Tour de France Team Selections

245678

Comments

  • focuszing723
    focuszing723 Posts: 7,881
    I hope there are no errant bidons too (ark at me trying to sound all TDF cultured).
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,594
    MattFalle said:

    andyp said:

    I know I shouldn't feed the troll, but in his career Thomas has started 16 Grand Tours and finished 13 of them. I don't think there can be any doubts about his durability.

    Feed the trollbullshit. Someonr has a different opinion from you.

    He may have finished 13 but how many has actually finished without having to scrape in because he's fallen off in some random ridiculous way?
    Multiple podiums, won the thing and just win Tour of Switzerland.

    Need your head examining if you don’t take him.
    _
  • focuszing723
    focuszing723 Posts: 7,881
    I still keep thinking/hoping Froome will suddenly kick off with his elbow out greatness.
  • r0bh
    r0bh Posts: 2,382
    MattFalle said:

    andyp said:

    I know I shouldn't feed the troll, but in his career Thomas has started 16 Grand Tours and finished 13 of them. I don't think there can be any doubts about his durability.

    Feed the trollbullshit. Someonr has a different opinion from you.

    He may have finished 13 but how many has actually finished without having to scrape in because he's fallen off in some random ridiculous way?
    Off the top of my head, the first one that springs to mind is the one he won. And then there's the one where he finished second
  • MattFalle
    MattFalle Posts: 11,644
    And now he's not going to win it, v v v unlikely to podium and more likely to fall off and waste a team space.

    But hey, yeah chuck him in the mix. It'll be funny.

    .
    The camera down the willy isn't anything like as bad as it sounds.
  • N0bodyOfTheGoat
    N0bodyOfTheGoat Posts: 6,031
    edited June 2022
    JA somehow taking part in French nationals on Sunday after his massive LBL injuries and might well be in the Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl squad for TDF! :open_mouth:

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cycling/61892211
    ================
    2020 Voodoo Marasa
    2017 Cube Attain GTC Pro Disc 2016
    2016 Voodoo Wazoo
  • josame
    josame Posts: 1,162
    focuszing723 said:

    I still keep thinking/hoping Froome will suddenly kick off with his elbow out greatness.

    Very funny
    'Do not compare your bike to others, for always there will be greater and lesser bikes'
  • focuszing723
    focuszing723 Posts: 7,881
    josame said:

    focuszing723 said:

    I still keep thinking/hoping Froome will suddenly kick off with his elbow out greatness.

    Very funny
    Yep, sorry.

    His elbow out, stem gazing greatness.
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,135
    MattFalle said:

    And now he's not going to win it, v v v unlikely to podium and more likely to fall off and waste a team space.

    But hey, yeah chuck him in the mix. It'll be funny.

    Out of interest who would you put into the team to save them wasting the space? In the absence of Bernal I don't see them with anyone more likely to get on the podium / finish top 10, they are a shadow of their former selves as a GT force.
  • specialgueststar
    specialgueststar Posts: 3,418
    I'm interested how Ag2r are going to support Ben o Connor. Cosnefroy is not a domestique and doesn't ride like one Can Louis Meintjes get a top 10 for Wanty ? G Martin and - it's a moral dilemma for Cofidis . Mollema podium. I'm a dreamer
  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 26,954
    specialgueststar said:

    I'm interested how Ag2r are going to support Ben o Connor. Cosnefroy is not a domestique and doesn't ride like one Can Louis Meintjes get a top 10 for Wanty ? G Martin and - it's a moral dilemma for Cofidis . Mollema podium. I'm a dreamer

    How much support does Pog get?
    First win in particular.
    The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
    I am not sure. You have no chance.
    Veronese68 wrote:
    PB is the most sensible person on here.
  • DeVlaeminck
    DeVlaeminck Posts: 9,025
    I've just had a quick look at one betting site, Thomas is fourth favourite. It may be that I've not been watching as much cycling but there does seem a dearth of realistic outsiders.

    Interestingly Roglic is 3rd behind Vingegaard - I don't disagree but aren't they expected to be riding for Roglic?
    [Castle Donington Ladies FC - going up in '22]
  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 26,954
    I suspect Vingegaard's role will be to attack.
    If it works, great. If not, Roglic capitalises.
    The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
    I am not sure. You have no chance.
    Veronese68 wrote:
    PB is the most sensible person on here.
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,135
    DeVlaeminck said:

    I've just had a quick look at one betting site, Thomas is fourth favourite. It may be that I've not been watching as much cycling but there does seem a dearth of realistic outsiders.

    Interestingly Roglic is 3rd behind Vingegaard - I don't disagree but aren't they expected to be riding for Roglic?

    Odds are only a really a reflection of where money is going though and if a UK bookmaker there'll be an element of people betting on the home rider. That said, I can't imagine the market is very big in betting on cycling.
  • amrushton
    amrushton Posts: 1,306
    Froome could go for Lanterne Rouge. Top and tail his career. Ineos not particularly weak, the difference is the level has risen in the last few yrs. At TdS apparently you had to be faster than 51kph to be in the top 10 and the big climb with Vinegaard and Roglic went on bested Froomes record there by 1.43 minutes. Top ten on that stage beat the record.
  • MattFalle
    MattFalle Posts: 11,644
    Pross said:

    MattFalle said:

    And now he's .

    Pross said:

    MattFalle said:

    And now he's not going to win it, v v v unlikely to podium and more likely to fall off and waste a team space.

    But hey, yeah chuck him in the mix. It'll be funny.

    Out of interest who would you put into the team to save them wasting the space? In the absence of Bernal I don't see them with anyone more likely to get on the podium / finish top 10, they are a shadow of their former selves as a GT force.
    Tbh, you've hit the nail on the head. They really have no one else for a GC placing and looking at how other teams have strengthened and who we're looking at on other teams, they're on a bit of a hiding to nothing.

    Thomas though should not be seen as a panacea to any evils as much as jingoism calls for it.
    .
    The camera down the willy isn't anything like as bad as it sounds.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,594
    pblakeney said:

    I suspect Vingegaard's role will be to attack.
    If it works, great. If not, Roglic capitalises.

    Yeah it’s the sprinter & long ranger dynamic that often works in classics.

    I think over 3 weeks it’s less effective as the distance blunts the impact of tactics and chance.
    _
  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 26,954
    rick_chasey said:

    pblakeney said:

    I suspect Vingegaard's role will be to attack.
    If it works, great. If not, Roglic capitalises.

    Yeah it’s the sprinter & long ranger dynamic that often works in classics.

    I think over 3 weeks it’s less effective as the distance blunts the impact of tactics and chance.
    Yup. Pog is still favourite imo.
    The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
    I am not sure. You have no chance.
    Veronese68 wrote:
    PB is the most sensible person on here.
  • andyp
    andyp Posts: 10,445
    Why does everyone think Vingegaard is going to put Pogacar in difficulties? He had one good day on Mont Ventoux, and even then the gap he opened was easily closed on the descent. Pogacar put four minutes into him (and everyone else) in the Alps and then just matched him (with relative ease) for the rest of the race.
  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 26,954
    They've got to try *something*.
    The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
    I am not sure. You have no chance.
    Veronese68 wrote:
    PB is the most sensible person on here.
  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 27,754
    andyp said:

    Why does everyone think Vingegaard is going to put Pogacar in difficulties? He had one good day on Mont Ventoux, and even then the gap he opened was easily closed on the descent. Pogacar put four minutes into him (and everyone else) in the Alps and then just matched him (with relative ease) for the rest of the race.

    I think given his second place, he's regarded as possibly as much of a threat as Roglic. I don't believe it - if Roglic stays in the race, he's more of a threat. But sticking both in as potential winners and seeing what happens is definitely the way to play it.

    With a team that strong, they can definitely support both, and UAE can't afford to give either of them any leeway. Pog is probably strong enough to just sit on either of them for as long as it takes, but the only play is to see if he isn't.
  • DeVlaeminck
    DeVlaeminck Posts: 9,025
    andyp said:

    Why does everyone think Vingegaard is going to put Pogacar in difficulties? He had one good day on Mont Ventoux, and even then the gap he opened was easily closed on the descent. Pogacar put four minutes into him (and everyone else) in the Alps and then just matched him (with relative ease) for the rest of the race.


    They don't but based on the Dauphine he's in form and likely to present one of the main challenges.

    For those that watched Tour de Suisse what happened to Martinez? He won in the Basque Country (which I didn't watch either) but on paper he looked like he was ready to back up his 2020 Dauphine win with a really good Tour but he's then not performed in Switzerland ?
    [Castle Donington Ladies FC - going up in '22]
  • andyp
    andyp Posts: 10,445
    He lost time on the opening stage, probably due to not having raced for a month or so and being caught out of position. He then committed to helping Thomas win the GC, so his form is good I think, as he shredded the main favourites group on the final mountain stage after leading it for a few kilometres beforehand.
  • andyp
    andyp Posts: 10,445
    DSM announce their team:

  • thejimmymethod
    thejimmymethod Posts: 458
    andyp said:

    DSM announce their team:

    Bardet
    Dainese
    Degenkolb
    Eekhoff
    Hamilton
    Leknessund
    Tusveld
    Vermaerke

    For those who don't want to click
  • thejimmymethod
    thejimmymethod Posts: 458
    andyp said:

    Why does everyone think Vingegaard is going to put Pogacar in difficulties? He had one good day on Mont Ventoux, and even then the gap he opened was easily closed on the descent. Pogacar put four minutes into him (and everyone else) in the Alps and then just matched him (with relative ease) for the rest of the race.

    Hope > expectation.
  • andyp
    andyp Posts: 10,445
    WVA out of the Belgian Nationals as he injured his knee last week. Hopefully we're not going to have a replay of the Sam Bennett saga from last year with regards to WVA's involvement in the Tour.
  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 27,754
    andyp said:

    WVA out of the Belgian Nationals as he injured his knee last week. Hopefully we're not going to have a replay of the Sam Bennett saga from last year with regards to WVA's involvement in the Tour.

    They could bring Olav Kooij into the team at the last minute and have him win loads of stages.
  • thejimmymethod
    thejimmymethod Posts: 458
    Groupama - FDJ: Thibaut Pinot, David Gaudu, Stefan Küng, Michael Storer, Valentin Madouas, Kevin Geniets, Olivier Le Gac, Antoine Duchesne

    AG2R Citroën Team: Ben O'Connor, Bob Jungels, Oliver Naesen, Benoît Cosnefroy, Aurélien Paret-Peintre, Geoffrey Bouchard, Stan Dewulf, Mikaël Cherel
  • andyp
    andyp Posts: 10,445
    I'm surprised, but not really surprised, that Van Avermaet didn't get selected.

Categories