2018 Tour de France

[jmeb]

Cobbles are part of bike racing -- always have been and I hope always will be. Just like mountains are. They emphasize bike handling and strength. Thing is, a bunch of GC riders focus on weight:power ratio to the exclusion of much else. No reason that people like Degenkolb shouldn't have the opportunity to win a stage because other racers can't be asked to train in certain ways.

Winning a GT isn't just about climbing mountains and time trialing. Its that ability to be there day in, day out, for 3 weeks no matter what is going on. It's riding cobbles, its riding mountains, its riding intermediate stages, its not falling down on the TT bike, its not being caught out in wind-induced echelons. And while Froome is an excellent climber and TTer, the reason he's won so many GTs compared to others of this generation is because he (and his team) does all those things consistently.

The only people who are out of the race didn't fall on the cobbles. The GC impact was really pretty minimal for such an intense stage.

 

[Primoz]

I actually agree with @jmeb Tour should be won by most complete rider and that includes TT, climbs and descend as well as cobbles and everythnig between. I agree most of riders don't like them, but if you are not capable to get over them, then unfortunately you won't win the race. Is it ok to have them included? Sure why not. If we want perfectly safe race without any crash influencing end result, then I guess only option is to run ITT on oval, and even there I'm sure few guys will crash

 

[cantunamunch]

I actually agree with @jmeb Tour should be won by most complete rider and that includes TT, climbs and descend as well as cobbles and everythnig between.

If the Giro ever goes to Japan, we should totally have a keirin stage.

 

[scott43]

If the Giro ever goes to Japan, we should totally have a keirin stage.

Mont Blanc downhill??

 

[Tom K.]

Screw the cobbles. If we want the Tour to reward the best all around rider, let's throw in a couple of enduro stages!

^this. The idea is, like with all suspensions, to minimise the mass x deflection distance that gets caused by every bump.

So true. Also applies greatly to the suspension vs. hardtail debate in the mtb world. Gets very little notice.

Weight still matters. Rolling weight is not same as overall weight, even though on scale it shows same weight. So lighter tires with some extra weight added under BB for example, are still way better then heavier tires with no extra weight added under BB. But I admit I don't feel like searching what's weight difference between 23 and 26 tire, but I would assume it's not all that much.

This is the sprung vs. unsprung weight issue that gets a lot of attention in the dirt bike world, and not so much until recent DH World Cups in the mtb world. I think this is why a really good gearbox bike (Zerode Taniwah) sticks like glue to the ground. No sprung weight of cassette and derailleur.

 

[Tom K.]

Screw the cobbles. If we want the Tour to reward the best all around rider, let's throw in a couple of enduro stages!

^this. The idea is, like with all suspensions, to minimise the mass x deflection distance that gets caused by every bump.

So true. Also applies greatly to the suspension vs. hardtail debate in the mtb world. Gets very little notice.

Weight still matters. Rolling weight is not same as overall weight, even though on scale it shows same weight. So lighter tires with some extra weight added under BB for example, are still way better then heavier tires with no extra weight added under BB. But I admit I don't feel like searching what's weight difference between 23 and 26 tire, but I would assume it's not all that much.

This is the sprung vs. unsprung weight issue that gets a lot of attention in the dirt bike world, and not so much until recent DH World Cups in the mtb world. I think this is why a really good gearbox bike (Zerode Taniwah) sticks like glue to the ground. No sprung weight of cassette and derailleur.

 

[Tony S]

Rumors of poor treatment of Richie Porte by team BMC manager Jim O. Bums me out. Unprofessional. Thoughts?

 

[scott43]

Richie's already said he's leaving..it's a business. The days of loyalty are over.

 

[graham418]

Both Cavendish and Kittel fail to make the time limit today. Their Tours are over. Cavendish was 40 odd minutes off the back today Looked rather lonely out there , poor fellow.

 

[cantunamunch]

Cavendish was 40 odd minutes off the back today Looked rather lonely out there , poor fellow.

After that header in Milan San Remo I'm impressed that he had any fight left for the Tour, at all.

 

[LKLA]

Quintana was embarrassing to watch. Almost as bad as the Yates meltdown.

If Quintana - or Bardet or Roglic - want to have a fighting chance of winning this Tour, they will blow-up the field tomorrow.

Well done by Movistar. At least they tried.

 

[cantunamunch]

I think Quintana is too risk-averse to do anything except show well in a time trial.

 

[jmeb]

I don't know what people expected of Quintana here. The idea that he was "embarrassing" seems absurd to me. He hung on with the lead group until the last few KM on a type of climb that really suits people like G or Tom more than him. Quintana excels on steep gradients, todays climb was low-gradient and ideal for power-monsters like Tom and G.

Quintana is also notorious for being best in the third week when others are hurting. Why go deep into the red on now when there is still tons of climbing to do.

Nothing any of these guy's is doing is "embarrassing". They are performing at the most elite level in the hardest endurance event in the world.

 

[Eleeski]

Despite my defense of Froome and Sky, they aren't my favorite team. BMC (my favorite) has faltered. EF Drapac is valiant as a team but Uran is struggling. Sunweb might have a chance with Dumolin. Always rooting for the old guy but Valverde lost time. It seems like anyone I like goes backwards. Sigh. I hate being a spectator.

Eric

 

[scott43]

I agree about the nobody is embarrassing themselves..however..I don't see how this is won by anyone not in a Sky jersey after today..not without some kind of epic failure..

 

[jmeb]

I agree about the nobody is embarrassing themselves..however..I don't see how this is won by anyone not in a Sky jersey after today..not without some kind of epic failure..

Given that G has never really shown he has the legs to go all three weeks in a GT (rarely can he even stay upright through them), given that Froome has the Giro in his legs, I think it is far far too early to call this for anyone.

Quintana is biding his time until he's in terrain that suites him. Landa is slowly recovering from injuries from earlier in the tour. Nibbles is always at his best in the third week. And Tom D is right there and will take time from everyone in the TT.

 

[LKLA]

Quintana is now over three minutes back.

There is no doubt that he is a great climber, but today he proved that he is not a smart racer - he had no vision of the race. It takes much more than ability on the steeps to win the TDF.

Every time the wind hit Quintana today he asked for a switch. He did not follow Martin's wheel and it was basically due to him that Froome et al got away. It was clear he was trying but could not keep up - he kept looking for Nibali to help him.

Hope Quintana is in better shape - he and Bardet and Roglic need to blow things up tomorrow.

 

[graham418]

The top ten riders are still very much in the game. Tomorrow is a big day with 3 HC climbs. That will help sort things out

 

[cantunamunch]

So...no one is talking about how the skiing is at La Ros ...

 

[scott43]

given that Froome has the Giro in his legs, I think it is far far too early to call this for anyone.
.

I'm sure Froome's asthma will act up shortly...