TDF 2021 - Rest day 1 - *SPOILERS *

No_Ta_Doctor

So, thoughts so far?

https://twitter.com/friebos/status/1411334801781571585?s=19

kingstongraham

1. Awesome
2. Incredible
3. Horrid
4. Unbelievable
5. Great (for a tt)
6. Who writes this?
7. Unexpectedly unexpected
8. Dominant
9. Brutal

Only crashes that lets it down really. But that really lets it down lot. Now if pog can have a simon yates style collapse on the second climb of ventoux, we also have a race.

specialgueststar

Speedy. A different type of racing. We've got so used to trains slowly eating up everything before them. Now riders are flying off. It's exciting and unpredictable

lettingthedaysgoby

Best opening week ever?

mrb123

lettingthedaysgoby said:

Best opening week ever?

I think so, tinged with the fear that the GC from here on in may be a non-event.

bianchi_dave

I can't recall a more entertaining first week, but much of that is down to Cav rolling back the years. Great for (us) British fans but I'm not sure it would have been quite so wonderful had it been say Greipel (as much as I like him). Its great we have Cav to keep our interest peaked in weeks two and three, provided he can make the time cuts.

The GC was very interesting and looked reasonably open until Pogacar blew everyone away, first in the TT and then with his superhuman displays at the weekend, particularly Saturday.

As kingstongraham says, it appears (covid aside) that only a Yates style 2018 Giro collapse will stop him winning, provided he can stay on his bike.

I don't remember Yates being quite so aggressively dominant though, not in the way Pog put his opponents to the sword at least. And of course, Yates was trying to gain an advantage as he knew he'd lose time in the later TT, not a concern for Pog.

The history of cycling means suspicions are raised with performances like his. I for one really hope he is clean and that he was so much better than the competition simply due to them having their reserves depleted (for whatever reason).

We'll never know, but the way Pogacar is riding I'm not convinced a fully fit Rog could have stayed with him and tbh, G has never looked like the rider he was back in 2018.

A long way to go though, Ventoux on Wednesday will be telling.

blazing_saddles

Looking ahead to see what the weather might deliver next week and it starts out as no change, remaining wet.
Of all places, Valence has rain forecast for tomorrow and the riders will face a very stiff headwind for much of the route.
Dare I say it? Could be dull.

Ventoux, on the other hand looks is set fair, with no threat of the weather condition that the mountain takes it's name from.

However, I now have my eye firmly fixed on Friday, as it looks like being the last day of several that offer up a howling crosswind, from Montpellier to Carcassone.
Fingers crossed.

kingstongraham

Saturday should be a nice watch - some climbs, beautiful scenery, amazing chateaux and this bridge.

DeVlaeminck

I'm not really finding it as exciting as most of you. There have been some good individual stages - the green and polka dots are interesting plus the Merckx record - but for me the race is made by the GC battle and there isn't one.

pblakeney

DeVlaeminck said:

I'm not really finding it as exciting as most of you. There have been some good individual stages - the green and polka dots are interesting plus the Merckx record - but for me the race is made by the GC battle and there isn't one.

You could just admire Pog's awesomeness.
Or jump on the doping bandwagon and rant at the TV.
😉

TheBigBean

DeVlaeminck said:

I'm not really finding it as exciting as most of you. There have been some good individual stages - the green and polka dots are interesting plus the Merckx record - but for me the race is made by the GC battle and there isn't one.

The podium places are still up for grabs and that battle should be interesting.

kingstongraham

TheBigBean said:

DeVlaeminck said:

I'm not really finding it as exciting as most of you. There have been some good individual stages - the green and polka dots are interesting plus the Merckx record - but for me the race is made by the GC battle and there isn't one.

The podium places are still up for grabs and that battle should be interesting.

I don't find that particularly exciting either.

The first week is generally all about who wins stages and who is temporarily in yellow and on that basis it's been great.

At the moment it isn't shaping up to necessarily be a great week 2 and 3. I hope we're all wrong, but with Rog and Thomas gone, the only way it can really be a vintage edition is if Pog keeps on going and wins by an hour.

tailwindhome

Ned Boutling and David Millar, on their rest day podcast, putting the hands up with regard to decision making on commercial breaks not being all it could have been, but making the fair point that the unpredictable racing makes it difficult

Also, the new director in the shit with ITV commercial team a couple of times for sticking with coverage instead of going to a break.

davidof

blazing_saddles said:

Ventoux, on the other hand looks is set fair, with

I don't think Ventoux means what you think it means. It is a celtic name.

above_the_cows

kingstongraham said:

Saturday should be a nice watch - some climbs, beautiful scenery, amazing chateaux and this bridge.

I like that. Where exactly is it on the route? I want to go and geek out on google maps.

Dorset_Boy

above_the_cows said:

kingstongraham said:

Saturday should be a nice watch - some climbs, beautiful scenery, amazing chateaux and this bridge.

I like that. Where exactly is it on the route? I want to go and geek out on google maps.

Looks like Watopia! The original KOM climb / descent!

kingstongraham

above_the_cows said:

kingstongraham said:

Saturday should be a nice watch - some climbs, beautiful scenery, amazing chateaux and this bridge.

I like that. Where exactly is it on the route? I want to go and geek out on google maps.

https://www.google.com/maps/@42.828862,2.3381066,217m/data=!3m1!1e3

South East of Quillan, they get there with about 20km to go.

When last staying in the area, we went on a drive around to see the scenery. It was basically the first 120km of this route with a diversion to go to Mirepoix, plus over a different hill to see the view the valley near Quillan. Hope the weather is good, because there's some amazing views.

RichN95.

DeVlaeminck said:

I'm not really finding it as exciting as most of you. There have been some good individual stages - the green and polka dots are interesting plus the Merckx record - but for me the race is made by the GC battle and there isn't one.

I agree with you. The Cavendish comeback was great but it been a week of getting rid of the stars before they could perform.

We're left with a race of 50/1 longshots scrapping over podium places, half the sprinters out of the race and everyone going to Tokyo wondering when they should leave.

above_the_cows

kingstongraham said:

above_the_cows said:

kingstongraham said:

Saturday should be a nice watch - some climbs, beautiful scenery, amazing chateaux and this bridge.

I like that. Where exactly is it on the route? I want to go and geek out on google maps.

https://www.google.com/maps/@42.828862,2.3381066,217m/data=!3m1!1e3

South East of Quillan, they get there with about 20km to go.

When last staying in the area, we went on a drive around to see the scenery. It was basically the first 120km of this route with a diversion to go to Mirepoix, plus over a different hill to see the view the valley near Quillan. Hope the weather is good, because there's some amazing views.

I spent a few weeks there a few years ago. How did I not know about or visit this bridge!

No_Ta_Doctor

With Pogacar in this form the only hope of success was multiple threats attacking and making him chase. It's a shame that strategy was gone so early.

specialgueststar

TheBigBean said:

DeVlaeminck said:

I'm not really finding it as exciting as most of you. There have been some good individual stages - the green and polka dots are interesting plus the Merckx record - but for me the race is made by the GC battle and there isn't one.

The podium places are still up for grabs and that battle should be interesting.

Hang on a minute. It's the first rest day and he's 22 and there are a lot of trials and tribulations ahead ....

lettingthedaysgoby

Exactly. We’re not even half way yet. The GC race isn’t over.

I don’t understand anyone saying things are boring even if it is - the only way it’s over is if we’re watching the arrival of a rider who would then go down in history as one of the best new talents the sport has ever seen. As a cycling fan isn’t that something to be celebrated, something fabulous to just sit back and watch?

Lanterne_Rogue

I don't think the first week has been boring at all (if not necessarily for the right reasons - watching the multiple pile ups was weirdly compelling, but to the detriment of the actual contest). There's been full-gas racing from the flag on at least a couple of stages, the sort of break that you can only dream about getting up the road, at least two emotionally satisfying stage winners, several nailbiting finishes, and plenty of changes of lead. There have been whole tours with less action than this.

The problem is that it's left us set up for a rather dull GC race over the next fortnight unless something unexpected happens, and I think that colours the way people (including me) think about things right now.

Possibly the secondary competitions will produce some excitement - with Pogacar threatening to run away with everything else there might be more scope for a proper climbing battle for once, green looks like it'll be intriguing if Cavendish survives and Colbrelli keeps taking points back on lumpier stages. And even if none of that happens there's still the possibility that individual stages still ignite, providing a series of decent one-dayers even if they're stripped of the context that a GC battle gives a normal tour.

blazing_saddles

davidof said:

blazing_saddles said:

Ventoux, on the other hand looks is set fair, with

I don't think Ventoux means what you think it means. It is a celtic name.

Wasn't the ancient Gallic meaning replaced about 10 centuries or so later?

rick_chasey

lettingthedaysgoby said:

Exactly. We’re not even half way yet. The GC race isn’t over.

It is for the win. It was barely alive after the TT. It would have to be a monumental collapse or a crash for anything to change.

rick_chasey

Is there not an argument that the unpredictable racing is partly as a result of the crashes? In that the two teams who have the strength in depth to strangle a race, Ineos and Jumbo, have both have crashes that ruined their GC ambitions?

ddraver

I agree with y'all that it's not been boring, but it seems to be common today for things that are 'not boring' to become BEST WEEK EVER!! which it isnt either.

The GC Race is probably over so we have to pivot to enjoying each stage as a one-day race instead, which is fine...

amrushton

rick_chasey said:

lettingthedaysgoby said:

Exactly. We’re not even half way yet. The GC race isn’t over.

It is for the win. It was barely alive after the TT. It would have to be a monumental collapse or a crash for anything to change.

Seen it happen enough times tho. Yates obviously but one hot day and a lack of fuel or some crash and it's over. Until he gets over the finish line it's not a done deal.

mididoctors

Quick thoughts . Entertaining .lots to talk about. I will now read what everyone else thinks

rick_chasey

lettingthedaysgoby said:

Exactly. We’re not even half way yet. The GC race isn’t over.

I don’t understand anyone saying things are boring even if it is - the only way it’s over is if we’re watching the arrival of a rider who would then go down in history as one of the best new talents the sport has ever seen. As a cycling fan isn’t that something to be celebrated, something fabulous to just sit back and watch?

In fairness I have been dealing with some nasty stuff this week and it has coincided with what the forum reckons were the best days, so I do not have a complete picture.

First 5 days were a snooze if you're not a cav fan.

Sprint uphill, one dominates the rest, repeat day two but different rider, sprint stage, GC destroying TT, sprint stage.

Crashes were just sad.

mididoctors

Roglic crashing out was kinda predictable ... That pre race prep stratergy had nervousness written all over it. Cav being this good is just incredible as he would say ... Sonny colbrelli could really challenge for that jersey if he keeps going in the hills... Same for KOM competition which is going to be the best for years .....


GC ....well what can you say ? Still a lot of road left . Plenty of talk about how mega pog is . Podium battle may get absurd with long range attacks by people 10 mins down keep coming ...why not ?

A lot of "pog may crash " energy floating around ... Bit weird thinking about it.

Ok big factors in first week being so good was WvA and MvdP along with JA.. WvA made that escape happen and MvdP made it stick . They animated the first week .