Tour de France Stage 15 - Limoux > Foix (185 km)

Good riddance Thomas

F*ck off Thomas

Pinot the favourite now with Thomas, Bernal and Alaphilippe next favourites at evenish odds by the bookies. Pinot would have this Tour in the bag if he didn't bleed time in the crosswinds.

All she wrote surely for Alaphilippe. He's bound to have extended a tonne of energy already, it is coming into the third week and his team is getting weaker and weaker by the day.

Bernal might be compromised by the presence of Thomas but he's got a huge chance now considering I'd imagine he's only arriving into peak form.

Manny Buchmann is one hell of a cyclist on current form. Towed Bernal to the line.

Pity the day after the rest day isn't a mountain day. There's always one GC guy who completely bonks the day after the rest day and there's usually one guy who comes back like a new man.

Dr. Bre wrote: »

Alaphilippe reminds me of the year voeckler had yellow and just hung in right till the end!

Everything down to the wild swinging style when he's suffering on climbs to the tongue out!

That was such an entertaining but heartbreaking tour. Not just for Voeckler but for Andy Schleck too. I was gutted Cadel Evans won, absolutely hated his tactics for riding and how they were always blowing smoke up his ass and all he did was follow wheels.

And it was heartbreaking for Contador in a sense as he went for Giro-Tour double and it really looked like prior to the Tour that he could do it. I really think if Contador hadn't gone out of his way to absolutely destroy the Giro that year and just won it without expending too much he might have done the double that year. To this day I've never witnessed someone make a mockery of his competitors like Contador did in that Giro. Andy was nowhere near his 09+10 level, Cadel Evans was very beatable as always, Wiggins crashed out and the other contenders weren't threatening. Dumoulin with a 2nd and a 2nd and Froome with a 1st and a 3rd are the two closest since God knows when but I still maintain nobody had a better shot in recent times than Contador in '11.

Froome will probably never try it again, and considering the injury he had he might never make it back 100%. Quintana failed miserably with his attempt and looks a complete shadow of his 13-15 self. Aru has gone down the same path and besides their TT isn't good enough. Nibali too old as well. Out of the current crop nobody stands out with a chance other than Dumoulin. But I'd imagine he'll make a huge push to win the Vuelta this year and then focus on the Tour next year for the triple crown. Bernal perhaps?

To be honest not too many stand out even as a potential GT winner really. Roglic I really like and his progression has been astounding. He surely wins one sooner rather than later. The Yates' will probably nab a Giro or a Vuelta. Carapaz could win another in a climbing heavy edition. Lopez and Mas will one day and they're both very young where most of their competitors are in their 30s. It'll be interesting to see the GT climate in a few years when Nibali/Froome/Thomas/Quintana et al are well well past it/retured. There's a huge gap there for someone to come in and dominate. Bernal would appear to be the obvious choice and considering he's only 22 he's got a huge advantage.

Went off in a huuuuuge tangent there, been a long ol Monday, something has to keep the mind sane.

MPFGLB wrote: »

Eddie Dunbar is a potential GT contender for me...He can climb and TT but not yet like Bernal but it will come

I think he will podium at least becasue he has the mindset...may have to wait about 5 years

No question about his climbing ability but what's his TT like? Could you see him competing to win a TT stage at that level?

retalivity wrote: »

Gaudu will fill the pinot/bardet role for years to come as well.

Pierre Latour is the one I'm most excited about, albeit his style isn't soft on the eyes. The TT skills are there and he's a pretty good climber. Seems quite frail though and gets injured and sick a good bit. Really exciting cyclist though.