Le Tour 2019

[Huertecilla]

Yesterday we already had the first stage of the ´19 Tour de France.
For a first day not bad with very pretty countrysides and with several surprises.
The winner, Mike Theunissen, is a thouroughly níce guy and it was fun to see/hear his interview after the win.

Also fun was the Spanish program as they had a guest cyclist who knew the Belgium countryside and culture very well. He explained about próper beer and próper fries; ´frietjes´. He even tought the comentators how to properly pronounce it.
Highly entertaining.

Today is a time trial. Onl7 some 27 kms. but quite crucial for how the teams, the favorites get to the first mountainous stage on day 5 already.

That tells the story of this years route btw. The organisers have decide to visit FOUR mountianous regions, spread over the whole of the Tour. To add extra spice to this alreay hot curry, they put a tricky time trial in between two Pynenee stages.

Finally, with Froome out of the runing, there is no real favorite nor is there a clear favorite team this year.
Could be good racing: Very, véry tricky program, no clear favorites.

[Huertecilla]

Movistar dropped the ball there.

The time by Jumbo-Visma is abit off the chart and to see where they are as a team the other teams best look at team Ineos but that does not change the distances of the GC riders to Steven Kruijswijk.
The Movistar riders p.e. need to make up a minute fírst, beat Kruijswijk by a minute, to be at zero again.

Tomorrow is a weird one. The profile looks reasonably flat but it most definitely is not; it is all either up or down getting worse towards the end. Maybe Sagan but the rest of the sprinters?? Unlikely. All in all looking to be a day with escape(s) as theme. Thomas de Ghent is one of my favorite riders and I hope he an pull one off tomorrow to win the stage.

p.s. have not read it anywhere yet but to my reconing Jumbo-Visma now holds the Tout time trial average speed record. They beat the 2013 Orica record by 0.2 km/h.

[mondie]

It is going to be a fascinating tour this year and appears wide open for a surprise.. I haven't been able to find any coverage in Montenegro which is a shame, I would rather be watching the cycling than sitting by the pool! Oh well, home Wednesday

[trident-7]

Yesterday we already had the first stage of the ´19 Tour de France.
For a first day not bad with very pretty countrysides and with several surprises.
The winner, Mike Theunissen, is a thouroughly níce guy and it was fun to see/hear his interview after the win.

Also fun was the Spanish program as they had a guest cyclist who knew the Belgium countryside and culture very well. He explained about próper beer and próper fries; ´frietjes´. He even tought the comentators how to properly pronounce it.
Highly entertaining.

Today is a time trial. Onl7 some 27 kms. but quite crucial for how the teams, the favorites get to the first mountainous stage on day 5 already.

That tells the story of this years route btw. The organisers have decide to visit FOUR mountianous regions, spread over the whole of the Tour. To add extra spice to this alreay hot curry, they put a tricky time trial in between two Pynenee stages.

Finally, with Froome out of the runing, there is no real favorite nor is there a clear favorite team this year.
Could be good racing: Very, véry tricky program, no clear favorites.

Egan Bernal is my bet for this year's Tour but it's really wide open this year

[Huertecilla]

Egan Bernal is my bet for this year's Tour but it's really wide open this year

Today if anything highlighted how open it is this year.

Felt réally sorry for Tim Wellens; having a flat at the last summit. No way Alaphilipe would have lost him from his wheel on the descend.

Btw, I was surprised that Bernal did not even trý follow Alaphilipe.

Anyway, interesting last part. Tomorrow a pure sprinters´ stage. Sagan is sofar not impressive and Groenewegen seems still below his water.

[MarkJS]

Tickets booked to get out for the finish in Paris, so looking forward to that. And the race in between of course...

[Skier]

I'm not surprised Bernal didn't try to follow today; for Ineos it's the long game and that means the big mountain stages where minutes will be gained not a few seconds and possible stage wins. I think that Wednesday will give us a good indication of who is truly in contention for the Maillot Jaune.

[Huertecilla]

Good points.

[sjedwardz]

They would have told him to hang fire. The final week is brutal and Grand Tours are all about pacing your energy expenditure - something he doesn't have too much experience at over three weeks.

Look what happened to Simon Yates in the Giro last year, he jumped at every chance early one. Admittedly he needed to get some time back on Dumolin but he fell spectacular the last few days.

Agree its a very open tour this year, I bet on Nibali a few months ago. He's very wily, experience and his attacking mentality could make quite a difference.

I'm not surprised Bernal didn't try to follow today; for Ineos it's the long game and that means the big mountain stages where minutes will be gained not a few seconds and possible stage wins. I think that Wednesday will give us a good indication of who is truly in contention for the Maillot Jaune.

[Bondurant]

This happens several times each and every year and is not worth getting het up about.

[Mouse]

This happens several times each and every year and is not worth getting het up about.

True. It just wound me up :-(

I'll be ok once they get into the mountains again

[Huertecilla]

True. It just wound me up :-(

Best not get anywhere néar a tele with F1 on then.

I decided to give the stage a miss and watch the last halfhour of the re-emision early this morning.

The sprint and lead up to it were great to watch.
The sprint steges are simply a different element of cycling.
I lóve the sprint strategies since they were develop by Mario Cipollini. Today it is as interesting as ever with sevral véry well organised teams pulling their dedicated sprinter. The only ones disappointing in the execution sofar are Ineos with the well oiled machine of Deceunink-QuickStep shining.

[Huertecilla]

I so, só like Thomas De Ghent. 200 km. escape and no, the peloton did not catch him a km. before the finish.
So much suspense that even the Spanish comentators were screaming, bégging for him to win.

What a stage today. It had a lót.

Impressive the level of organisation in the Ineos team and no time lost by either Berrnal or Thomas despite a ´team fall´ and frame broken in two for Thomas.
Not so impressive again Movistar.

After 8 stages still no clear favourite and all favorites but for Nibali still in the running.

The only thing which seems set in stone is the green Jersey for Sagan.

Tomorrow is a killer stage. Again a day the tour cannot be won but oh so easily lost.

Anyway, great and ever só deserved win for a réally nice guy.

A trivial bit about De Ghent. He and Tim Wellens are good friends with a personal challenge. Last year, after the Lombady giro, they cycled back to Belgium with a backpack. 100 kilometer just the two of them.
This year they plan to cycle the ´forgotten mountains´ of Spain after La Vuelta. The two of them with a backpack...

[MakeColdplayHistory]

What a stage today. It had a lót.

It certainly did. What a ride by De Gendt. Great work by Alaphilippe and Pinot too with a GC gain for the latter and Bastille Day in yellow for the former.

Tomorrow is a killer stage. Again a day the tour cannot be won but oh so easily lost.

Tomorrow is also:
Cricket World Cup Final - England's first in 27 years
British Grand Prix
Wimbledon Men's Final

I'm out on the mountain bike in the morning (wearing a Seiko BFK on nato if anyone's interested in my choice of watch) then will be watching the cricket. I'll switch over for the F1 start then watch highlights (assuming there are any) later. I'll go back to the cricket but monitor the TdF online and switch over for the last few KM or earlier if it looks like it will be better watching than the cricket. Mrs MCH will be in the other room watching the tennis. The lad will be grumpy because he can't go on the PlayStation.

[craggie]

Terrific break, TdG=TGV!

[Mouse]

Great race today. Much more exciting to watch. Superb ride by TDG. Not sure about Alaphilippe, he's doing well but it's not looking easy.

A mechanical and a crash for GT tho. I still think (hope) he's going to win GC again.

[thieuster]

TdG pumped out 311 Watt average during yesterday's stage. Wow.

On today's stage: I didn't catch it exactly (I was in on a terrace on my way home from my own Sunday cycling trip and there was a TV screen inside, near the bar), but one the guys had a horrible accident just after the start. It didn't look good and he was take away in the ambulance. Any news on that?

Menno

[Mouse]

TdG pumped out 311 Watt average during yesterday's stage. Wow.

On today's stage: I didn't catch it exactly (I was in on a terrace on my way home from my own Sunday cycling trip and there was a TV screen inside, near the bar), but one the guys had a horrible accident just after the start. It didn't look good and he was take away in the ambulance. Any news on that?

Menno

From TdF website:

Alessandro De Marchi is forced to abandon the Tour de France after his crash.

No other news at present. But it did look a nasty one :-(

[MakeColdplayHistory]

TdG pumped out 311 Watt average during yesterday's stage. Wow.

On today's stage: I didn't catch it exactly (I was in on a terrace on my way home from my own Sunday cycling trip and there was a TV screen inside, near the bar), but one the guys had a horrible accident just after the start. It didn't look good and he was take away in the ambulance. Any news on that?

Menno

I didn't see it but there are bare details on the TdF live feed. It's Alessandro De Marchi and he has crashed and retired.
I wouldn't normally quote from The Sun but there are some (not very nice) photos here: https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/cycli...our-de-france/

[Skier]

Busy afternoon of sport.

[sjedwardz]

I’d be happy for Alaphilippe, Pinot or G to win. It’s still very open with a week to go.

This is generally the crunch point of all grand tours. Everyone is fatigued it’s just a matter of you staying slightly less than your rivals.

If you crack on the final week it can often be very dramatic. Both Pinot and G have had this happen before.


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[ptcoll]

Brilliant stage today. I suspect a lot of riders will be very happy it is a rest day tomorrow.
It’s still very open, but I love the way Thibaut Pinot is riding.

Pete

[100thmonkey]

Keep Watching Bernal & Thomas, The Best team usually win the tour (albeit we rejoice the individual) and right now its Ineos

[Skier]

It's one the most fascinating TdF I can recall for a while; any one of half a dozen riders appear to be possible winners. Chapeau Simon Yates for today's stage win. I wonder whether Ineos are allowing Bernal to freelance to a degree to bring himself in to a possible podium position before being ordered to stick with G in the Alps.

[Mouse]

Today. One of the most dynamic races I think I've seen for a long time. Exhausting to watch, I can't imagine what it must have been like to ride!

Simon Yates, just wow

[100thmonkey]

Keep Watching Bernal & Thomas, The Best team usually win the tour (albeit we rejoice the individual) and right now its Ineos

And relax

[Strchr03]

Big names in the breakaway already...


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[PickleB]

David Millar on IT4..."This race is in a state of chaos."

[Skier]

Tragic for Pinot.

[Mouse]

Very sad pictures of Pinot stopping :-(

[PickleB]

Hail storm!

[MarkJS]

I was lucky enough to be there - it was amazing to see the tour arrive in Paris with such a fantastic atmosphere. I'd thoroughly recommend going if you ever get the chance - it's something very special.










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