Tour De France 2019

earwighoney

ewal said:

Early days though. I'm sure Ineos will fight back at some point. Might be for Bernal though.

Seems a good prediction in retrospect.  

sev112

Was so looking forward to seeing the route between Val disere and Tignes

littlegreenman

Hailstorms and landslides in July? Le Tour never fails to surprise.

Looking very likely we'll have the youngest winner for over a century come Sunday on Le Champs, G will be all out as Bernal's Super Domestique tomorrow, just as Froomey did for him last year.

Love 'em or hate them, Team Death Star do one thing better than any other, ride as one team for the win, for the team.

Teetonetal

littlegreenman said:

Hailstorms and landslides in July? Le Tour never fails to surprise.

Looking very likely we'll have the youngest winner for over a century come Sunday on Le Champs, G will be all out as Bernal's Super Domestique tomorrow, just as Froomey did for him last year.

Love 'em or hate them, Team Death Star do one thing better than any other, ride as one team for the win, for the team.

We get a lot of hail storms in the alps in the summer and they can be damned scary with hailstones the size of golf balls!!

crunchman

Today's route shortened by 71km now.  Cutting out 2 climbs.

Wonder if they would be better reordering the route in future.  The time trial on the second last day seemed to work quite well.  Not ideal when the climax of the race is affected like this.  Would be better if these high alpine stages were a bit earlier so that it's less of an effect if there is weather.

StanleyAccrington

What a stage yesterday. What a win for Bernal. His post race interview with Ch4 was both amazing.....and emotional. Cant wait for today's stage to start.

fandango

crunchman said:

Today's route shortened by 71km now.  Cutting out 2 climbs.

Wonder if they would be better reordering the route in future.  The time trial on the second last day seemed to work quite well.  Not ideal when the climax of the race is affected like this.  Would be better if these high alpine stages were a bit earlier so that it's less of an effect if there is weather.

This means G has no chance. At least with a longer stage, there was the outside possibility that he could have made up the 50 seconds or so on Bernal.

The penultimate stage is now only 37 miles. That’s a walk in the park for these guys. Was really looking forward to today’s stage until this reduction. Sigh.

BeardyAndy

crunchman said:

Today's route shortened by 71km now.  Cutting out 2 climbs.

Wonder if they would be better reordering the route in future.  The time trial on the second last day seemed to work quite well.  Not ideal when the climax of the race is affected like this.  Would be better if these high alpine stages were a bit earlier so that it's less of an effect if there is weather.

Some one more cynical than me would probably say that the shorter stage could suit a certain French rider!?  

BeardyAndy

NorthernGooner said:

Luke Rowe chucked off the tour for sweet FA!  Bloody French! This stinks. 

TBH he should have kept his shirt on, looks like TM started it but Luke could've had a word and left it at that. Still very harsh outcome though.

earwighoney

Shame about Alaphilippe falling away at the end. 

Bernal seems a special talent.  

littlegreenman

fandango said:

crunchman said:

Today's route shortened by 71km now.  Cutting out 2 climbs.

Wonder if they would be better reordering the route in future.  The time trial on the second last day seemed to work quite well.  Not ideal when the climax of the race is affected like this.  Would be better if these high alpine stages were a bit earlier so that it's less of an effect if there is weather.

This means G has no chance. At least with a longer stage, there was the outside possibility that he could have made up the 50 seconds or so on Bernal.

The penultimate stage is now only 37 miles. That’s a walk in the park for these guys. Was really looking forward to today’s stage until this reduction. Sigh.

To make up those 50 seconds on Bernal G could have potentially dragged Kruijswijk into 2nd, above Bernal. Team orders would have been no way.

ewal

earwighoney said:

Shame about Alaphilippe falling away at the end. 

Bernal seems a special talent.  

It was always going to happen - he just didn't have enough support from his team. Superb rider though. Wonder if he'll focus on the GC in the future?

danishbacon

V happy to see Bernal win. This was the first tour I followed more closely since Lance's last win. How the game has changed. G and Vernal crossing the finish yesterday arms in arms was quite something.

crunchman

ewal said:

earwighoney said:

Shame about Alaphilippe falling away at the end. 

Bernal seems a special talent.  

It was always going to happen - he just didn't have enough support from his team. Superb rider though. Wonder if he'll focus on the GC in the future?

No one will be allowing to go off the front in the future.  There were a couple of stages in the first half of the race where he was allowed to go off the front.  The GC contenders won't allow him to do that in future years.

It will be interesting to see how the ASO set up the course in future years.  This year was not much time trial but a lot of high mountains (to disadvantage Thomas?), but given how good a climber Bernal is, and how well Alaphillipe time trialed, we may see them going back to a mix that favours good time triallists.

sev112

crunchman said:

ewal said:

earwighoney said:

Shame about Alaphilippe falling away at the end. 

Bernal seems a special talent.  

It was always going to happen - he just didn't have enough support from his team. Superb rider though. Wonder if he'll focus on the GC in the future?

No one will be allowing to go off the front in the future.  There were a couple of stages in the first half of the race where he was allowed to go off the front.  The GC contenders won't allow him to do that in future years.

It was the same as last year.  froome stays in control of the pack and sends his main mountain domestique off to attack, and if it’s successul then they have yellow, if not then they probably have yellow.  The same thing happened this year.

sev112

Love that the peloton is allowing Alaphilippe to rise at the front with the jersey winners at the start today. He’s been fabulous this year

littlegreenman

Most entertaining Tour for ages. Plenty of drama and heartache all the way, especially for the French.

Chapeau to Pinot and Alaphilippe for keeping the dream alive, but the ultimate kudos to to G and Egan for bringing home the one two.