2018 TDF Fantasy League (Spoiler Alert)

**Elkhound Odin** · 07-19-2018, 06:54 AM

My wife & I are getting disenchanted with Le Tour. Year after year of watching Sky train & Froome roll over any competition. There hasn't been this kind of constant domination since Postal/Discovery. Hmmmm............, so annoying to watch an obviously doped team constantly winning. So boring.

**Dee Hubbs** · 07-19-2018, 07:58 AM

How many abandons will today see?
60kms to go and we have already lost:
Uran
Gallopin
Gaviria
Groenewegen
Greipel

**Garth Bimble** · 07-19-2018, 09:19 AM

Was that guy wearing a vagina costume?

**buttahflake** · 07-19-2018, 09:34 AM

What happened to Nibs? Did his legs crack, and he fell over? Spectator take him down? Holy shit!

**doebedoe** · 07-19-2018, 10:08 AM

Originally Posted by buttahflake

What happened to Nibs? Did his legs crack, and he fell over? Spectator take him down? Holy shit!

Spectator took him out. Luckily the leaders slowed up a bit. Heroic effort to only lose a few seconds.

Few other thoughts:

- Chapeau to G. Monster ride, still looking good. I hope he gets his chance this year. With another 10 bonus seconds he's almost 2min up on the field.
- Bernal is gonna win a GT in the future. Destroyed tons of GC leaders today.
- To those who think this is only about Sky -- you seem to be forgetting that Tom Tom is sitting in third at 1'50". He will take time out of everyone at the time trial. And he's won GTs so he knows what he's doing. Looked great today.
- Nibbles had great legs today, fuck those "fans". Still within 3 minutes and always at his best in the third week. He'll make things interesting.
- Way to go Kruijswijk. As he said after the race "Worth a try". Made for great viewing.

**::: :::** · 07-19-2018, 10:31 AM

Geraint T said in his interview that he touched wheels with Nibali & was lucky to stay upright
so, maybe Nibbles rode into him in the smoke or got pushed by fans?

I can't figure it out from the vid
you can see the yellow jersey somewhat in there and then you see Nibali on the ground

**LHutz Esq** · 07-19-2018, 10:40 AM

Is there any vid of what happened to Nibali? he was up, then he wasn't.

So Froome gonna ride for G. now? I am thinking no way, but it would be a good strategy for Sky to keep the peloton guessing.

**::: :::** · 07-19-2018, 10:44 AM

https://cyclingmagazine.ca/sections/...on-alpe-dhuez/

**doebedoe** · 07-19-2018, 11:13 AM

Originally Posted by acinpdx

https://cyclingmagazine.ca/sections/...on-alpe-dhuez/

I blame the "fans" in this instance, not the motorbike. They hold up the moto while setting of flares so no one can see.

**doebedoe** · 07-19-2018, 11:16 AM

Originally Posted by LHutz Esq

Is there any vid of what happened to Nibali? he was up, then he wasn't.

So Froome gonna ride for G. now? I am thinking no way, but it would be a good strategy for Sky to keep the peloton guessing.

Froome ain't gonna ride for G unless something really weird happens. But I also expect we won't see G riding for Froome. They'll continue their tactical dance where Froome can go up the road, and other riders need to respond -- pulling G along.

Hate Sky all you want, but their DS typically has very good stage strategies, and Froome and G are both very good at implementing race tactics when it matters.

**shirk** · 07-19-2018, 11:39 AM

The sport needs a team salary cap. What's Sky's budget compared to the rest of the field? Makes for boring racing when one team can control so much of the racing.

**::: :::** · 07-19-2018, 11:45 AM

Originally Posted by doebedoe

Hate Sky all you want, but their DS typically has very good stage strategies, and Froome and G are both very good at implementing race tactics when it matters.

i was impressed with their patience in both these last two stages
very trusting of their squad to keep contact with the front of the race

**doebedoe** · 07-19-2018, 11:48 AM

Originally Posted by shirk

The sport needs a team salary cap. What's Sky's budget compared to the rest of the field? Makes for boring racing when one team can control so much of the racing.

If you don't like a 5-up sprint involving 4 teams to finish a high mountain stage, after an almost win by a 70km solo breakaway, I'm not sure pro cycling will ever entertain you.

It's not as if Sky was the only team riding on the front of the peloton. Movistar and AG2R pushed the pace multiple times.

As far as salary caps -- that's a long way off until you have reliable sponsorship of teams. BMC has had good results in the past years and it will disappear after this season.

**TBS** · 07-19-2018, 11:48 AM

Originally Posted by doebedoe

Different climbers are suited to different types of climbs. Todays lower gradient, steady climb suits people like Tom, G, and to a lesser extend, Froome. Put out power, time trial up the mtn.

Landa, Quintana, and even Bardet are much more suited to uneven climbs with steeper slopes.

And Quintana lost another 43 secs to Froome - on terrain supposedly better suited for him, and being rested for TdF while Froome rode Giro.
At least Landa and Bardet could keep up

**doebedoe** · 07-19-2018, 11:49 AM

Originally Posted by acinpdx

i was impressed with their patience in both these last two stages
very trusting of their squad to keep contact with the front of the race

When you've got Castroveijo and Kwaito until the last flat before Alpe D'Huez, you can be a lot more patient about things.

Bernal put in an incredible ride for a 21 year old.

**doebedoe** · 07-19-2018, 11:51 AM

Originally Posted by TBS

And Quintana lost another 43 secs to Froome - on terrain supposedly better suited for him, and being rested for TdF while Froome rode Giro.
At least Landa and Bardet could keep up

Yep. Quintana obviously doesn't have the legs right now.

Bardet put in a real effort but couldn't get a gap. Landa seems to be biding his time. He'll need to take minutes on G, Froome and Tom D if he wants to have a shot. All three of those guys are beasts in time trials.

**spanky** · 07-19-2018, 12:37 PM

Damn, I have today’s top three riders on my team and I still couldn’t pull off the stage win.

What’s the deal with withdrawals? Do we get an automatic replacement? Or, do I have to spend my rest day replacement? I lost Gallopin today.

**AKPogue** · 07-19-2018, 01:01 PM

Seeing those fans, just reinforces our need for an asteroid to hit this world as soon as possible!

**Garth Bimble** · 07-19-2018, 01:10 PM

Originally Posted by spanky

Damn, I have today’s top three riders on my team and I still couldn’t pull off the stage win.

What’s the deal with withdrawals? Do we get an automatic replacement? Or, do I have to spend my rest day replacement? I lost Gallopin today.

You can only make a change on the rest day(s). If someone abandons, you're stuck until then.

**spanky** · 07-19-2018, 01:13 PM

Originally Posted by Garth Bimble

You can only make a change on the rest day(s). If someone abandons, you're stuck until then.

I didn’t make my change on the rest day and still have the credit. I’m curious if you’re auto credited with a replacement if someone abandons. If so, I don’t want to burn my rest day replacement.

**Garth Bimble** · 07-19-2018, 01:28 PM

Originally Posted by spanky

I didn’t make my change on the rest day and still have the credit. I’m curious if you’re auto credited with a replacement if someone abandons. If so, I don’t want to burn my rest day replacement.

Pretty sure you have to initiate the change.

**shirk** · 07-19-2018, 01:39 PM

Originally Posted by doebedoe

If you don't like a 5-up sprint involving 4 teams to finish a high mountain stage, after an almost win by a 70km solo breakaway, I'm not sure pro cycling will ever entertain you.

It's not as if Sky was the only team riding on the front of the peloton. Movistar and AG2R pushed the pace multiple times.

As far as salary caps -- that's a long way off until you have reliable sponsorship of teams. BMC has had good results in the past years and it will disappear after this season.

https://www.velonews.com/2018/07/tou...cycling_472562

My comment wasn't about the final few km of today's stage, more a comment on what the TDF has become. Sky budget is $42 million other teams are in the $15 or $10 million range. With a spread in budget like that I can see why there isn't reliable sponsorship. Who is going to put in $10 knowing the team to beat puts in 4x that?

**GeezerSteve** · 07-19-2018, 01:43 PM

Originally Posted by shirk

Makes for boring racing

except when it doesn't, e.g., the past 3 stages, which have been anything but boring

**Dee Hubbs** · 07-19-2018, 01:47 PM

Originally Posted by Dee Hubbs

How many abandons will today see?
60kms to go and we have already lost:
Uran
Gallopin
Gaviria
Groenewegen
Greipel

Gruzdev
Zabel
Sieberg
Taaramäe

Lots of our picks abandoning the race.

**Dee Hubbs** · 07-19-2018, 01:57 PM

Originally Posted by spanky

Damn, I have today’s top three riders on my team and I still couldn’t pull off the stage win.

If you had G as your road captain today you would have gained another 230points, and a 1095 total for the stage. Top score in the world today was 1189.
That extra 230 points would have put you in the TGR lead by 9 points.