2019 Tour de France: Spoilers!

[Cyril Haearn]

Who is in contention for the Laterne Rouge?

[rjb]

Kiwi George Bennet remarked " it's just not cricket"

[Brucey]

Who is in contention for the Laterne Rouge?

https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/tour-de-france/2019/stage-10

Update on Alessandro de Marchi; his injuries are that he has a broken collar bone, some broken ribs, a bruised lung and various other smaller contusions. Bad enough, but could have been much worse; when the rider just lies there after the accident it is never a good sign. On the road to recovery now.

Also, rather disingenuously perhaps, Alaphillipe claimed that he was riding full gas at the front of the peloton so that it would give Viviani the best chance in the sprint. Well, I think it is rather unusual for the yellow jersey to do this at all, and even rarer to start the lead-out for the sprinters some 20km from the finish. Most of the sprinters stayed in the front group anyway. Viviani did some hard turns on the front too! Alaphillipe also said 'we don't care about those behind' but I think he cared very much about them and in fact the GC was his primary motivation for riding the way he did. I could practically see his nose growing as he spoke.... I think it didn't look good for him to have deliberately shafted other French riders, so he told a few porkies; I think the porkies do him no good whatsoever...

cheers

[Brucey]

nice tribute to Paul Sherwen on ITV's rest-day show.


As I write this, Pippa Yorke (nee Robert Millar) is on TV explaining that the race so far seems to have been a bit dull. I don't agree!

cheers

[mattheus]

Yeah, I'd say there's been a real variety of action. Better than most tours, I'd say, so far.

(and very very few retirements, it seems to me - I haven't seen many crashes on the highlights, which presumably is related!)

[Brucey]

Also on the rest day show they had part of a press conference given by Marc Madiot explaining that it wasn't so bad after all that Pinot had lost time on the previous stage. Madiot was putting a brave face on it but Pinot had already been interviewed and even the day after he said " it was very hard to accept" that one small mistake had cost him so dearly. Pinot couldn't even bear to look at Madiot as he was explaining to the world that 'all is not yet lost'....he almost certainly believes it is.

cheers

[reohn2]

nice tribute to Paul Sherwen on ITV's rest-day show.


As I write this, Pippa Yorke (nee Robert Millar) is on TV explaining that the race so far seems to have been a bit dull. I don't agree!

cheers

Certainly a lot less dull than the usual first week's TdeF's boring flatness,all in all an interesting week which has been great to see the Yellow Jersey involved in so much action,of which there's been quite a bit

[Debs]

Shame there has to be crashes, another nasty one today:

Nairo Quintana (Movistar) and Richie Porte (Trek-Segafredo), Michael Woods (EF Education First). managed to get back on their bikes okay but Niki Terpstra (Total Direct Energie) was forced to abandon the race [broken collarbone], while Giulio Ciccone (Trek-Segafredo) was caught up and rolled across the line 12 minutes down, sacrificing his top 10 spot on GC to Thibaut Pinot (Groupama-FDJ).

Ciccone looked very uncomfortable riding the final 31km after that crash, and finishing in the very last position [169th] i hope he's okay.
It maybe a blessing in disguise now he's over 14 minutes down on GC, he's not supposed to be a GC rider being a lightweight 58 kilo pure climber, perhaps he'll be allowed some peloton freedom to breakaway and contest the KOM in the later mountain stages; Tim Wellens needs a sparing partner

[Brucey]

Caleb Ewen does it!

In a close-fought sprint, edging out Groenewegen, Caleb Ewen got the 'no TdF stage win yet' monkey off his back. Just as well, there are only going to be a few more chances in this race.

Tomorrow's stage is the first in the Pyrenees; two major climbs but a chance to regroup (or attack) in the last 32km off the final summit. The tour won't be won tomorrow but some may fall by the wayside if they don't have their climbing trousers on; 'put to the Peyresorde' if you like .

I'll get me coat....

cheers

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,

nice tribute to Paul Sherwen on ITV's rest-day show.


As I write this, Pippa Yorke (nee Robert Millar) is on TV explaining that the race so far seems to have been a bit dull. I don't agree!

cheers

I've got to admit I'd call in a bit dull too

[Brucey]

Hi,

I've got to admit I'd call in a bit dull too

for week 1 of the TdF?

Not even slightly, IMHO.

cheers

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,
Well theres been a little jostling for position, some contenders are now not contenders.
Let's just hope that G can stay on a bit longer

The mountains should shake it up a bit.

[Brucey]

…. theres been a little jostling for position, some contenders are now not contenders....

'tis the nature of the beast; you can't win the TdF in the first week but you can quite easily lose it.

The mountains should shake it up a bit.

that is what they are there for!

cheers

[Spinners]

Yawn. Another British win.

[Brucey]

Simon Yates rode blindingly well; it was a tactical coup to be in front coming out of the last corner. The three of them were quite well matched in the sprint; the positioning before the sprint was absolutely crucial.

Simon Yates was predicted (by his DS) not to show his hand before the Pyrenees; in previous stages it seemed like he was almost delberately losing time, presumably so that he'd be allowed to go up the road at this point in the race. Hopefully he hasn't taken too much out of his legs and he'll still be able to help his brother.

Three more DNFs today; Philipsen, Nizzolo, and Rohan Dennis. Shame about Dennis; the TT might have been right up his street had he been healthy.

cheers