TDF 2020 - Stage 18: Méribel - La Roche-sur-Foron 175 km *Spoilers*

dish_dash

DeVlaeminck said:

To be fair it was ok but like this Tour in general it was nicely poised but never really delivered like you'd hoped.

Lol...

As so well articulated here, the problem is in the hopes and expectations rather than how the race actually pans out.

zest28

blazing_saddles said:

RichN95. said:

Jumbo DS Merijn Zeeman has been thrown out of the Tour due to an altercation with a UCI official during a bike check. One for the motor tinfoil hatters.

Well if it was Van Aert's bike they have a ready made join the dots conspiracy.

WvA comes from cyclocross and Femke Van den Driessche cyclocross WCs etc etc

They'll be getting out the turkey wrap tout suite.

I think the UCI goes too far with this stuff.

bobmcstuff

specialgueststar said:

Are we watching the same stages ?

I thought it was a decent watch, especially on highlights. Hardly one for the ages though.

jimmyjams

TheBigBean said:

Kwiat said in interview that Hirschi was descending too fast and not doing any work anyway.

I didn't see a Kwia interview but Hirschi anyway admitted afterwards that he was going too fast.

Not sure about Kwia's remark re Hirschi not doing any work, though.
When it was just Carapaz and him, he seemed to do his fair share. Later when Kwia, Edet and Bilbao joined the front two, it was only to be expected that the non-Ineos riders would contribute less, while it also seemed Kwia was anyway happy to lead and force the pace.

I'd have actually been tempted to give Kwia the combativity prize. Not only did he lead Carapaz in the last whole 100 kms, he was also the initiator and leader of the move which brought him, Edet and Bilbao up to join Carapaz and Hirschi.

rick_chasey

blazing_saddles said:

RichN95. said:

Jumbo DS Merijn Zeeman has been thrown out of the Tour due to an altercation with a UCI official during a bike check. One for the motor tinfoil hatters.

Well if it was Van Aert's bike they have a ready made join the dots conspiracy.

WvA comes from cyclocross and Femke Van den Driessche cyclocross WCs etc etc

They'll be getting out the turkey wrap tout suite.

Think it was Roglic's bike off the car - the story from Zeeman's side was they went for the bike without asking, just started taking it off, and Zeeman properly lost his sh!t, and continued going at the inspectors long after it was obvious what they were doing.

davidof

So do we assume that Kwia would have beaten Carapaz in a sprint at the end?

david37

specialgueststar said:

Are we watching the same stages ?

The one where 2 blokes at the front ride along in the sunshine chatting and patting each other on the back for the last hour. and the one where the yellow jersey continues to have a WVA churning away and crumbling gc contenders, just like the rest of the tour.

mind you richy porte managed to not fall off when he had a front wheel puncture which for him must count as a break through moment.

rick_chasey

davidof said:

So do we assume that Kwia would have beaten Carapaz in a sprint at the end?

For sure - the guy won MSR against Sagan in the sprint!

kingstongraham

If watching that stage doesn't make you happy when it has hours of a battle for the polka dots, a successful breakaway, attacks in the GC group, an astonishing recovery from another piece of bad luck from Porte, another demonstration of awesomeness from WvA, a first GT stage win for a great rider, and all while you are looking at scenery like this...






...maybe the Tour de France just isn't your thing. That's OK.

DeVlaeminck

As I say the stage was OK but the GC never really looked in doubt, the green never really looked in doubt, the mountains did but that's hardly a battle that's been building over the race and then it was decided by a slide out on a corner.

I'm happy for anyone that thought it was a classic just doesn't reach those heights for me.

mididoctors

IneosSSSSSSSSSS

mididoctors

IneosSSSSSSSSSS

kingstongraham

DeVlaeminck said:

As I say the stage was OK but the GC never really looked in doubt, the green never really looked in doubt, the mountains did but that's hardly a battle that's been building over the race and then it was decided by a slide out on a corner.

I'm happy for anyone that thought it was a classic just doesn't reach those heights for me.

I'll be honest, when it starts with the Cormet de Roseland and carries on through that scenery on a day like that, the race doesn't have to liven up very much to make me class it as a good day's viewing.

And the camera/direction work on this race is exceptional pretty much every stage every year. It's just a joy to watch.

bobmcstuff

kingstongraham said:

DeVlaeminck said:

As I say the stage was OK but the GC never really looked in doubt, the green never really looked in doubt, the mountains did but that's hardly a battle that's been building over the race and then it was decided by a slide out on a corner.

I'm happy for anyone that thought it was a classic just doesn't reach those heights for me.

I'll be honest, when it starts with the Cormet de Roseland and carries on through that scenery on a day like that, the race doesn't have to liven up very much to make me class it as a good day's viewing.

And the camera/direction work on this race is exceptional pretty much every stage every year. It's just a joy to watch.

I thought it was a good watch, with some enjoyable moments, I just don't think it was "all time".

The only stage that's had me on edge start to finish was that crosswinds one (7?) that was just bonkers from the start to the finish, even though not a lot happened in the end.

blazing_saddles

We should all be giving thanks, not picking nits.
A few short months ago, quite a few folks on here gave the race zero chance of going ahead.

As KG says, it's been a beautiful tour. It's also blessed with fabulous weather, given this is not July.
Even if certain stages haven't quite hit the heights, few stages have been boring.

bobmcstuff

Oh yeah, it's been good and I am really glad it is on!

I don't have a problem with the inevitable rankings and comparisons though, that's like trying to hold back the tide.

DeVlaeminck

kingstongraham said:

DeVlaeminck said:

As I say the stage was OK but the GC never really looked in doubt, the green never really looked in doubt, the mountains did but that's hardly a battle that's been building over the race and then it was decided by a slide out on a corner.

I'm happy for anyone that thought it was a classic just doesn't reach those heights for me.

I'll be honest, when it starts with the Cormet de Roseland and carries on through that scenery on a day like that, the race doesn't have to liven up very much to make me class it as a good day's viewing.

And the camera/direction work on this race is exceptional pretty much every stage every year. It's just a joy to watch.

Yes certainly some beautiful scenery and I don't think it's been a bad race by any means .

Maybe it's just we've not seen a knockout blow between the two main protagonists - it just feels a bit like the fight is being ended before the final round.

Pross

david37 said:

specialgueststar said:

Are we watching the same stages ?

The one where 2 blokes at the front ride along in the sunshine chatting and patting each other on the back for the last hour. and the one where the yellow jersey continues to have a WVA churning away and crumbling gc contenders, just like the rest of the tour.

mind you richy porte managed to not fall off when he had a front wheel puncture which for him must count as a break through moment.

Is someone feeling a bit butt hurt that evil Ineos dominated the stage?

Pross

DeVlaeminck said:

As I say the stage was OK but the GC never really looked in doubt, the green never really looked in doubt, the mountains did but that's hardly a battle that's been building over the race and then it was decided by a slide out on a corner.

I'm happy for anyone that thought it was a classic just doesn't reach those heights for me.

I don't think anyone is claiming it was a classic stage but it had plenty going on and was one of those ones it was nice to have on and enjoy with the scenery and weather really helping. It certainly wasn't as bad as Davey is suggesting, I'm not sure he's watched much bike racing if he thought the two up front were going to race for the win, seeing them be able to enjoy the final km after dominating the stage like that was really good to see. Kwia has sacrificed the prime of his career at GTs to support others (including Carapaz chasing the polka dots yesterday) and his stage win was thoroughly deserved.

DeVlaeminck

Hmm, I was responding to SpecialGuestStar's comment "were we watching the same stages?".

I'd said it was nicely poised but never quite delivered what you'd hoped - so not saying it was an awful stage just not hitting the heights. As the response was pretty strong - the implication that I was way off and the stage and race was far better than that - I think someone was claiming it was a classic stage.

I mean it's fine to have different views on what makes a great race.

pblakeney

blazing_saddles said:

A few short months ago, quite a few folks on here gave the race zero chance of going ahead.

I'll put my hands up and say that I am extremely grateful to have been proven wrong.
Not every good stage is going to be an all time classic. It can still be very good viewing.

ddraver

jimmyjams said:

TheBigBean said:

Kwiat said in interview that Hirschi was descending too fast and not doing any work anyway.

I didn't see a Kwia interview but Hirschi anyway admitted afterwards that he was going too fast.

Not sure about Kwia's remark re Hirschi not doing any work, though.

Did you see the ITV interview with Daniel?

Daniel: So Marc, you cocked up and fell over on the descent

Marc: Yeah, I made a mistake, I went too hard 😣

and you lost the KOM jersey too

M: ...yep 😢

and your chance for a second stage win, you lost that too

M: .......yep 😭

Bloody 'ell Friebos, Let's show them what they could have won!

😁😋😁

No_Ta_Doctor

ddraver said:

jimmyjams said:

TheBigBean said:

Kwiat said in interview that Hirschi was descending too fast and not doing any work anyway.

I didn't see a Kwia interview but Hirschi anyway admitted afterwards that he was going too fast.

Not sure about Kwia's remark re Hirschi not doing any work, though.

Did you see the ITV interview with Daniel?

Daniel: So Marc, you cocked up and fell over on the descent

Marc: Yeah, I made a mistake, I went too hard 😣

and you lost the KOM jersey too

M: ...yep 😢

and your chance for a second stage win, you lost that too

M: .......yep 😭

Bloody 'ell Friebos, Let's show them what they could have won!

😁😋😁

A polkadot speedboat? "Keep into the black and out of the red, there's nothing in this game for overcooking the corner and taking most of your skin off"

Lanterne_Rogue

They'd never have given him the chance to win a speedboat. It was reserved for people who lived in landlocked cities miles from water for the poops and giggles.

Lanterne_Rogue

[belatedly checks where Herschi lives]

ddraver

Lanterne_Rogue said:

[belatedly checks where Herschi lives]

Switzerland....

Also, I learnt you can make that face typing 'D' and then a colon...

Yes I know there are lakes in Switzerland, don't ruin the joke!