Tour de France - Stage 18 - Pau to Luz Ardiden.

Weepsie · 15-07-2021 9:48am #1

Excepting an incident, it's pretty much over. Maybe some fun in the KoM. Cavendish will grimly hang on. Froome will be dropped. Dan will wonder what was the point in him being there.

Maybe Poels, Quintana and Woods will have a bit of a day, or Pog will knock em all out again.

Mefistofelino · 15-07-2021 10:00am

Bloody double posting

15-07-2021 10:01am

15-07-2021 10:35am

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117612564#Comment_117612564

Double posts, now blank posts? Few gremlins needing to be zapped here I think.

retalivity · 15-07-2021 11:03am

Pog to hammer everyone, again.

Elsewhere, what a disaster of a site. Down for a week and back now looking like a transition year project

CantGetNoSleep · 15-07-2021 11:13am

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117613108#Comment_117613108

Could be the end of Boards I'd say. New site looks too far away from fixable for anyone to tolerate posting on it. Go back to the old one and spend the six months getting the new one to the level it needs to be at to go live, or users will just go elsewhere. Absolute state of this thing

Mefistofelino · 15-07-2021 11:13am

Oopsie

https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/police-raid-bahrain-victorious-hotel-at-tour-de-france/

CptMonkey · 15-07-2021 11:31am

Interesting times. Wonder will anything come of the raid tho

Paddigol · 15-07-2021 11:45am

Didn't same happen to Arkea Samsic last year? Nothing came of that I think? Yet guilty by implication.

I see the Indo already has the story prominently on top page of its site. Just reinforces the notion of "cycling = doping... all other sports = clean".

It's a strange one, the whole doping in sport. I flat out refuse to believe that most pro rugby players or tennis players would pass cycling's doping controls. They may pass their own sports' controls, but that's half the problem.

What's the obsession with doping in cycling (and to a lesser extent track and field)? The authorities must have had some reason/ justification/ motivation/ prompting to raid their offices/ rooms.

At least it's given us something to talk about at this Tour, cos Pog has it wrapped up.

neris · 15-07-2021 11:55am

Nice to see the daily TDF thread back

retalivity · 15-07-2021 12:14pm

From CN:

We've just had a statement in from the Marseille public prosecution office, who have confirmed they have opened an investigation into the Bahrain Victorious team alongside the OCLAESP, a body that deals with public health matters.

The statement refers to possible possession of a 'banned substance or method intended for use by an athlete without medical justification'. It underlines that suspicions are being investigated and that, at this point, those involved are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Paddigol · 15-07-2021 12:20pm

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117613665#Comment_117613665

You'd think that a Gulf State like Bahrain would have enough $$$ to bury this story the same way it seems to happen in other billion dollar sports. Strange the way cycling persists to be treated like the scabby dog under the table.

mr spuckler · 15-07-2021 1:57pm

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117613108#Comment_117613108

The new site makes my head hurt a lot.

Mefistofelino · 15-07-2021 2:17pm

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117614369#Comment_117614369

Between that, and the fact that the GCN app has transmogrified into a buffering turd, I'm reduced to working today.

lennymc · 15-07-2021 2:23pm

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117614528#Comment_117614528

i went back 30 seconds, buffering gone.

Mefistofelino · 15-07-2021 2:54pm

Ineos working hard for Pogacar again

Mefistofelino · 15-07-2021 3:16pm

Marseille public prosecutor watches Mohoric going backwards, scratches name off his Bahrain doping watchlist.......

dastardly00 · 15-07-2021 3:20pm

Uran being dropped

Mefistofelino · 15-07-2021 3:24pm

Latour handed up a bidon, a gel and a newspaper for the descent. Old school!

15-07-2021 3:27pm

Yeah love seeing the news paper getting handed out.

mewso · 15-07-2021 3:30pm

You gotta love Brailsford's new attacking strategy. i.e. train it up a climb in an effort to lose a guy who is 2 minutes behind your main GC guy.

dastardly00 · 15-07-2021 3:47pm

Kelly's memory of Luz Ardiden isn't the best

15-07-2021 3:59pm

Dan Martin still on the back of this group.

Mefistofelino · 15-07-2021 4:05pm

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117615099#Comment_117615099

"Anyway Rob, the important thing was that I had an onion on my bibshorts, which was the style at the time.."

Dr. Bre · 15-07-2021 4:06pm

Pog could win three jerseys

Mefistofelino · 15-07-2021 4:12pm

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117615180#Comment_117615180

He's not looking too stressed either, though might be regretting his brainfart earlier to continue after the Trek riders gave up on bridging across to a break

neris · 15-07-2021 4:17pm

Pog is like a 1 man Sky, killing the race and turning it into a snoozefest for GC

AxleAddict · 15-07-2021 4:20pm

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117615180#Comment_117615180

Attacking now...

retalivity · 15-07-2021 4:25pm

Pog is an animal, never looks in trouble or pained

dastardly00 · 15-07-2021 4:26pm

So easy for Pog.

As Kelly & Brian Smith said, Jumbo should have got Sepp Kuss to attack rather than just ride at the front. Pog may not have followed him.

Great ride by Dan.

retalivity · 15-07-2021 4:28pm

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117615350#Comment_117615350

Pog chased after Mas, I'd guess he'd chase after Kuss as well. So strong, like he wanted to lay down a marker to everyone as if we didnt already know that he is the best

Morris Garren · 15-07-2021 4:31pm

Yawn. I'm more tired here on the couch than Podgacar looked at the end. But there are good vibes between the young contenders, maybe a bit too friendly? We need a bit more Carapaz - 'feck the lot of ye' - and a bit less stage managed, controlled stages. Maybe same result?

Week 1 was intense, exciting, somewhat controversial and good viewing. Ventoux, and the Cavendish story aside, the rest has been a tad boring, once again.

15-07-2021 4:41pm

I even grew tired of the chaotic starts with UAE not doing much to control things most days.

Mefistofelino · 15-07-2021 4:58pm

If you look at last years results and take the likes of Roglic out, Pogacar isn't necessarily light-years ahead of the same riders year-on-year. He had over 8 minutes on Uran, 6 on Mas last year and if Rigo didn't have his "jour sans" today, he'd probably be at a similar gap this year.

While Pogacar v2021 is stronger than v2020, he's also benefitted from the misfortune of key rivals, sloppy tactics and a general confusion in other teams. Ineos seemed to be vying with Movistar for the "WTF they at?" award - hard to believe it is the same structure that bossed the Giro. For me, best organised team of the tour isn't even a GC squad - it's been Quickstep and their work for Cav, not only on the sprint stages but managing him on the mountain stages too.

We saw it at the Giro and we're seeing it at the Tour - there seems to be some organisational dysfunction in several of the top teams where they don't give the appearance of having ever considered the need for a Plan B

retalivity · 15-07-2021 8:36pm

Pogacar has competed in 3 Grand Tours, winning 2 (barring disaster), and finishing 3rd in the other.

He's won 3 stages in each of these, and could well take a 4th in this TDF on Saturday - 10 stages in 3 GT's.

He was the first person to win the Yellow, Polka Dot and White Jerseys last year, and will do the same again in this one.

He also has a 1st and 3rd in LBL.

He's still only 22.

Unreal going.

Mefistofelino · 15-07-2021 9:13pm

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117616813#Comment_117616813

TBF, there wasn't always a young rider competition. If it had existed in 1969, Merckx would have won all three. Plus the points jersey, the combination jersey and the overall combativity award.

In fact Merckx did win a white jersey in 1969 as it was the colour of the combination jersey.

neris · 15-07-2021 9:25pm

I think the young rider jersey in this day is an out dated relic of romantic french cycling when youngsters were brought to learn their "trade" and bow down to the older experienced rider's and stay in the pack. These young guys are coming in now at a very high level with no fear and the stamina to put it to the older experienced rider's

ednwireland · 15-07-2021 10:23pm

Love Cavendish saying how much he hates the tourmalet. Mind I've only ever driven up it

15-07-2021 10:41pm

Yeah since we've seen the likes of Bernal, Remco and Pog it's not the same status at all. Before that it would have been the likes of the Yates brothers up there looking for white and they are still only 28.

Tim76 · 16-07-2021 10:35am

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117617137#Comment_117617137

Time for a grey jersey for the more seasoned cyclists I think.

PS - new site is an absolute mess. WTF were they thinking going live??

neris · 16-07-2021 10:38am

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117618836#Comment_117618836

The Mailot Valverde

Mefistofelino · 16-07-2021 11:14am

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117618854#Comment_117618854

"Hat". as the French would say.

Tour de France - Stage 18 - Pau to Luz Ardiden.

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