2019 Tour de France: Spoilers!

[tony_mm]

What a difference with Ineos...


https://youtu.be/VlkMLzJCYns

difference in what way?

Look how the DS of QS is working with his guys compared to the DS of Ineos Nico Portal. Old school vs. new school [emoji112]

[tony_mm]

The French will have nobody in the podium of the TdF at the end!!

But they have the red polka dot jersey for the 3rd year in a row.


Crazy is to see Ineos with Froome, Bernal, Thomas and soon Carapaz......

Ineos could go next year for the 3 Grand Tours and for all spots on the podium!! LOL

[Postboxer]

Bernal may have won the polka dots too if stages hadn't been cut short. I wonder if the same two stages will appear again in the same order next year or soon after. Looking back, there seems to be a few riders happy to try their best to not lose but not do much to try to win. Although this could be because they are already close to their limits.

Also, with the tough stages right at the end, were too many riders just pacing themselves to last to the last few days, not taking any risks? Today's stage was rather disappointing, just looked like everyone trying to keep their positions and gain on Alaphilippe but not try to go for the win, even if it may have failed.

[tony_mm]

Bernal may have won the polka dots too if stages hadn't been cut short. I wonder if the same two stages will appear again in the same order next year or soon after. Looking back, there seems to be a few riders happy to try their best to not lose but not do much to try to win. Although this could be because they are already close to their limits.

Also, with the tough stages right at the end, were too many riders just pacing themselves to last to the last few days, not taking any risks? Today's stage was rather disappointing, just looked like everyone trying to keep their positions and gain on Alaphilippe but not try to go for the win, even if it may have failed.

Yes too many riders/ teams securing more than trying to gain something. I suppose too much pressure from the sponsors teams etc...

AND too much riding controlled by the powermeter and the race radio from their DS...

[Marcus Aurelius]

A top GC is still a top TT and climber, that’s never going to change. The differentiator is going to be seconds, given a class field, with no ‘monsters’.

[Postboxer]

Also spare a thought for the various groups riding the tour stages a day early, who presumably rode the whole route of stages 19 and 20 and the participants of the Etape due Tour who rode stage 20 last week.

I wonder who's lining up for La Vuelta.

[Cyril Haearn]

I want to know who is Laterne Rouge

[Postboxer]

Standings here https://www.letour.fr/en/rankings although I suppose it could change today. It was very close before yesterday's stage I think.

Currently it's Sebastian Langeveld.

[Cyril Haearn]

Plus One, he rides for my favourite team! I think the LR should get more attention
But is one expected to try to win?

[Audax67]

The French will have nobody in the podium of the TdF at the end!!

But they have the red polka dot jersey for the 3rd year in a row.

Three in the top 10 and five in the top 20, even with Pinot retiring hurt.

Crazy is to see Ineos with Froome, Bernal, Thomas and soon Carapaz......

Ineos could go next year for the 3 Grand Tours and for all spots on the podium!! LOL

Now that could mean that we go back to seeing one team's leaden hand clamped down like a 39-million-euro lid on the whole shebang - i.e. business as boring usual since 2012. No harm to the laddie, but Froome's absence went a long way to making this the best TdF there's been for years.

[1982john]

Something I find interesting is that everyone is talking about how close Ineos came to not winning and does that mean we are going to get closer races from now on?

WEll if you think about everything that has gone against Ineos this year. Changing sponsor which must have taken a massive amount of attention. Lost some of their top staff who had been there for years. The Froome crash as well as Thomas crashing. Also it seemed half their team were not on form - just look at Viviani beating their domestiques on the last climb. Not forgetting the expulsion of Rowe. All that and they still got a 1,2 finish.

[Cyril Haearn]

Marginal Gains and lots of ca$h made the difference
And an Act of God of course, that might have been good luck for mr brailsfraud
Is sir jim on the champs elysee?

[reohn2]

The best Tour de France I've ever watched.
Egon Bernal is a most deserving and beautiful winner,his meeting with his younger brother and his mother brought a tear to my eye it was so beautiful
Julian Alaphilipe a great and gallant attempt.
Poor Thibot Pinot's injury.
Geraint Thomas a most gracious second!
Beautiful,beautiful,beautiful!!!
Words can't describe!

[Cyril Haearn]

Doesn't one think that every year?

[reohn2]

Doesn't one think that every year?

No,this year has been special,very special,both from a POV of the course and also how it's been raced.
The winner was a very deserving young man!