The Cycling Thread

[Marty]

Also, though Martin is 1'41 behind he has to get credit for a superhuman effort coming back from Sunday's crash like this.

 

[nightgoat]

Landa rode for Landa there. Should have been with his leader.

On a climb that steep the benefit of riding on someone's wheels is virtually non existent, Landa may as well go for it. If he'd gone earlier he could have taken more bonus seconds off Aru, Uran and Bardet.

 

[aussiespursguy]

On a climb that steep the benefit of riding on someone's wheels is virtually non existent, Landa may as well go for it. If he'd gone earlier he could have taken more bonus seconds off Aru, Uran and Bardet.

Yeah good point. Stop making sense!

 

[aussiespursguy]

Didn't realise Uran and Bennett coped time penalties for taking on water. Apparently Bardet did as well but no penalty?
Watergate!

http://www.sbs.com.au/cyclingcentral/article/2017/07/14/watergate-should-bardet-also-be-fined

 

[nightgoat]

Uran and Bennett have had their penalties rescinded. Presumably once ASO realised they'd have to penalise Bardet as well.

http://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/r...verse-decision-dock-time-illegal-feeds-341826

 

[aussiespursguy]

Uran and Bennett have had their penalties rescinded. Presumably once ASO realised they'd have to penalise Bardet as well.

http://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/r...verse-decision-dock-time-illegal-feeds-341826

Bit of a joke really.

 

[nightgoat]

Bastille Day, of course Tommy's off in the break...

 

[nightgoat]

Bit of a joke really.

Especially after Demare not being penalised when Sagan was DQ'd, Bouhanni being deducted a minute on GC for punching a Quickstep rider (as if a minute on GC is of any bother to a sprinter). It's almost as if they don't want to penalise French riders...

 

[nightgoat]

Cracking stage. Landa was close to being virtual maillot jaune at times. Surprising that the rest of the second group didn't lean on Aru more, but then at this stage they all have their own little battles, not least Froome not wanting Landa to get too far away!

 

[aussiespursguy]

Cracking stage. Landa was close to being virtual maillot jaune at times. Surprising that the rest of the second group didn't lean on Aru more, but then at this stage they all have their own little battles, not least Froome not wanting Landa to get too far away!

Totally agree. Short, sharp and full of challenges. This is the sort of stage that should be included more often. Difficult and challenging after a mother of a stage. Sad to see Fuglsang abandon but impossible to continue with his injuries.
Interesting the internal battle with Froome and Landa. Talk is Landa to UAE next season as a GC contender himself. He is good enough no doubt.
Todays stage one for the fast guys who can get over the hills. Expect your Gilberts, Matthews type riders to go all out.

 

[nightgoat]

Looked like a lot of gaps in the finish, Froome should be back in yellow.

Aru lost 26 seconds!

 

[Marty]

Aru dropped a massive bollock, was far too far back when they entered the final stretch. Bardet also lost a couple of seconds.

Great charge by Matthews and the Belgians, came at just the right moment because Boasson Hagen seemed to have good enough legs - and did catch Gilbert - but started a fraction too far behind.

 

[nightgoat]

Totally agree. Short, sharp and full of challenges. This is the sort of stage that should be included more often. Difficult and challenging after a mother of a stage. Sad to see Fuglsang abandon but impossible to continue with his injuries.
Interesting the internal battle with Froome and Landa. Talk is Landa to UAE next season as a GC contender himself. He is good enough no doubt.
Todays stage one for the fast guys who can get over the hills. Expect your Gilberts, Matthews type riders to go all out.

I think Landa's rumoured to be going to Movistar. Sky have four riders who could legitimately have Grand Tour GC aspirations (Froome, Thomas, Landa and Poels) so someone is going to be left out. Where Landa would fit in with Quintana and Valverde I'm not sure.

Great win for Matthews though, it was comfortable in the end.

 

[aussiespursguy]

I think Landa's rumoured to be going to Movistar. Sky have four riders who could legitimately have Grand Tour GC aspirations (Froome, Thomas, Landa and Poels) so someone is going to be left out. Where Landa would fit in with Quintana and Valverde I'm not sure.

Great win for Matthews though, it was comfortable in the end.

Called it!!...lol

 

[Col_M]

Great tactics by Sky today. Froome is a monster.

 

[Marty]

Storming ride by Mollema, the chasers couldn't get organised to hunt him down. BMC wasted a great chance for a stage win with three men in the breakaway.

Dan Martin is my hero of the tour though, even more so after every stage.

 

[nightgoat]

Almost a disaster for Froome with the puncture, the race was already on at that stage so no neutralising. Landa must be secretly pissed at being called back, he looks stronger than Froome at the moment. In a Tour as tight as this those 12 seconds Martin picked up could be very important. Quintana lost nearly 4 minutes in the end!

 

[aussiespursguy]

Cracking stage. Battles galore. Great scenery.
Time for bed!

 

[Marty]

Martin undid all his good work in previous stages by not being alert when the wind split the pack. Still, top 7 separated by only 2'03" when we've started week three is incredible.

 

[nightgoat]

I don't think Martin was not alert so much, more that he didn't have many teammates around him as most of them were back dragging Kittel to the finish. Martin only had Bauer with him I think.

Matthews is a lucky boy. Clearly deviated across Degenkolb's line who had to stop his sprint.