Foome and Thomas non Tour selection

specialgueststar

Not selected for Tour. That puts Rowe as only UK rider
No wonder they were trying so hard at the Dauphine😁

david37

well if theyre not good enough theyre not good enough. Bit of a shocker non the less. It wont seem the same.

I suspect there will be stories of rifts which i will lap up true or otherwise.

zest28

I wonder if Thomas will also start looking for a new team now.

And I don't see Bernal winning this years TdF as he couldn't handle the guys from Jumbo-Visma before he pulled out of the race. So good luck to Team Ineos / Sky this year.

ugo.santalucia

They're old. Ineos have stronger, younger GC men, simples, really

dannbodge

Agreed with Zest

Can't see ineos winning TdF now, especially with reports of Bernal's back injury

johnnyfartpants

Bernal will podium.............however it's a 'the king is dead, long live the king' kinda moment.
I'm still looking forward to all 3 GT's mind!

Wheelspinner

Who is this “Foome” you mention? 🧐

andyp

zest28 said:

I wonder if Thomas will also start looking for a new team now.

I can think of three million reasons every year why he won't.

nicholl.simon

Hello,
This will sound like heresy/unthinkable, but I will not be surprised if Geraint is eased out the door.
Cheers,
Simon.

zest28

I actually feel sorry for Carapez. Instead of defending his Giro title, he is now turned into Bernal his lapdog.

Kauto5

I think Carapaz will do really well and could end up leading if Bernal doesn't improve because of his back.

mpatts

and don't forget the potential spanner that could be thrown into the works by a much foreshortened tour with an odd winner.

davidof

mpatts said:

and don't forget the potential spanner that could be thrown into the works by a much foreshortened tour with an odd winner.

you mean the tour where a French rider gets into Yellow and they have to stop the race there due to Covid?

mpatts

davidof said:

mpatts said:

and don't forget the potential spanner that could be thrown into the works by a much foreshortened tour with an odd winner.

you mean the tour where a French rider gets into Yellow and they have to stop the race there due to Covid?

Thats one of many thoughts.

Also, all of the french riders working for Pinot.

davidof

mpatts said:

Also, all of the french riders working for Pinot.

You know what they say about people who work for pinots

ugo.santalucia

If you are a stage race rider, you want to do the Tour, end of the story. I am sure Carapaz is thrilled

salsiccia1

Absolutely. Carapaz will be going as first reserve for the overall, which could turn into being number one if he's in better shape than Bernal.

As for Froome and Thomas not going, it's absolutely the right decision. Neither of them have shown enough to be considered contenders and Ineos will want at least two proper threats; and you can't take 4 or 5 riders who might expect support.

I love Froome and I'm gutted that he's not going but he's just not there and in some ways I'm relieved he's not going to slog around France looking completely ordinary, with a very good chance he won't get to Paris.

joeyhalloran

i am not that surprised with Froome given his comeback from injury and the state he was in last year.

I am slightly surprised at G though. He has presumably gone longer than racing was suspended for focussing on getting fit and training in relative solitude in Olympic cycles while competing on the track. Has he just lost motivation?

Pross

ugo.santalucia said:

They're old. Ineos have stronger, younger GC men, simples, really

It's a lot of podium experience to leave out that could be supporting these 'stronger, younger GC men'. OK Froome might not offer much in a support role but I'm pretty sure Geraint would have done so if that was the role he was given.

Pross

I'm wondering if Ineos are hedging their bets a bit. Maybe they've looked at the Covid situation in France and felt that throwing all their big guns at a Tour that could end up getting cancelled after a few stages was too big a risk and opted to split them up to cover the Giro too.

I've been away so haven't seen the announcement but could it be the lack of form in the French warm up races was due to them knowing they were targeting the Giro and had longer to go before they needed to peak?

DeadCalm

Pross said:

I'm wondering if Ineos are hedging their bets a bit. Maybe they've looked at the Covid situation in France and felt that throwing all their big guns at a Tour that could end up getting cancelled after a few stages was too big a risk and opted to split them up to cover the Giro too.

I've been away so haven't seen the announcement but could it be the lack of form in the French warm up races was due to them knowing they were targeting the Giro and had longer to go before they needed to peak?

I suggest you look at the Thomas interview.

ugo.santalucia

Pross said:

ugo.santalucia said:

They're old. Ineos have stronger, younger GC men, simples, really

It's a lot of podium experience to leave out that could be supporting these 'stronger, younger GC men'. OK Froome might not offer much in a support role but I'm pretty sure Geraint would have done so if that was the role he was given.

I'm not sure... I have the impression last year GT was doing his own race and would have been quite keen for Bernal to go down and leave him the top spot in the team. Traditionally, having two (or in this case 4) GC men has been more problematic, rather than less. There are exceptions, but 1996, 2009 and 2012 tour, as well as 1994 Giro spring to mind as cases where the team had to step in to make sure things didn't spin out of control... and then of course Movistar proves again and again how having too many GC men is in nobody's interest

Pross

ugo.santalucia said:

Pross said:

ugo.santalucia said:

They're old. Ineos have stronger, younger GC men, simples, really

It's a lot of podium experience to leave out that could be supporting these 'stronger, younger GC men'. OK Froome might not offer much in a support role but I'm pretty sure Geraint would have done so if that was the role he was given.

I'm not sure... I have the impression last year GT was doing his own race and would have been quite keen for Bernal to go down and leave him the top spot in the team. Traditionally, having two (or in this case 4) GC men has been more problematic, rather than less. There are exceptions, but 1996, 2009 and 2012 tour, as well as 1994 Giro spring to mind as cases where the team had to step in to make sure things didn't spin out of control... and then of course Movistar proves again and again how having too many GC men is in nobody's interest

He went in as reigning champion and joint leader last year and was in with a chance to win right up to the final mountain stage so was entitled to do his own thing.

coopster_the_1st

nicholl.simon said:

Hello,
This will sound like heresy/unthinkable, but I will not be surprised if Geraint is eased out the door.
Cheers,
Simon.

It's a fair view and not out of character with how ruthless Ineos can be.

Personally, I think if G accepts he may not be good enough to win the Tour again and returns to his natural body type he could easily challenge in the classics

ugo.santalucia

Pross said:

ugo.santalucia said:

Pross said:

ugo.santalucia said:

They're old. Ineos have stronger, younger GC men, simples, really

It's a lot of podium experience to leave out that could be supporting these 'stronger, younger GC men'. OK Froome might not offer much in a support role but I'm pretty sure Geraint would have done so if that was the role he was given.

I'm not sure... I have the impression last year GT was doing his own race and would have been quite keen for Bernal to go down and leave him the top spot in the team. Traditionally, having two (or in this case 4) GC men has been more problematic, rather than less. There are exceptions, but 1996, 2009 and 2012 tour, as well as 1994 Giro spring to mind as cases where the team had to step in to make sure things didn't spin out of control... and then of course Movistar proves again and again how having too many GC men is in nobody's interest

He went in as reigning champion and joint leader last year and was in with a chance to win right up to the final mountain stage so was entitled to do his own thing.

If I remember correctly, he was only still in the race because one stage was shortened due to freak weather. Either way, your team mate is in yellow, you work for him, you don't seek your chances, end of the story. I think Bernal will be relieved not to have internal competition

andyp

ugo.santalucia said:

I think Bernal will be relieved not to have internal competition

Are you aware of Richard Carapaz?

joe2019

coopster_the_1st said:

nicholl.simon said:

Hello,
This will sound like heresy/unthinkable, but I will not be surprised if Geraint is eased out the door.
Cheers,
Simon.

It's a fair view and not out of character with how ruthless Ineos can be.

Personally, I think if G accepts he may not be good enough to win the Tour again and returns to his natural body type he could easily challenge in the classics

Absolutely no idea how he was ever good enough to win once to be honest.

Pross

ugo.santalucia said:

Pross said:

ugo.santalucia said:

Pross said:

ugo.santalucia said:

They're old. Ineos have stronger, younger GC men, simples, really

It's a lot of podium experience to leave out that could be supporting these 'stronger, younger GC men'. OK Froome might not offer much in a support role but I'm pretty sure Geraint would have done so if that was the role he was given.

I'm not sure... I have the impression last year GT was doing his own race and would have been quite keen for Bernal to go down and leave him the top spot in the team. Traditionally, having two (or in this case 4) GC men has been more problematic, rather than less. There are exceptions, but 1996, 2009 and 2012 tour, as well as 1994 Giro spring to mind as cases where the team had to step in to make sure things didn't spin out of control... and then of course Movistar proves again and again how having too many GC men is in nobody's interest

He went in as reigning champion and joint leader last year and was in with a chance to win right up to the final mountain stage so was entitled to do his own thing.

If I remember correctly, he was only still in the race because one stage was shortened due to freak weather. Either way, your team mate is in yellow, you work for him, you don't seek your chances, end of the story. I think Bernal will be relieved not to have internal competition

I don't think you remember correctly.

I think if Thomas had been asked to go as support for Bernal he would have gone as support. He's shown plenty of times before that he's willing to give up any personal ambitions for the designated team leader.

RichN95.

Pross said:

I don't think you remember correctly.

I think if Thomas had been asked to go as support for Bernal he would have gone as support. He's shown plenty of times before that he's willing to give up any personal ambitions for the designated team leader.

Indeed. Bernal was supposed to lead at the Giro but had a crash so was brought in as support for the Tour but then Froome crashed.

As for the shortened stage, prior to that stage Alaphilippe was in yellow and Bernal in 2nd led Thomas in 3rd by only five seconds. At the neutralisation point Bernal had a 58s lead over the Thomas group with a cat 1 to come. Thomas was very much a live contender to win.

DeVlaeminck

If I were Thomas I'd be quite happy with this decision. I get that riders want to ride the Tour but they also want to win races and not be made to look like they are past their sell by date. The Giro gives him a bit of time to show he's still the rider of the last few years, maybe win the race and go into 2021 in a strong position.

coopster_the_1st

joe2019 said:

coopster_the_1st said:

nicholl.simon said:

Hello,
This will sound like heresy/unthinkable, but I will not be surprised if Geraint is eased out the door.
Cheers,
Simon.

It's a fair view and not out of character with how ruthless Ineos can be.

Personally, I think if G accepts he may not be good enough to win the Tour again and returns to his natural body type he could easily challenge in the classics

Absolutely no idea how he was ever good enough to win once to be honest.

G's 2018 form would have put him on par with Roglic this year.

He had a great 4 minute effort, left over from his track days, to finish off the climbs where no-one was strong enough to drop him. This is exactly the same thing Roglic is doing.