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Have we just seen best back to back 3 days racing for a decade

alan_aalan_a Posts: 1,546
in Pro race
Bora and the echelons

Peters solo win over sack of potatoes descending, Pinot & Ala pop, team leaders battle

The never forming break, Pinot pops, then attacks then pops, the heads of state battling it out on Col MB... and of course that young swiss wonder kid who was just a pure joy to watch from first attempt at a break to saying good morning to the motorhome folk, to that bunny hop, to the moto overtake, to the sprint finish.

When was the last time we witnessed 3 such thrilling days of racing back to back ?

Both TdF and other GTs.
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  • andypandyp Posts: 9,849
    Last year's Tour.
  • davidofdavidof Posts: 2,995
    No
    BASI Nordic Ski Instructor
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  • ddraverddraver Posts: 26,094
    It was fun, but of the decade..?

    Big call...

    (Unless you mean 2020 - 2029)
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • RichN95.RichN95. Posts: 27,087
    There are some Giros that would challenge. 2015 and 2018 possibly. 2012 Vuelta.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • mididoctorsmididoctors Posts: 16,372
    No .
    "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
  • Lanterne_RogueLanterne_Rogue Posts: 4,082
    Depends what you want out of sport, of course, but the lack of a satisfying narrative framework within which to view it counts against it. At the moment the patterns of this tour aren't clear enough to know what those stages really meant.
    Twitter: @canocola @thedreadships
  • RichN95.RichN95. Posts: 27,087
    Ultimately there hasn't been a stage which turns everything on it's head which I'd want. It bodes well for stages 15-18 though
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • gweedsgweeds Posts: 2,522
    I’d rather just enjoy it for what it is rather than try endless comparisons with the past.
    Napoleon, don't be jealous that I've been chatting online with babes all day. Besides, we both know that I'm training to be a cage fighter.
  • alan_aalan_a Posts: 1,546
    gweeds said:

    I’d rather just enjoy it for what it is rather than try endless comparisons with the past.

    Good point.

    I didn't have high hopes for this tour, but with the exception of one long dull sprint stage that resulted in a time penalty it has been good. But the past three days have been pure entertainment from flag drop to finale.
    http://www.3pistescycle.co.uk
    Twitter @3pistescycle
    INSTA @tourclownunder
  • blazing_saddlesblazing_saddles Posts: 21,534
    Only one person on the forum can make this call...........
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • RichN95.RichN95. Posts: 27,087
    edited September 2020
    blazing_saddles said:

    Only one person on the forum can make this call...........


    It's not Iain is it? He rated today as an 8/10 which I think is a record.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • blazing_saddlesblazing_saddles Posts: 21,534
    RichN95. said:

    blazing_saddles said:

    Only one person on the forum can make this call...........


    It's not Iain is it? He rated today as an 8/10 which I think is a record.
    I did and he did?
    Well, there you go.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • pblakeneypblakeney Posts: 24,030
    Just enjoy it. It's not a competition.
    Oh! 😉
    The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
    I am not sure. You have no chance.
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    PB is the most sensible person on here.
  • bobmcstuffbobmcstuff Posts: 11,115
    It's been very entertaining certainly.

    I think that's an impossible comparison though.

    As above it doesnt have a good narrative yet, maybe in hindsight it will gain something else.
  • tailwindhometailwindhome Posts: 18,686
    The roller coaster of the BR Forum's relationship to the Tour never ceases to amaze.
    “New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!
  • DeVlaeminckDeVlaeminck Posts: 8,642
    I'm gonna say no - I couldn't pick out any consecutive 3 days better but I'm not really one for memorising that stuff.

    3 decent enough stages - Saturday was ok - nothing special - so a stage with echelons, a routine mountain stage and yesterday which was exciting without really being one that will live in the memory.

    The starter has been appetising but now let's have the main course.
    [Castle Donington Ladies FC - going up in '22]
  • mididoctorsmididoctors Posts: 16,372
    tailwindhome said:

    The roller coaster of the BR Forum's relationship to the Tour never ceases to amaze.

    People love death match comparasions . 2018 giro Vs 2019 tour ..... Etc .
    "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
  • mididoctorsmididoctors Posts: 16,372
    This was the worst tour ever according to most till s7 . Others are complaining it's not proper because the GC guys are just sprinting for bonus secs . It's not the 2018 giro yet but it's decent racing ... different too. Surprising at times
    "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
  • kingstongrahamkingstongraham Posts: 25,458
    Stages 13, 14, 15 last year were pretty good.
  • bobmcstuffbobmcstuff Posts: 11,115
    mididoctors said:

    tailwindhome said:

    The roller coaster of the BR Forum's relationship to the Tour never ceases to amaze.

    People love death match comparasions . 2018 giro Vs 2019 tour ..... Etc .
    We should run a head to head poll... Grand tours from different years...
  • Lanterne_RogueLanterne_Rogue Posts: 4,082
    mididoctors said:

    This was the worst tour ever according to most till s7 . Others are complaining it's not proper because the GC guys are just sprinting for bonus secs . It's not the 2018 giro yet but it's decent racing ... different too. Surprising at times

    Given the starting point was the slightly hyperbolic "is this the best three day's racing we've seen this decade?" it's not surprising the majority are going with "no". That's not the same as saying that it hasn't been a reasonably decent first week by the standards of the tour, even if the GC race has yet to really kick into gear.

    The big worry about the GC race is that it'll remain a sprint contest for bonus seconds on the line. Those of us who are frustrated by the majority opinion that long, flat stages for sprinters are an abomination will enjoy the irony of this - if not necessarily the racing...

    Twitter: @canocola @thedreadships
  • mididoctorsmididoctors Posts: 16,372
    I think this bonus sprint thing over looks you have to be able to climb to be in a position to sprint . So you could argue it tests several abilities
    "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
  • RichN95.RichN95. Posts: 27,087
    mididoctors said:

    I think this bonus sprint thing over looks you have to be able to climb to be in a position to sprint . So you could argue it tests several abilities


    I liked an idea that I saw yesterday that the climbing bonus sprint should be midway on the climb, say 70% of the way up, not at the top
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • mididoctorsmididoctors Posts: 16,372
    edited September 2020
    RichN95. said:

    mididoctors said:

    I think this bonus sprint thing over looks you have to be able to climb to be in a position to sprint . So you could argue it tests several abilities


    I liked an idea that I saw yesterday that the climbing bonus sprint should be midway on the climb, say 70% of the way up, not at the top
    Excellent idea ...Or at least set back a km or a half from the summit making people blow up short of the crest ... I like it
    "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
  • mididoctorsmididoctors Posts: 16,372
    You could stick a bunch in on a long climb. Wtf not. I supposed it might devolve into its a Knockout UAE are playing their joker
    "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
  • dabeastosdabeastos Posts: 7
    edited September 2020

    The big worry about the GC race is that it'll remain a sprint contest for bonus seconds on the line. Those of us who are frustrated by the majority opinion that long, flat stages for sprinters are an abomination will enjoy the irony of this - if not necessarily the racing...

    Edit......Sorry the above was a quote from Lanterne Rouge, but I mucked it up


    I can’t escape the feeling that The Grand Colombier and the Col de la Loze are gonna be the only climbs that will really see large time gaps. The CdlL could see huge gaps. Whichever GC candidate is best on those two climbs wins the tour.


  • Lanterne_RogueLanterne_Rogue Posts: 4,082
    mididoctors said:

    I think this bonus sprint thing over looks you have to be able to climb to be in a position to sprint . So you could argue it tests several abilities

    I don't disagree that it still tests all the things a GC rider needs (you could argue that by adding sprinting power to the list it actually widens the test).

    It doesn't make for great TV though - everyone keeps some of their powder dry and any excitement is left for the last 100m. It feels like it's neutralising the racing at the moment.
    Twitter: @canocola @thedreadships
  • mididoctorsmididoctors Posts: 16,372
    It's still selective . You see groups forming at different levels
    "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
  • kingstongrahamkingstongraham Posts: 25,458
    edited September 2020
    Lanterne_Rogue said:

    mididoctors said:

    I think this bonus sprint thing over looks you have to be able to climb to be in a position to sprint . So you could argue it tests several abilities

    I don't disagree that it still tests all the things a GC rider needs (you could argue that by adding sprinting power to the list it actually widens the test).

    It doesn't make for great TV though - everyone keeps some of their powder dry and any excitement is left for the last 100m. It feels like it's neutralising the racing at the moment.
    Neutralising? After yesterday?
  • ProssPross Posts: 38,824
    Lanterne_Rogue said:

    mididoctors said:

    This was the worst tour ever according to most till s7 . Others are complaining it's not proper because the GC guys are just sprinting for bonus secs . It's not the 2018 giro yet but it's decent racing ... different too. Surprising at times

    Given the starting point was the slightly hyperbolic "is this the best three day's racing we've seen this decade?" it's not surprising the majority are going with "no". That's not the same as saying that it hasn't been a reasonably decent first week by the standards of the tour, even if the GC race has yet to really kick into gear.

    The big worry about the GC race is that it'll remain a sprint contest for bonus seconds on the line. Those of us who are frustrated by the majority opinion that long, flat stages for sprinters are an abomination will enjoy the irony of this - if not necessarily the racing...

    It actually says consecutive days which I think makes a big difference. It feels quite rare to have 3 good days back to back as it tends to be that after a big day the riders have one where they take it easy.

    It's been quite an odd one. There hasn't been a huge amount of attacking when you think back but the leaders have been exposed for much longer than we became accustomed to in the Sky days. If we can get the same on the big Alpine stages it could be real fun.

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