Tour de France 2020 general thread (SPOILERS GALORE)

velo.2010 · 27-08-2020 9:21pm

Nice declared a COVID 19 red Zone. Interesting to see the local reaction to the Tour over the next few days in Nice — it doesn't leave town until Monday.

CramCycle · 27-08-2020 10:18pm

velo.2010 wrote: »

Second year in a row but no Froome this year really is a big deal. Slightly devalues the Tour and eventual winner. Still look forward to an exciting race though.

Is this sarcasm? I can't tell, he hasn't been near that level for awhile now.

velo.2010 · 27-08-2020 10:42pm

CramCycle wrote: »

Is this sarcasm? I can't tell, he hasn't been near that level for awhile now.

I'd like to see a fit Froome race if only to be knocked from the top by the younger generation. Froome had the Giro in his legs in 2018 and obviously was injured and absent last year. It was misspeak to say this year's winner would be devalued by his absence.

breezy1985 · 28-08-2020 9:27am

velo.2010 wrote: »

Second year in a row but no Froome this year really is a big deal. Slightly devalues the Tour and eventual winner. Still look forward to an exciting race though.

How exactly? He hasn't won the in 3 years and infact hasn't won anything since his Giro win a few years back

john9876 · 28-08-2020 1:13pm

I'm very much a fair weather cycling fan ... even so, I was surprised when looking at the odds that Primož Roglič is the favourite. I'd never heard of him before.
He's actually 30 years old.
Has he been a slow grower over the years or has he suddenly improved? He didn't ride the TDF last year.

john9876 · 28-08-2020 1:17pm

at1withmyself wrote: »

Nice summary of bike brands at this years tiur:

Bianchi (Jumbo-Visma)
BMC (NTT Pro Cycling)
Cannondale (EF Pro Cycling)
Canyon (Movistar; Team Arkea-Samsic)
Cervélo (Team Sunweb)
Colnago (UAE Team Emirates)
De Rosa (Cofidis)
Eddy Merckx (AG2R La Mondiale)
Factor (Israel Start-Up Nation)
Giant (CCC)
KTM (B&B Hotels-Vital Concept p/b KTM)
Lapierre (Groupama-FDJ)
Merida (Bahrain-McLaren)
Pinarello (Ineos Grenadiers)
Specialized (Bora-Hansgrohe; Deceuninck-QuickStep)
Ridley (Lotto-Soudal)
Scott (Mitchelton-Scott)
Trek (Trek-Segafredo)
Wilier (Astana; Total Direct Energie)

More details on finishing kits etc:
https://www.bikeradar.com/features/pro-bike/tour-de-france-bikes/

In the same way that Mercedes seem to be the best F1 car, is there a particular brand of bike that's meant to be the best?
Or are bikes so relatively simple compared to cars that the difference over a tour is negligible?

The Jumbo Visma's Bianchi is ranked no. 1 in this article https://www.businessinsider.com/tour-de-france-bikes-ranked-2019-7?r=US&IR=T#no-1-jumbo-vismas-bianchi-22

EC1000 · 28-08-2020 1:29pm

john9876 wrote: »

I'm very much a fair weather cycling fan ... even so, I was surprised when looking at the odds that Primož Roglič is the favourite. I'd never heard of him before.
He's actually 30 years old.
Has he been a slow grower over the years or has he suddenly improved? He didn't ride the TDF last year.

He was 4th the year before and won the Vuelta last year. Not exactly an unknown!

Macy0161 · 28-08-2020 1:32pm

john9876 wrote: »

Has he been a slow grower over the years or has he suddenly improved? He didn't ride the TDF last year.

Late to the sport, but he was 4th in the Tour 2 years ago, Won the Vuelta and was 3rd in the Giro last year. Plus multiple shorter stage race results over the last few years.

retalivity · 28-08-2020 1:40pm

He was also a ski jumper before cycling...not a lot of people know that

sorry

wirelessdude01 · 28-08-2020 1:43pm

retalivity wrote: »

He was also a ski jumper before cycling...not a lot of people know that

sorry

Anyone who watches cycling on Eurosport would know it, Carlton mentions it so bloody often.

keane2097 · 28-08-2020 1:44pm

john9876 wrote: »

In the same way that Mercedes seem to be the best F1 car, is there a particular brand of bike that's meant to be the best?
Or are bikes so relatively simple compared to cars that the difference over a tour is negligible?

The Jumbo Visma's Bianchi is ranked no. 1 in this article https://www.businessinsider.com/tour-de-france-bikes-ranked-2019-7?r=US&IR=T#no-1-jumbo-vismas-bianchi-22

That's from last year and they're only talking about the aesthetics of the bikes rather than which one is the 'best' racer. Those Bianchi machines are beautiful in that colour scheme alright.

wirelessdude01 · 28-08-2020 1:46pm

See Lotto-Soudal have had the first 'non negative' results from testing. Some staff sent home.

buffalo · 28-08-2020 1:54pm

wirelessdude01 wrote: »

Anyone who watches cycling on Eurosport would know it, Carlton mentions it so bloody often.

Tim76 · 28-08-2020 2:14pm

john9876 wrote: »

In the same way that Mercedes seem to be the best F1 car, is there a particular brand of bike that's meant to be the best?
Or are bikes so relatively simple compared to cars that the difference over a tour is negligible?

The Jumbo Visma's Bianchi is ranked no. 1 in this article https://www.businessinsider.com/tour-de-france-bikes-ranked-2019-7?r=US&IR=T#no-1-jumbo-vismas-bianchi-22

GCN did a show last year comparing the prices of all the bikes in the Tour. Bearing in mind cost isn't always an indication of quality but it will give you some idea. However the rider is always the main factor in bike racing - Roche could have won on a butcher bike apparently!

You can tell early on in the vid that it's from last year as yer man beside Ollie has a sore throat and isn't quarantining and there isn't a perspex screen between them. Those halcyon days.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZyq-EMEJQ8

breezy1985 · 28-08-2020 2:27pm

john9876 wrote: »

I'm very much a fair weather cycling fan ... even so, I was surprised when looking at the odds that Primož Roglič is the favourite. I'd never heard of him before.
He's actually 30 years old.
Has he been a slow grower over the years or has he suddenly improved? He didn't ride the TDF last year.

He was a world champion skijumper who made the switch in his 20s. He has had a steady progress but really only started to hit the headlines a few years ago and was a giro favourite and vuelta winner in 2019

Just realized there's a page 10 which is already full of what I just said

CrowdedHouse · 28-08-2020 2:48pm

wirelessdude01 wrote: »

Anyone who watches cycling on Eurosport would know it, Carlton mentions it so bloody often.

That's why I liked the 2nd feed on eurosport app, no commentary.

MPFGLB · 28-08-2020 4:39pm

I dont suppose anyone is doing any stage threads

Especially stage 1 where Sam Bennett could take Yellow...he certainly seems psyched for it

28-08-2020 4:49pm

Lets hope he has better luck than he's had previously at the tour, third time lucky !!!!

dastardly00 · 28-08-2020 5:00pm

MPFGLB wrote: »

I dont suppose anyone is doing any stage threads

Especially stage 1 where Sam Bennett could take Yellow...he certainly seems psyched for it

I look forward to reading your thread for Stage 1

Thanks for volunteering

Eamonnator · 28-08-2020 6:18pm

MPFGLB wrote: »

I dont suppose anyone is doing any stage threads

Especially stage 1 where Sam Bennett could take Yellow...he certainly seems psyched for it

Good man, you've made a start to it there. Please continue.

letape · 28-08-2020 6:30pm

dastardly00 wrote: »

I look forward to reading your thread for Stage 1
Thanks for volunteering

dastardly00 - we have all enjoyed your stage profiles in the past!

28-08-2020 7:48pm

Womens race on TV at around 9am. I'm assuming it'll be similar to what we see in the last stage of Paris-Nice?

dastardly00 · 28-08-2020 9:37pm

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Womens race on TV at around 9am. I'm assuming it'll be similar to what we see in the last stage of Paris-Nice?

It'll be very aggressive racing for sure given that it's only 94 km in length and the climbs aren't that difficult. I'm looking forward to watching it.

(The organisers are doing the female pros a disservice with such a short route; it should be longer. Although really they deserve a multiple stage race)

28-08-2020 11:04pm

dastardly00 wrote: »

It'll be very aggressive racing for sure given that it's only 94 km in length and the climbs aren't that difficult. I'm looking forward to watching it.

(The organisers are doing the female pros a disservice with such a short route; it should be longer. Although really they deserve a multiple stage race)

2022 they say and claim logistics being the limiting factor in not running a womens tour along side the mens. I know a few prominent riders were very critical of the course but at least it's not a glorified crit race in Paris. Nothing wrong with a crit race, I'm just not a fan of watching them. Hopefully it will play out as super aggressive as I'm hoping.

Anna van der Breggen though is notable by her absence from the start list? AVV while taking the glory yesterday looked like it was harder work than usual so hard to say if she'll be the winner tomorrow.

wirelessdude01 · 28-08-2020 11:10pm

Do people think it will manage to get to Paris?

28-08-2020 11:11pm

wirelessdude01 wrote: »

Do people think it will manage to get to Paris?

If Sam takes yellow tomorrow , then call it a day

CantGetNoSleep · 28-08-2020 11:19pm

Anywhere to find timings for tomorrow? Need to get the wife off me back for a few hours to see Sam take yellow

MPFGLB · 28-08-2020 11:27pm

The first diary entry is up

https://www.independent.ie/sport/other-sports/cycling/nicolas-roches-tour-de-france-diary-without-the-fans-it-is-nothing-compared-to-the-razzmatazz-of-my-first-tour-39487001.html

Stages usually finish between 4.30pm and 5pm Irish time but all the timings are usually found here
https://www.letour.fr/en/

Mehaffey1 · 28-08-2020 11:27pm

CantGetNoSleep wrote: »

Anywhere to find timings for tomorrow? Need to get the wife off me back for a few hours to see Sam take yellow

Twitter and Eurosport will keep you bang up to speed

topnotch · 28-08-2020 11:29pm

https://www.letour.fr/en/stage-1
Timings under the time schedule tab.

breezy1985 · 29-08-2020 12:02am

Mehaffey1 wrote: »

Twitter and Eurosport will keep you bang up to speed

Fake a close contact and self isolate for a few weeks

CramCycle · 29-08-2020 10:10am

La Course is a bit of craic so far. Not sure if we are allowed talk about it so I won't.

dastardly00 · 29-08-2020 10:11am

CramCycle wrote: »

La Course is a bit of craic so far. Not sure if we are allowed talk about it so I won't.

Aggressive racing and the descent of the climb is super technical

at1withmyself · 29-08-2020 10:25am

dastardly00 wrote: »

Aggressive racing and the descent of the climb is super technical

Thread title calls out spoilers so talk away!

topnotch · 29-08-2020 10:36am

Longo Borghini will surely do the business today.

29-08-2020 10:40am

You'd fancy Vos the boss if they don't manage to drop her.

29-08-2020 11:02am

Wow that some shot of the lead group holding pace with a train , are they using it as a wind block?

dastardly00 · 29-08-2020 11:18am

7 km remaining

ratracer · 29-08-2020 11:29am

Great finish, a real track type sprint!

breezy1985 · 29-08-2020 11:31am

Really thought Borghini had screwed Deignan by leading out Vos in the last 500m but Trek played it perfect

ednwireland · 29-08-2020 11:32am

thought deignan had blown that ! bourghini made vos sprint 50m to early.

bazermc · 29-08-2020 11:35am

Great finish. Can we claim this as an Irish win?

dastardly00 · 29-08-2020 11:35am

Great finish. Same as others, I thought Borghini's last attack has messed up Deignan's chances. Once Vos had got a bike length lead, I didn't think she would be caught. Super win though from Deignan

breezy1985 · 29-08-2020 11:38am

bazermc wrote: »

Great finish. Can we claim this as an Irish win?

First time I saw her on the result sheet post wedding I assumed Phil had some hotshot young sister we had never heard of before

dastardly00 · 29-08-2020 11:38am

Lizzie Deignan is only 31... I feel very old

ednwireland · 29-08-2020 11:39am

bazermc wrote: »

Great finish. Can we claim this as an Irish win?

we're claiming it as a donegal win. oh and a Yorkshire win.

29-08-2020 11:43am

Not someone I'm 100% for cheering on given the shenanigans before the Rio Olympics.

MPFGLB · 29-08-2020 11:49am

https://twitter.com/briancanty/status/1299654703857500160?s=20

breezy1985 · 29-08-2020 11:52am

ednwireland wrote: »

we're claiming it as a donegal win. oh and a Yorkshire win.

If we can claim Big Jack then we can claim Lizzie too.

breezy1985 · 29-08-2020 11:54am

MPFGLB wrote: »

https://twitter.com/briancanty/status/1299654703857500160?s=20

I cant imagine riders are cycling round with illegal drugs in the back pocket like its the 1970s

Tour de France 2020 general thread (SPOILERS GALORE)

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