Le Tour 2019

[Moliere]

Like they say, the Prat d’Albis rarely disappoints!


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Yeah, this tour is getting fun. Alaphillipe struggled a bit but held on to a good lead but there is a log jam at second place and Thomas isn't as superhuman this year as he was last year. The final couple mountain stages could be real fun.

[BigPiney]

Thomas doesn't have access to the good drugs now that Sky is no longer a thing.

Meanwhile Sagan continues to be awesome.
https://twitter.com/mrconde/status/1...783078400?s=19

[Dwight Schr-ute]

Thomas doesn't have access to the good drugs now that Sky is no longer a thing.

Meanwhile Sagan continues to be awesome.
https://twitter.com/mrconde/status/1...783078400?s=19

That’s awesome. So much more impressive than any wheelie! Unfortunately for him, now that it’s happened once, he’s not getting up another mountain without getting accosted.


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[RC Vikings]

Thomas doesn't have access to the good drugs now that Sky is no longer a thing.

Meanwhile Sagan continues to be awesome.
https://twitter.com/mrconde/status/1...783078400?s=19

That is great.

I don't think I've ever cheered for any of the French riders in any tour but I'm happy to see Alaphilippe and Pinot do well. BTW Pinot is on Strava if you want to see his numbers.

[Dwight Schr-ute]

So I guess this is an annual tradition now. Can’t imagine that anything could ever go wrong.

https://youtu.be/8dUBQIL9uLQ


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[BigPiney]

Tomorrow's stage does a nice circuit from Nimes, under the point du gard up by the cool town of Uzes and then through the last city I served in on my mission. I don't think Ales has ever had the tour pass through. Good for them! I'll be eating ever minute of this one even though it was will only be a sprint stage.

[PaloAltoCougar]

Tomorrow's stage does a nice circuit from Nimes, under the point du gard up by the cool town of Uzes and then through the last city I served in on my mission. I don't think Ales has ever had the tour pass through. Good for them! I'll be eating ever minute of this one even though it was will only be a sprint stage.

We've been looking forward to this stage as well as we love that area. I thought I'd read they're actually riding on the Pont du Gard (not the highest, aqueduct level, of course but the bridge portion below). ReGARDless, can't wait to see it. That's one of the top five or so places we've ever visited.

[Moliere]

We've been looking forward to this stage as well as we love that area. I thought I'd read they're actually riding on the Pont du Gard (not the highest, aqueduct level, of course but the bridge portion below). ReGARDless, can't wait to see it. That's one of the top five or so places we've ever visited.

I think they’ve already gone over it. I’ve never been in that area but would love to visit it someday.

[BigPiney]

I think they’ve already gone over it. I’ve never been in that area but would love to visit it someday.

Nimes, Pont du Gard, and Arles are all awesome. Add Avignon and the theater in Orange and you have a great visit to Provence.

[creekster]

DIdnt someone ask for a photo of the bunch on the Pont Du Gard?

https://www.instagram.com/p/B0Rk-AnI..._web_copy_link

[Dwight Schr-ute]

Hot day and the Galibier. How many riders crack today?!


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[Eddie]

DIdnt someone ask for a photo of the bunch on the Pont Du Gard?

https://www.instagram.com/p/B0Rk-AnI..._web_copy_link

That's beautiful. Thanks!

[creekster]

Two stages left to catch Alaphilippe. It is still possible but the odds are getting slimmer.

Today was pretty amazing. Two teams that seemed to be fighting among themselves. First, movistar, who seemed to be putting its weight behind Landa as Quintana slid down the standings, has been attacking itself so often that it has become a common occurrence. Today, Q went off the front up the Galibier (and he looked incredibly strong doing so) leaving Landa with the team behind. Landa then used his team to pull the peloton closer to the break and closer to Q. This was a HUGEly odd strategy! If they had not pulled it is possible Q was on the podium tonight. Instead, they closed the gap and Q's effort moved him into the top ten but still 4 spots from the podium. Very weird. It might be explained by the fact that Q is already signed for another team but even so it doesn't make a lot of sense.

The other team with possible problems was Ineos. Thomas seemed to be going through the day following the time honored team sky tradition of keeping the team together, going over the mountains together and eventually keeping the pace too high for other GC guys to attack. All day he was shadowed by Alaphilippe. But then, on the Galibier, his own teammate bernal attacked off the front. SO, there was Bernal in front of the bunch also with a chance to move up the standings and NOT helping Geraint up the mountain, but THomas nonetheless attacked yellow and actually put Alaphilippe into some pain at the top of the Col, but did so far too late to take advantage of Bernal who was already up the road. SO what was that all about? Eventually, Bernal takes Thomas' second place on the podium. Supposedly Geraint and Bernal agreed that Bernal, should ride away from the bunch but, it still looks a little odd and traditional wisdom is that a team with two leaders will have no winners. We'll see.

Chapeaux to Alaphilippe in his descents. He was the only leader that had disc brakes on his bike today and man did it show in the descent. He descended off the top like a motorcycle. He went into the corners so hot, hit the brakes at the last possible second and then accelerated out. it was a bit scary, from my POV. If you haven't watched the stage you should at least watch his descent at the very end (the last 15k or so). The guy was amazing. He is fearless, rides with great panache and if he can hold on will be a French hero. I hope he makes it.

Bardet remains a bit of a mystery to me. On the last climb he was following the break with an astana rider who refused to pull. Rather than just ride Bardet spent as much time turning around and barking at the astana guy as he did pedaling. What's the point? After the guy refuses a couple of times, maybe you should just focus on getting over the summit. Bardet will never be a champion it seems. He always comes up short.

There are two contested stages left. Both have summit finishes. I don't think tomorrow will see great fireworks, however, as the HC climb comes early and the final climb is only a cat 1 and the stage is, overall, pretty short. I expect Alaphilippe will be in yellow 24 hours from now. The big test will be Saturday, which ends with a big HC climb up Val Thorens. For anyone to overtake Alaphilippe, however, it will require: 1. opposing teams to get their acts together and figure out who they are trying to help win; 2. good legs; 3. An average or bad day from Alaphilippe.

When I first reviewed this course I really didn't like it. It wasn't a circuit around france. It leap frogged all over and it put the pyrenees right against the alps and didn't have nearly as many hard days as I expected. But, as is often the case, I was dead wrong. This has been more fun than watching a fox chase a rabbit in a briar patch.

[Dwight Schr-ute]

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[Moliere]

Two stages left to catch Alaphilippe. It is still possible but the odds are getting slimmer.

Today was pretty amazing. Two teams that seemed to be fighting among themselves. First, movistar, who seemed to be putting its weight behind Landa as Quintana slid down the standings, has been attacking itself so often that it has become a common occurrence. Today, Q went off the front up the Galibier (and he looked incredibly strong doing so) leaving Landa with the team behind. Landa then used his team to pull the peloton closer to the break and closer to Q. This was a HUGEly odd strategy! If they had not pulled it is possible Q was on the podium tonight. Instead, they closed the gap and Q's effort moved him into the top ten but still 4 spots from the podium. Very weird. It might be explained by the fact that Q is already signed for another team but even so it doesn't make a lot of sense.

The other team with possible problems was Ineos. Thomas seemed to be going through the day following the time honored team sky tradition of keeping the team together, going over the mountains together and eventually keeping the pace too high for other GC guys to attack. All day he was shadowed by Alaphilippe. But then, on the Galibier, his own teammate bernal attacked off the front. SO, there was Bernal in front of the bunch also with a chance to move up the standings and NOT helping Geraint up the mountain, but THomas nonetheless attacked yellow and actually put Alaphilippe into some pain at the top of the Col, but did so far too late to take advantage of Bernal who was already up the road. SO what was that all about? Eventually, Bernal takes Thomas' second place on the podium. Supposedly Geraint and Bernal agreed that Bernal, should ride away from the bunch but, it still looks a little odd and traditional wisdom is that a team with two leaders will have no winners. We'll see.

Chapeaux to Alaphilippe in his descents. He was the only leader that had disc brakes on his bike today and man did it show in the descent. He descended off the top like a motorcycle. He went into the corners so hot, hit the brakes at the last possible second and then accelerated out. it was a bit scary, from my POV. If you haven't watched the stage you should at least watch his descent at the very end (the last 15k or so). The guy was amazing. He is fearless, rides with great panache and if he can hold on will be a French hero. I hope he makes it.

Bardet remains a bit of a mystery to me. On the last climb he was following the break with an astana rider who refused to pull. Rather than just ride Bardet spent as much time turning around and barking at the astana guy as he did pedaling. What's the point? After the guy refuses a couple of times, maybe you should just focus on getting over the summit. Bardet will never be a champion it seems. He always comes up short.

There are two contested stages left. Both have summit finishes. I don't think tomorrow will see great fireworks, however, as the HC climb comes early and the final climb is only a cat 1 and the stage is, overall, pretty short. I expect Alaphilippe will be in yellow 24 hours from now. The big test will be Saturday, which ends with a big HC climb up Val Thorens. For anyone to overtake Alaphilippe, however, it will require: 1. opposing teams to get their acts together and figure out who they are trying to help win; 2. good legs; 3. An average or bad day from Alaphilippe.

When I first reviewed this course I really didn't like it. It wasn't a circuit around france. It leap frogged all over and it put the pyrenees right against the alps and didn't have nearly as many hard days as I expected. But, as is often the case, I was dead wrong. This has been more fun than watching a fox chase a rabbit in a briar patch.

Good write up. I was able to watch the second half of the stage and agree with most of what you said. Alaphillipe was incredible in the downhill but it helped that Pinot was leading the group. He seemed tentative and once Alaphillippe passed the bunch Uran decided someone else needed to lead to keep up.

Watching Alaphillippe has been fun. He’s an incredible rider but I doubt he ends up in yellow. The very last climb on stage 20 will do him in. He seems to have burned his matches and he’s lucky today finished on a downhill. But I’m a fan, a big fan.

This tour has been incredible. Tee jay mentioned that the lack of Froome has been the reason for the competitiveness. Ineos has struggled a bit without a clear leader and with Ineos not always there to pace the group back on all of the attacks, people are able to win off of attacks and riders knwonif they just sit on Ineos’ wheel they might lose. The parity is making this tour what it is.