Tour de France 2023 spoilers Warning in OP

Daroxtar · 17-07-2023 08:18PM

The "Tradition" was brought into commonplace by that lovely Texan we all hold so dear. If there's less than 10 seconds in it , let them race.

eagle eye · 17-07-2023 08:41PM

Stage 16

A short but brutal TT. The final 2 km are at 9.2%.

It's a two horse race for the win here I think with a very slight chance that Rodriguez could do it. Every little thing counts on this stage. If they change bikes and one loses a couple of seconds could that be the difference?

Vin and Pog have been so close all through this race that I'm expecting this to be really close.

I don't think there'll be anything between them on the final climb and I'm thinking it's what happens from the start to the foot of that climb that will be the difference. You just know that both will be well prepared for this. Pog has been an excellent TT'er all along but Vingegaard has become a top one too.

I honestly haven't a clue which way it will go but I'll give the edge in tactics to Jumbo Visma and pick Vingegaard for the win, just.

G1032 · 17-07-2023 09:00PM

What time are the leaders rolling down the ramp?

breezy1985 · 17-07-2023 09:13PM

Would be gas if they finished on the same time like the last 15 stages 🤣

Squidgy Black · 17-07-2023 09:47PM

I just pray that there isn’t something stupid like time lost due to a bad bike change.

Think it’s been class the two have been so close, would be a shame if it wasn’t won through actual riding

CantGetNoSleep · 17-07-2023 09:52PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120864515#Comment_120864515

Dropped chain (1x setup)

breezy1985 · 17-07-2023 10:02PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120864515#Comment_120864515

That's part of the racing. It's a risk you take to pull off that strategy.

I would be more worried about JV trialing new helmets mid race 🤣

Squidgy Black · 17-07-2023 10:07PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120864570#Comment_120864570

Ah I know it’s part of the racing no more than a mechanical or a crash, but just be a shame to not see them battle it out until the final day through their legs instead of some other factor

breezy1985 · 17-07-2023 10:23PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120864584#Comment_120864584

It's not really the same as a mechanical at all. They are generally pure misfortune where as the bike change is a skill.

Brian? · 17-07-2023 11:04PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120863791#Comment_120863791

If he does, it would be over by now. I think it’s very very even between them.

Brian? · 17-07-2023 11:07PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120864197#Comment_120864197

The tradition has been that was since Merckx finished. With the exception of Lemond v Fignon in the TT.

I hate Armstrong as much as anyone, but he was usually about 5mins ahead on the last stage.

Brian? · 17-07-2023 11:09PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120864604#Comment_120864604

Yep. No idea what the rest of the route is like, but I’m glad they’re doing in. The Giro and Vuelta regularly finish with a competitive stage, the Tour should show some balls and do it more often.

eagle eye · 18-07-2023 03:34AM

I believe the leaders start at approximately 3.40pm our time.

MangleBadger · 18-07-2023 08:20AM

I heard somewhere, possibly Lantern Rouge, that UAE were practicing bike changes but Jumbo were not. So that could make for an interesting day. Who makes the correct call?

SwissToni · 18-07-2023 08:28AM

I hope this hole tour is not decided over by something like a bike change, things are so close between the two it may be the case.

Junior · 18-07-2023 09:12AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120865280#Comment_120865280

But that's the chance you take by leaving the lead be so slender, you can practice practice all you want, and if Lady Luck or Chance come out to play it can turn it all on it's earhole. Jumbo haven't a great record when it comes to controlling the uncontrollable in GTs, I would say if there's anyone that susceptible to a **** up, it's them.

I see this morning on Twitter, there's talks of rain/poor weather later in the afternoon.

breezy1985 · 18-07-2023 09:17AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120865422#Comment_120865422

Bike changes are not "lady luck" or "uncontrollable"

That's like calling a team bad at F1 pit stops unlucky.

Brian? · 18-07-2023 09:54AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120865265#Comment_120865265

They can change their mind after the first few riders go.

G1032 · 18-07-2023 09:55AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120865091#Comment_120865091

Ya. Vingogo out at 4pm Irish time

https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/tour-de-france-stage-16-time-trial-start-times/

Macy0161 · 18-07-2023 09:57AM

Not really convinced mechanicals and punctures are pure luck either - teams make equipment choices of performance v robustness. Bike changes certainly aren't luck.

Everyone seems to be forgetting Jonas comprehensively beat Pog in the last TT last year. Although Jumbo's TT's haven't been great this year, save Rog's in the Giro.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120864775#Comment_120864775

But that's the point - it's usually too big a gap and a relatively flat stage, so the difference couldn't be made rather than it always being ceremonial. As I said earlier, Roche didn't consider it ceremonial, and he had a bigger gap than a handful of seconds.

G1032 · 18-07-2023 10:01AM

If you're Pogacar or Vingegaard and you are 5s down going into the final day and your rival crashes with 5km to go (outside the 3km limit) do you put the hammer down and try win the TdF? Or do you respect 'tradition' and wait for him to get up and going and roll across together?

CantGetNoSleep · 18-07-2023 10:43AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120865586#Comment_120865586

I think that there are two separate "traditions" there

First one is not attacking the yellow jersey if there is a crash or mechanical - doesn't seem to be a hard set rule (was Schleck in yellow when he dropped a chain and Contador won by exactly the gap from that stage & think Froome also had issues with this)

Second is not racing on the final day procession stage

In my view - if there is 5s in it on the final day then by all means go for it in a breakaway or trying to get bonus seconds in a sprint, but I'd say a crash is a bit off limits.

Paddigol · 18-07-2023 11:38AM

If there was just a couple of seconds, I'd imagine the teams would talk to each other beforehand and announce whether or not the stage was going to be contested by them for GC or not. It would be virtually impossible to take back time though given the circuit nature of the route and the fact that you'd have all the sprinters teams pulling with you.

I like the final day sprint on the CE - but it doesn't necessarily have to be a procession... surely there's a route they could design which provides a chance for a breakaway and finishes with just one lap of the CE?

odyssey06 · 18-07-2023 11:40AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120865586#Comment_120865586

Or the middle ground would be just rolling on through with the rest of the peloton. Don't stop or hammer it.

Mefistofelino · 18-07-2023 12:04PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120865586#Comment_120865586

If you're taking that plan of action, you'd want to be very prepared to live with the consequences for the remainder of your career - and probably longer. As well as the absolute deluge of shite you'd get from the fans, press and social media, I'd imagine you'd be persona non grata in the bunch itself for a long time. Pro cycling seems to be far more protective of the unwritten rules than the actual written ones.

breezy1985 · 18-07-2023 12:20PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120866087#Comment_120866087

"From the bunch" being the important one. Good luck getting any favours again in your career.

What would most likely happen if any team tried would be that everyone else would work against them that day and they would be told it's not going to stop till the GC team stopped.

It happens all the time in stages where team captains will be told by other teams who is and isn't allowed to get in breakaways.

retalivity · 18-07-2023 12:29PM

3 crashes at the first corner already, better not be an issue for the gc guys later on....

retalivity · 18-07-2023 01:04PM

The Cote de Domancy is classified as a cat2 in the KOM competition, wonder will Powless/Ciccone take it easy to the bottom, and power up it on a road bike for the points?

G1032 · 18-07-2023 01:13PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120866087#Comment_120866087

I wouldn't do it in a million years but something just came to me there. Wasn't it just a few years ago that Movistar attacked on a stage of what I think was the TdF, but a Sky rider crashed within seconds of the attack starting. Sky called on the unwritten rule regards not attacking a yellow jersey that crashed so to speak and Movistar had to sit up. That was abusing the rule about not attacking a yellow jersey that crashed. So the unwritten rules are respected but can be conveniently altered when suits. And didn't Froome get caught napping another day when Movistar attacked and he promptly called a 'nature break'

breezy1985 · 18-07-2023 01:16PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120866403#Comment_120866403

I remember a time when Thomas crashed early in a race and Sky expected people to stop for their leader but we're told to fuk off.

There has been bad blood between Ineos and Movi going back years now because of accusations and counter accusations about the unwritten rules.

Tour de France 2023 ***spoilers*** Warning in OP

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Tour de France 2023 spoilers Warning in OP