2019 Tour de France

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Sertsa

Sertsa

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Anyone else watching this year? I don't follow the season or teams closely, but I enjoy bicycles and endurance racing, so the Tour de France is an annual favorite. It's unfortunate this year's tour will be without Froome, Cavendish, and Craddock, but hopefully it'll be a good race.
 
Apparently, there was a lot of riders that got all banged up after just the first stage. Le Tour de France is a brutal, grueling test for any rider. The stages and locales themselves are lovely. A few stages could even pass for tarmac rally stages if you were to do rally racing.

Good luck to all riders and teams in this year's rendition of Le Tour de France.
 
I've casually watched it for the last 3 or 4 years now. Even though I've only watched it for such a short time it still feels weird without having NBC analyst Paul Sherwen in the race commentators booth with long time partner Phil Liggett. Sherwen passed away in December of 2018.

https://www.velonews.com/2019/07/ne...r-team-following-sherwens-tragic-death_495869

When the race hits the cobblestones and mountains is when I get a little more interested. I barely watched the team time trials on day 2.
 
I happened to catch part of one of the early stages two years ago (interestingly where Sagan got DQ'd) and started to kind of get into it. A couple of my brothers have been watching for a few years now and encouraged me to continue. I had never really paid attention to cycling and was surprised to see the different strategies teams employ for their GC's and sprinters. I also found the idea of the breakaway interesting.

Anyway, it's been fun to watch this year's Tour so far. Sagan's speed to the run of the end of today's stage was ridiculous. :crazy: Tomorrow looks like hell for the riders. I wonder how many guys are going to get dropped on the stage?
 
The final kilometer of the stage should have been on a higher and longer climb. That would have been brutal. 24% incline. :lol:
 
I like to watch Le Tour every year whenever I can. I've been watching since Amstrong/Shleck/Contador and this year seems wierd with Froome not being present. On the other hand, it will make the race more interesting. I like to tune in for the Alpes and Pirinees stages because that's what I love to watch more than sprints after 4h of boring strolls.

Today was the TT stage and it was amazing to follow. Surprise until the last man crossed the line, Alaphillipe keeps the Yellow Jersey 100 years (to the day) after being implemented.

Tomorrow is one of my favorite climbs too!
 
zzz_pt
I like to watch Le Tour every year whenever I can. I've been watching since Amstrong/Shleck/Contador and this year seems wierd with Froome not being present. On the other hand, it will make the race more interesting. I like to tune in for the Alpes and Pirinees stages because that's what I love to watch more than sprints after 4h of boring strolls.

Today was the TT stage and it was amazing to follow. Surprise until the last man crossed the line, Alaphillipe keeps the Yellow Jersey 100 years (to the day) after being implemented.

Tomorrow is one of my favorite climbs too!
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Yeah, Alan Phillip put in a great ride today. Will be interesting to see if he can hang on to yellow tomorrow. His coach has said his limit is a 40 minute effort and the Tourmalet in longer than that. However, DQS also have Mas in top 10 on GC so it will be interesting to see what tactics they employ.
 
PzR Slim
Yeah, Alan Phillip put in a great ride today. Will be interesting to see if he can hang on to yellow tomorrow. His coach has said his limit is a 40 minute effort and the Tourmalet in longer than that. However, DQS also have Mas in top 10 on GC so it will be interesting to see what tactics they employ.
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Yes. His race director also said today before the race that in the best possible scenario he would lose around 6/8 seconds to Thomas and in the worst possible scenario he could lose 40 seconds. Turns out he gained time to Thomas. ^^

I'm also curious to see how Julian will hang on to the YJ tomorrow but I think other riders will have to make a move, especially after today's results. Mas is for sure someone I want to see in the mountains because I didn't follow him in La Vuelta.
 
Wow! What a revealing, surprising stage.

Alaphillipe surviving the Tourmalet and gaining time to every competitor except Pinot, who showed is ready to fight!

Quintana (one of my favorite riders a few years ago) was a big disappointment. Thomas too.
 
Alaphalippe has looked so impressive. Amazing TT and great on the mountains today. Gaining time in the GC when he's supposed to be losing it...:lol:

That injury to van Aert, though...hopefully the recovery goes well for him.
 
Surprisingly exciting so far....

I can't wait to see as they start again after their two day break...rooting for the current Maillot Jaune Frenchman...

He is doing a fantastic job holding onto it...
Wishing the best maintaining it for the rest of the Tour...
 
Tony Martin from Jumbo-Visma and Luke Rowe from Ineos have been disqualified from the Tour after a bit of pushing and pulling today.

Absolute nonsense.
 
Dennisch
Tony Martin from Jumbo-Visma and Luke Rowe from Ineos have been disqualified from the Tour after a bit of pushing and pulling today.

Absolute nonsense.
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Over that?!?!? That is ridiculous. They replayed it in slow motion and I still didn't see much in it. Way too heavy handed by the Tour.
 
Dennisch
Tony Martin from Jumbo-Visma and Luke Rowe from Ineos have been disqualified from the Tour after a bit of pushing and pulling today.

Absolute nonsense.
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Really? Had to watch that. I didn't follow yestarday's and today's stages because they were "recovery" for the Alps and I didn't like their profile. Tomorrow restarts the actual race! :D
 
zzz_pt
Really? Had to watch that. I didn't follow yestarday's and today's stages because they were "recovery" for the Alps and I didn't like their profile. Tomorrow restarts the actual race! :D
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It is ****ing hot here at the moment (record breaking heat) and that means a do very little to nothing day for Dennisch, and a slow ass Tour stage is perfect for that situation. :lol:

But yeah, the fireworks start tomorrow. I think Alaphillipe is going to blow himself up, as his helpers aren't very helpful going uphill. I think we are going to see a yellow-black train keeping the pace high going uphill.
 
Dennisch
It is ****ing hot here at the moment (record breaking heat) and that means a do very little to nothing day for Dennisch, and a slow ass Tour stage is perfect for that situation. :lol:

But yeah, the fireworks start tomorrow. I think Alaphillipe is going to blow himself up, as his helpers aren't very helpful going uphill. I think we are going to see a yellow-black train keeping the pace high going uphill.
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Yeah, it's hotter in central and nothern Europe than here in Portugal atm ^^... And it's pretty warm here already. At least in the peaks they get a chill temperature.

I'm still waiting for Bernal to show something... And I don't believe Thomas will win in Paris.

Edit: I agree Julian will blow up tomorrow or the day after (cuz tomorrow the stage finish is downhill).
 
It's been really exciting watching Alaphilippe compete at this TDF. Even if he doesn't win, he's given a truly memorable performance.
 
Great riding again from Alaphilippe, but I fear he’ll end up like Voeckler did in 2011 with two summit finishes coming up and so many riders so close behind.

Ridiculous decision to disqualify Martin and Rowe over almost nothing.
 
Pinot, the nr 5 of the GC is abandon! Seems to have a knee injury and was riding his bike while crying his eyes out.
 
Stage 19 has been canceled due to snow and hail on the later part of the stage. Times will be calculated at the end of the climb of the Col D'Iseran.
 
zzz_pt
I'm still waiting for Bernal to show something... And I don't believe Thomas will win in Paris.
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Bernal finally showing up to take the YJ. Unfortunately there's no podium celebration for his epic stage. On the other hand, all this mess means tomorrow's stage will be even more exciting.

French fans took a hard blow today, loosing Pinot and the YJ in less than 80kms.
 
zzz_pt
Bernal finally showing up
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Possibly Ineos felt Thomas was their best bet and prevented him from attacking earlier in the race. Thomas got the first opportunity to go today but after he was caught Bernal got the go ahead. Either way he's been brilliant in these last few mountain stages, as he was last year.

Despite Alaphilippe's protestations at the finishing of today's stage early, it's likely he'd have lost more time on the climb up to Tignes. I'll be amazed if he doesn't lose time tomorrow.

It's looking good for Bernal. Hopefully both Ineos riders will be allowed to duke it out on the final climb.
 
Woodybobs
It's looking good for Bernal. Hopefully both Ineos riders will be allowed to duke it out on the final climb.
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The only climb.

Today's stage has been cut short and will now be only 59km, and only includes the final climb to Val Thorens. It's still a 33km climb though, but not really enough for any major changes.
 

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