saddles wrote:
    Nothing much happening...


    Well...

    Yeah, this aged well (in the bestest possible way).
    Twitter: @canocola @thedreadships
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,730
    Cor, that Jumbo hotel must be the pits.
    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.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • amrushton
    amrushton Posts: 1,313
    Pross wrote:
    Phew that's a stroke of luck the French favourite drawing the 5 star hotel. Who'd have thought?!

    Tonight on the menu, Monsieur Pinot we have a un grande 'umble pie'
  • above_the_cows
    above_the_cows Posts: 11,406
    Blazing Saddles wrote:
    Cor, that Jumbo hotel must be the pits.
    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.

    It's the kind of establishment I imagine seeing a chain smoking politically incorrect detective emerging from after a particularly grisly murder.
    Correlation is not causation.
  • bm5
    bm5 Posts: 601
    Wondering where our favourite Offredo is resting up?
  • above_the_cows
    above_the_cows Posts: 11,406
    BM5 wrote:
    Wondering where our favourite Offredo is resting up?

    He's out the back.
    Correlation is not causation.
  • tailwindhome
    tailwindhome Posts: 19,459
    edited July 2019
    10 stages 10 different winners. (not withstanding a TTT)

    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
    “New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!
  • poweredbyidris
    poweredbyidris Posts: 848
    Great rest day photo posted by Inrng:

    D_lEj7gXkAAaArY.jpg:large
  • Dorset_Boy
    Dorset_Boy Posts: 7,611
    bobmcstuff wrote:
    Pross wrote:
    Phew that's a stroke of luck the French favourite drawing the 5 star hotel. Who'd have thought?!

    Wow, what a coincidence!

    Did anyone look at the same thing last year/year before? Could be interesting to compare.

    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.
  • m.r.m.
    m.r.m. Posts: 3,486
    PoweredByIdris wrote:
    Great rest day photo posted by Inrng:

    D_lEj7gXkAAaArY.jpg:large
    Great photo, but not new or from today. :)
    PTP Champion 2019, 2022 & 2023
  • poweredbyidris
    poweredbyidris Posts: 848
    Realise that - the kit's a bit of a giveaway.

    I like to think it's mid-race
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,660
    Apparently Jumbo introduced sprinting (full bore) for signs on every training ride last year.

    Coaches said there was never an excuse not to have a decent turn of speed.

    Is working out for them.
    _
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,730
    The combined profiles so far. Not normal.

    tour19-profile-stage1-10-920.jpg
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • specialgueststar
    specialgueststar Posts: 3,418
    Always a highlight getting passed by the teams out on the rest day as we toured the Tour Mapei one year breezed past at there leg loosener speed which was a ) ridiculous b) consistent :cry: Kelme about 5 minutes after. The Colombians willing to have a laugh ( can't keep up with our panniered steel bikes) before Escartin shouted something and it was closed ranks - they gave me a cap :)
  • m.r.m.
    m.r.m. Posts: 3,486
    Blazing Saddles wrote:
    The combined profiles so far. Not normal.

    tour19-profile-stage1-10-920.jpg
    Really looking forward to the third week. Fatigue ought to really shake some things up outside of top 3.
    PTP Champion 2019, 2022 & 2023
  • tailwindhome
    tailwindhome Posts: 19,459
    You know. Its been a really good first 10 days.
    I've enjoyed it
    “New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!
  • bobmcstuff
    bobmcstuff Posts: 11,444
    Rest day press conference with Pinot and Madiot is lols (on ITV highlights) - Pinot says he finds it hard to accept and it's not fair to lose time like that.
  • orraloon
    orraloon Posts: 13,270
    bobmcstuff wrote:
    Rest day press conference with Pinot and Madiot is lols (on ITV highlights) - Pinot says he finds it hard to accept and it's not fair to lose time like that.
    Just watched that. FFS. Has that boy got issues or what?
    Prob not helped by having a div like Madiot in charge.
  • amrushton
    amrushton Posts: 1,313
    Looking at Pinot I felt sad. You could see the fragility that people talk about. Compare it to Brailsford who talks enthusiastically in the highlights. No wonder Sky/Ineos used Tim kerrison and Steve Peters to work with the riders. Pinot looked beaten in that interview. He lost 1.40, Yates lost 25x that on stage 19 of the Giro

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