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Tour de France 2020 general thread (SPOILERS GALORE)

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12467…24

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    #92
    MPFGLB
    Registered Users Posts: 3,245 ✭✭✭MPFGLB


    The diary is back !!!!!

    https://www.independent.ie/sport/other-sports/cycling/it-was-never-about-just-saying-oh-my-legs-hurt-roche-explains-secrets-to-tour-diary-success-39482490.html


    It s been such a surreal year ...its good to have the Tour back ...hope i goes the distance


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    #93
    velo.2010
    Registered Users Posts: 3,010 ✭✭✭velo.2010


    I'm surprised they're having a team presentation this evening. Live now on Eurosport.


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    #94
    CramCycle
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,446 Mod ✭✭✭✭CramCycle


    velo.2010 wrote: »
    I'm surprised they're having a team presentation this evening. Live now on Eurosport.

    Nothing surprises me anymore, what is the point?


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    #95
    velo.2010
    Registered Users Posts: 3,010 ✭✭✭velo.2010


    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.


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    #96
    a_squirrelman
    Registered Users Posts: 604 ✭✭✭a_squirrelman


    Sagan! Great lad!


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    #97
    JimmyChew
    Registered Users Posts: 158 ✭✭JimmyChew


    Hope all these tech issues at the presentation aren't a sign of things to come.. TBH the stage set just doesn't work without a crowd.


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    #98
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    Oh my :eek:


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    #99
    at1withmyself
    Registered Users Posts: 2,477 ✭✭✭at1withmyself


    What a team they have built up - Team Jumbo Visma, on screen for the presentation now. Hard to look past them!


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    #100
    Macy0161
    Registered Users Posts: 9,268 ✭✭✭Macy0161


    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.
    No it doesn't! He didn't even win the last year he was in it!


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    #101
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    And in 2017 Landa looked like it was taking all the will he could muster to not drop him on a few occasions.


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    #102
    velo.2010
    Registered Users Posts: 3,010 ✭✭✭velo.2010


    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.


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    #103
    CramCycle
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,446 Mod ✭✭✭✭CramCycle


    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.


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    #104
    velo.2010
    Registered Users Posts: 3,010 ✭✭✭velo.2010


    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.


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    #105
    breezy1985
    Registered Users Posts: 24,362 ✭✭✭✭breezy1985


    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


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    #106
    john9876
    Registered Users Posts: 340 ✭✭john9876


    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.


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    #107
    john9876
    Registered Users Posts: 340 ✭✭john9876


    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


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    #108
    EC1000
    Registered Users Posts: 1,336 ✭✭✭EC1000


    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!


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    #109
    Macy0161
    Registered Users Posts: 9,268 ✭✭✭Macy0161


    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.


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    #110
    retalivity
    Registered Users Posts: 14,000 ✭✭✭✭retalivity


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



    sorry


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    #111
    wirelessdude01
    Registered Users Posts: 8,417 ✭✭✭wirelessdude01


    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.


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    #112
    keane2097
    Registered Users Posts: 17,770 ✭✭✭✭keane2097


    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.


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    #113
    wirelessdude01
    Registered Users Posts: 8,417 ✭✭✭wirelessdude01


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


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    #114
    buffalo
    Registered Users Posts: 8,050 ✭✭✭buffalo


    wirelessdude01 wrote: »
    Anyone who watches cycling on Eurosport would know it, Carlton mentions it so bloody often.

    thatsthejoke.jpg


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    #115
    Tim76
    Registered Users Posts: 953 ✭✭✭Tim76


    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


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    #116
    breezy1985
    Registered Users Posts: 24,362 ✭✭✭✭breezy1985


    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


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    #117
    CrowdedHouse
    Registered Users Posts: 6,804 ✭✭✭CrowdedHouse


    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. :)

    Seven Worlds will Collide



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    #118
    MPFGLB
    Registered Users Posts: 3,245 ✭✭✭MPFGLB


    I dont suppose anyone is doing any stage threads

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


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    #119
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


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


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    #120
    dastardly00
    Registered Users Posts: 13,305 ✭✭✭✭dastardly00


    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 :p


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    #121
    Eamonnator
    Registered Users Posts: 6,561 ✭✭✭Eamonnator


    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.


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