Tour de France

Here's my prediction. Cavendish is always banging on about how much he respects the great traditions of the Tour so he will say to his boss "I'm a barely coherent "chav from the Isle of Man" and there's no way I should be beating Eddie's record. Morkov is as fast as me if not faster, he's more intelligent, more likeable and even speaks better English and I couldn't have won those four stages without him. How about I lead him out to the win in Paris?"
You heard it here first.

^ As Cavendish is a Manxman, I can see the French wanting to examine him to see if he's got 3 legs.
And why does he speak with a scouse accent.

Wout van Aert for the win!!! After that ridiculous hissy fit that Cav had the other day I was hoping he wouldn't win today.

(17-07-2021 21:06 )Tumble_Drier Wrote:  Something that's always wound me up about Le Tour is this ridiculous tradition of not attacking the Leader on the final stage. It turns the whole show into an overpriced Sunday Club ride until the sprinters get to have their fun in Paris.

It's supposed to be a race so it should be a race from start to finish.

I used to think exactly the same - but actually it is futile and nigh on impossible by this point.

The stage is flat so is a sprinters stage - but by this point those guys are usually 1-2 hours behind in the GC. No point them attacking, they just wait for the sprint and the glory of wining the stage on the Champs Elysee.

The leader is always a GC guy (climber who is also usually reasonably good at other disciplines such as Time Trial and rouleur) and his immediate rivals are too. So it would require a GC guy to get in a breakaway that would overcome the yellow's lead. The yellow jersey team would monitor such an attempt and simply not allow that to happen, just as they do on any flat or rolling stage during the tour. No one in the top 10 or so would be capable of attacking Pogacar as he would simply out-time trial them with his 5+ mins lead as a comfort, because at the end of the day a shortish, flat stage like 21 would become a long time trial if another GC guy attacked.

Unbelievable finale today on the Planche de Belles Filles. Pogacar winning, re-taking Roglic who attacked on the final ramp.

Is it already over?

(18-07-2021 20:11 )Rake Wrote:  

(17-07-2021 21:06 )Tumble_Drier Wrote:  Something that's always wound me up about Le Tour is this ridiculous tradition of not attacking the Leader on the final stage. It turns the whole show into an overpriced Sunday Club ride until the sprinters get to have their fun in Paris.

It's supposed to be a race so it should be a race from start to finish.

I used to think exactly the same - but actually it is futile and nigh on impossible by this point.

The stage is flat so is a sprinters stage - but by this point those guys are usually 1-2 hours behind in the GC. No point them attacking, they just wait for the sprint and the glory of wining the stage on the Champs Elysee.



The leader is always a GC guy (climber who is also usually reasonably good at other disciplines such as Time Trial and rouleur) and his immediate rivals are too. So it would require a GC guy to get in a breakaway that would overcome the yellow's lead. The yellow jersey team would monitor such an attempt and simply not allow that to happen, just as they do on any flat or rolling stage during the tour. No one in the top 10 or so would be capable of attacking Pogacar as he would simply out-time trial them with his 5+ mins lead as a comfort, because at the end of the day a shortish, flat stage like 21 would become a long time trial if another GC guy attacked.

I know this contribution is nigh on a year late, but I agree that it is supposed to be a race from start to finish. Therefore, why not reintroduce the final stage time trial?? Remember LaMond/Fignon '89?? Just because the argument is that the chances of repeating that finish is highly unlikely, doesn't justify not doing it! The other (albeit unwritten) rule that you don't attack if a competitor suffers a 'mechanical' such as Andy Schleck/Contador - is just ridiculous

^Pogacar (and others)has already rewritten the unwritten rule book by totally ignoring the traditional Gentlemans agreement that the yellow jersey allows someone else to get the stage wins.

And the business about Not attacking arrival who has a technical is I agree stupid. They wouldn’t slow right down or stop to wait for someone in Formula One who develops a problem and has to go into the pits!

^That is the exact example I have often put forward in this regard and I agree 100%.

Ironically, Pogacar may be relying on 'favours' (not suggesting inpropriety) now after blowing up today! He was thought to be untouchable. Just goes to show how the TDF can bite the best!

It's Stage 12 Briancon to Alpe D'Huez, and it's Bastille Day in France.
And Leeds rider Tom Pickcock is leading the way up climb to make a great win for Ineos Grenadiers.

Less than 5kms to go.